Production Update: Cards Are Printing, Pledge Manager Submitted, and August Fulfillment
3 months ago
– Sun, May 17, 2026 at 02:12:09 AM
Hi everyone,
first of all: I’m sorry it has been so long since the last proper update.
I know the project is behind, and I know I have not kept you updated as regularly as I should have. Waiting for a Kickstarter reward is already frustrating, and waiting without enough communication is worse. That part is on me.
So I want to give you a clear update on where things stand.
The Cards Are Now Printing
The good news is: the cards are now printing.
This may seem a little unusual, because normally printing happens after the pledge manager closes. In this case, however, the campaign quantity is below the manufacturer’s minimum order quantity anyway, so the final pledge manager numbers are not expected to change the print run.
Rather than wait unnecessarily, I decided to move the cards forward.
The Books Still Are the Main Bottleneck
The main thing still holding everything up is the books / guides.
They are still in progress, and they have taken longer than expected. I have now brought in paid help to get them finished properly.
The guides matter because Alpine Tarok was never just about printing a deck of cards. The goal has always been to make Tarok easier to learn, easier to teach, and more likely to actually reach the table.
So yes, I am sorry for the delay. But I also want to get this right.
Pledge Manager Submitted for Approval
There is also progress on the pledge manager: it has now been submitted for approval.
Once it is approved, I’ll first send invitations to a small batch of backers as a smoke test. If no major issues come up, invitations will then go out to everyone.
The pledge manager will let you confirm your address, adjust your pledge, and choose any optional extras.
I’ll explain the optional extras in a separate update, so this one can stay focused on production and timeline.
Fulfillment Is Now Planned for August
The current fulfillment target is now August. The first two weeks to be exact.
I know this is later than expected, and I’m sorry. I have reserved vacation days specifically for fulfillment, so this is the date I am now working toward very concretely.
Communication Going Forward
I also want to be honest about the silence.
I changed jobs recently, and the adjustment took more energy than I expected. That is not an excuse, but it is part of why I fell behind on communication.
I have now added a regular blocker in my calendar for project updates, because I do not want you to feel like you have to guess what is happening.
This project is still very much active. Production is moving, the pledge manager is in approval, and I am fully committed to getting Alpine Tarok into your hands.
In the next update, I’ll show the optional pledge manager extras, including the extra decks some of you asked about in the comments.
Thank you again for your patience, and I’m sorry that the wait has been longer (and quieter) than it should have been.
Best,
Greg
The deck is getting ready to print!
5 months ago
– Tue, Mar 17, 2026 at 01:58:13 PM
Hi everyone,
First of all: this update is long overdue.
My last post here was in December, and I should have done a better job keeping you informed. Thank you for sticking with the project while things moved forward behind the scenes.
The good news is that a lot has happened since then. The card design has been finished for a while, and the main part that required extra care turned out to be the "Tarok Exploration" book. Interestingly, the decks themselves have the longer production lead time, while the books and guides can be printed much faster.
In my last update, I mentioned opening up the process more, but there was very little response. That’s completely fair and I continued working on it on my own.
I realized something important: while I care deeply about this project and believe in making traditional games more accessible, writing the rules and guides isn’t my biggest strength. So I decided to bring in someone with more experience in writing and structuring rulebooks.
Yes, that adds cost to a project of this rather small size, but it allows me to focus on what I do best, and it removes the biggest bottleneck that was slowing things down. I believe this will result in a much better experience for you.
There was one final reason I held off on sending the deck to print.
Over the past months, I found myself diving deeper into Tarok Games, revisiting different variants with fresh eyes. Since the tutorial game is such an important first step, I wanted to make sure it truly sets players up for success.
And the more I worked on a Königrufen tutorial, the more I realized: Königrufen may not be the best first Tarock game. Instead, I’ve decided that the tutorial will use Calling XX.
Königrufen is of course the most well-known Austrian Tarock game, but Calling XX provides a much smoother entry point. It introduces the core ideas more clearly, which makes it better suited for a guided first game. Once players understand the basics, transitioning to Königrufen becomes much easier.
I know this is a change from what was originally planned, and I want to acknowledge that. But beginner-friendliness has always been at the core of this project and this decision stays true to that goal.
With that final decision made, the deck itself is now ready for print. I’m currently confirming the last details with the manufacturer and preparing production. I am now also confident to prepare a pledge manager that is as true to the final product as can be.
I am also finishing the setup for the pledge manager, which I expect to open in the last days of March. Once it launches, you’ll receive an email where you can confirm your pledge, choose add-ons, and finalize your details.
Thank you again for your patience and for supporting this project — it really means a lot.
More soon,
Gregor
An update on the book (and an invitation to participate)
7 months ago
– Tue, Dec 23, 2025 at 01:10:29 PM
TL;DR: I’m behind schedule because the "Tarok Exploration Book" is taking longer than expected to make it genuinely beginner‑friendly. That affects the page count, which affects shipping and delays the pledge manager. If you already know a Tarok game and feel like helping by reviewing rules or sharing variations, I’d love to hear from you - if not, no worries at all.
What’s currently slowing things down
The main holdup right now is the "Tarok Exploration Book". I’m finding it more challenging than expected to present the rules in a way that is not just correct, but genuinely helpful for new players. This matters more than it might seem at first, because the final page count affects the book’s weight, which in turn affects shipping and has delayed the pledge manager.
For each featured game, my goal is to include:
- The complete rules and core mechanics
- Popular and meaningful variations
- Concrete examples of starting hands
The featured games are Königrufen, Dappen, Calling 20, Slovenian Tarok, Hungarian Tarok and Strawmen Tarok.
Why I think this is important
This isn’t about chasing perfection. In my last Kickstarter, I included starting‑hand examples and community notes, and those were repeatedly mentioned as being super helpful. I want to carry that same level of usefulness forward.
Tarok variants are not games where you can easily adjust your strategy halfway through: the game essentially begins with one big, scary decision at the very start. Unsurprisingly, that’s where beginners struggle the most.
Even when the rules are understood on a technical level, this makes Tarok games hard to truly get. I’m convinced, however, that this gap can be bridged through examples. The same is true for variations: they show how a game can be shaped in ways that aren’t obvious from reading the rules alone. These details are essential to delivering the kind of book I originally set out to make.
Where I could use some help (and who this is for)
Where I’m currently running into limits is with Tarok games that aren’t widely played within my own gaming group. For those variants, I simply have less hands‑on experience, and less time than I expected to write, test, and verify everything on my own.
That’s why I’m opening this up and looking for volunteers to help out (but only if this sounds fun to you!)
If you’re already familiar with at least one of the Tarok games mentioned, I’d greatly appreciate help with double‑checking rules, sharing common variations, and geeking out a bit about strategies together. Of course I’ll credit people who help shape this.
My plan is to share some drafts and examples on the BoardGameGeek forums and make them available for discussion. If you’d like to take part, you can sign up here, and I’ll notify you whenever new material is ready.
If you’re not familiar with any Tarok game yet: no worries at all. This update isn’t asking you to contribute anything, it’s here to explain why this part of the project takes time, and why the finished book will be much easier to learn from because of it.
To give a better sense of what I’m aiming for, I’ve attached a couple of example puzzles below:
Here’s a puzzle for Strawmen Tarok, focusing on how to respond to the very first trick:
And one for Königrufen. This will likely feel obvious to experienced players, but it’s often not at all obvious to someone new to the game. I don’t think the bidding itself is particularly complicated, but without guidance, it can feel overwhelming.
(And yes - I quietly snuck a few previously unpublished and recently updated designs into these puzzles!)
I hope you’re able to enjoy the holiday season, and thanks again for your support!
All the best,
Greg
Does this make sense to you?
9 months ago
– Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 06:23:05 AM
All cards of the Tarok suit are now finished, and I’m excited to share them! I made a few small adjustments to improve clarity and make the deck as intuitive as possible.
A big goal for this project has been to create Tarok cards that are easy to read and easy to understand, both for experienced players and for people discovering the game for the first time.
The suit uses a simple, animal-based power curve and a clean design instead of the usual highly decorated illustrations. This should make every card more recognizable from across the table.
The first 4 cards are visually distinct for gameplay reasons, depicting small birds while the others display mammals. Same with the Edelweiss, the most powerful card.
Here’s where I’d love your input:
Does the strength level of each animal feel intuitive?
Are the animals different enough so no one mistakes a strong card for a weaker one, or the other way around?
During playtesting, we saw fewer moments where players had to stop and lean forward to check a card, so this design seems to reduce those small interruptions.
If anything stands out - good or bad - I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts in the comments!
Cheers,
Greg
Essen-tially a paradise for board gaming
9 months ago
– Thu, Oct 23, 2025 at 12:31:11 PM
For the first time in my life, I’ve made it to Spiel Essen ... and wow, what an event. Every corner feels like stepping into a different realm of creativity.
But this trip isn’t just for fun: today I met with several printing companies. Meeting in person gave me the chance to review paper samples firsthand, something I regretted skipping in my previous project. Now, back in my room, there’s a small stack of cardstock boxes on my desk and a few very promising quotes in my inbox.
I know this update is on the shorter side: there just isn’t too much to reveal yet! I’ve gotten some great help with the rule writing, and I’m soon expecting a package with a tarot deck from a certain Italian company.
The next big step (opening the pledge manager) is coming soon!
If you’ve been to SPIEL before, what shouldn’t I miss while I’m here?
