Steamboats & New Fan Backs: D&D collaborations with USPC [new decks]

[TheDespotes]

They're saying that they are going to release a new deck friday!
http://instagram.com/p/URezzIq9an/
But there isn't much information about it either! 

[Michael]

They're saying that they are going to release a new deck friday!
http://instagram.com/p/URezzIq9an/
But there isn't much information about it either! 

Possibly related to this?!? Maybe, maybe not!

http://instagram.com/p/UMcBvZjIj9/

[Don Boyer]

They're saying that they are going to release a new deck friday!
http://instagram.com/p/URezzIq9an/
But there isn't much information about it either! 

Possibly related to this?!? Maybe, maybe not!

http://instagram.com/p/UMcBvZjIj9/

I sure as hell HOPE not...    But it's Hello Kitty - that would be high on the kawaii factor...

It occurs to me - if this deck comes out tomorrow, it'll be the year's first release from any of the companies we track!

[ruicorreia]

They're saying that they are going to release a new deck friday!
http://instagram.com/p/URezzIq9an/
But there isn't much information about it either! 

Possibly related to this?!? Maybe, maybe not!

http://instagram.com/p/UMcBvZjIj9/

I can't imagine that the first collaboration between D&D and USPCC would be in a Hello Kitty deck.
My guess is that USPCC wanted a special and appealling deck to be launched through Club 808.
Let's wait and see.

[Don Boyer]

I can't imagine that the first collaboration between D&D and USPCC would be in a Hello Kitty deck.
My guess is that USPCC wanted a special and appealling deck to be launched through Club 808.
Let's wait and see.

As interesting as that sounds, there's no "coming soon" for a deck on Club 808 for anything other than the Bicycle Griffin.  This is probably something more like what Theory11's been doing with some of their recent decks: Archangels, Steam Punk, Guardians.  It'll be on the D&D site and sold by USPC to their retailers and through Wingra Direct.

[john]

Steamboats waddap doe.

http://instagram.com/p/UUKXZEK9em/

[shutupdangit]

So they're reprinting Steamboats? I wonder how they'll feel compared to the old ones.

[Fanofyankees13]

I'm completely uninterested. Wasn't a fan of their Tahoe reprints and I'm not really a fan of reprinting old decks in the first place.

[Angel_magic]

Wow, I don't know if re-releasing steamboats is a great idea..

Steamboats became so popular SOLELY  because they handle amazingly, not for their design. Lets face it, the design is pretty mediocre, especially compared to the type of intricacy that today's technology is capable of.

It would seem to me, if you're going to reprint a deck (unless you can recreate how it handled too, which I doubt they can) you'd pick one that has a unique design, not one that was only popular for its handling.

[Michael]

So they're reprinting Steamboats? I wonder how they'll feel compared to the old ones.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find my steamboats (I only have one unopened deck). How did they feel? In comparison to other decks?

EDIT: posted right after the member above me. So amazing? How so compared to other decks?

[Angel_magic]

Well I haven't handled any in a while, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they were smooth finish, with very stiff stock considering how thin they were. I only recall their awesome stiffness and that I loved playing with them. If I can find any of my decks I'll edit this with more details. But the jist of it is stiff and thin, a great combination.

[Michael]

Well I haven't handled any in a while, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they were smooth finish, with very stiff stock considering how thin they were. I only recall their awesome stiffness and that I loved playing with them. If I can find any of my decks I'll edit this with more details. But the jist of it is stiff and thin, a great combination.

Hey thanks! Thin and stiff already has gotten my attention! Haha as long as the design isn't atrocious that's basically all I need/want! Let's hope these reprints will be as promising

[Angel_magic]

Hey thanks! Thin and stiff already has gotten my attention! Haha as long as the design isn't atrocious that's basically all I need/want! Let's hope these reprints will be as promising

Well, that was my point. I highly doubt they can or will recreate the old handling. In fact, I'd guess they will most likely be printed using the techniques they currently use for their decks (i.e. they will probably feel like Fultons). So although the design isn't BAD per se, it's definitely not anything special, so there really isn't a need for them to be reprinted.

[Michael]

Hey thanks! Thin and stiff already has gotten my attention! Haha as long as the design isn't atrocious that's basically all I need/want! Let's hope these reprints will be as promising

Well, that was my point. I highly doubt they can or will recreate the old handling. In fact, I'd guess they will most likely be printed using the techniques they currently use for their decks (i.e. they will probably feel like Fultons). So although the design isn't BAD per se, it's definitely not anything special, so there really isn't a need for them to be reprinted.

Unfortunately I don't really like the handling of my Fultons... I guess it's a pass for now unless we hear differently.

[Joker and the Thief]

They are not done yet, R. Paul Wilson posted this on twitter.

It had this caption: "The @bucktwins are about to re-release my two favourite decks of all time. I've already ordered a lifetime supply."

[xela]

The reason Steamboats were awesome: Handling

What these reprints won't have: Handling

Sorry but no thanks. "Working with USPCC" is what D&D say to make people think there is something special about these cards. In reality, all that means is they collaborated with USPCC to get rights to print the design.

USPCC offers Bicycle stock, Bee stock and Magic/Air-Cushion finish as well as two other variants: dimpled surface and smooth surface.

Nothing. Else.

The various stocks, papers and finishes used back in the Cincinnati are long, long, long gone.

Reading some of the things people have said about this deck is alarming. "I could never get the originals which people loved, so I will get these!" Why? The back design is terrible for magic and the only amazing aspect of them is completely gone. On top of that, you have the D&D logo on the cards.

[Lara Krystle "Lane"]

The2nd instagram link with the Pink hello kitty cards made me LOL so hard!

[sr15]

sounds like D&D trying to make a quick buck again (no pun intended)

[KPopFever605]

Another deck I'm not getting. Not a fan of reprints.

What is with these large-scale companies and simply recoloring or just reprint a deck with an updated feel?

[Fanofyankees13]

Another deck I'm not getting. Not a fan of reprints.

What is with these large-scale companies and simply recoloring or just reprint a deck with an updated feel?

Money, money, money. That is, until people stop buying them...

[sr15]

Another deck I'm not getting. Not a fan of reprints.

What is with these large-scale companies and simply recoloring or just reprint a deck with an updated feel?

minimal design work, large fanbase that have a good chance at buying whatever you put out just because, easy cash in if you don't do it too frequently. I don't think D&D have been doing that many reprints but I don't really know, but either way it seems like they've been doing a lot of "cash-ins" lately (S&M v7, Mystery Deck and now this)

[Angel_magic]

Yeah, D&D's way of approaching the industry lately has really saddened me. Like Alex and I said earlier, there's no appeal in reprinting a deck that was only good for it's handling.
At this point it's not even subtle anymore that they're just in this for the money. And unfortunately, regardless of how blatant that fact is, they're still getting business.

As bad as it may sound, I honestly hope this venture fails miserably and no one buys it. Maybe then Dan and Dave will realize that they actually have to start putting out quality merchandise again to get people's business.

[Don Boyer]

OK, I'll grant you that it's a "lazy reprint" and everything.  At least from what people think right now.  Before the deck's even been released.

Who knows?  Imagine Steamboats with Bee Casino stock and Magic Finish - what would that be like, compared to the original?  Perhaps the artwork is classic reproductions of an earlier version of the deck.

I'm not a big fan of a lot of what D&D have done recently with playing cards, and that's no secret.  (Ace Fulton's Strip Joint, anyone?  It comes in peach, dark brown and caramel...)  But this is something they're doing in concert with USPC, much like the T11 decks that USPC carries.  Think of it - while Steam Punk didn't exactly wow anyone, Guardians and Archangels are some pretty good decks.  This could end up being a great redesign of a classic, with the benefit of updated finish.

My point is that we're all quick to judge a product that we've only seen inside its tuck box.

Anyone got a release time on this yet?

[Angel_magic]

OK, I'll grant you that it's a "lazy reprint" and everything.  At least from what people think right now.  Before the deck's even been released.

Who knows?  Imagine Steamboats with Bee Casino stock and Magic Finish - what would that be like, compared to the original?  Perhaps the artwork is classic reproductions of an earlier version of the deck.

I'm not a big fan of a lot of what D&D have done recently with playing cards, and that's no secret.  (Ace Fulton's Strip Joint, anyone?  It comes in peach, dark brown and caramel...)  But this is something they're doing in concert with USPC, much like the T11 decks that USPC carries.  Think of it - while Steam Punk didn't exactly wow anyone, Guardians and Archangels are some pretty good decks.  This could end up being a great redesign of a classic, with the benefit of updated finish.

My point is that we're all quick to judge a product that we've only seen inside its tuck box.

Anyone got a release time on this yet?

I have to disagree for a couple reasons. Although I agree that it's a bit early to judge because it's POSSIBLE that they can surprise us and recreate it with some new, "meant to be like the original" stock, I very highly doubt it.

1) Steamboats with bee Casino and Magic finish... See, that's just it, you can print any deck with that stock and finish. So with the current technology and creative standards, why would you do it on a deck with a sub-par, borderless back design that's useless for magic and has no uniqueness in any other aspect of the deck/design.

2) The Steamboats had very nice stock, stiff and thin. Like alex said, USPCC just does not have those papers available anymore. So since the only legitimate appeal to the deck was it's handling due to that great stock, reprinting it WITHOUT that is useless.

Warning, stupidly impromptu analogy: I think it could be compared to pea soup. Pea soup basically looks like vomit...Yuck! So why do people eat it? Because they like peas maybe.. or maybe just because the peas make it taste unique and good. In either case, the peas are the focal point of their interests. D&D are basically remaking making this, quite gross looking pea soup (steamboats), without the peas (their stock), that just tastes like regular ol' chicken noodle.

Lawl, I can't believe I just related playing cards to soup. I'm impressed. Can I get a badge for that? I think yes.

Again, this is all speculation, but based on D&D's history, even if they do make changes to this deck they will be minute and these points will still stand.

[Don Boyer]

I have to disagree for a couple reasons. Although I agree that it's a bit early to judge because it's POSSIBLE that they can surprise us and recreate it with some new, "meant to be like the original" stock, I very highly doubt it.

1) Steamboats with bee Casino and Magic finish... See, that's just it, you can print any deck with that stock and finish. So with the current technology and creative standards, why would you do it on a deck with a sub-par, borderless back design that's useless for magic and has no uniqueness in any other aspect of the deck/design.

2) The Steamboats had very nice stock, stiff and thin. Like alex said, USPCC just does not have those papers available anymore. So since the only legitimate appeal to the deck was it's handling due to that great stock, reprinting it WITHOUT that is useless.

Warning, stupidly impromptu analogy: I think it could be compared to pea soup. Pea soup basically looks like vomit...Yuck! So why do people eat it? Because they like peas maybe.. or maybe just because the peas make it taste unique and good. In either case, the peas are the focal point of their interests. D&D are basically remaking making this, quite gross looking pea soup (steamboats), without the peas (their stock), that just tastes like regular ol' chicken noodle.

Lawl, I can't believe I just related playing cards to soup. I'm impressed. Can I get a badge for that? I think yes.

Again, this is all speculation, but based on D&D's history, even if they do make changes to this deck they will be minute and these points will still stand.

Yes, it is true that many, many decks can be made with this stock.  But I did recently find out that there are variants in the stock - "Bee Casino" isn't a completely uniform, 100% identical stock from deck to deck, sheet to sheet, roll to roll, and neither is "Bicycle" stock.  They stopped using grams per square meter (gsm) to measure the stock's properties.  Now, they're actually graded by thickness, and there's a fairly wide range of thicknesses for either stock.  Shockingly enough, the ranges overlap - it's possible to have a Bicycle stock deck that's thicker than one made with Bee Casino!

It's possible that they have a paper that's "Bee Casino" but on the slim side.  Or for all we know, they're field-testing a new stock, since no one outside D&D's loop knows more about this deck than "it's called Steamboats," "there's a red one and a blue one," and "it comes out later today."  It's hard to apply the old rules for how D&D did decks before because they've never had such a collaboration with USPC before.  It's uncharted territory until the deck is in customers' hands.