Brimstone - Custom Card Deck Idea

[RWKercheval]

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af194/ElevatorHappyFun/EXAMPLE8-1.jpg

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af194/ElevatorHappyFun/exampleofboxmockup-1.jpg



.




What do you guys think? I've been working on this deck off and on for a month now. I am still making slight variations, but it is pretty much finished.
I've been poking around a few other websites trying to get some feedback, so any you have would be awesome!

Would YOU buy a deck if it was for sale?

I have started a kickstarter account to see if there is enough interest to actually make the deck in the coming months.

Mod's am I allowed to post a link?

Thanks guys,
Russell Kercheval
Indianapolis, IN
RWKercheval@gmail.com

[MarkoViner]

I like the back design and the box
All the cards look very nice for exception of the : KINGS (they are too red) , I haven't seen the other picture cards ( if they are as red as the kings lower the opacity down).
Other then that if you ship this cards to Serbia I would definitely buy them!

[Travmang]

First off, welcome to our community of awesomeness. Second, I do like the design and the look of the cards, I'd buy them as long as they are reasonably priced.

[RWKercheval]

Quick replies!

Thanks! The kings/queens/jacks wont be so vibrant when printed. The red is going to be a bit deeper like the back of the cards. I am still messing with them a bit and toning down the court cards is first on the list.

As for the price, on my kickstarter page you can pre-order them for as low as $5.00... MSRP when they get printed will be $8.99

Again thanks for the kind words,
- Russell

[Albert]

This is a really nice deck! I like the design :D

One reason I may be hesitant to buy it is due to the black border. Once it wears off and you begin to see the white, that kind of interferes with some DLs and such, especially if the wear and tear becomes really distinct on the edges compared to other cards. Just my personal experience from the black tiger deck. The visible wearing just repels me :(

But I love the devil-angel idea! :D

[Kieran Oloughlin]

They are very good I think. Will you get them printed?

[Mark]

Very nice!! Would love to see the jokers too! :D
And sure, feel free to post a link. ^_^

One thing though, what if you pre-order them for as long as $5.00 and in the end they won't get printed because of a lack of interest (which I couldn't imagine, but what if)?

[RWKercheval]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1017676492/brimstone-metallic-gold-accented-card-deck

The way kickstarter work is: All-or-Nothing funding. $5,000 is enough to make the cards through USPCC/Bicycle. If I don't raise the full amount on kickstarter in the time allotted your credit card does NOT get charged. Anyone who pledged through kickstarter is safe either way. Kickstarter is a legally binding contract for myself. I am already 60% funded in only 9 days! There seems to be a huge demand for them! The day I get full funding is the day I order the decks, I already have been speaking to a sales rep at USPCC.

Back to the fun stuff!

The Jokers:
I'm still working on those, I want something unique and evil! I've been tossing around a few ideas and will have examples to show everyone this weekend I am sure.

[la0o9]

quick question, how much will you be selling them at? and will you be ordering them from USPCC as a normal t11 deck would be( they always use some sort of reserved card stock or something) or as a normal custom deck would be?

now to talk about the fun stuffs

hmmm, i would originally suggest a simple bone man with devil wingsfor the jokers, but now that i think about it, seems like that is too simple( and over done) for a newly released deck that strive for uniqueness, have you thought about NOT modelling the jokers after humanoid demons( walking on 2 legs, having 2 arms, a head, all attached to a torso in the middle)? i think a fierce looking monster with the reveal card inside it's mouth will be quite original( well, if you're not comparing it the the Anne Stokes or the England Alchemy decks).

[MarkoViner]

Here's an idea for the jokers. Maybe using devilish angels as shown on the back design, and put them as a joker?

[Mark]

What about actual devils, the master of the devilish angels?
Or a devilish joker holding a bicycle in his hands, which he just ripped into pieces. :p

[RWKercheval]

quick question, how much will you be selling them at? and will you be ordering them from USPCC as a normal t11 deck would be( they always use some sort of reserved card stock or something) or as a normal custom deck would be?

MSRP will be $8.99 USD, but anyone buying in bulk can sell them for whatever they like. My estimates so far have put me at only having 300 decks AFTER I am finished with Kickstarter. They'll be sold in bricks of 25 decks after that at $125 USD. The only way to guarantee a deck or uncut sheet is to pledge to at least $5 to kickstarter.

As for the joker ideas, I've been tossing around a few of those already!

Thanks for the comments and responses everyone.

- Russell

[TheMisdirectingHand]

Just joking... but maybe we should paste a picture of Daniel Madison on the Jokers.

[s13zeTheDay]

Just something to consider- though you can make the joker design awesome-looking and you might appreciate it, ultimately laymen are going to have to see and interpret it. I would thus advise a clearer approach, something that when someone sees it they immediately know it's a joker (that doesn't mean you can't be creative, just not too intricate). E.G. My arcane deck, though I like the deck a lot, i've gotten weird looks from spectators when they pick the joker and then i have to either explain it or make them pick another card.

Also the deck in general looks nice

[RWKercheval]

Just a quick update to those who are still interested in my little project...

I give you, The King of Diamonds and The Gaffed Joker!

http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af194/ElevatorHappyFun/update3-2.jpg


--edit--
The second joker is now the same color as the first! It will be holding the back side art card instead.


Thanks for your input everyone!
- Russell

[Mark]

That's ridiculously awesome! I don't know whether I like the second Joker having a reversed color scheme though. It would be cool if you could have the 3 of Clubs appear in the Joker's hand magically and with a reversed color schemed second Joker that wouldn't be possible. :(

[MarkoViner]

Gorgeously looking! I love it! Love the idea of the demonic or the skull on the court cards!

[Travmang]

Yeah, please don't reverse the colors on the other joker! I beg of you!

[RWKercheval]

Hmmm...

I've actually gotten a lot of response about the joker. Just to clarify, the other joker would only switch the red and gold colors, just a palate swap not inverted colors.

I'm still messing around with the details, so you guys might get your wish! I'm getting many emails about this deck and I am weighing all options. Keep the opinions and critiques going!

Thanks,
- Russell

[TommySteal]

From a magicians point of view, the two jokers need to be identical with the exception of the reveal of course. If you messed with the colur schemes you'd be messing with your sales I think.

[Albert]

How about leaving the joker the same in all aspects except for having the second joker holding up a face down brimstone-backed card?

This way, everything is consistent and it really looks as if the card held by the joker turned face up if, for example, you do something like a colour change.

[TommySteal]

How about leaving the joker the same in all aspects except for having the second joker holding up a face down brimstone-backed card?

This way, everything is consistent and it really looks as if the card held by the joker turned face up if, for example, you do something like a colour change.
Cool idea

[Travmang]

Yeah man, I get my unemployment check(insert sadface here) in a few days, and I'll gladly pay the 10 dollars to grab 2 of these decks, but I'd really want the jokers to be absolutely identical with exception of the reveal, otherwise im not entirely sure if i'd pledge it. <---- that sounds kinda mean lol sorry but its kinda a dealbreaker for me tbh =)

[la0o9]

nice jokers, fell in love with them the moment i saw them

[RWKercheval]

Updated... your wish is my command.

[Travmang]

Sweet! I also hope you added what Albert said about the non-reveal joker holding a facedown card instead of nothing!

[Mark]

I personally don't mind it if the second Joker doesn't hold up anything at all, actually. :rolleyes:

[Jordan]

That deck looks absolutely amazing! How much would postage be to the UK?

[la0o9]

@Mark: well, they ARE called gaffed jokers, so if they don't hold anything... that kinda kill the point...

on second thought, may be Mark is on to something, may be the card being on the guy's wings would be more original( and makes more sense, there isn't really a reason for a bone guy to hold a card...)

[s13zeTheDay]

Looking at the king on the court card, where are his eyes? I know it's supposed to be a skeleton, but skeletons have eye sockets too. It looks a bit weird in its current incarnation.

[la0o9]

lol, it's RIGHT there, the king is facing a 90 degree angle from your perspective so you should be able to just barely see one eye socket( look really carefully, next to the big diamond, a small black hole is right there on his face)

[RWKercheval]

Updated joker: They are exactly the same, other than gaff, '3 of clubs'
The face cards have 'appropriate' features of a ghoul, demon or skull


A heads up, these cards ARE going to be made! I'm going to have them printed!

Thanks!

- Russell

[s13zeTheDay]

lol, it's RIGHT there, the king is facing a 90 degree angle from your perspective so you should be able to just barely see one eye socket( look really carefully, next to the big diamond, a small black hole is right there on his face)

My point is that though it's there in a sliver, whether or not it's anatomically correct (though I still believe that it currently isn't), it looks better with a bigger black hole for the eyes. Even just compare it to the joker head next to it.

Other than that, though, I am excited to see the final result! i already donated for 2 decks

[Travmang]

Oh wow it jumped from 4,300 to 5,200 dollars in the last 24 hours! When I get paid tomorrow and I pledge 10 dollars do I still get the two decks as advertised?!?!

[TommySteal]

@Mark: well, they ARE called gaffed jokers, so if they don't hold anything... that kinda kill the point...

on second thought, may be Mark is on to something, may be the card being on the guy's wings would be more original( and makes more sense, there isn't really a reason for a bone guy to hold a card...)
Explain what you mean when you say there isn't really a reason to have a bone guy holding a card. Why would it make more sense to have a card in his wings? Cards are usually held in a hand aren't they? Or if it's the skeleton that's odd..? What does a skeleton have to do with playing cards anyway? I know it's the design, but just thought I'd throw this in.

---------- Post added at 11:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 AM ----------

My point is that though it's there in a sliver, whether or not it's anatomically correct (though I still believe that it currently isn't), it looks better with a bigger black hole for the eyes. Even just compare it to the joker head next to it.

Other than that, though, I am excited to see the final result! i already donated for 2 decks
I agree with you on the court card design. Maybe the eye is in the correct postion, but the design isn't aestetically pleasing. If it was possible his head should swivel round to 45 degree angle so you get a glimpse of the other eye too.

[RWKercheval]

Most faces are the 3/4 view. I probably should have picked one of those to show off my design. Maybe in the coming weeks!

[la0o9]

@TommySteal: i meant that there is no reason for a bone guy to hold a card his hand( tell me why the devil himself would have a card), i meant the things that makes up the cards( like the suit and number) being on the wings.

[Mark]

Whoa, things are being taken out of context here. I only said (and meant) that I wouldn't mind it if the second Joker wouldn't hold on to anything as I could think of some neat effects and patters in which a card held face-down by the Joker could only be in the way. :)

As for the reveal I do like the one joker holding on to the face-up card. Another way could look too gaffy, as if secretely every single card is written on the face and you just point out the spot you want the spectator to look at. ;)

By the way, RWK, congrats on getting them funded! :D

[TommySteal]

@TommySteal: i meant that there is no reason for a bone guy to hold a card his hand( tell me why the devil himself would have a card), i meant the things that makes up the cards( like the suit and number) being on the wings.
Okay, i understand now, but you previous comment seemed over analytical. You ask why the devil would have a card, but never question the sense in having a skeleton with wings. Guess I'm a traditionalist when it comes to playing cards. Like your idea though by subtly blending the suit and value into the wings because if it's almost invisible to the untrained eye, you've got yourself two clean jokers to make sandwiches with and stuff. And then when you do want to use the reveal you can just say to your spectator: "No, no wait, look even closer", and then your spectator will faint due to the name of their card slowly materializing before their very eyes, hopefully.

[la0o9]

having a skeleton with wings is nothing to fret if you're talking about demons so i didn't bother questioning it. and Mark, i think the way i phrased my sentence kinda made you misunderstood... but it's hard to say exactly what i meant so let's just leave it there

[Kieran Oloughlin]

I like the look of these cards but I dont like using fancy cards so I am not end up buying these if they do get printed.