IMPERIAL Deck - with HOPC - now shipping rewards

[badpete69]

Hey Randy

I am not sure I understand the strategy here...Are you offering the gold deck now and if so how much per deck..If not there is no way you will get 25K in 5 days ...The way to get money would be to offer the gold deck now wouldn't it?

[sms69x]

Hey Randy

I am not sure I understand the strategy here...Are you offering the gold deck now and if so how much per deck..If not there is no way you will get 25K in 5 days ...The way to get money would be to offer the gold deck now wouldn't it?

I think you're right, the way to raise more money is to have something new for backers to pledge!
On the other way it may be an incentive to make the backers spend more money!

Still, this would be a great deck, hope you release it as a new project or on the HOPC as a promotion!

[Eoghann]

I think stretch goals should be rewards to our current pledges for surpassing expectations. Not treats dangled in front of us, requiring us to perform tricks or pledge more money to obtain it. It needs to be more tangible. Like upgrades to our current decks, so we end with a top quality item.

[badpete69]

I understand why it cannot be offered just yet but I think most backers at this point have pledge all they can or want. As much as I want to get the gold deck, I am probably not going to buy any more current decks...Also let's say for discussion purposes we do hit the 40K mark let's say with 5 minutes to go and the project funds. All our pledges are taking out automatically...Do we have to send more money for the gold deck or will they just be offered through HOPC or Blue Crown

I any case I do hope Randy reaches his goal

[montecarlojoe]

Give us money so that we can give you another way to give us money!


But simply unlocking the deck and hoping you get sufficient add-on pledges to be able to fulfil the extra deck run would a hell of a gamble...

[Brillig]

Give us money so that we can give you another way to give us money!


But simply unlocking the deck and hoping you get sufficient add-on pledges to be able to fulfil the extra deck run would a hell of a gamble...

A gamble? More like a sure loser. I'm sure there'd be a nice uptick of pledges if the gold deck were unlocked, but even then I doubt the project would even reach $25k.

[RandyButterfield]

I understand why it cannot be offered just yet but I think most backers at this point have pledge all they can or want. As much as I want to get the gold deck, I am probably not going to buy any more current decks...Also let's say for discussion purposes we do hit the 40K mark let's say with 5 minutes to go and the project funds. All our pledges are taking out automatically...Do we have to send more money for the gold deck or will they just be offered through HOPC or Blue Crown

I any case I do hope Randy reaches his goal

If we end up hitting the Stretch Goal at the end, the GOLD Deck will be available on the BackerKit survey - similar to the Whispering Imp's Red Deck. If someone ups their Pledge to help hit the Goal, they can easily take the money for their Pledge and rearrange to get any Gold Decks they want. BackerKit works like a Cart. You have your Base Pledge money as a given. Everything over that can go to select any Add-On item ala carte style.

It's simple why we made the Stretch Goal at $40,000. All of the items we have now (Back Decks, Red Decks, Art Book, Coin, black 6pk Box) will end up costing over $20,000 to produce. If we made the Gold Deck available any lower than $40,000 we would be in a world of hurt!

I'm hoping the Gold Deck sways new Backers to come over that have not at this point. I know there are a lot of potential Backers that haven't come over because they either don't trust Kickstarter, think that HOPC doesn't need KS or don't get the Eggs theme. I think this design will get their attention and the attention of the casual Kickstarter users looking at the Ending Soon projects.

I'm also hoping this will garner support from our Backers to help promote the campaign - similar to the outstanding support given for Lotrek's Venexiana Deck, and deservedly so. The Venexiana KS page link was shared around social networks almost 600 times. That is amazing!! Up to this point we haven't received much promo help. That may be because people think that HOPC doesn't need the help. Kickstarter is a completely different beast than a straight release! I've learned that very well with this campaign.

Thanks, Randy

[badpete69]

Thanks for the clarifications Randy...best of luck on reaching the goals will be doing my share of letting know folks about this project

[DukeBoy]

If we end up hitting the Stretch Goal at the end, the GOLD Deck will be available on the BackerKit survey - similar to the Whispering Imp's Red Deck. If someone ups their Pledge to help hit the Goal, they can easily take the money for their Pledge and rearrange to get any Gold Decks they want. BackerKit works like a Cart. You have your Base Pledge money as a given. Everything over that can go to select any Add-On item ala carte style.

I understand your need to hold off on release but if I add $20 to my pledge to help it reach goal with the intent to apply that to gold decks, and you do not reach the streach goal of $40,000 do I get a refund

[Brillig]

If we end up hitting the Stretch Goal at the end, the GOLD Deck will be available on the BackerKit survey - similar to the Whispering Imp's Red Deck. If someone ups their Pledge to help hit the Goal, they can easily take the money for their Pledge and rearrange to get any Gold Decks they want. BackerKit works like a Cart. You have your Base Pledge money as a given. Everything over that can go to select any Add-On item ala carte style.

I understand your need to hold off on release but if I add $20 to my pledge to help it reach goal with the intent to apply that to gold decks, and you do not reach the streach goal of $40,000 do I get a refund

You can always reduce your pledge at the last minute (not literally).

[volantangel]

In the last 3 days guys !

I still cant believe this deck is only getting so little while other decks are getting more than this beautiful deck

[sprouts1115]

volantangel - I agree. This is bullshit. It seems he did everything right. I really liked the voting to get the backers involved. I also liked Randy's quote "Kickstarter is a completely different beast than a straight release!"

[walrus]

I have felt the same. I have been a fan of this deck since Randy posted his early drafts a while back. I really thought this puppy would run red hot on KS. The good news is I think it ended up hitting a number that brought Randy some relief. This Imperial deck is only topped by Sprouts Texas deck.

[Brillig]

It seems he did everything right.

Not quite. He didn't design a deck with mass appeal. It's a deck with gorgeous art, but without a theme that appeals to a large group, so, its not going to get the numbers.

[th4mo]

Not quite. He didn't design a deck with mass appeal. It's a deck with gorgeous art, but without a theme that appeals to a large group, so, its not going to get the numbers.

I have to agree with this. It is a very well executed and beautiful deck, but the theme itself is only mildly interesting, in my opinion. I couldn't pass these up, but neither was i dying to have them.
Faberge Eggs just seem like a pretty niche market, and i never expected it to blow up on Kickstarter.

Actually, Randy deserves a lot of credit for doing as well as has done with this deck.

[BMPokerworld]

Not quite. He didn't design a deck with mass appeal. It's a deck with gorgeous art, but without a theme that appeals to a large group, so, its not going to get the numbers.

I have to agree with this. It is a very well executed and beautiful deck, but the theme itself is only mildly interesting, in my opinion. I couldn't pass these up, but neither was i dying to have them.
Faberge Eggs just seem like a pretty niche market, and i never expected it to blow up on Kickstarter.

Actually, Randy deserves a lot of credit for doing as well as has done with this deck.

It could be any of the above reasons. It could also be that everyone is getting tired of HOPC & Blue crown's BS. Way to many lies from them.

Thanks!

[Eoghann]

Congrats on the funding Randy!

[Bikefanatic]

All that matters is that we have another great deck in our collection. I think people aren't used to court cards being different things instead of people.

[RandyButterfield]

Hey Everyone,

First off, let me say thanks to everyone who backed the Imperial Deck! I recognize a lot of names on the Backers list, and it feels great to get support from the UC.

The middle part of the campaign was rough, but we had a great finish. Our final Backers and Dollar numbers are actually very comparable with the original Blue Bloods Deck (http://kck.st/GJqP0W" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Which is appropriate because I think the Blue Blood is a beautiful Art Deck that wasn't fully appreciated until people saw photos of the printed Decks and got some in their hands. Hopefully the Imperial Deck will have a similar after-Kickstarter moment!

When I came up with the idea to do a Faberge-inspired design I was fresh off the success of the original ORNATES and the BC Blue Luxury Deck. I was very confident and had the Field of Dreams mindset. Instead of "Build it and they will come" I believed that "Any theme done with beauty and precision will sell". I may have gone too far outside of the box with the theme for that mantra, but I love how they turned out! I just think the casual Kickstarter Playing Card fans were not into the Eggs Court Cards as much as we had hoped.

Since the beginning of it's inception, the Imperial Deck was always a design I was working on for myself. With the ORNATES it was a little bit of a grind to finish the last 10%-20% of the design. That was never the case for the Imperial. I couldn't wait to get to the end of the night and get back into it!

If I ever need to go on an interview for a new design job, the Red Imperial Deck will be the Deck I add to my Portfolio presentation. Up to this point, it's actually my favorite work in my career. Passing my previous favorite - the Absolut Vodka / Boston Red Sox in-store display (http://www.motivemktg.com/display-absolutsox.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). For that reason, the slow pace in the middle was very rough for me. For a couple days I actually thought about making it my last Playing Card design. I've bounced back and can't wait to start on a new design that will consume my free-time, after a nice break of course!

Again, thank you to all that have Backed the project. I hope you enjoy the printed Decks as much as I thin you will.

Thanks, Randy

[sms69x]

I've to say it one more time: This deck is amaizing!! Believe me, people will pay a lot of money, on the after market, for the balck Imperial when they realize how beautiful and great it is!
One of the top 10 in my collection! Will go right next to Federal 52, Aurum and Ornates!

[volantangel]

Randy after reading your email to me, i was quite disheartened especially for you, since we all know the time and effort you put into the deck and has made it absolutely stunning. It ranks amongst the top in my collection once i get my hands on them. Cant wait to see them in person, keep up the good work, perhaps a more mainstream theme would aid your cause in the future.

[Brillig]

So the surveys just went out and I noticed an interesting phenomenon. Even though nothing has actually changed, it feels like the deck is "closer" once the surveys go out.

Brains. Weird stuff.

[RandyButterfield]

So the surveys just went out and I noticed an interesting phenomenon. Even though nothing has actually changed, it feels like the deck is "closer" once the surveys go out.

Brains. Weird stuff.

Like the UC Deck, this should be a quick turnaround KS Project. We Approved the Digital Proofs for the Cards and Tucks last Friday and should recieve hard copy Proofs from USPCC in a few days. After that, it's just getting into their job rotation. I think the only possible slowdown is if the Black Friday Decks in production create a bottleneck.

We also Approved the setup file for the Imperial Coin this afternoon. They setup the Eagle, Kremlin and Eggs on their 3d Router, so they'll have some sweet dimension like the Gladiator and Castle attached.

The Art Book and Black 6PK Box will only take a couple weeks and will go into production soon.

thanks, Randy

[Brillig]

The coin looks great, glad I went for one

[RandyButterfield]

Here's a look at the finished Coin and Art Book. The Cards should be done soon, hopefully!

thanks, Randy

[Mike Ratledge]

Here's a look at the finished Coin and Art Book. The Cards should be done soon, hopefully!

thanks, Randy

Me, me, me!

I'll take mine before you even get the decks. LOL... Looks fabulous, Randy! I can't wait to have it all in my hands! Glad I decided to add the coin and art book, they both look fabulous. I don't do add-ons as a rule. I'm just a deck collector, but these are special.

[Sharpie]

Holy S#!%, I just wet my <insert appropriate apparel item here>!

Glad I got one.

S

[Bikefanatic]

Those coins look/are huge. Since I never get none, I thought they are like the size of a dollar coin.

[Mike Ratledge]

Those coins look/are huge. Since I never get none, I thought they are like the size of a dollar coin.

Most of the ones I have seen are - or slightly larger. This one is exceptionally large!

[Brillig]

Randy reports shipping to commence tomorrow.