Fontaine playing cards

[Frost]

on Zach Muller's youtube account he posted  a video that says the Fontaine deck is coming soon. There's even a website for it to .

[Don Boyer]

on Zach Muller's youtube account he posted  a video that says the Fontaine deck is coming soon. There's even a website for it to .

I don't suppose you'd like to share that site for those of us who don't have video access at work? 

Can you tell us more about the Fontaine deck?

[Frost]

its only a email subscription but its going to tell you when they release it. I think they are not going to be a theory11 release  http://www.fontainecards.com/ .

[Joker and the Thief]

Don, as far as we know there is a blue and a red deck that he has been using as a personal advertising statement these past couple of months. They seem to have standard faces from Zach's videos. If I'm not mistaken they also appear to be smooth finish.

Those are basically all the leads we have at the moment.

[Don Boyer]

Don, as far as we know there is a blue and a red deck that he has been using as a personal advertising statement these past couple of months. They seem to have standard faces from Zach's videos. If I'm not mistaken they also appear to be smooth finish.

Those are basically all the leads we have at the moment.

Fair enough.  Please keep me posted!

[sinsandman]

If we use some linking analysis here this is what I find. Zach released an effect or flourish on the wire which was named Fontaine. The page to sign up has Zach's name at the bottom. So I am assuming this deck is his personal gig. Now unless the kid is independently wealthy, I would assume that T11 is going to be helping on this.

[Don Boyer]

If we use some linking analysis here this is what I find. Zach released an effect or flourish on the wire which was named Fontaine. The page to sign up has Zach's name at the bottom. So I am assuming this deck is his personal gig. Now unless the kid is independently wealthy, I would assume that T11 is going to be helping on this.

It's kind of odd, really.  Most companies would put a non-compete clause in every employee's contract.  Typically the period is one or two years.  There has to be something in there about competing with the company without having left the company...

But then, why would T11 make a deck release that's completely off their site?

I think we're missing a few facts here.

[Joker and the Thief]

If we use some linking analysis here this is what I find. Zach released an effect or flourish on the wire which was named Fontaine. The page to sign up has Zach's name at the bottom. So I am assuming this deck is his personal gig. Now unless the kid is independently wealthy, I would assume that T11 is going to be helping on this.

It's kind of odd, really.  Most companies would put a non-compete clause in every employee's contract.  Typically the period is one or two years.  There has to be something in there about competing with the company without having left the company...

But then, why would T11 make a deck release that's completely off their site?

I think we're missing a few facts here.

True, I'm sure he could get small print runs off of Zazzle, which I suspect he did but a run large enough to satisfy an audience of at least a thousand? Expensive, to say the least. Unless Mueller has enough money in the bank to compensate for that, if not he'll need some assistance. It would most likely come from theory11 but it doesn't add up...

I'm betting that Zach is self funding the deck and that may be assisted by the funds from his four wire downloads, which have been quite successful. But alas, again, it doesn't add up.

[Paul Carpenter]

True, I'm sure he could get small print runs off of Zazzle, which I suspect he did but a run large enough to satisfy an audience of at least a thousand? Expensive, to say the least.

I can tell you from personal experience that zazzle is not an option for a project like that. The cards simple handle so poorly it would be impossible to use.

He's used those cards in videos for a long time and since he actually knows how to use cards, I'm pretty sure they are a "real" uspcc printing. I wouldn't be surprised if they've been around for a long time, printed en masse with the backing of T11 and are just now being marketed and released.

[twiscold]

I think Zack has been hyping this deck for a few month now, this is probably a self-funding project, designed and printed by himself, I doubt T11 is backing this.

[sr15]

I'd guess he's banking on his youtube followers buying the deck, since he's been hyping them on his channel for a while now. 5.5k subscribers isn't a bad fanbase though so we'll see. I have no desire to own this deck though so w/e

[jmrock]

My wife is going to be so happy that Johnny Fontaine playing cards are going to be released... She's a huge Dirty Dancing fan and I'm sure that even the guys will agree that there's nobody cooler than Johnny Fontaine... "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!!!"

[Joker and the Thief]

True, I'm sure he could get small print runs off of Zazzle, which I suspect he did but a run large enough to satisfy an audience of at least a thousand? Expensive, to say the least.

I can tell you from personal experience that zazzle is not an option for a project like that. The cards simple handle so poorly it would be impossible to use.

He's used those cards in videos for a long time and since he actually knows how to use cards, I'm pretty sure they are a "real" uspcc printing. I wouldn't be surprised if they've been around for a long time, printed en masse with the backing of T11 and are just now being marketed and released.

How bad is the handling at Zazzle? I thought they went through USPCC with bicycle stock and a smooth finish.

[Don Boyer]

True, I'm sure he could get small print runs off of Zazzle, which I suspect he did but a run large enough to satisfy an audience of at least a thousand? Expensive, to say the least.

I can tell you from personal experience that zazzle is not an option for a project like that. The cards simple handle so poorly it would be impossible to use.

He's used those cards in videos for a long time and since he actually knows how to use cards, I'm pretty sure they are a "real" uspcc printing. I wouldn't be surprised if they've been around for a long time, printed en masse with the backing of T11 and are just now being marketed and released.

How bad is the handling at Zazzle? I thought they went through USPCC with bicycle stock and a smooth finish.

I'm thinking they get pre-printed faces on one side of an uncut sheet, much like what USPC does for the Congress brand.  It's why Congress cards have no letter code - the face and back aren't printed at the same time, possibly not even in the same year.  Then Zazzle prints the custom backs.  But my guess would be that the backs have no finish on them and Zazzle prints the backs of the sheet with a laser printer or something like that - it would account for the terribly high price on their decks.  Then Zazzle finishes them using something either provided by USPC or sourced on their own.

I'm trying to remember when Kevin showed me a few projects that were prototyped using Zazzle.  I seem to recall the fine details of the cards didn't come out well due to Zazzle's printing process.  But I could be simply remembering it incorrectly.  It happens when you start getting old... 

[Paul Carpenter]

How bad is the handling at Zazzle? I thought they went through USPCC with bicycle stock and a smooth finish.

They are not good. They "look" like a normal USPCC air cushion, but are nothing like it at all. They fan exceedingly badly. If you get a 10-card-visible thumb fan you did well. I guess they work ok if you are just doing packet cuts or something but they handle nothing like a normally printed deck. I am pretty sure they use a direct digital print technology and then apply a coating. They are registered very well though and they print nicely very close to the edge...

[Joker and the Thief]

How bad is the handling at Zazzle? I thought they went through USPCC with bicycle stock and a smooth finish.

They are not good. They "look" like a normal USPCC air cushion, but are nothing like it at all. They fan exceedingly badly. If you get a 10-card-visible thumb fan you did well. I guess they work ok if you are just doing packet cuts or something but they handle nothing like a normally printed deck. I am pretty sure they use a direct digital print technology and then apply a coating. They are registered very well though and they print nicely very close to the edge...

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

[Don Boyer]

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

You can get a prototype deck made.  It costs about $250, last time I looked; it's probably higher.

Alternately, you could get Brahma to make a prototype for about $50.  It would have to be devoid of any USPC or other trademarks unless you own them.

[CBJ]

My wife is going to be so happy that Johnny Fontaine playing cards are going to be released... She's a huge Dirty Dancing fan and I'm sure that even the guys will agree that there's nobody cooler than Johnny Fontaine... "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!!!"

Swayze played Johnny Castle.. My wife is nuts about the film as well

[Paul Carpenter]

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

You can get a prototype deck made.  It costs about $250, last time I looked; it's probably higher.

Alternately, you could get Brahma to make a prototype for about $50.  It would have to be devoid of any USPC or other trademarks unless you own them.

I think the prototype are $450 now. They are a special digital print on the normal stock and then finished, though the laminate of the paper is a little different and they can be a bit more fragile than a real print, and the edges can chip a bit easier.

[Joker and the Thief]

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

You can get a prototype deck made.  It costs about $250, last time I looked; it's probably higher.

Alternately, you could get Brahma to make a prototype for about $50.  It would have to be devoid of any USPC or other trademarks unless you own them.

I think the prototype are $450 now. They are a special digital print on the normal stock and then finished, though the laminate of the paper is a little different and they can be a bit more fragile than a real print, and the edges can chip a bit easier.

Thanks for your help, but if I'm just looking to print a couple of decks out of USPCC of standard quality, that's not possible yeah?

[Don Boyer]

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

You can get a prototype deck made.  It costs about $250, last time I looked; it's probably higher.

Alternately, you could get Brahma to make a prototype for about $50.  It would have to be devoid of any USPC or other trademarks unless you own them.

I think the prototype are $450 now. They are a special digital print on the normal stock and then finished, though the laminate of the paper is a little different and they can be a bit more fragile than a real print, and the edges can chip a bit easier.

Thanks for your help, but if I'm just looking to print a couple of decks out of USPCC of standard quality, that's not possible yeah?

If you want standard faces and custom backs, you can use the personalized deck program - perhaps $20 a pack, but don't expect miraculous performance.  Otherwise, it looks like $450 a deck.

Now, can we get back to the topic at hand?  This is really more for the Design/Dev board, right?  And we're talking about Zach Mueller's Fontaine deck, which mysteriously appears to be independent rather than something done through T11, despite Zach being a T11 employee...

[Joker and the Thief]

Thanks Paul and Don. I had a design in mind that I was ready to print just as an experimental thing. Is there any way from USPCC to do a really small print run or is it just a minimum 2500 print run?

You can get a prototype deck made.  It costs about $250, last time I looked; it's probably higher.

Alternately, you could get Brahma to make a prototype for about $50.  It would have to be devoid of any USPC or other trademarks unless you own them.

I think the prototype are $450 now. They are a special digital print on the normal stock and then finished, though the laminate of the paper is a little different and they can be a bit more fragile than a real print, and the edges can chip a bit easier.

Thanks for your help, but if I'm just looking to print a couple of decks out of USPCC of standard quality, that's not possible yeah?

If you want standard faces and custom backs, you can use the personalized deck program - perhaps $20 a pack, but don't expect miraculous performance.  Otherwise, it looks like $450 a deck.

Now, can we get back to the topic at hand?  This is really more for the Design/Dev board, right?  And we're talking about Zach Mueller's Fontaine deck, which mysteriously appears to be independent rather than something done through T11, despite Zach being a T11 employee...

Thanks again buddy. After a bit of thought I think that Fontaine Playing Cards would have to be self funded. We really don't know much yet though, it's hard to make a judgement whether theory11 would be involved or not because no hype at all has been released from them.

[Don Boyer]

Now, can we get back to the topic at hand?  This is really more for the Design/Dev board, right?  And we're talking about Zach Mueller's Fontaine deck, which mysteriously appears to be independent rather than something done through T11, despite Zach being a T11 employee...

Thanks again buddy. After a bit of thought I think that Fontaine Playing Cards would have to be self funded. We really don't know much yet though, it's hard to make a judgement whether theory11 would be involved or not because no hype at all has been released from them.

But the one thing that would put the kibosh on that idea would be that I couldn't imagine there's a card company out there that doesn't have their employees sign a non-compete agreement.  I also couldn't imagine the company letting an active employee compete against them as well.  Unless Zach quit the company (or was fired) and his NCA expired, I really don't know what to think of this deck.

[Joker and the Thief]

You'd probably find that some of the funds would go to T11. I doubt Zach would have quit or had been fired.

[Don Boyer]

You'd probably find that some of the funds would go to T11. I doubt Zach would have quit or had been fired.

That would be an unusual arrangement by US standards.  Perhaps not impossible, but definitely not par for the course.