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8 years in the making. Coming to KS in April / May 2017.....

Welcome to our forums. Please feel free to elaborate on your upcoming project.. What did you do during those 8 years?

Well, as long as it fits within my budget, I'll be adding this/these to my collection. Om nom nom.

Ooooo shiny! Who will be printing these?

For some reason. I think these are going to be expensive. I mean look at that tuck. Really nice though.

Firstly, thank you to badpete for your welcome to the board. Also, well done to all those involved in running this site for their work, which allows people who love playing cards to have somewhere to share their thoughts and opinions.

These playing cards have been designed and developed in near total secrecy for the past few years, as they were subject to a pending patent, which has now been granted.

The cards are intended for use in high-roller card table games within the casino industry, more specifically for the purpose of promoting and advertising commercial brands discretely and elegantly within the pips on the fronts of playing cards.

The quality is second to none (as casinos and their patrons will accept nothing less of course on their house table games). However, everything has been done from first principles and on a bespoke basis for these playing cards....standard playing card manufacturers could not print these. As noted already too, the solid all-metal case is also fully bespoke. But the case, while very nice, is not a patch on the playing cards within it.

Introduced through the upcoming collectors (retail) edition, I hope playing card collectors can enjoy the product to the same degree as the passion we here at Vertex Deck have put into it for 8 years.

Very interested in the foil accents on the deck, but I don't like the case, will there be a traditional tuck edition?

Welcome to the forums! Looks good, but...

VXD wrote:The quality is second to none

See, when you say this without saying who is actually printing them, it doesn't really hold much weight.

According to the AoS this deck promotes Bae, BAC as it was ....
Well, maybe not quite ....
It all looks very interesting but, full marks on your innovation and forethought.
Zooom !
These appear to be a Cartamundi construct ?
Eager to see more, in anticipation of the launch.

Could we see the back?

You can kinda see a bit of it but it would be nice to see the whole thing.

I hit the 4-image limit in the original post and meant to post this image:

the tuck and back look sweet. the use of foiling on the cards really make it pop.
Disappointed with standard courts but the foiling makes up for it.
As previously mentioned, who is being printed by?
Also, which casinos will be using this deck? I don't know of any casinos to use such a deck for promotional reasons, you'll already be in the casino playing, what's there to promote?!

EDIT: Apologies, it stated to promote advertising of commercial brands. My bad. Still though, what casinos are using this?

That back is just

However, these cards hopefully wont be just a novelty item and would hold some weight in magic, cardistry and other uses. I hope we can know the printer so we can see.

Thanks for your constructive comments so far regarding this collectors edition off-shoot project. I am taking all your comments on board at my end and recording them on a spreadsheet, both negative and positive, as I know you people know cards just about better than anyone in the world.

Hence posting a preview here....apart from those involved in the development and manufacture, you are literally the first people to see VXD playing cards.

Just a little more info on the background and the construction of VXD cards then: The basis of the concept was to visually enhance the card game experience for players, by tweaking the common playing card look. The classic form of the playing card had to remain of course though, as this is key to playability in a casino environment (players instantly recognising their holdings etc). Hence the standard layout of the cards in the ink artwork layer that you see here...standard courts etc.

The patented part of the card is the transparent holographic artwork layer above the inks on the fronts of the cards. N.B - The card front is of course where the action takes place and where a card players focus is, rather than on the card backs. Every single card front in a VXD deck has an individual custom transparent holographic overlay made for that specific card. With the standard spotlights used in casinos to illuminate their card table games (blackjack, 3-card poker etc), the holographic artwork layer shines up and catches the players eye, while not impeding the view of the standard card either (due to its transparency). The holographic artwork inside the pips can be extremely intricate as it is made with lasers rather than inks and can be fully customised and personalised. This aspect is what is really special about and unique to VXD playing cards. These images you see are from a sample made over a year ago in fact. All will become more clear at the launch in April / May this year regarding the possibilities this invention now allows for playing card design.

It's going to be very exciting and will likely revolutionise the playing card industry.

With all the above said, I am aware that cardists and collectors of playing cards appreciate far more depths to playing card design and handling than any casino player ever would.....so we have been working extremely hard for years now on the launch and reveal of VXD, to produce beautiful ink artwork designs as well for the back and a unique tuck case as well. Regarding the handling and quality....all I can say is that they are made in two highly specialist factories in Germany and that we are all perfectionists and fully understand the fundamental characteristics required of playing cards (snap, slip, feel / texture, glare, paper material etc etc).

The proof will be in the pudding, as they say and I think / hope you will like the result.

Well then, I'll be happy to sample some of that pudding so long as the price point is reasonable

MagikFingerz wrote:so long as the price point is reasonable

EXACTLY. At what price point?

Not sure why he'd need KS if their stating Casino's are using or will be using them for tables. Almost sounds as if two decks are being produced. One for the Casino(s) (if that's true) and one for the general public.

Love the sample pics, idea & concept behind the cards.

Guess like any deck/project, will have to wait to make our assumptions.

Keep up the great work!

OK, so deduction leads to Altenberg Spielkartenfabrik GmbH a division of Cartamundi. I know their marketing VP. Truly nice gentleman who has authorized the restoration of the Dondorf #1000 Centennial Jubilee "Hundertjahrkarte" decks.

Is there some reason why you don't want to say? I seem to remember that the company that makes Chromolux papers used to print decks, but I thought that was "use D to"?

I have a couple of their recent decks including a foiled back one that I won online. Quite nice!

VXD - I'll chuck you into the Deck Artist group do now. Enjoy!

I like the look of these cards and hope to see them soon.

As for casinos, there's very little chance that they will use these regularly. They have three requirements for cards: durability, consistency and low price. They are not going to take a risk on the first two when they have many years of experience with existing stock. And it doesn't look like low price is possible here. It's an ambitious goal but it's definitely not the first time someone tried to sell casinos on a new card.

The collector and upscale card market, home games, maybe high roller games seem to be the best targets. Probably no news to you but good luck. If you can get cardists or a magician on board that would be a big win.

nur1988 wrote:...
Disappointed with standard courts but the foiling makes up for it.
As previously mentioned, who is being printed by?
Also, which casinos will be using this deck? I don't know of any casinos to use such a deck for promotional reasons, you'll already be in the casino playing, what's there to promote?!

EDIT: Apologies, it stated to promote advertising of commercial brands. My bad. Still though, what casinos are using this?

Almost all casinos basically have to use cards with standard faces. When you are playing a card game for money, you don't want to have to decode the deck along the way. Think about USPCC's casino division - strictly standard decks, like Kem and Bee, etc

Mike

Thanks for adding me to that designers group. I'm not sure exactly where / how to access it?

In answer regarding the two factories.......they specialise in printing and holographic security cards and high-end packaging and I'm not at liberty to give away their contact details in any way. In true German manufacturing fashion however, they are extremely reliable and meticulous.

VXD wrote:Mike

Thanks for adding me to that designers group. I'm not sure exactly where / how to access it?

More a badge for identification than anything else, so everyone recognizes you as a deck artist when you contribute outside your own thread.

VXD wrote: In answer regarding the two factories.......they specialise in printing and holographic security cards and high-end packaging and I'm not at liberty to give away their contact details in any way. In true German manufacturing fashion however, they are extremely reliable and meticulous.

Makes sense, really. We're going to tour the USPCC plant at this year's 52+Joker convention in Erlanger KY, but we'll never get near the casino division. It's like a classified job for the government...

A couple of additional photos, showing the tuck case a little better.

The tuck is made of a brushed aluminium inner shell and matte black anodised aluminium outer shell, laser engraved. Anodised aluminium is scratch-proof and extremely tough....the tuck is practically indestructible. The magnet-enabled closing mechanism and foam inner cushioning gives it the user-friendly & classy touch.

Magik

Thanks for your comments on the project. I notice you're from Norway....I love Norway....I used to live there when I was a kid. Oslo-area. It used to snow from October to March right through, which, when you're a kid is great! (Not so these days I gather?)

Judging by your profile name, can I assume you're a cardist / magician?

The reason I ask, and this is a shout out to all cardists reading this....I am looking for a good cardist to help me film a video of VXD cards, prior to launch this spring time. I need to find someone in Germany for early April 2017 or who can travel to Germany for the filming....does anyone know of a particular cardist living in Germany that I could possibly contact for this??

Thanks in advance....

Mike

Thanks, I see yes, re the badge system.

As you say, the general public and other clients are kept away from sensitive production areas (where avoiding copying and tampering is vital) such as casino deck production and also of course security and identity card production. The number of times I was told I couldn't take that sample away that they were showing me for reference.....I felt like a naughty child in a sweet shop at times!

I cannot urge you enough to put these cards in a standard tuck case. AT LEAST make it an option. I would love to own this deck and proudly display it in my cases (see "Show Us Your Cards!" forum) but the current case you're showing will not work. In fact that might be enough to make me not pledge Please oh pretty please make a standard case.

To all other members who have commented so far as well.....rousselle, JuFin, youngtomlin, Justin O, Bruno, montecarlojoe, nur1988, cardician82, joeblow, Vasta41 (and future posters)....thanks for the input and I hope my general info and update posts provide most of the answers you seek.

Vasta41....I just noticed your post....this is the second mention of this point. Noted and I will be considering the options here now further definitely. Thanks.

VXD wrote:Vasta41....I just noticed your post....this is the second mention of this point. Noted and I will be considering the options here now further definitely. Thanks.

To help your decision making process, I urge you to observe this thread: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9041&hilit=red+eye" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; A great deck of cards that tried a new, cool innovation with the tuck and ultimately didn't fund. I believe it was because of the irregular tuck but the point is even though its tuck (and yours) is unique doesn't mean the playing card collecting community by and large wants it, myself included.

I can imagine from a pure collectors perspective this may be an issue, as regards displaying etc. So I may consider a standard paper tuck that fits within the VXD box, for the collectors.

As far as that other deck is concerned....collector or not, it looks particularly impractical I must say and would be prone to damaging very easily. The unusual look and the rest of the deck design just doesn't make up for those downsides I would suggest.

VXD wrote:I can imagine from a pure collectors perspective this may be an issue, as regards displaying etc. So I may consider a standard paper tuck that fits within the VXD box, for the collectors.

As far as that other deck is concerned....collector or not, it looks particularly impractical I must say and would be prone to damaging very easily. The unusual look and the rest of the deck design just doesn't make up for those downsides I would suggest.

if you need other forms of inspiration, check out the Bicycle Prestige deck or Run Playing Cards by Jason Brumbalow

Thanks nur

I had the Prestige Deck a couple of years ago, while I was collecting decks to study what the important characteristics are. I wasn't a fan of the thick card box to be honest...it was trying to exude luxury, but thicker card and poor printing on that card let it down. The Prestige cards themselves, while bland in design, handled really well of course though (like all Bikes) .

The Run deck is really beautiful and inspiration indeed.