Asking questions to myself, then answering them:
Q: How often do you do ship outs?
A: I try to do at least 2 ship outs a week depending on demand, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Q: After placing my order how long will it take before it’s shipped out?
A: I try to get your order ready and shipped out within 2 days when the items are in stock. If not in-stock, I need up to a week usually, if longer is needed due to technical issues, I try my best to let you know.
Q: I got the wrong cards!
A: Msg me through the way you purchased them with photos of the cards you received. You will receive a ton of sorrys and eventually the set you ordered (I guaranty it). I try to take great care in send outs (and it’s more work and a loss for me if I mess up), but once in a while it happens. Please don’t me mad, I assure you I am beating myself up already.
Q: I received my v2 cards, but they are damaged.
A: Postal Workers are mostly amazing, but once in a while there’s damage to the package/envelope. Please send me pics of the damaged envelope and cards, and I’ll try to rectify the issue ASAP (sending pics not only is proof of damage, but it also helps me with packaging so that your next set is more likely to arrive undamaged.
Q: I ordered the v2 cards but after I saw them in person, I decided I don’t like them.
A: What’s wrong with you?!? Just joking, to each their own. Please notify me and send the cards back to me. Once I’ve received them, I’ll refund your money. (Look at me! I’ve got a Money Back Guarantee!)
Q: I requested a set for a game that you don’t have a set for and you said you were making them, but I don’t see them.
A: They take longer than you’d think (and surprise me every time I make a set). Also, for me to do justice to the ruleset re-write, I have to access to the game on a regular basis during the deep dive. I’ve started deep dives before and have had to pause my research because the Pin was moved or sold. I then feel I have to wait to get renewed access to get back into the game. But if I said I want to and am planning a set, they will come eventually, watch my Instagram or Facebook Page for hints at games I am working on.
Q: Why haven’t you made cards for _________ yet?!? It’s so popular, you’d likely sell a ton of them.
A: I wait until the code is finished, or at least past v1.0 before I even start the process of learning the rules for these cards. I likely lose some interest after a game has lost it’s new-car-smell-luster, but I don’t want people getting cards that the rules are likely to change in the near future.
Q: Do you take requests?
A: Hell yeah! please do. They help me gage interest and can influence what game I attempt to tackle next. That said, there is a lot of factors into me learning a game: Access to the game, what space (if any) there is on the apron for cards, and also just my general interest. The more interesting the games ruleset, the more involved I can get into the rules which also pushes me to do the game justice.
Q: The versions on my cards don’t match. Did I get shipped the wrong cards?
A: They probably are correct. Sometime I find a mistake only on one side of a card and will have to reprint just that side. I update the version (at the bottom right of the card (which will most likely be hidden when installed on your apron)), but will still ship with the newest version of the other card. I try to update them all at the same time but sometimes there is a mix-match in versions. Feel free to e-mail me if something seems strange though.
Q: Why so many words! Can’t you make it easier?!?
A: I try to keep the “Into” side more for newer to intermediate players. But even on games that seem relatively light on rules, it’s tough to leave rules out that if you don’t know, you should be working towards learning. But, yeah, the advanced side is a bit overwhelming and packed with info; I often try to have a balance of readability and packing in as much cheat-sheet like info. The advance side will have info for not only more advanced players, but players with home games that need reference to hard-to-remember rules. The info on the advanced side should help with progress to wizard modes, add-a-ball info, and the ever getting-more-complicated jackpot sequences.
Q: Who the hell do you think you are (??!!??) charging money for ‘custom score cards’, shouldn’t they be free?
A: First off, no one is getting rich off these. If there was a strong demand, I’m sure the larger mod-ers and companies like Stern would be already offering them themselves. I’m a trained artist with decades of experience that has decided to update the Apron Rule Cards and I pay myself very little to do it. To understand how I’ve gone about how to charge for these, I have to go back. I started all this with making a set for my Stern TMNT, then after people asked for them, I offered a med-resolution version for free and a high-res for a donation. Some people gave me $20, some gave me $1 (which I still honored …but seriously, haha). Some went smooth, some people didn’t even print them, and some had printing issues where I’d have to be tech support. One guy gave me $5, tweaked them a bit and started selling printed versions (all after giving him advice and helping build them when he promised that he only wanted them for his own use). This is when I decided to sell only physical copies to control the quality and to have a base price that everyone would pay the same (I mean, the games are all worth thousands, right, why should one person cheap out and take advantage while others are over generous. I think my costs are very fair, and if anything I’m undervaluing them (I see some people sell much more basic ‘custom score cards’ (only 1 sided) at a higher cost. Some purchasers have even told me to raise the price. But I like to think I keep them at a price where anyone who wanted a set, doesn’t have to hesitate over the price.
Each set of these takes me months to make. Yes, months! Deep-dives into the ruleset. Hours of playing (I suffer for my art 😉 ), hours of video watched of gameplay, forums read, questions asked for tricky rules (that sometimes are documented anywhere); then comes the design: Days of brainstorming a concept to the cards (colour, art, theme integration), test prints of colours from the apron and playfield so that I know my printers (professional printers machine, not mine), is calibrated to the colour scheme and the colours don’t clash. Then many test prints, all that are a sunk cost (I keep them, it’s an awfully large stack), then I get people in my pinball community to give their input and criticism. I then go back and tweak the designs and sometimes even feel I have to do major and time consuming changes. Then a final test print. …then another final test print … then I try the first printing and sometimes find a problem that I can’t overlook–so I fix it, toss the last printing, and do another ‘first printing’. Then I’m finally ready to set up the sales which hours to set up my website and add the listing to Pinside Marketplace and Etsy. Oh and I forgot to mention the Tactics page setup time that the QR on the right card is for. Overall these cards might be the best design to product deal out there (imo).
The point I’m trying to make is that there is a lot of work that goes into these cards. Yes, people have offered ‘custom score cards’ for free (actually, usually on a merit system where they’d like you to donate if you keep them), but what I do is make it fair enough that people get a high value for their purchase, and I keep make detailed Rule Cards that players (are constantly) requesting for their new games. If I count up the hours and divide it from what people play for the cards, I’m making well under minimum wage. I love pinball; if I was doing this for the money, I would’ve quit long ago.
Q: You shouldn’t making these, you don’t have the license, and therefore you are stealing.
A: I take no credit for the original ruleset, intellectual property (other than the original content that I create), or art that I have appropriated from the game or license. Getting permission would mean these cards don’t exist. As it is, I am working for under minimum wage to get you these cards. Between the time put into learning the game, making the original concept for the cards, building the online presence including the sale pages, the tactics page, and then just the time printing and sending out the cards (oh and dealing with any issues that arise from the order), these take a lot of my time to create. I do feel guilt for using any art that the fantastic arts made for the game, but the Artist aren’t able to give permission for the licenced IP anyways, so legally, even if asked, they couldn’t give permission if they are fine with it. …so the most efficient way to support the artists directly. As an artist myself (and someone who toiled over a decade in the gallery art world), I know these artist are unlikely to make what you think they make financially, and I know they appreciate any support we can offer by buying more of their work. Many of them have stores and websites where you can find their own art for sale, often at a reasonable price. Please see my page dedicated to supporting these artists.