[IC] GMK SERIKA

[RSC]

Nope...

Are the alphas L9 or a custom color?

Alphas are custom.

[chuckdee]

They don't have any white colors on OCo, anyway.

[donut_sauce]

They don't have any white colors on OCo, anyway.

They have L9

[donut_sauce]

Nope...

Are the alphas L9 or a custom color?

Alphas are custom.

Gotcha.

[Zambumon]

I'll give an update about Serika this week.

[oumakavoula]

oh my ...
this is beautiful ! I adore this shade of yellow

[Zambumon]

UPDATE #3

As I wasn't happy with the kits, I thought that I had to take some steps back and change my perspective about this set. Ultimately my goal is to have an affordable set, and I was feeling that with so many kits and splitting all the orders, the set would end up costing much more. So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.


Please, head over to the OP for all the updated kits.



DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR SERIKA!

[avid]

I know you said yellow is custom, how about alphas and the black colors?

[gnunin]

UPDATE #3

As I wasn't happy with the kits, I thought that I had to take some steps back and change my perspective about this set. Ultimately my goal is to have an affordable set, and I was feeling that with so many kits and splitting all the orders, the set would end up costing much more. So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.


Please, head over to the OP for all the updated kits.

Show Image

OMG. Yes. This.

[EightDiagram]

Great decision! 

[Zambumon]

I know you said yellow is custom, how about alphas and the black colors?

I know you said yellow is custom, how about alphas and the black colors?

Alphas are custom, and GMK is sending me a RAL color chart to improve the color matching process.

Accents are N9.

[typischt]

I really like the set how it is right now.
Is it on purpose that the two key for the ISO layout are the same (the one next to the ISO return and the one below it)?

[omjak]

Alphas are custom

The pure Latin provided much cleaner look.  Considering that Alphas are custom colors, can you offer Latin alphas separately as an extra kit?  (for those who don't want to source alphas from another set)

[xondat]

So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

Ah that's damn disappointing. Went from a must buy to no buy for me. Oh well.

[omjak]

So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

Ah that's damn disappointing. Went from a must buy to no buy for me. Oh well.

I feel the same
(maybe just micons ...maybe)

[Zambumon]

I really like the set how it is right now.
Is it on purpose that the two key for the ISO layout are the same (the one next to the ISO return and the one below it)?

Yes, it is on purpose, as you need one to be placed right next to the shift key and another one right to the left of the ISO enter.

Alphas are custom

The pure Latin provided much cleaner look.  Considering that Alphas are custom colors, can you offer them separately as an extra kit?  (for those who don't want to source alphas from another set)

No, they won't be added as an extra kit. Having two sets of alphas would split orders and make the set more expensive overall and it was precisly why I made these changes. I am aware that this changes might be a deal breaker for some people, but I didn't want to end up having an expensive base kit because half of the orders went to some of the extra kits.

[lac29]

I'll buy extras to compensate for the droppers =P.

[typischt]

I really like the set how it is right now.
Is it on purpose that the two key for the ISO layout are the same (the one next to the ISO return and the one below it)?

Yes, it is on purpose, as you need one to be placed right next to the shift key and another one right to the left of the ISO enter.

I think you might have delete this part of your post already but still wanted to clarify: I do know where those key should be going, just doesn‘t make sense to me, that they are exactly the same key.

[Zambumon]

I think you might have delete this part of your post already but still wanted to clarify: I do know where those key should be going, just doesn‘t make sense to me, that they are exactly the same key.

It's the layout windows provide when you use an ISO board with US layout. This particular layout has been done previously for sets such as Yuri or Muted. It has also been offered for the Hiragana kits in Laser. Please, keep in mind that all the alphas need the Japanese sublegends and adding any international layout or Dvorak and Colemak would require lots of new legends.

[Zambumon]

I'll buy extras to compensate for the droppers =P.

I'm completely aware that for some people, not having latin alphas on the base kit will be a deal break and that for some others the set is now more interesting, as there's only Latin+Hiragana legends, which make it more accesible if you want to use GMK's standard modifiers. Keep in mind that what I want to avoid is having a Hiragana kit barely surpassing the MOQ and ending up with a more expensive base kit just because the orders were split in multiple kits.

[omjak]

I'll buy extras to compensate for the droppers =P.

...Keep in mind that what I want to avoid is having a Hiragana kit barely surpassing the MOQ and ending up with a more expensive base kit just because the orders were split in multiple kits.

Considering the massdrop poll, you're right - but it also shows how many people were interested in it.

[M]

Wow that packaging artwork is amazing!

[NookOppa]

I'm not normally one for yellow but I'm in on this set for sure!

[zappysnap]

So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

Ah that's damn disappointing. Went from a must buy to no buy for me. Oh well.

I feel the same
(maybe just micons ...maybe)

Exactly the same.  I was really pumped about this kit, but I have absolutely ZERO interest in Hiragana keycaps.  I'm not Japanese, I do not speak Japanese, and I have no need nor interest in having Japanese characters on my keyboard that are solely for decoration.  I have always thought caps like this look insanely cluttered....and this set was so clean before. 

Honestly, this move makes absolutely no sense to me.  The worry was that Hiragana would be so low that it would hurt MOQ....so the solution is to force an already unpopular set down everyone's throat? 

Seriously, this was the one keycap set I was most excited for this coming year, and now it's dead, and I am massively bummed. 

Please, Please reconsider this move.

[RavenPanther]

I'm completely aware that for some people, not having latin alphas on the base kit will be a deal break and that for some others the set is now more interesting, as there's only Latin+Hiragana legends, which make it more accesible if you want to use GMK's standard modifiers. Keep in mind that what I want to avoid is having a Hiragana kit barely surpassing the MOQ and ending up with a more expensive base kit just because the orders were split in multiple kits.

I don't quite understand the pricing thing you're trying to avoid - it sounds like there's a specific keyset (hiragana) that would barely be worth making if it were separate, due to cost in production. So it's being made the standard (core set) to make things cheaper? Wouldn't something that's so niche be expected to be expensive? Why not have it be its own separate run, like at a later date? Why does a separate kit (Hirigana on its own) make the base set more expensive? I'm new to all this and I've never paid attention to keysets with other languages, so I'm just trying to understand what's going on behind the scenes :]

I'll admit, I'm a little upset because I was looking forward to this set, it matched my computer theme and I was planning on building a board around it, but I have no use for a set of keys with an extra language on them. I also have to agree that it sort of ruins the clean look the original ones had, so unless I could somehow find a way to get 'normal' alphas that fit with the set and just bought the modifiers/novelties, I can't join in on this set anymore :[

Exactly the same.  I was pumped about this kit, but I have absolutely ZERO interest in Hiragana keycaps.  I'm not Japanese, I do not speak Japanese, and I have no need nor interest in having Japanese characters on my keyboard that are solely for decoration.

Honestly, this move makes absolutely no sense to me.  The worry was that Hiragana would be so low that it would hurt MOQ, and the solution is to force an already unpopular set down everyone's throat? 

Seriously, this was the one keycap set I was most excited for this coming year, and now it's dead. 

Please, Please reconsider this move.

This pretty much sums up how I feel. I'd honestly rather pay more than buy a set I don't like, or trying to find a set of alphas that fit and buying TWO sets.

[zappysnap]

I'll admit, I'm a little upset because I was looking forward to this set, it matched my computer theme and I was planning on building a board around it, but I have no use for a set of keys with an extra language on them. I also have to agree that it sort of ruins the clean look the original ones had, so unless I could somehow find a way to get 'normal' alphas that fit with the set and just bought the modifiers/novelties, I can't join in on this set anymore :[

I almost feel like the rug was pulled out from me....I can't express how excited I was for this set, and now it's: yeah, we're not going to do that any more.  Too bad. 

[RavenPanther]

I'll admit, I'm a little upset because I was looking forward to this set, it matched my computer theme and I was planning on building a board around it, but I have no use for a set of keys with an extra language on them. I also have to agree that it sort of ruins the clean look the original ones had, so unless I could somehow find a way to get 'normal' alphas that fit with the set and just bought the modifiers/novelties, I can't join in on this set anymore :[

I almost feel like the rug was pulled out from me....I can't express how excited I was for this set, and now it's: yeah, we're not going to do that any more.  Too bad.

Heavy Industry is kind of close... but I put my hopes in Serika because I like having more yellow. Plus HI is geared towards 60% boards.

[chuckdee]

As I wasn't happy with the kits, I thought that I had to take some steps back and change my perspective about this set. Ultimately my goal is to have an affordable set, and I was feeling that with so many kits and splitting all the orders, the set would end up costing much more. So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

Great decision, indeed!

[Photoelectric]

I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

Good decision, I think, as--beyond the pleasing combination of custom colors--the Hiragana alphas were what was making the set extra special and interesting.  I wish more sets would be made with secondary legends or even side print (and windowed caps for indicator keys).

[hervuli]

I was really pumped about this kit, but I have absolutely ZERO interest in Hiragana keycaps.  I'm not Japanese, I do not speak Japanese, and I have no need nor interest in having Japanese characters on my keyboard that are solely for decoration.  I have always thought caps like this look insanely cluttered....and this set was so clean before.

This

[kwerdenker]

UPDATE #3

As I wasn't happy with the kits, I thought that I had to take some steps back and change my perspective about this set. Ultimately my goal is to have an affordable set, and I was feeling that with so many kits and splitting all the orders, the set would end up costing much more. So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.


Please, head over to the OP for all the updated kits.

Show Image

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR SERIKA!

This is not the updated I was waiting for :eek:

While I understand the argument to be made for not splitting too much orders, this kills the set for me. Not only am I not a fan of the weeb legends but the loss of the NorDe kit weights heavy for me. This is a real bummer because Massdrop sets were one of the very few possibilities for us NorDe users to get customs keysets that fully support our local layout.

But it's your set, your idea and your decision. Best of luck with the run and I'll keep an eye out for your next project.

[numerofour]

I'll buy extras to compensate for the droppers =P.

...Keep in mind that what I want to avoid is having a Hiragana kit barely surpassing the MOQ and ending up with a more expensive base kit just because the orders were split in multiple kits.

Considering the massdrop poll, you're right - but it also shows how many people were interested in it.

I think this is spot on. Hiraganas are definitely lovely and what I would probably have bought along with the original but them receiving less than 1/10 of the alphas kind of says it all. I guess many people who voiced out had their issues as they only want hiraganas + micons + white spacebar, but even more people didn't say anything as the original version was perfect.

Edit: I'm definitely supporting this whatever the outcome but just saying I preferred the original version.


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[omjak]

The Hiragana looked great paired with Micons, and as result, I'm assuming, the fear is that's what many people will shoot for combination instead of the base/core set, thereby reducing price breaks with volume, or potentially not meeting the moq on Core (however unlikely) or Hiragana alone (which Zambumon obviously wants to produce.) 

While the Latin-Hiragana made more sense on Red Samurai (by RedSuns) because it represented Japan and its history/culture; I don't see any connection in Serika, other than it's a "head turner" (I suppose for those who would keep it at work, or travel with it.)

I absolutely LOVED the original base set, but with the current (Latin-Hiragana) version I would/will need to find a separate (non-matching) alphas to go with the modifiers 

[egla]

Was really in love with this set, but these changes make it a no-go...

[RSC]

UPDATE #3

As I wasn't happy with the kits, I thought that I had to take some steps back and change my perspective about this set. Ultimately my goal is to have an affordable set, and I was feeling that with so many kits and splitting all the orders, the set would end up costing much more. So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

(...)

Perfect! Thank you!

[Draic]

I planed to only get hiragana+40s+Micons. All the keys I would have needed for my keyboards (40% user). Sad to see this is no longer an option

I will most likely skip Serika entirely now. Not interested in the baseset

[foxlive]

Very nice to see that hiragana are now part of the core. I would love micons to be part of it (i really hate the look of classic GMK mod). Anyway, will be in for core + micons for sure

[Wilba]

So I've decided to keep things as simple as possible and have Latin+Hiragana alphas as a part of the Core.

The clean look of Latin alphas and classic Cherry icon+text mods that was presented initially is now not even possible. WTF?

IMHO the set has been compromised to please the vocal minority of people wanting Latin+Hiragana and biitching about having to pay more for the option.

This is not coming from hate for Hiragana - I bought the Gaijin kit in GMK Laser specifically for that aesthetic, but it was a choice.

[Vigrith]

Here's my take, for what it's worth - I think the problem most people have here is that Hiragana are basically novelties with this set (far as I understand it, at least); with Laser and Red Samurai, the alternative legends made a lot of sense for obvious reasons. Here, however, they're just cool. I don't see a particular reason as for why Gaijin style alphas would make more sense with the set rather than just regular ole Latin mono.

I can understand the decision from an MOQ/economic stand-points, and I'm sure a lot of people will be pleased; many will also be displeased as has been seen. That said, what's most important is that Zambumon is happy with the result.

[vewy_nice]

That's really too bad I really don't like having the split alphas...

I'd definitely buy an add-on latin alpha set (and then sell the japanese alphas or w/e) 
But not even having that option is really rough.

Honestly though, I will just buy Micons and the geometries, and then do something else for alphas...

Wouldn't it be weird if the base kit didn't hit MOQ? (I mean, it will, but I assume there's going to be a massive amount of Micons sold)

[mudcakehoney]

Led Zep Alphas would look pretty great with the Micons I reckon.

[donut_sauce]

)
I'd definitely buy an add-on latin alpha set (and then sell the japanese alphas or w/e) 
But not even having that option is really rough.

I wish this was an option. I would to this as well.

[ppp]

Well. Micons and geometries it is.

[stepstone82]

core with hiragana...I should let this go.

나의 LGM-G600S 의 Tapatalk에서 보냄

[kmba]

So you removed the Latin only alphas to *maybe* reduce the base set price by $10 or so? Doesn't seem like a fair trade off.

[Dorira]

Oh dude great thx for the hiragana in a core! Now I'm definitely buying this

[vtachkov]

I was looking forward to this but I'm not interested in Hiragana alphas in the core kit =/ Maybe I'll just get Micons like others have stated but without something to cover the alphas I'll likely just exit out.

[kaiwwww]

really nice set , but we need latin alpha kits

[peggisan]

Not really into the hiraganas. I''ll probably only get the micons and geos if any at this point

[Zambumon]

I'll try to clarify step by step why the update was done this way and breakdown all my decissions.

Let's talk about NORDE and Colemak & Dvorak first: those two kits were too far to reach MOQ. Given how the poll, the GH thread, and Massdrop talk have gone, I can't justify having these two kits. There has only been one time when these two kits have reached MOQ, and that was Nautilus, which had objectively way more hype than Serika. As the designer of the set, I don't think it is reasonable from my side to keep this going on for every set that is run through Massdrop just for the sake of it when there's clearly not enough interest for those two kits. Otherwise we end up with unsustainable situations.

Now, let's talk about the base kit changes and removing the Hiragana kit. First of all, I'm perfectly aware of how polarizing this changes are. For some people, this is a deal breaker, and for some others a the set is now a must have. I've been always interested in sublegends and I like them a lot as they make sets very appealing, and as some of you already know, Serika's name is a reference to a manga (Space Brothers). So there has always been a thematic pretext to have those Hiragana legends added to the set since the very first moment I publicaly released the set. In fact, some of my early sketches for this set back in 2016 when the set was unnamed, had either Hiragana or Hangul sublegends. However, back in 2016 having those sublegends on a GMK set wasn't possible, and that's why I initially sticked to the more "standard" look.

Soon after update #1 was released, which added Hiragana and Micons, I started to become more and more uncomfortable with the set and its kits. For every single set, and specially for the GMK ones, the base kit is the core of the set, and everyone should get it. All base kits should be as affordable as possible, which can be achieved by having the right amount of keycaps and also reaching higher order quantities. By adding those two kits I was achieving the exact opposite of what I wanted, splitting the orders between 2 options in detriment of the core kit.

I've thought a lot about this decission, and as I've said before, I'm completely aware that for some of you is a dealbreaker, so I apologize to those of you.  However, I do believe that these changes are for good.

Just to make things clear: there won't be any other major update. I don't plan to add any kits, or remove any of the present ones. I do not plan to add yellow spacebars, latin alphas, or NORDE.