Author Topic: [IC] DSA Borealis - The Northern Lights Themed Keyset NOW AVAILABLE  (Read 60098 times)

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Offline Jmeferlater

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November 3rd
DSA Borealis is now available at Pimpmykeyboard! Link: http://pimpmykeyboard.com/dsa-borealis-keyset/

Update Oct. 3rd
Hey guys, it's been a while since my last update to this thread, but I finally have some awesome news to share..

DSA Borealis will be available for purchase on Pimpmykeyboard in November, as part of their Keyset of the Month!
This basically means that you'll be able to get your keyset in the same month that you buy it, something that is becoming more and more rare these days.
The current plan is to have pre-orders on pmk early November and then have the sets be ready to ship by the end of November.

I don't know about prices, but I can't imagine them being more expensive than most other DSA sets, especially since there is no third-party vendor adding on costs, as PMK is just the storefront for SP.







Hey everyone, this is my very first interest check so I'm not super familiar with the whole process. With that being said, here's what I have...

Information on the design
Profile is DSA
Plastic type would be doubleshot ABS
Colors of the gradient from bottom to top: VBV, BBJ, BE, BO, RDA, RDE
Legend color is YCA, SP's glow in the dark color



The inspiration of the keyset comes from the Aurora Borealis:


I originally posted my design in response to a request for this theme. I then posted it on the subreddit, where it got a lot of positive responses.
After narrowing the design down a lot more, I figured it was time to post an interest check here.
Anyways, enough talking, here's the KLE render for my design:


OLD:
More
and here are my attempts at a 3D render for the set (made using this tool https://github.com/Orowheat/KLE-Render).
The legend color is different (the KLE is correct) and they're definitely not perfect, but they should give a better idea of what the design looks like:




Updated Renders
Here are my updated 3D renders with correctly colored legends.
I tried to make the renders best reflect the glow in the dark material on the legends, especially the bottom row.




OLD:
More
Here are some possible novelties, the constellations are all designed by user Arhipio, and the telescope was designed by me

I know the lines might be too thin, further updates to the novelties will come.
Let me know any feedback you have for these

Child Kits:
Base Kit


Numpad Kit


ISO Kit


Ergodox Kit (left blank to not force one layout with the gradient)


Planck Kit


Alternate Layout Kit (suitable for nonstandard or 40% layouts)


Novelties Kit


Please leave some feedback on these. Let me know if I did any layouts incorrectly



Again, I'm brand new to this, so any feedback/help/advice/information would be appreciated
« Last Edit: Thu, 03 November 2016, 16:00:38 by Jmeferlater »

Offline Nafs_asp

  • Posts: 76
  • Location: DC, USA
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 19:07:42 »
I think this is a pretty interesting take on a row-by-row colorway, really cool color choices.

Have you spoken with SP about making a set entirely with GID legends and with that many colors? I'm not sure how either of those would impact the price/feasibility of the set.

Also, if you need to see an example of a GID legend, one of the lotuses from Commando 23 has a GID legend (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45655.0). I can take some macro shots of one of mine later if it would help.

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 19:18:24 »
I think this is a pretty interesting take on a row-by-row colorway, really cool color choices.

Have you spoken with SP about making a set entirely with GID legends and with that many colors? I'm not sure how either of those would impact the price/feasibility of the set.

Also, if you need to see an example of a GID legend, one of the lotuses from Commando 23 has a GID legend (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45655.0). I can take some macro shots of one of mine later if it would help.

Thanks, I haven't spoken to SP yet (is there a specific email I would need to contact them at?), but I have spoken to user livingspeedbump about the number of colors and he said it should be no problem. No idea about the GID though.

A closer shot of that specific key would be great.

Offline nugglets

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 21:01:51 »
I love the idea. Not a huge fan of DSA, but would probably be in regardless just because it's so gorgeous.

Looking forward to it. =)

Offline DALExSNAIL

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 21:20:09 »
So, are the legends white or yellow? they seem to differ from the two versions of colors you posted.

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 21:22:47 »
So, are the legends white or yellow? they seem to differ from the two versions of colors you posted.

I mentioned it in the OP, but the legends are the white in the KLE render. They are the YCA glow in the dark color

Offline Nafs_asp

  • Posts: 76
  • Location: DC, USA
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 22:25:27 »
I think this is a pretty interesting take on a row-by-row colorway, really cool color choices.

Have you spoken with SP about making a set entirely with GID legends and with that many colors? I'm not sure how either of those would impact the price/feasibility of the set.

Also, if you need to see an example of a GID legend, one of the lotuses from Commando 23 has a GID legend (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45655.0). I can take some macro shots of one of mine later if it would help.

Thanks, I haven't spoken to SP yet (is there a specific email I would need to contact them at?), but I have spoken to user livingspeedbump about the number of colors and he said it should be no problem. No idea about the GID though.

A closer shot of that specific key would be great.

Here's a macro shot of the GID legend from SA Commando 23, and a few pics of those keycaps on my fairly obscene board: http://imgur.com/a/2OhLE

144885-0

144887-1

Not sure about who to speak with at SP or even what their schedule looks like with all the GBs and ICs popping up right now.
« Last Edit: Tue, 09 August 2016, 22:27:23 by Nafs_asp »

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 22:43:30 »

Here's a macro shot of the GID legend from SA Commando 23, and a few pics of those keycaps on my fairly obscene board: http://imgur.com/a/2OhLE

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Not sure about who to speak with at SP or even what their schedule looks like with all the GBs and ICs popping up right now.

Thanks for this, any way you could get one with it in the dark? just for curiosity's sake

Offline Nafs_asp

  • Posts: 76
  • Location: DC, USA
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 23:24:30 »

Here's a macro shot of the GID legend from SA Commando 23, and a few pics of those keycaps on my fairly obscene board: http://imgur.com/a/2OhLE

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Not sure about who to speak with at SP or even what their schedule looks like with all the GBs and ICs popping up right now.

Thanks for this, any way you could get one with it in the dark? just for curiosity's sake

So, if you saw my comment on reddit I said it couldn't be done. But I'm an idiot and figured out a way to take a pic of it glowing. http://imgur.com/PL3QNhU

144916-0

To take the picture I had to shine my phone's flash on the key for 10 seconds or so then quickly take a picture with the flash off. However, the GID does not last very long, within a few seconds it goes from fairly bright to too dim to take a picture of. It's also pretty faint looking to the eye in the dark. I don't know much about GID materials, but this keycap is fairly old (as far as modern SA keycaps go) at about three years old, so maybe it's not as strong as it was originally...

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 09 August 2016, 23:34:15 »

Here's a macro shot of the GID legend from SA Commando 23, and a few pics of those keycaps on my fairly obscene board: http://imgur.com/a/2OhLE

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Not sure about who to speak with at SP or even what their schedule looks like with all the GBs and ICs popping up right now.

Thanks for this, any way you could get one with it in the dark? just for curiosity's sake

So, if you saw my comment on reddit I said it couldn't be done. But I'm an idiot and figured out a way to take a pic of it glowing. http://imgur.com/PL3QNhU

(Attachment Link)

To take the picture I had to shine my phone's flash on the key for 10 seconds or so then quickly take a picture with the flash off. However, the GID does not last very long, within a few seconds it goes from fairly bright to too dim to take a picture of. It's also pretty faint looking to the eye in the dark. I don't know much about GID materials, but this keycap is fairly old (as far as modern SA keycaps go) at about three years old, so maybe it's not as strong as it was originally...

Thanks again for the pic. How short the glow lasts doesn't seem like too big of a deal to me, I wasn't expecting it to be like backlighting, but I do think its age might have an effect on that. Either way, the goal is to get some novelty out of the legends and, granted it's possible, I think it would be really really cool.

Offline Niomosy

  • Posts: 1239
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 00:53:07 »
Very nice looking set.  Some great shades of blue in this set.

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 01:02:46 »
Very nice looking set.  Some great shades of blue in this set.

Thank you, I really enjoy hearing such positive feedback

Offline Hypocaffeinic

  • Posts: 58
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 04:52:01 »
Gorgeous - I'd definitely be in!

Offline mobomelter

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 07:04:34 »
I'd definitely be interested.

Offline UTEster750

  • Posts: 187
  • Location: Central Victoria, Australia
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 07:35:46 »
Well this looks pretty neat  ;D

Offline demonlinx

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 10 August 2016, 10:26:35 »
I'm in.

Offline Arhipio

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 11 August 2016, 00:35:19 »
+1 for glow in the dark legends!

Offline Data

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  • Location: Orlando, FL
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 11 August 2016, 07:35:45 »
This is neat.  Haven't seen a set with GID legends before.  It seems like they would allow quite a bit of light through if you used in-switch LEDs.  Backlighting would also double as a "charging" mechanism for the GID material.  Interesting.

The person you want to contact at SP is Melissa.  Or you can poke someone at Massdrop if you'd rather run the set through them.  Shouldn't be too difficult to produce a DSA set right now.  Will be watching closely.

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 11 August 2016, 13:35:26 »
Hey guys, thanks for the feedback.

I just sent an email to Melissa at SP with questions about the GID legends. I'll post an update when I hear back

Offline Arhipio

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 00:23:44 »
Hello everyone, I'm the original creator of the reddit post which inspired Jmeferlater to design this amazing set. Since then I have been giving him ideas, though I take zero credit, he has done 100% of it. I came here to post an imgur album with novelty keycaps I have been working on. Jmeferlater has given me permission to post these to see if you guys can give new ideas and feedback. These designs will hopefully be included with the final Borealis keycap set. The colors are subject to change and might be made out of GID. Imgur link: http://imgur.com/a/idlqP

Offline Ouhei

  • Posts: 100
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 13:43:32 »
Registered here to say I'm interested. I loved the idea in the original Reddit post and would love to see this get made!

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 14:05:05 »
Registered here to say I'm interested. I loved the idea in the original Reddit post and would love to see this get made!

Thanks, I know there was a lot of interest on Reddit initially, but now it's getting difficult consolidating all of the interest in one place

Offline ArielLeslie

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 14:28:30 »
Registered here to say I'm interested. I loved the idea in the original Reddit post and would love to see this get made!

Me too!

Offline zacheadams

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #23 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 14:50:22 »
I would 100% purchase this and am following this thread and your comments on reddit about this set closely.

Offline TheAstroGuy

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #24 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 15:36:03 »
Do it, Doug

Offline dysproseum

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #25 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 16:10:49 »
I'd definitely be interested. Been following the threads on reddit.

Offline Dundonik

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #26 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 16:29:27 »
Registered here just to post that I am 100% interested in this set

Offline MarvinMerlin

  • Posts: 7
  • Location: washington
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #27 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 16:46:18 »
Yes I'd buy the crap out of this set

Offline dukiepookie

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #28 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 17:01:59 »
I'd be in.

Offline lbntly

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #29 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 18:57:55 »
Came from Reddit to say that I would 100% purchase this.

Offline Jmeferlater

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #30 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 19:36:43 »
Thanks for showing your interest guys. I should have an update about the glow in the dark coming once I hear back from SP

Offline infinitron

  • Posts: 2
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #31 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 21:38:47 »
INTERESTED.  So pretty.  I need this!  Really hoping this happens.

Offline hellokevin

  • Posts: 14
  • Location: Long Beach, CA
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #32 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 22:32:12 »
100% will buy when ready to sell.

Offline AuDiTH

  • Posts: 86
  • Location: Vancouver, Canada
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #33 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 22:43:47 »
I'm interested, hoping to see this set happens!
SSK | AEK64 | TX-CP | HHKB | Acrylic Pearl | Duck Orion V3 | LZ MP | Kyuu Sakura
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Offline m4n715

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Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #34 on: Fri, 12 August 2016, 23:58:17 »
Yeah, I'd like a set.

Offline Fibonacci_Jones

  • Posts: 28
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #35 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 00:45:27 »
Like the way this looks. Interested as well.

Offline chasingsafety

  • Posts: 1
  • Location: NJ, US
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #36 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 01:44:05 »
Just made an account here to say I'm in for a set once available.

Offline jynxed

  • Posts: 9
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #37 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 02:43:34 »
I want.

Offline Aliens

  • Posts: 2
  • Location: Brisbane
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #38 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 07:16:19 »
Very cool, I'd definitely be interested.

Offline Jmeferlater

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  • Posts: 95
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #39 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 17:16:53 »
Hey guys, here's the first real attempt at a novelty for the set. It is the constellation Cassiopeia, which can be seen in the northern sky.
The design was done by user Arhipio, he has a bunch of other ideas too, so let us know here what you think.
Feel free to share any ideas you have for a novelty as well, I'm really bad at coming up with this stuff.



I messed around with his design a little and probably made the lines too thin.
We can also do some more complicated constellations if this one is too simple.

Offline Axiomatik

  • Posts: 49
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #40 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 20:12:18 »
Hey guys, here's the first real attempt at a novelty for the set. It is the constellation Cassiopeia, which can be seen in the northern sky.
The design was done by user Arhipio, he has a bunch of other ideas too, so let us know here what you think.
Feel free to share any ideas you have for a novelty as well, I'm really bad at coming up with this stuff.

Show Image


I messed around with his design a little and probably made the lines too thin.
We can also do some more complicated constellations if this one is too simple.

IMO that's a fantastic idea for a novelty. +1 on this.
-Axiomatik

Offline lildragonbuns

  • Formerly ilovekeycaps
  • Posts: 109
  • Location: San Jose, California
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #41 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 20:24:27 »
Hey guys, here's the first real attempt at a novelty for the set. It is the constellation Cassiopeia, which can be seen in the northern sky.
The design was done by user Arhipio, he has a bunch of other ideas too, so let us know here what you think.
Feel free to share any ideas you have for a novelty as well, I'm really bad at coming up with this stuff.

Show Image


I messed around with his design a little and probably made the lines too thin.
We can also do some more complicated constellations if this one is too simple.

Oooo. It'd be really cool if the novelties were a bunch of different constellations. I'm not a big fan of DSA but this design and colorway has me very interested.

Offline Jmeferlater

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 95
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #42 on: Sat, 13 August 2016, 20:29:18 »
Hey guys, here's the first real attempt at a novelty for the set. It is the constellation Cassiopeia, which can be seen in the northern sky.
The design was done by user Arhipio, he has a bunch of other ideas too, so let us know here what you think.
Feel free to share any ideas you have for a novelty as well, I'm really bad at coming up with this stuff.

Show Image


I messed around with his design a little and probably made the lines too thin.
We can also do some more complicated constellations if this one is too simple.

IMO that's a fantastic idea for a novelty. +1 on this.


Hey guys, here's the first real attempt at a novelty for the set. It is the constellation Cassiopeia, which can be seen in the northern sky.
The design was done by user Arhipio, he has a bunch of other ideas too, so let us know here what you think.
Feel free to share any ideas you have for a novelty as well, I'm really bad at coming up with this stuff.

Show Image


I messed around with his design a little and probably made the lines too thin.
We can also do some more complicated constellations if this one is too simple.

Oooo. It'd be really cool if the novelties were a bunch of different constellations. I'm not a big fan of DSA but this design and colorway has me very interested.

Good to hear. More constellation novelties are on the way


Offline gerankle

  • Posts: 13
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #43 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 01:41:36 »
Definitely interested. Would buy this set.

Offline Niomosy

  • Posts: 1239
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #44 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 01:50:53 »
If we're talking novelties, a telescope cap would seem appropriate as well.

Offline Jmeferlater

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 95
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #45 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 12:47:06 »
Hey guys, I have some more novelties.
Again, any feedback would be appreciated

Constellations from left to right are: Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Gemini, Lyra, and Canis Major. They were all designed by Arhipio again
The telescope was a very quick design by me, so it's not that great.


Once I hear back from SP about the GID legends I'll ask them if these novelties can be done, the lines might need to be more thick.


Offline MediocreBadGuy23

  • Posts: 70
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #46 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 12:53:56 »
Wow love those novelties. I agree with the thicker lines but the constellation novelty was a great idea.

Offline Data

  • Posts: 2608
  • Location: Orlando, FL
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #47 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 13:44:20 »
Constellation novelties are a great idea. Keep in mind that SP has some line weight and corner radii requirements for custom legends. It looks like you might already be aware.  :thumb:

Offline Jmeferlater

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 95
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #48 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 13:57:13 »
Constellation novelties are a great idea. Keep in mind that SP has some line weight and corner radii requirements for custom legends. It looks like you might already be aware.  :thumb:

Thanks
And yeah, I'm not sure of the exact specifics, but I figured lines couldn't be too thin or sharp. That'll definitely be something I ask about next time I email SP

Offline Axiomatik

  • Posts: 49
Re: [IC] DSA Borealis Keyset (with GID Legends?)
« Reply #49 on: Sun, 14 August 2016, 19:04:55 »
Love the new constellations. Have you consider playing with the weights of the points? I know some stars are brighter than other perhaps it would look cool if those points were bigger.

pic for reference

https://catholicsouthernfront.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/thuban_map.jpg
-Axiomatik