Frequently Asked Questions
Are you affiliated with WoTC?
No, we are fellow Commander players that run an adjacent format
What are the rules for GOmmander?
Exactly the same as for Commander at any given time. The same goes for bann lists and game changers. The low power format means that the GC list is mostly irrelevant though...
How do I sign up?
Download GOmmander: Spark from Google Play when it is available. We currently do not support iOS but we might if we hear that there is demand for it. While we make it ready for Google Play you can get it from us if you are willing to help us test it!
What does the app do?
It calculates how far you walk and sends that information to a server that checks if you earned a card for your digital collection.
Does it record my location?
Yes, but only for use inside your phone. Every ten seconds it compares your location to your previously confirmed location to see if you have moved enough. If you have, it overwrites the old location with the new one and awards the distance.
Do you store any other information about me?
We store your distance walked (but not location) and time when you did it. Also, on registration your phone will send the server a public key that is used to verify signed messages that your phone will send to the server as we'll as your acceptance of the EULA and privacy policy. It will also send a token that can be used by us to verify that your phone is not rooted and that the app is not manipulated at the time of registration. It will also store your phones brand, model and OS version so we can track compatibility.
What if I lose my phone?
Our privacy by design approach makes that a hard to solve problem. You are asked during registration to save a code that can later help you restore your account. We suggest you do!
Does the app cost anything?
The app is free and there are no in app purchases, nor are there any adds in the app. You might want to allocate more money to your shoe budget.
How do you earn money?
We don't, we do all development ourselves and have jobs so we can cover the costs of running the server. Most software we use is open source, the rest is free to use. Not everything has to be about money. That said, we might start some sort of crowdfunding or merchandise line if this blows up and we need better hardware.
Do I need an internet connection?
You do not need an internet connection to log walked distance but it will not be synced with the server until you have one. Any walked distance will be retroactivly applied to the right hour slot, starting with the oldest.
You do need an internet connection for downloading the app and when you first start it, to sign the EULA and Privacy Policy.
How do I know what cards I can get?
Check the timeline page. You can get the cards from left to right. The hours are in UTC!
What if I already have the left most card?
You cannot get duplicates in GOmmander. You will get the next card in the list.
What if I already have all three cards?
For each hour there is a personalised list covering every card that is legal in commander, is released, has a price and is not already in your collection. The reason you only see three is to save on bandwith. Apply your ID in field where it says default and you will see the three that apply to you.
Can I earn physical cards this way?
No, this is strictly digital
Can I trade my digital cards somehow, if not what are the prices for?
You cannot trade individual cards and while it is in theory possible to sell your phone with GOmmander: Spark installed on it, it is not allowed. If you want to sell your phone, uninstall the app and a new install will generate a new player_id and start a new collection.
The prices are intended to give a clue about how much you might have to walk to earn it. The formula is (meters walked)/(card price in dollar * 10000). This gives a number between 0 and 1. Then a pseudo random number between 0 and 1 created is created and if that number is less than the first number the card is awarded. It means you have to walk roughly 100 meters per cent.
Do I need to buy physical cards to play with?
We suggest you do but ultimatley they right to use play test cards (proxies) is decided by WoTC and the people you play with.
Do I need turn off my phone if I get in a vehicle? I don't want to cheat or get banned or something!
You can only be awarded distance while you travel slower than 2 meters per second. You do not need to turn off your phone. I might be hard on the battery though since the GPS is active while you are moving, even in a car. It is not when you are stationary.
I sometimes get awarded distance while doing nothing!
GPS technology is not flawless. We try to eliminate jitter but some will always get through. In the end we feel that whatever distance was won this way will be overshadowed by actual walking. Consider it a freebe!
Is not the secondary market fairer in a way? It is very hard to catch up to someone that has been playing GOmmander for a long time when you are just starting out.
We do not care so much about what is fair in that sense, there will always be different tiers of players. If you think your GOmmander collection is to weak to compete, build a Commander deck instead but be respectful of the fact that your friends are limited to suboptimal card choices even after walking thousands of kilometers.