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geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 07:51:59

Title: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 07:51:59
(https://i.imgur.com/OGgMwaq.png)

Hey everyone! After a few years since GMK Avanguardia, I’m back with something that feels like its rebellious little sibling.

GMK Retroguardia keeps the geometric vibe and minimalist layout spirit of Avanguardia, but swaps the muted palette for something with more bite, a vivid green accent that feels both retro and electric. It’s still clean, but this time it’s louder and a little more fun.


Theme

The name Retroguardia (Italian for “rearguard”) plays on Avanguardia (“avant-garde”); same design lineage, flipped energy.
Think early digital aesthetics, print grids, and sharp contrasting geometry, like something you’d find on an old-school synth interface.

Primary color: same deep blurpleish grey as GMK Avanguardia
Accent color: bright green
Extras: the same indigo GMK Avanguardia highlights just because.

(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fpalette.webp&w=640&q=70)
KIT(S?)

Base
(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fkits%2Fkitting_infographic.webp&w=768&q=70)

RENDERS
(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fboards%2Fm60.webp&w=768&q=70)
(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fboards%2Fmelody.webp&w=768&q=70)
(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fboards%2Fmelody2.webp&w=768&q=70)
(https://raz.wtf/_vercel/image?url=%2Fretroguardia%2Fboards%2Fparagon.webp&w=768&q=70)

Some early render references below, from when Retroguardia was just a sketch in the Avanguardia days :P

(https://i.imgur.com/qbQ1inB.png)

The TBDs

Would you prefer a novelties kit like Avanguardia had?
What about Mousepads?
Other merch (cables, artisans and so on)?

That's it for now, thanks for checking it out. If the response is good, we’ll move toward vendors and GB prep soon :)

Changelog
- 10-10-2025 Added latest kitting: splitting backspace for colored numrow, pgup/pgdn fixies
- 10-10-2025 Added R3 Pipe for ISO compatibility
- 12-10-2025 Moved most of the images out of imgur

Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: DirtyGingy on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:06:03
Oh, this is nice
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: Zahul on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:15:17
This looks cool. GLWIC!
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: zlobin356 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:17:17
Nice set! I have question regarding kitting, why there is no alert-row color |\ for split backspace support? I see this key on renders, but not in the kit render.
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:26:20
Quote from: zlobin356 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:17:17
Nice set! I have question regarding kitting, why there is no alert-row color |\ for split backspace support? I see this key on renders, but not in the kit render.


Good catch!

Delete and |\ are missing because I uploaded the wrong file =)
I'm updating the post
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: ZavaZ86 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:31:10
Any specific reason why you aren't using standard black (cr)?
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: zlobin356 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:34:50
Quote from: ZavaZ86 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:31:10
Any specific reason why you aren't using standard black (cr)?

Well as author said, and as i understand its sort of "remix" for Avanguardia, which uses same color. IRL it should be more grayish, rather than just black
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:58:59
Quote from: ZavaZ86 on Fri, 10 October 2025, 08:31:10
Any specific reason why you aren't using standard black (cr)?

I'm taking GMK Avanguardia base color, that's why =)

Here's a real life reference of the Accent + Base colors:

(https://i.imgur.com/2D2gOWR.png)
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: mr_foggy on Fri, 10 October 2025, 09:10:15
this gets a big YES from me chief

Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: Bacms on Fri, 10 October 2025, 09:35:15
Imgur images no longer work for UK users. You may want to use a different host for the images https://help.imgur.com/hc/en-us/articles/41592665292443-Imgur-access-in-the-United-Kingdom
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: Ape on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:07:43
I like this!  :D

I personally prefer the non-alert R1.
Will Avanguardia have a rerun?
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:16:15
Quote from: Ape on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:07:43
I like this!  :D

I personally prefer the non-alert R1.
Will Avanguardia have a rerun?

I don't think so, at least not now. Candykeys should have some extras!

Quote from: Bacms on Fri, 10 October 2025, 09:35:15
Imgur images no longer work for UK users. You may want to use a different host for the images https://help.imgur.com/hc/en-us/articles/41592665292443-Imgur-access-in-the-United-Kingdom


Thanks for the heads-up, going to upload images to github and update the post
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:17:21
I like it and I loved the avanguardia nov style

That base not run through novelkeys is probably 180$ or so and the masses unaware of inflation will howl. Split alert out? split numpad out? Cut purple? Two of those?

(Edit: then people would have to interact w candykeys)
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:25:07
Quote from: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 10:17:21
I like it and I loved the avanguardia nov style

That base not run through novelkeys is probably 180$ or so and the masses unaware of inflation will howl. Split alert out? split numpad out? Cut purple? Two of those?

(Edit: then people would have to interact w candykeys)

I see every of your point.

GMK Avanguardia had A LOT of kits and even if it was 2021, it was not easy to reach the MOQ for all the kits, and the 40s was canceled at the end. I would like to prevent fragmentation, but I'm sure no one will be bothered if the Numpad is sold separately, for example.

I'll update the thread with an IC Form so I can get more feedback.

Thanks for your inputs!
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 15:45:52
This numpad user notes split out numpad on Windbreaker didn’t raise the cost too much: maybe the quotes are different nowadays. Looking forward to novs.
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: zlobin356 on Sat, 11 October 2025, 07:00:59
Quote from: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 15:45:52
This numpad user notes split out numpad on Windbreaker didn’t raise the cost too much: maybe the quotes are different nowadays. Looking forward to novs.

Yep, as far as i know GMK reviews its pricing strategy, quotes should be better now.
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: yuujira on Sat, 11 October 2025, 09:29:06
Came in this hobby late enough to have missed Avanguardia and was excited at first to see it return but was ultimately disappointed that it's predominantly green instead of purple. I don't mind if the colors were mixed, like maybe a purple alert row as an additional kit?
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: Randomlosername on Sat, 11 October 2025, 09:32:55
Yo this is nice fr. Def would love novs for this.
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: raz on Sun, 12 October 2025, 12:38:37
Quote from: Randomlosername on Sat, 11 October 2025, 09:32:55
Yo this is nice fr. Def would love novs for this.

I'm not planning to design new novelties, I might re-use the same I had in Avanguardia. This should make the price a bit lower too if the original molds are still in GMK possession :D

Quote from: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 15:45:52
This numpad user notes split out numpad on Windbreaker didn’t raise the cost too much: maybe the quotes are different nowadays. Looking forward to novs.

Quote from: yuujira on Sat, 11 October 2025, 09:29:06
Came in this hobby late enough to have missed Avanguardia and was excited at first to see it return but was ultimately disappointed that it's predominantly green instead of purple. I don't mind if the colors were mixed, like maybe a purple alert row as an additional kit?

Not a fan of running R N(s) for the sets. Avanguardia didn't sell THAT much to require a round 2 tbh. Adding another alert row would be too much I think. I'll add the question to the IC form anyway, let's see how it goes =)

Quote from: zlobin356 on Sat, 11 October 2025, 07:00:59
Quote from: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 15:45:52
This numpad user notes split out numpad on Windbreaker didn’t raise the cost too much: maybe the quotes are different nowadays. Looking forward to novs.

Yep, as far as i know GMK reviews its pricing strategy, quotes should be better now.

I'm prepping up the IC Form, let's see what the people around here want. I'm not against having multiple kits, but I'd like to keep everything as much as compact as I can. True thing is that not a lot of people will need a numpad, and I'm worried the kit might not reach the MOQ for the production (like how it happened with the 40s kit for Avanguardia).
Title: Re: [IC] GMK Retroguardia
Post by: mr_foggy on Sun, 12 October 2025, 15:27:43
Quote from: zlobin356 on Sat, 11 October 2025, 07:00:59
Quote from: IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES on Fri, 10 October 2025, 15:45:52
This numpad user notes split out numpad on Windbreaker didn’t raise the cost too much: maybe the quotes are different nowadays. Looking forward to novs.

Yep, as far as i know GMK reviews its pricing strategy, quotes should be better now.

long overdue but good news nonetheless