Deck "secrets"

[sr15]

Two notable decks came out recently with an emphasis placed on discovering secrets about them, namely the Altruism deck from TBC and the Sultan Republic deck from E. At first, I had little interest in either of these decks, and the promise of "secrets" didn't really encourage me to buy either deck. When the Sultan Treasury deck was revealed, I actually liked that deck more than the original and ordered them. (Ironically, I now will probably buy the original deck to complete the set).

I thought it would be worthwhile discussing this concept:

Is it a good idea? I find it to be essentially marketing, and would rather have the deck be sold on its design than the possibility that you could find some mystery about the deck, but that's just one man's opinion.

Do you think more and more decks will begin to use this idea? The fact that the Sultan Treasury deck created such a commotion might be a springboard for other companies to feed off the hype that was generated by it. Of course it might not last a long time, but anything could happen.

Is it fair to do this? Not everyone is getting an equal opportunity at a limited deck release, and people have been taking advantage of a lack of information and selling the deck for much higher than it is currently selling for on E. It's debatable whether or not limiting a deck release to people who bought a different deck is fair, considering that there wasn't really any deception in saying that the secret would only be available to those who bought the first deck.

Do you think that decks that otherwise wouldn't sell, for whatever reason (bad/uninspired design, lack of creativity, lack of interest, etc.), would end up selling more than they should because of the promise of secrets found in the deck itself? I really think this is a possibility given the hype created by the Sultan Treasury deck.

Will the playing card industry suffer or benefit from this concept? Could we see a decline in deck quality, with more emphasis placed on secrets?

That's kind of a lot of questions, but I think it's worth discussing.

[Don Boyer]

As I see it, no amount of gimmicks will sell a deck that's only mediocre at best.  You can hype it all you want, but as T11 learned when they released the Monarchs amid a blizzard of hyperbole, it can have a detrimental effect when used in excess.

This concept isn't new, it's just new to playing cards.  The idea came to prominence with the release of a children's book in 1979 called "Masquerade", in which hidden clues would lead the reader to a buried treasure in the form of a gem-encrusted 18-karat gold filigree rabbit pendant with chain, which if I remember was worth about ten or twenty grand at the time.  The genre this book kicked off was called the "armchair treasure hunt".  This is no different than the book and the others that subsequently followed, among the most recent being David Blaine's "Mysterious Stranger".

As far as not everyone getting a chance at a limited release - well, that's no different from not everyone getting to win the lottery.  And bear in mind that the Sultan Republic deck, Treasury Edition is only at present available for purchase by solving the puzzle in the standard deck.  The wording used implied that more would be available by other means in the future.

Resellers looking to sell this deck can ask any price they wish.  It's up to the market to determine if the price is worth it.  It's no different than all the third-party retailers that are selling current-model E decks at prices slightly higher than E - the reason being that they need to make a profit as well.

The level of effort required to effectively hide a secret inside a deck is no small matter - I can't imagine anyone wanting to put all that time and effort into such an undertaking without taking the time and effort to also insure the quality of the deck that the secrets will be concealed in.  So I don't think for a moment that it will herald a drop in deck quality in exchange for more secrets hidden within.

And yes, they were a lot of questions, but very worthwhile ones.

[rohwer]

So I collect cards.  Mostly for the art (because I suck at tricks, magic, and flurishes).  I like when there is a "back story" or game that goes along with the deck.  I got my Altruism deck before Sandy hit, and I ordered a few of the Smow Owls on Halloween.  I spent the weekend going over the deck trying to find the "secrets."  I also went through their FaceBook page and tried to find more there as well.  I still think I am missing something.

For me, it is fun as long as it is not in-my-face, not too hard, and has a decent payoff at the end (I guess I will have to wait until the 13th for more clues).

[Paul Carpenter]

If you have the time to really sit down and explore a deck, whip out your magnifying glass and google for clues, then I think it's quite a fun idea. If, on the other hand, you don't have spare time and are just interested in getting a deck of cards, it's annoying.

Ellusionist is being rather clever with the way they are doing this one, as to get everything you have to buy decks and pay shipping twice.

[sr15]

I do think the concept can definitely be done right, and be interesting and engaging. Ellusionist actually did a decent job with the FB posts and hidden deck. I just fear that companies will tack something on and make some lame reward for figuring out whatever they do, making it essentially a waste of time and a gimmick.

[Don Boyer]

I do think the concept can definitely be done right, and be interesting and engaging. Ellusionist actually did a decent job with the FB posts and hidden deck. I just fear that companies will tack something on and make some lame reward for figuring out whatever they do, making it essentially a waste of time and a gimmick.

So what if they do?  Someone will figure it out, realize it's lame, scream loud and long over the Internet about it, and everyone else won't bother if they have any sense.

If the deck is worth owning, it's worth owning whether or not there's a contest involved with prizes.  Just buy decks worth owning, period.

[sr15]

wouldn't be the first time that a form of media has adopted a gimmick to the detriment of quality. just look at 3D in films

[Don Boyer]

wouldn't be the first time that a form of media has adopted a gimmick to the detriment of quality. just look at 3D in films

Oh, you mean like that Academy-Award winning, record-grossing film called "Avatar"?  Yeah, the quality was SOOOO bad, practically no one watched it, all the critics panned it, etc.... 

If a film is good, 3D won't change that.  It a film is bad, 3D won't disguise that.

Apply the same logic but switch "film" with "deck" and "3D" with "treasure hunts".

It's a sales gimmick, to be sure, but what are you buying, a pack of playing cards or a treasure hunt?  Think of that treasure hunt like icing on the cake - if the cake's really delicious, it tastes that much better, but if it's a crap pie with extra semi-digested bits and methane bubbles in disguise, ain't no amount of frosting gonna help, I don't care how pretty you decorate it.