JCarter426

Yes, I'm one of the backers. You're welcome.

The ±1/2 would be tricky too. That's one card with four values. Not sure how you'd do that. Maybe each corner? Or the edges? Might look weird, though. I don't think I've ever used that card in the game, so I couldn't even tell you how it's handled in the game. EDIT: I cheated it in and checked it out. There is another button to change the value between 1 and 2, just like with the ± button. That's what I figured, but I'd never seen it personally. I quite like the 2&4 and 3&6 cards, so I'd like to figure out how to utilize them, but it's a tricky issue. If you were to use side deck cards to swap out the values for these, you would need extra 2, 3, 4, and 6 cards to counter the other cards. Now, there are only up to 8 side deck cards being used at any time, so it's conceivable that you could just use extras, but it's highly probable that you would run out eventually. To ensure this would never happen, you'd need extra cards. I did some math. It adds up to four of each - card, plus double amount the + cards that are being used as side deck cards. (They do NOT turn - cards into + cards. I always assumed they did, but I tested it, and they don't.) So, for your layout above, and assuming you don't have to account for the ± cards, that would be 7 of each - card, 28 extra cards total. You would need more than half a deck just for cards that wouldn't even be in play most of the time. Not very efficient. But there are other options. You could put tokens on the cards to mark which ones have had their values reversed - change, or bits of paper, poker chips, etc. You could also flip the cards sideways. It's interesting how a simple concept like this is difficult to execute without a computer. On the other hand, I can think of other potential card designs that would be more difficult on the computer because they'd require player input, which would mean altering the GUI. Cards don't have a GUI. Right, that would take care of all the issues... I have no idea how to go about it, though. Oh, I like that design. Looking forward to more.

Looks good. A bit reminiscent of Uno cards... which I used for my original pazaak deck, in fact. Obviously with my design I tried to recreate the game's look, but I can see how a more stylized design could be beneficial. In particular, having the rules written on the cards is more friendly to new players. However, I have to wonder, since your design is a departure from the game design, why you didn't change a few other things. For example, I would design the +/- cards so they players could flip them around, with the change in value being clear. Something like standard playing cards, which have the values on mirrored on the corners. The 2&4 and 3&6 cards would still present problems, though, as there would be no way of doing this for the regular + and - cards. Perhaps some system of tokens would be easier. I like your layout for the side deck, too. It's a bit different from the one I planned. I don't remember exactly what my plan was, but I believe I was splitting the side deck cards between two decks; one deck would include the main deck and 14 side deck cards, with the other deck containing only side deck cards. That would be 68 side deck cards total - probably more than you'd need, and a bit of a convoluted way to order them. I like that your layout has a deck with all the side cards; as you said, you don't have to order a main deck to save money, and it also might alleviate the problems I mentioned above if you ordered a main deck with extra + and - cards.

The font I used is Old Republic by Trollax Kinora. It's a recreation of the game's, and available for free on a number of sites. Although the original game font is essentially Bank Gothic with a few letters changed. That also makes it a poor man's Bank Gothic... and I mean that in a good way, because I'm poor. I agree about the numbers, though. Old Republic's 5 is actually a bit different from the game's. If I were to do it again, I'd draw the text by hand rather than use a font, so as to match the game's more precisely. Regarding the other matter... I get messages regarding my pazaak cards from time to time, so I went back and checked to see if there were any from this person. In fact, I did find a request from nikon20 for the my templates, for the purpose of altering the +/- cards. At the time I said I couldn't find them, so I didn't provide them, nor did I give my blessing for any alterations. I probably would have, had I been able to find the templates, and were to be credited for them. I don't really care that much, but as a graphic designer I'm professionally obligated to show the pretense of objection. Anyway, that's all I'll say on the matter. I have in fact since found my templates: I also found more cards. It appears that my past self went through with the alterations for the +/- cards, as well as a few others. Given that this set has variations of some cards, I believe I never intended these for print. At the time I had plans to produce a digital pazaak game in collaboration with a programmer, so they were probably for that. I could never figure out how to properly show the +/- cards properly in print, which is why I went with the much maligned purple. I suppose you could print these out and allow the player to swap the physical cards when they desire, but that would mean printing more cards. It also occurs to me that this flaw is already present in my original set! Those bloody 2&4 and 3&6 cards would do the same thing. But I remember there might be space left over for these extra cards, because all the +/- cards and the gold cards don't take up a full deck. I'd have to do some math to figure out the most efficient set. This won't be an issue in the future (or the futuristic past) when digital paper is available. However, these hurt my eyes. And I've got the game open now, after talking to Atton, and I can see some obvious errors in my original designs. I really do have to redo these from scratch. But I'm too busy at the moment. I said I was too busy four years ago, too, but I really am too busy now. (I'm not supposed to say what it is, but it's pretty big.) You've given me some incentive to not let it slip for four years again, though. Also, I'll post my comments regarding your designs in the individual thread.

I don't know who this "nikon20" is, but those look an awful lot like mine.