Thanks and also hello

[vixentorgames]

My name is Matt Drake. I live in North Texas, and I found The Discourse a few weeks ago when Jason posted about my upcoming Kickstarter for the deck I designed. I'm not much of a serious card collector, but I do love buying cool-looking decks. I'm an artist, really, and thought it would be cool to make a deck of cards. About halfway through the design process, I discovered that people sold custom decks on Kickstarter, which was when I actually decided to see about actually selling them.

I've been cruising the forum for a while now, mostly just peeking through the windows when everyone was asleep. I've found a lot of very good advice here, and received some really good feedback on the cards (I designed THIS DECK, and the comment from 10ofClubs made me decide to redo the corner pips).

So thank you for writing all this stuff, even though you didn't know I was reading it, because it totally helped. I'll be hanging out a while, though I can't promise to post very often. I'm still essentially a stalker.

[Don Boyer]

I'm still essentially a stalker.

We prefer the term "lurker" - it sounds just a skosh less "restraining order-y"... 

Welcome, and please, feel free to ask questions.  Someone around here's bound to have the answer.

You might be able to draw some inspiration from the boards - not just Design/Dev but also the new Cellar of Fine Vintages.  Roam around, make yourself at home.

[52plusjoker]

Welcome Vi.........
Lots to learn here and a huge bunch of helpful, friendly people. Many artists get inspiration from the ancient and antique. In playing card terms you'll find some of that here!

[vixentorgames]

Thank you, Don and 52plusjoker. I'm still trying to digest all the great stuff here, but I'm loving what I've seen so far.

[HeartQ]

 Love your humor so please come out of the bushes more often!

[DarkDerp]

Welcome!!  Did he say stalker?

[52plusjoker]

For the first time I closely read that you [Darkderp] invented a self-cutting deck. Congratulations!
I've been sitting here for a week, often picking up one of the Smith II Erdnase decks [that I'm trying hard to trade on $tiso] and trying to shuffle it properly or make it fan evenly. Can you design a self-fanning deck; a self-shuffling deck? - I want to look at least slightly more competent!
Where do I find an Emo?

[Don Boyer]

For the first time I closely read that you [Darkderp] invented a self-cutting deck. Congratulations!
I've been sitting here for a week, often picking up one of the Smith II Erdnase decks [that I'm trying hard to trade on $tiso] and trying to shuffle it properly or make it fan evenly. Can you design a self-fanning deck; a self-shuffling deck? - I want to look at least slightly more competent!
Where do I find an Emo?

I can't tell if you're being serious or humorous!

A few definitions of "emo" from the Urban Dictionary:

• Like a Goth, only much less dark and much more Harry Potter.
• The Difference between Emos And Goths: Emos hate themselves, Goths hate everyone; Emos want to kill themselves, Goths want to kill everyone
• Punk music on estrogen. Often acoustic guitar with soft, high male vocals that dwell exessively on the singer's feelings, especially melancholy remembrances of past relationships/mistakes in life. A form of music that diverged from punk in the '80s, the name "emo" is derived from the emotive style of the lyrics and music. This genre has lately been marketed heavily by the music industry to teenagers with bands such as Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday, and has seen much commercial and mainstream success. The music has also spawned a subculture which conforms to certain conventions in dress such as tight sweatshirts, tight band T-shirts and horn-rim glasses. Adherents profess to exessively melancholy temperments. Males that adhere to the emo subculture are sometimes confused with metrosexuals; indeed the line between the two is somewhat blurred, though both groups claim to be in touch with their emotional side. The ephemeral and hackneyed nature of emo songwriting suggests that its audience will be restricted largely to teenagers. the genre suffers from a lack of credibility outside the aforementioned demographic group, much like current Nu Metal bands.

Because emos are sensitive, overly emotional and occasionally self-destructive, some engage in a form of self-injury known as cutting to relieve emotional stress.  http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment

Hence, the emo deck is the first "self-cutting" deck...

[DarkDerp]

For the first time I closely read that you [Darkderp] invented a self-cutting deck. Congratulations!
I've been sitting here for a week, often picking up one of the Smith II Erdnase decks [that I'm trying hard to trade on $tiso] and trying to shuffle it properly or make it fan evenly. Can you design a self-fanning deck; a self-shuffling deck? - I want to look at least slightly more competent!
Where do I find an Emo?

I can't tell if you're being serious or humorous!

A few definitions of "emo" from the Urban Dictionary:

• Like a Goth, only much less dark and much more Harry Potter.
• The Difference between Emos And Goths: Emos hate themselves, Goths hate everyone; Emos want to kill themselves, Goths want to kill everyone
• Punk music on estrogen. Often acoustic guitar with soft, high male vocals that dwell exessively on the singer's feelings, especially melancholy remembrances of past relationships/mistakes in life. A form of music that diverged from punk in the '80s, the name "emo" is derived from the emotive style of the lyrics and music. This genre has lately been marketed heavily by the music industry to teenagers with bands such as Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday, and has seen much commercial and mainstream success. The music has also spawned a subculture which conforms to certain conventions in dress such as tight sweatshirts, tight band T-shirts and horn-rim glasses. Adherents profess to exessively melancholy temperments. Males that adhere to the emo subculture are sometimes confused with metrosexuals; indeed the line between the two is somewhat blurred, though both groups claim to be in touch with their emotional side. The ephemeral and hackneyed nature of emo songwriting suggests that its audience will be restricted largely to teenagers. the genre suffers from a lack of credibility outside the aforementioned demographic group, much like current Nu Metal bands.

Because emos are sensitive, overly emotional and occasionally self-destructive, some engage in a form of self-injury known as cutting to relieve emotional stress.  http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/cutting-self-harm-signs-treatment

Hence, the emo deck is the first "self-cutting" deck...

Gah..   I feel ashamed and dirty after reading the psychoanalysis behind my signature.

[52plusjoker]

Well I've learned something; and Don, anything I write that is not 'straight' is a weak attempt at humor - or humour as we learned to spell it up here. I thought the Smiley would give it away.
Still would like to find a deck that I can 'handle'!

[DarkDerp]

Don't apologize! Dry wit is dying art form!

[vixentorgames]

I got the emo gag. I live with teenagers. Fortunately, they are not emo.