[IC] DCX Bim | NOW LIVE!

[balance]

GB PAGE: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=123454.0





Greetings! This set is inspired by an imaginary entity, more like a personal design and helper. Here, I present you Bim, a colourful robot and computer which would really love to be your friend. From now on, Bim will show you what he can do.

Many people asked Bim: Why did you change the manufacture to DCX?
Response: I have the answer for this. I have changed the manufacture to DCX due to recent high prices from GMK and lack of quality. This is the most convenient variant for customers and vendors due to the price they offer, high production speed and great quality. If you have any suggestions, I will be happy to know your opinion.

Bim reveals his sale date..

SALE START DATE: 13th August

Bim reveals his true colors..



Bim is showing you 2 interesting tabs.....

• _____________________________________________________                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
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Bim is presenting now his Vendor List:

• US: Drop - https://drop.com/buy/drop-balance-dcx-bim-keycap-set?defaultSelectionIds=986656 
• AU: Switchkeys - https://www.switchkeys.com.au/collections/current-group-buys/products/dcx-bim-group-buy 
• UK: Prototypist - https://prototypist.net/products/group-buy-dcx-bim-keycap-set-drop-balance
• China: zFrontier
• CA: Ashkeebs
• SEA: Zion Studios

The others will start soon!


Bim is now going to show some complex abilities with small descriptions.


Bim welcomed you!
 Bim is opening Settings...
  → Settings
     → General
       → Kits

• Base Kit
  Entails compatibility for most layouts: 60%,65% 80%, 100%
  

• Novelties Kit
  Congrats! With this kit you'll have selfies of Bim by your side as well as some other icons
  

• Extension Kit
  To lighten-up your keyboard, this kit consists of Bim's multiple colors.
  

• Spacebar Kit
  More spacebars for more colors
  
  

Bim closed kits
 Bim opened Settings again...
  → Settings
     → General
       → Renders

• Info: 29 July | Saturday | Board: FROG TKL BY GEONWORKS
  
  
  
  

• Info: 26 July | Wednesday | Board: Amano by h40.io
  
  
  

 Bim closed renders
  → Bim is now searching...
    →Searching for similar sets similar to DCX Bim
     →There was nothing related to this subject despite the image below   
   

• Color Comparison
  

 

Bim asks you to press these buttons (if you didn't already)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        　　　　　　          　　　

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Bim is now exhausted and wants to go to sleep.
Bim thanks you for checking the IC.
Bim says "See you next time!"
Bim Status: OFF

[balance]

reserved

[NSMN]

I'm going to get a seat

[TyPo.mk]

Is this “bim” in the room with us right now?

[balance]

Is this “bim” in the room with us right now?

Yes.

[dededecline]

This is really cute!

Some kitting suggestions:

Base
* You’re missing some numpad 1u keys in base (R1 Pg Dn, R1 End, R2 -, R3 +, R4 0). You could consider splitting these out into a separate kit.
* if you’re adding the 2x 1.5u super keys, you should add a second 1u alt for hhkb legend support (or remove the 2x 1.5u supers to save space)

40s
* the 1.25u spacebar in 40s kit should be a 2u
* i would trim down the number of accents in 40s by choosing a left side color (esc) and a right side color (enter)
* you’re missing 1.5u enter keys, which are important
* you can kill the 1.75u lock key
* add a mod-colored 1u ‘“ key

GLWIC, it’s a tough market for gmk gb’s and there’s a lot of kits here so I hope you find a good vendor to back this. It’s a cool set.

[stomaha]

Not-scuffed Nord.

[Kinesiologist]

Love the colors and the theme. Given the current delays with GMK, would you be open to using another manu such as Keykobo?

[involuntarysoul]

please no more GMK

[aicyborg]

Eff it, I'll ask: could the accent arrows be in base? They really "make" this good in my opinion.

Please consider Key Kobo. Their quality is very close to GMK but they have a tidy li'l four-month (ish) turn around time, as well as much lower costs, that makes them much more attractive.

[dvorcol]

Please consider Key Kobo. Their quality is very close to GMK but they have a tidy li'l four-month (ish) turn around time, as well as much lower costs, that makes them much more attractive.

For example, the Keykobo WoB/BoW/RGB GB ended 31 July 2022 and shipped in December.

And Miami Dawn finished 30 April 2023 and is expected to ship in Q3 2023.

But do you know if Keykobo Poltergeist has shipped yet?  The GB ended 24 October 2022.

The Keykobo sets I've seen recently didn't have GBs but rather went on sale as in-stock.  For example, Retro Mixed Lights and Gigachad/Gigachild.  Not that that's a bad thing, especially if there is an IC to consider community feedback before kits are set in stone.

[twitchytheinsideman]

bim but no vim

[jiminojimi]

Hey bim, guess what

[cthalupa]

Cute set.

KKB points are valid but GMK has done a lot to clear the queue this year and seems to be catching up.

[aicyborg]

Please consider Key Kobo. Their quality is very close to GMK but they have a tidy li'l four-month (ish) turn around time, as well as much lower costs, that makes them much more attractive.

For example, the Keykobo WoB/BoW/RGB GB ended 31 July 2022 and shipped in December.

And Miami Dawn finished 30 April 2023 and is expected to ship in Q3 2023.

But do you know if Keykobo Poltergeist has shipped yet?  The GB ended 24 October 2022.

The Keykobo sets I've seen recently didn't have GBs but rather went on sale as in-stock.  For example, Retro Mixed Lights and Gigachad/Gigachild.  Not that that's a bad thing, especially if there is an IC to consider community feedback before kits are set in stone.

Fair enough. My comment was a bit hyperbolic. I know that Retro Mixed Lights went from IC to fulfilling in about 4-5 months. It seems that as of this month, Miami Dusk has finished production and shipping to vendors is now underway.

I don't actually know if KKB really have a four month turn-around time, but it seems to be significantly less time. I own Gigachad and the quality's impressive.

I honestly just threw out the suggestion for fun, but sorry for saying four months 'cos it's not necessarily true.

[Cylent]

It's not bad, but...when I look at this IC I feel nothing. I feel like I've seen this exact design and design language multiple times by this point.

As far as "objective" feedback goes:
Half of the mod legends are colored, half are grey. It looks off, and will look even more off with 65% and 75% boards. On top of that, none of the color placement is consistent between rows (though messy is kind of the look this design language goes for, I guess).
The 40s kit just shouldn't exist. 3 key with GMK or nothing.
Remove tertiary legends from Norde. Honestly, probably cut Norde entirely.
The detailed novelties aren't to GMK specs and will need to be fixed.
The extension kit is just...an abomination. Every color you add in a kit it increases the cost with GMK. Delete this kit and put every "essential" key into novs. 

[Moods]

Nice look, nice renders! GLWIC

[shamb]

i cannot wait for this set to run, my interest is checked

[AmethystDCVR]

Cute set.

KKB points are valid but GMK has done a lot to clear the queue this year and seems to be catching up.

i think ppl copium this way out of proportion. gmk has barely increased production since their sorting machines were installed in january. in case ppl dont know how numbers work: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X_al_WIHs-7CmwTLQtwVsPHx5QO-CBYStMLuvaWS0M8/edit#gid=0

in january at the time of that announcement the average production of sets per month was 8. now 7 months later, the average has flatlined at a whopping 10 per month. yes 10 is better than 8 but hardly anything to write home about. there are still 80 GBs in queue. the only thing that helps clear up the backlog is people not doing GBs with GMK (the sharp decline in GBs in 2023 compared to years prior is the single most helpful thing going for reducing GB times, not some stupid sorting machines). the most realistic time frame for turnaround for todays GB is 9 months. comparing that blindly to last year's 18 months seems like a massive production increase, but like i said, their production has barely increased. the only reason for the reduction in lead time is due to the nose-dive falloff of total number of GBs ran per year since 2021.

lets not forget their claim that lead times will be 6 months by mid this year. well, its already past mid year and 6 month lead time is almost as laughable as their claim that they will have been caught up with all backlog (prior to Euler) by sept. im no math genius but 80 sets at 10/mo avg is 8 months and sept is next month. spin me your best mental gymnastics to convince that a GMK GB ran today will ship by january lmao

you will not see reasonable production times (4-6 month turnaround) until well into 2024. and once we get there, there has to be a maximum cap of no more than 10 sets ran per month in order for the queue to sustain positive at that rate. hopefully the hobby has died enough that there wont be another boom to instantly jam the queue back up again

[cthalupa]

Cute set.

KKB points are valid but GMK has done a lot to clear the queue this year and seems to be catching up.

i think ppl copium this way out of proportion. gmk has barely increased production since their sorting machines were installed in january. in case ppl dont know how numbers work: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X_al_WIHs-7CmwTLQtwVsPHx5QO-CBYStMLuvaWS0M8/edit#gid=0

in january at the time of that announcement the average production of sets per month was 8. now 7 months later, the average has flatlined at a whopping 10 per month. yes 10 is better than 8 but hardly anything to write home about. there are still 80 GBs in queue. the only thing that helps clear up the backlog is people not doing GBs with GMK (the sharp decline in GBs in 2023 compared to years prior is the single most helpful thing going for reducing GB times, not some stupid sorting machines). the most realistic time frame for turnaround for todays GB is 9 months. comparing that blindly to last year's 18 months seems like a massive production increase, but like i said, their production has barely increased. the only reason for the reduction in lead time is due to the nose-dive falloff of total number of GBs ran per year since 2021.

lets not forget their claim that lead times will be 6 months by mid this year. well, its already past mid year and 6 month lead time is almost as laughable as their claim that they will have been caught up with all backlog (prior to Euler) by sept. im no math genius but 80 sets at 10/mo avg is 8 months and sept is next month. spin me your best mental gymnastics to convince that a GMK GB ran today will ship by january lmao

you will not see reasonable production times (4-6 month turnaround) until well into 2024. and once we get there, there has to be a maximum cap of no more than 10 sets ran per month in order for the queue to sustain positive at that rate. hopefully the hobby has died enough that there wont be another boom to instantly jam the queue back up again

You're putting up a lot of strawmen and shifting a lot of goalposts in here. A 25% increase in set delivery is a significant increase. I'm not claiming a set run today would deliver in January or anything about GMK's previous estimates.

Just that if someone really wants to run GMK for whatever reason they may have, GMK is clearing out the queue and it is returning to more sane wait times.

[aicyborg]

Honestly, probably cut Norde entirely.

Spoken like someone who doesn't use it. OP, don't do this, please. Although it's hard to get them over the MOQ for GMK they should still be attempted.

[Cylent]

Honestly, probably cut Norde entirely.

Spoken like someone who doesn't use it. OP, don't do this, please. Although it's hard to get them over the MOQ for GMK they should still be attempted.

I've always supported Norde in my sets, even though I don't use it. The reality with GMK is that the only way a norde child kit gets made is if either the set is highly popular or the EU vendor buys it out. In the current market asking an EU vendor to buy out a child kit is asking a lot.

[SwitchKeys]

Agree unfortunately. Too many kits that won't hit MOQ.

International kit will be a mission in the current climate, and 40s users unfortunately don't show up on game day. Better off with basic 40s support in base.

[VXQN]

Ignoring the fact this this set is more or less a pastiche of other sets, it kinda feels all over the place.

The concept is odd, the novelties don't really match the rest of the set either — they feature a character that no-one has any attachment to as it's brand new IP, a nonsense word (imagine trying to explain to someone why your return key says "bimter"), and inexplicable curvy arrows. Plus the macro keys could at least say "bim 1", "bim 2" etc if you are wedded to this concept.

You've also got so many accent colours that this would be one of the largest sets I've ever seen, if it did go to production.

The set is kinda nice, but I feel like the whole thing could use some rethinking with a little restraint.

[gwcfree]

Robot Character on the ISO Novelty keys maybe instead of the bimter

[tactilesbad]

well.
does it look like some existing set? yes.
is it a bad thing? no.
we got flooded for years with atrocious looking bull**** meme sets and people who call themselves designers for adding colored sublegends to the same beige template.
at least this looks nice and it's actually blue in the renders.

some constructive feedback now:
- drop the 40s kit, add 3-key support in basekit
- extension kit and novelties have way too many colors, unless your vendors buys them out you're better off gutting the extensions or moving some accents to the novelty kit
- drop that norde kit (they never make it to MOQ and they're FAR from being "international" and that's an issue with all those stupidly expensive kits)
- spacebars: force only one accent color
- remove green keys and generally try and keep the colors to a minimum: costs aside, the color matching process will be hell

and yeah, keykobo is still an option. but it won't mean it will sell better than gmk, most people are still suspicious about kkb for some reason I don't get. a few good kkb projects failed because people like to complain about gmk lead times but won't trust anything else.

[aicyborg]

- drop that norde kit (they never make it to MOQ and they're FAR from being "international" and that's an issue with all those stupidly expensive kits)

I just want the NA market to stop saying this. You don't use it, that's fine. It is a flat out lie to say they "never" make it. Please stop depriving the European market from having the option of correct legends. Yeah, it does suck that Spain and France are excluded but please don't contribute to the normalisation that the included European countries don't buy it - we do when we can. We just don't always get the option to.

[vhaarr]

I just want the NA market to stop saying this.

I agree. However, I also agree that people should stop calling it "International" :-P

[involuntarysoul]

R1 backspace should have red legends rather than orange which is for R2, please make color for each row consistent

[balance]

well.
does it look like some existing set? yes.
is it a bad thing? no.
we got flooded for years with atrocious looking bull**** meme sets and people who call themselves designers for adding colored sublegends to the same beige template.
at least this looks nice and it's actually blue in the renders.

some constructive feedback now:
- drop the 40s kit, add 3-key support in basekit
- extension kit and novelties have way too many colors, unless your vendors buys them out you're better off gutting the extensions or moving some accents to the novelty kit
- drop that norde kit (they never make it to MOQ and they're FAR from being "international" and that's an issue with all those stupidly expensive kits)
- spacebars: force only one accent color
- remove green keys and generally try and keep the colors to a minimum: costs aside, the color matching process will be hell

and yeah, keykobo is still an option. but it won't mean it will sell better than gmk, most people are still suspicious about kkb for some reason I don't get. a few good kkb projects failed because people like to complain about gmk lead times but won't trust anything else.

Thanks a lot for the kitting suggestions, I will try to implement some of them

[DontStealMyLolipop]

Any artisans planned for this one?
Will cop, GLWIC 

[jivex5k]

isn't this just dracula?

[dvorcol]

isn't this just dracula?

Small revision to color comparison in OP

[balance]

Software Update 1.1 - "Digital transformation"
Note: In this update I have made many kitting changes and tried to make the kits good looking and as stretched as possible

Base Kit
→ Added R1 Pg Dn, R1 End, R2 -, R3 +, R4 0
→ Removed 2x 1,5u system

Extension Kit
→ Removed the orange and green keycaps

40s Kit
→ Added 2u spacebar instead of 1,25
→ Added 1,25 and 1,5 enter
→Added 1u ‘“
→Removed the yellow keys
→Removed  1,75 lock key

Spacebar Kit
→Changed the spacebar to alpha color instead of mod
→Added 6.00 a center stem alpha colored spacebar
→Removed orange spacebars

[balance]

Love the colors and the theme. Given the current delays with GMK, would you be open to using another manu such as Keykobo?

I am still deciding regarding this but GMK have done some pretty good improvements regarding the delivery of sets. Would you still be interested if the set is GMK? Tell me your opinion

[involuntarysoul]

I am still deciding regarding this but GMK have done some pretty good improvements regarding the delivery of sets. Would you still be interested if the set is GMK? Tell me your opinion

other than the wide spread 1.5U stem issue, many currently shipping sets also have sever alpha legend alignment issues.

too much red flags for GMK atm

[Mecxs]

GMK was averaging 5-7 sets per month for most of 2022. They have hugely increased their rates this year.

That said, it's pretty clearly come at the expense of the one redeeming quality that they still had left - their quality control. To add insult to injury, they're now abandoning their previously impressive track record of correcting mistakes and refusing to offer replacements to those with defective caps.

The risk:benefit of joining a keycap GB is way too high right now.

[aicyborg]

I would personally be fine with a switch to PBTfans or to Keykobo if you want to keep it ABS. I just like PBTfans' add-on kitting and the fact they consistently support international, 40s, etc.

other than the wide spread 1.5U stem issue, many currently shipping sets also have sever alpha legend alignment issues.

too much red flags for GMK atm

Show Image

You really gonna post this image without any explanation of what the (supposed) issue here is?

Also, the 1.5u issue isn't that widespread. It's confirmed to have affected two sets so far and that's all. Two.

[involuntarysoul]

Also, the 1.5u issue isn't that widespread. It's confirmed to have affected two sets so far and that's all. Two.

are you living under a rock or what? 21 sets reported with pictures so far

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/156he48/attention_new_issue_with_gmk_keycaps_know_before/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=MechanicalKeyboards&utm_content=t1_jti3ryi

[lush_bunny]

I really like the colors of this set. Is it possible to get KKB instead though? GLWIC!

[balance]

Vendors announcement!

US: Drop
AU: Switchkeys
EU: Candykeys
International: KBDfans
UK: Prototypist
China: zFrontier
CA: Ashkeebs
SEA: Zion Studios

[Cylent]

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

[Kokaloo]

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

[Rhienfo]

Why did you go with candykeys for the eu vendor.

While I would never purchase anything from drop or kbdfans personally, I can understand why someone would run with them if they want a set to succeed in this climate, especially with the amount of kits that exist for this project. Candykeys doesn't have the influence that they do and is shockingly bad when it comes to fulfilling orders, which doesn't fair well considering the amount of drama that has gone up about vendors.

Please reconsider the eu vendor and go with one that actually is reputable.

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

While I would imagine that the kits are overpriced cause of modern gmk pricing and agree that some of those kits could be repurposed and "fixed" for better prices I guess, I think they could reach moq with the reach this set would have because of drop/kbdfans. They are quite popular after all.

[aicyborg]

It's not too late to consider running this with Keykobo! Lower MOQs/prices would probably get some of the more obscure kits over the line (possibly). I'd be very sad if the nordeuk kit doesn't make it.

Why did you go with candykeys for the eu vendor.

Candykeys isn't that bad. Mykeyboard is the one in financial trouble and that has earned a reputation for not paying GB invoices.

[Rhienfo]

Candykeys isn't that bad. Mykeyboard is the one in financial trouble and that has earned a reputation for not paying GB invoices.

Ok mykeyboard was worse (at least someone else is running it now) but the amount of people I've seen complaining about how candykeys refused to ship their order is enough for me to never recommend them to anyone. And candykeys has a bad enough rep where people just won't buy from them (This is all anecdotal and not at all evidence of this espically because I'm in more niche parts of the hobby, but I talk to people who refuse to buy stuff because it's on candykeys, including one who will not order this set because candykeys is the vendor, even though they really liked it)

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

lmao, yeah having the mech&co/mykeyboard combo is not a good look.

[Cylent]

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

Iconic response M&C ended up being a real mess

Regarding Candykeys, given the stories I've heard, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

[CandyKeys]

Candykeys isn't that bad. Mykeyboard is the one in financial trouble and that has earned a reputation for not paying GB invoices.

Ok mykeyboard was worse (at least someone else is running it now) but the amount of people I've seen complaining about how candykeys refused to ship their order is enough for me to never recommend them to anyone. And candykeys has a bad enough rep where people just won't buy from them (This is all anecdotal and not at all evidence of this espically because I'm in more niche parts of the hobby, but I talk to people who refuse to buy stuff because it's on candykeys, including one who will not order this set because candykeys is the vendor, even though they really liked it)

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

lmao, yeah having the mech&co/mykeyboard combo is not a good look.

I dont know where all this is coming from, but we are not that bad... Of course we will make mistakes but some people have got to get off the 2018 opinions and see the change and improvements. Daily we are shipping hundreds of packages, always 1-3 will have some issue or a mistake, the posts that are around are mishandling of really old GBs that were miscommunicated on our part and misled the customer so too... You say we are bad at fulfilling orders, I just sadly am struggling to see this on the numbers we have to be honest, there is a error rate I can not really calculate 100% correctly but if its not holidays or we are short on staff we are shipping large quantities, IF couriers make mistakes or there are other issues after hand off then thats what it is, but you are making it sound like we are not delivering 50% of anything.

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

Iconic response M&C ended up being a real mess

Regarding Candykeys, given the stories I've heard, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

Sames goes here, have you made your first hand experience? I usually browse around Discords and see what people are saying live and in the moments, all regions, all communities and some stories are sure a meme but it is positive out there... It is not good to take what one reads as online to form their only opinion. Every customer that may have said something bad has been catered to even though it may not have been in the most positive way... Let alone so many comments on reddit are not even our own customers causing a even worse snowball effect. Mistakes will happen, and mistakes will always be louder than positive experiences, but I would strongly looking into the balance of volume we do, the services we provide, and reflect strongly on the negative feedback and see how it was handled.

[CandyKeys]

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

Iconic response M&C ended up being a real mess

Regarding Candykeys, given the stories I've heard, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

Actually if you want send a DM as it seems to be your are basing your opinion on what you are hearing but not experience, of course I can find 10 negative experiences over the past 8 years... I will send you a coupon to get you a free order so you can maybe experience what we do first hand.

[Cylent]

So you're still keeping 3+ kits that are going to be overpriced and fail to meet MOQ. You can lead a horse to water...

you sound jealous that he landed a vendor that won't scam people

Iconic response M&C ended up being a real mess

Regarding Candykeys, given the stories I've heard, I wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole.

Actually if you want send a DM as it seems to be your are basing your opinion on what you are hearing but not experience, of course I can find 10 negative experiences over the past 8 years... I will send you a coupon to get you a free order so you can maybe experience what we do first hand.

To be clear, my comment was from a designer's perspective, not from a customer's perspective.