Walhalla Odin & Freyja Playing Cards / Live KS

[Decknowledgy]

Printed by NPCC, 1000 each.

[Justin O.]

I absolutely love the tuck and number cards. I think the style of the courts is good, but not my thing. I think you have a winning design here.

[Jock1971]

I really like these a lot, i`m in for a pair.

Reminds me of the Pippoglyph cards by Bent Castle Workshop
http://WWW.bentcastle.com/pippoglyph/pippoglyh-sets" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bradius]

I like this as well. I’m in for a pair.

[Harvonsgard]

First we had to endure that Christians almost wiped out our entire culture and now this...
The tuck box is just mega meh and the card backs are the same uninspired whack rubbish. The courts and Jokers are okay if one likes the choosen style. The dark version, well even worse. Easy cash grab because most collectors can't fight the itch to buy only one deck of a set.

Mega pass.

[Magic Tapp]

I actually did not dislike the tuck and was considering backing but then I saw the courts. Oh man, why but why would you do something like this?

[MagikFingerz]

Why on Midgard would you write Valhalla with a W???

[Harvonsgard]

... why but why would you do something like this?

No drawing/sketching skills and no advanced graphic design skills aswell.

[Harvonsgard]

Why on Midgard would you write Valhalla with a W???

To be fair here, in Germanic culture it is pronouced with a W instead of V, but we used Wōdan instead of Óðinn aswell. Crazy Germans...

[Kurama]

I don't really get this deck. Style wise it's a lesser (heavy) Seekers, with a naive colour scheme (but to each his or her taste) and an uninspiring back...
The darker one is better, but still...
Pass...

[theCapraAegagrus]

Easily the worst Norse-inspired deck of playing cards.

Big NOPE.

[Outsider]

I feel like the niche for Viking-themed NPCC decks was already more than adequately filled by Nicolai.

Also, chalk me up as another who expects a certain degree of authenticity here. You wouldn't place Odin in Walhalla anymore than you'd say Poseidon was brother of Jupiter.

I do think they way they worked certain identifiable traits into the courts is cute.

[Bradius]

This is about as far from a Nicolai design as you can get.

[vasta41]

You're all missing the point.
NPCC=NO (are you reading, Claude???)

[Harvonsgard]

You're all missing the point.
NPCC=NO (are you reading, Claude???)

A point vasta is very sensitive about...
I would still argue that in this case the design is a bigger nono than the card quality.

Btw, I don't own NPCC decks, are the really that bad? If I have a look at Nicolais website, they seem to be not that bad, compared to cheaper quality cards.

[vasta41]

Btw, I don't own NPCC decks, are the really that bad? If I have a look at Nicolais website, they seem to be not that bad, compared to cheaper quality cards.

It's all relative. For me, if someone designed a deck that just screamed "Paul Vasta" and was everything I ever wanted in a deck of cards BUT they were printing it with NPCC I would most likely buy it. Pretty much anything short of that I'm all set. NPCC isn't "gift shop" quality but they're still not close to the "big dogs" IMHO and even though it's an ongoing joke that I don't open most of my decks, I am in this hobby for quality. "Gift shop" cards do not interest me in the slightest- anyone, including myself, could print cards with that quality.

If you're creating a true work of art it needs to be on a high quality medium. And while NPCC isn't atrocious it will ALWAYS make me wonder why an artist will choose them over the other more reputable printing companies. Not enough market research? Higher margins? Laziness? Whatever the reason, unless it falls under the scenario I detailed above it's not good enough to get me to buy.

EDIT: One other reason that I've always supported would be if someone started a KS campaign with NPCC printing due to lack of finances and had a better printer as a stretch goal.

[Adonael]

Honestly that orange tuck is outstanding and easily the best part of the campaign. That's coming from someone who actively dislikes the colour orange! But the courts did indeed give me pause, the style is just so overdone and I definitely don't think suits either the theme or the tuck. If I don't back at the 48 hour reminder it'll be because of that.

As for NPCC, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have plenty of Nicolai's decks, the tucks are just fantastic and the cards while not to the level of EPCC for example aren't incredibly far off and are leagues above MPC. I'm not a cardist, and I don't use my cards for that, so what do I care about the cards not being up to cardistry handling standards? Some of the best art I've ever seen has been on torn out pages of brown sketch paper.

[Bradius]

Is NPCC that bad? I am not a cardist, and I am not good at all manipulating cards. That said, I have handled enough different cards to understand at least on a basic level the quality of cards. So, to answer you question: Yes, NPCC card handling is that bad. The card stock I don't think is too bad, but the finish and such is just poor. The cards will clump together when you try to fan them. If you want the cards just for art and poker night, they are okay. Some of their tucks and other features are really good. However, if I was putting in all the time and effort to making a deck, I would want it on Cartamundi or USPCC.

I didn't realized that this was being produced by NPCC. I might back out. I think the design is cute, but probably not that cute. I wouldn't hesitate if it was USPCC/Cartamundi/EPCC, but I am not a fan of NPCC.

If someone from NPCC is reading this, I do hope you understand that I do recognize that you do take playing card production seriously. I am trying to give you free and unbiased feedback. I will be the first in line to be really excited to see you all make major improvements in handling, but it isn't there yet. I am going to disagree with Adonael on MPC. I think their most recent card stock is considerably improved and really getting them close to the big boys. However, even their older stock handles better than NPCC in my opinion. I routinely handle one of my Ephemrid decks and it is just ... not good.

[masagin303]

I’ve compared two quite recent decks from NPCC and MPC and MPC was a clear winner in my hands. Printers are evolving, I really encourage everyone to test the quality frequently and not to judge on past experiences.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[theCapraAegagrus]

MPC has evolved in an upward trajectory. NPCC has seemingly followed an alternate path...

Nicolai Aaroe's 1st deck in that trilogy (Dominus?) was good, in comparison to other manufacturers, at the time. The finale to that trilogy did not hold the same standard, though.

EPCC > USPCC > Cartamundi > MPC > NPCC

v








And aaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllll the way down here you have SVC Group.

[STLBluesNut]

I really like the tucks. I really like the theme. I am not one of those that thinks there are too many of one particular theme. The more vikings, pirates, mythology, egyptian, etc. decks for me, the better.

I don't care about it being printed with NPCC.

What I do care about is the design on the cards themselves. It is just not for me. $20 for the set shipped may have been enough for me to back for just the tucks.

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

[Adonael]

That's interesting! I have to admit I don't have any decks using MPC's newest stocks/finishes, it's actually encouraging to see them improve so much considering how easy it is to use their service. Now if only MPC could do tucks like NPCC does.

[RWPPFFShuffle]

The third deck, "Valkyrie" popped up on Kickstarter this morning

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/th ... escription" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They look really cool, just not 100% sure with them being printed by NPCC

[Justin O.]

100% no go with NPCC as printer. I have never been happy with a deck I have gotten that was printed through them.

[Decknowledgy]

I'm fine with NPCC as long as it's an art deck, which is why the Valkyrie is a no go: it has the same repeating artwork as the previous two.

[STLBluesNut]

I saw this when I refreshed my page and was very excited when I say the picture of the tuck. Then I scrolled down remembered why I didn't get the previous decks. The court art is so not for me. Too bad because i really like the tucks.

I have bought decks for the tucks with cards that were only ok before, but this isnt one of them.

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

[Xarin77]

Forgot that I backed these... Came in today.