Author Topic: Item Cards  (Read 2523 times)

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Offline egdcltd

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Item Cards
« on: February 11, 2016, 10:41:53 AM »
So, I've been looking around the Paizo website at everything they sell. They certainly haven't limited themselves to supplements, but have branched out into accessories. Got to admire them for that. One of the things I like the look of is the item cards. Now, these may be collectible (I admit, I'm not actually sure) but I wondered if there would be a market for something similar from DriveThruCards. The item cards have a pretty picture of the item on one side, and details of it on the other, as well as a place for writing notes on (that might not be popular with PoD cards, which couldn't be erased).

Anyway, I thought sets of cards that pair up with published SW supplements might be quite cool (although artwork would need doing). Each card would have one of the special items from the supplement on it, for example, the Aed Urduukanga from Xa-ar. Would something like that be of interest to people? Here's an example: http://paizo.com/products/btpy7pox?GameMastery-Item-Cards-Relics-of-War
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Offline bpowell

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2016, 12:05:04 PM »
I see that.  While I have never seen these used it harkens back to the days of RPGA gaming and the "Certs" that were handed out for items gained in game.  I admit that I use them in game for non-one shot consumables (i.e., Wands).  This give me and the players something to use to track charge use.

The issue I have with producing these for Rm is the one of artword.  The artists will want to be paid.  Of course, if they are generic (i.e., Broadsword, Chain shirt, spear) a picture off the internet could be used.

If the cards were coated a dry erase marker could be used for the notes.

-BP

Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2016, 12:10:49 PM »
I'm not sure if PoD cards are coated. I'm pretty sure that the Paizo ones are, though.

Yes, artwork is definitely a problem. If there is a market for the cards (I would personally love to get a card that represents a new item I've just found), then cost becomes less of a problem. The odd item does have existing artwork (such as the Flute Key in Green Gryphon), but that's more the exception than the rule.

I've attached a really rough idea of a card's front using the Flute Key artwork (so it might not be approved), but it's nowhere near as polished as the Paizo product. I don't have a large selection of suitable stock art or fonts, nor can I get what's in my head onto the page very easily.
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Offline bpowell

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2016, 12:52:18 PM »
Well if they are not coated then the notes might be an issue.  But how I might use the cared is to make a stack of item they find in a treasure and then just sit back and watch.  I know which ones are special and which are not, so it would force the players to Role Play that discovery.

As to artwork, I was deeply involved with the Middle Earth Rolyplaying game that came out during the release of the LoTR movies.  It was created and produced by a different company, so they will remain nameless.   ;)  But their model was to use screenshots from the films as their artwork.  The also had a CCG and used shots there as well.  So what I was thinking we could do a Internet search for the mundane stuff (swords, spears, bows, arrow, pots, pans, etc) and use those pictures.  I am sure there is a plethora of non-copyrighted material we could use.  In some packs there could be a "rare" card with the specific item you mentioned (the Flute-key) or the Cup of Baba Ganoush the Smooth (grants a +10 add on any influence roll involving a member of the Opposite Gender).  These we might have to contract an artist to do the art.

-BP

Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2016, 01:13:08 PM »
Okay, the PoD cards are UV coated. Not really sure what UV coated means though.

Image material, there's a ton of stuff on RPGNow that can be used, and modified, but you do have to pay for it. With PoD cards, the contents of a pack are pre-determined; if you want random packs, you're going to have to get them printed in advance, and that's not going to work currently.
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Offline jdale

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2016, 01:29:45 PM »
I think random packs are more annoying than anything else. If I was going to adopt something like this for my game, it would annoy me to be missing some items, and even more to have to order large numbers of packs and just hope to get the missing card I need. I would rather be able to order a pack that contains the one I want for sure, even if it means buying large packs at once.

I haven't ordered cards from DriveThruRPG, but I have ordered them from Gamecrafter, and the production price is cheap (and the quality was good). It's the graphic design and art that is going to cost. For myself, I would do 3D renders and maybe put them through some kind of art filter to get a consistent look. I've already got a collection of weapon renders in fact, illustrating my own campaign. :)
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Offline tbigness

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2016, 01:49:19 PM »
I would have Item cards come in sets. The sets can be types of items from Mundane swords, armor, rope to Wands, Staves, Belts, Cloaks ect...

- Adventure Gear
- Caster Aids
- Warrior Aids
- Special Items
- Herbs and Poisons

This way you are getting items of value that you want that are a great help with game play and have the statistics on the cards. Then Boosters from there can put in random cards from each list as upper level items to artifacts...

Just Brain Storming....
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Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2016, 01:54:47 PM »
Going by what Paizo have done, I would look at having different types of packs. The first type is the more everyday items. The second type would be items that are specifically tied into a supplement, matching up with new items mentioned in it. Of course, the latter example may have insufficient items to be really worth it. Or maybe not; I have seen individual cards for sale.
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Offline bpowell

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #8 on: February 11, 2016, 02:07:58 PM »
Sitting back and thinking on this for a minutes.  First, I have never seen these cards in use.  That being said I was thinking of a magic the Gathering approach in the packaging.  There are some mundane items in every adventure (tent, backpack, coin purse, dead body (yes we have used them), pots and pans)  then there are adventuring items (short sword, dagger, Long bow, gloves).  Then there are items specific to an adventure (the Goblet of Baba Ganoush the Smooth or the Gryphon Inn Flute Key).

What might need to be done is 4-5 items from the adventure be created.  Then the pack is a small amount of non-adventureing gear, a smaller amount of adventuring gear and one adventure specific thing.   Just have to come up with a large amount of the first tiems and a good amount of the second.

Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2016, 04:44:31 PM »
There would seem to be two main types of items. General Rolemaster items and Shadow World specific ones. Whilst a purchaser of SW specific cards may well want the general items too, the reverse is not necessarily true.
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Offline bpowell

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2016, 05:12:45 PM »
Depends.  If the item is so SW-centric (is that a word?) that it is unusable else where then perhaps it should not have been a card.  Even the flute key could be massaged to work in most settings.

-BP
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Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2016, 03:24:43 AM »
I'm largely just interpreting from what Paizo are doing (and assuming it's working; it may not be). They have general card packs, and specific ones that match up with Adventure Paths. Sure, the items in the latter could be used in other settings, but they are specifically referenced, and probably introduced, in certain supplements.
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Offline Ironmaul

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2016, 05:14:05 AM »
…So what I was thinking we could do a Internet search for the mundane stuff (swords, spears, bows, arrow, pots, pans, etc) and use those pictures.  I am sure there is a plethora of non-copyrighted material we could use.  In some packs there could be a "rare" card with the specific item you mentioned (the Flute-key) or the Cup of Baba Ganoush the Smooth (grants a +10 add on any influence roll involving a member of the Opposite Gender).  These we might have to contract an artist to do the art.

-BP

In design you want your product to be consistent in appearance. Having stock art on some cards and commissioned work on other cards will look unprofessional.
If you go commissioned art then you could have several artists with different styles as long as you card containing the art(i.e. borders, text fields and icons etc.) is consistent with your design, then you should have no problems. Just look at the early cards of MtG with the various art styles. Other elements to consider with artwork is packaging such as tuck boxes or booster packs.

Just my opinion, having a rarity element in your product is counter productive to what your aim is, if I'm reading your concept right.

Offline Vurkanan

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2016, 12:04:21 PM »
The idea sounds good to me. I'd be interested in item cards as playing aids/handouts. If a character acquires a special magic item, he gets the card.
Whenever there are special items mentioned in a book, it would be nice if these items would be included as cards, or made available as extra purchase.
For me to buy a pack of item cards, I would want to know exactly what I am buying. I won't buy randomized packs. Also , I am not interested in cards that show mundane items.

Offline egdcltd

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2016, 12:12:33 PM »
Whenever there are special items mentioned in a book, it would be nice if these items would be included as cards, or made available as extra purchase.

That was what I was thinking of, such as specific cards for all the items mentioned in Xa-ar.
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Offline craggles

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Re: Item Cards
« Reply #15 on: February 29, 2016, 01:19:46 PM »
I used to do this for my games - it was so much easier to hand the slip of paper to the player detailing the item (once he'd successfully identified it) instead of dictating it to the player and taking up everyone's time. I had drawn pictures of the items for them which was especially useful as we were using the Combat Companion which outlined the Armour by the Piece so the player built up their appearance based on the drawings.

I have no local games currently so I play online instead so wouldn't need printed cards (although, the hoarder that I am, I'd probably want to collect them all anyway). :P
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