Your thoughts on quality/handling of NPCC decks?

[EndersGame]

I'd like to hear some thoughts on the quality and handling of decks by NPCC (Noir Arts).  I've come across a few isolated/sporadic comments on NPCC in various threads dealing with specific decks, but would like to see some feedback and discussion about their playing cards in one place.

Their reputation doesn't seem exactly stellar for some reason, but some have suggested they are improving over time.  I recently received a number of NPCC decks and here are some tentative thoughts and first impressions of my own:
- tuck boxes: generally terrific (embossing, foil, and nice designs)
- card quality: no noticeable printing issues; registration seems good and enables consistent/thin borders; good use of metallic inks; white cards seem to look nicer than black cards
- card handling: embossed air-cushion style finish; cards a little clingy but fan/spread evenly once broken in; modern cut enables faro shuffles; different feel than other decks but seem to handle decently
- progress: decks from before mid-2015 seem sub-par, but decks produced in 2016 and 2017 all seem okay
Overall my initial impression is that the quality of the cards themselves seems at least on par with MPC, but perhaps that's just a first impression; I might upgrade or downgrade that conclusion over time.

I'd love to hear from others about your experiences with NPCC playing cards, and what you think about their quality and handling.  There's been some extensive discussion previously about the quality/handling of USPCC and EPCC/LPCC produced decks (link) - how do NPCC cards compare with other printers like USPCC/LPCC/EPCC/MPC?  Is their somewhat `negative' reputation deserved, and if so, why or why not?  If you've ever owned or handled an NPCC deck, what did you think of it?

[willroya]

I opened up one of their decks a couple years ago, to mostly just do a little cardistry with.  It seemed fine to me, maybe a little stiff. I wasn't turned off by the quality like some other "off-brand" decks, so I would say they are ok. I do always prefer USPCC as you know. I would prefer a NPCC deck over french 310 linen finish MPC deck for sure.

[Don Boyer]

I own one deck, a gift from the designer.  I was not impressed at all with the work.  The cards were of a low quality stock with a glossy coating that had a plastic look to it and there was a pressure lip around the edges - that's typically a sign that instead of punching cards out of the paper with the die one at a time, they were forced through several (probably a half-dozen decks' worth) all at once with a plunger.  It results in a rough cut and a little ridge that forms around the edge, perhaps a couple of millimeters thick, and that ridge makes the cards hard if not impossible to weave or faro.  The quality of the printing was so-so - not sure if they used a digital press or an offset press, but if I had to guess, I'd say the former.

I had huge misgivings about NPCC from the moment they first came on the scene - I've posted about it here.  Their website listed them as having a California address but they're located in Ukraine.  The site had bucketloads of text about "their" printing processes that didn't quite make sense until I did a search and discovered they simply lifted it part and parcel from another company's website, which meant it really had nothing whatsoever to do with their own printing - they just wanted to pad the website to make it look better, which in the end made it look worse.  Large sections of their website hadn't been updated in months.  When I see such tactics being employed, my trust level of a company plummets to less than nil.  I refer designers AWAY from them, not to them - I wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole, not even if they were paying me to work with them.

Of course, your mileage may vary.  These are just my opinions.  Perhaps they have improved over time, but I'm not seeing it and I'm not trusting it.

[EndersGame]

Thanks for your feedback Will and Don.  Hopefully others will chip in as well. 

Out of curiosity, which deck do you have Don?  The newer decks seem better quality than the older ones, so they seem to have made some improvements over time. 

But I don't think it is to the point that their decks are high quality enough for cardistry just yet.  I've been able to do faro/weave shuffles without too much difficulty, and the card-stock and printing registration on the decks I have seems very good.  The main weakness as far as I can tell seems to be a finish (embossing/coating) which doesn't produce a smooth and consistent performance on the level of USPCC/LPCC decks.

As for the business end of things, I haven't noticed anything shady; but they are indeed located in Ukraine, and the level of their ability to communicate clearly in English may be a factor.

[EndersGame]

I have just finished posting a seven-part series of reviews on decks from Noir Arts - links are below.  I've written detailed thoughts about the card quality and handling of the NPCC decks in the final article, so look there to read my own finding and thoughts on this at length.

Ender's pictorial review series: Dark art and more from Europe's artistic Noir Arts playing cards (NPCC)

Part 1: Playful decks - Geistreiz, and Carnaval De Muertos Playing Cards
Part 2: Light/Darkness decks - Indictus, and Dominus Playing Cards
Part 3: Design Imperator decks - Chivalry, and Midgard Playing Cards
Part 4: History/Culture decks - Branle, and Nipponia Playing Cards
Part 5: Dark Art decks - Memento Mori, and Bone/Ebon Playing Cards
Part 6: Memorable decks - Chernobyl Memorial, and Animagique Playing Cards
Part 7: Wrap-up - Other Decks, and Final Conclusions

[willroya]

Thank you Ender, I can't wait to get caught up on your articles and reviews over my holiday break next week.

[Don Boyer]

Thanks for your feedback Will and Don.  Hopefully others will chip in as well. 

Out of curiosity, which deck do you have Don?  The newer decks seem better quality than the older ones, so they seem to have made some improvements over time. 

But I don't think it is to the point that their decks are high quality enough for cardistry just yet.  I've been able to do faro/weave shuffles without too much difficulty, and the card-stock and printing registration on the decks I have seems very good.  The main weakness as far as I can tell seems to be a finish (embossing/coating) which doesn't produce a smooth and consistent performance on the level of USPCC/LPCC decks.

As for the business end of things, I haven't noticed anything shady; but they are indeed located in Ukraine, and the level of their ability to communicate clearly in English may be a factor.

The deck I have is the HorRoar deck.  It's a recent printing.  If I get a chance in the next few days, I'll take pictures of the pressure ridge I'm referring to so you can see what I'm talking about.