Verana & Inverno Playing Cards by Seasons/Alex Chin [KS]

[Don Boyer]

Looking for last minute opinions (and why)!

This is something that I absolutely love about the set but it is something that I feel people might have strong feelings about. The Seasons set is about emphasizing the change in design that this deck goes through over time, from the colors to the designs. I decided that it would make most sense if the winter deck expressed true duality with the summer set by being the only deck in the series with a reverse pip orientation.

Full Resolution Image: http://s4f73d8f8a28ce.img.gostorego.com/809E82/cdn/media/s4/f7/3d/8f/8a/28/ce/court_card_comparisons.jpg

I just wanted to see if this is something that would really turn you on/off. It makes so much sense to me to have the pips this way but if this is too much change I can always bring it back. Trying to gauge people's thoughts on this. Thanks again!

OK, my thoughts.

You're not talking about reverse PIPS so much as reverse INDICES (or INDEXES - both are considered proper English these days).  Left-handed indices are difficult even for me to work with (at least when playing solitaire) and I'm a lefty.  I'm simply too used to working with the standard location.

The color combinations of black/blue/silver and white/red/gold are classic combinations.  My father once had a chess set his second wife made for him.  The pieces were ceramic and several inches tall - I'm guessing between five and eight inches depending on the piece's rank.  My father built the board on a sheet of plywood, using metal tiles in aluminum and copper as the squares and framing it in chrome.  That set used the exact same color scheme you suggested, with flesh tones for the faces.  Yes, the pieces had actual faces on them rather than an abstract design.  Imagine each piece in a standard Staunton set a few multiples larger than normal and with a face sticking out of one side, making the pieces almost appear to be like helmets for the faces.

It really looked great.  Stick with that.

Background detail on the spot cards?  I'm fine with it, especially since it's subtle and doesn't interfere with identifying the cards in any way.

All in all, I'm still drooling!  Take my money and send me cards already! 

[Rob Wright]

All in all, I'm still drooling!  Take my money and send me cards already! 

I got your back Don.


I've never used a "left handed" deck before, but if you get use to it. Could be an advantage at poker. Kind of throw the other guys off their game.

[troy]

I like the top version much better than the bottom version. I'm not a fan of the indices moving over to the right. I'm not a fan of the designer pips in either image. Smiley diamonds? Your deck. Your designs. Just my opinion.

[Don Boyer]

I've never used a "left handed" deck before, but if you get use to it. Could be an advantage at poker. Kind of throw the other guys off their game.

Actually, in poker they're pretty easy to use - even righties an adapt to it, if they're willing to try.  It's solitaire where they get tougher for me.

[shadowkat]

Looking for last minute opinions (and why)!

This is something that I absolutely love about the set but it is something that I feel people might have strong feelings about. The Seasons set is about emphasizing the change in design that this deck goes through over time, from the colors to the designs. I decided that it would make most sense if the winter deck expressed true duality with the summer set by being the only deck in the series with a reverse pip orientation.


Full Resolution Image: http://s4f73d8f8a28ce.img.gostorego.com/809E82/cdn/media/s4/f7/3d/8f/8a/28/ce/court_card_comparisons.jpg

I just wanted to see if this is something that would really turn you on/off. It makes so much sense to me to have the pips this way but if this is too much change I can always bring it back. Trying to gauge people's thoughts on this. Thanks again!

I am not a huge fan of the indicies being reversed.  I understand the design element, and after a while I think it would begin to make sense and not bother me.  I can see if I were using these cards to play poker it may throw me off a bit.  I use the cards for flourishing and Magic, so the indicies being in the standard position matters for Magic but not for flourishing.  So this deck may end up being used for one purpose over the other due to it's design.  The water mark however, in my opinion is starting to be one of those things that is a fad.  Hey everyone's doing it, why don't I?  This comes down to how it is used.  Is it part of the design? Does it add to the face of the card, or does it seem like an after thought?  Look to Heretic and Aquila as examples.  I feel that the back ground water marks were used in a way that flows with each of these decks.  In the case of Heretic it is adding to the story flavor and is incorporated in a very eye pleasing manner.  In Aquila, it flows to the pip cards from the courts in an inclusive way, and enhances the design as opposed to distracting me.  These of course are personal opinions and aesthetics.  Two more examples: Encarded's Zenith and Jackson Robinson's Hound of Baskervilles.  They both have a circular water marks throughout the pip cards, and in the case of Zenith in the courts as well.  At first, in the Hounds deck it made me a little nuts as the pattern is an H and a B interwoven, so of course this becomes a one way design.  After I started working with the cards, I noticed that lay folks could not tell when the card was reversed whereas I could spot it.  So it ended up being a great tool that grew on me as I used the cards.  In the Zenith deck it is so much a part of the design and is so deliberate that I never questioned it.  As of this draft of your design the water mark doesn't seem to flow with the cards.  It is distracting me.  These decks have such a flow in the design that I think you could find a way to make the water mark seem more a part of the cards and flow with the design, or you could just do away with it and have these match the clean style of the originals.  As a fan of playing cards and a fan of design, I find that if the creator really sticks to their vision the cards are the works of art that I expected all along.   

[Card Player]

Looking for last minute opinions (and why)!

This is something that I absolutely love about the set but it is something that I feel people might have strong feelings about. The Seasons set is about emphasizing the change in design that this deck goes through over time, from the colors to the designs. I decided that it would make most sense if the winter deck expressed true duality with the summer set by being the only deck in the series with a reverse pip orientation.


Full Resolution Image: http://s4f73d8f8a28ce.img.gostorego.com/809E82/cdn/media/s4/f7/3d/8f/8a/28/ce/court_card_comparisons.jpg

I just wanted to see if this is something that would really turn you on/off. It makes so much sense to me to have the pips this way but if this is too much change I can always bring it back. Trying to gauge people's thoughts on this. Thanks again!

I am not a huge fan of the indicies being reversed.  I understand the design element, and after a while I think it would begin to make sense and not bother me.  I can see if I were using these cards to play poker it may throw me off a bit.  I use the cards for flourishing and Magic, so the indicies being in the standard position matters for Magic but not for flourishing.  So this deck may end up being used for one purpose over the other due to it's design.  The water mark however, in my opinion is starting to be one of those things that is a fad.  Hey everyone's doing it, why don't I?  This comes down to how it is used.  Is it part of the design? Does it add to the face of the card, or does it seem like an after thought?  Look to Heretic and Aquila as examples.  I feel that the back ground water marks were used in a way that flows with each of these decks.  In the case of Heretic it is adding to the story flavor and is incorporated in a very eye pleasing manner.  In Aquila, it flows to the pip cards from the courts in an inclusive way, and enhances the design as opposed to distracting me.  These of course are personal opinions and aesthetics.  Two more examples: Encarded's Zenith and Jackson Robinson's Hound of Baskervilles.  They both have a circular water marks throughout the pip cards, and in the case of Zenith in the courts as well.  At first, in the Hounds deck it made me a little nuts as the pattern is an H and a B interwoven, so of course this becomes a one way design.  After I started working with the cards, I noticed that lay folks could not tell when the card was reversed whereas I could spot it.  So it ended up being a great tool that grew on me as I used the cards.  In the Zenith deck it is so much a part of the design and is so deliberate that I never questioned it.  As of this draft of your design the water mark doesn't seem to flow with the cards.  It is distracting me.  These decks have such a flow in the design that I think you could find a way to make the water mark seem more a part of the cards and flow with the design, or you could just do away with it and have these match the clean style of the originals.  As a fan of playing cards and a fan of design, I find that if the creator really sticks to their vision the cards are the works of art that I expected all along.

Some excellent points. I think you and I are on the same page. I agree the watermark is a fad and on very rare occasions is anything more then a visual eyesore. That being the case, great design should be timeless. This watermark does not do anything for the deck.

[aldazar]

Any update on the timing (as in time of day) of the KS launch for this project?

Edited as I realized it's next week, not this week...=P

It's set for 4pm CST.

@ IAmTheChin:

I think the face cards are going to make or break this project for me.

I'm going to post pictures later today of the court cards. I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

I checked http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/, but it shows CDT rather than CST. I don't wanna get this one wrong again, so can someone please confirm the actual release time in GMT, or even better, Hong Kong time? =P

[PurpleIce]

Any update on the timing (as in time of day) of the KS launch for this project?

Edited as I realized it's next week, not this week...=P

It's set for 4pm CST.

@ IAmTheChin:

I think the face cards are going to make or break this project for me.

I'm going to post pictures later today of the court cards. I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

I checked http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/, but it shows CDT rather than CST. I don't wanna get this one wrong again, so can someone please confirm the actual release time in GMT, or even better, Hong Kong time? =P

You can just type Hong Kong rather than CST. Anyway, Hong Kong is GMT +8.

[aldazar]

Any update on the timing (as in time of day) of the KS launch for this project?

Edited as I realized it's next week, not this week...=P

It's set for 4pm CST.

@ IAmTheChin:

I think the face cards are going to make or break this project for me.

I'm going to post pictures later today of the court cards. I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

I checked http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/, but it shows CDT rather than CST. I don't wanna get this one wrong again, so can someone please confirm the actual release time in GMT, or even better, Hong Kong time? =P

You can just type Hong Kong rather than CST. Anyway, Hong Kong is GMT +8.

That's nice, but what I'm trying to confirm is what time the project will launch either in GMT or in HKT. I already know the conversion from GMT to HKT, which is why I'm fine knowing the launch time in either zone. What I'm not sure of is the conversion between CDT and HKT...

[PurpleIce]

Any update on the timing (as in time of day) of the KS launch for this project?

Edited as I realized it's next week, not this week...=P

It's set for 4pm CST.

@ IAmTheChin:

I think the face cards are going to make or break this project for me.

I'm going to post pictures later today of the court cards. I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

I checked http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/, but it shows CDT rather than CST. I don't wanna get this one wrong again, so can someone please confirm the actual release time in GMT, or even better, Hong Kong time? =P

You can just type Hong Kong rather than CST. Anyway, Hong Kong is GMT +8.

That's nice, but what I'm trying to confirm is what time the project will launch either in GMT or in HKT. I already know the conversion from GMT to HKT, which is why I'm fine knowing the launch time in either zone. What I'm not sure of is the conversion between CDT and HKT...

27 August at 16:00 in CDT
= 28 August at 05:00 in HKT

[Don Boyer]

That's nice, but what I'm trying to confirm is what time the project will launch either in GMT or in HKT. I already know the conversion from GMT to HKT, which is why I'm fine knowing the launch time in either zone. What I'm not sure of is the conversion between CDT and HKT...

CST = GMT minus 6 hours (in effect first Sun in Nov 2am to second Sun in Mar 2am)
CDT = GMT minus 5 hours

[Anthony]

Now on Kardify.com


http://www.kardify.com/2014/08/1-on-1-alexander-chin-of-seasons.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

[Card Player]

Now on Kardify.com


http://www.kardify.com/2014/08/1-on-1-alexander-chin-of-seasons.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

How up to date are those images?

The watermark is gone. That's a good thing. Pips look the same as originally first posted?

The limited edition tucks look sweet! I'm wondering what the cards look like on the inside? Spending money for just a limited edition tuck box is not something I have an interest in doing.

[Anthony]

Card Player, these are the most recent images from Alexender.

[BiggerDee]

It went live early and those early birds were long gone. Oh well.

[IAmTheChin]

We're LIVE!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2062783196/seasons-a-changing-playing-card-series-printed-by

[aldazar]

Woohoo! Totally worth it to wake up at 5am for the launch... Managed to get in for the "lucky" KS2 tier! Thanks Alex!

[IAmTheChin]

Woohoo! Totally worth it to wake up at 5am for the launch... Managed to get in for the "lucky" KS2 tier! Thanks Alex!

Aldazar,

Luck is "preparation meets opportunity"

Never a problem. I'm true to my word.

-Alex

[Rob Wright]

Nice job Alex. Already over 70% funded..........I helped a little!




A few more pics for Don to drool over

[Marcus]

I told you it would fund within 24 hours, Alex. Congratulations, you deserve the success!

[Fess]

Friendly reminder time on this one, there is less than 2 days left on this campaign. If you were thinking about this beautiful deck and haven't pulled the trigger yet. Don't miss out.

Also there is currently as I type this 1 of 10 available, KS3 - Gold Collectors series pledge spot open. Snag it if you want to be all  haha

[Leif]

I really want to love these, and I do, mostly. But there are some tiny, tiny issues I would like to ask my fellow collectors about:
1. The color of the number and the letters part of the Indices seems to be black on the red cards too.(and white on the black deck) Aren't they usually red on the red cards? It looks a little strange to me.
2. On the Verana deck the index pips seem to all be with the white little thingy, except for the Ace of Spades?
3.Those white thingies, some seems to be blurred, some seems to be sharp, some seems to be of a brownish color. Is my computer or my eyes fooling me?
4. On the Inverno deck, only one of the middle pips of the Ten of Spades have the extra line, but on the Verana deck, The Ten of Diamonds have it on both middle pips.
5. To be honest, I don't feel those white thingies in the pips at all. The more I look at the cards the more I think the white lines detract from the pure awesomeness of the courts and backs.

I'm afraid I might be obsessing with tiny details too much.

And I only have 38 hours to make up my mind, Arrrgh.

[Fess]

I really want to love these, and I do, mostly. But there are some tiny, tiny issues I would like to ask my fellow collectors about:
1. The color of the number and the letters part of the Indices seems to be black on the red cards too.(and white on the black deck) Aren't they usually red on the red cards? It looks a little strange to me.
2. On the Verana deck the index pips seem to all be with the white little thingy, except for the Ace of Spades?
3.Those white thingies, some seems to be blurred, some seems to be sharp, some seems to be of a brownish color. Is my computer or my eyes fooling me?
4. On the Inverno deck, only one of the middle pips of the Ten of Spades have the extra line, but on the Verana deck, The Ten of Diamonds have it on both middle pips.
5. To be honest, I don't feel those white thingies in the pips at all. The more I look at the cards the more I think the white lines detract from the pure awesomeness of the courts and backs.

I'm afraid I might be obsessing with tiny details too much.

And I only have 38 hours to make up my mind, Arrrgh.

I'll take a stab at it.

1. Yes usually. Since the two decks go together I believe he's making an artistic point with the colors of the letters and numbers on the indices. Usually I'm pretty anal about indices, with these I kinda get it.
2. Looks like it, solid pip on the AoS with the flamboyant spade placed center of the card. Again, I think it's an artistic choice there.
3. They all look pretty sharp to me with a slight shadow effect. Yes, some of them have the golden color added to the pip, the different color may make blend a bit and make it appear blurry on your screen. Personally I think the golden color looks nice and tie in well with the summer theme for that deck.

I think it's the little things that can set a deck apart, and the little things that can ruin the appeal of a deck. Hard to know which it will do. For me, I've been enjoying the little things with these but I can certainly see how they could bring about a different reaction. I really hope he reconsiders those limited seals if it cracks $65,000. I don't like those kinds of seals much. Happier knowing I have one of a thousand than it being stuck to the deck with a specific number.

I've been in the same boat before, limited time to make a decision and not knowing which way to go. The beauty of KS is you'll be able to pick them up retail after the fulfillment so there's no real lose strategy if you decide you like them later.

[Leif]

I really want to love these, and I do, mostly. But there are some tiny, tiny issues I would like to ask my fellow collectors about:
1. The color of the number and the letters part of the Indices seems to be black on the red cards too.(and white on the black deck) Aren't they usually red on the red cards? It looks a little strange to me.
2. On the Verana deck the index pips seem to all be with the white little thingy, except for the Ace of Spades?
3.Those white thingies, some seems to be blurred, some seems to be sharp, some seems to be of a brownish color. Is my computer or my eyes fooling me?
4. On the Inverno deck, only one of the middle pips of the Ten of Spades have the extra line, but on the Verana deck, The Ten of Diamonds have it on both middle pips.
5. To be honest, I don't feel those white thingies in the pips at all. The more I look at the cards the more I think the white lines detract from the pure awesomeness of the courts and backs.

I'm afraid I might be obsessing with tiny details too much.

And I only have 38 hours to make up my mind, Arrrgh.

I'll take a stab at it.

1. Yes usually. Since the two decks go together I believe he's making an artistic point with the colors of the letters and numbers on the indices. Usually I'm pretty anal about indices, with these I kinda get it.
2. Looks like it, solid pip on the AoS with the flamboyant spade placed center of the card. Again, I think it's an artistic choice there.
3. They all look pretty sharp to me with a slight shadow effect. Yes, some of them have the golden color added to the pip, the different color may make blend a bit and make it appear blurry on your screen. Personally I think the golden color looks nice and tie in well with the summer theme for that deck.

I think it's the little things that can set a deck apart, and the little things that can ruin the appeal of a deck. Hard to know which it will do. For me, I've been enjoying the little things with these but I can certainly see how they could bring about a different reaction. I really hope he reconsiders those limited seals if it cracks $65,000. I don't like those kinds of seals much. Happier knowing I have one of a thousand than it being stuck to the deck with a specific number.

I've been in the same boat before, limited time to make a decision and not knowing which way to go. The beauty of KS is you'll be able to pick them up retail after the fulfillment so there's no real lose strategy if you decide you like them later.

Thank you for clearing up my questions in the most clear way possible. I should have guessed myself that it is intended, just look at the courts, everything is refined to perfection. Thanks also for the excellent advice, I can always get them later, and I probably will

[Fess]

If anyone is on the fence thinking they don't get the cool black box, there is 1 KS1 $155 spot open and 1 KS4 open. Under an hour though.