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Mike Ratledge wrote: As always, Rick does not miss a thing, and attention to the details is fantastic art!

And as always it appears as though there are no perks of any kind for UC members I guess I will not bother bringing this up anymore as my pleas have fallen on deaf ears 3 years in a row. As you were....

vasta41 wrote:

Mike Ratledge wrote: As always, Rick does not miss a thing, and attention to the details is fantastic art!

And as always it appears as though there are no perks of any kind for UC members I guess I will not bother bringing this up anymore as my pleas have fallen on deaf ears 3 years in a row. As you were....

No, Paul. There is, but we didn't decide what. Two ideas, maybe we could discuss a bit here?

My vote would be to go for autographed /signed decks, but that is a PITA considering that Rick is in New Zealand and the distribution is from the states.

aw, a signed deck (maybe) how nice...

Can't wait to see what the limited edition rendering will look like to actual final product as we seen with the 2017 decks.

Common 12pm

Cardians wrote:aw, a signed deck (maybe) how nice...

Can't wait to see what the limited edition rendering will look like to actual final product as we seen with the 2017 decks.

Common 12pm

You will see extensive rendering and even a 3D model for the Viridi / green deck at noon.

Rick has talents when it comes to renders! He made the best perspectives of the decks that I have seen, and the two perspectives above are from the 3D model properly manipulated.

I've never been an autograph guy, they do nothing for me. But if that were the "perk" then I wouldn't complain! Beggers can't be choosers.

Is Rick sleeping?

I'm not finding the campaign? Any info?

EDIT-Never mind, just appeared.

Live! And backed.

wingedpotato wrote:I'm not finding the campaign? Any info?

EDIT-Never mind, just appeared.

Link in OP

Working with Lotrek, enough said. I'm IN!!!

badpete69 wrote:

wingedpotato wrote:I'm not finding the campaign? Any info?

EDIT-Never mind, just appeared.

Link in OP

Yep. If I didn't stomp on your edit, just click on the KS banner showing the progress and you're there. It took a couple of minutes for me, too.

I'm in. Can't go wrong with outcome if Lotrek is involved. Hopefully no delays but they'll be worth it.

In, of course Awesome decks

(and pretty queens )

Cardians wrote:Working with Lotrek, enough said. I'm IN!!!

See? I told you there was at least one "Easter Egg" in there if you read it all.

Yes, we are doing a test of the end-to-end production by Lotrek in Greece = "trial by fire". The hope is to get you your decks in under half the time it usually takes, and once he has tuned it, probably closer to two months once funding is actually available (16 days after successful project funding ends).

We have kept this under wraps until right now to keep from interfering with existing business relationships, but sooner or later it's all going to come out, anyway. He is basically cradle to grave producing or supervising the entire production of the decks, optionally including tucks and fulfillment - soon. I think it will be an amazing force and hopefully the net result will be to get everyone producing decks in half the current lag time, but of course we can't directly change that. I suppose it's whether or not they want to keep up with - or at least improve - current lag times. Now, don't get me wrong: there's not one thing Expert or Legends can do about the imposed time taken by the 'float' between Hong Kong and the west coast, but it's part of the problem if that's the route you choose as an artist.

Backed for both. Super-excited to see what else comes out of this campaign...with so many brilliant minds working together, there’s no where to go but up!

Garn .... !
Lotrek done made an time machine ?
Antikytherian Space Rotator ?
WooHee .... !
How dizzy is that ?

If the decks are going to be produced in Greece, would it be possible for European pledges to be shipped from Greece?

That way it would avoid customs in the European Union.

I think European Union backers would be more willing to back/increase pledges if customs is out of the equation. Shipping within European Union would also be faster because it would be treated as National mail.

Smocito wrote:If the decks are going to be produced in Greece, would it be possible for European pledges to be shipped from Greece?

That way it would avoid customs in the European Union.

I think European Union backers would be more willing to back/increase pledges if customs is out of the equation. Shipping within European Union would also be faster because it would be treated as National mail.

That's something that we have not thought about yet, but should.

It would eliminate VAT from the equation - right?

There are other logistics that I have not thought about, but I think that it is do-able.

Mike Ratledge wrote:

Cardians wrote:Working with Lotrek, enough said. I'm IN!!!

See? I told you there was at least one "Easter Egg" in there if you read it all.

Yes, we are doing a test of the end-to-end production by Lotrek in Greece = "trial by fire". The hope is to get you your decks in under half the time it usually takes, and once he has tuned it, probably closer to two months once funding is actually available (16 days after successful project funding ends).

We have kept this under wraps until right now to keep from interfering with existing business relationships, but sooner or later it's all going to come out, anyway. He is basically cradle to grave producing or supervising the entire production of the decks, optionally including tucks and fulfillment - soon. I think it will be an amazing force and hopefully the net result will be to get everyone producing decks in half the current lag time, but of course we can't directly change that. I suppose it's whether or not they want to keep up with - or at least improve - current lag times. Now, don't get me wrong: there's not one thing Expert or Legends can do about the imposed time taken by the 'float' between Hong Kong and the west coast, but it's part of the problem if that's the route you choose as an artist.

I knew that after talking to Rick about the shipping yesterday but still got stoked after reading about the collaboration of Rick and Lotrek on the Kickstarter page. Looking forward to the Maestro finish as well.

guru wrote:I knew that after talking to Rick about the shipping yesterday but still got stoked after reading about the collaboration of Rick and Lotrek on the Kickstarter page. Looking forward to the Maestro finish as well.

Well, since Lotrek won't blow his own horn here - I will: it's something that he has been working on for nearly two years now - perfecting the 'glue' or varnish that is used to coat the cards. There have been numerous trials and successes with the finish, and the varnish ends up being the key to the overall handling, at least as far as how the decks feel. "Slippery" is what people almost always say about USPCC's finish, as in "it slips out of your hands" (if you're not careful), which is true.

I'll go out on a limb and state that it's at least on par with what's available elsewhere right now, and superior to several of the "big boys" as far as handling. If you look at the progression over the past 18 months or so, you'll notice that as time goes by, that varnish or final coating on the decks has become better and better. Believe me, that's one thing that those "big boys" aren't going to share. Now, some of them will _SELL_ it to you, as we've seen, but recipe? You have to cook your own sauce, and at this point: it's at the same level and beyond some in the field.

Perfect? No, nothing is. It can still be better, but for now - it's miles beyond where it was 18 months ago - thanks to many sleepless nights and 20 hour days Lotrek has put in.

quote :-
".... the 20 hours a day he puts in ...."

.... hence my #veryminimalcontact with this happy perfectionist ....
Hint Hint ....

Mike Ratledge wrote:

guru wrote:I knew that after talking to Rick about the shipping yesterday but still got stoked after reading about the collaboration of Rick and Lotrek on the Kickstarter page. Looking forward to the Maestro finish as well.

Well, since Lotrek won't blow his own horn here - I will: it's something that he has been working on for nearly two years now - perfecting the 'glue' or varnish that is used to coat the cards. There have been numerous trials and successes with the finish, and the varnish ends up being the key to the overall handling, at least as far as how the decks feel. "Slippery" is what people almost always say about USPCC's finish, as in "it slips out of your hands" (if you're not careful), which is true.

I'll go out on a limb and state that it's at least on par with what's available elsewhere right now, and superior to several of the "big boys" as far as handling. If you look at the progression over the past 18 months or so, you'll notice that as time goes by, that varnish or final coating on the decks has become better and better. Believe me, that's one thing that those "big boys" aren't going to share. Now, some of them will _SELL_ it to you, as we've seen, but recipe? You have to cook your own sauce, and at this point: it's at the same level and beyond some in the field.

Perfect? No, nothing is. It can still be better, but for now - it's miles beyond where it was 18 months ago - thanks to many sleepless nights and 20 hour days Lotrek has put in.

Mike - Agree on cooking our own sauce and I know how much time (and sleepless nights) varnish can take to reach a certain stage. The problem is that very few collectors will appreciate the time it took for finish to reach perfection (or closer), and having such a deck in their hands.

Mike - Agree on cooking our own sauce and I know how much time (and sleepless nights) varnish can take to reach a certain stage. The problem is that very few collectors will appreciate the time it took for finish to reach perfection (or closer), and having such a deck in their hands.

Yeah, especially if we never take it out of the tuck box!

Guru said wrote:Mike - Agree on cooking our own sauce and I know how much time (and sleepless nights) varnish can take to reach a certain stage. The problem is that very few collectors will appreciate the time it took for finish to reach perfection (or closer), and having such a deck in their hands.

That's true, and most of the reason why I took the time to make the observation: people for the most part don't really "see" the effort it takes to get there.

Bradius wrote:Yeah, especially if we never take it out of the tuck box!

Well, I can't say for certain that these will be "Lotrek packed" as in capable of being opened without leaving notice, but at this truly reasonable price, everyone can afford to get at least one spare pack. I would suggest members grab one of the Viridi / UC green decks to play poker - I know, blasphemy these days, right?

Many thanks for everyone who took the time to get us more than 50% funded in under seven hours. I appreciate it, RIck appreciates it, and Lotrek does, too.

It would eliminate VAT from the equation - right?

There are other logistics that I have not thought about, but I think that it is do-able.

Yes, VAT would be out from the equation but also customs fees, time, emails or trips to customs...
In Portugal Vat is 23% and customs fess go for something around 14 Euro.

Perhaps add-ons wouldn't be able to be shiped from Europe.
If add-ons were also placed in ucdecksales (as it was done with signature Ambassadors) people would be able to purchase them in a separate order.
That would be useful because, if the add-ons got stopped at customs, the value of the receipt (we need to present the receipt at customs) would be that of the add-ons only.

vasta41 wrote:Is Rick sleeping?

It's 5am on a Sunday at Rick's house, at the time this was written, give the dude a break.

portcullis wrote:

vasta41 wrote:Is Rick sleeping?

It's 5am on a Sunday at Rick's house, at the time this was written, give the dude a break.

Yep, I didn't reply on the project page, but I knew Rick was fading. We started around 6AM yesterday and he was there before I was.

Nice to have those timed EB tiers, seems to work better and def eliminates the problem with them getting eaten up too quickly.

portcullis wrote:

vasta41 wrote:Is Rick sleeping?

It's 5am on a Sunday at Rick's house, at the time this was written, give the dude a break.

I knew that, hence the comment. Which I thought was obviously a joke..

vasta41 wrote:

portcullis wrote:

vasta41 wrote:Is Rick sleeping?

It's 5am on a Sunday at Rick's house, at the time this was written, give the dude a break.

I knew that, hence the comment. Which I thought was obviously a joke..

My awareness of sarcasm is at something below Sheldon Cooper levels when I'm drinking. [MURRAY] Of course it was a joke. Carry on.

Smocito wrote:

Mike Ratledge running his mouth wrote:It would eliminate VAT from the equation - right?

There are other logistics that I have not thought about, but I think that it is do-able.

Yes, VAT would be out from the equation but also customs fees, time, emails or trips to customs...
In Portugal Vat is 23% and customs fess go for something around 14 Euro.

Perhaps add-ons wouldn't be able to be shiped from Europe.
If add-ons were also placed in ucdecksales (as it was done with signature Ambassadors) people would be able to purchase them in a separate order.
That would be useful because, if the add-ons got stopped at customs, the value of the receipt (we need to present the receipt at customs) would be that of the add-ons only.

We are looking into it to see if we can get Paul ("JP") to do fulfillment or something like that. Lotrek loves us, but he is not doing fulfillment for others.

Eliminating all that pain makes sense if it is practical and obviously it should save money for us, also.