Would professional printers charge (significantly) more to print cards that had unique backs as well as unique fronts? For example, say you wanted to print the mana cost of every Magic card on the back of the card as well as the front.
Yogurt
Are unique cardbacks more expensive?
Sat, 11/05/2005 - 14:16
Sun, 11/06/2005 - 01:17
#1
Are unique cardbacks more expensive?
From the few card-specific companies (e.g. Playing Cards of India) that I've looked at, it didn't seem that there'd be a cost. I remember one mentioning that you could have unique backs for each card. Someone who's actually used them should probably comment though.
If you were having pseudo-cards made (print a cardstock sheet & cut), I don't see that it'd matter at all.
Mon, 11/07/2005 - 12:35
#3
Are unique cardbacks more expensive?
Thanks for the great information!
I wouldn't be involved in the nitty-gritty of production myself, but the potential publisher for this game asked the designers to keep costs reasonable.
I decided to use normal cards for this game after all for gameplay reasons, but I do like the idea of having cardbacks that hint about what could be on the other side, so I may return to this double-sided card concept again. It could be an easy way to have "upgradable" cards too.
Thanks again,
Yogurt
Tue, 11/08/2005 - 13:23
#4
Are unique cardbacks more expensive?
It generally DOES cost extra for different backs for each card unless all your cards fit on a single press sheet.
Every new press sheet (unless you are doing entirely digital printing) generally means setting up a new plate. If you are doing a CCG, or something with a lot of press sheets and different rarities, having different backs for all your cards will mean lots of different plates for fronts and backs. You could easily double your printing costs by having distinct backs for every cards.
Consider this, for example. If you have only one standard back and 10 press sheets of unique fronts, only 11 plates have to be prepared. If each of your press sheets have a unique back, then that's 20 plates that need to be prepared.
If all your cards fit on a single press sheet, then it shouldn't matter an iota (regarding cost) as to whether each card has a unique back or a duplicate back.
So, you need to investigate press sheet size, whether the printer is using plates or doing everything totally digital, etc. Don't listen to people who tell you it won't cost you extra until you have information on all these factors, because you could be in for a nasty surprise otherwise. Press sheets vary from around 54 cards up to 110 cards per sheet, often depending on the printer's paper stock.
Tue, 11/08/2005 - 17:40
#5
Are unique cardbacks more expensive?
Thanks for the clarification, Lee. I've decided not to use unique cardbacks in this game, but that's good to know for the future.
It sounds like a totally digital printing outfit would be the best option for a double-sided card game, but calling a printer directly would be a safe move before getting too deep into the design.
Yogurt
I have seen this on many card printers' web sites as well. Printers use software to layout the press runs for both the fronts and backs of the cards (called imposition), so as long as your files are clearly and correctly labeled, it's no extra work to have a different back for each card if you like.
Where you need to be careful is the use of full bleed backs (or fronts for that matter). If you don't use full bleed on your cards (where the artwork on the face or back extends to the edge of the card, and off the artwork as a "bleed"), then it's no issue using any artwork your want for your cards. If they do, then there will need to be room between cards of non-common artwork so that the artwork has room to bleed.
That will cost more money for different backs since the printer will fit fewer cards per press sheeet. The more different backs you use, the more gaps on the press run and the fewer cards per sheet. Remember that the major cost of any job is the cost of plating (seting the artwork in a metal plate for the press) and seting up the run. The more set up required, the more the job will cost. A job that fits on one press run (one set of plates and set up/take down time) will cost quite a bit less than a run of the same size that requires a second press run.