[IC] Nuclear Data Green Old-Skool (SA Row 3 Profile) Keycaps

[Matt3o]

RED "NUKE 'EM" I'd suggest

[samwisekoi]

First pass of legends posted in OP #2.  Radiation, command, red buttons, and other specials added.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[mashby]

First pass of legends posted in OP #2.  Radiation, command, red buttons, and other specials added.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

Love the look of the mockup! Thank you!!!

Can't help but think that the enter key should say "Activate", or "Launch" or "Engage" or something and be a different color as an add-on / extra key. A bit like Retro and Macross, but given that all the other keys are a solid color, I think it might be nice.

Anyone else agree?

[StylinGreymon]

Engage does sound pretty cool.

[samwisekoi]

Red "ENGAGE" (Enter) keycap added by popular demand.  OP #2 updated.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[mashby]

Red "ENGAGE" (Enter) keycap added by popular demand.  OP #2 updated.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

 

[HoffmanMyster]

Red "ENGAGE" (Enter) keycap added by popular demand.  OP #2 updated.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

Show Image

 :eek:

Hahaha, great gif.  Also, i LOVE the red "ENGAGE" key.

Also, does the mockup show/indicate which profile each of the caps are in?

[Lighthouse1]

Would definitely like a set of these..would there be an ISO set to go with it?

[Elrick]

(Attachment Link)
Second pass of Nuclear Data keycap set.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

GEEZUS H. CHRIST, that is the MOST beautiful key-set yet delivered here on Geekhack (sorry Matt3o) but this is the ONE I have been looking for  .

It's seriously COOL without having all the unnecessary colours like what most key-sets have now.  Time for a subtle change for our keyboards and when you decide to post this in the Group Buy section Sam I will order at least 4 complete sets.

Thank you for finally making a man's key-set, something to end the world with.

[stoic-lemon]

I thought this terminal was for analyzing gamma radiation, and not for firing nuclear weapons.

[mashby]

I thought this terminal was for analyzing gamma radiation, and not for firing nuclear weapons.

[samwisekoi]

Also, does the mockup show/indicate which profile each of the caps are in?

I think all Row 3 Profile.  That way people can do the DSA "any key in any position" thing with them.

Would definitely like a set of these..would there be an ISO set to go with it?

Assuming there is interest, I think TKL, ISO, Dvorak/Colemak, "Big-Ass Enter", and 10-Key would be the sets.

I thought this terminal was for analyzing gamma radiation, and not for firing nuclear weapons.

I thought so as well, but apparently in order to have pacifists we must have the warlike as well.  Yin and Yang.

GEEZUS H. CHRIST, that is the MOST beautiful key-set yet delivered here on Geekhack (sorry Matt3o) but this is the ONE I have been looking for  .

It's seriously COOL without having all the unnecessary colours like what most key-sets have now.  Time for a subtle change for our keyboards and when you decide to post this in the Group Buy section Sam I will order at least 4 complete sets.

Thank you for finally making a man's key-set, something to end the world with.

Thanks and you're welcome.  Also, Matt3o and I were discussing this back in the Retro DSA days, so he was a co-founder of this set.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[edit]
Added  "Big-Ass Enter" kit for fohat.digs.
[/edit]

[hwood34]

I'd definitely be in for a set

[Elrick]

I thought this terminal was for analyzing gamma radiation, and not for firing nuclear weapons.

So that's what they told you to believe  ) ? 

[StylinGreymon]

I thought this terminal was for analyzing gamma radiation, and not for firing nuclear weapons.

Haha whoops, I saw green and the word nuclear and assumed it was about blowin' stuff up 

[ApocalypseMaow]

wait!!! SA or DSA?

[StylinGreymon]

SA, as far as I can tell.

[Elrick]

wait!!! SA or DSA?

Sweet Geezus it's SA Profile and don't go giving Sam any other horrible ideas.......

[ApocalypseMaow]

Damn... Well, I guess I should try SA sooner or later. This would be the set to do it.

[longweight]

****ing yes!

[Elrick]

****ing yes!

I'm guessing you meant to say "FVCKING YES"....which I totally agree  .

[funkymeeba]

Allow me to state in a couple of words how excited I am to see the possibility of this set coming to life:

HELL YEAH!

[SpAmRaY]

Allow me to state in a couple of words how excited I am to see the possibility of this set coming to life:

HELL YEAH!

Who are you, some new guy? j/k

[Matt3o]

okay guys, I'm all in for radiation symbols and "engage" buttons, but I was kidding about NUKE key... I find it a bit childish and out of place. Let's have another symbol instead.

I would also use a simpler symbol for the radiation, like this



A nice additional key might be:



Also a yellow key might be very nice and might give a better contrast than red.

Mock up



Please note that green is color calibrated (ie: that is very close to what you'll get)

[rowdy]

okay guys, I'm all in for radiation symbols and "engage" buttons, but I was kidding about NUKE key... I find it a bit childish and out of place. Let's have another symbol instead.

Also a yellow key might be very nice and might give a better contrast than red.

Mock up

Show Image

Please note that green is color calibrated (ie: that is very close to what you'll get)

That looks good :)

[Kouni]

Very nice!
Just an idea: all R3, all deep dish on alphas.

[stoic-lemon]

May I suggest some form of the Greek symbol for gamma? Would need to find a nice representation of it so it doesn't just look like a regular 'y'

Also, would there be any possibility of having a kit with regular white on green arrow keys? I assume a regular green Enter is a given.

[Elrick]

okay guys, I'm all in for radiation symbols and "engage" buttons, but I was kidding about NUKE key... I find it a bit childish and out of place. Let's have another symbol instead.

If you're not into "NUKE" key why not "LAUNCH".  I would pay for that easy.  Or how about "COUNTDOWN" or "ATTACK" or "WoMD" ?

Heaps of brilliant descriptions to take over from NUKE.  If you want more just ask  .  I grew up in the mid eighties and that was a time you never forget especially all the reports of USSR failing and the launch of imminent destruction.

You do know that the "ENGAGE" key is used in the Star Trek Key-set in another Group Buy?

[Matt3o]

I suggest also Pu94 and a U92 keys

[StylinGreymon]

I suggest also Pu94 and a U92 keys

I like that idea.

[Elrick]

Hey I've got more for you;

ICBM, A-BOMB, KILOTON, RADIOACTIVE, STRATEGIC, BALLISTIC, TACTICAL, FALLOUT, END-OF-DAYS, NEUTRON, THERMONUCLEAR, damn you guys are no fun at all.

I loved the idea of getting torched by an ICBM  .

If you want to look at measurements of Nuclear Radiation then there is always the tried and tested units of measurement eg. Becquerel (Bq), Gray (Gy) and Sievert (Sv).

[StylinGreymon]

If you want to look at measurements of Nuclear Radiation then there is always the tried and tested units of measurement eg. Becquerel (Bq), Gray (Gy) and Sievert (Sv).

I like these, too.
I want them for the top row of my numpad.
We could probably add a Curie (Ci) in there.

[MOZ]

okay guys, I'm all in for radiation symbols and "engage" buttons, but I was kidding about NUKE key... I find it a bit childish and out of place. Let's have another symbol instead.

I would also use a simpler symbol for the radiation, like this

Show Image

A nice additional key might be:

Show Image

Also a yellow key might be very nice and might give a better contrast than red.

Mock up

Show Image

Please note that green is color calibrated (ie: that is very close to what you'll get)

[katushkin]

Hey I've got more for you;

ICBM, A-BOMB, KILOTON, RADIOACTIVE, STRATEGIC, BALLISTIC, TACTICAL, FALLOUT, END-OF-DAYS, NEUTRON, THERMONUCLEAR, damn you guys are no fun at all.

I loved the idea of getting torched by an ICBM  .

If you want to look at measurements of Nuclear Radiation then there is always the tried and tested units of measurement eg. Becquerel (Bq), Gray (Gy) and Sievert (Sv).

Someone's is going on the NSA's watchlist...

[samwisekoi]

Good morning.

A few things:

First, please no more animations in the thread.  I had to AdBlock it to regain my CPU.

Moving on to the keycap set...

The core concept of the set is to remain faithful to the original Nuclear Data legends.  So for sure the base set will be deployable in 100% White-on-Green (WoG) keycaps.  So yes, it will include a WoG Escape keycap, WoG arrows, and a WoG Return.  Also, the original is 100% text, so with the exception of the radiation icon, everything will be TEXT,  (I used the ASCII version for that Sans font as an example.  We'll see what can be done for the actual keycap.)

As far as I can tell from the mockups, the 1x mods are limited to a 4x2 legend to keep the bold used-in-emergencies look.  Thus "FIRE NUKE" instead of "LAUNCH".

Personally, I prefer the 50's-era legends and wording, and frankly, nobody would have willingly had a keyboard with a key that said FIRE NUKE on it.  Having said that, this is an [IC] thread, so as long as you answer the two questions listed in the OP, then please do suggest keycaps and legends that you think might make the set better -- better means increased demand, which helps with MOQ and cost.

Feedback from the first 48 hours tells me that there is enough interest to put up a "do you want it?" web page.  I'll do that.

In the meantime, please continue to toss ideas around.  We'll never have a keycap that says "THERMONUCLEAR", but that might lead to an idea for a keycap that will be awesome, so keep it up.

Just remember that between now and the actual [GB], keycap colors and legends are going to be selected in the context of the photo in the OP and the equipment used in the depths of the Cold War.

Actual nukes were terrifying -- but the Nuclear Data keycap set will be terrific!

 - Ron | samwisekoi

p.s.  I consider Greek characters TEXT in the context of this set.  So gimme Gamma, etc.

[Matt3o]

I do not agree on "100% text".

In the original keyboard all arrows are actually arrows and there's also a very nice 4 arrows key that I believe should be replicated.

[samwisekoi]

I do not agree on "100% text".

In the original keyboard all arrows are actually arrows and there's also a very nice 4 arrows key that I believe should be replicated.

Well, okay.  I forgot about arrows.  Some of the original arrows, especially THAT arrow, would be great.  (I think it would look awesome at the center of a 5-arrow cluster.)  And some of the up/down arrows would make 60-65% keyboards better.

Also, I had not considered the keys above a 10-key pad.  I have a Cherry numpad that would look great with this set.

So, ok.  Consider my rant an overcorrection first thing on the evil lose-an-hour time change day.

Except for the animation remark.  That thing took 71% of an i7 core, and Firefox doesn't multi-thread well, if at all!

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[samwisekoi]

Matt3o and I have talked and agreed on a guiding principle for the set:

All green. All text apart from very few arrows/icons.  No need of NUKE keys.

White on Green (WoG) SA Row3 profile; all-glossy if possible.

I've updated OP #2 with a third pass containing more of the original legends plus some of the suggestions from the thread.  I have not changed the alternate color at this time.  Red will work for the purposes of the [IC] thread, but the single optional color is still officially TBD at this time.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[HoffmanMyster]

Matt3o and I have talked and agreed on a guiding principle for the set:

All green. All text apart from very few arrows/icons.  No need of NUKE keys.

White on Green (WoG) SA Row3 profile; all-glossy if possible.

I've updated OP #2 with a third pass containing more of the original legends plus some of the suggestions from the thread.  I have not changed the alternate color at this time.  Red will work for the purposes of the [IC] thread, but the single optional color is still officially TBD at this time.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

I like where this is going.      I'm still very interested.

[mashby]

I've updated OP #2 with a third pass containing more of the original legends plus some of the suggestions from the thread.  I have not changed the alternate color at this time.  Red will work for the purposes of the [IC] thread, but the single optional color is still officially TBD at this time.

Not that you asked, but I'd suggest OAS as the optional color. I think orange and green go really well together. The red makes me think of Christmas.


OAS by cpkey, on Flickr

[Matt3o]

agree on OAS!

[Elrick]

(Attachment Link)
Third pass of Nuclear Data keycap set.

All green. All text apart from very few arrows/icons.  No need of NUKE keys.

White on Green (WoG) SA Row3 profile; all-glossy if possible.

Possibly one optional color for very few keycaps.

 - Ron | samwisekoi

YES, I'm still loving your design there.  To me it has got me wishing that it gets produced tomorrow at SP.

Definitely interested in it because it reminds me of my youth and the thwarted attempt of nuclear annihilation.  Would of loved seeing that special mushroom on the horizon  .

Thank you Sam & Matt3o for keeping it real, it was the best time in my life (hoping for oblivion).

[mashby]

agree on OAS!

So glad you like my suggestion!

I like the greek characters, but how did you guys see those being used? Are they designed to be replacements for alpha characters to mix things up a bit?

Any chance of adding the Epsilon character? I know it's mostly just an "E", but I am planning on using this key cap set for my Epsilon Keyboard. I know it's VERY specific, but if you're going to do other greek characters, I figured I'd just ask.  :roll eyes:

[Wildcard]

Awesome set. Makes me wish I had a bomb shelter.

[Elrick]

Awesome set. Makes me wish I had a bomb shelter.

You need to feel the awesome Gamma rays penetrate every cell in your body and besides, in a second you become part of a man-made super-nova which in itself is fantastic  .

[samwisekoi]

Alpha, Beta, Gamma and X, plus Neutrons are the products of nuclear decay that ND devices tested for.

burnanenergyjournal.com/radioactive-decay/

 - Ron I samwisekoi

[mashby]

Alpha, Beta, Gamma and X, plus Neutrons are the products of nuclear decay that ND devices tested for.

burnanenergyjournal.com/radioactive-decay/

 - Ron I samwisekoi

I learn something new every day! That's very cool and makes my Epsilon request rather silly. Not to mention that the other symbols look WAY cooler.  )

Also, thank you for making this all row 3 so that it'll work with a variety of boards. Now that I know what they are for, I'm thinking of using the greek keys down the right side of the board.

This is a very exciting set!

[longweight]

I love the mock up but the number row needs to be numbers only for it to look truly awesome.

[samwisekoi]

I love the mock up but the number row needs to be numbers only for it to look truly awesome.

And so, since all the keycaps are the same profile, you can just put the 10-key set on the top row!

(I thought of this already, and if I do a TKL, it will be done like that!)

Anyhow, slap those numpad keys across the top and Bob's your uncle!

 - Ron | samwisekoi

[Latin00032]

Option A