The Origin by Skymember Presents and Austin Ho

[BaconWise]

Hi UC,

I am insanely excited for this project launching on the 1st of January. Follow the link on Facebook to see their incredible trailer and to learn more details.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Portfol ... 818470334/

I was lucky enough to get an early prototype and I posted an unboxing video on my Instagram back in the summer. Feel free to check out the review and mark your calendar! I will take some photos and add them here soon.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCzblnUF-o ... rppsc8j3t1

[gacktvam]

Paid $5 for the reservation
Very excited for the mystery bundle

[KingfisherZero]

This one is RIGHT up my alley. I'm completely in. I also went in for what seems like a completely superfluous reservation. I figure the worst that can happen is I get taken for $5. SO why not?? Mystery bundles are only fun if there's the possibility of losing it all, right?

[bdawg923]

Not sure what the point of the reservation is. Seems scammy to me, especially since it's non-refundable. Just support the kickstarter when it launches.

[Harvonsgard]

As far as I know Skymember has a proper track record so, I doubt a scam.
My best bet is, it's to bind the customer. If you already paid an amount you rather go completely in, then accepting the loss of even just $5.
Kind of these magazines with attached building kit parts where the first issues are super cheap but then get more and more expensive per issue.
Seems like the somewhat shady marketing and psychology tricks are more and more en vogue in the card scene.

[hsbc]

Here's the actual shop page: https://www.skymemberpresents.com/product/theoriginks/

On 1st Jan 2021, we will launch “The Origin” on Kickstarter. By purchasing this product, you are entitled to purchase any pledges on Kickstarter without worrying out of stock.

How does it work?

Add this product to your cart.
On the release date, we will send you a Kickstarter link for pledge/purchase.
If your desired reward is no longer available, kindly contact us and we will do a custom reward for you.
By reserving “The Origin,” you will be rewarded an Exclusive Mystery Origin Bundle worth over $20. This bundle will be shipped together with your reward.

Terms & Conditions:

$5 is not the final price for The Origin playing cards. It is a booking fee and not refundable in the cash form.
The reservation is only last for 3 days from the Kickstarter launching date.
If you feel “The Origin” is not for you, we will refund your booking fee through a store voucher worth $10.00.

[nur1988]

Thank you Jamie for posting this!!

I just spoke with the guys via IG and they kindly shared a trailer with myself.
I just gota say WOW!! Everyone is in for a real treat - they're doing something extremely innovative and a first in playing cards history. This will set the bar for sure and will defo be a contender for DOTY 2021.

I don't know how much I can say about the trailer as of yet, but it gives a good breakdown of what they're planning to do for this project and everything really does look in check.
What I will say is, if you're a fan of foiled cards, this is defo not to be missed.

[TheFrozenSlime]

This looks really dope - Might just end up reserving a copy.

[aardvarkgod]

Terms & Conditions:

• $5 is not the final price for The Origin playing cards. It is a booking fee and not refundable in the cash form.

• The reservation is only last for 3 days from the Kickstarter launching date.

• If you feel “The Origin” is not for you, we will refund your booking fee through a store voucher worth $10.00.

But hey, you can make $5.00!

[RichK]

Nice review Bacon. I don't like it for some reason. Nice pips, bad repeating weathering. Hope they fix the tuck boxes from ripping.

[Decknowledgy]

This project that may be the contender of Deck of the Year 2021 is LIVE:

[james001a]

OMG this campaign has just launched and it is confusing the hell out of me. Anyone else?

[Decknowledgy]

OMG this campaign has just launched and it is confusing the hell out of me. Anyone else?

Yeah it took some time for me to get the hang of it....
Had to have a total read through of the campaign page to get the hang of things. Basically, the Collector's Edition has a different cut from the Deluxe set (decks), and it's silver gilded. The standard "Special" edition does not have gilding; only the ones in the Deluxe set has gilding and different cut-out tucks.

The Collector's Bundle receives a total of 7 decks: Deluxe Set (3 gilded Special edition), Collector's Edition (Silver gilded), 3 Special Editions (no gilding)

[hsbc]

Yeah there are almost too many options but it's nice IMO for them to offer different things at different price points. If I had the cash I'd be all in for the three-deck deluxe set and that fancy picture frame



But I don't have an extra $400 sitting around so instead I'm in for the collector deck Honestly it's cheaper than I expected

[Harvonsgard]

I dislike the trend of decks with more effort into packaging than the deck of cards. The cards aren't even shown in the campaign (or I missed it).
But I get that despite some cardistry show in the trailer this project never intends to be about cards. It's about creating a beautiful display and conversation/collector's piece around playing cards. And - tip to the hat - Austin Ho and Skymember did succeed with that.
Indeed nothing short but Deck of the Year league.

[TheFrozenSlime]

Kind of a confusing campaign at first glance. Are there any images of the cut-outs of the single Collector's edition tuck? It has Adam feeding a deer, but only the Deluxe edition cuts are shown

[james001a]

Thanks guys for helping to clarify. I knew I could depend on you. These look gorgeous for sure, but I cant spring for the 400 dollar package. Maybe that $175 one. So there is no way for get that tree of life die cut unless I buy the higher package? I want that gilded Olympians too. I loved that deck.

[bdawg923]

A few questions I hope someone can answer:

1) regarding the cutout artwork on the boxes. The collector's edition one looks like it's the tree of knowledge? And then the deluxe set is the snake, the tree, and adam/eve. So the collector's edition matches one of the decks in the deluxe set? Except the gilding is different?

2) the special edition I guess should be called the standard edition? What is "in a modern design"? A regular tuck? What's the modern part?

3) The collector's edition has a huge tuck box with the cutout work on the left, and the cards on the right. What about the deluxe set? Do they also come in huge thick tuckboxes like the collector's edition? Because in the photo where they display the 3 cutouts side by side, that looks like a regular X3 carat case, meaning it looks there's no room for playing cards. Unless it's super thick to fit the decks. Or does that huge collector's edition come apart where I can take the cutout part off and display it separately? Specifically this photo

The cutout part looks to be as thick as a tuckbox itself. And the collector's edition is like 2 tuckboxes together. But then this photo looks like 3 cutouts (the deluxe set) in a regular X3 carat case.

2.jpg (61.56 KiB) Viewed 12702 times

So is the deluxe set just 3 cutouts without any playing cards? The description says its "3 exclusive decks" but is that 3 decks of cutouts or 3 decks of playing cards + 3 different cutouts = 3 sets = 1 deluxe set?

[MagikFingerz]

I dislike the trend of decks with more effort into packaging than the deck of cards. The cards aren't even shown in the campaign (or I missed it).
But I get that despite some cardistry show in the trailer this project never intends to be about cards. It's about creating a beautiful display and conversation/collector's piece around playing cards. And - tip to the hat - Austin Ho and Skymember did succeed with that.
Indeed nothing short but Deck of the Year league.

I have to agree, I collect decks for the sake of the cards, so it doesn't really resonate with me. But I also think the tuck is a part of the complete package of a deck of cards, so I'm not really opposed to people doing this, and I can understand why others like it.

I don't see it as a "trend" though, not in the sense that it's happening more frequently than before.

[hsbc]

So the collector's edition matches one of the decks in the deluxe set? Except the gilding is different?

No, they're slightly different - the three-"deck" set has deer in the foreground; the collectors edition has a person

But then this photo looks like 3 cutouts (the deluxe set) in a regular X3 carat case.

So is the deluxe set just 3 cutouts without any playing cards?

I think so, it seems to be a decoration

[bdawg923]

The campaign is just very poorly laid out. They jump from one thing to another, back to the first thing, then on to a new thing. They start with the collector's edition (which is the 2nd most expensive), then go to the special edition which is the least expensive, then the deluxe edition has next to no information in its section, then they start discussing their tuck case, and then they go back to pictures of the deluxe edition again. Then the add-ons section doesn't even reflect the same order (the picture lists special, then collectors and then deluxe), some mystery 50k stretch goal picture out of nowhere, then a breakdown of the add-ons themselves. I can't seem to find a price for the single carat case ($40?? prob includes a deck, but which one?). Trying to understand what is what requires people to jump around all over the kickstarter campaign to piece things together. The videos and pictures look beautiful, but tbh I'm not sure what I'd even be pledging for.

[bdawg923]

But then this photo looks like 3 cutouts (the deluxe set) in a regular X3 carat case.

So is the deluxe set just 3 cutouts without any playing cards?

I think so, it seems to be a decoration

So then what is gilded devil red, rainbow gold and rose gold? Is it the displays with the snake, adam/eve and the tree?

[james001a]

The videos and pictures look beautiful, but tbh I'm not sure what I'd even be pledging for.

Exactly. I think they need to clarify. Are all editions diecut except for the lowest one (the one listed second!?!?)

[bdawg923]

I just saw BaconWise's video, and the deluxe set is indeed 3 decks plus 3 cutouts. But then how is this happening:

do the cutouts come out of the double thick tuck?

[TheFrozenSlime]

do the cutouts come out of the double thick tuck?

From my understanding, the cutouts in the carat case are separate addons; They're the same as the cutouts as the deluxe edition, but made with just the cutout half. And as questioned earlier, the Special edition is just the card half of the tuck without the cutout.

Personally, I pledged for just the Collector + Special edition two-pack.

[bdawg923]

do the cutouts come out of the double thick tuck?

From my understanding, the cutouts in the carat case are separate addons; They're the same as the cutouts as the deluxe edition, but made with just the cutout half. And as questioned earlier, the Special edition is just the card half of the tuck without the cutout.

Personally, I pledged for just the Collector + Special edition two-pack.

I think this is probably right. I got thrown off by the cutouts being the same so I assumed they're the deluxe edition. It makes sense that they're just the same cutouts but as an add-on.

[Adonael]

I have the Olympians deck so I'm not surprised the artwork is good, but I had to watch an instagram video linked in a forum just to see the actual cards. That's ridiculous.

[PiazzaDelivery]

The artwork here is BEAUTIFUL. The subject is a fantastic one for playing cards, and one that the art-style lends itself to very well. The boxes look terrific; the printing detail, if they're able to deliver what the campaign page shows, is unreal; the cut-outs are eye-popping and will provide a legitimate WOW factor to any collection, etc.

HOWEVER. The campaign page is a mess. If you're trying to get me to shell out hundreds, I expect the information to be delivered clearly and concisely. Many have said it, but I shouldn't have to go elsewhere to see what the cards look like. Additionally, while I guess that this is more of an art deck, I'm concerned about the handing of cards from their newly acquired printing factory. What is "premium stock" and "superior finish" according to TOPCC? I guess that the USPCC version is supposed to stand as an alternative and that's a tad bothersome. Finally, I'm starting to dislike the instances when so-called playing cards projects "offer" 20 different knick-knacks as "gifts" to a pledge. At some point they stop feeling like playing cards projects, rather just a bunch of merch designed around a selected topic. I get a bunch of stuff I don't really care about and as a result (I assume) I pay more for what I do want. Doesn't make sense to me.

Good outweighs the bad, I'm in.

[Harvonsgard]

I don't see it as a "trend" though, not in the sense that it's happening more frequently than before.

I guess the success of Trident and alike, paired with reprints/overrun decks or slightly changed cards in luxury stock tuck boxes (á la TWI EVA or Cherry Casino House ed.) and topped of with putting decks in hard cover boxes, no matter if fitting the deck's theme, left me under this subjective impressions.

[Decknowledgy]

For those confused by what you're getting from the Deluxe Set, check out Bacon's unboxing around 09:00:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CCzblnUF-o ... rppsc8j3t1

The three gilded Standard versions in the Deluxe set is the same thickness as the Collector's Edition but with three separate cutouts. To clear the confusion:

Special Edition: The most standard deck printed by USPCC with no gilding + standard sized tuck box done by TOPCC


Collector's Edition: 1 Special GILDED (Rainbow Silver) cards printed by TOPCC + twin layer THICK box with "Adam & Deer" cutout

1609666495526.jpg (166.94 KiB) Viewed 12527 times

Deluxe Set: 3 Special Edition GILDED (Devil Red/Rainbow Gold/Rose Gold) cards printed by TOPCC + twin layer THICK boxes with "The Snake"/"Tree of Knowledge"/"Adam & Eve" cutouts



For people interested in the cards themselves, again, check out Bacon's video starting from 14:30
Bacon definitely did a better job of displaying the full content, hats off to him
However, Bacon said that the cards are also printed by TOPCC which is not immediately clear on the campaign? The page only says that the non-gilded Special deck is printed by USPCC. I've sent an inquiry asking them to clarify the printer.

EDIT: Confirmed that the gilded decks are all printed by TOPCC

I also think the TCC acrylic case is not shown in the right size, cos the one on the page is standard thickness. Maybe they commissioned TCC to do case that are able to hold the thick tuck box but just didn't have the physical object yet, both the single deck case and the triple deck case? Or is the triple deck case just standard playing card size? This is also a thing they need to clear up

EDIT: See response below:

Also, we teaming up with TCC to produce a custom crystal case for us.
SIngle TCC crystal case is for 1 x twin layer THICK boxes. The triple case is for a normal playing card size equivalent to x3 carat.