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geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: madmax13 on Fri, 16 May 2025, 03:31:29
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(https://i.postimg.cc/qqMc4t42/Dino.png)
MTNU Welles
This set is designed to evoke the midcentury aesthetic of film noir.
Interest Check Form (https://forms.gle/Jz1MVCvTWr9C6oSE9)
Designer Discord (https://discord.gg/GarvkjJUXh)
Designer Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/keycaps_by_madmax13)
(https://i.postimg.cc/y8gQgmc4/Harry_lime_third_man_portrait.webp)
Details
- Designed by Madmax13
- Novelties by switchbox.studio
- Manufactured by GMK using PBT
- Using SP stock color chips, sent to GMK for color matching
A quick note on the diamonds: I like diamonds as the super/win/code/sys/meta because they're OS-agnostic and originated with Sun's Type 4 in 1987. This makes them the lineal descendants of the space cadet "meta" key. Not only does it predate the "Win" and "Command" keys, but it was also the only symbol in a text modifier kit.
I have received samples from GMK and updated all renders to match the colors. The most significant change was in the red, which went from more of a darker red to a kind of desaturated "brick red," which I think fits the theme much better.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dQgJZBT2/PXL_20251216_193432986.jpg)
Inspiration
The scene opens in shadow. A cigarette smolders in an ashtray. A typewriter clacks once, then goes silent.
This… this all begins with a man. Mr. Orson Welles. You’ve seen him—up there on the screen—casting long shadows as the villain in Touch of Evil. But he wasn’t just a figure in the frame. He helped shape the very language of the genre, both behind the camera and in front of it. A craftsman of mood. A dealer in chiaroscuro.
Now, this set—once dressed in the lofty curves of SA—finds itself reborn in GMK MTNU. The lower profile… the comfort… it’s a sleeker silhouette for a darker tale. But the soul remains: the legend placement, that bold SA signature—it stays. It had to stay. It speaks more honestly to the theme. To the story we’re telling.
Why these colors?
Let me show you. The alphas—tan. Not glamorous, no. But neither is the world of noir. These are the hues of old plastics, relics of another time. Phones that only ever rang with bad news. Radios whispering secrets through the static. A palette pulled from memory, from age, from truth.
The mods—grey, but cold. Blue-leaning. Like smoke curling under a streetlamp. Like the tint that haunts old black and white reels when the night stretches a little too long.
And the accents—ah, the accents. A red so deep it’s nearly blood. Not crimson. No, this is the red of pulp. Of danger. Of lipstick on a glass left behind. It’s the splash of passion and violence that marks every cover of a dime-store novel… every poster that promised sin in shadows.
So when you press these keys, know you’re not just typing.
You’re telling a story.
Kitting
...The Lady From Shanghai- Base Kit
Named after the 1947 Welles project starring Rita Hayworth, this set is designed to accommodate most popular keyboards between 60 percent and full size. It also features limited ergo and minivan support. Slimmed down from previous iterations to make the set more accessible. Everything taken out of here is in the new extension set.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zBTbWW1M/MTNU_Welles_Finals.png)
...Chase A crooked Shadow- NorDeUK Kit
Northern European ISO compatibility kit, named after the 1959 British Noir Film.
(https://i.postimg.cc/508YvvMK/MTNU_Welles_INT_FInal.png)
...The Bad Sleep Well- Novelty Kit
Noir-inspired imagery, named after the 1960 film Noir directed by Akira Kurosawa.
(https://i.postimg.cc/wvDyJJdG/MTNU_Welles_Novs_Final.png)
...Southside 1-1000- Numpad Kit
Number pad kit, with additional modifiers for 1800 support, named after the 1950 Noir.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XJ9GFFbb/Numpad_kit.png)
...The Big Sleep- Extension Kit
Extension kit, featuring accent bars, "good to haves," 6u HHKB support, text supers for those who can't stand a single symbol, and 12u 40s support.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4dp7ttgk/Extention_kit.png)
Renders
Renders were intentionally created under varying lighting conditions because most colors are highly dependent on the type of light they receive. I will also list the kits beyond the base to dupe the look.
(https://i.postimg.cc/WzbmTDTZ/F1_40.png)
F1-40 by Geon Works
(With Extension Kit)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SRNLkXkL/Frog_Mini.png)
Frog Mini by Geon Works
(With Novelty Kit)
(https://i.postimg.cc/x8xvC01M/Jackie.png)
Piggy by Jackie Works
(With Novelty Kit)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XqHfJVYz/OGR2.png)
OGR2 by Alchemist Keyboards
(https://i.postimg.cc/VvGq6YkG/werl.png)
Werk One by Werk Technica
(https://i.postimg.cc/3NSXRKxC/New_Banner.png)
Ingot by Relapse Keyboards
With Novelty Kit
(https://i.postimg.cc/cC470K0Y/Iron165.png)
Iron 165 by Smith and Rune
I am grateful for your support, and look forward to continued feedback
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Finally yes. So buying this.
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The novelty kit alone makes me want this set. So nice to see both 7U/6.25U supported in such a fantastic way with Novs facing away from each other and sets for each right & left CTRL/ALT keys. +200 for.
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Hell yes. I’m in
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Thumbs up for R2 up arrow option!
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Gorgeous colors in this set and even Int kit with ISO-DE support. So that makes it another instant MTNU buy for me. 💸 Is there any chance that you could include a 1.5u and 1u text mod version for the diamond key? I wouldn’t be buying the novelty kit and somehow it looks weird to me to have basically an all text non-icon mod set with just that single novelty. Doesn’t have to be WIN or CMD but maybe SYS? Would give a cleaner look. Anyway – great set! 👌
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The diamond key isn't a novelty; it's the "Meta" key from Sun Microsystems boards, and a genuine OS modifier that predates the Windows key. Please keep it in the kit, it looks great as it is.
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Gorgeous colors in this set and even Int kit with ISO-DE support. So that makes it another instant MTNU buy for me. 💸 Is there any chance that you could include a 1.5u and 1u text mod version for the diamond key? I wouldn’t be buying the novelty kit and somehow it looks weird to me to have basically an all text non-icon mod set with just that single novelty. Doesn’t have to be WIN or CMD but maybe SYS? Would give a cleaner look. Anyway – great set! 👌
Like Piper said, it's a different form of "sys," "win," "code," or "meta." It's a lineal descendant of the oldest "super" key that I can find in computing, and the diamond, through SA and MT3 sets, has a long history in the keyboard hobby as a super. One of the reasons I did the diamonds is to open it up for future designs, as I like them, and they set off the modifiers nicely.
Also, that being said, is there anything anyone would want added? I have a novelty graphic that I did not use for an XT row, that I am considering adding. Also, if it gets picked up, maybe a deskmat in the style of a pulp fiction novel?
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very pretty - glwic :thumb:
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Looking forward to this one. :D
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very pretty - glwic :thumb:
Looking forward to this one. :D
Thank you for your kind words.
Due to popular demand, I added text supers to the kitting diagram. I still think the diamonds are appropriate, but you have the option not to use them.
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One of the comments in the IC is a desire for more R1 novelties. Is there anything you guys have in mind? The IC suggested a few, but I'm thinking about other things to use, such as media keys.
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mtnu ramping up. :thumb:
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One of the comments in the IC is a desire for more R1 novelties. Is there anything you guys have in mind? The IC suggested a few, but I'm thinking about other things to use, such as media keys.
Yes please. I want at least 1 more R1 1u, but prefer 2 more :-D
Please just google image search for "iconography from the godfather" or similar for inspiration.
Also have you considered changing the ANSI Enter novelty? It's quite hard to make out what it's supposed to be, really. I'm quite sure it's a silhouette of a man in a coat and hat, but I'm not quite sure.
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One of the comments in the IC is a desire for more R1 novelties. Is there anything you guys have in mind? The IC suggested a few, but I'm thinking about other things to use, such as media keys.
Yes please. I want at least 1 more R1 1u, but prefer 2 more :-D
Please just google image search for "iconography from the godfather" or similar for inspiration.
Also have you considered changing the ANSI Enter novelty? It's quite hard to make out what it's supposed to be, really. I'm quite sure it's a silhouette of a man in a coat and hat, but I'm not quite sure.
We are in the process of adding, I think 3/4 more 1U novelties- there's a bunch of stuff related to the theme we didn't touch on yet, but it's something to look forward to.
RE: ANSI enter, it's the silhouette of the set's namesake in "Lady from Shanghai." We'll take a second look at it.
5/27: Updated the inspiration section, in the voice of a Mr Welles.
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6/3- Updated Novelties based on IC feedback.
As a treat for everyone who scrolled, here's a render featuring the new novelties.
(https://i.imgur.com/CToSJjE.jpeg)
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6/9: MTNU Welles has been added to the KDBFans IC (https://kbdfans.com/collections/interest-checks/products/gmk-mtnu-welles) page.
Again, those that fill out the IC, I thank you for your support.
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Quick update on the progress of the IC:
Of my respondents, 97 percent want the base kit, just about 40 want the Novelty kit, and about the same want the NorDeUK set.
The Majority of the respondents come from the US and the EU.
Here's a few more renders:
(https://i.imgur.com/qhrjeaR.jpeg)
Bowl Capy60
(https://i.imgur.com/UpYhVZ9.jpeg)
AKB OGR
(https://i.imgur.com/6xjJ6jm.jpeg)
Geon Glare65
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(https://i.postimg.cc/xTBD26YC/MTNU-Welles-IC-survey-250820.png) (https://postimg.cc/kBNhNF23)
Here's a quick update on the state of the group buy. As always, the graph is courtesy of Dvorcol!
Overwhelming support for base, NorDeUK is in line with respondents from EU/UK, and about 1/3 want the novelties.
As always, if there is something you'd like changed or done differently, I am open to feedback.
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Is this still in progress?
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Is this still in progress?
It is still in progress- I am nailing down vendors and waiting on samples.
I am also revising kitting to reflect the change in preferences from GMK- It'll likely be TKL Kit/Numpad/Extension/Novelty/International for kitting instead of large base + Novs + international kit.
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Glad it's still alive and anxious to see new kitting! :)
(We need MOAR MTNU)
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12/15- Received samples from GMK. Grey and Tan seem like a good match. The red sample is a bit darker and desaturated compared to the renders. This is good, and IMO actually enhances the set and fits the theme a bit better. I will post updated kitting renders - and new kitting - tonight, and sample photos when I have good light to photograph them. Very excited for how this looks going forward!
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Recommed red color like render so good
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12/20 Updated Kitting, Colors to match samples. Migrated to Postimages for our UK Brethren.
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12/22 - Corrected Kitting Diagrams. I realized I messed up the colors. Will be replacing the renders over the next few days.
Merry Christmas!
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I have received some questions about the colors of the keys because the renders look different. Firstly, my kitting diagrams are the "control" for what I think a "neutral" version of the colors looks like. Then I use the board renders to show the kit under different lighting conditions- differing levels of brightness and color temperature. This raised some Qs about the colors for this set. I have received the samples from GMK and have posted them above. Here it is under a few different light intensities, and one with a slightly "warmer" light.
(https://i.postimg.cc/pVcMR43T/Welles_Sample_1.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/VvVxg0X4/Welles_Sample_2.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zD2Y866M/Welles_Sample_3.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/G3gndVVf/Welles_Sample_4.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y0s5RLQR/Welles_Sample_5.jpg)