Hacking Custom Amiibo Cards for BOTW

[Random11]

I seem to be getting a much better quality print (at least for the text) with that PDF, thanks!!

Well glad that worked for you.

Spoiler: |

putting these here, but they are linked from the op

 

[Nitemare99]

Hi guys,

Just started making custom amiibo cards and would like some advice on some of the steps so my cards don't look as terrible as they do.

1. When I print a stack of card templates 12pt gloss cardstock from staples the pages have a slightly u-shape to them. Cutting requires more focus, is this normal ?

2. I'm using a paper trimmer and having a hard time cutting the card fronts and backs evenly. Is there a more precise method of having these cards cut?

3. I'm using mod podge to glue both card front and back together. Mod podge dries insanely fast, and causes the card it's being applied on to curl up slightly. Although it does have an amazing bond. What is everyone else using?

Please give me some advice everyone. Some of the cards on this forum look amazing and I'd like to achieve the same results

Thanks

 

[Random11]

Hi guys,

Just started making custom amiibo cards and would like some advice on some of the steps so my cards don't look as terrible as they do.

1. When I print a stack of card templates 12pt gloss cardstock from staples the pages have a slightly u-shape to them. Cutting requires more focus, is this normal ?

2. I'm using a paper trimmer and having a hard time cutting the card fronts and backs evenly. Is there a more precise method of having these cards cut?

3. I'm using mod podge to glue both card front and back together. Mod podge dries insanely fast, and causes the card it's being applied on to curl up slightly. Although it does have an amazing bond. What is everyone else using?

Please give me some advice everyone. Some of the cards on this forum look amazing and I'd like to achieve the same results

Thanks

I'll make a guide when I get home tonight.

 

[ganons]

3. I'm using mod podge to glue both card front and back together. Mod podge dries insanely fast, and causes the card it's being applied on to curl up slightly. Although it does have an amazing bond. What is everyone else using?

Please give me some advice everyone. Some of the cards on this forum look amazing and I'd like to achieve the same results

Thanks

Pritt Stick glue...

 

[ganons]

Any good? Tried to add that swirve line like how the newer amiibos do

 

[viral777]

What do amiibo cards do?

 

[Random11]

See the PDF for how I cut out my cards.

You can rearrange some steps to optimize the workflow but you might want to wait until you are familiar with making a few cards before you start changing things for better speed.

And obviously I'm not saying this is the best way to cut out and assemble the cards, this was just the method that worked for me.

Edit: I have found that Elmer's Rubber Cement works way better then the double sided tape. You just apply an even coat to both sides of the backing... wait about 30 seconds and squeeze the fold together. The plus side is any excess mess you make easily just rubs off.

 

[Nitemare99]

Thanks so much for putting this amazing guide together Random11. You've been a great help !

 

[ganons]

See the PDF for how I cut out my cards.

You can rearrange some steps to optimize the workflow but you might want to wait until you are familiar with making a few cards before you start changing things for better speed.

And obviously I'm not saying this is the best way to cut out and assemble the cards, this was just the method that worked for me.

Spoiler: Tips if printing cards from home

Try and make sure your paper is centered in the printer tray as best as you can. If the page gets printed with more of a margin on the top or bottom (in landscape) then you are not going to be able to use the edge of the paper as a guide for folding. Its still possible to fold the paper in half so the images line up, it's just a little harder.

If you miss align the card's face with its back when folding its probably not that big of a deal. There is enough bleed that gives you a little play room. In that case though, you would definitely want to cut the card out using the crop lines on the face of the card as oppose to the crop lines on the card back since its better to have the face properly aligned with the edges of the card.

Since I got my stuff printed at staples I never had this issue but I know home printers aren't always as accurate

That's some good stuff man. Always thought those lines were meant as part of your design lol.

 

[Random11]

I updated the guide. Added a step to make it easier to fold the paper if you don't have even margins.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

That's some good stuff man. Always thought those lines were meant as part of your design lol.

Is that an april fools day joke? ... I thought it was obvious, sorry if it wasnt. I'm going to add a link to the guide in the op just in case

 

[danherf]

Can I use a NFC ntag216 for amiibos? Or is it just for ntag215? @Random11

 

[ganons]

@Random11 the PDF you posted, that's pre-credit card size right? Printed a page and even with margins cut, seems a bit bigger than a credit card

 

[Random11]

@Random11 the PDF you posted, that's pre-credit card size right? Printed a page and even with margins cut, seems a bit bigger than a credit card

Anything on this thread is normal amiibo card size. Everything I posted in the other thread is credit card size. The PDF is only the playing card size. I can upload the credit card size one if you want. The only reason I didnt is because printing on the PVC cards would need vastly different layouts based on how you were printing them, so I thought it would just be easier for people to use the images in their own templates depending on how they were printing them.

 

[ganons]

Anything on this thread is normal amiibo card size. Everything I posted in the other thread is credit card size. The PDF is only the playing card size. I can upload the credit card size one if you want. The only reason I didnt is because printing on the PVC cards would need vastly different layouts based on how you were printing them, so I thought it would just be easier for people to use the images in their own templates depending on how they were printing them.

Do you think you can do one with credit card layout please? The best solution since the cards are not inkjet printable would be to probably use adhesive stickers, printing on them then sticking them on. If its an exact fit, you won't need those crop marks would you?

 

[Random11]

Do you think you can do one with credit card layout please? The best solution since the cards are not inkjet printable would be to probably use adhesive stickers, printing on them then sticking them on. If its an exact fit, you won't need those crop marks would you?

I know its kind of annoying but Im going to post my reply in the other thread, just to keep things separate

 

[Random11]

Ok, people were having issues with laying out there cards. I personally used InDesign to layout my cards when I was getting them printed, but I know not everyone has access to that so I made a guide for people to make their own layouts in an open source software called Scribus. See the attached PDF for the guide. One thing I didnt cover in the guide though... if you are printing cards of different sizes, you might want to make a new template for each size to keep it simple. You will also find a template I made for my playing cards in the attached files, if you wanted that. (the guide covers how to use the template - see the pdf bookmarks)

Also if you need a guide for cutting out the cards after you have them printed see this other guide I wrote

 

[sauce8]

I was wondering if you have any of the blank fronts with just the background of the cards so that i can edit my own characters in to the card

 

[ganons]

I was wondering if you have any of the blank fronts with just the background of the cards so that i can edit my own characters in to the card

I have asked a few times also but got no reply.

 

[brkun]

Can someone PM me how to create these unreleased amiibos?
I can't find how to generate the bins.

Thanks

 

[lordofthereef]

First off I wanted to thank you for all of this help. Not only did you give us a step by step tutorial for everything, you basically spoon fed us templates to boot! Awesome!

I did want to say I was having a bit of issue in the printing phase. I follow everything to a T but I find that the front/back of the cards is missmatched on the second page. What I am trying to print is the 5 BOTW cards and one extra (doesn't really matter which but in this case it is fierce deity link. Everything within scribus looks golden. I expeort and it still looks fine. I got to print 6 prints per page, the first printed page looks great, the second printed page has the 30th anniversary back on BOTW zelda front and a BOTW back on the fierce deity front.

The quick and dirty fix I had was to just do five total and do them based on groups, but that is a wasted space. Not a deal breaker by any means, but I am paying about $1 a page for cardstock and will likely print some off for my neice and some friends. Long story short, I'd like to be as efficient as possible with this.
So, figured it out. Just need to print as vertical.

Love it. thank you so much! I would second that background images would be nice, if you have them. Would love to edit in my own pictures.

Can someone PM me how to create these unreleased amiibos?
I can't find how to generate the bins.

Thanks

I will shoot you a message. To keep in line with forum rules I will give you my nuumber and we can text, if you are cool with that.

EDIT: it says that you limit who can view your profile. I do not have the option to PM