Topic: Kid Icarus: Uprising AR Cards Available Only at Special Events

[Bman87301]

And this still fails to make sense. Why bother to hype up the cards only to limit their distribution? It seems rather pointless to rely solely on digital media transference for the AR between players. If that were truly the intent, what purpose does it serve to have the cards in the first place? And did it not state that on the official site that the AR cards need to be physically before the 3DS, face to face, to partake in the card battles?

Again, you might want to start reading previous posts in this thread:

They'll be simply be introduced at these special events, and as soon as they are, they'll become easily attainable to anyone via the web and anyone with a color printer will be able to print them out.

Not to mention how many already people use the images from their iPhones instead of the physical cards, printing won't even be necessary.


This distribution method isn't limited at all. It's actually going to be a lot less limited through this method than selling them would ever be.

[ejamer]

Hold your horses for a second, Bman.

Everyone understands that images of the cards can be easily and freely distributed online, and gamers can use those images to get the same overall effect. But do you really think the original cards have no value?  Protip: that's WRONG. 


How much do those limited edition Skylanders toys sell for on eBay, when ones that are functionally identical (and in my opinion, more interesting in how they are colored) can be purchased for much less?  Why are professionally printed cards even being provided as a bonus item or in other regions if NoA's distribution strategy is really just to give everyone access to every "virtual card" online?

Introducing rare, collectible objects changes the way some people view a game -- even if ownership of those objects isn't required to play or to receive the in-game effects.  Maybe it doesn't change anything for you, and maybe you are more than happy to print out proxy cards.  But other people who dislike the way this is being handled have every right to hold and express their opinions.




That said, I don't consider printing off images of a card I find online nearly as convenient or attractive or as enjoyable as having actual cards to collect and trade with friends.  My personal opinion is that NoA is missing the boat on this one, and I think that Skylanders and Pokemon both show that there is a huge potential market for a game that handles this right.

[ShikabaneHime13]

Hold your horses for a second, Bman.

Everyone understands that images of the cards can be easily and freely distributed online, and gamers can use those images to get the same overall effect. But do you really think the original cards have no value?  Protip: that's WRONG. 


How much do those limited edition Skylanders toys sell for on eBay, when ones that are functionally identical (and in my opinion, more interesting in how they are colored) can be purchased for much less?  Why are professionally printed cards even being provided as a bonus item or in other regions if NoA's distribution strategy is really just to give everyone access to every "virtual card" online?

Introducing rare, collectible objects changes the way some people view a game -- even if ownership of those objects isn't required to play or to receive the in-game effects.  Maybe it doesn't change anything for you, and maybe you are more than happy to print out proxy cards.  But other people who dislike the way this is being handled have every right to hold and express their opinions.




That said, I don't consider printing off images of a card I find online nearly as convenient or attractive or as enjoyable as having actual cards to collect and trade with friends.  My personal opinion is that NoA is missing the boat on this one, and I think that Skylanders and Pokemon both show that there is a huge potential market for a game that handles this right.

Thank you! Someone that understands what my point was all along!

[ejamer]

I'm pretty sure that most people here understand both sides of the argument.



I also suspect that most people agree that it's not a "make or break" situation either way because this whole thing is only a small part of the big picture.

[ShikabaneHime13]

I'm pretty sure that most people here understand both sides of the argument.



I also suspect that most people agree that it's not a "make or break" situation either way because this whole thing is only a small part of the big picture.

Thank you for that input, ejamer. You presented that argument without the least bit of condescension and I appreciate that.

[Bman87301]

Hold your horses for a second, Bman.

Everyone understands that images of the cards can be easily and freely distributed online, and gamers can use those images to get the same overall effect. But do you really think the original cards have no value?  Protip: that's WRONG. 


How much do those limited edition Skylanders toys sell for on eBay, when ones that are functionally identical (and in my opinion, more interesting in how they are colored) can be purchased for much less?  Why are professionally printed cards even being provided as a bonus item or in other regions if NoA's distribution strategy is really just to give everyone access to every "virtual card" online?

Introducing rare, collectible objects changes the way some people view a game -- even if ownership of those objects isn't required to play or to receive the in-game effects.  Maybe it doesn't change anything for you, and maybe you are more than happy to print out proxy cards.  But other people who dislike the way this is being handled have every right to hold and express their opinions.




That said, I don't consider printing off images of a card I find online nearly as convenient or attractive or as enjoyable as having actual cards to collect and trade with friends.  My personal opinion is that NoA is missing the boat on this one, and I think that Skylanders and Pokemon both show that there is a huge potential market for a game that handles this right.

Well, we really have no way of knowing if the cards Nintendo gives out at those events will be printed on any kind of special authenticating material that will. I was going by the assumption that they'd be printed the same as any other AR card which out make it pretty much impossible to differentiate from one one would have printed out, unless you got it autographed or something that would make it one of a kind as I said earlier. But I have no way of knowing if they'll be doing anything like that.

The Skylanders figures you mentions are special editions. As would any specially marked cards from Nintendo be. My point was no one would be missing out on the functionality aspects.

[Fatty The Hutt]

I think the AR card aspect of the game is neat. Seems weird that they won't be made widely available in physical form. I hope Bman is correct that a virtual trade will sping up but I still think a more widely avilable physical distribution would be in Nintendo's interest. The under 12 set (and their moms) may not be as hip to the virtual trading aspect as we savvy old internet denizens.

[famicomplicated]

I can see someone doing an iPhone app of all the cards, only for it to be taken down by Nintendo the next day!

I'm pretty sure that www.KidIcarusARcards.com (etc) will become a reality once these cards get into circulation, allowing people to upload scans of cards, add info about their stats etc.

If not, then I may have just given away a million dollar idea! 

[MegaByte]

So I found out that the character cards are quite rare, making it practically impossible to complete the set.

[ejamer]

Well, we really have no way of knowing if the cards Nintendo gives out at those events will be printed on any kind of special authenticating material that will....


...

There are a bunch of photos of the cards and packaging available now.  It's not as good as seeing the real thing, but should help form an opinion about the quality of cards provided versus what you can make at home.


I wonder if part of the reason NoA doesn't want to sell the cards separately involves distribution headaches?  They probably aren't really set up to handle or support sales for that type of product. If so, setting up that infrastructure might be more hassle than it's worth even if there is the potential for a decent return.

[Ceric]

Well, we really have no way of knowing if the cards Nintendo gives out at those events will be printed on any kind of special authenticating material that will....


...

There are a bunch of photos of the cards and packaging available now.  It's not as good as seeing the real thing, but should help form an opinion about the quality of cards provided versus what you can make at home.


I wonder if part of the reason NoA doesn't want to sell the cards separately involves distribution headaches?  They probably aren't really set up to handle or support sales for that type of product. If so, setting up that infrastructure might be more hassle than it's worth even if there is the potential for a decent return.

NoA has a relation with a lot of card manufacturers over the years.  I think that would be  not a problem.

[MegaByte]

Nintendo IS a card manufacturer. I think these cards are actually printed by them.

Seeing how crazy some people were going over these at GDC, it is strange that they aren't planning to sell them. Hopefully, they will have tons of events (they mentioned retailer events as well as their own).

[Ceric]

Nintendo IS a card manufacturer. I think these cards are actually printed by them.

Seeing how crazy some people were going over these at GDC, it is strange that they aren't planning to sell them. Hopefully, they will have tons of events (they mentioned retailer events as well as their own).

I thought about pointing that out as well.  Just here in the US they tend to be distributed by someone else.

[TJ Spyke]

Nintendo IS a card manufacturer. I think these cards are actually printed by them.

Seeing how crazy some people were going over these at GDC, it is strange that they aren't planning to sell them. Hopefully, they will have tons of events (they mentioned retailer events as well as their own).

I thought about pointing that out as well.  Just here in the US they tend to be distributed by someone else.

Nintendo (and their subsidiary The Pokemon Company) distribute the Pokemon TCG, by far the largest trading cards they are involved with.

[Ceric]

Nintendo IS a card manufacturer. I think these cards are actually printed by them.

Seeing how crazy some people were going over these at GDC, it is strange that they aren't planning to sell them. Hopefully, they will have tons of events (they mentioned retailer events as well as their own).

I thought about pointing that out as well.  Just here in the US they tend to be distributed by someone else.

Nintendo (and their subsidiary The Pokemon Company) distribute the Pokemon TCG, by far the largest trading cards they are involved with.

When did they start that?  The last time I was involved with Pokemon TCG it was being distributed by Wizard of the Coast.  Sees how long its been for me. 

Well, according to Wikipedia they took that over in 2003. 

It looks that Enter-Play is responsible for the distribution of the Zelda and Mario Trading Cards.

[Ceric]

Alright,

NoA is giving cards to Club Nintendo folks

[ejamer]

Alright,

NoA is giving cards to Club Nintendo folks

Very cool, but still kind of frustrating if they don't follow up by making cards generally available somehow.  I'm hoping this is a test to gauge consumer interest.

[Ceric]

Alright,

NoA is giving cards to Club Nintendo folks

Very cool, but still kind of frustrating if they don't follow up by making cards generally available somehow.  I'm hoping this is a test to gauge consumer interest.

Considering almost all of what NoA club Nintendo does is really just market research. I would say it is.

[MegaByte]

I got the sense from the reps that Series 1 is a test, and it's possible that Series 2 could be retail, but that might just be speculation.

[UncleBob]

Dear NoA Reps.
That's about the ****ing most stupid idea ever.

If Series 1 is impossible to get, no one is going to buy series 2. Those who want the data will get the online scans and those who want the collectability will say **** it because they'll never be able to get a complete set.