Poker Chips for MTG Counters | Action Chips | Kickstarter Preview
Gear forum
Posted on Jan. 22, 2015, 1:52 p.m. by MikeySlice
Preview my Kickstarter for Action Chips at http://youtu.be/-80t6Q1bPYc
The campaign is currently under review by Kickstarter, but I wanted to make sure the Tapped Out Community was aware of it before launch day.
If everything goes as planned Tuesday January 27th will be Day One of this campaign.
Please share this thread on Facebook or Twitter if you like what you see. My goal is to reach $4,000 to make the new layout that I created double sided. The new layout provides a more visible font without unnecessary pictures on them. PM me for the pictures of the new layout of the chips or visit my Facebook or Google + Page by searching for Action Chips.
I would really appreciate your support. If you like them but can't afford to back the campaign please share the video with your friends.
Thank you for taking time to read this. Hope you enjoy the video and help back my campaign. Backers can donate anywhere from $1 to $3,000.
Yea, gotta admit that I agree with NorthernRaven. I do like the idea, but they're just too big for my liking.
January 22, 2015 2:29 p.m.
Seconding what NorthernRaven said. I saw poker chips in the title and I thought "he doesn't mean actual poker chips... right?" These are way too big and obstruct the card. When I'm playing EDH I need to be able to see people's cards across the table without having to get up. Using these would just slow the game down and are less visually appealing than dice or glass beads.
January 22, 2015 2:35 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #5
I agree with your input and do not think it would be as big of an issue as you may think. I have been play testing these chips for months without any confusion of what the card is or does.
I appreciate your feedback and look forward to answering any other questions you may have. Thanks!
January 22, 2015 2:44 p.m.
RoarMaster says... #6
I have to agree with NorthernRaven abit, they seem a bit large.
Additionally, where one dice(depending on the number of sides), can be used to represent up to(D20) 20 different +1/+1 counters, you would need 20 different poker chips to do the same job. A +1, a +2 and a +3 ect ect. And you would also need to have multiple chips of each in the circumstance where you had three creatures with +1 counters on them, you would need three +1/+1 chips. Combine this with needing additional counters to represent -1/-1 counters, and 'this perm stays tapped' counters, and divinity, fillibuster, ect ect. Where you could het away with bringing five or 10 dice to an average game, you would need to bring dozens of your action chip counters to have a similar effect.
Also, I feel it might actually be a bit more visibly difficult to judge the number of action counters in a stack on a card than it would be to just look at a single number on the top of a dice. EG; 'is that three or 4 +1/+1 counters in a stack on that guy?' and/or 'is that three +1/+1 counters and a +5/+5, or just four +1/+1 counters?'
And finally, one of the main points to your video is that it can be a pain trying to find the numbered side of the dice you are looking for(I totally agree), however, I think you would probably spend just as much time looking through your action counters to find the right chip, as you would turning your dice.
I like that you are innovating the game, but I unfortunately feel like you are not actually making the game simpler or faster with these chips :(
Good luck though man!
January 22, 2015 2:47 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #7
Haven't watched the video or anything yet, but would just like to put out there that this idea has been attempted before (advertised at least once on this site in the last year, if memory serves), and it was not successful.
Most people that these are aimed at (which would be either end of the player spectrum, hyper casual EDH players or hyper competitive GP grinders) would much rather just use a die because of the simplicity, and the fact that they are ubiquitous enough that you'll be able to get one even if you dont have any yourself. I feel like this idea just adds another unneeded level of complexity to the game.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to say "Oh, your idea sucks and I hate you" or whatever, Just pointing out that learning from history may be a good idea here. If you want to really succeed, I'd advise doing something sincerely innovative and something that is easily incorporated into the game.
January 22, 2015 3:06 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #8
I see where you are coming from Roar Master I really do. However these chips are not meant to speed up the game. They are a "novelty" item for those who enjoy playing poker and would like to add more seriousness and intimidation to MTG Tournaments.
Every player usually shows up with a dice bag or box no matter what kind of deck they have. If a player were to show up at a game with poker chips that say +1/+1 Counter all the way up to +100/+100 you're going to be very curious as to what kind of deck he or she is playing as well as intimidated that they have a +100/+100 chip.
The chips will be sold as individuals and as bulk. The more you buy the cheaper they get. Once I create a carrying case to hold ALL of your Magic credentials including poker chips in a brief/ poker chip like case that you can easily unload at the beginning and reload at the end of each match these will be very cool to bring to the next tournament. Currently dice bags are the easiest way to transport these chips.
On another note, currently people like to shuffle their cards and move them in and out of order whilst their opponent is thinking of their next move. The sounds the cards make can get annoying since they are not very consistent and just plain annoying. Chip shuffling is a fun and relaxing sound to hear and adds a more serious feel to each game.
People also have friends that play Magic and those same friends may play poker. Wouldn't it be cool to play your friends in a heads up match of Texas Hold Em' with +1/+1 Counters as opposed to the plain old chips you have in your basement?
I appreciate your feedback and am willing to answer and other questions you may have. Thank you for taking the time to give me your input I really do appreciate it.
January 22, 2015 3:07 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #9
@ThatJunkMage I was the one that posted about it on the forum last year and got some good and bad feedback on it. I am not disagreeing with you that it may not be successful, but I won't know unless I try, right?
I made a first edition of these with some logos on them with the +1/+1 counter below the logo and brought them up to my local card store. The General Manager liked the idea and bought 100 of them. After a few weeks went by and only 15 sold I talked to him and he said people liked the idea but didn't like that they couldn't really read what they do. So I came up with a new design and printed them and he bought 100 again. I'm not sure how they are doing as I haven't been up there since I sold them a couple weeks ago, but the point is that the number one card store in the Metro Detroit area in Michigan bought these not once but twice!
I have put all of my money into this and got this far. If it works it works, if it doesn't at least I can say I tried it. I am a 23 year old kid with a lot of ambition to create something new that people will like. If you back the Kickstarter you are not just funding Action Chips but you're also funding me. I have a list of over 20 ideas that require more capital to create than I have. This is the cheapest start up and I'm trying my best to make it succeed.
I appreciate your feedback and will answer any further questions yu may have. Thank you!
January 22, 2015 3:20 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #10
Someone on Facebook brought up a good point. He said "is this a 12/12 or a 16/16 the D20 rolled away" this happens all the time! Accidentally hitting the dice over causes confusion as to how many counters are on that permanent. Dice are also easily manipulated for the slight of hand players. It's harder to sneak an extra poker chip onto the stack than to "accidentally" roll the dice to a bigger number.
January 22, 2015 4:57 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #11
Did you damage your card when you dropped that don't untap chip on it in the video?
January 22, 2015 5:33 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #12
These poker chips have been play tested since March 2014 and no cards have been harmed during testing. The video was shot in very poor lighting so you're probably just seeing the reflection of the light when the card protector takes on the weight of the chips.
January 22, 2015 5:41 p.m.
Didgeridooda says... #13
I have play a ton of poker. I like the idea of something to mess with when it is not my turn. Much better then non stop fidgeting with my hand.
January 22, 2015 6:09 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #14
Yeah my target market is made up mostly of male poker players. Thanks for your input.
January 22, 2015 6:29 p.m.
Didgeridooda says... #15
What weights are you looking at? 13.5?
I wish you luck with it. You will need to do some work on the design, but the idea is solid.
January 22, 2015 7:04 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #16
Yes and thanks. New designs are on my Facebook page. Search Action Chips on Facebook. I got rid of the unnecessary graphics. Thanks for your input.
January 22, 2015 8:52 p.m.
RoarMaster says... #18
Im a happy proponent to small businesses and small business ideas, so Im totally just trying to give constructive criticism here.
I think your statement that the sound of poker chips shuffling is calming, is much more of a personal opinion, than a standardized statement of fact. Since a lot of mtg players end us hand shuffling, I would say that they do not find it annoying as much as poker players might. Poker players need to remember less information, and thus do not need to look at their hand nearly as much as mtg players do. this leads to mtg players holding their hand in their hands. The natural nervous shuffling comes afterwards. Basically what Im saying is that you may find the clinking of poker chips soothing, most mtg players are more familiar with the hand shuffling sounds if anything, and probably will not share your poker chip theory.
As for slight of hand, saying dice are easier to manipulate than the number of chips on the table is a bit of a fallacy honestly. Its just as easy to 'spill' the chips on your card and sneak an additional chip or two on top when you 'fix' them as it is to 'accidently' nudge your dice and 'forget' the number. Its prett basic slight of hand/distraction. in fact its easier to pull it off with chips than with dice, since with dice its just one persons memory vs the other, where as with chips you can lie and be like "But theres 4 chips there, there must have been 4 when I started right?" and the evidence supports the fraudulent claim at that point. But I digress
All the mtg accessories that sell well actually have a useful applicable use in the game . Life counters sell because they are easier than dice, even easier than roll down dice, and more versitile than a d20 because they go above 20. Playmats sell because they make the game slightly simpler by defining game zones for cards, and make it easier to play your cards on. No more scratch scratch scrathing to get your card off the corner, it is easily pick-upable every time. Gaming accesories like this serve a applicable use as well as being 'bling' for the game. Thats why I think they sell, and where your product may fall short as it does not improve or make the game more user friendly for the player.
Just my thoughts from a product producing standpoint. I hope Im wrong and it takes off though. As I said, we need more independent manufacturers of ideas in the industry.
January 22, 2015 11:36 p.m.
Didgeridooda says... #20
I actually think chips are easier. I hate fumbling with dice. Que over-dramatic infomercial video.
January 23, 2015 9:18 a.m.
MikeySlice says... #21
The campaign is live so go ahead and back my project if you like what you see at My Kickstarter Campaign
January 23, 2015 11:21 a.m.
MikeySlice says... #22
And for those who think it's a good idea but don't want to back it right now please share this link to My Kickstarter Campaign on your social media networks so your friends can see what I am trying to create.
January 23, 2015 2:09 p.m.
Didgeridooda says... #23
So you have an idea here. Have you sold any, or do you have any orders placed in any MTG shops yet? Did you float the idea with any of the local shops to see if it is something they would carry?
I think you might be trying to get too big too fast here. I do not feel that your design is worthy of a final product. Magic players like color specific stuff, and art. I see that you are going for simplicity, and I am all for that.
MtG poker Chips are not a new idea, so you need to find a way to really make them pop.
Do you have any friends in design? That is the most important thing for a project like this.
For some of your larger backers, they are going to be looking to resell them. Having some sort of group of pre-packaged chips in a pos(point of sale) display would be nice. Say 9 +1 chips, 2 +5 chips, and a does not untap chip (12 chips) figured that was a good grouping to sell them at.
January 23, 2015 2:53 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #24
I have sold 200 so far to a local card store. 100 of the old design and 100 of the new design.
January 23, 2015 4:35 p.m.
MikeySlice says... #25
Those chips are made by Wizards of the Coast and are a collectible item rather than an accessory for individual games. They do not in anyway relate to my product. My product is for Counters and Maintaining game state. Those are just cool chips with mana symbols on them.
January 23, 2015 4:38 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #26
Which incidentally you could use to count mana in your mana pool.
The_Raven says... #2
I like the idea. However, I think that it is way too big. I want to see my cards. I want to easily recognize my creature from my other creatures. Could you possibly make them smaller?
January 22, 2015 2:12 p.m.