[IC] RetroBlight - Classic, now with more yellow! (On Hold -_- )

[FrostyToast]

The set has finally be finally finalized and I have also got a hold of a distributor for the set.
Unfortunately, MD didn't respond to my group buy. even after 200 votes, and as such, I have gone to someone else who can make this set real.
I have decided to work with Sherryton of OriginativeCo as his recent track record has shown to be highly promising and he is highly experienced with running group buys for keycaps.
Originally the timeslot we were looking at to run the set was in November, however, that has been pushed back to another time TBA.

Here are some renders by thesiscamper to get you moist.



Nonetheless, here are the kits that will be included in this set:
Note the change from 3-1-2-3-4-3 to the profile of 1-1-2-3-4-4

Base Kit



Tsangan

If you're going for the vintage look, you might as well do it right.

Spacebars


ISO

For cost reasons I have limited the set to have UK ISO only.


The Classic

Are you a boring person who hates fun? These mods are perfect for you!


Numpad Kit



RELEGENDABLES!

Do you have a giant ass keyboard? How about matrix keyboard users? That's right, I thought about you guys!
You may order any number of relegendable row 3 keys to match mods or alphas.


G80 1800!

What better way to celebrate the vintage look than with one of the most beloved vintage layouts?


ErgoDox Kit (all row 3)

I hope tp4 is happy.


Row 3 Alternative OS keys (FT. VELOCICAPTOR)

What better way to complete the look of a prehistoric vintage keyboard than with an old terminal and a dinosaur?
Did I mention the MOTHER ****ING DINOSAUR? Seriously, why the **** not?


Here are all of the colours used in this kit. These have been finalized!

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LEGACY

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Vote Now!

I have been thinking for the longest time that I should make a set in SA because I think it's just such an intriguing profile.
SA always seemed to me like something that would be best suited for a more "classic" look.
So what I have constructed is a set that uses a very "yellowed" beige look with desaturated RGB and CMYK mods.
The wonderful renders and mockups that you see here are all done by thesiscamper.


This is not a kit. It's just to give you an idea of the set.


Here are the kits that will be included in this set:
Mod Kit

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If you are a proud owner of Penumbra and have absolutely no money, then you can save big time and buy the mods only since the alphas are the same! Profiles are however slightly different.

Alpha Kit

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Tsangan

More

If you're going for the vintage look, you might as well do it right.

ISO

More

For cost reasons I have limited the set to have UK ISO only.

The Classic

More

Are you a boring person who hates fun? These mods are perfect for you!

Numpad Kit

More

RELEGENDABLES!

More

Do you have a giant ass keyboard? How about matrix keyboard users? That's right, I thought about you guys!
You may order any number of relegendable row 3 keys to match mods or alphas.

G80 1800!

More

What better way to celebrate the vintage look than with one of the most beloved vintage layouts?

ErgoDox Kit (all row 3)

More

I hope tp4 is happy.

Alternative OS keys (FT. VELOCICAPTOR)

More

What better way to complete the look of a prehistoric vintage keyboard than with an old terminal and a dinosaur?
Did I mention the MOTHER ****ING DINOSAUR? Seriously, why the **** not?

Here are all of the colours used in this kit. These have been finalized!

More

Inquiries and Sundry (Some quotes have been paraphrased for succinctness.)

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are you doing a 3-1-2-3-4-3 profile? or all row 3?

Like the title states, this is the full sculpt.
Since 3-1-2-3-4-3 is the mainstream thing, it will be what is used.

I don’t think SP has a good enough default “magenta” color for you to really get effective CMY mods.

To fit your theme, I’d go for "yellowed RGB" mods instead. Like, a grungy orangish red, a grungy greenish blue, and a grungy yellowish green. (For instance, BEY, YAV, RDD.) The SP colors still aren’t perfect for that either though, unfortunately.

Or better (whether you want to go for CMY or grungy RGB) you could talk to SP and get them to mix up some custom colors that aren’t on their chip wheel. I’m pretty sure it’s possible, but it might be slightly tricky to communicate the precise color you want to them. They’re not color experts, so it might take a few iterations.

Holy ****snacks!
Your colours actually look really nice!

Here is a mockup comparing the RGB kits:

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The left side is BEY, YAV, RDD
The right side is BFT, VAG, RDD

Please provide some feedback on these!

I'd love me some international kits but I think that would raise price and not everyone would be interested in that.
Instead, might I propose an all blank kit? At least for alphas and number row where legends actually differ. Modifiers and F-rows are fine as they are.
But maybe it would look better if actually every single key were blank? Honestly, I'm here for the color choice and the profile ^^

Since this is the full sculpt instead of row 3, it would raise the price to add full international kits with complete legends.
However, if there is enough interest, I can add a kit that includes 1x1 blanks for every row.
This would allow you to replace all of your alphas which I expect to be good enough.

How about a kit for ctrl, alt, and shift keys in Penumbra Blue?

If there is enough interest I will definitely be willing to do this! Although I would have to inquire with Bunny about taking his colors.

Please provide as much feedback as you can!
If you think it's ****, then I would like to know why.
Also, I have no experience running interest checks, so please advise me on what sort of decisions to make. 

Mod Edit: Updated title to reflect current status

[SpAmRaY]

You'll need to figure out what sets you want to offer.

[FrostyToast]

You'll need to figure out what sets you want to offer.

For now, I just want to see if people like the base colours.
Although I'll definitely get on those!

[Joey Quinn]

I'd be in, one of the kits should allow you to have red, yellow, green, blue, and pink all on the board at once. My idea may work better with winkey boards if you want it too look balanced.

[FrostyToast]

I'd be in, one of the kits should allow you to have red, yellow, green, blue, and pink all on the board at once. My idea may work better with winkey boards if you want it too look balanced.

Not quite sure what your idea is, but feel free to post your own mock up!
If you aren't that great with these things, just splash colour on some keys in paint, and I will iron it out.

[ideus]

You should define if the set profile will be contoured, or flat with all keys in row 3.

[FrostyToast]

You should define if the set profile will be contoured, or flat with all keys in row 3.

Yes. Thank you, sir.

[Joey Quinn]

I'd be in, one of the kits should allow you to have red, yellow, green, blue, and pink all on the board at once. My idea may work better with winkey boards if you want it too look balanced.

Not quite sure what your idea is, but feel free to post your own mock up!
If you aren't that great with these things, just splash colour on some keys in paint, and I will iron it out.

I get why you're confused, I don't know why I worded it like that. The basic idea was to be able to have all five colors on the board at once. But I just played with it on keyboard layout editor and it looks like trash.

[sethk_]

I am in!

[Elrick]

I am in!

Same here, love the 'old-style' colours used.  But you really had me when you mentioned SA PROFILE  .

[renne]

I love SA. Count me in.

[notyoursunshine]

This looks great! The only thing that sticks out to me is that the yellow might be too close in tone to the lightest base color (not sure if that is the right way to say this). The yellow might look better as a bright cool color like VCO. This could just be my personal preference though! Keep up the good work!

[HendyZone]

I love classic color

Count me in

[FrostyToast]

This looks great! The only thing that sticks out to me is that the yellow might be too close in tone to the lightest base color (not sure if that is the right way to say this). The yellow might look better as a bright cool color like VCO. This could just be my personal preference though! Keep up the good work!

I sort of see what you're saying.
Although I should mention that the alphas have the same base tone as Penumbra's yellowed keys.

I also don't really see why you would suggest VCO as it is a green plastic, but I have done a quick mockup to show you what it would look like.

[frosty]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

[FrostyToast]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

Thanks!
I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...
However, I will let you go this time... 

[HoffmanMyster]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...

   You would...


On topic, I rather like the mockup below.  I would probably buy it, if it's contoured.   

Show Image

[FrostyToast]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...

   You would...


On topic, I rather like the mockup below.  I would probably buy it, if it's contoured.   

Show Image

I'm not actually a fan of the minty look, but if the demand is overwhelming, I'll change it over.
The point of this set is to have yellowed keys instead of green ones.

[HoffmanMyster]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...

   You would...


On topic, I rather like the mockup below.  I would probably buy it, if it's contoured.   

Show Image

I'm not actually a fan of the minty look, but he demand is overwhelming, I'll change it over.
The point of this set is to have yellowed keys instead of green ones.

Absolutely, I didn't mean to derail the IC, just showing support for that design.  It would definitely be a shift in scope to change to the minty look.   :thumb:

[inanis]

I really like the mock up in the OP, the muted mods sell it for me. I think SA suits the colors very well, too. I'd certainly be interested. 

[FrostyToast]

Would you guys be interested in grey mods as well?
It would drive up the price a bit, but I can easily add it.

[frosty]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

Thanks!
I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...
However, I will let you go this time... 

Why'd you gotta be so ru-u-ude~

[FrostyToast]

If I manage to get some money when this launches, will be happy to support a fellow frosty. :-)

Thanks!
I was planning on maybe possibly having you... disposed since there can be only one...
However, I will let you go this time... 

Why'd you gotta be so ru-u-ude~

  <3 <3 <3

Relegendables have also been added!

[Elrick]

I also don't really see why you would suggest VCO as it is a green plastic, but I have done a quick mockup to show you what it would look like.

Show Image

PLEASE do not start making use of extra colours to fill all the key-set with.  It's just awful, always be extremely conservative with the use of any colours and besides I love your original design far more than this one.

If you don't want to keep it like old school, with the excessive use of beautiful beige shades, then life isn't worth living with any Technocoloured Rubbish.  Keep it simple and above all else avoid any use of colours on a wide area, it's just not right in the scheme of things.

[FrostyToast]

I also don't really see why you would suggest VCO as it is a green plastic, but I have done a quick mockup to show you what it would look like.

Show Image

PLEASE do not start making use of extra colours to fill all the key-set with.  It's just awful, always be extremely conservative with the use of any colours and besides I love your original design far more than this one.

If you don't want to keep it like old school, with the excessive use of beautiful beige shades, then life isn't worth living with any Technocoloured Rubbish.  Keep it simple and above all else avoid any use of colours on a wide area, it's just not right in the scheme of things.

I wasn't in favor of it either, I just wanted to show the one guy what it would look like.
I'm pretty set on this design. Aside from the fact that I might want lighter or darker tones on some keys, I agree with you as well.

[notyoursunshine]

Whoops! I think I explained this wrong. I meant think about using VCO or something that is a cool color on the shift key with the pink instead of the yellow. I didn't mean for you to replace one of the main colors with VCO. Sorry for the confusion! Again though, this is probably just a matter of personal preference due to me not liking yellow next to beige. I love the original main colors and think that the beige tones look really sharp.

[FrostyToast]

Whoops! I think I explained this wrong. I meant think about using VCO or something that is a cool color on the shift key with the pink instead of the yellow. I didn't mean for you to replace one of the main colors with VCO. Sorry for the confusion! Again though, this is probably just a matter of personal preference due to me not liking yellow next to beige. I love the original main colors and think that the beige tones look really sharp.

OH that makes SO much more sense!
Since I want to keep the CMYK set and don't want to part with the yellow, I have made a compromise!
I can instead replace the VAG green with VCO and with the RGB set, it should look like this:

How do you guys like this? I think it might fit the pale legends better.

Here is RGB with VAG for reference:

[notyoursunshine]

Honestly, I think your original design with the darker green might fit the muted tones of the set better. I do like the way the brighter green makes the red pop though.

Again, sorry for all of the confusion. This was a good reminder that I need to re-read things and make sure I'm making sense before hitting post haha.

[geogga]

Step aside penumbra? Hot damn.

[FrostyToast]

Step aside penumbra? Hot damn.

The mention of Penumbra reminds me.
If I'm not mistaken, I think the alphas use the same colours, aside from the legends which are still subject to change.
I can split up the alphas and the rest of the set so that owners of Penumbra can save a butt load of money! 

[Steveenn]

Count me in, I like this a lot.

[Elrick]

Honestly, I think your original design with the darker green might fit the muted tones of the set better.

True, the original looks to accomplish everything you want with this colour-way hence stick with it.  Do not make any other colour stand out more than the rest with darker tones, it just destabilizes the whole design.

[FrostyToast]

Honestly, I think your original design with the darker green might fit the muted tones of the set better.

True, the original looks to accomplish everything you want with this colour-way hence stick with it.  Do not make any other colour stand out more than the rest with darker tones, it just destabilizes the whole design.

Alright cool.
Thanks for the feedback!
Once there is enough interest, I will get a colour ring so that I can finalize all of the colours.

[FrostyToast]

Do any of you guys want to change the ISO kit so that it uses UK legends instead of blanks?

[MOZ]

OP mocks look really good! Well done

[FrostyToast]

OP mocks look really good! Well done

I may or may not have stolen the mock ups used for Penumbra.... 
Although, thanks! I'll totally take credit for something I barely did! 

[MOZ]

OP mocks look really good! Well done

I may or may not have stolen the mock ups used for Penumbra.... 
Although, thanks! I'll totally take credit for something I barely did! 

You chose the colors, good sir.

Although the fact that yous used the Penumbra mockups was obvious

[jacobolus]

I have been advised to change the colours of the mods since they don't compliment the alphas well enough, so I would love some feedback and colour suggestions!

I don’t think SP has a good enough default “magenta” color for you to really get effective CMY mods.

To fit your theme, I’d go for "yellowed RGB" mods instead. Like, a grungy orangish red, a grungy greenish blue, and a grungy yellowish green. (For instance, BEY, YAV, RDD.) The SP colors still aren’t perfect for that either though, unfortunately.

Or better (whether you want to go for CMY or grungy RGB) you could talk to SP and get them to mix up some custom colors that aren’t on their chip wheel. I’m pretty sure it’s possible, but it might be slightly tricky to communicate the precise color you want to them. They’re not color experts, so it might take a few iterations.

[FrostyToast]

I have been advised to change the colours of the mods since they don't compliment the alphas well enough, so I would love some feedback and colour suggestions!

I don’t think SP has a good enough default “magenta” color for you to really get effective CMY mods.

To fit your theme, I’d go for "yellowed RGB" mods instead. Like, a grungy orangish red, a grungy greenish blue, and a grungy yellowish green. (For instance, BEY, YAV, RDD.) The SP colors still aren’t perfect for that either though, unfortunately.

Or better (whether you want to go for CMY or grungy RGB) you could talk to SP and get them to mix up some custom colors that aren’t on their chip wheel. I’m pretty sure it’s possible, but it might be slightly tricky to communicate the precise color you want to them. They’re not color experts, so it might take a few iterations.

Holy ****snacks!
Your colours actually look really nice!

Here is a mockup comparing the RGB kits:

The left side is BEY, YAV, RDD
The right side is BFT, VAG, RDD

Tell me how you guys like it as well!

EDIT: I also need opinions how how CMYK works with BEY blue
The left side is BEY blue, the right is BFT blue.

[jacobolus]

One thing you might try to do is make a few mockups where you see if you can get colors that you really like (without worrying about SP's existing named colors). Then if you can get agreement from folks here, you can then go back and talk to SP about making a custom color. They definitely have the capability to mix up new colors, the existing named pigment mixtures just make things slightly simpler for them.

[EppyKay]

I think the BEY blue looks better, it has more of a yellow tinge going on, though I think a slightly lighter shade might work also. Perhaps BDG? Though that might be a bit too turquoisey.

As for the other colors, could you try VBQ for the green and YCB or YCF for the yellow?

[atectatifern]

This looks great! Thought I'd be able to resist buying keycaps in 2015, but first 1976 and now this . . .

[HydraDyne]

I'm drooling... This is one 'on point' set, would totally be in!

[ideus]

I'd prefer the colors marked with stars.

[FrostyToast]

I have just ordered a color ring so that I can get a real idea of how this set it going to play out.
Expect to see a ton of mockups in the future!

[inanis]

For the CMYK mods, I like the lighter BFT blue, but really both work quite well.

[erroneousdetails]

The left side is BEY, YAV, RDD
The right side is BFT, VAG, RDD

I like the left side quite a bit more. The YAV and BEY have more yellow in them and flow better with the off-grey and off-white alphanumeric keys.

That's just my 2 cents, of course

[FrostyToast]

Show Image

The left side is BEY, YAV, RDD
The right side is BFT, VAG, RDD

I like the left side quite a bit more. The YAV and BEY have more yellow in them and flow better with the off-grey and off-white alphanumeric keys.

That's just my 2 cents, of course :)

Every bit of feedback helps!
The colours are very much in the prototyping stage and I want everyone to give me their opinions. I will of course have a poll or form to fill out for colour preferences later on, but it's even better to see reasons why as opposed to numbers on a spreadsheet.

[01111000]

Please include normal mods for those who want a more minimalistic look (like me).  This set would work well for my work PC.

[FrostyToast]

Please include normal mods for those who want a more minimalistic look (like me).  This set would work well for my work PC.

I was about to do that, but then I totally forgot about it.
Yes, I will get to that immediately.... after work that is.

I also need to know if you guys want the color mods in a separate pack, or with the base kit for this very reason.