Steampunk Deck

[DannyT]

When I first looked at the sealed box, I was really impressed.
It looks like a real copper box. It even shines like it.
The indents of the lettering is awesome and it gives the box a cool feel to it.

When I opened the box, I was expecting the cards to have that same metallic copper looking print in the back design. I was disappointed. It was on the same level of disappointment when I bought the monarch deck. The box looked awesome, but the cards not so much. I feel like they're missing the special ingredient. Metallic ink to make the cards shine a little.
I feel that this is the second time that T11 produced a deck where the box looks cooler than the actual deck.
I care more about the card design than the casing. Don't get me wrong, the design is fine. I would even say it looks great! But why have a name like Steampunk and have gears and wires in the design without having a metallic print in it to make it shine a little like the box. I feel as if the box should be a preview to what's inside. I didn't get that full effect with the cards.

I know that this isn't the review Theory11 was looking for, but I don't want to pump rainbows and flowers into something I don't care for, otherwise we'd get the same product every time in different packaging. There would be no room for improvement. So this is why I wrote this review. To ask Theory11 to make a card box with metallic ink that matches the cards. Not saying that the whole back side of the cards needs to be all copper looking like the box as in Steampunk. But a skinny/medium sized design to really make the backs and court cards pop.
That's all.

Other than that, the quality of the cards is great. I think T11 knows what they're doing by now with quality of the cards so there's no worry there. They handle beautifully. They're a little slippery, but that's natural with new cards.
Fans and spreads are great, and once broken in will only get better.

The backs make the deck look more classy actually than what I think they were going for. Not a bad thing at all. I can see myself using these at weddings and in restaurants.
I'm not going to rate this deck on a scale from 1-10 because I feel that that's pointless. You've read my review, so I believe you can rate it for yourself.
Whether you decide to buy it or not is up to you.

 

[James Wise Magic]

I agree 110%. When I saw the unopened box it nearly took my breath away, it was beautiful and then when I opened the box and pull the cards out, I felt a slight disappointment. Don't get me wrong, I think these cards are amazing BUT just not as much as the box makes you expect. I agree with DannyT, if the cards had a metallic ink to it to make it shine more, it would have made it much more beautiful and elegant.

I'll get it a rating lol:

Overall Box: 12/10 =P
Overall cards and handling: 6.5/10

 

[j.bayme]

Hey Danny! Thanks for the review and great feedback. Regarding the back design - I think it's fair to say that Steampunk pushes the envelope further than anything before in terms of realism and intricacy and depth on a playing card. This picture says it all - it looks like you can TOUCH those gears! While the box has some cool accents like the bronze paper and debossing, those things aren't physically possible on a playing card while maintaining the feel and finish we all expect. Sure, we could do it - but the deck would feel like sandpaper and fan like wood chips mixed with concrete.

So in the design process, we aim to push both formats to the max: a box with some incredible features and innovative printing techniques, and a card design that does much the same. It's impossible to print metallic foil on a playing card, though - as the linen finish and coatings would eat away the foil. If it was possible, we would have done it last year.

To give a bit of insight, we always start each design with the card back - not the box and not the Ace or Joker. The back is the most important thing to us - it's what actually sits in your hands, and it's what spectators will see the most. From there, we progress to the Ace of Spades, then the Joker, and then - finally - the box. For boxes, we take the existing back design art and try to figure out the most creative, innovative means to represent it. In the case of Steampunk (or DeckONE), that meant making the box look as real as possible, like a true hunk of metal.

The Steampunk bronze paper was milled from scratch specifically for this project. It didn't exist. When we first made it, we got very excited! We did something that had never been done before! Victory! Not so fast... we quickly found out that the ink wasn't sticking to the bronze paper we created.

So we had made a LOT of paper, and had no ability to print anything on it without it rubbing off. When all hope was lost - we kept going. We found an obscure company that made a special varnish coating, and we ordered six very expensive gallons of it. We tried applying that coating - and viola! - it worked! And it made the ink stick. It was a great challenge, but I could not be happier and more content with the result.

 

[hduarte1]

Sooooo one question remains.... when is the Gold deck coming out? We got the Silver deck (Deckone), We got the Bronze (Steampunk), so we just need the Gold bar :-D Awesomeness!!!!

 

[WyattSB]

It's impossible to print metallic foil on a playing card, though - as the linen finish and coatings would eat away the foil. If it was possible, we would have done it last year.

If thats true, then why are there three different decks in your store that feature metallic ink on the actual cards?

 

[DannyT]

Hey Danny! Thanks for the review and great feedback. Regarding the back design - I think it's fair to say that Steampunk pushes the envelope further than anything before in terms of realism and intricacy and depth on a playing card. This picture says it all - it looks like you can TOUCH those gears! While the box has some cool accents like the bronze paper and debossing, those things aren't physically possible on a playing card while maintaining the feel and finish we all expect. Sure, we could do it - but the deck would feel like sandpaper and fan like wood chips mixed with concrete.

So in the design process, we aim to push both formats to the max: a box with some incredible features and innovative printing techniques, and a card design that does much the same. It's impossible to print metallic foil on a playing card, though - as the linen finish and coatings would eat away the foil. If it was possible, we would have done it last year.

To give a bit of insight, we always start each design with the card back - not the box and not the Ace or Joker. The back is the most important thing to us - it's what actually sits in your hands, and it's what spectators will see the most. From there, we progress to the Ace of Spades, then the Joker, and then - finally - the box. For boxes, we take the existing back design art and try to figure out the most creative, innovative means to represent it. In the case of Steampunk (or DeckONE), that meant making the box look as real as possible, like a true hunk of metal.

The Steampunk bronze paper was milled from scratch specifically for this project. It didn't exist. When we first made it, we got very excited! We did something that had never been done before! Victory! Not so fast... we quickly found out that the ink wasn't sticking to the bronze paper we created.

So we had made a LOT of paper, and had no ability to print anything on it without it rubbing off. When all hope was lost - we kept going. We found an obscure company that made a special varnish coating, and we ordered six very expensive gallons of it. We tried applying that coating - and viola! - it worked! And it made the ink stick. It was a great challenge, but I could not be happier and more content with the result.

Jonathan Bayme,

Thank you for taking the time out to read and reply to this thread.
The back design looks 3 dimensional, I don't have any beef with that. I like that.
Another thing, I don't have any doubt you and your team went through hardships to make a deck like this. The process sounds exhausting, especially going through trial and error.

You said that it's impossible to have metallic foil on a playing card. I'm not sure if there's a difference between metallic foil and metallic ink since I have never designed a deck before first hand.
I feel like the back design is missing that same ink that was printed on the infinity deck, or Dan and Dave's SnM v4 on the court cards. That shiny look to make it feel like you have a deck with bits of copper in the printing.
It just seems fitting for a deck like this, and that's what I thought I was getting.





The cards look good, just not what I was expecting.

 

[Lyle Borders]

If thats true, then why are there three different decks in your store that feature metallic ink on the actual cards?

Metallic ink is very different than the metallic foil in question. We can do some metallic ink on the cards. It is limited, but it works. We cannot, with current restrictions, use metallic foil on the cards without throwing the handling right into the trash.

Hope that clears things up a tiny bit.

L

 

[BlackPhoenix]

I had a few ebay bucks accumulated and saw a pack of Steam Punk cards for auction so I bought them. Turns out they're fakes.

Colors are pale. Box is flimsy and so are cards.

I'll be buying my cards here next time. I own a Deck One and could spot the difference in printing and handling immediately.

 

[WyattSB]

Yeah don't worry, completely missed that. Thanks.

 

[BlackPhoenix]

Wow

I bought some off ebay and the printing quality is horrible. The colors look faded (nothing like the pics). The box is flimsy and looks different than the pic.

I must of gotten the "special" batch.

 

[BlackPhoenix]

I bought some off ebay and the printing quality is horrible. The colors look faded (nothing like the pics). The box is flimsy and looks different than the pic.

I must of gotten the "special" batch.

The double-sided card is well printed on one side and then it's faded on the other (like the rest of the deck).

My DECK ONE is amazing though!

 

[j.bayme]

I had a few ebay bucks accumulated and saw a pack of Steam Punk cards for auction so I bought them. Turns out they're fakes.

Colors are pale. Box is flimsy and so are cards.

I'll be buying my cards here next time. I own a Deck One and could spot the difference in printing and handling immediately.

Hey Black Phoenix, this is very concerning to us - thank you for reporting it! Definitely sounds like a fake knock-off. Can you contact us via our support section (www.theory11.com/support) and send along as much detail as possible? In the least, we'd need to know the name of the eBay seller you purchased from, when you ordered them, and any pictures you can provide. Rest assured that our team will look into it immediately and ensure this is promptly pursued.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

While I think the design is pretty interesting, I think it falls short. A few gears and some bronze don't make something steam punk.

 

[j.bayme]

While I think the design is pretty interesting, I think it falls short. A few gears and some bronze don't make something steam punk.

To each his own, of course. That said, this deck was designed by one of the most renowned Steampunk designers - Alex Beltechi in Romania - and those "few gears" are made up of 12 million 3D polygons, designed over the course of several months. While everyone is of course entitled to their own personal style and tastes, the deck is absolutely, unmistakably inspired by Steampunk.

 

[William Draven]

While I think the design is pretty interesting, I think it falls short. A few gears and some bronze don't make something steam punk.

Are you kidding? Bronze, gears, and leather are like the three major qualifications for steam punk's visual appeal! This deck accomplishes the look and feel of that genre quite well.

 

[William Draven]

...Those "few gears" are made up of 12 million 3D polygons, designed over the course of several months. While everyone is of course entitled to their own personal style and tastes, the deck is absolutely, unmistakably inspired by Steampunk.

Over achievers. =P

 

[Yousaf Ejaz]

To each his own, of course. That said, this deck was designed by one of the most renowned Steampunk designers - Alex Beltechi in Romania - and those "few gears" are made up of 12 million 3D polygons, designed over the course of several months. While everyone is of course entitled to their own personal style and tastes, the deck is absolutely, unmistakably inspired by Steampunk.

J.B,
What if we, via the public had an idea for a deck? would the team take a look at it? or would you just not look

 

[JD]

J.B,
What if we, via the public had an idea for a deck? would the team take a look at it? or would you just not look

Did you ever see the Seasons deck?! That thing was a work of art. I'm sure T11 saw it. If there was a deck that deserved a larger company picking it up, it was that one. Did that happen? No. Sorry to sound harsh, but it's just my opinion.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Definitely inspired by steam punk. But that also doesn't mean it is steam punk. I don't care how many polygons it has, or who designed it, if the design misses the mark, it misses the mark.

Bronze, gears and leather are basic design elements, but this has way too much white space. Victorian aesthetics are the real key. All that white space is far more modern than Victorians would go for. Fill the white space with filigree, or scroll work, or even just darkly stained hard wood and I'll agree with you that it's steam punk. For now, it reminds me of the people that glue gears to a top hat and think they're hard core steam punks.

Obviously I'm the minority here and I guess that's fine. But as someone that's been hoping for a steam punk deck of cards for some time, this is a disappointment.

 

[William Draven]

No no... You have a point with the filigree or stained wood thing. Of course I wonder if there is only so much that can be done to a deck? Perhaps we should split the difference and agree upon this product as being commercial steam punk?