Discord server (more suitable that this site for questions and answers):
This program uses a script for the creation of the cards, and you can add text, images and some graphics (lines, rectangles and ellipses). Using nanDECK you can add or change graphic elements to a deck (or only some cards) with only some lines of text. The default size of the cards is 6 cm x 9 cm (9 cards for every A4 sheet), but you can customize everything, (even creating chits for wargames). There are over 100 keywords, but for basic tasks you should know only few of them. As an example, this is a script for a deck of 18 cards that can be used for Werewolf:
cards = 18
border = rectangle
font = arial, 28, B, #0000FF
text = 1, "SEER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
font = arial, 28, B, #FF0000
text = 2-4, "WEREWOLF", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
font = arial, 28, B, #000000
text = 5-18, "VILLAGER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This is a detailed explanation of all the lines of code:
This keyword sets the number of the cards in the deck.
This keyword draws a border around all cards.
font = arial, 28, B, #0000FF
font = arial, 28, B, #FF0000
font = arial, 28, B, #000000
These keywords set the font to be used for text, Arial size 28, bold and in three different colors.
text = 1, "SEER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on the 1st card the word “SEER”, in the rectangle from coordinates (0, 3), width 6 and height 3, with center alignment. Note that all coordinates are in cm (but you can use inches with a line UNIT=INCH).
text = 2-4, "WEREWOLF", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th card the word “WEREWOLF”.
text = 5-18, "VILLAGER", 0, 3, 6, 3, center
This keyword writes on cards from 5 to 18 the word “VILLAGER”.
A great strength of nanDECK (versus other graphic programs) is the capability to modify an already done deck with a few changes. So if you want to add an image to the top-right angle of every card in the Werewolf deck, you only have to add one line:
image = 1-18, "logo.gif", 0, 4, 2, 2, 0
You can find a more detailed example at page 12 of the reference.
Important: although it is possible to create a deck of cards by indicating all the elements card by card in the code, it is better to proceed by entering all the data in a spreadsheet (one row per card, one column per type of data, such as name, value, the image), and add in the code the instructions that read this data from the spreadsheet and create the cards. Example:
link = data.xlsx
font = arial, 32, , #000000
text = , [name], 0, 0, 100%, 20%
image = , [image], 0, 20%, 100%, 40%
font = arial, 16, , #FF0000
text = , [value], 0, 60%, 20%, 20%
nanDECK is a software for Windows (any version) written as an aid for game inventors, with the aim of speeding up the process of designing and printing deck of cards (useful during prototyping and playtesting).
nanDECK is free, you can download it and use freely, without limitations (but a donation, of course, is really welcome).
Support nanDECK on Patreon!
