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Hi! It has been a while since our last mail-out, and the EPC team have been hard at work on several new projects launching in 2019. Once of those is our long-awaited Cyberpunk Playing Card deck which is due for launch in around 2 weeks.
Cyberpunk cards are a set of 3 decks featuring hand-drawn machine-human detail and a beautiful foil & embossed tuckbox with a matt finish.
The deck will be launching on Kickstarter around mid-February, with decks starting at $12 USD with FREE US shipping. Super cheap Earlybird bundles will also be available for the early backers for as low as $9/deck.
Keep an eye out for more details!
Thanks,
Ben

FYI this is not to be confused with this deck.

Next month - Cyberpunk Gods of Mythology. We reimagine what the Greek gods would have been like had they appeared in a sci fi novel. Printed on actual aluminium foil. Limited edition eco-friendly cotton tuck bag.

The tuck doesn't look bad, but I'd like to see the actual cards.

starting a kickstarter with 3 editions that I suspect are just recolored back designs of the same artwork and using such an over used theme are all very worrying aspects of this one...

hopefully im wrong and each deck is unique and the art is good. Need to see faces to really make a decision on this one, tucks look nice atleast.

It's 3 different editions? I thought it was supposed to be a holographic foil tuck.

JuFiN wrote:starting a kickstarter with 3 editions that I suspect are just recolored back designs of the same artwork and using such an over used theme are all very worrying aspects of this one...

Yup. Booooooooooring.

Nobody needs more than 2 colors of the same f^&*ing deck (there are some rare exceptions).

I love purple, but the yellow foil looks to have just a little tinsey bit more of a 'pop' with higher contrast against the dark cardstock and is just calling to me more so for whatever reason than the other two

And even though this is a theme I wouldn't normally at.all. be interested in considering how many god-awful regurgitated iterations there have been tackling the 'cyberpunk' theme, the tucks do look promising... but I still gotta see dem faces. My interest is only slightly piqued but not enough to be let down if the deck sucks because cyberpunk decks usually do - so I'm not holding my breath either.

however, if it comes to be that the three color swapped tucks do in fact indicate just lazy recolors of the same deck x 3, than that'll be super lame. More lame if it's not even recolors but just the same deck in 3 different tuck variants, not to mention unnecessarily excessive... the thought of this possibility already makes me apprehensive about this deck...

I think the Cyberpunk thing is getting pushed because Poland is all about that $%&^ right now. It's like, become a cultural meme over there for some reason, they also got way into the Synthwave thing, too (although, the reasons might be related). Can't say I dislike Cyberpunk or Synthwave, but, don't know how much I want to pour into it unless it's a game, novel, or music. Unless it's something really special.

The only thing I'm excited for is CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 for PlayStation 4. I played the crap out of R. Talsorian Game's Cyberpunk 2020/2077 tabletop RPGs with my gaming groups over the last two or three decades-- but, I don't think this deck will have Johnny Silverhand on any of the courts.

This might be a stretch, but I noticed that there is a huge boom in high-fantasy and speculative sci-fi/near future/cyberpunk writers in the SSR influenced/former SSR countries, maybe because of their universal appeal of themes (high fantasy) and relevance (cyberpunk) and the fact that media like that would've been kept out of those areas prior to the fall of the wall. So, now we're seeing the prominence of a generation that has had access/been influenced by such media for their entire/most of their lives.

Hi Guys,

Sorry to disappoint, but yes, this is a same-design recolor across the 3 editions. The reason for that is:

1) The designs have been half finished for a looong time and I finally got around to finishing them.
2) When I put out a survey to decide which color to release it in, the results were pretty uniform across the board; there was no clear favorite.
3) The gold, green and purple look pretty darn cool in foil.

There are plenty of card faces in the KS preview link which will go out Tuesday so you can see there.

Odds are bringing the deck to market will identify which color is the clear winner, and the other colors will be discontinued after the KS print run. You will be able to pledge for any version so you don't have to pick up all 3; it's not like it will be a package deal.

As to the Cyberpunk theme - it was nice and fresh when I started a long time ago, but it is starting to feel like Cthulu a while back, where it was dominating cards/games for a period. I didn't want to add to the culture dump, but the deck was done and I don't want to sit on it for any longer!

Ben

Hey, Ben. I love your work and look forward to learning more about these when you post your KS link on Tuesday.

In the meantime: who do you plan to go to for the manufacturer? (Maybe you've said this already and I just missed it.) I love your designs, but I recall a couple of your decks -- Pipmen Full World and the Elephant decks, in particular -- had such an unsatisfying finish that they were really just not awesome to handle and, therefore, didn't get a lot of love after I'd looked at them the initial time I opened them up. Those were... MPC and WJP, correct? So, yeah, whoever you go with this time around, could you please make a point of favoring a linen / air cushion finish instead of a smooth finish? And, to whatever extent you can, favor USPCC or EPCC/LPCC (Taiwan, not China) or Cartimundi? Pretty please?

Thanks!

Fud wrote:Hi Guys,

Sorry to disappoint, but yes, this is a same-design recolor across the 3 editions. The reason for that is:

1) The designs have been half finished for a looong time and I finally got around to finishing them.
2) When I put out a survey to decide which color to release it in, the results were pretty uniform across the board; there was no clear favorite.
3) The gold, green and purple look pretty darn cool in foil.

There are plenty of card faces in the KS preview link which will go out Tuesday so you can see there.

Odds are bringing the deck to market will identify which color is the clear winner, and the other colors will be discontinued after the KS print run. You will be able to pledge for any version so you don't have to pick up all 3; it's not like it will be a package deal.

As to the Cyberpunk theme - it was nice and fresh when I started a long time ago, but it is starting to feel like Cthulu a while back, where it was dominating cards/games for a period. I didn't want to add to the culture dump, but the deck was done and I don't want to sit on it for any longer!

Ben

I actually think that whilst the theme seems overdone at present it’s yet to have really been done to such an amazing standard to not make it worth exploring. It’s not my favourite but I’m stoll looking forward to the deck and if the tuck is any indication it looks great.

That said I like to use my cards so the printer will be crucial...

rousselle wrote:Hey, Ben. I love your work and look forward to learning more about these when you post your KS link on Tuesday.

In the meantime: who do you plan to go to for the manufacturer? (Maybe you've said this already and I just missed it.) I love your designs, but I recall a couple of your decks -- Pipmen Full World and the Elephant decks, in particular -- had such an unsatisfying finish that they were really just not awesome to handle and, therefore, didn't get a lot of love after I'd looked at them the initial time I opened them up. Those were... MPC and WJP, correct? So, yeah, whoever you go with this time around, could you please make a point of favoring a linen / air cushion finish instead of a smooth finish? And, to whatever extent you can, favor USPCC or EPCC/LPCC (Taiwan, not China) or Cartimundi? Pretty please?

Thanks!

I second this notion and will pay more for USPCC. If this is printed with WJP then I'm out. Until the tuck case sizing issues (that I mentioned in previous threads) are fixed I'm not pledging for another Elephant deck, sorry to say. Please oh pretty please print with USPCC or EPCC! Or at least make them reasonable stretch goals.

ICantShuffle wrote:I think the Cyberpunk thing is getting pushed because Poland is all about that $%&^ right now. It's like, become a cultural meme over there for some reason, they also got way into the Synthwave thing, too (although, the reasons might be related).

Can Polish collectors and resellers really be that big a share of the market...?

I have actually never seen a breakdown of the custom playing card collecting market by country of buyer. I assume the US and... for lack of a better term, the greater Sinosphere (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan)... lead the pack just by virtue of sheer population size, but if, for example, Poland forms a disproportionately large share, that'd be interesting to know.

Former East bloc does seem to have a large number of artists producing, at least ones that I've seen, I don't know about consumers, though. Poland has a pretty decent market for Board and Tabletop gaming, though. There's some overlap there.

More pics:





KS preview link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/58 ... n=6524c0c8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I rather like the courts BUT...
Printed by WJPC

@Twopiece

Would you rather cyberpunk or steampunk now that the artwork is out?

Decknowledgy wrote:@Twopiece

Would you rather cyberpunk or steampunk now that the artwork is out?

I hate 1-way backs (rare exclusions). They both suck Bawls. It's like choosing which leg I'd rather be shot in.

Actually, these aren't too bad. The tucks are nice. The back design, if revised to 2-way, would be pretty good. I don't like the courts, at all, though. The pips are ugly.

TwoPiece wrote:

Decknowledgy wrote:@Twopiece

Would you rather cyberpunk or steampunk now that the artwork is out?

It's like choosing which leg I'd rather be shot in.

Gold of the day

TwoPiece wrote:

Decknowledgy wrote:Would you rather cyberpunk or steampunk now that the artwork is out?

It's like choosing which leg I'd rather be shot in.

Left leg. No question. It knows what it did.

Round 1 : My wife happened to see the pictures and she was like "dude you have to buy these, they are awesome".

Round 2: I was like hmm, pure recoloring and I'm not that into cyberpunk

Round 3: wow early bird $9 per deck with shipping included? No harm grab some

Round 4: WJPC?? hmmm, I understand that people may choose some randome printer when the quantity is low, but why choose WJPC for decks like this? Well answer is simple, they are cheap. WJPC is selling their own deck for $2 per deck on Taobao, I believe printing with them is simply way cheaper than anyone else.

I may still jump in for one set simply because of the foil and that my wife likes them so much, but I do feel sick about the printer.

Wait, your wife told you to buy these cards????? What a lucky guy to have your wife so supportive of this niche hobby of yours.

WJPC has produced decent decks , with Sunish having got pretty nice decks from them. EPC's Elephant decks didn't turn out as well as Sunish's but they can be good. Have to find the thread where this was discussed. This is why Ben can get you a $9 EB shipped. Lower cost for both cards and shipping. However, there is some merit to have the decks / or a deck upgraded to Bicycle stock as stretch goals.

akicer wrote:

Eric Lee wrote:Round 1 : My wife happened to see the pictures and she was like "dude you have to buy these, they are awesome".

Wait, your wife told you to buy these cards????? What a lucky guy to have your wife so supportive of this niche hobby of yours.

yea, wow - I need a wife like that! Is yours available??

PipChick wrote:

akicer wrote:

Eric Lee wrote:Round 1 : My wife happened to see the pictures and she was like "dude you have to buy these, they are awesome".

Wait, your wife told you to buy these cards????? What a lucky guy to have your wife so supportive of this niche hobby of yours.

yea, wow - I need a wife like that! Is yours available??

lol my wife complains about how those decks used up our small living space in nyc all the time, don't think she's that much different than many of yours haha

tbh I believe she just likes foil, she loves all Lotrek decks but nothing else (hmm good taste huh?)

Foil lovers, assemble!!

Any time a designer just adds foil or gilding for no other reason than to just to satisfy people's need for a super blinged out, shiny deck (not to say that that's the case for this deck, just in general lol), I can't help but think of Immortan Joe from this particular scene in Mad Max: Fury Road...

akicer wrote:lol my wife complains about how those decks used up our small living space in nyc all the time, don't think she's that much different than many of yours haha

tbh I believe she just likes foil, she loves all Lotrek decks but nothing else (hmm good taste huh?)

Yes she does, or should I say expensive taste as well. I hear you about the space thing. My wife has threatened a few times now to clear out my library of books and comics to make space for my growing card collection. I worry that she'll actually do it when I'm not around... [MURRAY]

And we are LIVE - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/58 ... ying-cards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We have earlybird specials for the first 24 hours with decks from as low as $8.75 and flexible reward tiers which means you choose how many of each deck you get!

I hope to see you there!

All things considered these are VERY reasonably priced. Over 50% funded in the first few hours so I think this should do just fine although I will probably wait until the aftermarket once reviews come in.

Updated OP.

Full Deck Scans:
Yellow - https://www.flickr.com/photos/167981955 ... 5137842292
Green - https://www.flickr.com/photos/167981955 ... 8468892555
Purple - https://www.flickr.com/photos/167981955 ... 1468431373

So this was one of my first KS backs before I really knew what I was doing (I still don't). I love the tucks and 9 USD shipped for early bird is what got me. I now know why the decks were so affordable; WJPC is just bad. The cards handle poorly. I paid 27 for three tucks that will look good in display and a lesson to never buy anything from this printer again. There's my review for anyone considering after market.