Bicycle® Arcana Playing Cards (KS)

[ColtonM]

Bicycle® Arcana Playing Cards (KS)

Hello,

I'll be launching a card Kickstarter by the end of next week and I'm looking for some last minute feedback. If you have time, please let me know what you think.

Here they are: http://i.imgur.com/x5VAiCn.png


Thank you!

[Ben Taylor]

The indices are hard to distinguish, which would make them less usable. And there seems to be too much blank space to me. Otherwise I like where you're going with these.

[JacksonRobinson]

The basic design is interesting, however there is not much to go on with just a back an one index card.

On a technical side, you will have an extremely hard time printing a full coverage black and pulling off those very very thin blue lines. Show us some more and we can make some more crits.

Good job getting some feedback before going full bore on your first Kickstarter.

[bhong]

You might want to enlarge your pips 'cause at the moment, it doesn't stand out as much 'cause of the light blue on dark blue back ground. The white lines of the magic/alchemist circle stands out more. You might want to play with the opacity on the line of the magic circle.

I doubt Ellusionist would have the word trademark, but I might suggest a different name for the deck just to avoid confusion due to the similarity between the two: E's Arcane and your Bicycle Arcana.

[Don Boyer]

Just adding to the choir.

General direction of the design: good.

Fine line details will end up LOST due to the limitations of the printing press.  What you see on the computer is NOT always what you get.  Thickening up the lines might not work without ruining the art, but switching to a parchment-style background with black & red ink for the artwork would look a LOT more like something a wizard would use, like pages from his spell book.

If USPC or Ellusionist gave you a hard time about using "Arcana", you could switch to something like Bicycle Spell Book or Bicycle Wizard's Tome if you adopt the parchment idea.  I often complain about faux-aged or parchment deck backgrounds, but only because I've seen it a few too many times on designs where it simply wasn't necessary - on this design, however, it would fit like a hand in its correctly-sized glove...

You indices are attractive, but not very clear - bad for a functional deck, not so bad if you're more interested in the artistic side of the design.  Simplify and push far into the corners if you want to improve function, and make the value number/letter twice as large as the suit pip.

[ColtonM]

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback. The art is pending approval from the USPCC legal team. The Kickstarter will officially be live on April 19.

Based on feedback I made a few iterations of the card backs. "Back B" is the one currently being reviewed. As far as the thin lines, I've done some comparisons to other decks and at home printing which confirm that the thinner of the lines will be visible. However, they will be subtle, which is my intention.

Here's what it's looking like right now. I'd still love to hear feedback.

http://i.imgur.com/gNnlZYh.png


http://i.imgur.com/MziNsJw.png

[MrMollusk]

I'd definitely go with back C. It's clean, intricate, and there's a much more balanced amount of negative space..

I love those courts! I'd just recommend checking your alignment on some. It's entirely possible that it's just me, but the crowns on the King of spades don't look centered.

In regards to the number cards, you should probably stick with the pips. Just filling in a dot for each higher card makes the number cards look too similar. If you wanted to keep that cool constellation design in the center, you could just remove the center pip and arrange the card's value in pips along the outer ring.

Another thing is the ace of spades. It's common for the AoS to be the most intricate card in the deck.



This deck has SO much potential to make a really cool ace!

One last thing: The pips for all the suits look very clean and even, except for the spade. Maybe try flipping the bottom triangle? As it it, it looks a bit too odd.

Great work so far! Can't wait to see the final version!

[Don Boyer]

If you want to see an example of what a deck with poor color contrast in the design looks like, look at the backs of the Bicycle Venom and Bicycle Venom Strike decks by Alakazam UK.  Those designs looked really cool when everyone first saw them, but the finished product was a serious let-down.  Everything just looked like mud, dark and indistinct with little visible detail.

You can't judge what this will look like based on printing it at home, unless your home is equipped with a late-model Heidelburg printing press.  I'd bet Alakazam thought the same thing when they designed the decks I mentioned above, and look what it got them?

[ColtonM]

Hi everyone,

I delayed publishing the kickstarter so long so that I could really rework the cards based on your feedback. The kickstarter is now live as of today! Please feel free to check it out.

Thanks again for your feedback and support!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1123939555/bicycle-arcana-playing-cards?ref=nav_search

[ColtonM]

A limited-edition, magically-themed Bicycle playing card deck printed by USPCC. It's been my lovechild for about a year now!

Please, take a look if you have the chance
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1123939555/bicycle-arcana-playing-cards?ref=nav_search

[Fess]

Interesting deck Colton. Curious why you chose to use such similar colors for the indices. I like the deck, the similar colors  for the indices make it a little difficult to be useful for me though. Absolutely great KS video.

[PurpleIce]

Hi Colton,

We try to keep it to 1 topic per deck around here. It makes it easier for people reading the forums too.

Please merge.
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/bicycle-arcana-kickstarter-now-live/

[Josh Blackmon]

Hey I'm liking the cards! I went over there and backed at the early bird level, but there is something I noticed. An early bird backer can get a deck at $10, but most card junkies buy at least 2 at a time. Further down there is a level at which a backer can get 2 decks for $22 which is essentially what I would get if I backed at the early bird rate and added on an extra deck therefore negating the early bird discount.  I guess what I'm saying is that the early bird deck rewards those who would back the project at a cheaper level as opposed to the backers who would enter at a higher level and bring you more money. Anyway, just a note. I really like the design and good luck.

[ecNate]

I'm a single deck collector so that's just fine by me!   

Seriously though, having an add-on of a deck for say $10 (since shipping could be combined) should be an option.  This would take care of Josh's concern and may help you sell a few more decks (currently can only be 1, 2, 6 12...what if I want 8?)

[Don Boyer]

Hi Colton,

We try to keep it to 1 topic per deck around here. It makes it easier for people reading the forums too.

Please merge.
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/bicycle-arcana-kickstarter-now-live/

Merged.  I seem to recall liking this design...

[Rob Wright]

Edited thread name to match project name and added link to first post

Good Luck Colton

[MrMollusk]

Hi Colton,

We try to keep it to 1 topic per deck around here. It makes it easier for people reading the forums too.

Please merge.
http://www.playingcardforum.com/playing-card-plethora/bicycle-arcana-kickstarter-now-live/

Merged.  I seem to recall liking this design...

He changed a lot. I'm confused as to why. The old design was cool, interesting, and the theme was fresh. Most of what made the deck interesting and unique was taken out. He did make it Bicycle branded, which is good if you're an all-bike collector, I guess.

I'll still probably pick one up, but it's not nearly as interesting as it was, IMO.

[spindles]

Hi guys,

I recently discovered (and then promptly backed) the ARCANA deck on Kickstarter. It is really well-done! (and no, I am not affiliated with it, although that would be cool  )

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1123939555/bicycle-arcana-playing-cards?ref=email

I searched for existing threads on here, but couldn't seem to find any. (If there are, I apologize and perhaps things could please be merged.)

The video is really cool too. Please support it not only because I really want a chance to own a deck, but because I believe designer Colton Marshall has earned it.

Thank you,
Spindles

[Don Boyer]

Hey, Spindles...

First of all, when a deck is on Kickstarter, it's no longer in the Design and Development stages, so it's no longer posted on the Design/Dev board - we put it in the Playing Card Plethora.

And speaking of which, there's already an awesome topic about it over there, so I'm going to merge this topic with that one!

[spindles]

First of all, when a deck is on Kickstarter, it's no longer in the Design and Development stages, so it's no longer posted on the Design/Dev board - we put it in the Playing Card Plethora.

And speaking of which, there's already an awesome topic about it over there, so I'm going to merge this topic with that one!

Perhaps there can be a separate section of Playing Card Plethora for live Kickstarter decks? The Plethora is such a large thread and the search results cannot be indexed. Further, if you are viewing a particular thread, the Search Box apparently only allows searching of that one thread. (I had been viewing Design and Development...) I will message you more about how other collector websites have solved these problems.

Back to you, Colton! 204 backers and counting = nice!

[Don Boyer]

First of all, when a deck is on Kickstarter, it's no longer in the Design and Development stages, so it's no longer posted on the Design/Dev board - we put it in the Playing Card Plethora.

And speaking of which, there's already an awesome topic about it over there, so I'm going to merge this topic with that one!

Perhaps there can be a separate section of Playing Card Plethora for live Kickstarter decks? The Plethora is such a large thread and the search results cannot be indexed. Further, if you are viewing a particular thread, the Search Box apparently only allows searching of that one thread. (I had been viewing Design and Development...) I will message you more about how other collector websites have solved these problems.

Back to you, Colton! 204 backers and counting = nice!

If we separated them out as you suggest, the Plethora would become a ghost town.  The vast majority of new custom decks come from Kickstarter!  It's easier to point out the ones that AREN'T KS decks.

Perhaps you haven't noticed, but I advise people (or make edits) to put the tag [KS] at the end of the title of a topic for a Kickstarter-project deck.  It makes finding them a lot easier.  Rob the mod, if you aren't doing this, you should be! 

[Rob Wright]

Perhaps you haven't noticed, but I advise people (or make edits) to put the tag [KS] at the end of the title of a topic for a Kickstarter-project deck.  It makes finding them a lot easier.  Rob the mod, if you aren't doing this, you should be! 

Edited thread name to match project name and added link to first post

Good Luck Colton

Already done

[Rose]

I enjoy so much about this deck. The fresh color scheme for a start. The beautiful, simple line work. I was about to say I must be alone in thinking the original concept is WAY better, Then I read MrMollusk's comments, I too like the extra detail and I am confused about why it is gone, I know the extra dots, lines etc made it a more one way deck but it still feels better to me.
I still LOVE it!