Heckadeck

[JuFiN]

Just saw this deck popup on KS

Wondering your guys thoughts on it, says he is using QPC Games to print the cards.

[jerichoholic]

It's definitely interesting but i'm not sure I want a deck that is triple the size of a regular deck of cards. Heck it's hard enough to use a Uno deck and it's only twice the size. I think they will also have a problem reaching that goal unfortunately.

[Sunz]

160 playing cards? well, picture are funny, a kid would love this deck.. but dayum.. 3 times the size of a normal deck? Don't want that :S

[jsantafe]

Well, I love the idea and pricing. I guess the quality won't be great for what we are used to, but what can I love from a product restricted to the US? No international shipping? Ok, pledges lost.

[JuFiN]

He recently added the option for european shipping (not free though).

I really like the idea as a novel edition to my collection 160 card deck sounds fun to play around with. And its pretty cheap for that many cards! Arts pretty cool as well.

My main issues/concerns are about card quality and the fact that the card back artwork isnt mirrored.

[shermjack]

I like the artwork (reminds me of Adventure Time ) but am concerned about the printer as well...would be cool if creator made the back two way and printed regular poker deck with one of the big boys

[jsantafe]

Guru Ganjifa has tried and it's about 35$ per deck. It's also custom size (round cards), but price will rise obviously.
Card back not mirrored should be addressed, I agree.

[jsantafe]

He changed it and added a very reasonable shipping to EU price. Yes! Weirdested addition to my collection.

Carat cases anyone?

[travnich]

Hey guys!

Travis here, creator of the HECKADECK. @jsantafe pointed me here (thanks, dude!). Glad this discussion is happening, and I SUPER appreciate the feedback. I knew from the beginning that my deck might not be for all purists and card acrobats (a talent I greatly admire and love watching displays of online), but I hoped to add my contribution to the game of cultural telephone that is playing cards. I'm glad it's getting some interest from you guys!

After reading some previous feedback, I'm definitely going to mirror the backs of the cards. 100% with you guys on that. Thanks!

As for shipping to the EU, I had US-only shipping for just the earlybird discount. I did that originally because the costs of that tier was really low. I did go back and add shipping elsewhere. Every other tier in the campaign ships worldwide.

I'm curious about concerns of QPC. Have you guys have bad experiences, or do they just not produce what you'd consider to be an ideal playing card (for smooth fanning, etc.)? After looking into lots of manufacturers and getting lots of quotes and samples, I really liked the numbers and the quality I got from QPC. Many manufacturers won't do anything but a custom 52-card deck and were waaaay cost prohibitive for what I'm doing.

Again, thanks so much for the feedback and discussion. I want to put out the best deck I can. Teamwork makes the dreamwork!

-Travis

[Räpylätassu]

Hey Travis!

This is a pretty weird deck but I like it! Originality is always something I respect. Also the artwork is really good, many decks have a very dead serious look so light and fun decks are almost everytime a fresh change (one of the reasons I love Hive 2 by Brendan Hong!)

If I am not wrong, QPC is the same as MPC. MPC is not the best quality out there but I think that their reputation for poor quality is over exaggerated by a mile and then some.

If this does not fund, I would hope that you could try again with that big deck and also a 52 card poker deck with the same artwork for people who are not into that kind of an odd deck.

Welcome to the forum!

[jsantafe]

Hi Travis! Glad you stopped by!
In this card collectors world, we have a trinity: USPCC (aka Bicycle), EPCC (aka Expert) and LPCC (aka Legends). If any of those are involved in a project, nobody questions quality. Second in rank are MPC (great scalability from one unit printed) and NPCC (aka Noir).
From what I've seen, Expert are the most willing to try new formats, sizes etc.

[shermjack]

Carat cases anyone?

Does this mean that you would like a Carat Card Case made for this deck? I'll have to ask Travis for the dimensions of the tuck

Anyways, I wish I picked up an EB when I had a chance...didn't realize that the regular tier did not include shipping for the US, making the deck 24 w/shipping instead of 15. Ah, I like the artwork and now that Travis is making the back two-way, I will have to back!

[RichK]

You had me at the video. Too funny!

Good luck!

[ecNate]

I definitely had to back this one because I like the fun artwork and have a thing for alternate/additional suit decks because it's fun to create new games for them or apply other popular games to them using the variety of additional options available. Looks like it's 50% funded, hopefully it makes it soon!

[sinjin7]

I'm curious about concerns of QPC. Have you guys have bad experiences, or do they just not produce what you'd consider to be an ideal playing card (for smooth fanning, etc.)? After looking into lots of manufacturers and getting lots of quotes and samples, I really liked the numbers and the quality I got from QPC. Many manufacturers won't do anything but a custom 52-card deck and were waaaay cost prohibitive for what I'm doing.

-Travis

If you were producing a deck for cardists/flourishers, card mechanics, or even magicians, they require a certain amount of quality in their cards to be able to consistently perform the maneuvers they do. The card stock should spring back despite the physical manipulation the cards are put through with minimal deformation. The finish on the cards should provide a consistent coefficient of friction to allow for a smooth and controllable glide between the individual cards. As others have already mentioned, the USPCC, EPCC/LPCC are the printers of choice for higher quality cards.

If you intend for your deck to be used as a novelty deck or just strictly for card play, then QPC/MPC level of quality should suffice for you. QPC cards won't have quite the long term durability (in terms of deformation and resistance to environmental factors such as humidity) or playability (in terms of ease of shuffling because of cards beginning to clump together) as the USPCC or EPCC/LPCC.

I would strongly recommend two things: 1) Consider printing with the Expert Playing Card Company (EPCC) because they will work with you in printing non-standard playing cards. Uusi had a lot of success with them when producing their tarot deck, which had a lot more cards than the standard 52. 2) Consider printing a standard poker deck as a companion to your Heckadeck. You will be able to attract a lot more backers this way. I'm going to go back to the Uusi example - they ran a campaign for their tarot deck which was very well-received, but tarot decks aren't everyone's cup of tea. When they added a companion standard poker deck to their tarot deck, their campaign really took off and I estimate by the end of their campaign, they actually sold more poker decks than tarot decks.

I know the bottom line is to balance quality/cost with profit all in the context of fundability. But you only have one shot at a first deck of cards. Why not go for it and make it something you can be truly proud of knowing that it will be of lasting quality. Switching to the EPCC may raise the cost of the decks some and raising the funding goal, but I think that will be offset by sales from a companion standard poker deck, along with additional pledges you receive from those who demand higher quality but are on the fence right now due to QPC. The worst case scenario is that you fail to fund, and in that event you can always re-launch and go with the more economical printer like QPC then.

I wasn't going to pledge at first due to the printer, but I was won over with your video and got in on one early bird deck. If you do decide to go with the EPCC and make available a standard poker deck as well, I will be sure to increase my pledge to include several standard poker decks as well. I wish you the best of luck in your campaign.

[travnich]

Hi, @sinjin7!

That's a lot of awesome feedback. Thank you. I recall the Uusi deck and the poker companion. Great point there. A companion poker deck for cardists/flourishers/card mechanics/magicians is an interesting idea. I'd have to think that over and see if I didn't feel like it was watering down the original concept. At any rate, I don't believe this is my last deck of cards. And for sure on the next go-around I certainly won't be putting out a 100+ card deck! Heck, maybe I'll do... a six card deck. Two of each: rock, paper, scissors. And they'll be the absolute most perfect, smoooooth, glorious cards ever produced. Able to be flicked across a concert hall and slice pineapples into perfect rings.

But seriously, I do appreciate the thoughts! Very cool, supportive forum here.

Cheers,
T

[SkDG]

I've been thinking about the topic of providing a regular deck of card with the illustrations from Heckadeck.

Personally I've never backed a regular deck of cards on Kickstarter but I backed the Heckadeck. Mostly because I like the illustrations and also because I like that's its an original concept.

I can't say that I know much about card quality and such, but I know the difference between playing a game with good and bad cards. Like you mentioned in the last update, there're people who are "wierd slobs". I'm sorry to say, I'm one of those from time to time, and so are my friends. With that I don't want to say go waterproof plastic but that I would support the project even if it ment to pay more but better quality cards.

I don't know which company is better than the other so can't say anything about that, but if I understood correctly the problem is that most of the "good" companies only print regular 52 decks?

If this is the case I thought that maybe the solution might be to make it 3 decks in a pack? Each deck would hold 54 cards (bringing the total cards up to 162 though.). The first deck having regular 52 cards + the two matching Jokers. the second the knives, acorns, clouds and planets + the two Jokers. The third would have the rest of the cards plus the 2 extra, one of them maybe the rank order diamonds, knives, clubs, acorns, hearts, clouds, spades, planets and the other card some other interesting thing.

But I still think it should be sold in a bundle and not separately, or if separately as an add on to keep it close to the original but making it easy to get the regular deck if you want to go oldschool, maybe set up a deck of ones own mixing different combinations in one of the decks for easy use and such.

Well, that's my thought.

I really, really want to see this project come to lift so I can play with the all-suited Watcher! Maybe a game about bringing the void to destory all combining Omnihedron, Darkness, and the all-suited Watcher. What did you way? Is the Crone the only one that can stop the void?

[jsantafe]

Hi Travis,

I wrote it as a comment in the project, but I'm sure there will be a more valuable conversation here.

What about some stretch goals? It's quite common when the project is already funded and helps the momentum if it's stagnating.

Something could be like numbered decks (with total print run), upgraded box (embossing, sturdiness, details), or changing printed if enough is collected (upgrading to EPCC if 20k is reached).

For sure, people here will come up with more ideas!

I love SKDG suggestion of having 3 boxes with 54 cards, as it will be much easier to display in many our collections. We, crazy collectors, usually have custom made solution for displaying our cards. Also, if you want to use the deck in a traditional way, you only have to go for the box #1.

Maybe this could be an add-on? "Drop a few bucks and get three special edition boxes to display your heckadeck!"

[cherrynukacola]

Couldn't resist any longer and have backed this one - it'll be fun coming up with games to play with it!

[Bruno]

You can bet your sweet Bippy !**



**Anybody remember that one ?