[IC] XDA 8Bit - a Dyesub PBT Keyset

[evangs]

Hello Geekhackers!  I have been working on a few projects recently when I sort of stumbled upon this idea and upon further exploration fleshed it out to what I currently have. Please let me know what you think!

Interest Form
https://goo.gl/forms/gtSj3YYHxikSSuCv2

Kits (Updated 7-27-2017)

World 1-1 (base kit)


100% Completion (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)


Inventory Upgrade (Compatibility kit, winkeyless, planck, banana split)


Equipment Pack (Novelty Kit)


Sprite Pack (Icon mods etc)



Renders coming soon. The KLE does not show updated kerning and some other fixes that my artist has implemented. Those changes should be visible in the renders.

[Arhipio]

 

[Vigrith]

**** yea, Evan. I'm in.

[a_ak57]

Personally I think it'd be cooler if it was white-on-black so it actually felt like some 8-bit game's text.

[Vigrith]

Personally I think it'd be cooler if it was white-on-black so it actually felt like some 8-bit game's text.

White on black doesn't work with dyesub though, I quite like the way it looks in beige personally.

[evangs]

Personally I think it'd be cooler if it was white-on-black so it actually felt like some 8-bit game's text.

Unfortunately dyesub is limited to dark on light, doubleshot would be insanely expensive and pad printing wears off too easily

[digi]

Very cool!

[a_ak57]

Personally I think it'd be cooler if it was white-on-black so it actually felt like some 8-bit game's text.

Unfortunately dyesub is limited to dark on light, doubleshot would be insanely expensive and pad printing wears off too easily

Well, there's that one Chinese company who has actually done reverse dyesub and it looked alright for their knockoff of Carbon, but I'm guessing you want to stick with SP?

[Eszett]

Hi evangs, Here are some remarks. I only point on some flaws, because I principally like your concepts, and would like to see it carried out.

[Vigrith]

Can't help but wonder - would you ever consider running this through MC's XDA rather than SP, Evan?

I love uniform, I've used and enjoyed DSA (aesthetic-wise especially, but also in terms of typing experience) for ages, I've just gotten XDA's Milestone a week or so ago and I can't help but wish I had most my DSA sets in XDA instead. The dye-sub job is as good or better, the feeling of the PBT is similar and the extra surface area is actually very pleasant to type on. There are no flaws or QC issues, I'm confident once Keyclack's Milestone kits start arriving at people's doors a lot more people will be into XDA, it really is very good and I'm sure anyone who enjoys DSA will be very happy with it.

[evangs]

Hi evangs, Here are some remarks. I only point on some flaws, because I principally like your concepts, and would like to see it carried out. (Attachment Link)

I've already fixed the G, the legends with not enough margin is a Kle limitation and will be corrected in renders. I'll take a look at the z and x.

[evangs]

Can't help but wonder - would you ever consider running this through MC's XDA rather than SP, Evan?

I love uniform, I've used and enjoyed DSA (aesthetic-wise especially, but also in terms of typing experience) for ages, I've just gotten XDA's Milestone a week or ago ago and I can't help but wish I had most my DSA sets in XDA instead. The dye-sub job is as good or better, the feeling of the PBT is similar and the extra surface area is actually very pleasant to type on. There are no flaws or QC issues, I'm confident once Keyclack's Milestone kits start arriving at people's doors a lot more people will be into XDA, it really is very good and I'm sure anyone who enjoys DSA will be very happy with it.

I would definitely consider it. Do you know where I can find contact info for them?

[Vigrith]

I would definitely consider it. Do you know where I can find contact info for them?

I don't know their contact information personally and I can't seem to come up with anything via Google but I've asked Mito since he's having them make Canvas, I'm sure he'll hit me back once he sees my messages - if you see Yanbo anywhere (Slack or anything) before Mito gets back to me I'm sure he'd be able to help too.

Glad to hear you'd be willing to consider it though! I think they'd be interested, I'm not sure how their schedule's looking but Canvas is meant to be shipping in June, far as I know they have no other projects at hand so you should be able to get yours in quite handily.

[xondat]

Level 1-1 (base kit)

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100% Achievement (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)

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Caps lock key is missing. Also horrible kit choices, but I guess you want the base for your own keyboards.

[evangs]

Level 1-1 (base kit)

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100% Achievement (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)

Show Image

Caps lock key is missing. Also horrible kit choices, but I guess you want the base for your own keyboards.

Caps lock is found in the base. it's the LOCK key. Also what is wrong with the kits? You didn't make any suggestions. The base kit covers a MiniVan and Roadkit and then by adding a few more keys a full size can be covered. Pretty cool if you ask me

[evangs]

Hi evangs, Here are some remarks. I only point on some flaws, because I principally like your concepts, and would like to see it carried out. (Attachment Link)

I've cleaned up some of the legends. let me know what you think.

[xondat]

Level 1-1 (base kit)

Show Image

100% Achievement (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)

Show Image

Caps lock key is missing. Also horrible kit choices, but I guess you want the base for your own keyboards.

Caps lock is found in the base. it's the LOCK key. Also what is wrong with the kits? You didn't make any suggestions. The base kit covers a MiniVan and Roadkit and then by adding a few more keys a full size can be covered. Pretty cool if you ask me

Ah my bad, missed the Lock key.

The base set covers a minuscule share of the market so it feels like a very selfish distribution. If it was adding "a few more keys", then sure, but there are over 40 keys.

Best bet would be alphas/shared keys, 40 modifiers, other modifiers, and numpad. I can put these together tomorrow if you'd like some visual guidance

[olah101]

I like it!

[simonyunhe]

XDA Milestone received 2 weeks before, I will try to contact the Chinese Vendor to see if anything happens.

[evangs]

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XDA Milestone received 2 weeks before, I will try to contact the Chinese Vendor to see if anything happens.

Awesome, thanks!

[simonyunhe]

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XDA Milestone received 2 weeks before, I will try to contact the Chinese Vendor to see if anything happens.

Awesome, thanks!

Send you the PM.

[ricyuyc]

Nice theme. Would you consider to add:
1. 1u @' and |\ symbol
2. 1.25u "Shift" and 1.75u "Enter"
3. One additional 1.25u "Fn"?
4. Deep dish homing U and H, non-homing F and J.

 

[pomk]

I love the idea, but the letters look a bit off. I'd use a proven 8x6 or 8x8 font for alphas (msDOS one is pretty readable) and a 5x5 for the smaller legends and text modifiers. ID also made some nice 'gamer' fonts in its day. Right now the legends you have are 3 to 7 wide and to me that looks distracting. Using an existing font that people recognize, as each of them in the day had some strange design choices, could also boost the nostalgia factor up.

If you are not decided on making the glyphs on your own from scratch, I can help you find some nice ones.

[Sissy]

Color isnt what I would normally go for since I like bright colorful things, but the concept is fantastic and unique enough so I really like this set

[atomicus]

I'd love to see this in Cherry Profile (and ISO), but that may be asking too much.

[Data]

This is cute.  I don't do beige but this would be a definite buy in just about any other colorway.

Your G key looks like a 6 in some of the renders.  Intentional?

[ricyuyc]

I'd love to see this in Cherry Profile (and ISO), but that may be asking too much.

ANSI do existed in cherry profile.


I got them from tb.

[evangs]

Nice theme. Would you consider to add:
1. 1u @' and |\ symbol
2. 1.25u "Shift" and 1.75u "Enter"
3. One additional 1.25u "Fn"?
4. Deep dish homing U and H, non-homing F and J.

 

Show Image

That shouldn't be a problem.

[evangs]

I love the idea, but the letters look a bit off. I'd use a proven 8x6 or 8x8 font for alphas (msDOS one is pretty readable) and a 5x5 for the smaller legends and text modifiers. ID also made some nice 'gamer' fonts in its day. Right now the legends you have are 3 to 7 wide and to me that looks distracting. Using an existing font that people recognize, as each of them in the day had some strange design choices, could also boost the nostalgia factor up.

If you are not decided on making the glyphs on your own from scratch, I can help you find some nice ones.

Send some my way and I can take a look.

[evangs]

A couple updates.  I've been in contact with the XDA guys and this set will be XDA.  Second update, I modified the color scheme last night, I'm finishing updating everything but I think you're really going to like it.

[Vigrith]

A couple updates.  I've been in contact with the XDA guys and this set will be XDA.  Second update, I modified the color scheme last night, I'm finishing updating everything but I think you're really going to like it.

Fantastic news, I'm very happy you already talked it over with the people at XDA, makes it the project that much more exciting to me. Looking forward to seeing the changes to the colour scheme, I'm a fan as is but if there's room for improvement then I'm all for it!

[evangs]

New color scheme, let me know what you think! Also changed the font

















EDIT: just realized I forgot to update the spacebar on the last two images. it would be white like the alphas

[zslane]

Ah, now you lost me. The color scheme was great the way it was. Oh well, cest la vie. 

[Arhipio]

Loving the nes theme, awesome stuff 

[evangs]

Interest Form
https://goo.gl/forms/gtSj3YYHxikSSuCv2

[evangs]

Worked up an Icon mod pack

[Vigrith]

Thank you for that, I love icon mods personally.

Regarding colours, I've already voted in the IC form you whipped up but I figured I'd say my piece either way - I think the NES look you came up with is very clever and I do like the way it looks and will be in regardless but personally I feel the theme of the set is more appropriate with the classic beige. Although, there have been tons of beige sets as of late already in all sorts of profiles and offering both alternatives sure is doable if you wanna go that route, I mean look at Milestone, XDA offered like 10 different alphas in 3 or 4 different colours each, this should be piece of cake.

That might be the best way to go about it but I'm behind this either way.

[evangs]

Thank you for that, I love icon mods personally.

Regarding colours, I've already voted in the IC form you whipped up but I figured I'd say my piece either way - I think the NES look you came up with is very clever and I do like the way it looks and will be in regardless but personally I feel the theme of the set is more appropriate with the classic beige. Although, there have been tons of beige sets as of late already in all sorts of profiles and offering both alternatives sure is doable if you wanna go that route, I mean look at Milestone, XDA offered like 10 different alphas in 3 or 4 different colours each, this should be piece of cake.

That might be the best way to go about it but I'm behind this either way.

Thanks for the feedback, I will think hard about offering both colors. Maybe I can do just the alphas since both had gray mods.

[Elrick]

New color scheme, let me know what you think! Also changed the font

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EDIT: just realized I forgot to update the spacebar on the last two images. it would be white like the alphas

I don't mind your colour way here BUT please keep with using PIXELated legends they're so brilliant in this day and age.

ALSO why not use other colours like Green, Blue or Brown for the main legends as well?  Offer some variety in colours, like some other PBT Group Buys here.

[pomk]

The new font in certainly better and looks a lot more consistent. My only qualm with it is that it does not look like an 80's font at all. I might be wrong though, but it certainly does not remind me of anything.
If your are going for NES memorabilia, why not double down with some famicom font? The one used in megaman has most of the special characters (and international legends) as well and is instantly recognizable:

The font even comes with matching Japanese legends if you are into that sort of thing.

Another thing that currently is a bit strange to me is that the pixel pitch is not the same for all of the keys and the pixels don't seem to line up perfectly between the rows. Why not treat the entire keyboard as a single 'pixel art canvas'? Just set the pixel array width for 1U to be divisible by four and you are golden (20x20 or 16x16 would work well with 8x8 fonts, scale glyphs by 2x for keys that have only one glyph and by 1x for keys with more than one).

If you'd like to see a sample of what I'm talking about, I might have time to do a couple of keys later today.

edit:
Another classic font would be the IBM BIOS:
http://int10h.org/oldschool-pc-fonts/fontlist/#ibm_pc_bios

[mnmlisme]

8bit! definitely interested!

[midnight2903]

Minivan with these keycaps together please!

[evangs]

New color scheme, let me know what you think! Also changed the font

Show Image

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EDIT: just realized I forgot to update the spacebar on the last two images. it would be white like the alphas

I don't mind your colour way here BUT please keep with using PIXELated legends they're so brilliant in this day and age.

ALSO why not use other colours like Green, Blue or Brown for the main legends as well?  Offer some variety in colours, like some other PBT Group Buys here.

the text legends aren't going anywhere. I'm looking at some other color options for the alphas.

[evangs]

The new font in certainly better and looks a lot more consistent. My only qualm with it is that it does not look like an 80's font at all. I might be wrong though, but it certainly does not remind me of anything.
If your are going for NES memorabilia, why not double down with some famicom font? The one used in megaman has most of the special characters (and international legends) as well and is instantly recognizable:

Show Image

The font even comes with matching Japanese legends if you are into that sort of thing.

Another thing that currently is a bit strange to me is that the pixel pitch is not the same for all of the keys and the pixels don't seem to line up perfectly between the rows. Why not treat the entire keyboard as a single 'pixel art canvas'? Just set the pixel array width for 1U to be divisible by four and you are golden (20x20 or 16x16 would work well with 8x8 fonts, scale glyphs by 2x for keys that have only one glyph and by 1x for keys with more than one).

If you'd like to see a sample of what I'm talking about, I might have time to do a couple of keys later today.

edit:
Another classic font would be the IBM BIOS:
http://int10h.org/oldschool-pc-fonts/fontlist/#ibm_pc_bios

This is actually very similar to what I already have with a little more thickness which is exactly what I wanted. I'll be back tonight with an update.

[chuckdee]

Level 1-1 (base kit)

Show Image

100% Achievement (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)

Show Image

Caps lock key is missing. Also horrible kit choices, but I guess you want the base for your own keyboards.

Caps lock is found in the base. it's the LOCK key. Also what is wrong with the kits? You didn't make any suggestions. The base kit covers a MiniVan and Roadkit and then by adding a few more keys a full size can be covered. Pretty cool if you ask me

Ah my bad, missed the Lock key.

The base set covers a minuscule share of the market so it feels like a very selfish distribution. If it was adding "a few more keys", then sure, but there are over 40 keys.

Best bet would be alphas/shared keys, 40 modifiers, other modifiers, and numpad. I can put these together tomorrow if you'd like some visual guidance

If he put in the normal arrangements, the price goes up for everyone, which is probably the reason that he did that.  Take a look at pricing on lightcycle.

[pixelpusher]

I think I'm in for this one.  I did prefer the black legends.  I really like the novelties! 

[evangs]

this is the font

[xondat]

Level 1-1 (base kit)

Show Image

100% Achievement (104 Kit, pair with base kit to complete 60, TKL, and full size)

Show Image

Caps lock key is missing. Also horrible kit choices, but I guess you want the base for your own keyboards.

Caps lock is found in the base. it's the LOCK key. Also what is wrong with the kits? You didn't make any suggestions. The base kit covers a MiniVan and Roadkit and then by adding a few more keys a full size can be covered. Pretty cool if you ask me

Ah my bad, missed the Lock key.

The base set covers a minuscule share of the market so it feels like a very selfish distribution. If it was adding "a few more keys", then sure, but there are over 40 keys.

Best bet would be alphas/shared keys, 40 modifiers, other modifiers, and numpad. I can put these together tomorrow if you'd like some visual guidance

If he put in the normal arrangements, the price goes up for everyone, which is probably the reason that he did that.  Take a look at pricing on lightcycle.

Lightcycle was DSA which had a really inflated price. Normal arrangements would suit over 99% of the community. It means most people joining this will have a load of spare keys that only suit a tiny percentage of keyboards. Shame my comment was ignored though.

[a_ak57]

this is the font

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IMO this looks way better than the original design (both color scheme and font).

[Rob27shred]

I really like the idea of this set, the 8 bit legends work way better than I would've expected. Although it definitely needs more color to really capture the look of 8/16 bit gaming IMHO. More so in the legends than the caps themselves, I think the beige alphas & grey mods are reminiscent of the NES or SNES colors & fit the scheme well. Maybe change the colors of the mod key's legends to RBGY like the JP SNES controller buttons,

I would also like to see some options for different colored alphas. Black will work great for the regular base set but I could see sets of different color alphas being pretty popular with this set if offered. If there was some options like that for the legends colors I would definitely be in for a set!