My first contest as well! (in Contests)

Haha, just goin with the flow.

Here's the quest, and I don't think its much of an easy one.

Here's what I want to do. I want to make custom cards for CB players. I want to make quality customized playing cards (generic back, individual fronts). I will gather a list of people who want a custom card with their character on it, design them, get them printed, then mail them through an envelope to each player.

But I need a card printer! And not an expensive one that requires me to buy in bulk. I should be able to buy a small quantity of customized cards for a reasonable price.

So, this contest is NOT just finding a card printer that meets the specified rules below, but provides the possibility of making the cards. I must be able to use it. To win this contest, you must find a printer that I like... so yes, this contest is based mainly on my opinion. I'll be as reasonable as I can and will be honest if I find one suitable for my needs, but if you don't trust me, this contest isn't for you.

I really want to be able to do this! Help me find a printer!

Oh, the prize? 1mil, may rise.

Outline of specific rules.... or guidelines, if you will.

1. Find me an online card printer (such as one that prints CCG's, or collectable card games).
2. The printer must allow its clients to buy cards NOT in bulk. This means, if I want to order cards, I should be able to order only 52 cards or less (or something like that).
3. I must be able to customize the back of a card (one design for all cards ordered), and I must be able to customize each front (or face) of the cards individually. Must be full color for front, better if colored for back.
4. If calculated, the cost of each individual card must be no greater than about $0.75 USD.

PS: one card printer I'm looking into is in the following link, but I'm still looking through it... it may not be usable: http://www.customizedplayingcards.com/wst_page8.html

Oh, and I did look through a great deal of this, but I didn't touch each and every link. If you find something from here that works, feel free to submit it.

Link

Come on guys. Prized bumped to 1.25mil =D

http://www.card-press.com/

It seems Carbonize may win. I had previously seen this link, but overlooked it. Apparently they can do just one deck! Or any number of cards.

If this suits my needs, Carbonize is the winner.

Fret not! If you can find better pricing and whatnot, enter it!

Carbonize's reference has a rather hefty startup fee. I'm emailing them on the costs and such.

http://www.doctorfinns.com/

looks like they do playing cards (like poker) mostly, but they do imply that they can customise the playing side, so I see no reason they couldn't do a completely customer image. No setup costs in big letters on the site...maybe it's something. (and it'd be the one time I used a paid add link to some effect)

They also mention doing "prototypes" for new card games, sounds interesting.

@novice: I've seen this before... emailing them to see if they can do what is needed for a reasonable price. Good luck to both of us =D

sounds like a really cool idea pixel

Thanks, DDIV.

Anyways, I received something from NightStrike. We'll talk it out and see where it goes!

Sorry Carbonize, but your entry is not valid. I received this email back from Card-Press:
----------
If you want to do just 20-30 cards then it would like only 1 deck

Pricing on that would be $20.95; since you will be customizing your artwork for the face side with different artwork on each card, will have a setup charge of $295.00
----------

Gee, they don't even have proper grammer. At least don't they like this type. Anywho, I don't think paying around $10 per card is worth it, haha.

So far, though novice's entry doesn't quite meet the requirements, his entry is the closest and MAY be considered. I received an email back from doctorfinns:

So, basically, if you want one deck of 30 cards with 30 unique cards, it will be $38 plus $6 shipping.

Does this count? http://www.wopc.co.uk/otc/production.html

Are you talking about playing cards, or full-on custom cards with nothing to do with playing card games type cards?

Here is one that might work for you: http://www.card-press.com/Custom_card_games.htm

Verifex, I don't want to hand-make my cards. I want a professional printer who can make the cards for me, with me providing the graphics necessary. As for the other link you submitted, Carbonize already submitted it, but it was invalid due to a hefty $275 startup cost. Bah, I say! Bah!

Whoops, carbonize already posted that one. hahaha, the world of custom card game printing is very small apparently. Here is something slightly useful: http://www.tmcards.com/custom_game_cards.php

And something else slightly useful: http://www.egg2u.com/

Another slightly useful link: http://www.feelies.org/prices.php

Here's an update on novice's DoctorFinns referral. I read the PDF file there, and am drawing these conclusions from it. I emailed them again to make sure what I have is correct.

I can get one deck for $50 total, and each additional deck will cost $10, if we get it.

I can create up to 52 cards, but the cost will (I think) remain the same regardless of how many cards are created.

If I were to mail out these cards individually to each person, I will likely charge $2 per card. This includes time for designing the cards, production of the cards, and distribution of the cards. That equates to what? 200k cb? Haha.

Of course, if I get enough interested and this goes full-out, I may be able to distribute entire decks. If we find an even better printer company, we can make booster packs, and start a CB CCG!!!111 yeah in my dreams.

I'm still looking for a much better deal, though. I have yet to hear of pricing and details of two other submissions by CM.

Make some generic bonus cards, or enchantment CARDS! Items as well.
I'll buy at least a set. I'd like to see this possibly get some official backing, and I smell a QB nomination coming on. Game play will be the the most interesting part...I can't wait to see how it plays out.

I'm seeing my perfect set now

A level 1 mil AS bonus card combined with a complete heavy armor setup (and the ultra rare +390 ac card)
and an "I Win" from the classic cb1 series (soon to be released)

Lol, you rock novice. You rock.

Okay, to comment on Verifex's entries.

The first link is not a valid referral, since it does not come close to the given guidelines.

http://www.egg2u.com/ was the second referral, and I have emailed them to inquire about the costs.

The third link is invalid, since it is not a printing company. Remember, I need a company to do this, not a list of companies to search through. Sure, go ahead and post it if you think it'll be useful, but it will not count as an entry. If you posted it for plain usefulness, thanks =D.

Entries under investigation:
{cb1}novice ~ doctorfinns.com
NightStrike ~ CM
Verifex ~ egg2u.com
{R3d}BlackSheep~ CM

Invalid entries:
Carbonize ~ card-press.com
Verifex ~ tmcards.com

If I missed anything, let me know!

Not sure about this one, but:
http://www102.iprint.com/cgi-shl/index.cgi?sID=2006060117/b252a161e0324770-1&level=30009769

This one looks pretty specialized:
http://www.customizedplayingcards.com/default.html

Commenting on Pet0sh's entry:

First link: Almost what I needed, but the card size needs to be standard CCG size, not bridge sized playing cards. That means 2.5 x 3.5 inches. Sorry I didn't clarify this earlier.

Second Link: Please check through the webpage before sending links. This states that for the types of custom cards needed, a minimum order of 35 decks is required.

Entries under investigation:
{cb1}novice ~ doctorfinns.com
NightStrike ~ CM
Verifex ~ egg2u.com
{R3d}BlackSheep~ CM

Invalid entries:
Carbonize ~ card-press.com
Verifex ~ tmcards.com
Pet0sh ~ www102.iprint.com
Pet0sh ~ www.customizedplayingcards.com

If I missed anything, let me know!

make normal chars then have cards for like armor that can get enchantments added to it.... i think it would be cool

The cards won't go anywhere unless I have a printer at hand =D

Davis: From what I understand, Pixel wants 52 playing cards with 52 different CB players faces on them. Not something like Magic the Gathering, but just regular cards, 2-A of all 4 suits. Unless I stand corrected, Pixel?

nope thoop...custom char cards of the collectible variety.

/me shakes his head in shame and walks away.

Pixel, will you at least draw me as a powerful MM mage? Pretty please? =D

can i be a big old tank with small gear..make me really big with like a small itty bitty shield and sword!!! and i think that will be it...did my buddy ever contact you back, i talked to him shortly yesterday and he said hes on vacation for about a week so i dont know if he brought his laptop or not.

I would like to be on the card I can be a pretty lil Fireball mage with a bunch of enchanters behind me casting Gs and Haste trying to make themselves stronger for me :)

not sure how pricing goes on this site, you will have to call there 800 number
http://www.westsky.com/playing-cards.html

I think they sell custom prints not sure of prices
http://www.extra-mile.com/playcards/card.html

heres like custom credit card things including mag cards lol
http://pvc.idcardgroup.com/productdetails.aspx?item=Custom-Plastic-PVC-Card

i could not load the price chart but you probably can sure it can not be to much
http://www.copagcards.com/custom.php

Let me know on those, I saw some others but I will wait. Hopefully these will help but if not at least I tried. This would be a cool idea but I do not spend USD online so I would have to pay you in cb money. Now are you going to want to just customize poker cards, because I might have confused myself with that and not completely customizable 2.5 x 3 cards

Part of this contest is searching for a printer to meet the above criteria, or close to it. Please do not post links to places to make me search for a price or have to call in for one. Thanks!

Zippy, first two links were broken. Third link is actually off-topic, and forth link requires 2800 decks to be ordered.

th00p, these cards should definitely not be regular playing cards, but rather like a collectable card game (like pokemon!).

For all those requesting images... I'm certainly not going to draw them for you (I can't draw anyways, ironically enough) and I'm not pulling images off the net (might run into copyright problems). If you want a professional pic, my friend Danny Kong is willing to draw your character/minion(s) for a low price. See my other thread on that =D

I've created a basic card design for armor. Stole a pic from FF7 for now, haha. If there's any crucial info missing on the card, let me know. I'll probably need some space-fillers and quotes for cards.