Kids, Proxies and Printers

C

Crackdown

Guest
My kids love to play Magic and so do I. But, we end up making a lot of unsightly proxies for cards we don't own.

Then I got to thinking. We own Interactive Encyclopedia from Wizards and a color printer (just an old Epson inkjet).

Would it be possible to print out the nice artwork/cards from the software program onto adhesive-backed paper and then put onto a sanded land/common card? If so, how and has anyone done it?

Ethics involved? (no, we aren't going to sell them and we aren't going to trade them or use them in tourneys).
 
H

Hetemti

Guest
I just get a sharpie fine-point and scribble on a junk common that still has plenty of rulesbox space.

HOWEVER. I never do it for a card I don't own. I only proxy a card that's either valuble (Vamp Tut, Morphling, Hammer), or a foil, and only when I don't have enough sleeves to sleeve the deck and use the real cards.
 
H

Hawaiian mage

Guest
I used to proxy sleeves and put them on rares. I figure I bought the pac, and it COULD have been a Morphling instead of COP:Land, so it's as good as fair.
 
Killer Joe

Killer Joe

New member
That's right, a Sharpie Black Marker and any land (Plains are best), and "wahlah"! A proxy! However, I mostly make proxy's to use for a 'playtest' net deck to play against, not to play with. Also, If I DO make one to put in MY deck, then it's only there as an incentive to actually acquire the card. Otherwise, I only proxy cards that I already own.

ETHICS!? Well, I'm a Mexican-American who is really from....;)
 
A

Apollo

Guest
I know that it is possible, but I don't exactly remember how. Each card in the encyclopedia is saved as a seperate file. If you can figure out which file is which card (I think they're in alphabetical order), then you can put it in another program, resize it to fit the card, and print it.

Since you're most likely printing popular cards, you could go to ebay and find an auction with a picture. Just copy the picture into Word or some such program, resize it, and print it.
 
G

Griffith_se

Guest
Yes, You can print cards from Magic Encyclopedia.

The images are just *.jpg's, the hard part is finding the image you want, since they are only represented by numbers (C:\Program Files\Wizards of the Coast\Magic the Gathering\images\XXXX\XXXX.jpg).

You will need Microsoft Access to open the database (C:\Program Files\Wizards of the Coast\Magic the Gathering\magic.mdb).

The database is passworded so, You'll need the password, which I just happen to know ;)

Case sensitive - It is....

(7V9@GP_


[Edited by Griffith_se on 01-02-01 at 05:55 PM]
 
G

Griffith_se

Guest
Oops,
forgot to mention that-
MM thru Invasion will be on Drive C.
The rest will be on Your CD.

And... the card dimensions are pretty close to...

H 3.4375" X W 2.4375"
 
P

Purple_jester

Guest
After you have printed or laser-copies the card, cut it out carefully. I use an engineering scalpel or cutter. Remember: when in doubt, cut it large. You can always trim it a little after you attach it.

Take a very fine-tooth sandpaper, and lightly sand the surface of the card you wish to affix the copy to. This will make a slightly rough surface for the adhesive.

CAUTION: Feel the surface with your finger after you've sanded. The surface should not feel smooth or rough or grainy. Any ridges will ruin the card after you've applied the print.

Apply the adhesive evenly to the surface of the card. The thinner the coat, the better. If the paper you used for printing is thin and soaks easily, then do not use glue. Use paste. You may use glue if the paper does not soak well. I use paste all the time as a precautionary measure.

Once you have spread the adhesive, apply either the top or bottom edge of the print to the card, and slide downward or upward. Do this carefully as not to cause wrinkling.

CAUTION: Remember which side you are affixing. Do not, as my friend once did, apply the copy such that the Magic logo on the back ends up upside-down.

Smooth out the edges. Trim the card with a cutter by laying it on a cutting board logo-up and checking the edges for any exposed parts of the print. Let dry.

If you did this well, then a glance at the edge of the card will not reveal that it is a fake. Hope I was helpful. ;)
 
N

Nyx

Guest
I had a friend who made proxies out of the gold-bordered collectors sets. He did it by sanding lands and the back of the collector card and then merging them. When he was done you really had a hard time telling the difference except for the gold border.

Probably the easiest way to make proxies would be to take the card you want to copy and scan it. The images in the encyclopedia are small and not terribly high quality. A good print shop should be able to crank out some decent proxies for you that you could attach to a sanded basic land/common and they'd feel about the same. But you'd have to find one that was willing to reprint copyrighted material. If you print them out at home they probably won't shuffle right unless you keep them in sleeves.
 
C

Crackdown

Guest
Whoa, this is getting a bit more artistic than I wanted. But, thanks to all who responded.

We found some images and copied them into word, then printed at 1440 dps onto adhesive-backed paper stock. No one will ever mistake these for originals and that is just fine. We just want to play with the cards and it's easier having mana symbols and text right there (including the flavor text).

This is pure enjoyment guys. That's all.
 
U

Ura

Guest
although its a bit late to add in.
The magic suitcase program from dragonstar studios, the same who gave us apprentice, prints perfect proxies as the function is built into the program.
The only catch is that it doesn't print the card picture, this is easily solved by unlocking the database and redirecting the picture part of the card to an existing copy of the pic on your comp or any other pic for that matter. Then lock up the database and print the proxie. Perfect proxie everytime.
 
A

Apollo

Guest
Hey, PJ, we've had a lot of practice counterfeiting cards, now haven't we?:)
 
P

Purple_jester

Guest
I'm innocent! I'm not a Magic counterfeiter!

I've only forged, oh, some 10 dozen cards... That's all... Heh... Ha... :D

(Uh-oh. Apollo's on to me. Now I'll have to send in the assassins... Too bad. I kinda liked him. :( )
 
A

Apollo

Guest
[me]dons a trenchcoat and puts a pair of cheesy glasses with a fake mustache on his beak.[/me]

She'll never recognize me now...
 
P

Purple_jester

Guest
Now where in blazes did Apollo run off to?

<summons a shadowstalker to her side> Well? Did you find him?

Shadowstalker: No, my lady. He seems to have vanished. An odd gentleman with a trenchcoat and moustache nearby told me that he last saw someone fitting Apollo's description get into a fuschia-colored taxicab and ride off West.

<sighs> Very well, then. Get some more stalkers AND FIND HIM. <watches the shadowstalker vanish into the darkness>

Well. I'll have to wait to get Apollo. Too bad. What to do in the meantime? I know! I'll go and have a nice conversation with that odd gentleman with the trenchcoat, glasses and funny moustache. ;)
 
A

Apollo

Guest
<<in deep, scratchy voice (like Henry Kissinger)>>

Why, hello miss. How are you today? [me]glances around furtively[/me] Um, I'm really in a hurry. Is there something I can help you with?
 
K

K9Archmage

Guest
I truly believe that it would be wrong to do what your thinking, cracky. It is like forging. it is unethical.

Hoipa
 
C

Crackdown

Guest
I truly believe that it would be wrong to do what your thinking, cracky. It is like forging. it is unethical.

K9, I am also troubled by it. On the one hand, I have purchased Magic Encyclopedia and have the card pictures as part of the purchased software (no, I have not read the license agreement). On the other hand, I'm not exactly making copies to preserve what I have (archive).

Normally, one would be able to go to the copyright holder and seek to purchase the item. But WotC does not operate that way. Instead, they ask you to buy booster packs and take the chance of getting the card you want. Any attempts at buying the actual item must come from the secondary market, and that isn't money that finds its way to the copyright holder.

So we have an unusual situation in that the copyright holder could sell the item but prefers not to, instead asking the purchaser to make a considerable outlay of funds to get multiple copies of single cards. The exact amount would depend upon the statistical probability controlled by WotC.

In effect, the outlay of funds required to get the card from WotC through retail booster pack purchases would far exceed the single card value.

Moreover, the proxies are not of high enough quality to be used for anything but play at home.

Copyright law is intended to protect the holder. In effect, the courts ask whether the person should have purchased his own copy.

I'm not exactly sure how that translates in the present circumstances.

If WotC would sell individual cards as part of their business, I could see a compelling case for not copying cards, since then you are expressly denying the copyright holder an incremental sale.

Oh well, perhaps I'll run this by a copyright and trademark attorney (who will undoubtedly tell me that I'm wasting time worrying about it as WotC is more interested in stopping widespread digital dissemination of its cards or in actual piracy and counterfeiting).

In any event, it's an interesting clash of ethics and law.
 
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