The King of Spades and the game Spades
over 3 years ago – Tue, Sep 01, 2020 at 01:49:33 PM

Hello Backers, things are proceeding nicely and we hope to start sending the pledge manager surveys by the end of this week. For now, we have another card feature and a game highlight for you:

 "Everybody’s scared of skeletons, but we are people, too. We may be the representation of death, but we just want to have fun like everybody else. Seriously, we aren’t the bad guys here." - the Shadow King

The title "Shadow King" references the Mythic Kingdoms theme.  Originally a human kingdom, his entire realm was cursed with a less-than-desirable form of immortality. Doomed to decay but not die, the Shadow King's family and people have found some joy in games. Eventually, even their bones will turn to dust. If something isn't done to lift their curse, all of the undead will become living shadows.

The Art: The king of spades is one of 4 face cards that look to the right. The mirroring in the traditional cards chopped off his hand or arm. In this composition, the arm is off the side of the frame, so you can’t tell if it’s chopped off or not.

The 6 and 11 medallions on his tunic are nods to one of the most influential games of the modern board game revolution. Also, there are tiny roman numerals above the 6 and 11. The Latin word VIXI translates into “I have lived."

The undead/skeleton theme fit perfectly with the spade suit for many reasons. Not only are spades used as shovels for digging graves, but even the hole in a skeleton's nose looks like a spade. Spades are also hidden in the king's baldric (the leather strap over his shoulder for holding his sword).

Game Highlight: Spades

Spades is a fun trick-taking game where the trump suit is always spades. You also declare ahead of time how many tricks you think you will win during the round. This bidding mechanic is common to many different trick-taking games and requires players to use a bit more strategy. In Spades you try to win at least the number of tricks you bid. A player wins 0 points if they win less than their bid, 10 points per trick if they make their bid, but only 1 point per trick above what they bid.

Game Rules for Spades: https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/spades/

One of the games that I like perhaps even better than Spades is Oh Pshaw (which goes by a few other names). In Oh Pshaw, you want to win exactly the number of tricks bid (no more, no less), you start each round with a different number of cards in hand, and the trump suit is different each round.

Game Rules for Oh Pshaw: https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/oh-pshaw/

The Four-Color decks for the Mythic Kingdoms theme are especially useful for trick-taking games like Hearts, Spades, Oh Pshaw, Whist, etc.

Modifications for the Mythic Kingdoms: We'll apply our theme to these types of trick-taking games partly through a change in terminology. Instead of bidding, the players boast about how many challenges (tricks) they will win each round. For example: A player wins 0 points if they win fewer challenges than their boast. So, there is no change in scoring. The application of the theme has to do with thinking of each "trick" as a challenge, and your "bid" as a boast about how many challenges you will win.

The main modifications have to do with how you use the jokers and bonus cards.

Ideas for Jokers and Bonus Cards:

•  Red (High) Joker: A wild non-trump card higher than an Ace. Wins any challenge (trick) that does not include a trump card.
•  Black (Low) Joker: A trump card higher than an Ace (follow normal rules for trump cards).
•  Magic (Cursed) Treasure: The treasure is the lowest card, it can only be played if you cannot follow suit, and it changes the challenge (trick) into a negative point (ouch).
•  Nature (Blessed) Treasure: The lowest trump card (follow normal rules for trump cards). Counts as an extra challenge (trick) won by the player who has it at the end of the round.
•  Wizard: The highest trump card, but ignores limitations having to do with when trump cards can or cannot be played. You are never forced to play the Wizard (unless it is your last card).

Late Pledges

At this point, Kickstarter has finished collecting funds and any pledges that did not resolve payment problems have been canceled. If your pledge was canceled or you missed the Kickstarter campaign and you want to make a late pledge, we can accept payments for late pledges via PayPal for a limited time (before Sep 17th), so message us if want to make a late pledge. We will also have our Pre-Order Store available via BackerKit until Sep 17 while we are finishing up the last illustrations - the store is only for people who missed the Kickstarter campaign.

Thank you!

Incredible Journey! What's Next?
over 3 years ago – Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 12:27:04 AM

Hi Fellow Gamers, What a fantastic journey it's been! The Kickstarter may have ended, but the journey continues. Thank you everybody for helping make our very first Kickstarter such an amazing experience.

So, how about that final stretch goal, eh? To quote & paraphrase one of my favorite comments: "Who's gettin' a Wizard??? We are!!!" As a reminder, the Wizard will only be included in the Four-Color Deck (it replaces the double-backer card).

After we get done celebrating, we are going to sleep for a few days before the next phase begins. 😀

What's Next?

First, Kickstarter is going to send you an email to verify your pledge and collect funds. Some people may experience some hiccups associated with credit card charges, so it will be up to you and Kickstarter to work out those issues. This process can take up to two weeks.

During this time, we will be working on finalizing the art for the cards and we will also share a few more highlights about the cards and card games.

Second, in two weeks we will send you a survey via BackerKit (the pledge manager), where you will get to verify your selection of Standard/Premium/Four-Color Sets and other add-ons. This is also how we will collect your mailing address. Please be very careful to provide a valid mailing address.

The pledge manager will be available until September 17th. After that, all pledges and add-on selections will be locked in and there will be no more changes or late pledges.

Production

By the end of September we plan to have the cards in production, with the art book in production by the middle of October. We hope to have everything ready to start the fulfillment process by the end of November. Then, the team will get together for a signing party.

Fulfillment

December is going to be a boxing month, with most people receiving their rewards by the end of January. I would love to say "by the end of January at the latest" but I don't want to jinx it.

We'll continue to share the occasional update. But now to sleep.

Thank you!

- Jim, Greg & Jon

One Day Left! Check Out the Awesome Add-Ons
over 3 years ago – Thu, Aug 20, 2020 at 01:20:34 PM

What an amazing past couple of days! Reaching that monumental $50k stretch goal was huge. It means that if you have chosen a pledge that includes at least one Set (2 decks), you will be able to choose a Four-Color Set in place of a Standard Set at no extra charge. This will be a simple process via the pledge manager after the campaign. To avoid being redundant, you can read through Campaign Update #11 for details about the Four-Color Set. For now, we want to show you the premium tuck boxes, talk a bit more about the Art Book, and highlight a couple of new add-ons.

Premium Tuck Boxes

Want to see why foils on the premium decks are so awesome? Watch this video.

To answer a question that everyone is asking ... the cards for the Premium Sets are the same as the Standard Sets, and there are no premium tuck boxes for the four-color decks. A "Set" is the combination of a green deck and purple deck. If you want a Premium Set AND a Four-Color Set, you will need at least "The Collector" pledge (and it would cost an additional $10 to upgrade one set to Premium). Note that the "Collect-Play-Gift" pledge already includes one Premium Set at no extra cost (one of the bonuses of the stretch goal).

If you have any questions about how the latest stretch goals affect the pledge levels, see Campaign Update #11 as well as the campaign page. We've updated the graphics of the pledge tiers to make it more clear what each pledge includes. You can also ask us for clarification via the comments or message.

The survey system through BackerKit is going to make the customization of your pledge extremely simple. For each Standard Set contained in your pledge tier, you will be able to choose the Standard Set, the Four-Color Set, or upgrade to a Premium Set (+$10).

The Art Book

Throughout the campaign we've been highlighting cards and explaining some things about the creation and design. This content, along with full-page spreads of the characters will make up the bulk of the art book. We'll also show the design of the suits, number cards, and more details about the theme. The Art Book is an optional add-on, but in general the pledge levels provide better deals than the individual add-ons.

We will include the rules for Mythic Challenge and other suggestions for game modifications in the Art Book. The rules for Mythic Challenge will also be available as a PDF after the Art Book is completed, and you'll be able to download the rules from the Mythic Challenge page on BoardGaming.com.

Deck Protection and Display

Thanks to Carat Case Creations, we were able to create a brand new product with the DS2A Double Deck Sleeve, described in Campaign Update #5. These sleeves will let you protect two decks and display them side-by-side. All pledges that come with two or more sets of cards will include one of these sleeves as a free reward. You can pick up more via the add-ons.

 Collectors who really want to show off these premium sets may want to consider a Carat X2 Double Deck Case. This is a sturdy crystal-clear plastic case made from 5mm sheets of acrylic. The lid attaches with magnets.

 Here is what the X2 case may look like with the Mythic Kingdoms decks.

Uncut Sheets

Uncut sheets are another specialty item for collectors.  Each add-on will include a pair of uncut sheets (green deck and purple deck). These will be signed and shipped via tubes, two per tube.

Ever wonder why it's convenient to include 2 extra bonus cards in decks with normally 54 cards? Now you know: in a sheet you have a grid of 8 x 7 = 56 cards.

Premium Tuck Boxes are a Go!
over 3 years ago – Tue, Aug 18, 2020 at 03:14:02 AM

Hi Backers, we flew past the $45k stretch goal over the weekend, so the Premium Set is now officially a go! We are super excited about these premium tuck boxes. The above image is from photos sent to us by the manufacturer.

We may have a few modifications to these boxes to get them just right, but these photos definitely show the elegance of the colored paper and how the foils shine, especially the green and purple foils used for the illustrations.

How to Get the Premium Set

Let's review who will receive the Premium Set as part of their pledge at no extra charge. As a reminder, a "Set" is the combination of a Green Nature Deck and Purple Magic Deck. The Premium Set will include the same cards as in the Standard Set. 

•  Collect-Play-Gift (3 sets): This pledge will now contain 1 Premium Set and 2 Standard Sets 
•  Penultimate Pledge (4 sets): In addition to the Art Book, this pledge will now contain 1 Premium Set and 3 Standard Sets 
•  Ultimate Pledge (7 sets): In addition to all of the other stuff, the signed set will now be a signed Premium Set (signed on the cellophane), and the Brick will include 1 Premium Set and 5 Standard Sets.
• The Early Bird and Mid Way Deal pledges will receive the same rewards as their corresponding pledges above.

Premium Set Upgrade Add-on

For all other Standard Sets, you can add $10 per set to change a Standard Set to a Premium Set. 

For example, if you have The Collector pledge which comes with 2 Standard Sets (4 total decks), you can upgrade one of your Standard Sets to a Premium Set by adding $10 to your existing pledge. This would give you 1 Premium Set and 1 Standard Set.

How to Add Funds to Your Pledge for Add-Ons: Visit the Tournament of the Mythic Kingdoms campaign page, click on the Manage Your Pledge button at the top, then click on the Change Your Pledge button. From there you can add to your pledge amount then click on the Continue button.

Highlighting the Jack of Diamonds and the game Slapjack
over 3 years ago – Sat, Aug 15, 2020 at 08:48:14 AM

Hi Fellow Gamers! It's been an amazing week, and we expect over the weekend to jump past the premium tuck box stretch goal. Thanks to everybody for their comments, also. Yesterday we actually broke into the Top 10 on Kicktraq!

"The Laughing Jack used to guard the mines all by himself, cheering up the miners as they passed by. Now that the Gem Golem has joined him, he doesn't have a worry in the world, and his cheery demeanor leaves him laughing pretty much 24-7."

The Art and Card: The Laughing Jack is inspired by the traditional nickname for the Jack of Diamonds, "laughing boy," which may reference the smirk on his face. This happy fellow is holding a halberd (combo spear + axe) because dwarves tend to prefer hammers and axes. His checkerboard tunic is a subtle nod to a classic board game.

Before the 1850s, when the court cards weren't mirrored illustrations, some artists designed the jack of diamonds holding a dagger, or put his free hand on his hip. This jack reflects that history with his right hand at his belt holding a dagger's hilt.

Game Highlight: Slapjack

With the focus today on the Jack of Diamonds, we thought it fitting to mention a game that can create the type of big belly laugh demonstrated by the Laughing Jack. Slapjack can definitely cause that, although it can also cause a number of other emotions.

Rules for Slapjack: https://bicyclecards.com/how-to-play/slapjack/

How-to-Play Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxqYSxB-_7c

Actually, if there was ever a card game designed to totally destroy a deck of cards, it would be Slapjack ... so perhaps we should just avoid this one. Egyptian Rat Screw or Egyptian War is another interesting game that involves slapping, if you enjoy that.

Modification for the Mythic Kingdoms: The Dwarves of the Mythic Kingdoms like to play a version of this game where instead of slapping the pile and bending the cards, they slap the person who played the last card. We definitely do NOT recommend that you play it this way. Instead, you could use the treasure card or the double-backer card as the slap target so that you limit the destruction to just one of those bonus cards.

Questions of the Day

Here are the new questions for today:

For board gamers: What board games are at the top of your wish list?

For card collectors: What decks would you most want to add to your collection?

For art collectors: Do you find that the art you love most is different from what you typically hang on your walls?

Head on over to the Comments to share!