CHI PIX Card Deck
I'm making a deck of playing cards! All 54 of them feature a unique piece of pixel art, featuring beautiful things I've seen here in Chicago-- architecture, landmarks, parks, seasons, and more.
The project is fully funded on Kickstarter!
Art & Design
What: 54 unique card designs, making a complete 4-color Bridge-size playing card deck, perfect for most standard-deck card games like Blackjack and Texas Hold'em.
How: Pixel art hand-drawn in Aesprite, using a Wacom pen tablet and occasional photo reference.
The illustrations are all based on personal experiences— places I've hiked, quiet moments I've enjoyed, architecture I love, and beautiful things I've seen.
I'm adding a subtle "rotation indicator" to each card that shows which direction it's facing, which should allow for some interesting game design possibilities that typical decks don't have. The indicators aren't quite finished, so they aren't shown on the mockups on this page.
The Card Game
What: A 1- or 2-player card game specifically designed for my deck.
How: A digital game manual, featuring animated motion graphics to demonstrate how to play. Below is a short, rough excerpt of the video, which is still in development (and uses an outdated color palette).
The game (which is still unnamed) involves lining up "combos" of cards with similarities (number or suit) to inflict damage to an enemy card. It's a fun challenge, with some fun layers of strategy and luck.
Each suit has a special effect, which activates when players end a combo with a specific suit. This gives the player some strategic styles to choose from— some offense-heavy, some defensive, and some that rely on luck.
The game takes advantage of the deck's custom nature, with each card having a rotational indicator, HP markings, and a distint color for each suit. It's playable with other decks, but it's a much rougher experience.
Production & Manufacturing
The decks are being produced by a major playing card manufacturer in Hong Kong, with thick, casino-quality texture-coated cardstock. Below is the exact texture of the final product, based on a demo they sent me.
The decks will ship in a tin case, which will have custom labels. Below is a prototype tin, which I've kicked around for a few months to test its durability.
The number of decks I get manufactured depends on a crowdfunding campaign I plan to kick off in the next few months! Each backer will recieve the finished deck, on waxy textured cardstock, in a beautiful old-school tin case, shipped directly to them.
If you're interested in buying a deck, don't hesitate to reach out— I'll notify you when they're ready to order! In the meantime, stay tuned :)