FOUR SEATS. YOUR DECKS.
A private Commander playtesting table for friends.
Start with two people and let the AI fill the other seats.
Install once. Join with a room code. No Tailscale account or port setup needed.
The download comes from the publisher’s computer over public HTTPS. That computer must be awake for downloads.
The public-online build is being validated. Wait for the verified download to become available.
Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All. Extract into a short folder such as C:\Games\CommanderLab; deeply nested folders can exceed Windows’ path-length limit. Keep its folders together. Open CommanderLab.exe from the extracted folder, not from inside the ZIP.
This early build is unsigned. If SmartScreen appears, verify you downloaded the file linked here before choosing More info → Run anyway. Do not disable Windows security.
Open My Decks and import your Commander deck file. Artwork downloads automatically as needed. In Settings → Updates / art, choose Standard or Enhanced 4×. You do not need to download the full catalog.
Open Join Game. Enter your name and join an available table from the game list, or enter your host’s 10-character room code. Choose your saved deck and click Load deck into my seat.
Check the commander previews, then each human clicks Ready up. The game starts automatically when everyone is ready. The coin-flip winner starts; choose whether to keep or mulligan your opening hand. Two AI players fill the other seats. First startup can take several minutes while the rules engine loads; keep the app open.
Create a table on the shared online game server. Your computer does not run the server.
Follow the Join a game tab to install the current Windows build and save your deck. Ask the project owner for host access. The host key is only for creating rooms; guests do not need it.
Open Join Game. Enter your name and host key, set Friends joining you to 1 and AI opponents to 2, and click Create room. This reserves two human seats and two AI seats.
Only one active table is supported during this testing period. Keep the host key private.
Send your friend the room’s 10-character code. Each human chooses a saved deck and clicks Load deck into my seat. The host can select a saved deck for each AI and upload it to that AI seat. Verify the confirmed commander and card count for all four seats. Membership credentials are handled privately by the app.
When all decks are loaded, each human clicks Ready up. The game starts automatically and shows loading progress. The coin-flip winner starts; opening-hand choices remain yours. During testing, the owner can close the entire game from the lobby or Settings; this disconnects everyone.
The online game server and artwork service are separate. The publisher’s computer serves downloads and must remain online for artwork that is not cached yet.
A QUICK HAND
Install this updater-enabled build once. It checks at startup and every 30 minutes, downloads signed releases in the background, and offers a restart outside a match. Your decks, settings and cached artwork stay intact. Automatic downloads can be disabled in Settings.
The publisher’s computer may be offline. Retry later or ask the host to check the download service. Tailscale is not required. Never use a replacement download with an unverified source.
Use Join Game and the current build. Check the room code and ask whether the host has an active room. Creators need the private host key. A message about an incompatible version means the app needs an update.
If the app shows a pending request, use Retry pending request with the same details. Creators re-enter the host key. Do not repeatedly create new rooms or abandon a pending request unless you intend to leave that attempt.
For two people and two bots, choose 1 friend and 2 AI. Both humans join and upload decks. The host can choose each AI’s saved deck. Check each seat’s commander and card count, then each human clicks Ready up. The game starts automatically; watch the loading stage.
Reopen Join Game and use Reconnect reserved seat. The app saves your private membership on this computer. Do not forget it or create a new room. Decision and reconnect timers are disabled by default. Leaving saves your seat on this device; entering the same room code restores it. A stopped server process cannot restore the old match.
No. Standard is the default, and only artwork needed by decks and visible cards downloads automatically. Enhanced 4× is optional. Settings shows signed catalog sizes and estimated extra disk space before an optional full download. Cached cards work offline; missing artwork temporarily uses text cards.