Double shot replacements ROUND TWO!

[Twitchy]

Think the awesome face loses something when it has to be reduced to two colors.

You are right though I think that the lack of colours is less noticable when shrunk to keycap size.

The lower right quadrant Awesome is my favorite.

I agree with you on the basis of a single key but I'm not sure I'd like a whole keyboard of yellow legend on black keys. I think that the black legend on the left works better but I know there aren't gonig to be many takers for a yellow keyset. Personally, if a certain keyboard is still in stock come Friday morning, I'll have all the yellow keys I want!

[Azuremen]

I'd go for a look of disapproval key. Easy enough.

 It'd also be a good way to attract redditors which would likely increase interest in a group buy. Especially since the first person to get the set would be able to karma **** by post a picture of the keycap on reddit.

Still also like the trollface. Think the awesome face loses something when it has to be reduced to two colors.

I need to karma **** some more, so I support this. And if I could make a macro that would type it when I hit that key, it would be even better.

[Zen]

Yeah, I'm calling them stupid for wasting all that time on Pimpmykeyboard.com.

What a disaster of a website, a business model, and execution.

There's no reason they couldn't produce nice thick Cherry Corp clones with a little thought.  Or at least drive a decent novelty key business.

Ignoring the fact that the only people willing to pay what it costs seems to be us and the Korean GeekHaks ?
And the 80K tooling cost.. PR CAP !!
Maybe 'Pimpmykeyboard.com' was set up to test if there was a sound business in custom-caps for 'ordinary' consumers ?
Apparently there isn't ..

[Azuremen]

Ignoring the fact that the only people willing to pay what it costs seems to be us and the Korean GeekHaks ?
And the 80K tooling cost.. PR CAP !!
Maybe 'Pimpmykeyboard.com' was set up to test if there was a sound business in custom-caps for 'ordinary' consumers ?
Apparently there isn't ..

Because none of those keys work with popular keyboards for the most part? Would be like testing a market for custom wheels, but making them some obscure lug pattern...

[hoggy]

I'd be tempted by this -

[Fwiffo]

I really like that set too, but signature doesn't have any colors close to those. Actually, there is a light blue that's similar to the WASD colors, but the other bluish-grays don't exist.

[sadbox]

I'd be tempted by this -

Show Image

Outside of blanks I would -love- something like that. It reminds me of the whole black on black theme that the ducky's are rocking.

[washuai]

I have the stealth look on my Topre board.  I have the Otaku easily scratched coated Filco caps on my Filco . . one of these days.  I want orange on my Topre or Geekhack keys.  Of course, there's the thinness.

At home, the theme is black, blue, some hints of blue violet.  I'm willing to throw in some green or purple or there between.  One of these days if it matters, I guess I'll be shelling out more than the cost of keyboard for some retro cupped thicker blacker and more colorful play on Dolch caps.

I'm not interested in troll face.  The only thing I really like about awesome is it reminds me of Ghost In the Shell Laughing Man.  I like a more medieval, magical game booster set, mostly.  I prefer WASD to not have the letters on them.  Really, if you had non letter characters, or arrows or blanks or something, then you can put them any where in that row and/on the arrow keys, profile wise.  I support, even understanding the additional costs, the keys that deviate are in addition to more subtle.  Ideally controversial keys are 'extra' with a nondescript basic.
 
I have symbol ideas, most of them somewhere on ClickClack's list of custom crazies.  Some I've seen in this thread:  biohazard, radioactive, lightning . . mmm I forget.  Earth, water, fire, & air . . . Sword, ninja star, tomoes, yin yang, triquetra, pentacle, shield . . .

In regular Filco profile, I could definitely use some blanks of colors.  I'm glad this isn't happening until New Year.  
For your basic black and whites, I definitely can wait to see what Elite Keyboards is up to.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

If the trend is going toward funky colors, how about this



http://qq.a.5d6d.com/userdirs/c/4/kbc/attachments/day_101118/1011181921829152bddc014f82.jpg

[dizzyone]

I really like that set too, but signature doesn't have any colors close to those. Actually, there is a light blue that's similar to the WASD colors, but the other bluish-grays don't exist.

Did you manage to take a picture of the color samples, or are the ones posted earlier the same?

[Senor_Cartmenez]

Maybe 'Pimpmykeyboard.com' was set up to test if there was a sound business in custom-caps for 'ordinary' consumers ?
Apparently there isn't ..

If you set up a business that sells peeled fruits to test if there is any market for selling peeled fruits but bananas and apples are the only 2 peeled fruits you sell for right-handed eaters while all other fruits are only suitable for left-handed eaters, then your "test-model" is just bull**** and has no validity on wether or not there is a market for peeled-fruits.


Wait wah'?

[Senor_Cartmenez]

Show Image

Also: those look great. I like both in the bottom row. But I see how the bottom right one is more universally usable, also on a primarily black board, while the bottom left would probably require a board that has some yellow keys to begin with.

fyi: I plan to use awesome as my Alt Gr key :p

[Twitchy]

Top row - legend only
Bottom row - legend and background

The top row is an attempt to show the legends on their own, the bottom row to show what they'd look like on keys.

[Fwiffo]

Did you manage to take a picture of the color samples, or are the ones posted earlier the same?

Sorry, I don't have a camera so I'll have to borrow one. And I'm flying out for Thanksgiving, so it won't be until after then. But you can look at sixty's picture:



I've circled the ABS ring. The other samples are PBT, which can't be used for double-shots. The colors don't come out well in a picture because of various monitor calibrations, samples translucency and reflectivity, different cameras' spectral sensetivity, different lighting conditions, etc, but you get the general idea.

[Twitchy]

Can I have a full set of those keys please? All blank except "X%&#!" as an escape key. Never mind profiles or any of that stuff just orange keys!

...and thick ones at that

[Fwiffo]

And I think this $80K tooling cost being thrown around is a Signature smokescreen.

Haven't we already had this discussion? The thicker keys are SA family, which is a spherical top instead of cylindrical top. We could do SA keys instead of DCS, but I got the impression most people wanted key profiles similar to what is on Filco keyboards.

Or is there some other particular property you're looking for?

I'm actually getting close to saying "**** it" on the complete double-shot set. I'm not confident any more about getting a combination of colors and features that appeal to 50 people. There is one color scheme proposed that everyone likes, but the colors are not actually available.

I might fall back on just doing a run of a special key, like awesomeface or trollface.

[Kairxa]

I'm actually getting close to saying "**** it" on the complete double-shot set. I'm not confident any more about getting a combination of colors and features that appeal to 50 people. There is one color scheme proposed that everyone likes, but the colors are not actually available.

I might fall back on just doing a run of a special key, like awesomeface or trollface.

Don't D: I really look forward on this mass order, and I really thank you for initiating the idea I'll go with the majority anyway.

[Mr. Perfect]

Perhaps it would make the whole thing easier if you decide on a set you think will sell, and then see if there are fifty people who want it. It's great that you've been letting everyone suggest their own dream set of key caps, but we're just ending up with everyone asking for something different. Looking at the first Filco order set, WhiteRice pretty much had the design and layout of the set picked from the beginning, and then everyone worked out details after that.

[TheSoulhunter]

Haven't we already had this discussion? The thicker keys are SA family, which is a spherical top instead of cylindrical top. We could do SA keys instead of DCS, but I got the impression most people wanted key profiles similar to what is on Filco keyboards.

Or is there some other particular property you're looking for?

I'm actually getting close to saying "**** it" on the complete double-shot set. I'm not confident any more about getting a combination of colors and features that appeal to 50 people. There is one color scheme proposed that everyone likes, but the colors are not actually available.

I might fall back on just doing a run of a special key, like awesomeface or trollface.

Why not doing mockups of some popular (and possible) color schemes and make a final poll?

[Twitchy]

I took so long writing this that I've kind of been beaten to the punch, but I'll say it anyway.

It seems like we'd only seen a couple of ideas before the pressure started to pick one. Well, I think that we need to see more ideas, more ideas without any thought about choosing which one to order. If we set a deadline for ideas of a month or two for "blue sky" thinking, then that gives us plenty of time.

When the deadline is reached we whittle the ideas down to a manageable  number (ten maybe?) of different themes. Different ones, not ten variations of a Nintendo (or orange :crazy:) theme. Perhaps then someone (I think muchadoaboutnothing said that he could) can set up that external poll where we rank the themes to narrow the list further and eventually make a choice.

For all these wonderfully democratic ideas though, I really feel that Fwiffo (or whoever takes over should "**** it" come into effect) has final say. It would take someone more magnanimous than myself to do all the work required to order a set, if they didn't even like it.

These are just my thoughts, I really just wanted to say that I see no reason to rush. If we do it right, then finding fifty buyers shouldn't be hard.

[Fwiffo]

Well, there are certain restrictions that have led to my frustration, but it's not insurmountable.

- I don't really want to do something that repeats the general theme of the previous set. Specifically, I don't want to do a gray color scheme.
- It needs to look good with the black frame.
- It needs to be able to sell 50+ sets.
- It needs to not use too many colors.
- It needs to use the available ABS colors.
- It needs to conform to the various other restrictions of the manufacturing process.

My frustration mounted after seeing the available colors. There's a wide selection, but they ruled out my most favorite proposed schemes. That grayish blue scheme is beautiful, but there are no bluish gray colors available even close to that. I'm also pissed that there are no purples at all.

Pretty much of all the proposed schemes that I like, the only ones that actually work are colored legends (red, blue, whatever) on black keys. I am not actually a fan of the Nintendo colors. In particular, I think there are some reds, oranges, several blues and maybe one or two greens that would look good for legends on black keys. There are some yellows that might look good too, but I'm worried that they'll just look like old yellowed keys (I have the same concern about gray or off-white legends).

After I get back from Thanksgiving, I'm going to go through the available colors carefully, narrow it down to those I think actually look really nice, and try to get some color swatches or pictures up that accurately represent them. Those who want to come up with color schemes would do well to calibrate their monitor in the mean time!

[JLai]

In all honesty, the keycaps are not super expensive.  We could go ahead with 2-3 different themes and still have it affordable.

This is from Signature Plastics for DCS profile, doubleshot, ABS plastic, Cherry MX mount, full 104 key replacement  ->

5 sets            $194.25 / set
10 sets          $108.78 / set
15 sets          $80.28 / set
 
Custom 'legend' keycaps (i.e. custom logos) are a one-time charge of $25.

[panda-R]

LOL @ $80/set being affordable. I rather buy me another interesting keyboard. We don't make a lot of money in communist society.

[Fwiffo]

I thought it was a lot more than $25 for custom art. If it's that cheap, we might as well do a few different ones; it's not much spread out over the cost of 50 or so keys/sets.

On the other hand, $80 is way too expensive for a set. Anything much over $50 is probably too much.

[bakageta]

I have to admit, I was kind of disappointed by the color selection, just going by the pic posted... I picked out a couple of colors that I personally thought would look good for legends on black keys, thought obviously I don't know exactly how these look not having them in person. Here's the 7 I liked, and then do a color key with black legends for WASD, Esc, and possibly boosters for ESDF and the arrows.

[JLai]

I was thinking a $30 difference is not going to break the bank...especially if people are more satisfied with the color theme they end up with.  That's like what...1 good meal?

Just offering suggestions/trying to help...

[keyboardlover]

For the price of Filco/Ducky + custom doubleshots, you could buy a Realforce.

[Savant]

I was thinking a $30 difference is not going to break the bank...especially if people are more satisfied with the color theme they end up with.  That's like what...1 good meal?

Just offering suggestions/trying to help...

I agree. A $30 delta is not gonna break the bank for me. I'd even be willing to pay the $200 price point to get the exact set I want.

I just bought a HHKB Pro2 for nearly $300 just because I was curious about topres and needed a very portable solution. This isn't exactly a cheap hobby, but neither are my other hobbies. Compared to high end headphones, photography, and road course track days for my weekend car these are pennies on the dollar.

[panda-R]

I was thinking a $30 difference is not going to break the bank...especially if people are more satisfied with the color theme they end up with.  That's like what...1 good meal?

Just offering suggestions/trying to help...

yeah but another $30 difference on top of that $30 difference could get you a nice board. If you reason it that way then for another 2 meals, which won't break the bank either you can get a keyboard with free keycaps!

[keyboardlover]

I agree with Panda's logic. Pandas are a very intelligent species.

[Fwiffo]

Maybe I live a frugal lifestyle, but $60 is roughly my weekly budget for meals. $30 for a meal is on the fancy side, like third date territory.

[woody]

$60 is more than 1/2 of a monthly pension around.

[Lanx]

well relatively speaking 60$ could get you 2 used cherry brown boards if you go ebay diving, maybe 2/3 modelm boards, or you can spend that whole 60$ just to pimp out your current keyboard? (plus it's not all that pimpin either)

[JLai]

Don't get me wrong, I'd rather pay $50.  If that's the price point we need to reach in order for this project to occur, then so be it.

In any event, a poll should probably be setup with the top choices so we can get the ball rolling and see how many are willing to commit.

[panda-R]

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is if I have bamboo on my dinner plate.

[Twitchy]

Only 24 hours to save the universe, must buy keycaps now!

[Twitchy]

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is if I have bamboo on my dinner plate.

When I were a lad, we considered ourselves lucky to even see a dinner plate, let alone eat bamboo off one!:rolleyes:

[WhiteRice]

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is if I have bamboo on my dinner plate.

Awe panda, awe

[keyboardlover]

They should make a keyboard called Panda. MUCH cuter name than 'Ducky'.

[Savant]

At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is if I have bamboo on my dinner plate.

:rofl:

[woody]

I want a pet panda.

[JLai]

They have one called PedoBear but you can only use it on 12chan.

I still stand by my original post about using PedoBear for a keycap.

[keyboardlover]

I still stand by my original post about using PedoBear for a keycap.

Show Image

Agreed...great idea!

[Lanx]

Aren't panda's like impossible to keep around? like they can't really procreate well, they require too much bamboo that could be made into keyboards. I mean i had a panda merit badge (the wwf, not wrestling) and my mom even gave me gold panda coins (they symbolize something). But i have no affinity for the animal that really should be extinct.

[woody]

But i have no affinity for the animal that really should be extinct.

That goes for humans as well.

[fssbzz]

hi, to those who need to see the color,
since fwiffo don't have his camera right now.

[wap32]

hi, to those who need to see the color,
since fwiffo don't have his camera right now.
[pic]

You can make the keycaps clear (sample 'uev')?

That could bring some wicked combinations on double-shot keys.
Black with clear lettering would be awesome for backlit boards, and clear keys with black/color legends would be plain crazy.

[fssbzz]

You can make the keycaps clear?

That could bring some wicked combinations on double-shot keys.
Black with clear lettering would be awesome for backlit boards, and clear keys with black/color legends would be plain crazy.

i don think so, the key cap will look weird, and the first shot will be visible.
and might block the LED, create unbalance lightning from the back light keyboard.

[Fwiffo]

Thanks fssbzz! That's a huge help.

[fssbzz]

Thanks fssbzz! That's a huge help.

np =)