[IC] GMK Blue Alert R2 - Preorder runs Sep 6-27, 2024

[LightningXI]

GMK Blue Alert R2
in GMK's CYL product, more commonly known as Cherry profile.

Runs in September 6 - September 27, 2024.

GB THREAD IS HERE

More

Background

Hello friends from Geekhack and the keyboard community !

GMK Blue Alert is a keyset that was originally conceived as a spin off from the GMK Olivetti set, run by
Originative in 2013. In 2017, community member cmd enabled its singular pre-order through Originative,
with colors changed to the classic beige colors -- U9/L9 -- and V4 blue legends. Though once a niche
among enthusiasts, recent interest in "Alert"-styled sets (e.g. DCS Rebel / GMK Red Alert and their
 derivatives) prompted a renewed interest in this keycap set.

Its original runner, cmd, hoped to rerun the set, but has since passed on the torch to me to accomplish this
 with renewed styling and kitting choices, while keeping a few legacy items that preserve a distinguished
 detail from its prior run. Though there have been other sets that assimilate this hopeful "boring classic",
 I think none carry all of the features I wanted to see from a new release.

Original styling of the R1 set utilized classic Cherry icon-only modifiers with limited winkeyless compatibility
for Row 5 (a.k.a. R5, or row A for others) bottom-row layouts. This new run will feature extended Row 5
bottom-row support, a new Hangul sublegend kit (a community request made since my prior keyset run, Dolch R5),
and a Blue Stripe kit -- to give the set its Rebel / Alert characteristic -- a number-row stripe accent with support
including the navigation cluster and numpad.

Without further ado, here are the features and kitting of the set, for which I have given deep consideration
to accommodate the community's needs and requests. Kitting is close to final, but comments are welcome.


Features

  - Cherry profile, ABS plastic, doubleshot keycaps manufactured by GMK in Germany.
  - Alphas: L9 cream base, V4 blue legends.
  - Modifiers: U9 beige base, V4 blue legends.
  - Accents: V4 blue base, U9 beige legends (Esc/Enter/Joker/Cherry).
  - Blue Stripe: V4 blue base, L9 cream legends (for increased contrast).
  - OG Cherry-style Icon-Text modifiers.
  - Complete R5 bottom row support.
  - Windows 95 icons - a condition from cmd in making this possible. (cmd: shoutout to nickheller)

Kits

Base
Coverage for most layouts, 4-key 40s w/ accents, US-ISO, Alice / split-bars, F13.



Extension
Extras, windowed keys, legacy-style novelties, OS-agnostic Super keys, and spacebars.



Hangul
Korean sublegend kit, usable with legacy R1 set.



Blue Stripe
Accent blue stripe for num-row placement.



International



Renders
Many thanks to Steven, a.k.a. FreshFromTheGrave for the amazing work.

Classic TKL by NovelKeys





F1-8X by Geonworks



No. 2/65 by Keycult



Seis Cero by Daji Keyboards



Type K by gok



ASCII-F by enomooshiki



Banderole / Packaging
Thank you to Vheissu and LampKB for rapid, fun work on this banderole design.

Vendors & Pricing

United States: Novelkeys Canada: DeskHero Europe: Oblotzky Industries United Kingdom: ProtoTypist Southeast Asia: iLumKB China: zFrontier South Korea: GEONWORKS Oceania: Daily Clack

THANK YOU

Ragan of Space Cables, for kickstarting this project and overall support at the inception. Mike, Riley, and the rest of the NovelKeys team, for taking on this project despite being yet another "boring beige" set. And for pushing the Hangul kit forward. To the Lightningcord community for feedback, and for keeping the hope and hype for this set alive despite the few years we got stuck in limbo. To cmd for the blessing to run this set and for his mutual enthusiasm of the Win95 logo. To Steven, a.k.a. FreshFromTheGrave, for the keyboard and kit renders and extra graphics. To Vheissu and LampKB for their design expertise and help in creating the amazing banderole. To damonskv and zyxxke for their assist in having an improved vintage-styled Cherry icon. To the vendors and collaborators who make this group-buy and re-run possible.

What's Next

Receive and announce pricing. Collaborations.

Collaborations

Accessories
Matched cable via Space Cables. Details TBA.

Artisans
tentative and subject to change

Ahnuiya Alheckz Alpha Keycaps Artkey Azi Keycaps BG Caps BKM Caps Black Mage Caps Bogan Caps CYSM Dalifu Caps Goldenstar Keycap (GSK) Hello / goodbye caps Inkblot Caps KUG Caps Latrialum LAZERCAPS Level Caps Maison of the West Mastonon Kaps MFC Myth Caps Omniclectic Primecaps Raw Studio Ritual Master Caps Rubrehose Save Caps Sodie Caps Sonder Caps Stupid Fruit Caps TRMK Caps Wheatkeys Zearoh

Artisan keycap makers -- please feel free to message via GH, Discord (lightningxi)
or via IG (@lightningkeyboards) if you'd be interested in creating keycaps to go with the set!

If you want to support on Geekhack, consider adding the signature below to your profile:

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[url=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=123485.0][img width=516 height=120]https://i.imgur.com/2z8e7Pi.png[/img][/url]

Feel free to join my Discord server for occasional pings and updates with the blue-alert role.

Thanks for looking, and hope that you will consider supporting this set!

[LightningXI]

Changelog

- Add windowed Num Lock key to Blue Stripe kit.
- A couple of new board renders.
- Add U9 Cherry on V4 blue base to Extension kit.
- Corrections applied to Cherry icon in Extension kit -- thank you to damonskv and zxxyke.
- GB / preorder dates set. Final renders updated.
- International kit in discussion with Oblotzky Industries.

FAQ

Why is the Joker novelty not in all caps like in R1?
- It will stay as current for the main reason that Red Alert R2 (break's) had it as it is in my kit currently, and this set is much more attainable for current enthusiasts. For sake of consistency, I wanted to follow that than do the all caps version to have a bit of new and old elements in the set.

Can the Hangul kit have extra keys, like in Dolch R5, to enable using the same kits to dress multiple keyboards at once?
- I thought about this and it was included in an earlier version of the kit. You'd also have to include all punctuation keys, numrow, and Backspace/Tab keys. Assuming that the average buyer would not also have the Blue Stripe kit, I trimmed it out in the end in favor of slightly leaner kitting.

Is the International kit going to support all other languages, such as ES (Spanish) and FR (French)?
- The kitting will be decided by the two vendors in Europe who will be handling the sales of this kit entirely -- Oblotzky Industries and Jae[ProtoTypist]. Please direct any inquiries to them. Based on prior examples of INTL kits, it is likely to support NordeUK, but likely not ESFR. Please voice your concerns to the vendors running the kit for feedback and changes.

[HubertThemad]

Let's goooooo. GLWIC Diego, in for all kits 

[Choerry]

Absolutely in love with the banderole design, I'll definitely keep an eye out for this.

[mongoose27]

Nicely done, Diego.  I need this in my life. 

[Udyrstruidor]

Let's go!! Have been waiting this for long!

[whirlwind]

It’s hype time

[lampmk]

It's live! Finally!

Been waiting for this project for a really long time and I'm really glad I got to help out with it.

Can't wait to pick up a set! (or two) or three))

 

[AMZ]

In for all kits for sure!! GLWIC

[wigol2506]

It's been a long time coming! Can't wait for BA artisan collabs

[mr_foggy]

in for all kits

[CPTBadAss]

Kiwi banderole is undefeated. Can't wait to swipe on this so I can mix and match with my Olivetti set.

Edit: The extensions kit better hit MOQ. I need that GH novelty so bad.

[khai]

i love everything about this. good luck lightning!!

[caap]

finally a keyset to match my cap

[Kaptain Mike]

more beige more better! good stuff!

[Rob27shred]

Diego makes keycap set, I buy keycap set... Seriously though, awesome work Diego! I am loving the way you kitted this out even though I plan on grabbing everything. Also love the banderole design! GLWIC/GB bud!

[MartinThePolarBear]

Day 1 for me. Now we just need GMK Classic Blue to rerun

[Futuresnot]

Super awesome kitting and banderole. Can't wait. Woot!

[Captain Shwah]

yay, this is awesome

[NightFox99]

ESFR / NORDEUK kits in sight via European vendors ?

[LightningXI]

ESFR / NORDEUK kits in sight via European vendors ?

If Oblotzky / Jae would be keen on doing this for the EU/UK community, I would be happy to let it happen, but as it stands, there is no room for it as there's already four kits total.

Hope that's reasonable!

[busytimmy]

Congrats on the IC, Diego <3

Def in for a base, extension and blue stripe kit 

[enomooshiki]

OMG

would love to see this set with blue stripe on ASCII-F beige top

GLWIC!!!!!! I am definitely in for one

[ej6]

Great set, I'm in!

[packman86]

Love the kit options. GLWIC!

[MoarCoffeePlzzz]

Fantastic set and kitting. I’m in 

[smshark]

great banderole. also, I realize it's a bit of a mismatch for the mods, but please consider xbox/mailbox 1.5u backspace. that + window icon variations are the best part of older sets

[onedrunkman]

 GLWIC
 Kiwi deserves a snack for his efforts.
 ban reason

[LightningXI]

great banderole. also, I realize it's a bit of a mismatch for the mods, but please consider xbox/mailbox 1.5u backspace. that + window icon variations are the best part of older sets

Was under consideration at an earlier stage when the set was thought of as icon-only. The mismatch in modifier-type would break it for more people than not, and I personally do not advocate for the x-box key myself. I'm sorry but it won't be possible to include it.

[mozaic]

Alert so hot right now!

[Druah]

awesome CEO cameo in the banderole it looks great

[crowcrowcrow]

Please please please please og split backspace like how it was in r1 Please please please

[Bokehhbob]

Alert kit in base kit would be awesome!

[LightningXI]

Please please please please og split backspace like how it was in r1 Please please please

Sorry, as explained previously, x-box key won't be done!

Alert kit in base kit would be awesome!

They will stay separate. Cheers!

[NixieType]

Time to buy 2 sets, this is fire fr fr

[Cringelord]

Windows icon key, instabuy.

[Dianoda]

Very down for this, love the nice additions compared to the first round. Good luck with IC (and GB)!

[HungHingDaiLo]

R5 on base kit poggers - also love the classic Windows & Cherry icons 

[Kokaloo]

thank god finally

[ankit]

patiently awaiting tustum & mustom collabs…

[Maxximum]

Need this right now

[boku]

I’m always down for more beige. Good job Diego for running another timeless set for us. I’ve got to add that V and Lamp absolutely killed the banderole game with this one. The vibes, the memes, just chefs kiss.

[ilikerustoo]

Yes, I'm in

[densus designs]

lesss fricking goooo

[LightningXI]

A piece of feedback from B1oodTrail on Discord is likely to be implemented for kitting!

- Add one Num Lock windowed key to the Blue Stripe kit.

Any planned changes will be edited into the 2nd post in thread.

Thanks for all the encouragement, kind words, and support so far! Really feeling the enthusiasm from the community and very thankful for it.

[Piperaceae]

A 2u shift in the extensions kit would be helpful, but otherwise this is great!

[LightningXI]

A 2u shift in the extensions kit would be helpful, but otherwise this is great!

This is actually already there! Sorry that the render didn't have key size legends added by accident.

The Shifts in Extension are 1u, 2u and 2.25u respectively.

If anybody else has questions about key sizing in current versions of the kits please feel free to ask!

[NightFox99]

ESFR / NORDEUK kits in sight via European vendors ?

If Oblotzky / Jae would be keen on doing this for the EU/UK community, I would be happy to let it happen, but as it stands, there is no room for it as there's already four kits total.

Hope that's reasonable!

I was more thinking about Eloquent Clicks who made ESFR kits real for GMK Blot and Black Snail. But anyway, set's looking very good, GLWGB !   

[LightningXI]

ESFR / NORDEUK kits in sight via European vendors ?

If Oblotzky / Jae would be keen on doing this for the EU/UK community, I would be happy to let it happen, but as it stands, there is no room for it as there's already four kits total.

Hope that's reasonable!

I was more thinking about Eloquent Clicks who made ESFR kits real for GMK Blot and Black Snail. But anyway, set's looking very good, GLWGB !   

They'd have to reach out to make it possible but likely wouldn't also be able to sell the rest of the set since there'd be a division between EC and Oblo. They can feel free to create just the one kit though and run it through to MOQ.

[Piperaceae]

Ah, got it! Yeah, I couldn't tell the sizes from looking on my phone. Yay, thank you!