[IC] Novelty One-off Keycap inspired by 1976 Flashback Set (PMK IC is Live!)

[HoffmanMyster]

OP edited; Mockups Posted. Color input still appreciated...

Would buy 8 track in both colors you have posted there.   

[00zeRO]

OP edited; Mockups Posted. Color input still appreciated...

Would buy 8 track in both colors you have posted there.   

What about 8 track in any of the other available colors with the set, not necessarily matching the other color combos specifically? e.g. Yellow 'cap with Orange legend...

[HoffmanMyster]

OP edited; Mockups Posted. Color input still appreciated...

Would buy 8 track in both colors you have posted there.   

What about 8 track in any of the other available colors with the set, not necessarily matching the other color combos specifically? e.g. Yellow 'cap with Orange legend...

Without seeing a mockup, I would answer more conservatively - I think I would prefer (any colour) on brown or brown on (any colour).  I think the brown and blue work best since they are the two dominating colours of the set.  But that's just me. 

[00zeRO]

OP edited; Mockups Posted. Color input still appreciated...

Would buy 8 track in both colors you have posted there.   

What about 8 track in any of the other available colors with the set, not necessarily matching the other color combos specifically? e.g. Yellow 'cap with Orange legend...

Without seeing a mockup, I would answer more conservatively - I think I would prefer (any colour) on brown or brown on (any colour).  I think the brown and blue work best since they are the two dominating colours of the set.  But that's just me. 

I have big plans for this legend going forward if it should tip. Thank you for your input. Between the brown and blue, do you prefer one over another?

[tigersharkdude]

Blue base w/ brown legend. . IMHO

[unoab]

I would vote for the brown base, blue legend on the 8 track, then the colors would match on the default stripe set to swap it for an 8 on the keyboard (either in the number row or keypad, or even the F8 key if one desired).  But that's just me...

The 76 would be fine in either colorway.

[00zeRO]

Well, all info has been uploaded for PMK to do their stuff for the IC for each keycap. It is only a matter of time for this IC goes live. I hope to see it up by the end of the week. Thanks for all the ideas, I plan to try some of them in the future...

[Oobly]

I think a compact cassette (C-Cassette) is much more recognisable than an 8-track cassette, especially this side of the pond. I had no idea what the image was until I read through all the posts.

Also, C cassettes were mass produced already from 1968 and were more prevalent in Europe than 8-tracks, so it's definitely a 70s thing.

So I vote for these 3 caps with a nice C cassette logo on them:



The 1.25 ones replace the "Win" keys from the base set, the 1x for "Esc".

[00zeRO]

I think a compact cassette (C-Cassette) is much more recognisable than an 8-track cassette, especially this side of the pond. I had no idea what the image was until I read through all the posts.

Also, C cassettes were mass produced already from 1968 and were more prevalent in Europe than 8-tracks, so it's definitely a 70s thing.

So I vote for these 3 caps with a nice C cassette logo on them:

(Attachment Link)

The 1.25 ones replace the "Win" keys from the base set, the 1x for "Esc".

Thank you, Oobly. Cassette would be tricky in double shot...I will take a serious stab at it in the future. As always, your suggestions are most appreciated.

[SL89]

I just noticed my idea for the 76 made it to the IC! I wasn't super into the colorway, but now i feel invested  how many people does it need to pass?

[00zeRO]

I just noticed my idea for the 76 made it to the IC! I wasn't super into the colorway, but now i feel invested  how many people does it need to pass?

50 votes. Last time I checked last night yours was doing better than the 8 track. Regarding colorway, there will be other options in the future of this legend...should it tip at GB level...

[00zeRO]

OP edited to show current voting results on PMK IC. Please hack the vote! Tell all your reddit and DT pals about this, please!

Thank you!

 

[engicoder]

I think you may get vote boost once the 1976 group buy starts and people are invested.

[Oobly]

I'm going to be giving some pretty harsh criticism here. I don't mean to offend, but neither of the designs in the OP have any significance or relevance to me and I suspect most Europeans (and colonials such as myself) will have the same opinion.

Quoting from Wikipedia on 8 track: "It was popular in the United States[1] from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s, when the Compact Cassette format took over, but aside from a brief early period of moderate popularity in the UK[2][3] was relatively unknown in many European countries."

And the Bicentennial one has even less relevance.

If you want these to be 'Murica only, then no worries, let it be as it is, but if you want people this side of the pond to show some interest I think you'll have to present a more globally relevant 70's theme.

[00zeRO]

I'm going to be giving some pretty harsh criticism here. I don't mean to offend, but neither of the designs in the OP have any significance or relevance to me and I suspect most Europeans (and colonials such as myself) will have the same opinion.

Quoting from Wikipedia on 8 track: "It was popular in the United States[1] from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s, when the Compact Cassette format took over, but aside from a brief early period of moderate popularity in the UK[2][3] was relatively unknown in many European countries."

And the Bicentennial one has even less relevance.

If you want these to be 'Murica only, then no worries, let it be as it is, but if you want people this side of the pond to show some interest I think you'll have to present a more globally relevant 70's theme.

Not offended in the slightest. If they don't make it in both PMK IC and GB, they won't be produced. Simple as that.

I have submitted designs to the public that were suggested and that are double shootable. And in a very hasty manner.

Since we have time until the 1976 set goes love as a GB, tell me, Oobly, do you have any designs worth considering beyond the cassette tape (which would be better and easier to dyesub IMO)?

[00zeRO]

Unfortunately, I have been geographically challenged and have never left the US. So any and all international 70's ideas are welcome and accepted.

[Oobly]

This one may still be more US than international, but it's eminently recognisable:



Or how about one of these?

[Oobly]

The '70s is very rich in decade-specific recognisable icons. Makes for a nice theme for keycaps

[Data]

I know it's not a "video game"-themed set, but it's hard to find something more iconic than the Atari controller -- especially for geeks who lived through that era.



This would be relatively easy to vector for an icon.

Also, the disco ball might be the perfect icon for the 70s in general, but I'm having a really hard time visualizing a vector that would work in 2D and 1 color.  It's just a very complex shape.

Still thinking...

[SL89]

I'm going to be giving some pretty harsh criticism here. I don't mean to offend, but neither of the designs in the OP have any significance or relevance to me and I suspect most Europeans (and colonials such as myself) will have the same opinion.

Are there any truly global icons from 1976? i figured the colorway was somewhat uniquely american from the get go as i am unfamiliar with any other perspectives on it.

[Oobly]

I know it's not a "video game"-themed set, but it's hard to find something more iconic than the Atari controller -- especially for geeks who lived through that era.

Show Image

This would be relatively easy to vector for an icon.

Also, the disco ball might be the perfect icon for the 70s in general, but I'm having a really hard time visualizing a vector that would work in 2D and 1 color.  It's just a very complex shape.

Still thinking...

I thought of a mirrorball too, but there's just too much detail required to make an icon for a keycap, at least I couldn't think of a way to simplify it enough.

The Atari controller is a great one! I did a little hacking around in GIMP, but I'm sure someone a little more gifted in graphics editing could do something way better (maybe take away the cable and make it a bit more cartoonish / exaggerated):



The set is inspired by the colours on a poster, it's really just 70's themed and happens to have that year associated, not specifically stuff from only 1976.

[Oobly]

And here's one to bridge both sides of the ocean

[Data]

I could maybe get something like this to work.  It would need tweaking, especially on some of the sharp corners, and some "sparkle" effects to make it look like more than a wireframe globe...

[00zeRO]

I know it's not a "video game"-themed set, but it's hard to find something more iconic than the Atari controller -- especially for geeks who lived through that era.

Show Image

This would be relatively easy to vector for an icon.

Also, the disco ball might be the perfect icon for the 70s in general, but I'm having a really hard time visualizing a vector that would work in 2D and 1 color.  It's just a very complex shape.

Still thinking...

This is worth looking into...

[engicoder]

I know it's not a "video game"-themed set, but it's hard to find something more iconic than the Atari controller -- especially for geeks who lived through that era.

Show Image

This would be relatively easy to vector for an icon.

Also, the disco ball might be the perfect icon for the 70s in general, but I'm having a really hard time visualizing a vector that would work in 2D and 1 color.  It's just a very complex shape.

Still thinking...

This is worth looking into...

Atari joystick or Disco ball?

[00zeRO]

I know it's not a "video game"-themed set, but it's hard to find something more iconic than the Atari controller -- especially for geeks who lived through that era.

Show Image

This would be relatively easy to vector for an icon.

Also, the disco ball might be the perfect icon for the 70s in general, but I'm having a really hard time visualizing a vector that would work in 2D and 1 color.  It's just a very complex shape.

Still thinking...

This is worth looking into...

Atari joystick or Disco ball?

Both, but primarily Joystick...

[HoffmanMyster]

I'm going to be giving some pretty harsh criticism here. I don't mean to offend, but neither of the designs in the OP have any significance or relevance to me and I suspect most Europeans (and colonials such as myself) will have the same opinion.

Quoting from Wikipedia on 8 track: "It was popular in the United States[1] from the mid-1960s to the late-1970s, when the Compact Cassette format took over, but aside from a brief early period of moderate popularity in the UK[2][3] was relatively unknown in many European countries."

And the Bicentennial one has even less relevance.

If you want these to be 'Murica only, then no worries, let it be as it is, but if you want people this side of the pond to show some interest I think you'll have to present a more globally relevant 70's theme.

Thanks for posting this, I didn't realize that 8-tracks weren't popular outside the US.  Knowing this, I agree that it perhaps may not be the best option.  And I know that I personally wouldn't buy the Bicentennial one; just not big into that sort of stuff.  I love my country, but that's not how I show it. 

I like both the joystick and afro designs.   

[engicoder]

Here's my stab at it:



I made this being careful to follow SP's requirements for custom legends. It required some compromise on detail.

[Data]

Here's my stab at it:

(Attachment Link)

I made this being careful to follow SP's requirements for custom legends. It required some compromise on detail.

Not bad.  Do you have a link to SP's document on this?  I looked for it recently but couldn't find it.

[engicoder]

Here's my stab at it:

(Attachment Link)

I made this being careful to follow SP's requirements for custom legends. It required some compromise on detail.

Not bad.  Do you have a link to SP's document on this?  I looked for it recently but couldn't find it.

 Requirements for Submitting Custom Legends.docx.pdf (164.3 kB - downloaded 155 times.)

Here's what it boils down to. You have to view the custom legend as being cut from base key cap using a minimum of 0.012" cutter. Therefore your details for the legend cannot have a radius of less than 0.006". Furthermore, any islands between two sections of the custom legend must be at least 0.020" thick.

The legend area for SA profile is 0.38" x 0.38"

[00zeRO]

Here's my stab at it:

(Attachment Link)

I made this being careful to follow SP's requirements for custom legends. It required some compromise on detail.

I will be making my stab soon...as we certainly have all this time to wait...

[engicoder]

Here's my stab at it:

(Attachment Link)

I made this being careful to follow SP's requirements for custom legends. It required some compromise on detail.

I will be making my stab soon...as we certainly have all this time to wait...

Looking forward to it! I like the Atari Joystick idea. It seems like it should appeal to many.

[Data]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.





It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

[engicoder]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

[Data]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

Yeah, I think if I made the primary ring around the stick wider in the transparent area it would look better.  I'll play with it some more tonight.  I have a few other ideas to clean up the look.

[00zeRO]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

Yeah, I think if I made the primary ring around the stick wider in the transparent area it would look better.  I'll play with it some more tonight.  I have a few other ideas to clean up the look.

Have fun with it...I'm dangerously close to burning out on this whole 70's novelty concept...

I plan to buy a set of engicoder's artistic genius, but I don't want another fail on my record. Especially, since I apparently have won regarding our Fallout Series designs.

[Data]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

Yeah, I think if I made the primary ring around the stick wider in the transparent area it would look better.  I'll play with it some more tonight.  I have a few other ideas to clean up the look.

Have fun with it...I'm dangerously close to burning out on this whole 70's novelty concept...

I plan to buy a set of engicoder's artistic genius, but I don't want another fail on my record. Especially, since I apparently have won regarding our Fallout Series designs.

I can sympathize.  I thought we were rockin' it with the 76 and 8-track keys.  They're still great designs even if they don't appeal to a super wide audience.

No pressure dude.

[HoffmanMyster]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

Yeah, I think if I made the primary ring around the stick wider in the transparent area it would look better.  I'll play with it some more tonight.  I have a few other ideas to clean up the look.

Have fun with it...I'm dangerously close to burning out on this whole 70's novelty concept...

I plan to buy a set of engicoder's artistic genius, but I don't want another fail on my record. Especially, since I apparently have won regarding our Fallout Series designs.

So what's the deal with the PMK voting system?  Because in a case like this cap, one person may be willing to buy multiple caps (maybe even 10), but that won't reflect in the votes since each person only gets one vote. 

At the risk of frustrating some users who aren't a fan of the design and want to see something else get through to production (sorry!), I'll just throw it out there that I'm a huge fan of the 8-track design and would buy multiple keys (on the order of 5-10, assuming the price is what I'd expect) to help it tip.

I don't mean for this to comment to keep sticking with the "non-preferred" design of the 8-track, but rather to express my support for the project.

And for the record, I would buy multiples of the arcade stick as well, I just really really like 8-tracks and would buy a bunch of those.  )

[00zeRO]

First very rough attempt at a trace-over in Illustrator.

It looks like I'll need to widen the gaps a little and adjust the corners around the stick.  Do you guys like a version with a "tiered" base or more of a smooth/even base?

That looks pretty nice. If you can do the stepped base within SP's criteria, I like it.
Anyway to include the ring around the base of the stick?

Yeah, I think if I made the primary ring around the stick wider in the transparent area it would look better.  I'll play with it some more tonight.  I have a few other ideas to clean up the look.

Have fun with it...I'm dangerously close to burning out on this whole 70's novelty concept...

I plan to buy a set of engicoder's artistic genius, but I don't want another fail on my record. Especially, since I apparently have won regarding our Fallout Series designs.

So what's the deal with the PMK voting system?  Because in a case like this cap, one person may be willing to buy multiple caps (maybe even 10), but that won't reflect in the votes since each person only gets one vote. 

At the risk of frustrating some users who aren't a fan of the design and want to see something else get through to production (sorry!), I'll just throw it out there that I'm a huge fan of the 8-track design and would buy multiple keys (on the order of 5-10, assuming the price is what I'd expect) to help it tip.

I don't mean for this to comment to keep sticking with the "non-preferred" design of the 8-track, but rather to express my support for the project.

And for the record, I would buy multiples of the arcade stick as well, I just really really like 8-tracks and would buy a bunch of those.  )

Thanks for that, Hoff

[00zeRO]

Edit to OP! The votes are almost there for the 76 Star 'cap. I would love to see the 8 track make it too...

Tell all your friends!

 

[Data]

Oh... I haven't done anything further on the joystick idea.  If it's something you want to pursue let me know.

[00zeRO]

Oh... I haven't done anything further on the joystick idea.  If it's something you want to pursue let me know.

It's fine. I have been suffering burn out anyways...lol

I have other ideas for other keycaps that would likely take precedence anyways.

[00zeRO]

All we need is 4 more votes for the 76 Bicentennial keycap to go into GB mode...please tell anyone and everyone...