General Custom Cards: The Lab

Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Sinner2221 said:
Ey!

Forgive my noobiness, you mentioned Card Conjurer higher res images, if wanted to print custom cards designed on this site, would they be similar quality or close to real cards?

dear regards,

Michiel
Click to expand...
For the most part yes.

When you're selecting your frame, there's an option at the bottom "1/8th inch margin".
Add that, and A) it'll edit the copyright info so WotC isn't pissed about it, and B) it'll format the image exports so they cooperate with makeplayingcards, my preferred method for printing cards.

I'm sure it's not perfect (I'm not sure I'd want it to be) but they look great.

Now to throw a curveball: if you want to run custom cards, you DO NOT need to do this. I ran customs for literal years that were just printed on paper, stuck in the sleeve.

Velrun said:
The interesting part of Frenzied Geistblaster is the deck construction requirement. Having to put 20 cards of a mix of two certain types is a restriction. And restrictions are interesting.
Click to expand...
So yes, but this is the least translatable part of the card.
I'll applaud someone if this gets ran with 1 instant/sorcery honestly :D (Demonic Tutor's fine in my environment, and this is a restrictive sidegrade on that)
Brad said:
I'd like it with some Innistrad art and down the number from 20 to 13 for a 40 card format.
Click to expand...
doit-breaking-bad.gif
 
Velrun

Velrun

@Chris Taylor
So you use Card Conjurer to design the custom card and Make Playing Cards to print the custom card?

Is this a whole new level of professional-looking cards I have not dipped my feet into yet?
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Essentially yes.

1) I keep my working file of "cards I'm using" and "Random ideas" in MSE, since CC doesn't let you store card ideas
2) I haven't updated my physical cube since the pandemic began, but when I do it'll largely still be paper in sleeve printed at kinkos :p
3) When I want some high quality stuff done, I make the high quality designs via CC and print them via MPC.

Now this does take like, weeks to process/ship. I edit my shit so often that I don't do this a ton. The last time I ordered from them was a set of 35 of each basic, and I think my next order is going to be a pile of alters I've been putting together:

1639413347374.png1639413364414.png1639413400345.png
1639413453728.pngMonastery Mentor.jpgVolraths Stronghold.jpg
 
Velrun

Velrun

@Chris Taylor
Thank you, Chris. I am often in the opposite lane when it comes to custom cards. I prefer only updating them rarely and I only want cards that I think are perfect.

The next time you are going through the process, can I pay you to do the work for me? :)

Design my cards using the wording and art I want, get them printed, get them to your place and finally get them to my place? I’ll pay you a lot. I just want it done by someone I trust who has experience with the process.
 
Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor

Contributor
Velrun said:
@Chris Taylor
Thank you, Chris. I am often in the opposite lane when it comes to custom cards. I prefer only updating them rarely and I only want cards that I think are perfect.

The next time you are going through the process, can I pay you to do the work for me? :)

Design my cards using the wording and art I want, get them printed, get them to your place and finally get them to my place? I’ll pay you a lot. I just want it done by someone I trust who has experience with the process.
Click to expand...
So, truth be told I don't have ANY experience with the process. All the actual ordering was done through the (now defunct) MPCAutofill, I just replaced their images with mine once the script was done running :p

I understand the feeling to want someone experienced doing this, but everyone involved makes this super easy from what I've heard.
I can vouch firsthand that card conjurer is smooth like butter, and if you run into something you can't quite figure out, you've us to crowdsource help from.

MPC is fine to use as long as you remember to add the 1/8inch margin in CC.

While it might take some time to make sure everything is perfect in CC, that's....why you're here :p

You can do it Vel, I believe in you! Also pics when they arrive :D
 
Velrun

Velrun

I run these five until Capenna gives me something to replace them with

(Sorry for the MSE-low-quality)

1639641912215.png1639641934339.png1639641954065.png1639641967294.png1639641975015.png

Art from the actual plane.

I always forget I have these in my cube because in my eyes they're temporary until Wizards give me some better. Anything better than Seaside Citadel will do.

I also have some full art but the artworks is not as spot on as these.
 
Last edited:
Brad

Brad

Ideas for Traps? Should be blue or blue-ish. Electric in my Pokemon set is very close to MtG's blue and I was thinking that Team Rocket fits well with some Trap designs.
Blasting Off Again.pngDelinquent Duo.pngRockets Surprise.png
Duo is a color break, but I've always found "discard two for 3" to be so weak that I think I'm ok with it. It's also a reference to a Yu-Gi-Oh card of the same name which is essentially a Hymn to Tourach. Maybe I make it a random discard and it costs 4 up front? I dunno.

Feeling uninspired right now, so I might as well crowd source it.

Gifts Ungiven.png
 
Velrun

Velrun

Onderzeeboot said:
They aren't actual Pokémon cards though. They are Pokémon-flavored Magic cards, meant for a Pokémon-Magic-cross-over cube. I'ld say that decidedly falls within the realms of this forum, at least in my opinion :)
Click to expand...

Appearently I don’t know Pokemon well enough to know that these are not Pokemon cards. I thought Pokemon was the ones with the yellow lightning symbol.

@Brad
What are your plans for these cards? Include them into your cube?
 
Onderzeeboot

Onderzeeboot

Ecstatic Orb
Velrun said:
Appearently I don’t know Pokemon well enough to know that these are not Pokemon cards. I thought Pokemon was the ones with the yellow lightning symbol.

@Brad
What are your plans for these cards? Include them into your cube?
Click to expand...
Well, the lightning symbol is used in Pokémon cards, but energy in Pokémon works very differently from mana in Magic the Gathering. only on the Pokémon themselves. If we're going really basic, you have three main categories of cards: energy, pokémon, and utility cards, all of which can have "subtypes". There are, however, no instants, sorceries, or creatures. For example, below you see some real (relatively recent) Pokémon cards. You'll notice they look very different from Brad's mockups.

lightning.jpgjoltic.jpggreat ball.jpg

If you want to learn a little bit more about Pokémon, the Professor actually has a good explanation on his channel, that even is made from a MtG player's perspective! :)


 
Last edited:
Brad

Brad

Velrun said:
Appearently I don’t know Pokemon well enough to know that these are not Pokemon cards. I thought Pokemon was the ones with the yellow lightning symbol.
Click to expand...
I replaced the MtG symbols with Pokemon symbols in MSE.
Velrun said:
@Brad
What are your plans for these cards? Include them into your cube?
Click to expand...
Custom cube. I have it mostly done (v1.0) except for the lands, which will mainly be an issue of finding good art.


I have no idea how to play Pokemon. A friend said he didn't like it. I just think they're cool. Grew up with gen 1.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top