CPC General discussion thread (8 Viewers)

[cpac54]

I think we all agree that an actual color sample set is 100% necessary.

The online tool as well as photo masking are just chip and set design visualization tools. But these certainly can have value.

Agree completely with the need for physical samples - in fact, I'd so far as to say multiple samples really help with mocking up combinations where one colour may get used a few times across a lineup or for comparing different chip variations directly.

I'll also say, if someone out there had a template with colours and masks for mocking up Paulson chips (even if it's just a pipe dream of ever getting some made), I'd sure as heck pay someone for that tool.

 

[LeGold]

Owning a sample set is an absolute necessity. No if’s or buts about it. However there is a lot of value in doing these real world photo mock-ups. The reason why I did this masking mock-up thing is two fold;

1) even with the sample chips in my hands and stacking them it is still hard to visual each color in a spot. This is very relevant because with different spot placements or sizes it is difficult to conceptualize balance between colors particular when together on the same chip with different spot locations and sizes. Some colors may be more muted but will be more powerful because of spot size or positioning relative to other colors for example, and

2) while I agree the colors on the tool are surprisingly accurate I was having difficulty in the orange, yellow, red space as I am literally layering multiple oranges and yellows on the same chip and there is enough deviation on the tool that I wasn’t able to visualize it effectively.

All of that being said, I agree that posting the individual chip photos won’t do too much for people but it will be more accurate that the photos on the CPC colors page.

^^^ This.

Did it myself for my CPC set, and it definitely helped a lot. Much more than just having the physical samples, and way much more than the online tool (where the colors are considerably, not uniformly off. It was a lot of work, but well worth it. And the end result turned out pretty much as expected.

 

[Perthmike]

Owning a sample set is an absolute necessity. No if’s or buts about it. However there is a lot of value in doing these real world photo mock-ups. The reason why I did this masking mock-up thing is two fold;

1) even with the sample chips in my hands and stacking them it is still hard to visual each color in a spot. This is very relevant because with different spot placements or sizes it is difficult to conceptualize balance between colors particular when together on the same chip with different spot locations and sizes. Some colors may be more muted but will be more powerful because of spot size or positioning relative to other colors for example, and

2) while I agree the colors on the tool are surprisingly accurate I was having difficulty in the orange, yellow, red space as I am literally layering multiple oranges and yellows on the same chip and there is enough deviation on the tool that I wasn’t able to visualize it effectively.

All of that being said, I agree that posting the individual chip photos won’t do too much for people but it will be more accurate that the photos on the CPC colors page.

Oh shit I broke the golden rule lol

 

[Eloe2000]

Super dumb question but I swear I have looked all over the website... how do you actually place an order? As in the actual details of the order? How do you communicate the spots etc? Do you just send a screenshot of the CPC online tool? Just email David and say you are ready to go and he walks you through it?

Also, for inlay art is an AI file absolutely required or are other high resolution color accurate formatted graphics such as pdf or psd or even png accepted?

 

[Sprouty]

Super dumb question but I swear I have looked all over the website... how do you actually place an order? As in the actual details of the order? How do you communicate the spots etc? Do you just send a screenshot of the CPC online tool? Just email David and say you are ready to go and he walks you through it?

Also, for inlay art is an AI file absolutely required or are other high resolution color accurate formatted graphics such as pdf or psd or even png accepted?

My order was done through email with David. For colors and spots I attached the png that the chip generator output. My designer sent him the art so I'm not really a help there.

Looking forward to seeing what you are ordering!

 

[Eloe2000]

My order was done through email with David. For colors and spots I attached the png that the chip generator output. My designer sent him the art so I'm not really a help there.

Looking forward to seeing what you are ordering!

Thank you!

I still need a week to wrap finalize a couple spots and inlay formatting but it’s happening so I am excited.

 

[Nex]

Super dumb question but I swear I have looked all over the website... how do you actually place an order? As in the actual details of the order? How do you communicate the spots etc? Do you just send a screenshot of the CPC online tool? Just email David and say you are ready to go and he walks you through it?

Also, for inlay art is an AI file absolutely required or are other high resolution color accurate formatted graphics such as pdf or psd or even png accepted?

Email, and the chip design tool has a Save as PNG function.

Artwork: They take everything. I've supplied EPS, PDF and TIF so far. AI not recommended as it doesn't contain all info required for proper display (e.g. fonts), and even PDF/EPS can cause issues when you use fancy styles like drop shadow. Fallback for that: high resolution raster graphics, like TIF. I always went with 600 dpi and it worked well. Do make sure you use the artwork template files from their website to properly set up bleed/cut area.

 

[Rhodeman77]

My order was done through email with David. For colors and spots I attached the png that the chip generator output. My designer sent him the art so I'm not really a help there.

Looking forward to seeing what you are ordering!

exactly how I have done it every time as well.

if you email the Sales email in the website David replies to them all. And usually very fast,no matter when it is sent. I have emailed on a Sunday night at 9pm and received a reply within the hour.

 

[Eloe2000]

Email, and the chip design tool has a Save as PNG function.

Artwork: They take everything. I've supplied EPS, PDF and TIF so far. AI not recommended as it doesn't contain all info required for proper display (e.g. fonts), and even PDF/EPS can cause issues when you use fancy styles like drop shadow. Fallback for that: high resolution raster graphics, like TIF. I always went with 600 dpi and it worked well. Do make sure you use the artwork template files from their website to properly set up bleed/cut area.

Thank you! This is really helpful. I am a photographer and generally design things in PS as opposed to AI since I have a lot of experience with PS. But I generally design things at incredibly high resolution to address the scaling limitations of raster graphics. I can convert to scalable vector graphics but that isn’t an exact science and would prefer not to do that. But I can comfortably supply in any form of non-vector graphic ad output from PS.

Yep, I am using shaped inlays and I have already implemented the shaped inlay templates from the sight. I also overlaid photos of other produced shapes inlay chips just to ensure my proportions were good for these smaller graphic areas on shapes inlays.

Last question: I assume someone over there does some sort of check just to make sure everything looks right. Do they do a mock-up on their end to make sure everything works? It’s the shapes inlays where I am a bit nervous.

 

[Nex]

They do test prints of the inlay graphics. And they check for bleed/cut area violations.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Thank you! This is really helpful. I am a photographer and generally design things in PS as opposed to AI since I have a lot of experience with PS. But I generally design things at incredibly high resolution to address the scaling limitations of raster graphics. I can convert to scalable vector graphics but that isn’t an exact science and would prefer not to do that. But I can comfortably supply in any form of non-vector graphic ad output from PS.

Yep, I am using shaped inlays and I have already implemented the shaped inlay templates from the sight. I also overlaid photos of other produced shapes inlay chips just to ensure my proportions were good for these smaller graphic areas on shapes inlays.

Last question: I assume someone over there does some sort of check just to make sure everything looks right. Do they do a mock-up on their end to make sure everything works? It’s the shapes inlays where I am a bit nervous.

David will email you a prof that you need to approve before he will proceed with the order.

 

[Eloe2000]

thanks all!

Seperate question: what are some set examples which incorporated a lot of true shapes inlays. I know Story Hill and Kifer’s Cactus Pete. What else is out there?

 

[Nex]

I used three different shapes (apart from standard round) in my Club Hel set.
Off the top of my head, Copperhead Road is another one that used real shaped inlays.

 

[Sprouty]

thanks all!

Seperate question: what are some set examples which incorporated a lot of true shapes inlays. I know Story Hill and Kifer’s Cactus Pete. What else is out there?

 

[RainmanTrail]

thanks all!

Seperate question: what are some set examples which incorporated a lot of true shapes inlays. I know Story Hill and Kifer’s Cactus Pete. What else is out there?

IMG_20200115_005351.jpg

• RainmanTrail
• Jan 15, 2020

 

[timinater]

@Eloe2000 definitely DON’T submit .png. That’s a web specific format.

Shaped and oversized:

 

[Eloe2000]

View attachment 650309View attachment 650310

IMG_20200115_005351.jpg

• RainmanTrail
• Jan 15, 2020

@Eloe2000 definitely DON’T submit .png. That’s a web specific format.

Shaped and oversized: View attachment 650630

Thanks! These are all fantastic. I guess I am just surprised more people don’t do shapes inlays. These all look gorgeous.

 

[Sprouty]

Thanks! These are all fantastic. I guess I am just surprised more people don’t do shapes inlays. These all look gorgeous.

I think cost has a lot to do with it. I think it also can depend on the inlay artwork. Sometimes a circular inlay gives more room to work with.

 

[Eloe2000]

I think cost has a lot to do with it. I think it also can depend on the inlay artwork. Sometimes a circular inlay gives more room to work with.

Yeah the artwork definitely gets shrunk down. I have had to rework my inlay design to accommodate. But I see people using a lot of L7+ patterns even on their workhorse chips so in that regard the cost isn’t out of the question. They cost roughly 2 levels. I guess I am just surprised people don’t value them that much.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I sent my design in with Photoshop. I provided the font, but in retrospect, I guess I could have just Rasterized the text. I did lock every layer, just to prevent an accidental change/layer movement, and I removed every layer that was not essential (I tend to have a lot of layers for different variations that eventually get omitted), but otherwise he got it just as I was working on it.

This is what I sent,

This is what I got...

David & co. knows what they are doing. If there is a possibility of something being different, David clarified before production. For example, at the time of production there had been no chips made with the 2 o'clock - 7 o'clock edgespot, so he wanted to make sure I was ok with the obverse side being 11 o'clock - 5 o'clock, the T5000 pattern did not really exist, and he wanted to shrink it down a touch because the text was too close to the label's edge, so he got the ok from me there as well.

 

[Nex]

Shaped inlays: It's a lot of money for a fairly minor effect.

Investing the money saved by dropping shaped inlays into two to three levels more complex edge spots does, IMO, a lot more for the overall appearance of a chip. Complex edge spots are usually flashier than the (simple) real shaped inlays. There are exceptions to this rule and other things to consider, but yeah.

Also you can do faux shaped inlays as a zero-premium alternative. It does look good if done well. Most non-dayglo colors can be matched very well and even on dayglos it can look good. But I'd only try this with FDL, which does not put any sort of texture on the inlay.

For myself, I will always put satisfaction with the looks before money, but I do have a threshold of pain, in particular when the perceived cost-benefit ratio becomes bad.

I've done shaped inlays on Club Hel, which had mostly "cheaper" edge spot patterns, but not primarily for cost concerns but simply because I liked the looks. It would have been hard for me to find more complex spots that would give significantly better overall looks for the extra money spent.

For my FDL sets, I have done faux shaped inlays with varying levels of matching quality, ranging from perfect illusion to very obvious, but overall I am happy with the result. I used some very high level spots on those in large quantities, one even off the regular menu, for a "mere" 40-ish cent increase in averaged per-chip cost. The other FDL set with a little more tame spot levels (but still higher average level) cost me even a bit less per chip than the shaped inlay set.

 

[warma]

Also you can do faux shaped inlays as a zero-premium alternative. It does look good if done well. Most non-dayglo colors can be matched very well and even on dayglos it can look good. But I'd only try this with FDL, which does not put any sort of texture on the inlay.

Large Crown also lacks texture, but it’s a smaller inlay to begin with.

 

[Nex]

Right, both LCrown and SCrown are fairly smooth. At least the inlaid samples that I have are.
I have a had time imagining though how it would work out in overall looks. I've regarded the more complex shapes you can do with faux shaped inlays as something very modern-looking, and I don't think it will look good on molds that look fairly "traditional". Just my taste however.
(Reference: Horseshoe and JACK casino chips from Cincinnati/Cleveland/Detroit.)

 

[Eloe2000]

Shaped inlays: It's a lot of money for a fairly minor effect.

Investing the money saved by dropping shaped inlays into two to three levels more complex edge spots does, IMO, a lot more for the overall appearance of a chip. Complex edge spots are usually flashier than the (simple) real shaped inlays. There are exceptions to this rule and other things to consider, but yeah.

Also you can do faux shaped inlays as a zero-premium alternative. It does look good if done well. Most non-dayglo colors can be matched very well and even on dayglos it can look good. But I'd only try this with FDL, which does not put any sort of texture on the inlay.

For myself, I will always put satisfaction with the looks before money, but I do have a threshold of pain, in particular when the perceived cost-benefit ratio becomes bad.

I've done shaped inlays on Club Hel, which had mostly "cheaper" edge spot patterns, but not primarily for cost concerns but simply because I liked the looks. It would have been hard for me to find more complex spots that would give significantly better overall looks for the extra money spent.

For my FDL sets, I have done faux shaped inlays with varying levels of matching quality, ranging from perfect illusion to very obvious, but overall I am happy with the result. I used some very high level spots on those in large quantities, one even off the regular menu, for a "mere" 40-ish cent increase in averaged per-chip cost. The other FDL set with a little more tame spot levels (but still higher average level) cost me even a bit less per chip than the shaped inlay set.

Yeah, it all comes down to preferences. Personally, I love crazy bright colors. But on the other hand I generally prefer simple, or to some extent, classic spot patterns. I think shaped inlays are more noticeable with more simplistic spot patterns which is perhaps why I value them. I don’t think crazy colors, higher spot patterns, and shaped inlays combined can be too much and then you loose the value of the wow factors. My ideal chips would be bright colors, 3D14, and a shaped inlay as opposed to some exotic L11 type chip. But I certainly get differing preferences here.

For me, part of the draw of shaped inlays is that it creates a more organic look where the inlay appears actually integrated into the chip as opposed to being more of a label. As someone who has relabeled several sets I also appreciate the fact that this is something I can only realistically achieve through a CPC custom. So I knew they were a much for me.

I do really like your FDL fauxs! They can put fantastic.

 

[RainmanTrail]

I'm not a fan of most of the elaborate edge spots. 8D18 is about as fancy as I'd want to get. They just start to look too busy for my tastes. I prefer a simpler, cleaner look. Shaped inlays look great on some projects, but not others. I have an scrown set in the works right now but I don't think shaped inlays work on the scrown mold with CPC because they are too small for the inlay area. I also have an order in for the lcrowns though, and for those, I went with shaped inlays since the inlay area is smaller on lcrown.

 

[JeepologyOffroad]

But on the other hand I generally prefer simple, or to some extent, classic spot patterns. I think shaped inlays are more noticeable with more simplistic spot patterns which is perhaps why I value them

I'm not a fan of most of the elaborate edge spots. 8D18 is about as fancy as I'd want to get. They just start to look too busy for my tastes.

 

[allforcharity]

I supplied my art as a PowerPoint file! Not ideal, I'm sure, but at least everything could be imported into better design software without too much trouble. It was easy for me to apply the cut-off/bleed requirements.

 

[RainmanTrail]

I supplied my art as a PowerPoint file! Not ideal, I'm sure, but at least everything could be imported into better design software without too much trouble. It was easy for me to apply the cut-off/bleed requirements.

I plan to submit my next inlays visa etch-a-sketch.

 

[Nex]

 

[davislane]

Agree completely with the need for physical samples - in fact, I'd so far as to say multiple samples really help with mocking up combinations where one colour may get used a few times across a lineup or for comparing different chip variations directly.

I'll also say, if someone out there had a template with colours and masks for mocking up Paulson chips (even if it's just a pipe dream of ever getting some made), I'd sure as heck pay someone for that tool.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/poker-chip-calculator-and-poker-chip-designer.22248/