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geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: CrashAndSideburns on Fri, 15 November 2019, 23:48:23

Title: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: CrashAndSideburns on Fri, 15 November 2019, 23:48:23
Hey! So, I've been a lurker in the mechanical keyboard community for a long time, and I believe that there is a gap in Japanese keysets that needs to be filled! Hiragana keysets are extremely popular in the mechanical keyboard community, as evidenced by sets like DSA Otaku or more recently, GMK Red Samurai. Now these. sets are fantastic, and I love the aesthetic that the hiragana legends add to the keyset, but these sets all have one fatal flaw: they cannot be used to type in Japanese. In creating DSA Chaya, my goal was to create not only an aesthetically pleasing hiragana-based set, but to create one that could actually be used to type in Japanese! This keyset follows the OADG 109A keyboard layout, and fit entirely in the area of a 60% keyboard.

[attachimg=2]

This is my first foray into designing keysets, so I would hugely appreciate comments and feedback!

Thanks!
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: tex_live_utility on Fri, 15 November 2019, 23:52:46
Not that into the green accent but I'm into the basic idea. The big legends and beige colorway remind me of vintage typewriter caps.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: CrashAndSideburns on Fri, 15 November 2019, 23:56:47
Not that into the green accent but I'm into the basic idea. The big legends and beige colorway remind me of vintage typewriter caps.

Thanks! I wanted to theme the colours after a teahouse that I like to frequent, hence both the green accents and the name "Chaya".
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: vosechu on Sat, 16 November 2019, 15:40:13
Love this. Well done!
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: Agilr on Sat, 16 November 2019, 16:24:59
Love the inclusion of a JIS layout for the render. Best of luck and hope this goes into GB :thumb:
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: Jsdfbn on Sat, 16 November 2019, 17:22:53
yeah i'll bite on this one.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: ullr on Sat, 16 November 2019, 19:14:29
Very attractive, I've had the same interest in JIS layout for a while. I don't know what keyboard would fit that set, though, and SP does not have a 2.5u mold in DSA.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: psxndc on Sat, 16 November 2019, 21:45:21
Very attractive, I've had the same interest in JIS layout for a while. I don't know what keyboard would fit that set, though, and SP does not have a 2.5u mold in DSA.
This is my only concern. Love the idea and execution, even if the color scheme isn't my cup of おちゃ: just don't know what board to put it on.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: aikilink on Mon, 18 November 2019, 20:09:47
I really love this idea, and would love to get a keyset with just the kana legends!

While I personally love the green accent, it wouldn't be hard to offer a secondary accent, especially with them remaining blank.

I do like DSA, but I have grown fond of XDA, and think it would be a great alternative! As someone typing on an Atreus, a pair of accented 1.5u blanks are a must.  ^-^

Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: ullr on Mon, 18 November 2019, 22:49:59
XDA is worthy of consideration. They don't have a 2.5u mold either, but they do have convex 4.5u and 3u molds.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: lunar0x on Mon, 18 November 2019, 22:54:08
Nice work!

One possible improvement is using Japanese Kanji instead of Chinese one (example: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/異体字セレクタ#/media/ファイル:R188_font.gif).
My suggestion is using Noto Sans JP https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Noto+Sans+JP , which is freely available from Google Fonts.
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: 2Moons on Tue, 19 November 2019, 06:24:11
I think people are more excited about yours and not mine. Developing this into a kit might take off! I offered a collaboration before, and the offer still stands. Lets make an interesting set that will work on Japanese keyboards and ASCII keyboards alike.

As a note: Sublimation and SA is possible without a 3 and 4U spacebar, which is easy to get a quote for. It's not strongly recommended to leave them out as it limits the possibilities of JIS compatible layouts such as the Clueboard or Minila.

Also there are specific mac keys I would recommend adding into the kit as they're used on Japanese mac keyboards. They're included in the IC I linked you. Really excited to see another JIS compatible set!
Title: Re: [IC] DSA Chaya
Post by: ullr on Mon, 16 December 2019, 12:47:56
If KAM Wraith ist anything to go by, that profile has 3u and 2.5u space molds. If you (y'all?) are still interested in making this idea happen.