Skip to Content
 

Professional Looking Cards

13 replies [Last post]
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 14:22
TrollBasher
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969

Hi all, long time reader of the forum, first time poster.

I've created a card game that I am in the process of playtesting. If the game plays well I would like to produce some profesional looking cards for the game i.e. Magic quality.

I'm currently printing the cards out on Premium Glossy paper and cutting them all out, but there too thin and do't have that card game feel. Is there anywhere that I can purchase cards or A4 card that will allow me to print Prof. looking cards.

All help greatly accepted and appreciated. Thanks to all for taking the time to answer.

Troll Basher.

P.S. Great forum you have here.

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 15:07
#1
Anonymous
Professional Looking Cards

I've seen the poker card sheets here at the protoparts site, but haven't checked them out to see if they work well.

Are you looking for pro quality cards for your own version and amusement, or for prototyping? If for prototyping, you really don't need to go to those lengths. What I've found works particularly well are pre-perforated business cards run through a laser printer, then separated and placed inside Yu-Gi-Oh sleeve card protectors (slimmer than MTG protectors, so less extra hangover). These also make the cards much, much easier to shuffle -- which for a prototype, is just as important as the visual appeal, in my opinion!

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 15:11
#2
btaggart
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

The cards at the Protoparts store are EXCELLENT. The best perforated cards I've come by yet. They are the right weight, and opaque, and take fairly well to ink jet printing, as long as your printer track is fairly flat.

Obviously the only way to get professional-looking cards is to have them professionally done, but if you just want the weight/feel right, go with the protoparts cards.

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 15:17
#3
Anonymous
Professional Looking Cards

btaggart -- can you actually shuffle the cards that protoparts is offering?

The biggest problem I've had with any perforated card stock is with shuffling -- all the little ridges and imperfections along the perforation line causes all sorts of problems when trying to bridge n' shuffle a deck of printed cards.

If they print well *and* shuffle well, I may need to pony up and just start using those after all!

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 15:28
#4
btaggart
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Shuffling

That's a good question. I've only done printer tests with them. I got a free sample for testing purposes, so I don't have quite enough for a full deck. I intend to buy more in the near future, and I will certainly comment on that aspect when I do.

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 16:05
#5
FastLearner
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

Wait, some clarification is in order:

The ones that btaggart is talking about are a beta trial, they're NOT the cards that are currently for sale on Protoparts. The ones currently for sale are on cardstock, and while very nice, are not professional quality.

The beta ones are on actual card stock -- that is, true stock for playing cards, with a black core and everything. They certainly shuffle perfectly and, but for a tiny amount of perforation "fuzziness," are indeed perfect cards.

These latter cards, though, require a straight-through paper path on your printer. Tests are currently underway for how straight the path needs to be, what printers it works with, etc. Unfortunately they don't work well on my HP Color LaserJet 4500 -- the path just isn't straight enough, even the manual feed fairly-straight path (there's one bend that blows it).

More info in the future, I'm sure, about the playing card stock cards.

For true shuffling and playability, I (as mentioned about a jillion times on the site by me, so I'm making a wiki page for it) print on cardstock (from the office supply store) and cold laminate using a Xyron laminator. The cards are perfect -- they shuffle perfectly and last forever. But they're much shinier and more plastic-y than professionally printed cards.

-- Matthew

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 16:12
#6
btaggart
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

Well, I'm glad to find out that they aren't available yet. I won't buy them yet.

I had no problems with my Epson and its (fairly standard) 45-or-so degree turn in the path.

Any idea when these will be available?

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 16:14
#7
Rick-Holzgrafe
Rick-Holzgrafe's picture
Offline
Joined: 07/22/2008
Professional Looking Cards

btaggart wrote:
The cards at the Protoparts store are EXCELLENT. The best perforated cards I've come by yet. They are the right weight, and opaque, and take fairly well to ink jet printing, as long as your printer track is fairly flat.

As someone else mentioned, these are not the ones currently offered at the Protoparts store. I also got a sample for testing, but unlike btaggart I found that they didn't do well with my inkjet. Text wasn't as crisp as it should be, and multi-color graphics tended to bleed. They'd probably be great with a laser printer, but mine (alas!) doesn't have a straight path.

If I could print on them, I would love to use this material. But for now I'll have to stick with the regular card stock that Protoparts has been offering. It's fine for prototyping. Card sleeves help with durability and shuffling.

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 16:32
#8
Anonymous
Professional Looking Cards

FastLearner wrote:
For true shuffling and playability, I (as mentioned about a jillion times on the site by me, so I'm making a wiki page for it) print on cardstock (from the office supply store) ...

Hmm... So, FastLearner... What would you recommend? Any preferences? : )

I haven't run into the jillion other references yet, so maybe you're trying to be sneaky with us newbs! ; )

Top
Fri, 07/08/2005 - 17:19
#9
FastLearner
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I first printing n regular cardstock from the office supply store, or on the great pre-perfed cards on http://protoparts.bgdf.com

Put them in card sleeves, as designed for CCGs.

AFter you get closer to a finished card (that is, you expect the bulk of the cards to make it through a few playtests), print on cardstock and then use a Xyron cold laminator (from craft supply stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby), and then cut them apart. Perfect shuffling, very long lasting.

-- Matthew

Top
Sat, 07/09/2005 - 04:32
#10
TrollBasher
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

Thanks for all the great ideas. I'll certainly try them all and see what works best for me.

It just bugs me that I can't get the cards to look as good as the games that are already out there - guess I'll have to learn to compromise.

Thanks again.

Top
Tue, 07/12/2005 - 22:23
#11
TargetBoy
Offline
Joined: 08/13/2008
Professional Looking Cards

Avery makes perforated ID tags that are about the right size for playing cards. They come 8 to a sheet (instead of 10 like business cards) and cost $15-$20 for 20 sheets or so. I think they work OK in laser printers.

They are just cardstock, probably 60# or 65#, but they work OK for prototyping. You should be able to find them at most big office supply stores.

Top
Wed, 07/13/2005 - 13:18
#12
TrollBasher
Offline
Joined: 12/31/1969
Professional Looking Cards

I've decided to go with Premium glossy card. I printed the fronts and the backs of the cards and then put them in those CCG sleeves that were spoken about.

This seems to work really well. Just thought I'd let you all know in case you try something similar.

Until next time.

Top
Wed, 07/13/2005 - 13:44
#13
Anonymous
Professional Looking Cards

Groovy... I think for the time, effort and expense, printing out the best looking card you can on solid stock, and using sleeves (either clear or with colored backs for games requiring multiple decks) is the best balance and a viable solution for prototyping.

Top
Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut