Author (Read 3495 times)

GBAllison · « **on:** February 15, 2013, 09:42:14 PM »

New on Kickstarter: New York Lights. Funding at just $1,000 with no explanation. No mention of the printing company, the stock, the finish, etc. Well ... they do say "Top quality paper" ... which isn't really reassuring. In the Risks section, "The main challenge we may face is collaborating with all the vendors.."

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1915304249/playing-card-deck-new-york-lights?ref=search

Michael · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2013, 09:43:34 PM »

Yet one more thing that brings shame to our hobby. Seems like little to no effort has been placed in this deck as well

GBAllison · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2013, 09:58:55 PM »

Fascinating ... I've never really watched one of these projects evolve like this before. Obviously I'm new, but it still surprised me:

In the past ten minutes, the Kickstarter writeup now has a description about the card stock and finish "The cards are made of Black centered stock casino grade paper (Top Quality) ... They will be either linen or smooth finish, we are still trying to debate that." And there's a headline that says "Why only $1000 goal?" but no explanation underneath the headline. It seems as though the designer is updating and saving in real time, as though Kickstarter was a word processor. Well, a word processor without a spell checker. ... "Extremly limeted edition"

In the comments section we get a bit of explaining. Again, not reassuring to me, but it is what it is:

Quote

The cards are being printed by TM Playing cards, the reason we choose this company is because we have done work for them in the past and have seen their technique in creating playing cards. From what we can see it is far superior then most companies out there. The Stock is going to be black centered casino quality and the finish will be Linen or smooth; we are still debating that one. As of now we only plan making 500 decks and depending on the demand we may choose to make more. And no $1000 is not enough to make the print run but our company is paying for the rest. We believe, if you want something great to happen you must invest your time and your resources to make it happen.

TM Playing cards = http://www.tmcards.com/

10ofclubs · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2013, 10:19:53 PM »

Yeah, this deck looks incredibly unprofessional. The theme is kind of cool, I guess. I could see an actual artist taking it somewhere, but this just looks stupid. And the grammar and spelling in the description is atrocious.

Anyone know about the printer?

max · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2013, 05:12:39 AM »

Don't like... Sorry, I won't support this. I have supported almost all the previous PC projects, and some have not been very successful, but in my opinion this design is not enough.

I wish the creator good luck. The goal is not too high so they will probably get the funds.

Don Boyer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2013, 05:39:12 AM »

One word: fugly.

Two words: horribly fugly.

I would take out a restraining order against this deck it's so fugly. It makes cheaply-made souvenir decks, Bee counterfeits and dollar-store decks look GOOD in comparison. The artwork actually makes me queasy it's so bad. This is supposedly Prohibition-era, but one of the pictured Jacks actually looks like he's carrying some kind of sci-fi blaster shooting some kind of light. It looks like they used this bizarre light-line scheme to attempt to disguise just how bad their drawings are.

I've seen the decks that print company makes. "Yikes" comes to mind. I wouldn't even expect the designer's mother to love these cards...

I would say that I wouldn't touch these cards with a ten-foot pole, but I think that would be too close a proximity. I don't want to be that close to anything this fugly. Forty feet doesn't even come close to how far from these cards I want to be. Forty miles is a start...

I'm actually loathe to say this, but this makes a Merz67-designed deck look good - and I can't stand his decks.

Collector · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2013, 08:05:18 AM »

Quote from: max on February 16, 2013, 05:12:39 AM

Don't like... Sorry...I wish the creator good luck...

+1

BiggerDee · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2013, 08:11:59 AM »

Well, I backed it for one deck just to see how the campaign played out. 83% funded. Curiosity gets me sometimes!
Let's just see where this ride goes...

Don Boyer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2013, 08:55:02 PM »

Quote from: BiggerDee on February 17, 2013, 08:11:59 AM

Well, I backed it for one deck just to see how the campaign played out. 83% funded. Curiosity gets me sometimes!
Let's just see where this ride goes...

I'm starting to think you'll back ANYthing...

alex · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2013, 09:02:24 PM »

too bad design without any surprise.

BiggerDee · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2013, 11:33:58 AM »

Don...ALMOST! :-)
I am not a real fan of this deck but backed it for one since it was cheap, and it's a VERY unusual way to structure/fund/handle a KS project. There are several out there active now that have no appeal to me whatsoever. Had this NYL project just been a standard KS deal, I would have passed on it. Sometimes ugly=rarity (because few buy) and that rarity becomes a benefit later on. To be honest with you though, I completely believe that this project will be pulled quickly. All of the details and specifics are just too strange.

Gavin · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2013, 08:33:23 PM »

Does anyone know about tmplayingcards? I've been searching, but can't find sufficient information on them. I want to make a deck, and I don't really want to go through USPCC, even if I get the funding, it's going to be wayyy too much stress for me.

Don Boyer · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2013, 11:19:08 PM »

Quote from: Gavin on February 19, 2013, 08:33:23 PM

Does anyone know about tmplayingcards? I've been searching, but can't find sufficient information on them. I want to make a deck, and I don't really want to go through USPCC, even if I get the funding, it's going to be wayyy too much stress for me.

You should create a topic of your own for this, perhaps in the Design/Development board. You're likely to get more attention and answers that way.

BiggerDee · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2013, 06:17:45 PM »

Today's update:

"Hi kickstarters,
I apologize for the delay on the queen of diamonds but i was working with the card company to receive the decks digital proofs. We have just received our digital proofs and they are magnificent! I have also ordered a sample deck. Queen of diamonds will be postedtonight after getting everything together."

Xntrix · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2013, 04:02:42 PM »

How on God's Green Earth did this project get funded? The 'creator' needs to be shot. Ugh! And I thought those damn Cthulhu things were bad. It looks like they've taken a 7 year old's design for court cards and the run them through the neon glow filter on photoshop. I'd say that the back was two pieces of ClipArt stuck on top of each other - but not even MS Clipart is that bad.

This is my favorite part of the whole thing though;

Quote

The cards are being printed by TM Playing cards, the reason we choose this company is because we have done work for them in the past and have seen their technique in creating playing cards. From what we can see it is far superior then most companies out there.

Did you see the typo? Here, I'll point it out;

Quote

From what we can see it is far CHEAPER then most companies out there.

There, I fixed it.

I hate the fact that they used the name 'New York Lights' for this deck. This could have actually been a great deck of cards - incorporate a minimalist New York Skyline at night on the back, take your pick of landmarks for inspiration come jokers and Ace... This is why I hate KickStarter for playing cards. Because anyone with a copy of MSPaint now calls themselves 'a Design Company' and trivialises the art of playing card design down to the level of ineptitude.

It's like performing heart surgery with a plastic spatula - sure, it may be possible, but it doesn't mean it should be done, and at the end of the day, there's going to be a lot of dead bodies lying on the floor. Y'know, because one of the actual playing card design companies will finally snap and go ~~postal~~ on a mercy killing.

-Jake.

S.C. · « **Reply #15 on:** February 24, 2013, 04:38:57 PM »

Ha ha @Jake too funny.

I agree, i came across this deck on KS and was in shock it was even on there let alone funded. It's a shame that people who have no business in design at all (may it be playing cards or some other medium) try to use kickstarter as a way to fund a mediocre project to make a quick buck. It boggles my mind how people can support this and almost throws fuel on the fire for a wave or ill planned and ill executed KS decks. just my thoughts....

Don Boyer · « **Reply #16 on:** February 24, 2013, 11:45:21 PM »

Quote from: Xntrix on February 24, 2013, 04:02:42 PM

How on God's Green Earth did this project get funded? The 'creator' needs to be shot. Ugh! And I thought those damn Cthulhu things were bad. It looks like they've taken a 7 year old's design for court cards and the run them through the neon glow filter on photoshop. I'd say that the back was two pieces of ClipArt stuck on top of each other - but not even MS Clipart is that bad.

This is my favorite part of the whole thing though;
Quote
The cards are being printed by TM Playing cards, the reason we choose this company is because we have done work for them in the past and have seen their technique in creating playing cards. From what we can see it is far superior then most companies out there.

Did you see the typo? Here, I'll point it out;

Quote
From what we can see it is far CHEAPER then most companies out there.

There, I fixed it.

I hate the fact that they used the name 'New York Lights' for this deck. This could have actually been a great deck of cards - incorporate a minimalist New York Skyline at night on the back, take your pick of landmarks for inspiration come jokers and Ace... This is why I hate KickStarter for playing cards. Because anyone with a copy of MSPaint now calls themselves 'a Design Company' and trivialises the art of playing card design down to the level of ineptitude.

It's like performing heart surgery with a plastic spatula - sure, it may be possible, but it doesn't mean it should be done, and at the end of the day, there's going to be a lot of dead bodies lying on the floor. Y'know, because one of the actual playing card design companies will finally snap and go ~~postal~~ on a mercy killing.

-Jake.

It only got funded because it had an insanely low goal, and suckers are born every minute, twice a minute on Mondays.

I could actually see the project tanking because of a massive underestimation of costs. Or maybe the creators planned it to tank because they wanted new iPad minis...

It's absolute crap, but KS doesn't vet the projects they post for any actual artistic worth or design excellence. It's more like, "OK, you have a computer? You have Interwebs? You're willing to pay our fees and not break our arbitrary rules, even when they change under your feet? Pass! NEXT!"

BTW, now I'm picturing a surgeon operating with a plastic spatula as the subject for a new, no-budget horror movie... That was some visual you came up with there...

BiggerDee · « **Reply #17 on:** March 04, 2013, 04:51:18 PM »

More info out today:

"Any backer that has purchased more than one deck can add one (1) aditional Deck For $5.

If you only purchased one deck you can get 1 extra deck for $6 no aditional shipping.

You can just go to the manage your pledge buton on the right hand side of the page, and add $5 or $6 to your pledge amount. Then you wil receive an additional deck with no extra shipping charge.

You can only add one deck 1/2 off."

MrMollusk · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2013, 08:03:46 PM »

It seems like any old schmo can hash out some art, run it through a photoshop filter, and put it up on KS for a million billion dollars.

BiggerDee · « **Reply #19 on:** June 27, 2013, 09:14:40 AM »

Received a mystery package in the mail yesterday...it was my New York Lights deck(s). For some reason, I received 2. I'll tell you this much...I can't imagine how it would be possible for any deck to be below these! I bought them as a gag,a dn they will fit the bill perfectly!Wow!! They're uh, wow. They are a good addition to the "What was the designer thinking" wing of my card collection facility!! :-)

Don Boyer · « **Reply #20 on:** June 27, 2013, 11:42:48 AM »

Quote from: BiggerDee on June 27, 2013, 09:14:40 AM

Received a mystery package in the mail yesterday...it was my New York Lights deck(s). For some reason, I received 2. I'll tell you this much...I can't imagine how it would be possible for any deck to be below these! I bought them as a gag,a dn they will fit the bill perfectly!Wow!! They're uh, wow. They are a good addition to the "What was the designer thinking" wing of my card collection facility!! :-)

We. Want. PHOTOS! (Who doesn't lurve seeing a good train wreck now and then?)

BiggerDee · « **Reply #21 on:** July 01, 2013, 11:05:54 AM »

Will do! I will make some tonight, although it may break the camera in my phone! ;-)

Lotrek · « **Reply #22 on:** July 01, 2013, 12:30:42 PM »

Okay, I don't like being mean with fellow designers but here instead of ARTWORK we have FARTWORK!

BastianBJ · « **Reply #23 on:** July 01, 2013, 01:14:25 PM »

Wow... I backed for a couple. One for me because I wanted to try another printer than USPCC and one for my younger brother, because I want to make some fun with him.

But I'm surprised! This is just... meh $:-\$
The cellophane is pretty damn poor quality, not sitting tight to the box at all. Small holes in the cellophane in the corners as well.
The box is made of some really heavy and thick stuff. I was barely able to open up the box.
The cards could barely fit inside the box as well and it was kinda tough to get the cards out of the box. But getting the cards inside the box was even more difficult.

The cards are very poor.. the stick together in huge blocks, like a normal USPCC decks after a couple of years usage I would guess. It's impossible at all to fan the cards. Guess they're good for some cuts that require the cards to stick together in blocks.
The cards are VERY stiff and feel kinda thick to me.

I don't wanna talk about the design, you guys have seen the pictures.

As a side note, they smell pretty chemical

Alex Willis · « **Reply #24 on:** July 01, 2013, 04:24:30 PM »

I didn't pledge on this nor the Bight Lights deck because while I think they'd make great gag gifts, I'm afraid people would look to see what I did pledge on and begin to question my artistic taste. But man i'd love to have gotten one of them as a gag gift.