Designing the next Topre keycap set

[matt3o]

Like this, out of the blue, Topre is willing to release a new official keycap set for the Realforce (both full size and TKL) and they asked me to design it. I was so excited that I put myself on Inkscape rightaway and worked on a dozen designs.

I have some creativity freedom but I want to keep it simple. First of all the font will most likely be something very Helvetica-like, but I will probably test something different too. Secondly we will correct all the weird legends that currently plague the Realforce.

I also have the green light for asking suggestions to the community, so here I am.

Here below you'll find 3 color ways I'm toying with. I will be pushing for icon modifiers, but I included the text mods as well in case Topre wanted to go more traditional. Please note that they are not final! They are just drafts, the legends need a lot of fixing, but I wanted to show the work in progress anyway.





This is clearly inspired by the special edition, but the blue is more cyan than deep blue.

[Hypersphere]

Congratulations!

I am quite fond of the standard sets that Topre has released in the past. My favorite for alphanumeric keys is the black Helvetica legends on a blue background. For mods (and I include Tab and Backslash for the sake of symmetry), I like black blanks. I also prefer a black spacebar. It would be worth it for many people just to have the standard sets with wider availability and perhaps lower prices.

For alternative sets, I rather like the Honeywell and Granite schemes, but in a Topre profile.

[Muirium]

Learned to love the yellow, eh? That's unlike you!

Anyway, great score. Kudos to Topre for getting in touch with just the right man!

I'm not too hot on any of the draft colour schemes, but your legends are a solid improvement right from the start. Any indication on whether there will be HHKB sets? As you know, that board would need a few adjustments to make a combined kit.

Thinking of colours, white alphas and blue mods would be nice. Red mods even better! Basically, white goes with everything. Round 5's golden rule.

[seebart]

Impressive news matt3o! So the alphas are dark grey on that special edition inspired set? I like that combination, dark grey / cyan. I'd like to see a white blue set. That (light) orange stings.

[Khers]

The mere fact that Topre is considering making new colourful keysets is excellent news! That they have decided to ask you, matt3o, is even better! Can't go wrong!

[matt3o]

Learned to love the yellow, eh? That's unlike you!

except that that is (light) orange.

[Muirium]

Daring!

Any chance you could make backslash and backtick mod coloured too? The traditional asymmetry of those keys always bothers me. Every key on the edge should be the outer colour, it looks cleaner than a couple of oddball outliers.

[Hypersphere]

Legends look good, but I am not fond of the colors -- especially yellow.

PREFERENCES:

Alphas and numbers: blue with black legends.

Mods, including Tab, Backslash, and Spacebar: blank black.

Navigation island: blank black except arrow keys, which should be blue to match the alphas.

Accent Options: Alternating colors for each set of 4 F-keys; Esc in blank red.

Alternative plan: one set in blue with black legends, another set in black blank. Two sets could be combined to get the scheme I am after.

HHKB Option: as above, but with an option for a blank red Fn key.

[matt3o]

more options added in the OP.

I love the asymmetry of the |\ but if it possible to add both versions, I will.

PS: no HHKB compatibility... sorry... that's not up to me

[Hypersphere]

Daring!

Any chance you could make backslash and backtick mod coloured too? The traditional asymmetry of those keys always bothers me. Every key on the edge should be the outer colour, it looks cleaner than a couple of oddball outliers.

I second this motion.

Regarding yellow/orange -- I have two complete sets of Topre keycaps I am not using: one in orange, the other in yellow.

I think I would prefer red over yellow, orange, or light orange.

[Muirium]

Fair enough. I suspected they'd have rules about the HHKB (being PFU's product), which is why I asked. I'm already happier with my HHKB caps than I am with the stock Realforce set.

Oh, flat "Windows" keys I hope! I can't stand even seeing those blistered ones on my 87U. They came off before it was out of the box!!

[Hypersphere]

I've put blank black HHKB mods on my RF (as well as on my HHKB). A major driving force for this was to get rid of the Windows bubble keys on the RF!

Fortunately, for the moment at least, HHKB keycap sets are still available from EK, so that it is possible to mix and match with RF sets.

[Muirium]

Except they don't quite match. The HHKB has a cooler grey. Which is why I'm intrigued by this new option.



Matching PBT spacebar?

[Hypersphere]

Ah, yes, I see. I have only mixed the HHKB and RF black, which appear to match, at least close enough for my eye.

[romevi]

Fantastic news! I assume these will be manufactured by Topre, so PBT?

At this point, I'd go for any full set, keeping in mind it'll be cheaper than buying them currently at their $150 price tag.
I bought my first Topre and it's currently in the mail. I'm considering keeping it at work only for now, so I'm currently opting for the white/gray & blue set, although I love the white & yellowish-orange scheme as well.

[wheybags]

Fix the horrific dome on the windows keys plzzzzzzzzzzz!

[Muirium]

I quite like this one (in icon mods):



But I prefer some of the mods as they were on Granite.



Especially the "navigation sixpack" (Page Up etc.) which are my favourite legends for those keys ever, actually.

[pyrelink]

Wow, what an epic project! Congrats!

So far I think I like the special edition inspired set, as well as the white alphas and blue mods. Icon mods are much preferred, and I am very much not a fan of anything yellow/orange. This will probably be the reason for me to finally go out and buy a nice white 55g 87u...

[pasph]

Burgundy/charcoal (with purple esc/enter)
White/teal (deep blue)

[002]

It was tough to keep this one under wraps
Congrats again, Matt. I am really looking forward to picking up a set of *whatever* they go with. I really like the yellow/grey and purple. I reckon the purple would go really nice with just a white set of alphas. Anyway, they all appeal to me in some way at least. Can't wait!

For those concerned about the dome bubble Windows key, I am pretty sure Topre have already replaced that with the flat one with the newer Windows logo now. I've seen the newer style Windows key on the Hi-Pro boards so I'm not sure if their older models are still produced with the bubble key or if it's just a matter of the distributors needing to move all their old stock.

[SL89]

I really like the White Alpha, Yellow Mods, Blue F Row and Red Accent colorway, reminds me of a Gundam.

[cookie]

I want HHKB caps Or at least some kind of moogle kit to fit a TKL set on my HHKB

[scottc]

Wow! That's incredible news, Matt3o. I'd also be very happy with a HHKB-compatible set.

I like the cyan and purple mockups the best.

[cookie]

Why no love for blank sets?

I like the yellow and gray set tho! Plz matt3o, just ask them what they think of a HHKB moogle!

[Muirium]

Check what Matteo said earlier. Topre says no HHKB. So I think the best way is actually to sneak in HHKB compatibility with a mods pack instead. Like the alt coloured backslash I'm after: sets for completists.

[seebart]

Topre says no HHKB.

A very clear statement that I find quite sensible. No mashup.

[Muirium]

The Realforce is Topre's board. They "just" make the HHKB for PFU, under licence. And licenses mean lawyers. They're probably quite right to keep it simple.

The same applies to the Leopold FC660C of course. We need to be creative to stretch support. (I've quite forgotten if the Leopold uses any nonstandard keys.)

[cookie]

That actually makes me sad

Matt3o already did a fantastic job with the spacebars but PBT spacebar is a totaly different quantity than a moogle for a new keycap set. I'm afraight I don't see that comming

Using a HHKB is awesome, but customization is hard :'(

[Muirium]

I wish we didn't name these kits after people, especially ones I've never even talked to. Descriptive names are better than some guy's yellow snow.

(Hypocrisy alert: I don't mind calling the IBM 4704 boards Kishsavers because he did help in discovering them, and it's a better name than IBM's original. I also like silly back-formations like Unsaver. But a Moogle kit? Or the other guy? Come on.)

Anyway, these are getting made by Topre themselves! I wonder if we can dream of any other way to buy them than our dear friends you-know-who…

[cookie]

I just thought that Moogle Kit is the name how this adapter caps are called. I didn't know its just a guys name, neither did I know that Kishsaver is the name of the guy who helped discovering them (I am not into IBM keyboards at all).

We can call them whatever we like as long as we can get them for this keycap set :/