Kickstarter Decks

[Nurul]

Recently there have been many kick starter projects which have not really wowed or impressed many members. Also a few repeatedly themed decks (steampunk/cthulu in particular) I thought maybe we could say what we want to see in a kick starter deck. Doesn't have to be detailed. Maybe someone out there will listen to us and answer our prayers.
For me, I want to see a superhero inspired deck featuring characters from DC and Marvel.

I searched to see if something like this was on here and couldnt find anything (apologies if there is, feel free to redirect and lock this down) also, I wasn't too sure whether to put this here or in Design & Development. I figured here as I'm not a designer and it's just merely a brainstorm of what what we want to see.

[GOdesign]

I would think the issue would be licensing of the DC/Marvel characters.

[Nurul]

I would think the issue would be licensing of the DC/Marvel characters.

I thought that at first, I know uspcc have created a Spider-Man deck (I'm aware this isn't through kick starter). Ok, doesn't specifically have to b marvel or DC but a superhero deck would be pretty awesome, IMO

[sway]

For me, I want to see a superhero inspired deck featuring characters from DC and Marvel.

A well-design superhero-themed deck would be fantastic, that's for sure.

That is something you wouldn't see on Kickstarter, though, mainly because of intelectual property issues. Licensing costs would be too high for a KS project, but maybe there's a small chance Marvel Entertainment (Disney) show interest on that. If that ever happen, I bet it wouldn't be USPCC made, unfortunately.

[Nurul]

It could be USPCC, they did do the Spider-Man deck, as mentioned before .. Then again, I wouldn't say no if it was done by that mysterious Taiwan manufacturer

[John B.]

Most likely is disney made it, it would be plastic though. Which I do not like. Though back on topic what I like in a deck is a variation of the basic rider back. Something thats similar but different. I also like it being branded bicycle, And early bird specials that atleast let me get 3 decks are nice. And a 2 colored double back card. One side, the other side a different card.

[Michael]

I agree with your point that there are not many Kickstarter decks that have wowed me either. I think the two most recent ones that did were the Divine deck and the Four Beasts deck. The only onet deck that has interested me is the Mirrored deck and that's all in recent times.

I feel people take advantage of the opportunity to push out whatever they want without much effort (we are all thinking of the same decks). I think the few brilliant designers though make up for the lackluster ones.

I personally wouldn't mind a super hero themed deck (like Marvel or DC if licensing would allow). I've been very satisfied though with the company decks that have been out out recently so I don't really have anything I absolutely have to see come out of Kickstarter.

[Don Boyer]

Yes, there's a good deal of chaff in the wheat at Kickstarter.  But the wheat has been so good, it's worth wading through the chaff to get it.

Yes, Marvel has made decks with USPC.  DC probably has as well at some point.  But you're talking about licenses own by BIG companies - Marvel's owned by Disney, DC is owned by Warner Brothers.  They carefully manage these properties.  Rather than giving permission to some kid to make a deck based on their intellectual property, they'd simply make one themselves using the same artists that work on the comic books.  If your art was really good, they'd hire you to do it, perhaps - but it would have to be utterly stellar.  No way they'd bother with Kickstarter - and that's how it should be, because Kickstarter is about getting little companies off the ground, not giving big conglomerates yet another place to hawk their wares.

There's nothing out there stopping you from making a deck based on your own superhero concepts.  But for the deck to generate interest, you'd probably need to base it off of some kind of story, novel, comic book, comic strip, webcomic, etc.  Webcomics would be the cheapest and easiest venue to work with to generate a following for your character, but remember that it will take time to develop a following large enough to support the creation of a deck - you'd probably sooner create "graphic novel" collections of your online work long before you'd make a deck of cards.  (And that, too, could be a Kickstarter project, since it's been done before.)

I'm moving this topic to Design/Dev.  The Plethora is more for actual decks hitting release than it is for discussions of a possible deck design.

[Nurul]

cheers don for putting it in the correct topic .. I personally can't do it cos I'm rubbish at art and don't have the cash to hire an artist. Friends who are graphic designers and artists have their own projects and won't have time for me, that's y I was just laying out some ideas to hopefully catch the eye of a creator BUT if I do ever do it, this will be th first place to know of it

[Alex Willis]

What if it were yet unknown superheroes?  Inspired by the existing DC and Marvel offerings, with the same quality of illustration but as of yet uncreated.  Somebody has to create the new Super Friends and the new rubbish and old regenerated heroes have got me bored.

[Don Boyer]

What if it were yet unknown superheroes?  Inspired by the existing DC and Marvel offerings, with the same quality of illustration but as of yet uncreated.  Somebody has to create the new Super Friends and the new rubbish and old regenerated heroes have got me bored.

First, Alex, welcome to the Discourse.  If you haven't already, you should make a topic in the Introduce Yourself board and let the gang get to know you better!

Now, about alternate superheroes...  One way or another, if you want people to care about the deck based on them, they have to care about the heroes themselves.  For them to care about them, they have to know them.  For them to know them, they have to read about them in their own stories.

If you tried simply inventing fictional heroes and put them in a pack of cards, people wouldn't have a clue and would be less inclined to be interested.  The only way over that, and it's no guarantee, would be to have some excellent artwork, head and shoulders above what other decks have.  It would also probably help your deck to create it under the Bicycle brand name - it costs extra, but the brand will help bolster interest in your deck.  But the name brand alone isn't enough if people simply don't have a vested interested in getting the deck in the first place, be it because of not knowing the characters or thinking the art isn't all that great.

[MrMollusk]

Things that require time, patience, and skill.

Or you could just do this. https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/virmir-cards
 

[The Quadfather]

I've always liked the idea of a comic book themed deck. If I ever had the opportunity to produce a deck, it would be this. My idea consists more of the style of comic books though, rather than existing characters. Like, the drawing style and the good vs evil battle. All that's stopped me already beginning a design is my lack of artistic talent.

I saw an actual marvel comics deck for sale in the islands of adventure theme park in Orlando. At $17 a deck though, I had to give it a miss.

[Don Boyer]

Things that require time, patience, and skill.

Or you could just do this. https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/virmir-cards
 

Y'know, I searched through my post from that day - I couldn't find the sentence you "quoted".

I've seen the Gamecrafter site before.  The selection is largely not good - I've even seen decks where both indices are pointing in the same direction, so when the cards are held upside-down, so are the indices!  Plus there's no mention of who's doing the actual printing.  I wouldn't count on high quality - nor would I pay $11.95 a deck...

I've always liked the idea of a comic book themed deck. If I ever had the opportunity to produce a deck, it would be this. My idea consists more of the style of comic books though, rather than existing characters. Like, the drawing style and the good vs evil battle. All that's stopped me already beginning a design is my lack of artistic talent.

I saw an actual marvel comics deck for sale in the islands of adventure theme park in Orlando. At $17 a deck though, I had to give it a miss.

An "homage to comics" deck does sound like a great idea, actually.  You should find an artist to work with.

Never buy anything at a theme park unless you're prepared to overpay for it.

[MrMollusk]

Things that require time, patience, and skill.

Or you could just do this. https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/virmir-cards
 

Y'know, I searched through my post from that day - I couldn't find the sentence you "quoted".

I know. It was just a summation of what you said.
Just to make the joke flow better.
As a side note, it looks like you could just shell out a few hundred bucks to the site, and voila. Your own deck of wax coated cards.

[Don Boyer]

Things that require time, patience, and skill.

Or you could just do this. https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/virmir-cards
 

Y'know, I searched through my post from that day - I couldn't find the sentence you "quoted".

I know. It was just a summation of what you said.
Just to make the joke flow better.
As a side note, it looks like you could just shell out a few hundred bucks to the site, and voila. Your own deck of wax coated cards.

Lots of places let you do that, with varying levels of customization and quality.  Check out Zazzle - you can have a custom back and one of a handful of different USPC faces (including the one-way court designs and Tragic Royalty).  The per-deck cost isn't great and neither is the finish...