Lords and Gods of Egypt

[SVI]

THE LORDS and GODS of EGYPT

There are three decks in the LORDS and GODS of EGYPT Series and after reaching the stretched goals, the decks will have:

LORDS and GODS of EGYPT, silver foil on black stock.
LORDS of EGYPT, gold foil on white stock.
GODS of EGYPT, gold foil on black stock.
The decks will be embossed.
The "LORDS and GODS of EGYPT" deck is created in a graphic style. It includes black and white images of the author's ancient Lords and the Gods of Upper and Lower Egypt. The "LORDS of EGYPT" deck is printed in color. Only the Lords of Ancient Egypt are depicted on it. On the "GODS of EGYPT" deck, printed, and also in color depicts the gods of Ancient Egypt.

[SVI]

[SVI]

[SVI]

[Don Boyer]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

The artwork looks a little incomplete.  For example, in your fourth post, most of the cards on display don't have pips in their indices.

It's also a little basic - for example, why are you making separate head images with a divider on the court cards instead of the more complex but more popular "double-headed" court image?

The presence of a lot of foil on the tuck cases certainly makes the tucks look shiny, but in this case, I don't think it's helping your cause.  I would think something a little more colorful might be appealing.  All the foil makes the design completely monochromatic.

It's terribly ambitious for a first project to make three different deck designs.  It's a challenge at times to fund a single deck.  Maybe setting your sights on a single deck and introducing a second deck as a stretch goal might be a way to improve your chances for success.  It will certainly bring down your budget and make your goal much lower.

Who's doing the printing for this job?  It's critical that you have a high-quality printer lined up if you're aiming for the collector market.  Using a no-name printer or one known for mediocre or low-grade work has been the kiss of death for many projects.  The only benefit to doing this is that you can significantly drop printing costs in some cases - but it will come at the expense of attracting people used to high-quality decks.

[skinny]

Who's doing the printing for this job?

The template indicates USPCC might be the choice of manufacturer. The claim on the bottom of the box that SVI manufactured them (and did so in Europe) certainly won't fly.

My 2¢ - Is this an SVI Group deck or is it an Egypt deck? SVI Group isn't a playing card brand, nor is it a business related to Egyptology, so I'll assume it's an Egypt deck. I can't think of any other cards where the designer or design group has their name featured so prominently. Artists don't sign or incorporate their name in the middle of their works. Wildly non-standard pips and missing indices also put this way, way out of reach for my interest.

Ignoring the thought of these as playing cards, the art and overall design aspects are really sharp. I could become interested in these if reworked.

[Umka]

Hello everybody!

I support many comments regarding the deck. This is not the first company SVI. Kickstarter only ended their project Star Kings. Here we see raw material. I think a lot will change in the design of the deck. Earlier in another forum, they wrote that they have their own high-quality printer in Ukraine. In this project, everything will depend on funding. With minimal financing, decks are issued in Ukraine. If funding is enough, decks are issued in the US. In any case, the decks will be published. This is an interesting approach.

[Eddie Hughlett]

"This is an interesting approach."

-The truth is spoken here.

-eh

[Don Boyer]

Hello everybody!

I support many comments regarding the deck. This is not the first company SVI. Kickstarter only ended their project Star Kings. Here we see raw material. I think a lot will change in the design of the deck. Earlier in another forum, they wrote that they have their own high-quality printer in Ukraine. In this project, everything will depend on funding. With minimal financing, decks are issued in Ukraine. If funding is enough, decks are issued in the US. In any case, the decks will be published. This is an interesting approach.

If it's the printer I think it is, I'll pass.  Noir Arts Playing Card Company, right?  I've personally never bought one of their decks, but other who have gave them poor reviews.  The printing wasn't done well - I'm guessing it was digital press and not offset - and lower quality paper.

[leangyan]

I supported their last project on Kickstarter which ended recently. Funding goal was quite low, and they are self-funding (higher part of contribution)  that deck. Given I also self-funded Divine Art, I wanted to support this creator because I understand what it takes to self-fund and that too, when you are working with a new printer.

Now, what I know is that they are not going with NPCC for Star Kings but with another printer in Ukraine. That said, their very first campaign was with NPCC, and then in their second try, they just deleted their account all of a sudden invalidating their Kickstarter project. They came up with a very low funding goal of £500 third time saying that they will self-fund that deck.  They are coming up with a new campaign next week for this Egypt deck but they have not fulfilled their earlier campaign, so I am not getting that feeling of confidence with SVI Group or this creator. In the other forum, there were a few comments made by their supporters that SVI Group is a very well-known name in Ukraine. I've asked one of my contacts who is a renowned trainer (Agile Software Development) & consultant in Ukraine about this company (SVI Group), and I'm awaiting his reply. Let's see.

Anyways, a new printer with unknown track record and starting a new project without fulfilling the last one, is a major risk.

[Don Boyer]

Anyways, a new printer with unknown track record and starting a new project without fulfilling the last one, is a major risk.

Agreed - both would be significant red flags with an established project creator, never mind one that's never delivered even once on a project to date.

I would love to hear from "SVI" himself what he or she has to say about the project in their defense.

[leangyan]

Anyways, a new printer with unknown track record and starting a new project without fulfilling the last one, is a major risk.

Agreed - both would be significant red flags with an established project creator, never mind one that's never delivered even once on a project to date.

I would love to hear from "SVI" himself what he or she has to say about the project in their defense.

Hi Don,

I did receive a reply on the Kickstarter comments page.

It is bit cryptic because they have been proclaiming in the other forum that this deck will be printed by them and they even showed an invoice for card stock here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/svi/the-star-kings-playing-cards-1/posts/1833546

I don't think they have been transparent enough in their campaigns and I'm a bit skeptical around their new campaign now. I'd like to give them a benefit of doubt but as I connect the dots, I can't afford to.

Regards,
Sunish

[Don Boyer]

Anyways, a new printer with unknown track record and starting a new project without fulfilling the last one, is a major risk.

Agreed - both would be significant red flags with an established project creator, never mind one that's never delivered even once on a project to date.

I would love to hear from "SVI" himself what he or she has to say about the project in their defense.

Hi Don,

I did receive a reply on the Kickstarter comments page.

It is bit cryptic because they have been proclaiming in the other forum that this deck will be printed by them and they even showed an invoice for card stock here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/svi/the-star-kings-playing-cards-1/posts/1833546

I don't think they have been transparent enough in their campaigns and I'm a bit skeptical around their new campaign now. I'd like to give them a benefit of doubt but as I connect the dots, I can't afford to.

Regards,
Sunish

That reply from SVI is about as shady as the bottom of the Grand Canyon at sundown.

If it's THEIR account on KS that was used to make the Star Kings deck, THEY are the ones responsible for delivery, not some third party!  They're trying to place any blame for possible delays on someone else but the THEY are the project creators of record.  On that, I call bullshit.

What's more laughable is that their letter on the updates page for Star Kings states that they're printing on "Casino Imperial" paper with a weight of 300 grams per square meter.  Bicycle playing cards were that weight before USPC stopped offering paper by weight and switched to using a range of caliper thickness.  300 gsm is not "casino" grade and certainly isn't "imperial" in my book.

And why on God's green Earth would Papierfabrik August Koehler, a German paper company, produce an invoice IN ENGLISH??  German, sure; Russian, perhaps; Ukrainian, sure - but English???  The SVI Group, both on this forum and their own KS account, write like they barely understand English - there's no way they would have REQUESTED invoicing in English from a German paper company.  I even looked for their address on Google Maps, posted on the invoice as ""Publishing center LTD," and found not much, aside from the fact that they're using an outdated name for the town (it's now called Chornomorsk) and that it's in Odessa Oblast, Ukraine.

I would say that I don't trust them as far as I can throw them, but I'm a martial artist so I could probably throw them far enough, so instead I'll say I trust them as far as I can throw a six-color offset printing press...

[Great Lakes Playing Card Co.]

It's threads like this that I love to read and really help me begin to understand what goes on behind the scenes in creating a deck.  From a design standpoint, I agree, the work feels "unfinished" and not on a level where I would be proud to own this deck.  All of the printing etc. details seem messy.  Thanks for the insight from "senior" members of this board.

[Umka]

Hello everybody! I apologize in advance for my English. I really understand him poorly, but I try to study. I will answer your questions, since I created this post on behalf of SVI. The first SVI is a completely transparent company with a real address and a telephone. You can dial a number and chat with managers. Second, the invoice is issued to the address of the printer, which is a partner of the SVI and will print the deck of the Star Kings. Third, at the request of the supporters of the SVI, the project will start only after fulfilling its obligations under the previous one. The fourth, the printer in Ukraine is quite famous. He used earlier other projects, other authors. Only they called this printer their name. So, they wanted, for solidity probably. Fifth, all supporters who supported the project will receive their awards in time on time. Since the material is ready for printing and the printer only waits for the delivery of cardboard. At the expense of cardboard quality, you are mistaken, which is very surprising for specialists of this level. The cardboard is in fact the Casino Imperial, as it was stated. And I'll reveal one more secret. The quality of the deck I think you will be pleasantly surprised, as now specialists are developing a new generation of lacquer coating that will increase the quality and durability of the decks. Your doubts are justified. But I would like to hear your real feedback as professionals, when the deck is ready. Now about financing. The first project was financed by the customer, since these decks were created based on his book. The next project is a pure project of SVI. It is already ready and compiled on the Kickstarter page. Just waiting for its time. Moreover, two more projects have been created and are waiting for their time))) Now a little about me ... I created a post on behalf of SVI on the forum, since I have a direct relationship to this firm as a driver of the security chief. The leadership of the SVI believes that this should be handled by a professional and such a professional will be, after the start of new projects. And while I'm at the level of an amateur and a person with certain information, I decided to share it with specialists and to hear your opinion. The raw materials that I laid out, it was all I was able to access at that time. Now I have all the materials on the new project. I will try to put them out in the near future. I ask you to take into account that my statements are not official statements of the SVI leadership, as I am just an employee of this firm and operate only with real facts. Once again I apologize for my English.

[Umka]

[Umka]

[Umka]

[Umka]

This is a small part of the deck. There will be three and all of them will have a difference.

[Umka]

And this is a little information about another project SVI))))




Wait for new messages if interested. And ask questions, although I rarely go to the forum. Soon I think your questions will be answered by specialists with knowledge of the English language))))

[Umka]

Now let's talk about why the two previous Star Kings projects were being deleted. SVI had nothing to do with this. Just the author of the book and the main sponsor could not decide where to print and how much to pay. The project started, then he asked to change everything. The result was an unpleasant fact. He was warned about the consequences. He said that he pays and he does not care how many will pack a deck. For him, it's just advertising. Money for printing, he made in full the necessary volume, so that the deck will be made. Do not worry.

[Umka]

I can't think of any other cards where the designer or design group has their name featured so prominently.



Biсусle, Bee, Tally-Ho, KEМ, and many others. Indication of the company is not a PR, but a guarantee of quality and responsibility.

[Umka]

I forgot completely. For the delivery of decks to backers, only SVI is responsible. In particular, the security service controls the timing and quality. There are no third parties. Although there were proposals from well-known intermediaries to participate in the project. SVI for its work is fully responsible from beginning to end.

[Don Boyer]

Hello everybody! I apologize in advance for my English. I really understand him poorly, but I try to study. I will answer your questions, since I created this post on behalf of SVI. The first SVI is a completely transparent company with a real address and a telephone. You can dial a number and chat with managers. Second, the invoice is issued to the address of the printer, which is a partner of the SVI and will print the deck of the Star Kings. Third, at the request of the supporters of the SVI, the project will start only after fulfilling its obligations under the previous one. The fourth, the printer in Ukraine is quite famous. He used earlier other projects, other authors. Only they called this printer their name. So, they wanted, for solidity probably. Fifth, all supporters who supported the project will receive their awards in time on time. Since the material is ready for printing and the printer only waits for the delivery of cardboard. At the expense of cardboard quality, you are mistaken, which is very surprising for specialists of this level. The cardboard is in fact the Casino Imperial, as it was stated. And I'll reveal one more secret. The quality of the deck I think you will be pleasantly surprised, as now specialists are developing a new generation of lacquer coating that will increase the quality and durability of the decks. Your doubts are justified. But I would like to hear your real feedback as professionals, when the deck is ready. Now about financing. The first project was financed by the customer, since these decks were created based on his book. The next project is a pure project of SVI. It is already ready and compiled on the Kickstarter page. Just waiting for its time. Moreover, two more projects have been created and are waiting for their time))) Now a little about me ... I created a post on behalf of SVI on the forum, since I have a direct relationship to this firm as a driver of the security chief. The leadership of the SVI believes that this should be handled by a professional and such a professional will be, after the start of new projects. And while I'm at the level of an amateur and a person with certain information, I decided to share it with specialists and to hear your opinion. The raw materials that I laid out, it was all I was able to access at that time. Now I have all the materials on the new project. I will try to put them out in the near future. I ask you to take into account that my statements are not official statements of the SVI leadership, as I am just an employee of this firm and operate only with real facts. Once again I apologize for my English.

I would be interested in hearing SVI come on board to defend their work themselves.  Your comments in this and other replies left here, while interesting, don't carry as much weight as actually hearing them from the company itself.  You aren't a principle of the company and you aren't even a company employee - you're the security chief's driver, by your own description (though I can't imagine why a small design firm requires a security chief and why that person can't drive their own car).

Now let's talk about why the two previous Star Kings projects were being deleted. SVI had nothing to do with this. Just the author of the book and the main sponsor could not decide where to print and how much to pay. The project started, then he asked to change everything. The result was an unpleasant fact. He was warned about the consequences. He said that he pays and he does not care how many will pack a deck. For him, it's just advertising. Money for printing, he made in full the necessary volume, so that the deck will be made. Do not worry.

I'm sorry, but SVI had EVERYTHING to do with this.  They're responsible for their own projects, period.  "Author of the book?"  "Main sponsor?"  Immaterial.  If SVI didn't have everything set up properly from the very first day of launch, they shouldn't have launched at all.  It's not unheard of for unforeseen circumstances to arise, but for them to arise twice in a row and for blame to be placed elsewhere is highly suspect.

I also think it's pretty odd how the project has migrated from iteration to iteration - first it was listed in Edmonton, Canada, then in Coventry, UK, now it's somewhere in Ukraine.  So where is this company, exactly?

I can't think of any other cards where the designer or design group has their name featured so prominently.

Biсусle, Bee, Tally-Ho, KEМ, and many others. Indication of the company is not a PR, but a guarantee of quality and responsibility.

Your comparison isn't accurate.  The designer or design group in all four cases is the United States Playing Card Company (USPC) for their mainstream, commercial versions and whatever company produced/designed the deck in the case of custom-designed decks made for third parties by USPC.  It's rare that you see the company name splashed across the box back, a place typically used to show off card back art, in the same manner as it is in this deck.  In most cases, it appears in small print on the box bottom and in slightly larger print on the side of the box.

None of this changes my mind about how little faith I'd put in the company.  That's my opinion, for what that's worth - your mileage may vary.

[Umka]

1. SVI is not a small design company. SVI LTD is a part of a large concern that includes both commercial enterprises and security structures. In particular, "Centurion".
http://centurion.kiev.ua/?lang=uk
2. Security is necessary for the security of objects. Including production facilities and warehouses.
3. Owners of SVI can afford to have not only a personal driver well and other benefits))))))
4. I'm not a driver. I'm the second chief of security service))))) Maybe not correctly expressed. I have a bad English.
5. How to proceed with the start of the project, in my opinion this is a personal matter of the creator. The main end result. I'm sure this will not happen again.
6. SVI is English company registered a year ago to work in a foreign market.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10200364
7. The design team of SVI is only one of the company's divisions.
8. SVI has direct contracts with printing houses. In particular with the printing house "Deluxe". Which in due time used the NPCC for their work.
http://www.deluxe.odessa.ua/
9. The production facilities and leadership of SVI are in Ukraine, but representatives of the firm are in almost all countries, including the United States. At the moment negotiations are under way on cooperation with USPCC. Prepare a contract. I think it will be signed by the end of June.
10. Why is there no specialist working in the forums? I do not know. Playing cards and publishing is not the main business of SVI. But I think such a person will soon be appointed and he will give more complete explanations on the work of the design group.
11. I am ready to ship the Star Kings to you as soon as they are out of print. For expert evaluation and conclusion. Maybe then you change your mind about the company. And I will definitely show our correspondence to the management.
12. I do not think that SVI will somehow justify. The best justification is the quality of the product, and then all negative posts will simply be unfounded.
13. And the last. All founders of SVI and other group enterprises are citizens of Ukraine. Therefore, the head office of the group is located in the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kiev.
I hope that I answered your comments quite fully. If you have any questions, you can ask them by phone to the managers of the company. Number on the official website of the SVI GROUP LTD