Author Topic: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)  (Read 11388 times)

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Offline Omnipotent

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[IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« on: Wed, 30 November 2016, 16:17:08 »
The Blue Marble Keycap Set (SA)
Current Stage: Looking for feedback and suggestions!

Poll To Gauge Interest: Click Here


Hello and welcome!

This keycap set is designed around a famous photograph taken of the Earth titled, "The Blue Marble". While the original photographer is unknown, it is still, "one of the most widely distributed photographic images in existence." [1]. When viewed at a distance, the Earth is said to have the appearance of a marble.




Quote

Original NASA Caption, Saturday December 23, 1972:“View of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the moon. This translunar coast photograph extends from the Mediterranean Sea area to the Antarctica south polar ice cap. This is the first time the Apollo trajectory made it possible to photograph the south polar ice cap. Note the heavy cloud cover in the southern hemisphere. Almost the entire coastline of Africa is clearly visible. The Arabian Peninsula can be seen at the northeastern edge of Africa. The large island off the coast of Africa is the Malagasy Republic. The Asian mainland is on the horizon toward the northeast.”



Technical Specs



Profile: Sculptured SA (1-1-2-3-4-3)
Keycap Manufacturer: Signature Plastics
Colors: (Signature plastics ABS) BDH, WFK, PANTONE 4645c, PANTONE 357c.
Keyboard Compatibility: Almost everything! Ergodox, Planck, ISO, HHKB, Clueboard, VB660m, RS78, TKL, WKL, 75%, 65%, 40%, and even Numpads.
Price: Asking Melissa about a quote right now.
Group Buy: <Not Yet Active> (Will probably be done through MassDrop or PMK)
Keyboard-Layout-Editor links: <Currently Not Shared>




May I present to you...

The Blue Marble

Version: 1a
Last Updated: 11/29/2016 @12:26 PM (-8 PST)


Base Kits
Note: The colors from these KLE renders do not appear with the perfect color, but are close. You can view the proper pantone colors here: PANTONE 4645c, PANTONE 357c


Child Kits




Example Sets
Full with ANSI
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester Kit



Full with ANSI + (Novelties)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester Kit + Novelties



Full with ANSI + (Novelties) V2
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester Kit + Novelties



Full with Partial ISO
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester Kit


TKL with ANSI V1A
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit



TKL with ANSI V1B + Spacebars
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + Spacebars



TKL with ANSI + Novelties
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + Novelties



Ergodox
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Ergodox Kit



75% Keyboards (Drevo Gramr / Noppo Choc Mini / Plum 84 / B.mini / Etc:)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + Tsangan



RedScarf78 / RS78
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit



Winkeyless (Whitefox / RS68)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + Tsangan + Spacebars



Clueboard / VB660m / FC660m
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester + (Tsangan or Novelties)



HHKB2
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + TKL Kit + (Tsangan or Novelties)



60% Keyboard (Pok3r / Infinity / B.Face)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers



60% Keyboard (60% Stripe)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + 60% Stripe



Planck
Needed: Planck Kit



40% Keyboard (JD40)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers



Keypad / Numpad V1
Needed: pH Tester Kit



Keypad / Numpad V2
Needed: pH Tester Kit








Example Renders
Note: These are not perfect renders and are just here as examples. The final product will vary slightly depending on your monitor/screen color settings. Some keys do not appear to be properly centered because of the rendering.


60% Keyboard (60% Stripe)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers + 60% Stripe
More


40% Keyboard (JD40)
Needed: Base Alphas/Numerics + Land Modifiers
More






FAQ

Q: Where will this be dropped?
A: I am not entirely sure yet. But there is a good chance it will be on Massdrop or PMK, unless someone can help me organize it.

Q: Why did you choose the sculptured SA profile?
A: Sculptured SA (1-1-2-3-4-3) rows have different angles that make it very similar to the earth in many respects. While subtle, the shifts in angles are make it similar to hills. Plus the tall SA keys have a bit of a rounded bulge. Therefore I found it quite appropriate for this keycap set. (Plus SA is awesome ;) )

Q: Why does/doesn't <Insert Kit Name Here> have this key? [pic]
A: I am a usually a full keyboard user. All of these child kits have been developed with my own personal research and might not be perfect. I would not doubt that some kits could potentially be optimized better. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear from you!

Q: What color chips are being used in this set?
A: Two standard ABS colors (BDH & WFK), and two that will be matched with a specific Pantone color.
&

Q: How would I cover a... <Insert Keyboard Name Here>?
A: Each keyboard can vary greatly. But I have tried to accommodate as many different layouts as possible.
Full Size keyboard: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + TKL Kit + pH Tester
ISO keyboards: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + ISO / UK Kit (+ TKL Kit if TKL or larger, & + pH Tester if you have a Numpad)
Standard TKL: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + TKL Kit
Winkeyless keyboard: Base/Alphas + Mods + TKL Kit + Tsangan + Spacebars
75% Keyboards: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + TKL Kit + Tsangan
Infinity 60% Hacker/Standard: Base/Alphas + Modifiers
Standard 60% (ANSI): Base/Alphas + Modifiers
Standard 60% (ISO): Base/Alphas + Modifiers (Depending on layout, ISO / UK Kit may also be necessary)
Whitefox, Neutrino, RedScarf68: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + TKL Kit + Tsangan + Spacebars
Leopold FC660M, Clueboard: Base/Alphas + Modifiers + TKL Kit + (Tsangan OR Novelties)
JD40: Base/Alphas + 40's Kit + Spacebars
Planck or Preonic: Planck Kit
ErgoDox: Base/Alphas + ErgoDox Kit
HHKB-like keyboard (Duck Viper, Duck Eagle, some GH60 layouts, some KMAC Happy layouts): Base/Alphas+ Modifiers + Tsangan

Q: Is this set compatible with Logitech G710 or Corsair Strafe?
A: No, not entirely sorry. There is no 6.5u spacebar included in this kit. You will need to find one or use your own.

Q: I have a suggestion. Where should I go to ask it?
A: Comment below and ask away! This GH thread is the ideal place to ask questions regarding The Blue Marble.




Help Support The Blue Marble!


1. Select and copy the code from one of the banners below.
2. Then scroll up to the menu bar at the top of this page, and hover your mouse over the "Profile" tab. A drop down menu will appear.
3. Click on the "Forum Profile" link.
4. Scroll down, and paste the copied code into the "Signature" box
5. Click the "Change Profile" button in the bottom right, and you're finished!
6. Anyone and everyone who can help me share this has my ultimate gratitude!


Banner #1


Code: [Select]
[url=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=86123.0][img]http://i.imgur.com/ntfpK3Z.png[/img][/url]

Banner #2


Code: [Select]
[url=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=86123.0][img]http://i.imgur.com/d9AOaJq.png[/img][/url]
Banner #2 (Shorter)


Code: [Select]
[url=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=86123.0][img]http://i.imgur.com/Ih3OOTA.png[/img][/url]
Banner #3


Code: [Select]
[url=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=86123.0][img]http://i.imgur.com/UTjpW65.png[/img][/url]



Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the GH user e_l_tang for his help and criticism regarding this set! This set probably wouldn't have happened without his help, and he was a huge part of the decision making process. Thank you to anyone else I may have missed! Your help and support is greatly appreciated!


Thanks for reading!


The Blue Marble is the second keycap set designed by Omnipotent / io2red. The first keycap set he designed was Planet Earth.






To-Do List

1. Design Base kits & Child kits. <COMPLETE>
2. Design completed kits with different keyboards. <COMPLETE>
3. Decide on the keycap profile. <COMPLETE>
4. Make pictures of each kit and prepare them for presentation. <COMPLETE & ONGOING>
5. Seek info, C&C, and help from the community. <COMPLETE & ONGOING>
  a. [Poll] What should the keycap profile be for Planet Earth? <POLL ONGOING>
  b. [Poll] Are you interested in this keycap set? <POLL ONGOING>
6. Make Feedback/IC posts to get more suggestions and gauge interest. <IN PROGRESS>
7. Refine the various Kits and Sets to be more useful. <POSSIBLY COMPLETE>
8. Create Renders of Each Kit. <PENDING/IN PROGRESS>
9. Contact SP for a price quote on the Base Kits & Child Kits. <PENDING/IN PROGRESS>
10. Send over info to MassDrop/PimpMyKeyboard for starting a Group Buy. <PENDING>




Worklog & Changes
More
Nov 14, 2016 - The Blue Marble work begins. IC Post started.
Nov 15th-20th, 2016 - Color speculation on ideal colors begins.
Nov 20, 2016 - Original The Blue Marble picture found and confirmed. Colors changed. IC Post updated.
Nov 21-25, 2016 - More experimentation with colors.
Nov 26, 2016 - Colors finalized & IC Post updated.
Nov 27, 2016 - IC Post updated with renders added.
Nov 30, 2016 - IC Post created, & additional info added. Reddit post created. Asked Melissa about requesting a quote from SP.


Topic Last Updated: 11/30/2016, @ 03:47 PM (-8 PST)
« Last Edit: Wed, 30 November 2016, 17:51:15 by Omnipotent »
AKA: /u/io2red on /r/mk
, Ducky YotM, Anne Pro, & Plum84 RGB (35g) | Waiting on: KBD75, & Keycaps.
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Offline Omnipotent

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 30 November 2016, 16:20:09 »
Post Reserved.
AKA: /u/io2red on /r/mk
, Ducky YotM, Anne Pro, & Plum84 RGB (35g) | Waiting on: KBD75, & Keycaps.
Wanted:
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Offline thad

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 01 December 2016, 15:45:43 »
I like it. Good work

Offline KyleZhuang

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 01 December 2016, 21:29:54 »
I think the color of mod keys can be more 'brown'. The current color looks a bit too 'orange' for me.
REALFORCE 104 Pro-30

Offline aptivaboy

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 01 December 2016, 23:09:18 »
I actually like the tan. To be honest, compared to the Apollo 17 photo (probably taken from America), it could probably be a tad lighter.

Since you're basing the colors on a photo taken from Apollo, any chance of having the key font being a bit more NASA-ish?

Bob

Offline Omnipotent

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 11:35:43 »
I like it. Good work

Thank you for the support!


I actually like the tan. To be honest, compared to the Apollo 17 photo (probably taken from America), it could probably be a tad lighter.

Since you're basing the colors on a photo taken from Apollo, any chance of having the key font being a bit more NASA-ish?

Bob
Thanks! The KLE renders do not appear to be exactly true to color. It is a little lighter than it appears in the KLE. I am working on getting better renders for everyone. ;)

This is the actual pantone color for the modifier keys, and should appear more like what you are looking for: www.mypantone.info/4645C.html (Note: Depending on your monitor color calibration settings this still might appear a little off)


I think the color of mod keys can be more 'brown'. The current color looks a bit too 'orange' for me.
You are not the only one to think it looks a little orange-ish, and I believe it is more of a render error with KLE. The colors do not appear to be true to color with KLE. I am working on getting better renders for everyone. ;)

This is the actual pantone color for the modifier keys, and should appear more like what you are looking for: www.mypantone.info/4645C.html (Note: Depending on your monitor color calibration settings this still might appear a little off)
AKA: /u/io2red on /r/mk
, Ducky YotM, Anne Pro, & Plum84 RGB (35g) | Waiting on: KBD75, & Keycaps.
Wanted:
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Offline aptivaboy

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 19:04:05 »
As a suggestion, for the font what about the NASA "worm" font? It's what was used on NASA vehicles starting in the '70s and into the '80s.

http://pics-about-space.com/nasa-worm-logo-in-black?p=5#
https://www.wired.com/2015/09/nasa-graphics-standards-manual/

http://www.1001freefonts.com/nasalization.font  I'm not saying that this is the exact font, merely a nice attempt at getting close.

Bob

Offline W_hinklebottom

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 19:25:56 »
I think a tan on green mod option would be neat.

Offline e_l_tang

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 19:55:23 »
I actually like the tan. To be honest, compared to the Apollo 17 photo (probably taken from America), it could probably be a tad lighter.

Since you're basing the colors on a photo taken from Apollo, any chance of having the key font being a bit more NASA-ish?

Bob
Earth is the main focus of the set, and the fact that the photo that inspired it was taken on a NASA mission is largely irrelevant in my opinion.

Offline aptivaboy

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #9 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 20:00:30 »
It was simply a suggestion. Sorry if I have offended. I will never offer another suggestion again.

Offline e_l_tang

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #10 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 20:14:58 »
It was simply a suggestion. Sorry if I have offended. I will never offer another suggestion again.
Please do continue offering any additional feedback you may have.
« Last Edit: Fri, 02 December 2016, 20:17:54 by e_l_tang »

Offline Oblotzky

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #11 on: Fri, 02 December 2016, 23:44:00 »
It was simply a suggestion. Sorry if I have offended. I will never offer another suggestion again.
Please do continue offering any additional feedback you may have.

Wow.

Offline Omnipotent

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 04 December 2016, 00:35:39 »
As a suggestion, for the font what about the NASA "worm" font? It's what was used on NASA vehicles starting in the '70s and into the '80s.

http://pics-about-space.com/nasa-worm-logo-in-black?p=5#
https://www.wired.com/2015/09/nasa-graphics-standards-manual/

http://www.1001freefonts.com/nasalization.font  I'm not saying that this is the exact font, merely a nice attempt at getting close.

Bob
Custom fonts can get pretty expensive, so that is something I would prefer to avoid for this particular set. Please don't take it personally though, I appreciate any and all suggestions. There's nothing wrong with putting ideas out there.

I think a tan on green mod option would be neat.

Glad to hear it! I have been considering this and there is a good possibility I add this as an option. Also I may swap the legend and key colors of the Enter & Numpad Enter keys. I kind of like the solid line of tan though as it looks a little like the edge of a continent when put up beside the blue. It just seems right. :P
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Offline Seelen

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 11 December 2016, 21:36:40 »
I may buy a modifiers, 6ps stripe and f keys set...I'd be getting it to go with SA Dasher, as I think the brown woukd go perfectly with that color scheme, so I don't know how I feel about the green font...I feel like light blue would look great on it (though I'm admittedly biased in my intended use, I still think it'd be awesome)

That may detract from the kits theme if a lot of people weren't going to use the green novelties, so I don't expect it to happen, just throwing it out there that I'd be 100% in for it in that case

Offline Omnipotent

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 15 December 2016, 00:22:27 »
Sorry for the lack of updates lately, lots of things have been going on with Christmas just around the corner. Melissa got back to me with the quote on kit pricing and I have learned a lot from it. Some kits are priced fairly well while others are more expensive than I had originally expected (with one or two being a little scary). So I am definitely going to redo the kits a bit. I will try and get some work done on this tomorrow.

Also I got some quotes on renders and underestimated the rendering costs for one or two pictures. So I'm considering just modeling out the SA profile keycaps and a few keyboard frames on my own. I already have 3Ds Max & Substance Painter. So I should be able to make some awesome renders if I spend less time lurking and more time working. :p

I may buy a modifiers, 6ps stripe and f keys set...I'd be getting it to go with SA Dasher, as I think the brown would go perfectly with that color scheme, so I don't know how I feel about the green font...I feel like light blue would look great on it (though I'm admittedly biased in my intended use, I still think it'd be awesome)

That may detract from the kits theme if a lot of people weren't going to use the green novelties, so I don't expect it to happen, just throwing it out there that I'd be 100% in for it in that case
Thank you for the input! SA Dasher looks nice and I agree that it would be a great choice to mix and match with The Blue Marble. I had originally considered a gray font (as in mountains and such), but opted for the green as it resembles the trees that can be seen in the original picture. Having blue legends on the brown modifiers doesn't look as well with the rest of the set IMO. So the colors will probably stay the same there.
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Offline Seelen

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Re: [IC] The Blue Marble (SA)
« Reply #15 on: Sun, 18 December 2016, 10:24:26 »
Sure, I understand. My worry with the green is that it might look out if place on my board without other green (a worry that may well be repeated on versions of your board that don't utilize the green novelties)

I will have to wait and see how the renders look to get a better idea of how much it's going to affect the look of the board.my whole thing is, this is such an abstract concept, nobody is going to look at my board without prior knowledge of what it is and say "oh hey, it's that famous picture of earth!" Even with novelties, I think many people will have trouble making that connection first (I thougjt it was a 420 board until I read the thread)

I say this not because I think the concept isn't cool; it is, and I think it's a nice soft yet colorful color way...I say it because if a board loses its distinct recognition, then it becomes a set about aesthetics and colors, rather than concepts. when you look at amazing choco, godspeed, even grand Budapest, you make an immediate connection. I don't know that I see that happening here as much.

Again, not trying to trash the look, I .right end up liking it, I'll have to wait for renders. I'm just not a fan of the green buttons, so it would be the only green on my board. Maybe others enjoy the green buttons more. I'm actually interested to see what the set looks like with white text on the tan, same as alphas. That would be pretty clean and wouldn't sacrifice legibility (my other concern with green on tan). Maybe I'll do a cheap Photoshop alter for myself to see what it looks like when you get those renders put up

Then again, the set might not look right without green elsewhere on the board to tie in the novelties you chose. It all comes back to whether this holds it own as a concept set, or if people are picking it for aesthetics

I know some of what I'm saying runs counter to what you're trying to achieve with your original render, but the main reason I'm saying all this is, because of hefty moqs, a set sometimes has to evolve to meet the desires of other potential buyers... basically I'm just saying, I fully understand that you want to follow your idea, and you absolutely should if it's what you believe is best; but if you find down the road that you can't hit moq as is, or polls are lacking, I'd like to at least provide some constructive criticism to fall back on, as it is a cool idea and I'm right on the fence at the moment.

In any case, good luck with the set, I hope it does well! I'm sure it's no fun having people pick apart your ideas, but my only intent is to help make the board as good as possible, the same as you :)
« Last Edit: Sun, 18 December 2016, 11:06:56 by Seelen »