Trending Themes

[Alex Willis]

It would be interesting to see the trending themes for decks to understand the market saturation, and to get a thumb on the forecast for new designs.  In the textile industry they talk about the new colors of the season.  This summer we will be trending in light aquas and pansy pinks... whatever that means.

You can easily look at the most recent launches and see that Lovecraft, Steampunk, and Zombies have made huge numbers in their themes, but as been said here many times, they are all a bit overdone.  So as these themes begin to ebb, what are the next themes?  I know everyone wants to know that so they can start designing.  Normally trends come from the movies that are being released, so when pirate movies are popular, pirate cards are popular. 

I'd like to see a line graph based on major themes to see how they trend.  I don't have enough back data to do it justice.  While I understand that unique 'one of a kind because no one has ever thought of it before' decks are the best to design, but the problem is that those ideas typically only come along once in a lifetime.  The rest of the time, you have to cater to the wants of the masses.

By the way I'm still playing with the idea of Cheese's of the World where different types of cheese would be carved into the shape of Jesus.  I kid... or do I?

[RandyButterfield]

For myself, I couldn't care less about trends in Playing Cards, or any other area of Design. When Designers try to follow or recreate a trending subject matter or style, it all starts to look like the same crap! Seeing lots of Zombies, Steampunk and Lovecraft themed decks just makes me want to avoid those subject matters even more than I did before. I don't think a good Designer needs an over-the-top, gimmicky theme to create a high-quality Deck. They should be able to take a subtle idea or theme and take it to the next level. In my opinion, that's how to create something innovative!

thanks, Randy

[Alex Willis]

I would agree except that I see decks like Surreal Scapes which is artistically innovative yet receives very little interest.  Let's face it, as much as you may not like it, the buyers flock to trends.  In my own writing career I have published over 20 novels, and the one that sells the best is the one that caters to the wants of the market, and not my best writing mind you. 

I am creating an 'innovative' deck at the moment, but I have no illusion that it will gain market acceptance.

Maybe I should do that cheeses of the world.  It's seeming more and more viable.   

[RandyButterfield]

I would agree except that I see decks like Surreal Scapes which is artistically innovative yet receives very little interest.

I think the images on the Surreal Scapes deck are beautiful, but should be on a Museum wall - not on a deck of cards. Some people were probably turned off by the use of photographs as opposed to drawings. I'm guessing others were scared off by the imagery of the nude women, even though the graphics covered up any offending parts.

Any current designs have to have some semblance of normal Playing Card rules in order to be successful, in my opinion.

thanks, Randy

[Soliloquy]

I've been studying the playing card projects on Kickstarter and I think we're at the point where most of the substandard decks are going to fail.  It's not a question of whether they're following a trend or not, but whether the whole package is attractive and well designed.

[Alex Willis]

I've been studying the playing card projects on Kickstarter and I think we're at the point where most of the substandard decks are going to fail.  It's not a question of whether they're following a trend or not, but whether the whole package is attractive and well designed.

So is Kickstarter really for newbies out of the gate?  Or is it for the well established who can put a little more into their page designs to make them appear more professional?  I pledged on the White Rabbit deck and now that I look at it, I was sucked in by the layout of the KS page, when I look at the images on the cards... a few I like and a few I don't get.  But man they were shiny!!  That's why i pledged.  Somebody should start a Kickstarter project to make templates for Kickstarter projects to make them all professional looking.

[Collector]

For myself, I couldn't care less about trends in Playing Cards, or any other area of Design. When Designers try to follow or recreate a trending subject matter or style, it all starts to look like the same crap! Seeing lots of Zombies, Steampunk and Lovecraft themed decks just makes me want to avoid those subject matters even more than I did before. I don't think a good Designer needs an over-the-top, gimmicky theme to create a high-quality Deck. They should be able to take a subtle idea or theme and take it to the next level. In my opinion, that's how to create something innovative!

thanks, Randy

Avarage designers try to hide their poor skills under popularity of particular theme.
Talented designers create nice designs corresponding to trending themes.
Brilliant designers create trends.
Everything is simple 

[RandyButterfield]

Avarage designers try to hide their poor skills under popularity of particular theme.
Talented designers create nice designs corresponding to trending themes.
Brilliant designers create trends.
Everything is simple 

Well said Collector!!

[Collector]

I would agree except that I see decks like Surreal Scapes which is artistically innovative yet receives very little interest...

1. "artistically innovative" very often = specific = not for the broad masses. But unfortunately only the broad masses can help to print a minimal run of playing cards at affordable prices.
2. Standard playing cards don't have enough space for such artworks as Surreal Scapes. Those artworks are more for posters or big postcards.

[Alex Willis]

Perhaps I should start a new thread:  What kickstarter based deck would you consider to be trend setting?  Take out all the xxxpunk decks, zombie decks, lovecraft decks and cheesy cheese.  And yes, Federal 52 is a good example of trend setting. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not seeking ideas as I am on my final deck and then I'm back to designing board games.  I'm just a huge fan of statistics (from my advanced studies in demographics and population)

[Alex Willis]

And yes I am guilty of creating a Zombie deck, but that was more to have a component I could use in a set of games I'm designing that uses playing cards.  Don't hate the haters.

[Emmanuel]

The circus (and carnival by association) is beginning to trend as a theme again.

[Don Boyer]

Perhaps I should start a new thread:  What kickstarter based deck would you consider to be trend setting?  Take out all the xxxpunk decks, zombie decks, lovecraft decks and cheesy cheese.  And yes, Federal 52 is a good example of trend setting. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not seeking ideas as I am on my final deck and then I'm back to designing board games.  I'm just a huge fan of statistics (from my advanced studies in demographics and population)

There's a few possible trends.

As Emmanuel stated, yes, circus/carnival is trending.  I think that "Carneval" would be a much more interesting trend, though! 

I look at the Rebels deck and the various iterations of Federal 52, as well as the Founders - and wasn't there a Lincoln deck BEFORE the Pixel Lincoln deck, a slightly more serious-looking deck?  Or did that one fail?  So there, I'd say that Federal themes are trending up.

After Synthesis, I wouldn't be surprised to see cyberpunk trend up.  There seems to have been a mini-revival of the genre since the new Tron movie.  Also in this trend is The Grid and Grid 2.0 - arguably The Grid was the kickoff of this trend.

Zombies, Cthulhu, Steam/Gear/Clockpunk - still trending but I'd say due for a plateau soon enough.  A straight-up Victoriana design, however - new possible trend.  Examples would be Timeless and Vict, and maybe Bicycle Amazing Adventures, though one could argue it's more 19th-century-pick-your-own-punk.  The Americana deck would be the "proto-deck" of the trend, less for the faces, more for the back design - something that's genuinely true to the era - though a multi-color back like that in the age of the Old West would have cost a pretty penny indeed.

I'm seeing a number of new decks extending the "Vicky" historical trend into the early 20th century.  A few decks have been using Art Deco typefaces, there's a "Deco" deck coming from Encarded/Paul in the near future, and the "Butterfly" deck looks like something in-between the age of Art Deco and Victoria.

And speaking of "Pixel Lincoln" - I see "8-Bit" as becoming a huge theme, especially with the successes of Home Run Games recent decks in that genre.  Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and I predict some artists are going to flatter the hell out of them!

Beyond that, try pouring over the New Deck Report like I do when I have to write it - if you're going to find a trend anywhere, that's the place to start looking.  The 2013 Releases topic is also good research material in that area of study.

[MrMollusk]

Steampunk
Cthulhu
Zombies

[Alex Willis]

Steampunk
Cthulhu
Zombies

Love the nailed it image.