Uranium 52 Playing Cards / KS

[OVSUB]

I like seeing creators supporting small businesses, they usually work harder to keep their customers and provide more value. I mean look at Jocu, Lotrek, and other designers that use different printers, the quality is usually through the roof. Sure you get quality assurance if you buy into the monopoly but the risk so far for me at least as been definitely worth the reward.

[justplaycards]

Daves giving away 001 of both decks in a cool display box!!

Open to all backers. For full details see the update section on kickstarter. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ch ... ying-cards

[BaconWise]

This will officially become a series, due to some backer nudging. Likely a six-deck series (possibly more). I am really excited to see what Dave comes up with next - a really fresh new face to the industry and he is nailing it!

[brownsl]

Looking forward to the rest of the decks.

[hsbc]

glow in the dark stock quality available is a bit crappy

Paging Lotrek...

[Harvonsgard]

If backers ask for it, I'm the last one that has a problem with it. More power and money to the creator. That said, not a fan of these quickly added new editions.

[PiazzaDelivery]

Isn’t this jumping the gun? How do we know if Liquorice Press will work out? And already from 1 deck to 4? Makes me nervous.

[Azid]

Like in the update said:

The decks will be launched in pairs through projects run in the same way as this one. The next project/pair will likely be launched later this year.

I hope he delivers the 2 decks of the actual campaign BEFORE launching the next 2 decks.

[Decknowledgy]

Like in the update said:

The decks will be launched in pairs through projects run in the same way as this one. The next project/pair will likely be launched later this year.

I hope he delivers the 2 decks of the actual campaign BEFORE launching the next 2 decks.

Don't worry, I've confirmed with the creator and he assures that this set will be completely fulfilled before the launch of the second set.

[SneakrativeD]

Hiya all,

I hope you're all well.

I just wanted to assure you guys that I will not be launching the second set of this series until the first is completed and every single pledge has had their cards. Also, not until people have had a chance to review and feedback on the Liquorice Press' cards.

I may even launch the Highborn deck first (once U52/BH52 is fulfilled and feedback is obtained) to give me time to design the second set of the series.

It's also worth noting that the ideas posted are just very rough concepts and will need a lot more work, but are both the most requested colours from the pledgers, magicians and collectors I spoke with.

If you guys have any ideas at all about what you would like to see in the series, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks.

All the best,
Dave

[AlvarezPt]

It's also worth noting that the ideas posted are just very rough concepts and will need a lot more work, but are both the most requested colours from the pledgers, magicians and collectors I spoke with.

If you guys have any ideas at all about what you would like to see in the series, I'd love to hear them.

Since you ask, for the V2, I feel like the colors are good, but.. These first edition look solo much more interesting in comparison, I feel like the v2 could have some tweaks to the shade of blue and yellow. Maybe the blue could be a bit more turquoise or artic. About the yellow, not sure what would make it more interesting without looking too much like this v1, so, at least for me, maybe a bit more orange tone would look better. (purple would certainly make it pop too, but I don't like purple lol).

About other stuff to add, I personally love all sorts of small goodies, like coins, stickers, etc.. So maybe a dark metal symbol of this line (like the one on that badass case) could be a cool adon for the next project. And one more thing people usually like, even though it's not usually my cup of tea, is a custom carat case/box to hold the entire collection

[OVSUB]

I agree, the v1s look special because the colours glow, the v2 aren't as eye catching.

[STLBluesNut]

I would like the v3 set to have an orange deck. Perhaps purple as well. I am not sure what hazards could be associated with those but I love orange!

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[AlvarezPt]

I would like the v3 set to have an orange deck. Perhaps purple as well. I am not sure what hazards could be associated with those but I love orange!

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Well, they don't have to be necessarily classified as hazards. Maybe they can be like warnings, orange could be flammable and purple (or other color) corrosive.

Edit: OHH, or since it's purple, have something to do with UV radiation. Thats even better, to match both themes with the colors.

[SneakrativeD]

Hey guys,

Thank, I really appreciate the ideas, they're all awesome and have given me a lot to consider.

With regards to the colours of the next two decks (blue/yellow), I will be looking through card stock in the coming week or so to see what's available. Because the stock that the Uranium deck is printed on is so vibrant and unique, it will be hard to match with other colours. But, there is a lot of card options out there, so I will sift through and see what I can find. There is a nice yellow/orange hybrid that could work well that I've already seen.

Purple is also definitely on the list, I was thinking something along the lines of venom/poison which in my mind at least feels right. A black/white set is also something that could be really neat, someone has already mentioned using holofoil on black, which I really liked.

With regards to the other add-on bits, I will already be distributing vinyl stickers with each order as a thank you freebie. I am also looking into coins, I think it would be nice to have a coin set with the series. So stay tuned for more info on that. I will also definitely be looking into a carat case to hold the whole collection, but I first need to see how many decks will be in the collection before I can move any further with that.

If any of you guys know who creators normally use for coins, that would be really helpful. I've found a few, but I want to make sure I am not missing a great supplier.

Thanks again for all the feedback and ideas, I really appreciate it. It will all be collated, noted and considered as I move into the designing of the next set.

Thank you.

All the best,
Dave

[AlvarezPt]

Purple is also definitely on the list, I was thinking something along the lines of venom/poison which in my mind at least feels right. A black/white set is also something that could be really neat, someone has already mentioned using holofoil on black, which I really liked.

+1 for Black and Holo foil ^^

Everything else sounds great too, deff curious about the venom/poison purple shade.

[Decknowledgy]

I think since the name of the first deck was called Uranium, it's worth revisiting the periodic table to seek out elements or compounds that produce different colors of flame, to look for the most unusual and probably to match the names for the forthcoming decks

[CollectADeck]

Hiya all,

I hope you're all well.

I just wanted to assure you guys that I will not be launching the second set of this series until the first is completed and every single pledge has had their cards. Also, not until people have had a chance to review and feedback on the Liquorice Press' cards.

I may even launch the Highborn deck first (once U52/BH52 is fulfilled and feedback is obtained) to give me time to design the second set of the series.

It's also worth noting that the ideas posted are just very rough concepts and will need a lot more work, but are both the most requested colours from the pledgers, magicians and collectors I spoke with.

If you guys have any ideas at all about what you would like to see in the series, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks.

All the best,
Dave

David, glad you stopped by to provide these reassurances! I love the deck but was on the fence with the new printer, but after seeing this, I'm in for a few! Glad to see these decks getting made!

[SneakrativeD]

I think since the name of the first deck was called Uranium, it's worth revisiting the periodic table to seek out elements or compounds that produce different colors of flame, to look for the most unusual and probably to match the names for the forthcoming decks

Thanks for the input, this idea is awesome, you're also not the first person to suggest using the periodic table. It's something to consider that's for sure. I'm just unsure about how Biohazard would fit within that theme. Still, it's definitely on the table.

David, glad you stopped by to provide these reassurances! I love the deck but was on the fence with the new printer, but after seeing this, I'm in for a few! Glad to see these decks getting made!

Thanks, I'm glad it helped. I'm always here to answer any questions so feel free to reach out should you feel the need.

I have drawn up a quick survey because so many people have been sharing ideas, input and the likes, it's hard to keep track. I figured a survey would be a nice way to collate the general concensus of what people would like to see from the next set of the series and ensure everyone gets a say. Your guys' input would be greatly appreciated and the survey will only take a second. It's already had more than 70 responses and it's only been up for an hour or so, so it seems to be working.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7Q6KR5C" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks again. I really do appreciate all of your input.

All the best,
Dave

[STLBluesNut]

Already filled out the survey but just wanted to chime in here on your choices. I did write in my own.

To me, black foil, and white, just look like shiny ink or spot uv. I would say, as a foil, they aren't really a foil. They aren't metallic in any way. If I were a designer, or producer, I would probably shy away from black and white foil altogether. I'm sure they increase the cost like foil does but you do not really get any of the benefits of foil visually.

I only bring it up here because iirc all your given options were some color stock and black foil. You may as well use glossy ink, call it a day and save some money. Perhaps that is not how it works but as a consumer that is how it appears to me.

My personal preference on foil goes copper>colors red blue green etc>silver>gold.

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

[SneakrativeD]

Already filled out the survey but just wanted to chime in here on your choices. I did write in my own.

To me, black foil, and white, just look like shiny ink or spot uv. I would say, as a foil, they aren't really a foil. They aren't metallic in any way. If I were a designer, or producer, I would probably shy away from black and white foil altogether. I'm sure they increase the cost like foil does but you do not really get any of the benefits of foil visually.

I only bring it up here because iirc all your given options were some color stock and black foil. You may as well use glossy ink, call it a day and save some money. Perhaps that is not how it works but as a consumer that is how it appears to me.

My personal preference on foil goes copper>colors red blue green etc>silver>gold.

Hiya STLBluesNut,

Thanks for taking the time to fill out the survey, I did see your comment regarding black foil along with your suggestions. Thanks for that.

With regard to using black foil, the trouble is that now I have already used black foils on the first two decks and in order to keep the whole set collectively looking succinct, I think that changing foil colours now would make things look "off" when you have the whole set together. That being said, black stock and holofoil is the currently the second most requested style, so if it's what the majority request, then it is something I have to consider as a way forward.

With regards to your suggestions, again thanks for these, I will carry out a second survey following the conclusion of the set 02 project (providing it gets funded etc.) which will include all suggestions made within the current survey to give people a chance to "vote" on those for design and production in set 03. I think this is the fairest way to do things.

As for foiling versus ink, the cost is pretty much identical, if not slightly more expensive for the ink. The way it works is that metal plates are produced with the designs raised on them and these plates are either used to press foil onto the stock or can be used to press ink onto the stock. The fact that I would have to find a glossy ink would mean I'd likely have to have a custom ink made combined with the right amount of gloss/varnish to have the same effect as foil, this process would likely be more expensive than simply using black foil which is mass-produced. That is unless I could find a pre-made ink that would serve the same purpose, and even then, because it's a specialist ink, it would likely be more expensive than the foil. All that aside, changing this now would also, again, affect the overall collective look and feel of the collection as some would be foiled and some would use ink so I think it wouldn't be a great move at this stage.

I hope this answers your questions and thanks again for reaching out, I really appreciate the feedback and input. I look forward to putting your ideas to the vote in the future.

All the best,
Dave

[STLBluesNut]

That was my misconception about the ink vs foil then. Thanks for the explanation!

Sent from my S10+ using Tapatalk

[Decknowledgy]

I just love the fact that a new printer has decided to work as closely as possible with the card producer and to give these details about the production. I really look forward to Liquorice Press becoming the next new thing in the playing card scene:

Prototypes

I've had the first deck prototypes and they are great! I mean, really great. I'm hugely impressed by what the Liquorice Press have managed to accomplish on their first ever test run of printing high-end playing cards.

The prototypes have been reviewed and thoroughly tested and there are a few tweaks I have requested which are:

1.) Paper grain direction: If you take any recent deck produced by a big playing card company you'll notice that the cards are easier to slightly bend from side-to-side compared to bending them top to bottom. This is due to the direction of the paper grain which is best when it runs top to bottom. Having the right grain direction helps a lot with things like riffle shuffling and a number of other card techniques, tricks and flourishes like the LePaul spread. On the first prototype, the grain ran from side to side, so I have asked that the cards are printed so that the grain runs top-to-bottom.

2.) Edge Bevelling (Cutting): This is something that won't make a huge difference to the deck for many of you and is only really practical to help perform a flourish/sleight called a faro shuffle. What this is, is a very very slight bevel to the edges of the cards (which you likely wouldn't even notice) which will allow the cards to be pushed into one another easily from the edge of the deck. Depending on who you ask, some prefer the bevel cut from the front of the deck and some from the back (it depends on whether the person prefers performing the faro with a face-up or face-down deck). The prototype does faro quite well and the edges aren't bevelled, so I have asked for some further tests to be run using a sharper punching tool to cut the cards, to see whether it will be necessary to fully bevel the edges of the cards. There is a downside to bevelling the cards and that is that you can't gild the edges when bevelled so, if I ever want to gild a deck of this series, I would have to use a different cutting process. The company that is cutting the cards assure me that you can easily faro with the cut they will use. So, I will test prototype 02 and see if I feel that the bevelled edges are necessary.

3.) Varnish / Coating: The coating of the decks helps the cards slide across one another and protects the printed artwork from rubbing off. The coating used in the prototype was pretty much perfect. I sat and intensively shuffled the cards for two hours and after each shuffle, I would spread/fan the cards to see if they clump or stick together when fanned (which gives some indication of the durability of the coating). Then I did exactly the same for another USPCC deck. The coating of the prototype became slightly sticky after 1.5 hours of intensive shuffling and the USPCC deck took 2 hours before it began sticking/clumping. As such, we will tweak the formula of the coating and test some variants of the coating out, to improve durability and longevity. This will involve things like adding some more hardener to the chemical mix, increasing the amount of varnish on cards, drying times, processes etc. (It's all very "sciency").

That's it. We will be working on those things over the next few weeks.

Paper Mill

One thing I didn't anticipate prior to the start of this project was that the mill who supply the paper (the same guys that supply USPCC and most casinos) would have a minimum paper order. Their minimum order is 5 TONNES of paper (that's a heck of a lot of cards)! The cost of 5 tonnes of paper is around £17K. So, I have put up half of the money from my own pocket and the Liquorice Press have contributed the other half to pay for the paper stock. I figured the worst-case scenario is that I have to sell my stock on to someone else should I never get to produce any more cards, ever.

The paper was ordered today and will take 8 weeks to be made and shipped to us. The only caveat here is that this order will be delayed if there is a second outbreak of COVID-19 as they will have to shut down the paper mill to protect their staff (which is completely understandable).

Delivery Dates

The 8 weeks for paper delivery will take us to mid-June, then the Liquorice Press will need two weeks to print, and package everything ready for shipping to the fulfilment company. So, providing there are no issues, COVID outbreaks or anything else out of my control, we will be looking to ship the bulk of the orders in the first week of August. Special orders such as signed decks may take a few days longer as I will need to collect decks from LP, package them and send them myself.

[BaconWise]

LP is gaining buzz for all the right reasons and I have high hopes we will really enjoy their work. Very impressed with Dave and his attention to the little details that will ultimately improve the final product. Fantastic campaign!

[3rd dominion]

Interesting deck

[BaconWise]

These are shipping as we speak. Has anyone received theirs yet? Very excited to see mine in person!

[Harvonsgard]

Thanks to Tony, who knows I'm a stock and card feel nerd, I got a deck of Uranium52 gifted lately.

TL;DR: C-Tier printer with potential

Main gripes first:
• The tuckbox looks nasty and dirty pretty darn fast and easily. This could be due to the used card stock and the coating (I suspect a dispersion coating) don't go well together. Some more fine-tuning would have been needed there.
• Registration at USPCC level. To their defense - not on the lower end of what we see from USPCC sometimes but on the familiar dancing borders (when riffling through the deck) side of the spectrum.

Tiny gripes:
• Card format is bigger than the usual USPCC/Cartamundi standard.
• Bad fanning ability - Sometimes you get good/decent fans with them but most of the times they'll leave you with a clumpy fan

Neutral points that are subject of personal preference:
• very smooth edges with a clean non beveled cut - that on the downside leads to a hard to faro habit though. You gotta be pretty good at interweaving a deck to get them faroed. I almost never get a perfect faro with them, I mostly miss one card.
• stiff cards - they don't surpass EPCCs Diamond finish but they are definitely not a crowd pleaser for Cartamundi slimline or Superlux fans.

So, all in all decent for a first timer but as mentioned before, not on par with the current B-tier printers like MPC (caveat: with their top if the line products)

[bdawg923]

Not too happy with the printer. The registration sucks, the stock sucks, they clump, they aren't smooth, they are stiff, and they feel really cheap. The colors are beautiful though. Gorgeous lime green and that dark orange/red. The tucks I thought were beautiful too. I didn't get mine dirty yet but now I'm worried about it. The worst part is I believe the creator said he won't change the stock for the rest of the decks in the series.

[SneakrativeD]

Hey all,

I hope you're doing well?

@Harvonsgard

Thanks for the feedback. It's exceptionally helpful and insightful. I very much appreciate it.

Please know I am aware that the comments and feedback here are likely to hold more weight than some of the more general feedback I have received. Some of you guys have spent a lot more time evaluating and assessing playing cards over years than many others. As such, I appreciate and understand the time it takes to give this feedback and the years of experience that is conveyed through your feedback.

From your list of points, I can tell you that the fanning/friction between the cards is the main thing that will be addressed. New samples have already been developed and received and will be reviewed tomorrow in a meeting with the printer. Also, the non-bevelled cut is something else that will be looked into. I have been told that the equipment needed to do this is not readily available in the UK and it is exceptionally expensive to get, so it's something we'll need to do a bit of research into. Finally, registration will also be reviewed, however, the feedback I have received in the deck survey on registration saw the lowest score at 7/10 but it can't hurt to ask for better QC. I also wonder if it is actually possible to have perfect registration on every deck when they are mass-produced. I will ask this question tomorrow.

Again, thanks for this feedback, I really appreciate it. The other points you have made have been noted and added in with the other feedback received for later collation and review.

@Bdawg923

Please understand that a lot of feedback received is subjective. I understand that you personally are unhappy with all aspects of the cards, but this isn't the view of everyone, in fact, the survey results so far demonstrate hugely positive feedback across all aspects of the cards with the exception of "fanning/friction", which is still mostly positive, just less weighted compared to other aspects.

When evaluating feedback, it's important that I consider the collective opinion as well as the individual and try to balance this carefully. For example, it would be a mistake if I were to make a change because one person disliked one aspect of the cards but the other 1032 people who pledged to the campaign are happy with the same aspect.

But, because the sample group for the feedback I have received so far is significantly smaller than the number of people who pledged, the portion of people who have filled out the survey are essentially speaking for those who haven't. That's not to say small improvements won't be made based on this feedback, but, before I make any large, impactful changes to the cards (such as the stock or even producer), it would be better to gather feedback across all decks of the series to get a larger sample group and improve the quality of feedback I have overall so I can make better, more informed decisions.

I also have to consider the cohesive and unified feel of the series. If all decks have different stock, it would negatively impact the series.

I am fully aware that I will never be able to please everyone. As such, I have to try and please the majority to ensure I can keep doing what I love in the way that I want.

Again, I'm sorry the cards aren't to your liking.

All the best and thanks again for both of your input and feedback.

Dave

[bdawg923]

@Bdawg923

I appreciate the response and I totally understand you won't make decisions based on my 1 feedback. To be fair though, I am not unhappy with all aspects of the cards. As I said, I thought the tucks were beautiful, as well as the colors and design. I'm not a cardist or magician, just a collector, and while I am disappointed with the quality of the deck, I will be supporting your current kickstarter and the last one in this series of decks, because you are honest and open about the deck and handled the first campaign very well. And the design is more important to me than the handling of the deck anyway. I just wanted to give honest feedback, that's all.