Ravn purple

[badpete69]

Monday:
9:17AM Pacific Time /
12:17PM Eastern Time

I've missed a launch or two messing up conversions.

Guess what you messed it up again

launch will occur at 11:17 AM Eastern time or 8:17 am pacific time. I confirmed with Lorenzo also (17:17 PM CET)

[jerichoholic]

Thanks for the info

[Mike Ratledge]

TimeAndDate.com is your friend for things like this.

Here's that time: 17.17 in European format we would write as 5:17PM

Use a little common sense, the time in Sydney is the next calendar day. I plugged in Tuesday, it's actually Monday... (17th)

[shaitani]

Aaaand this is exactly why I've missed launches in the past. My bad jerichoholic.
Looks like I didn't do enough research to confirm daylight savings observances in Stockholm.

In my defense, the time zone Lorenzo listed is technically wrong. If he confirmed that the real time is 8:17am PDT / 11:17am EDT, then he's not in 17:17 CET he's in 17:17 CEST.

Thank you guys for catching my mistake.

EDIT: I also just realized that I incorrectly stated "Pacific Time" and "Eastern Time" in my original post, which are actually the shorthand names for "PST" and "EST", which are one hour off since right now we're in "PDT" / "EDT". God I hate time zones.

[Stockholm17]

gosh timezones lol
check your smartphones, you can find it out quickly

I will ask Cartamundi the prices of the custom brick boxes, as stretch goal I would like to include them in the bricks rewards.
Maybe GW can print them as they did for No.17 and Ravn1.



Stay tuned!

[Bruno]

Kiss the Sky !
.... Mary ....
Now you got me started
Three Riders were approaching,
.... and the Wind ....

Ummm.

That's 17, right ?

Must be significant.

[dazzleguts]

Ummm.

That's 17, right ?

Must be significant.

Indeed
And apparently Jimmi is fond of this deck.

[Bruno]

YeeeOww !!
Young Jim goes off !

You know it.

[Stockholm17]

So, we launch today
50 early birds for the 2-decks tier.
20 early bricks.

we try something new for the lowest tier (1 deck).
$16 free shipping anywhere in the world.

Price per deck decreases dramatically when you back bricks:
USA: $8/pc for early bricks, $9pc if regular.
INT: $10/pc for early bricks, $11/pc if regular.

The kickstarter page is ready, I think I fixed all the small mistakes and doublechecked the prices.
Here is thr preview link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ra ... n=350eba39" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Spread the voice
cheers

[badpete69]

Lorenzo/Caroline

When i saw your project title, of course Jimi came to mind. One of my childhood friend became a very popular world artist over the years even got commissioned by the queen to do paintings for the William and Kate wedding.. He mostly does paintings of celebrities in a very unique method http://www.andremonet.com

When I went back home last year for a visit and saw a few of his paintings in one of my other friends house, I obviously asked him if i could hire him to do one for me. He said yes and I picked one celebrity he had never painted and you guessed it, it was of Jimi. I specifically asked for a purple background in honor of purple haze and now the painting hangs in my living room

I give you Jimi with a pair of Ravn Decks

[Bruno]

One of the best uses for newsprint that I've seen for years ....

Ahh Jim, you could have been such a spokesperson ....

Can you imagine a Hendrix-Zappa colaboration, musically or otherwise .... ?
Gaaaah ....

[Mike Ratledge]

Lorenzo & Caroline just bull-dozed over the funding goal. Plenty of time to grab more - for now. It is a short project.
Posted here and added to OP.

[dazzleguts]

One of the best uses for newsprint that I've seen for years ....

Ahh Jim, you could have been such a spokesperson ....

Can you imagine a Hendrix-Zappa colaboration, musically or otherwise .... ?
Gaaaah ....

Or Captain Beefheart.
Words wise.

[vasta41]

Prices will be more or less as Ravn1 even if there are new usps shipping costs
We'll try to make very nice deals for the backers.

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but I have to point out a few things I don't like, mainly price and choice of printer. FYI the 1st Ravn decks were $13 with shipping included (EB price was under $11...) for a USPCC deck. Purple Ravn is $17 for a Cartamundi deck (no EBs for single decks). Now I don't have a problem with Cartamundi per se but generally speaking, anything not printed by USPCC IMO is sub-par and thus should cost less. I understand shipping prices may have gone up and inflation, etc. but I would have hoped after reading the above quote that the decks would only be a few dollars more. Adding in the printer downgrade makes the price even further off.

I also understand that Lorenzo received a great sample from Cartamundi and wanted to create a custom deck with the new stock/finish. But what I don't understand is why a different deck couldn't be tested with the new stock/finish and continue the Ravn series with USPCC. I admit I'm partial to USPCC but if it ain't broke don't fix it, right? Purple is a beautiful edition to the Ravn series and this deck looks awesome. But unfortunately it will not find its way into my collection. I'd wish Lorenzo & co. luck but I know they don't need it.

[Stockholm17]

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but I have to point out a few things I don't like, mainly price and choice of printer. FYI the 1st Ravn decks were $13 with shipping included (EB price was under $11...) for a USPCC deck. Purple Ravn is $17 for a Cartamundi deck (no EBs for single decks). Now I don't have a problem with Cartamundi per se but generally speaking, anything not printed by USPCC IMO is sub-par and thus should cost less. I understand shipping prices may have gone up and inflation, etc. but I would have hoped after reading the above quote that the decks would only be a few dollars more. Adding in the printer downgrade makes the price even further off.

I also understand that Lorenzo received a great sample from Cartamundi and wanted to create a custom deck with the new stock/finish. But what I don't understand is why a different deck couldn't be tested with the new stock/finish and continue the Ravn series with USPCC. I admit I'm partial to USPCC but if it ain't broke don't fix it, right? Purple is a beautiful edition to the Ravn series and this deck looks awesome. But unfortunately it will not find its way into my collection. I'd wish Lorenzo & co. luck but I know they don't need it.

Hi!
I understand, thanx for the feedback. I try to explain how I designed the campaign and why we made decisions.

There are 3 factors that explain the prices:
1. increasing shipping costs (domestic and international)
2. currency conversion SEK-USD. The $13 of 2016 is now $14, because the $USD got 10% stronger over the last year.
3. quantity. More expensive for one deck-reward, yes. Cheap for higher quantity especially for US backers.

Price per deck (US backers shipping included):

1 $16 No early bird indeed, usually a collector takes 2. EB-2-decks is $12 per deck, 50 slots were available.
2EB $12
2 $13
3 $12
4 $11.5
6 $11.3
12EB $8.3
12 $8.9
24 $8.2

I think they are very good prices and shipping is included.

The Cartamundi choice:
I have here on my desk the Cartamundi Cardistry Touch Origin, which has been tested and approved by many experts. I think It is worth trying and I hope it turns out very well. Cartamundi's reputation is in stake in the community of custom playing cards and cardistry. I don't think they will deliver a poor product. Caroline wanted to try Cartamundi as well. There are thousands of USPCC decks already, I mean, why not?

Question: Why Printer Downgrade?
USPCC is not the best, it is just different. I do not think Cartamundi is a downgrade at all, especially if they invested 2 years in developing a new paper stock and a new varnish (48 prototypes) for better handling and durability. Also, printing at Cartamundi costs more or less as USPCC, with a couple of pros and cons.

This is how I see it

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

.... the Butterfly cards I got recently from Cartamundi were STELLAR! On par with USPCC (or better) great handle and feel.

[Mike Ratledge]

.... the Butterfly cards I got recently from Cartamundi were STELLAR! On par with USPCC (or better) great handle and feel.

Paul, this new 310gsm with cardistry finish 9C² is WAY beyond what they were making even a year ago, much less two years. Its also been used for other custom decks there recently. I have a prototype foiled backed glowing Scarlet red flake look (1 of 30) made in December. Beautiful boards (we would say cardboards) and truly slick handling right out of the box. It's really sturdy, nothing even comparable to the previous generation decks. Their 330gsm blue core German (Chromolux, I believe) casino bond paper stock is awesome, everlasting stuff! Stiff enough to last ages, and a gorgeous board to begin with. "Butterfly" is one example, there's around a dozen they made in the past 18 months.

[Bruno]

And the quality from LG is rated Absolute.

[Mike Ratledge]

Without a doubt, Bruno. That's a given, Lorenzo always knocks them out of the park.

[sinjin7]

Question: Why Printer Downgrade?
USPCC is not the best, it is just different. I do not think Cartamundi is a downgrade at all, especially if they invested 2 years in developing a new paper stock and a new varnish (48 prototypes) for better handling and durability. Also, printing at Cartamundi costs more or less as USPCC, with a couple of pros and cons.

This is how I see it

I wish people would stop hyping up stock so much. Pretty much everyone uses acceptable stock. That's MPC straight up to USPCC. They're all of comparable construction and thickness. True, there are some minor variances in stiffness, snap, and elastic deformation, but all fall within acceptable tolerances for the purposes of general card play or cardistry. I do see that a significant number of EPCC/LPCC have warping issues, and I've come to the conclusion that it's because the factories in Asia don't have sufficient humidity control. So what happens is that the humidity level there is usually significantly higher than in the environment of the end user, typically here in the United States. People always associate the cause of warping to be more humidity/moisture, but the reverse is true where if something is made in a more humid environment and goes to a drier place, there will be warping as well, and I think that's what I'm experiencing here in California with many of the Asian decks. Any woodworker can tell you this fact, and paper is made from wood as well. But aside from this, the card stock is good across the board from all major printers.

The great variable is the finish. Whether you feel the USPCC is the best or just different, there is no denying they have the most superior coefficient of friction in their finish which enables the most consistent slip between cards. Perhaps the only argument against USPCC's finish is that it's too slippery for certain cardistry moves, but that is easily remedied by a little fanning powder. Everyone else is trying to catch up. I've handled many Carta Mundi decks over the years. I have always been impressed with their stiff and durable stock, but the finish is where they lack. I've not handled this new varnish they've been working on the past 2 years, but it just sounds like more of the same from what we've been hearing from EPCC/LPCC. And they're still tweaking their formula after all these years.

I think its great Lorenzo is willing to experiment with different options, but in this case if the cost of printing is more or less the same as USPCC, then why risk getting a potentially inferior product? And even if this new Carta Mundi finish is as good as advertised, producing these decks with a different printer breaks up the continuity of the series. Maybe Lorenzo should've experimented with a different deck instead of one made to be part of a series. This is probably going to be the first Lorenzo project that I do not support. Since this is more expensive than what I consider the market rate for a well designed custom deck, there's not enough here for me to pledge since this is, after all, just a recolor and I have his first Ravn decks. Plus, if Carta Mundi comes through on its promise of a better finish, then I can always pick some up in the aftermarket.

[Bruno]

And the quality from LG is rated Absolute.

I would also add that I have always been impressed with his spirit of giving ....
He seems to supply a generosity of spirit, great spirit, along with his talented artistic sense ....
Where others might be ego driven and talentless, none of this comes through with LG.
Just a naturally generous bloke, I guess ....

[dazzleguts]

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but I have to point out a few things I don't like, mainly price and choice of printer. FYI the 1st Ravn decks were $13 with shipping included (EB price was under $11...

Actually that was Vasta's quote.
I've never minded alternate printers.

[montenzi]

but generally speaking, anything not printed by USPCC IMO is sub-par and thus should cost less.

USPCC is one of the cheapest option available for an average deck (without foiling etc) If you print 2500 and more. Even for 1000 decks prices are almost the same everywhere, even in China.

[Bruno]

Also, speaking specifically, it is good to remember that we are backing the vital good merits of Caroline Ravn and Lorenzo "Stockholm17" Gaggiotti, along with the vast experience which Cartamundi, with its long and rich history, brings to this collaboration.
As a experiment/test bed, how can it not succeed ?

Go Ravn

[Mike Ratledge]

If we can bring your decks for fulfillment within six weeks, instead of six months? Even 12 weeks, or a quarter year (three months) to start. Reliably, repeatedly and no claim of "better", just equal. Every aspect equal or superior to the original specs.

[maxs]

I'm quite curious about these new Cartamundi decks, so I'm in. I'ts a little odd though, that they are manufactured in Belgium and all fulfillment is made by GW in the US, even for european customers.

[Stockholm17]

I'm quite curious about these new Cartamundi decks, so I'm in. I'ts a little odd though, that they are manufactured in Belgium and all fulfillment is made by GW in the US, even for european customers.

Yes, i know it sounds odd, but an european fulfillment center costs twice. Example: parcel for one deck to japan, €20. Seriously?
With GW i can keep the shipping prices quite low. You guys have to wait a bit longer, but it is cheaper.
If you want to pay €10 for shipping one deck (stamps, processing fees and beloved VAT).... just let me know

[guru]

I'm quite curious about these new Cartamundi decks, so I'm in. I'ts a little odd though, that they are manufactured in Belgium and all fulfillment is made by GW in the US, even for european customers.

Yes, i know it sounds odd, but an european fulfillment center costs twice. Example: parcel for one deck to japan, €20. Seriously?
With GW i can keep the shipping prices quite low. You guys have to wait a bit longer, but it is cheaper.
If you want to pay €10 for shipping one deck (stamps, processing fees and beloved VAT).... just let me know

I understand that you've already zeroed in to EU shipping with GW but there are,indeed, a couple of providers within EU who offer very competitive & provide fast shipping within EU (and even take care of VAT as an extra option). If you proceed with Cartamundi for next projects, it will be worthwhile to check the fulfillment options for UK, EU backers with the following:

http://www.happyshops.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Germany based - Ask for Annika Reinhold)

http://www.sendwich-logistics.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Germany based - Ask for Maxi Ebert )

http://www.yesfulfillment.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (UK based- Ask for Jason Williams)

Happyshops also claim that because they run German based Boardgame crowdfunding fullservice (http://www.Spieleschmiede.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) that can often add significant numbers of backers to your campaigns if you work with them for German localisation.

I believe you & anyone else working with Cartamundi, Belgium or other similar providers need to check fulfillment options with these folks.

[vasta41]

but generally speaking, anything not printed by USPCC IMO is sub-par and thus should cost less.

USPCC is one of the cheapest option available for an average deck (without foiling etc) If you print 2500 and more. Even for 1000 decks prices are almost the same everywhere, even in China.

I am no playing card deck creator but I wonder if we can get some proof? Because I question the validity of that statement.

[Stockholm17]

but generally speaking, anything not printed by USPCC IMO is sub-par and thus should cost less.

USPCC is one of the cheapest option available for an average deck (without foiling etc) If you print 2500 and more. Even for 1000 decks prices are almost the same everywhere, even in China.

I am no playing card deck creator but I wonder if we can get some proof? Because I question the validity of that statement.

I´d say it is true.
USPCC is relatively cheap if you print "standard". Standard means no features what-so-ever. Their paper, their standard tuckbox, no fancy things, no embossing, no foil, no extra colors, no custom seal, just a plain deck.
A deck as Fontaine or Virts costs probably around $2.5/pc for 2500 units, down to $2/pc (or less) for 5000 or more.

If you start to add: embossing, foil, special tuckbox paper, the prices rises dramatically up to $7/pc, depending what you want and how many units