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I am still waiting in the US as well. Mine says shipment label created, but has been sitting in that condition for the past week. Helpful to know that there are others. They must be slow to fill the orders. Im still waiting on Heritage as well, it appears to be at UPS facility in my city for that last couple of days, so its close. Eventually, it will make it onto a delivery truck...heh

Can we just talk about how incredible that Intrepid deck is? I think it's my favouirte Lorenzo deck of all time and might be top 3-5 in my collection. I am so anticipating my full pledge from the KS. Oh and how cool i the book with the illustrations? I need to read that tonight!

thanks for the pics they are brilliant!

Does both of our Intrepid decks have the side printing, or just the numbered deck with the seal? I think I know the answer, but hoping for what i want to hear.

If Im not mistaken I believe the standard does not have the edge printing.

Bradius wrote: ↑Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:20 pm Does both of our Intrepid decks have the side printing, or just the numbered deck with the seal? I think I know the answer, but hoping for what i want to hear.

The standard does not have edge printing. I opened one of mine.

Thanks for the quick replies. Sad, but on the plus side I am definitely going to open one when I get back to the office.

Bradius wrote: ↑Sat Feb 19, 2022 5:33 pm Sad, but on the plus side I am definitely going to open one when I get back to the office.

The seal on the edge-printed version comes off very easily and leaves almost no residue

This is an amazing deck (Intrepid). A winner in all respects and a great representation of what Lorenzo is capable of. This is deck of the year material for sure. But that Odd Fellows is great! What a fun series that is turning out to be. Cannot wait for the mini pumpkin one!

Heads of up for S17 fans. I noticed a few of S17's Ravn X LTD Editions are still available on Caroline Ravn's site if anyone is still looking for that one:

https://ravnmagic.myshopify.com/collect ... td-edition

Does anyone know when the standard editions of Eye of the Ocean Intrepid Edition and The Notorious Gambling Frog go on sale?

The standard editions of the Eye of the Ocean will not go on sale until after the Kickstarter backers' rewards have been shipped (and likely received for the most part).

Lorenzo just released an update on fulfillment and gave us a detailed update. Everything has been produced and is in transit (sort of). Decks going to the US are in port at Belgium and awaiting to be loaded on a ship, but it seems to be on constant delays. The books are traveling from China in two directions. One heading to Europe, but now trying to be diverted around Ukraine, so yoah, that is going to be a mess at best and may be impossible for transit due to sanctions and everything else as it crosses through Russian and Russian controlled areas. The shipment to the US is stuck awaiting drop off in LA. If you don't know, that is an insane mess. Global shipping has now become an expensive joke.

Needless to say, Lorenzo is really on edge with what is happening in Ukraine as Putin makes threats to Sweden and just about everyone at this point. The shipping mess is forcing Lorenzo to likely end these complex campaigns with multiple country productions as it just is falling apart at least for the time being, so this may be the last such campaign from Lorenzo for awhile unless he can find Western European or US manufacturers. I am not sure on the Notorious Gambling Frog standard edition. I don't recall if they are in production or even what company he is/will use to manufacture the deck. My guess is not someone in China simply due to the shipping nightmare that exists now.

justinls1 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 5:41 pm Does anyone know when the standard editions of Eye of the Ocean Intrepid Edition and The Notorious Gambling Frog go on sale?

On the Patreon, in Dec, he said estimated Apr 2022 for the Intrepid Edition, but there hasn't been a more formal announcement that I recall. The TNGF is a sometime in 2022 plan. Again, I dont recall a more specific announcement.

Bradius wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 6:14 pmThe shipping mess is forcing Lorenzo to likely end these complex campaigns with multiple country productions as it just is falling apart at least for the time being, ...

Am I the only one seeing the silver lining in this?

Bradius wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 6:14 pmunless he can find Western European or US manufacturers.

I'm sure the issue here was cost, not whether there are similar companies to print books, various accessories, etc. in EU and NA. Now that intercontinental shipping is so expensive and slow, domestic suppliers might be cheaper - but still more expensive than before all of this. I wonder e.g. how expensive a US-made Carat Case would cost? MPC is based in and ships from China, don't they? They're very exposed to all of this in that regard

Does anyone know where USPCC and Cartamundi source their paper from?

I am not sure about Cartamundi, but for USPCC I am sure get their paper domestically. I also know they make their own card stock.

Should've done this but now I'm an offical patron. Looking at the annual price of the tiers and what people got in the past, great value.

Indeed, although what's been bothering me lately is that a lot of the rewards will be v2/recolour of an existing deck and it's not just Lorenzo's Patreon, other creators are doing the same thing over and over as well.

IMHO opinion, it's a Catch 22. Most may not have enough patrons to support doing ONLY 100% patron exclusive. After all, most quality decks require at least 500 - 1000 min deck commitments.

They still need to do Kickstarters or general releases to their fans who can't afford the monthly patreon fee. In fact, I would say that for many, the general release is what gives them $ to do special patreon versions of the existing decks. (Omar of TGW said as much that it's the basic deck sales that allows him the $ to do the blinged decks.)

Furthermore, if you only have Patreon exclusives, you'll alienate your general fanbase. Makes it hard to get newer fans or patreons if you don't have any new releases for the general fans. I think there's only a handful of designers that have managed to do this full time or want to do playing card designs full time.

Time is also a factor as doing exclusives mean you are a full time playing card designer. Few are the ones who are as prolific as JR or have the team to do the fulfillment for him; to be able to knock out amazing decks worthy of their reputation at a regular pace. And that's not even factoring the production plus logistics time and costs required to produce enough decks that makes it worth being a patreon.

So unless you've reached JR level of subscribers to have a full time team to support you, creators are left with a difficult choice. Quantity or quality? Quantity allows you to do quality; while quality needs the $ that only quantity can afford.

Gio is trying to do that in 2023, but even then it's not 100% patreon exclusive. Let's see how it works out for him.

Eric, you captured my thoughts exactly. I do think that Patreon or Patreon-like model is going to be an important, but not exclusive, part of the economics of the main playing card designers. Each designer is going to have a slightly different journey, but as Eric Lee pointed out most can't make an exclusive leap to just Patreon decks for the most part. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

It was interesting to note that Gio decided not to increase his Patreon slots this year. The only available slots are due to people dropping out. No new slots are being added. Lorenzo sets up January as an open period for people to join or change, but then it is locked down for the year so he can plan and prepare for the annual rewards.

I think this has been a learning curve for each as they try to make this model work. In the end, we have a say in it by which creators we back. The answer for us can be complicated as well. Some just don't like backing something without a clear understanding of what rewards they get, which is completely understandable. Others want special playing cards, or guarantees that they will not be left out of limited releases available to non-Patrons. That is a real pet peeve of mine. I don't mind having limited releases outside of Patreon, but I sure don't like missing out on some limited items because I can't click within a fraction of a second when say a Kickstarter launches...but it is what it is. I don't think any creator is going to find a solution to make everyone happy although some are really making huge efforts to do so.

Curious what people are gravitating to this year. I can't decide between Kings and Jokers. Not knowing what the "special item" will be is what carries risk in my mind.

I have been and will continue to be on the kings tier. I think it is the best value and Lorenzo has been known to do some amazing one off items. Based on his previous posts I would think it is possible to get that EOTO 2 character mini sculpture. It might be something similar to the wooden frame that he did for EOTO 1. I think it is worth the risk.

i decided to switch from Aces to Jokers this year. I first joined in 2021 as Kings, so my first special item was the wooden 3 slot display, which I liked. I doubled up with Aces in 2022 more so for the decks, though. I think the special item for 2022 is great as well and will be nice to receive 2 of them, but Im trying to more focused in what I collect and decided to stay with decks as I don't need more displays.

If he switches it up from another display, I may regret it however.

steampunk52 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 06, 2023 3:40 pm i decided to switch from Aces to Jokers this year. I first joined in 2021 as Kings, so my first special item was the wooden 3 slot display, which I liked. I doubled up with Aces in 2022 more so for the decks, though. I think the special item for 2022 is great as well and will be nice to receive 2 of them, but Im trying to more focused in what I collect and decided to stay with decks as I don't need more displays.

If he switches it up from another display, I may regret it however.

I definitely see your point, and I may get there. However, that 2020 framed Quartermaster Deck is still pulling me to stay in Aces. I have suggested something like a framed limited print available to just Kings/Aces signed by Lorenzo would be a cool idea. I was fine with the 2021 reward as well. I think because Lorenzo can do non-deck stuff so well, I am still in for something extra from him, but that is me.

UPDATE: Well, nearly a year later and wow am I glad I stayed in Aces. Now I get two of those sweet 10 Year Anthology Patron Edition books. Lorenzo went way above and beyond this year. My decks are stuck in shipping limbo as my office is closed until next Friday. I guess I will get them in a week. All good.

I would absolutely love a sketch or signed piece of artwork.

Yeah, a sketch or print would be really cool as I collect prints as well. I had thought about signing up for a King plus a Queen, to get one special item (but 2x on the decks), but I would rather not to create another Patreon account. I did just notice that the Joker discount is 10% vs 20% for Aces. Plus the incremental cost of a 2nd special item works out to a bit less than half that of getting one. I usually pick up some stuff from his store, so the net increase to just sign up for Aces again vs going King + Queen isnt that much (me rationalizing)

Maybe it's worth gambling that this round won't be another display since that is what he has done the last few years. Hmm

This is my first Stockholm 17 patreon and I am very pleased with the results. I see why Lorenzo wins all of the awards and he deserved it. I got all my decks 2 days ago. I will stay subscribed next year.

As for the Madam Laveau decks, I wonder what is the difference between them besides the tuck? Are both of them gilded the same color? I prefer the limited purple tuck better but I don't want to open both of them if it's going to be the same cards.

Bikefanatic wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 2:42 pm As for the Madam Laveau decks, I wonder what is the difference between them besides the tuck? Are both of them gilded the same color?

The cards are the same, but the gilding is different. The purple is a striking purple gilding (I really like it). The blue deck is a greenish colored gilding. I say greenish cause it seems odd for a blue tuck, but it definitely looks green to me and somewhat muted, especially compared to the purple gilding.

I decided to keep both decks. I might as well have all of the Odd Fellows decks by far. Next may be the penguin version.

Bikefanatic wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:53 pm I decided to keep both decks. I might as well have all of the Odd Fellows decks by far. Next may be the penguin version.

Maybe, last I heard he had said that he was canceling the contract if they didn't put it up, I think by end of January.
That was a month or so ago I want to say,