Greetings from Civil and Global Unrest!!!

[rjtomlinson1977]

My name is RJ Tomlinson, creator of Civil Unrest and Global Unrest. I've been reading this forum for awhile now but haven't participated much... yet.
I hope to find a friendly community here willing to offer constructive critism. I've been a member of this forum and another (to remain unmentioned) for several months now. I tend to check in to see what people have been saying about my work and answer questions or defend my actions when needed. The other forum, it turns out, is ran by someone else who does Kickstarter projects. Today I found out he doesn't like competition. He was taking issue to why I launched Global Unrest so soon. I explained that I had Civil and Global Unrest ready for sevral months (for the most part) considering they're part of a series. I also pointed out that things at my regular place of business are going slow so I had extra time to focus on my playing card projects. Typically I work straight through holidays as a Quality Control Group Leader, but business conditions are slow and I have two weeks off for the Holidays giving me ample time to wrap things up with Civil and start things up with Global. In fact, we're way ahead of schedule for Civil Unrest (which has a promised ship date of February). Next week USPCC will be printing our tuck cases and the week after next they'll be pinting the card sheets. It will probably take a miracle for them to cut and package the cards before they break for Christmas... but the possibility is there. Even if they finish them after the Holiday break we should be able to start shipping the first or second week of January. If it wasn't for Christmas, Civil Unrest would be in the hands of my backers before Global Unrest ended its funding. Either way, I've kept constant contact with my backers... showing photos of the add-ons as I get them and letting them know the process with USPCC. I admit it would have been smarter to wait to launch Global but with my free time I have it seemed like I should use it to my advantage.
But anyway, this Admin for this other forum kept bad mouthing me and trying to say I'm a fraud. Once I realized this Admin had his own deck currently funding on KS I called him out on it saying he was trying to thin the competition on KS. Which at that point he banned me from his forum and he admitted he didn't like designers like me taking money away from him because that's what he does for a living. Which confuses me because he's only had two projects on KS... one of which failed badly and this current one is only doing slightly better than his failed project. I know he runs a site that sells other people cards, so I guess that's how he makes his living (off of others hard work).
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion... that's why it kind of bothers me I can't even respond to what people say about me on his forum. So I hope things go better here. I'm just a freelance artist trying to make a product that I'm proud of.

[Don Boyer]

RJ, you can relax.  You're among friends here. 

You can feel free to name the person and the forum in question - it's not like he's Voldemort or something!  The vast majority of comment authors here are familiar with him and his peccadillos, assuming you're talking about the same person I'm thinking about - Mike from UC.  And to be honest, he did have a successful KS project for the Bicycle United Cardists deck, which he's already delivered.

Regardless of what goes on over there, we're an accepting bunch here, always willing to help a designer by offering constructive opinions when asked.  And while we're on the topic, I also work as a consultant to playing card designers such as yourself in terms of refining their designs and ideas into something more readily market-acceptable.  My biggest client to date has been Uusi, and I've worked with them on all their decks except the very first, Blue Blood.

Welcome to the Discourse.  I hope you enjoy your stay.  Please feel free to ask if you need assistance with something and we'll do what we can to help you out.  I do work on keeping this place as friendly and accepting as is possible with such a bunch of disparate misfits - it helps that we all share the same hobby in common!

[Rob Wright]

Welcome to the forum RJ. Always good to have another designer chime in.
If I remember right, you are planning a third deck for the series. you should post some of the work in Design & Development. There is a lot of great designers here that are willing to give some good advice. Good luck on your current project.

[rjtomlinson1977]

Don... Thanks for the kind welcome to your site. I look forward to becoming a regular member of this community. After the Unrest Series I may look into your consulting services for future playing cards.
And, Yes, Mike from UC is the person I was speaking of.

Rob... You're right, I'm planning Colonial Unrest also. I'll make sure to post some 1st draft work in the Design & Development section to get some advice.

Thanks!!!

[Barry Hurton]

Welcome to the Discourse!

[Anthony]

Welcome RJ, I've only been collecting a short time, but can attest to the fact that the member base here is pretty sound. Very helpful and informed and one of the biggest perks in my opinion is when Designers chime in on what they have in the works. I think it's a big plus to get some of the back story of current projects, gives you a bit more connection to the designer and the deck.

As for constructive critisism.....as long as you keep an open mind and not just jump into deffensive mode, you will get some great help and almost always sound advise. In the end it's your project so you should do what you feel is best, but it never hurts to have another few dozen eyes looking at something 

Once again, welcome and I hope you enjoy the site, I have, and good luck on your project!

[rjtomlinson1977]

Global Unrest coming soon.

[52plusjoker]

Hello RJT and welcome. I won't repeat the comments already made - and in my experience they are true! So enjoy the site!

[DarkDerp]

Hey RJ!!  People around these parts is real nice. Sarcastic and wise assed at times but never mean spirited.

Welcome.