Great Outdoors Playing Cards by EPC

[vasta41]

[Harvonsgard]

Those colours are flashy; I like that. Nice borderless back design is a plus in my book as well.
Courts are fun and I really like what the designer has done with the AoD. Well done deck. Tuck is a bit ... some texture would have been splendid but I'm okay with it if the price is good.

[vasta41]

Those colours are flashy; I like that. Nice borderless back design is a plus in my book as well.
Courts are fun and I really like what the designer has done with the AoD. Well done deck. Tuck is a bit ... some texture would have been splendid but I'm okay with it if the price is good.

I agree about the tuck. Truly the weakest point of the deck. It needs to stand out more IMO. But I disagree about the backs. They should not be full-bleed so that the front and back borders match in color.

I'm also sure they'll be going with WJPC for printing but I wish it weren't so. However, price pending I will still most likely buy one. The illustrations are just too damn good.

[Harvonsgard]

My point of view regarding the borderless design is simple;
there're no borders in nature/outdoors - only transitions. Therefore a deck celebrating outdoor sports and nature for me personally makes zero sense with a bordered design.

Plus, to be honest, I tend to think more and more like Magik regarding borders; the huge majority of decks features borders - I get bor(der)ed to see the same and same again. I like some variety. Especially because I have most decks for art reason anyways.

[vasta41]

I prefer a deck to be as functional as possible. There are so many sub-categories to playing cards nowadays that maybe my mindset is outdated but if the design or theme make it possible then the front and back borders should always match in color. Otherwise this deck could never be used for most magic routines. I understand that this deck doesn't scream "magic" but with a simple alteration it wouldn't alienate that usage either.

I understand your theory about a borderless design for an outdoors deck but that's just a little too philosophical for me. I will always advocate for matching border colors.

[Outsider]

This is right up my alley. Obviously I'd like to see a quality printer used, but if you really want to go outdoors, offer a PVC deck as well.

[Fes]

Interesting name, courts are more about an active lifestyle than the great outdoors. The card back is about going for a hike up mystery mountain. I think it's fun if a bit disjointed in theme. The great outdoors conjures more about nature in my mind, or the film staring John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Hilarious! Anyway I like the Jokers, what I like about the jokers best is that the one in the desert doesn't have a drink at all while the one with the pool has plenty of sip sip going on. Can't imagine that sunburn the poor thirsty fella's in for, ouch. (There must be a well under the tent. He'll be okay.) Hey sugar drink, is that a putput green I see there beyond the pool? Fun!

Doesn't look to be a whole lot of diversity among the actors in the courts. Inclusion seems to be of growing importance when depicting humanity in activities and making use full color images. I think it would be nice if there was some diversity too. Maybe there is, will know more when we see more. I certainly welcome more images this looks like a fun deck.

Who got the job to print this deck? That's always the question we ask when it comes to EPC. We all kind of already know the answer when it comes to EPC too. We're just hopeful it isn't what we think it is, so of course we ask. I'm prepared to be excited! Looking at the tuck though, I think we know.

[Harvonsgard]

Doesn't look to be a whole lot of diversity among the actors in the courts. Inclusion seems to be of growing importance when depicting humanity in activities and making use full color images. I think it would be nice if there was some diversity too.

No diversity? Water sports, winter sports, aerial activities, ... every court card depicts even two different activities. Looks like a lot of diversity for me.

[Fud]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for starting this thread! I wanted to jump on and answer a few questions:

- Yes, the deck is printed by WJPC (** see below).
- The backs are full bleed to get the full effect of that fantastic panorama design.
- Diversity will likely be an issue for some here. This deck was designed last year with (honestly) little thought given to character diversity as the emphasis was placed on the activities. Given recent events this may be a point of friction, but unfortunately the design is locked in. Live and learn, I'll adjust for the future.
- I originally planned for this to be a PVC deck but was a bit nervous about the handling given other PVC decks I had tried. That was before getting the recent Cyberpunk PVC deck which is insane (ask anyone who has tried it). I'm no cardist, but that is the smoothest PVC I've ever felt (and I have a LOT of PVC sample decks!) Depending how the launch goes I will make a PVC version of Great Outdoors with white borders for the outdoor crowd.

I do have a heap of designs to share from this deck which are pretty cool, so I had an idea to make it a bit more interactive. Tell me your favorite outdoor activity / hobby, and I’ll post some pics of the first one that’s in the deck!


** About the WJPC printing stigma; as a creator I would genuinely like to know specifically what it is that is objectionable about the printer. I get pushback on every deck which I print from this community, but mostly it is vague ‘quality’ concerns, nothing concrete that I can specifically resolve or evaluate. I’m not being defensive at all and have no problem with negative feedback; I just want to know what needs to be changed to improve in your eyes. I *think* I know, but I don't want to put words into mouths and make assumptions - give it to me straight.

If it is handling that is a concern, I will be posting a few videos in the next few days that might put your minds at ease

From my end I have printed with LPCC, WJPC and USPCC (with Infinitum). I have been trying for over a year now to lock in a single deck with Cartamundi, but their response times are unbelievable. I just can’t get in touch with anyone. USPCC has been an absolute nightmare with accepted-rejected-accepted-rejected artworks going around in circles, their communication is pretty poor and prices are jumping all over the shop. By contrast, WJPC has same day communication, super transparent information, great proximity to logistics networks, and (most importantly) reliability. I've been with them for a while now and they have started assisting the business at a strategic level which has been great given Covid's effect on global materials networks. I know that they have had some print issues in the past (Zoo52 unglued tucks, Cyberpunk misprints), but compared to the volume of decks I print with them, those are acceptable (if unfortunately high profile) errors.

[Fud]

Dropping in the Aces - my favorite parts of this deck!

What do you think?

[BaconWise]

I love the look of this deck and I have a few people in mind who would love this as a gift! The hesitation I have for adding this to my own collection would be the tuck box. It seems to be a flat, glossy tuck. The artwork is incredible, but I am surprised there is no foil or embossing or (I assume) interior printing. My own selfish self would love to see a collector's edition with a blinged-out tuck, but for now this is a good project. I know I would drop a couple more dollars to have some more features on the tuck.

Regarding the printer, I am not bothered by the choice of WJPC. The Circuit deck is one of my favorite themes and it handles great for gameplay.

[Fes]

TL:DR I like the Ace of Diamonds. I'd like to see some videos. That's fun.

Let me start out by saying that I don't have any problem with WJPC PVC decks. The ones I've used have been absolutely fine and I have at least a dozen more in the back there, Air decks. (I'm not 100% sure but I think the stock, feels like it, is the exact same as used in some other chinese manufactured PVC decks in which case I have a couple bricks of the stuff.) Seriously, no problem with WJPC PVC decks. While I'm not a huge fan of plastic decks to begin with I'm just not that picky about the things. Odd how that happens, I don't understand it either. I'm a complicated guy.

** About the WJPC printing stigma; as a creator I would genuinely like to know specifically what it is that is objectionable about the printer. I get pushback on every deck which I print from this community, but mostly it is vague ‘quality’ concerns, nothing concrete that I can specifically resolve or evaluate. I’m not being defensive at all and have no problem with negative feedback; I just want to know what needs to be changed to improve in your eyes. I *think* I know, but I don't want to put words into mouths and make assumptions - give it to me straight.

My experiences with WJPC decks and your experiences with them are likely very different things. It may feel like I am bias about them in a negative way and I possibly am at this point, however that's earned by my experiences with the things and the cost. I like good value for money like everyone else. If I'm shelling out a premium price for a deck of cards, I want to know what I'm getting myself into. I'm much more likely to pick up NPCC decks than I am WJPC decks. I know what I'm getting with NPCC, they're consistent, have great tucks and usually the art is pretty impressive too.

I can't go into exact detail what I don't like about them because I just don't handle WJPC decks regularly and they're different. I think that's probably the situation for most of us when you ask us what we don't like about them. They're not all the same, we don't use them much at all because we have much better feeling and behaving decks. The Elephant deck for example handled quite poorly fresh from the tuck, it's arguable but my opinion is worse after it was broken in. Quite seriously $1.00 decks performed better than that thing and it's true for others as well. The Cyberpunk decks were better but that wasn't hard to do and they're not memorable to me as being good. The memory is the amusing print issue not a particularly yum feeling deck. They were different from the Elephant deck. I think Home Run started printing their restoration decks with WJPC, I may be wrong I don't exactly remember. Those decks didn't feel so good either. I quick picking them up. I haven't picked up any Barkclay mountain decks lately either, he has a new history of america line from WJPC. I quit buying that stuff too. Honestly the last WJPC deck I bought was one of yours. Or an Air deck. Maybe it was an Air deck. I don't know, point is without those I wouldn't have purchased any WJPC decks in the past couple years. The only consistent trend I have noticed with WJPC paper decks is I tend to quit buying them.

Consider it this way. You see a poster for a film, it's fantastic art and you're taken in by it. You go to see it opening week, you're so excited! Buy your $13.00 ticket and what the "full experience" so pick up the $10.00 popcorn, a $10.00 drink and toss in a nice $2.00 pack of gum. You sit down and the film starts. You loved the poster but come to find out it's a B flick, the acting is meh and the script sucks. There's sound and the actors are pretty though. Popcorn is stale and the flavor is off, it's popcorn though. The beverage turned out to be water, but it's wet. You sit through it and you want to continue to be excited, but you just watched a B flick, had some stale popcorn and drank water. You leave with the pack of gum in your pocket. Having been to the cinema to see other films, having had many experiences with flavorful crunchy popcorn and delicious drink while watching a polished title. Odds are you'll feel like you overpaid for the experience you just had and probably don't want to remember every detail of it. You'd say something like "Not worth it". I have felt this way many times with WJPC printed decks. I got a deck of cards. I didn't get a great deck of cards, I didn't get the experience I wanted to have. (I've even popped WJPC decks and they smelled bad. Yep, actually stunk!) I didn't get the experience I have come to expect from a custom deck of playing cards manufactured by other companies. Those feel good. Like you do when you leave the cinema after enjoying a good experience, worth every cent.

[theCapraAegagrus]

Damn.

[Fud]

TL:DR I like the Ace of Diamonds. I'd like to see some videos. That's fun.

Thanks for taking the time to write that post, it was really helpful! I understand where your coming from, and for the 2 examples you references (Elephant and Cyberpunk); the early print runs were rubbish. The Elephant in particular was so clumpy I couldn't believe it. However, subsequent print runs have been a LOT smoother and more consistent (really, ask anyone who got a Circuit deck, or an EPC deck printed within the last year).

I will spend some time and think about how I can address those points you brought up, again, I appreciate your feedback!

But for THIS deck, take a look at THIS LINK for a 50 second demo of how the cards perform. Not too shabby at all!

Damn.

I hope that's a good damn, but I'm never 100% sure

[theCapraAegagrus]

Damn.

I hope that's a good damn, but I'm never 100% sure

Yes.

[Fes]

But for THIS deck, take a look at THIS LINK for a 50 second demo of how the cards perform. Not too shabby at all!

Fun video, thanks for posting it here.

[EndersGame]

I think Home Run started printing their restoration decks with WJPC, I may be wrong I don't exactly remember. Those decks didn't feel so good either. I quick picking them up.

As far as Home Run Games is concerned, I wonder if you are confusing WJPC with The Freedom Playing Card Company. Home Run Games has printed most of their reproduction decks with USPCC, but they have used The Freedom Playing Card Company for several more recent decks.

Examples include Magnificent and No 707 Hippos. I've seen both of these, and in my opinion the quality of these was indeed severely lacking. It was lower quality than any of the WJPC produced decks that I've seen, at least in terms of the handling.

I'm personally not aware of any decks that Home Run Games has printed with WJPC. If that's correct, it means any bad experiences you've had with Home Run Game decks are not relevant to a conversation about WJPC.