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Card Generator

The BDPD Card Generator converts the card data (cards_v03.json) into print-ready PNG images using an SVG template pipeline.

What It Does

Reads each card definition from cards_v03.json, applies its data (name, harvest value, effects, flavour text, faction colours) to a pre-designed SVG template, and outputs one image file per card.

Pipeline

cards_v03.json          →  svg_builder.py  →  rasterizer.py  →  PNG
faction_config.json     →        ↑                  ↑
card_template.svg       →   (lxml ETree)     (cairosvg)
art/ (optional)         →
  1. svg_builder.py — Parses the SVG template, locates named elements by XML id, sets text/colours/stat boxes from card data, optionally embeds artwork, and serialises back to SVG bytes.
  2. rasterizer.py — Converts SVG bytes to PNG at the requested DPI using cairosvg. Scale factor = target_dpi ÷ 96 (Inkscape default).

Template System

The SVG template (templates/card_template.svg) contains named elements that svg_builder.py targets by XML id:

SVG Element Populated With
text7 Card ID + version metadata
text9 Card title
text10 Deck badge label (e.g. "WARRIOR-KING")
rect9 Deck badge border (stroke colour from faction config)
rect15 Faction accent bar colour
text15 Action type (e.g. "ACTION / HARVEST")
text21 Rules text (wrapped tspan lines)
text23 Flavour text (wrapped tspan lines)
text24 Flavour source attribution
text26 BDPD mapping description
rect13 Artwork frame border
text13 Artwork placeholder (removed when image is supplied)

Stat boxes (rect16, text16, etc.) are dynamically rebuilt from the card's effects — each effect that produces a numerical value (HARVEST, HEALTH, CAPACITY, PATIENCE, RENEWAL) gets a styled box.

Output

Option Format Use
Default PNG at 150 DPI (~1172 × 1641 px) Screen / quick preview
--dpi 300 PNG at 300 DPI (~2344 × 3281 px) Commercial print
--svg-only SVG Inkscape inspection / further editing

Card dimensions: 750 × 1050 px at 96 DPI (Inkscape default).

Dual-Mode Cards

Stranger-King cards with type: "dual_mode" generate two output files per card:

stranger_001_coop.png   — Cooperative mode effects and colours
stranger_001_aggr.png   — Aggressive mode effects and colours

Cooperative cards use the stranger faction accent (#B07FC7, purple); aggressive cards use stranger_aggr (#E5A050, amber/orange).

Faction Configuration

templates/faction_config.json defines colours and badges per deck:

Deck Badge Accent
warrior WARRIOR-KING #E05252 (red)
temple TEMPLE #8DD35F (green)
merchant MERCHANT #5B9BD5 (blue)
stranger STRANGER-KING #B07FC7 (purple)
stranger_aggr STRANGER-KING #E5A050 (amber)
event EVENT #E5C07B (gold)
forest FOREST #8DD35F (green)

Stat box colours (label accent, background, border stroke) are also configurable per stat type (harvest, health, capacity, patience, renewal, stockpile, tithe).

Customisation

  • Change colours: Edit faction_config.json and regenerate.
  • Add artwork: Place images named <card_id>.png in an art/ directory, then use --art-dir art/.
  • Single card: --card-ids warrior_001 generates one card only.
  • Filter by deck: --decks warrior temple generates those decks only.

See Usage for the full CLI reference and internals.