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I've started designing playng cards and have had a few decks printed out for personal use. I decided to take a chance on this design (it's very different from most I've designed) and run my first Kickstarter. I realize that no deck is good for everyone, but I'm hoping this one will be good for enough someones for the Kickstarter to succeed.

You might remember a TOS Star Trek episode where Kirk and crew pick up an alien whose skin is half black, half white, and very sharply divided down the middle. Later in the episode, another comes on board who is half white, half black. As I watched the episode, I thought it'd be neat to see what a deck similarly divided down the middle would look like. For the card front, I used a picture my wife took of an optical illusion at the St. Louis Museum of Illusions. I split it - but diagonally, not vertically, between the original and red-colored. I paid a lot of attention to making the index pips and numbers narrow, and contrast well with the background for game play. After some feedback, I also am offering card fronts in all black/white, and in a white/black inverse. Although I'm not a cardist, I'm hoping that the geometric complexity of the card back will appeal to cardists.

I named the deck "Cheron" after the aliens' planet. Here's the project url:

http://kck.st/4dmYXn0

I always appreciate new designers coming to town. But yah... I get that you US guys love your standard courts but unless your back design is blowing me out of the water I'm not going to back a standard court or slightly modified courts project.
Blame Lorenzo, Gio, Elettra or whomever you want to blame but I need something more to put down hard currency for paper in return.

A lot of these decks were popular in the beginning of the modern era around 2012 because custom playing cards had just started to blossom with the likes of kickstarter and such. There are so many standard court variations out there now, that the standards for them is insanely high (no pun intended); meaning, it has to be something absolutely incredible for me to be interested.

Thanks y'all. This feedback makes a lot of sense. I suppose that being new to all of this could get me going in a direction that's passé. I'll be sure to remember this with the next deck I launch.

I wouldn't say it's passé per se but yah, unless you have a big fan base like Daniel Schneider or Chris Ramsay, it'll be hard to sell decks like that.

Harvonsgard wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2024 9:27 am I wouldn't say it's passé per se but yah, unless you have a big fan base like Daniel Schneider or Chris Ramsay, it'll be hard to sell decks like that.

Good to know. I'll be going in a completely different direction the next time.

My feedback:
1) Cool idea, but would have been much cooler with original courts that actually take advantage of the dichotomy in their design.
2) As is, it strikes me as a deck design Bicycle would do (can you "sell" a design to USPCC?).
3) Therefor, I'd expect a Bicycle price of $6.99 or $7.99. You've kept it nice an low for an original deck, but then shipping kills it for such a basic design.

They are too similar to 2017 deck Wavy

That wavy design is pretty cool. I can see where someone would think that my design is similar. That's a consequence, I suppose, of not getting into collecting playing cards until this year. Hard for me to have a comprehensive knowledge of what has and hasn't been done. Given that I split the pips in the middle, that made it different to me. Now I wish I'd put a 9 up instead of a 7 as it could have emphasized that difference more. I also did think that my card back was very different. But again, I see your point.

There is a simlar theme but to me the designs are quite different.

At the same time, it does feel like this is a bit of running before you walk. As you say, you just got into collecting playing cards this year. Maybe jumping right into creating a deck and funding a Kickstarter prior to really figuring out the needs of the market, understanding your place in it, who are the best suppliers, how to do fulfillment etc isn't the best thing?

Love the enthusiasm and we definitely need that passion in this hobby, but it's not the easiest time for a new designer and there are a lot of gotchas that have nothing to do with creating an amazing design that can impact being successful or not.

You make good points. I tend to be a learn-by-doing kind of person and I have at least learned a lot in this process. I hate to fail but it's a good teacher. I really appreciate how kind and thoughtful your reply was.

I think I've had some good ideas for decks, but if I'm being honest with myself, I have rushed into this. What I'm planning now is to take a couple of art classes at the local community college (it's a good one), learn Photoshop and Illustrator better, learn the whole process of a Kickstarter better, and revisit this in a few months or a year. I simply don't have the foundation or skills that I need to do this right, so I'm going to put a pin in it all and do some groundwork. I'm not under the illusion that taking a couple of art classes will magically turn me into an artist, but that and enough practice could give me a start. I understand now that I need to either do quality artwork myself without using stock photos or illustrations as a crutch, and if I'm still terrible at it, then partner with a graphic artist who can do it.

The advice I've gotten on here is been really valuable and I appreciate it. I'm not giving up anything, I'm just going to give myself the best chance of doing things right. For now I hope to contribute to the board in other ways and enjoy what's here. Thanks again, everyone.

I love Strag's advice but did not know how to say it so thoughtfully

The new Patreon deck by TWI has a similar concept. It might be interesting to see how a seasoned creator would approach it viewtopic.php?t=23660

It certainly does

Limbo did this well too. Arguably, one of the aspects that allow(ed) both Gio and Alex to succeed is through their reputations and a deeper theme/meaning tied to the art.

All of this is really valuable feedback and I thank you all for it.