Deck Building Utilities (Update June 2008)

New versions of the "Anarch Revolt Deck Builder" (ARDB) and the web-based "Fragments of Elder Library Deck Builder" (FELDB) have been published in early June 2008. Both tools now include the cards (and images) from the "Twilight Rebellion" expansion. Here's the update of the basic information.

Anarch Revolt Deck Builder ("ARDB")
Current Version: 2.8.0
Author(s): Graham Smith (current project lead) / Francois Gombault (initial creator)
Description: Layered Filters, multiple export functionality and a tidy interface are the top features of this program, somewhat newer than the FELDB it had a fresh start and gained soon popularity in the VtES community.
Advantages/Disadvantages:

• Card List & Inventory
• complete card list with card texts
• almost complete collection of pictures of actual cards, but not always the latest version of the cards.
  
• great search & filter use, multiple, layered filters
• card inventory can be kept
• Deck Building
• offers the basic functionality of deck builder
• includes some statistical information about the decks as well as card drawing simulation
• ability to store decks in XML format (*.xml), as text (*.txt), HTML file (*.html) or for use with JOL (*.jol) or for posting to internet forums (*.phbBB).
• gives some advice on deck building based on the "Happy Families" theory
• Other Functionality
• can update card database from White Wolf website
• little utility for creating proxy cards

URLs:

• ARDB v2.8.0 for Windows
• ARDB v2.8.0 for openSUSE
• ARDB v2.7.1 for Fedora
• VtES Card Images
• VtES Card Images (TR Only)

Cost: free software
OS Platforms: Windows, OpenSuSe, Fedora, Ubuntu, Mac OS X 10.3+(?)
Expansion Updates: about 2 to 4 weeks after an expansion has been released.
Expansions: all VtES expansions.
Latest Posting: 06/Jun/2008

Fragments of Elder Library Deck Builder ("FELDB")
Current Version: 2.4.2
Author(s): Balasz Kuno Kiss
Description: After the ELDB ("Elder Library Deck Builder") was no longer maintained, the ELDB's author David Andersion-Davila published the sources and FELDB was the result of the development with serious improvements over the old program.
Advantages/Disadvantages:

• Card List & Inventory
• complete card list with card texts
• almost complete collection of pictures of actual cards, but not always the latest version of the cards.
• basic ability to filter and sort cards, this could be better, especially when compared to the ARDB.
• card inventory can be kept, but needs to be used carefully when updating to the next version or expansion.
• Deck Building
• offers the basic functionality of deck builder
• includes some statistical information about the decks as well as card drawing simulation
• ability to store decks in native format (*.eld), as text (*.txt), HTML file (*.html) or for use with JOL (*.jol).
• Other Features
• several import/export options for decks and inventories
• usually the quickest update after an expansion has been released
• can update card database from White Wolf website (indirectly)
• URLs:
  
  • FELDB v2.4.2
  • VtES Card Images (up to LotN)
  • VtES Card Images (LotN & TR & et. al.)

Cost: free software
OS Platforms: Windows
Expansion Updates: about 1 to 2 weeks after an expansion has been released.
Expansions: all VtES expansions.
Latest Posting: 08/Jun/2008
Latest Changes (for version 2.4.2):

• Added Twilight Rebellion" expansion
• New group type: Any (0)