How to Make Your Own

 4D^TM  Playing Cards

    Before you go to the trouble of purchasing business card stock and making a  set of cards, I suggest you try some of the games by simply printing the 4D playing card symbols on a single page and cutting them out. 

First, right-click the link 4D PLAYING CARD SYMBOLS and select (left-click) "Save Target As..." The window that appears should allow you to save the TIF Image to a folder on your computer. Then you can open the file and print it on an 8.5"x11" sheet of card stock or paper.  Separate the symbols with scissors. Now you can try some games. 

The rules in the book are written for cards. You sometimes have to adapt a little using tiles (that's what I call the small pieces with the individual symbols on them). For instance, to deal a hand, each player might draw the tiles out of a bag. But for some games it may be easier to place all the tiles face down so that a dealer can give them out and only the player receiving tiles gets to see them. Also some games might require that  players conceal their tiles behind screens, which could easily be made from pieces of cardboard partly folded. 

Once you've decided you must have a set of cards, get the correct business card stock, available at office supply stores. This is very finely perforated card stock, making ten 2"x3.5" cards from each 8.5"x11" sheet. Many manufacturers mention the Avery® product number 8271.    

Right-click the link 4D PLAYING CARD BACK DESIGN and select "Save Target As..." The window that appears should allow you to save the TIFF Image to a folder on your computer. I suggest you make a test print on plain typing paper before using the business card stock. After printing it, carefully align the test print with a blank sheet of the business card stock and hold up to a strong light to make sure the back design images fall acceptably onto the individual cards (between the perforations).  When the alignment is satisfactory, print nine sheets of business card stock with the back design. 

Then print the nine different 4D Playing Cards files, using the same method you used to print the backs. Print one on the reverse side of each of the nine sheets. Separate the cards. Congratulations! You're done!

An alternative to printing cards as described above is to print the 4D Playing Card symbols on labels and affix them to any suitable collection of pieces to make tiles. I've made one set from small squares of  wood, and one from plastic bottle tops. It's convenient to buy full sheet labels to print all 81 symbols on. Then cut them out and stick them to whatever you've found.  If they are not the size you need for your pieces, some program on your computer might be able to resize the image. 

Tiles are just as good or even better than cards for playing some 4D Playing Card games. For others, cards are preferable.   

I'd be happy to help you with any of this, if I can.

    By the way, I repeat: Permission is given by me, John Whiting, for copying the book and cards for personal use.    It is illegal to distribute or sell 4D Playing Cards or the book, 4D Playing Card Games, without express written permission.

© John Whiting  2009  All rights reserved