Lomsor's WASD Keyboard

General
1

Project complete.

See the results here.

Hey dear Community!

I’m planning to get a new Mechanical Keyboard from WASD Keyboards and wanted to really customize the thing.

I already done the outskirts (Numpad / F Row / Directional and Scroll Sections) to my liking and am pretty happy with them.

Here’s a mockup of how it may look if I ordered it with the current unfinished design:

At first I had the line pattern on the number row but it was far to dominant down there so I switched it out with the point pattern.

Optical Illusions make the Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause Icons hard to see, increasing line width might help though I quite like the effect.

At the numpad I’m only uncertain of one thing. Should I keep the red UV print or should I stay with black? I lean more towards red but would like to hear another opinion:

 

Mostly I would like some input on the main Keyboard area.
I like the dots representing the numbers but they don’t go well with the modified key symbols, and I really need those as I haven’t memorized them like I did with the alphanumerical keys. Putting red in there might also be a good idea.

As most of the rest is pretty filled up it kinda looks strange to have so much empty space at the main group, a pattern that isn’t too dense to make it too cluttered is needed.

Got any special font that might fit the theme?

It would be kind if you could drop some critique or even suggestions. It’s not like I couldn’t do it without, but it will definitely get better :slight_smile:

Inspiration was this film poster:

Funny is, I only looked at it once and only now I realize how much I took from it.

2

Why not just get a CODE keyboard: http://codekeyboards.com/

I guess WASD Keyboard also manufactures the CODE but everything I’ve read about the CODE says it’s pretty great - I’m planning on getting one. I’m also a programmer so maybe I’m biased :p.

1 Like
3

There are several reasons I decided for their WASD serries.
It is a 104 not 105 Key Keyboard. The CODE Boards are also not at all customizable. Main reason I buy their WASD v2 is their great selection on switches, selection of key-cap colours and several other options, like the custom UV printing I’m designing right now. The CODE has back lighting though.

Here’s an example of a WASD v2:

The gallery.

What switch type are you planning to get?

4

The CODE is high on my list of candidates for my next keyboard. I had a Razer BlackWidow Ultimate from when they were still using Cherry MX Blues, and I really enjoyed it, but I left it behind when I moved out of my ex’s and my apartment.

I think I’d like the MX Greens a little better, anyway.

For the price, I do wish that it had a USB hub built in, but you can’t win 'em all.

@Lomsor I would move the “Solaris” up from the space bar, and, if not stealing the movie logo’s font outright, come up with something in a similar theme and lay that out across the main keys. I’m not sure what colours are available to be used, but I’d pick something that was only a few shades darker than the actual keys, so that it’s very subtle.

5

Just throwing out some ideas.

I like the red better than the black for the contrast and it matches the lights. I might make the symbols smaller and slightly thicker to match the font on the alphabet keys.

As to the alphabet keys, you might consider building off the design you have for the num pad. Basically use the right side of the circle-line thingy in your inspiration picture. Once you do that it would make sense to change the color of the text and arrow keys and possibly the function keys (?) to red for contrast and better consistency with the num pad.

I might even change the color of the escape key to red.

My genius is required elsewhere, so that’s all for now. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
6

Yeah I thought about that too. Probably will try that today

[quote=“Kichae, post:4, topic:483”]
I would move the “Solaris” up from the space bar, and, if not stealing the movie logo’s font outright, come up with something in a similar theme and lay that out across the main keys.[/quote]

Sounds interesting. Probably as a cutout into the lines of the above idea.

Yeah you’re probably right.
I’ll just buy a single additional orange keycap and try them both.

7

That’s what I was going to get.

8

So here’s the progress. I may play a little more with the big “Solaris” and try some more twists with it. Text Symbols need more fine tuning too. Though I think it goes in the right direction.

As they already sold out on the keytype I wanted to order (again) I’ll have enough time to fine tune the design a little more.

1 Like
9

I think it is heading in the right direction.

If I were to critique it, I would say that the black lines are slightly ‘noisy’, especially toward the right. Maybe reduce the number of squares?

I really like the Solaris in the center. :smiley:

10

On the numpad where the red lines intersect the black ones is grey. On the rest of the board the red lines are underneath the black.
Is this intentional?

11

Yes. That’s intentional. The numpad is already finished and I stuck with annihilating lines where the coloured areas met the “beams”.

I tried less lines but they go under between the keys. And reducing the line-to-line distance too much makes the “change of density” not noticeable. I agree it has too much clutter now. Before it had to less compared to the rest of the board. So maybe trying something to put the grid more into the background or bringing the “Solaris” to the front may work.

I’ll try some different ideas when I’m back home in three weeks.

12

INPUT UPDATE COMPLETE!

Now … I was typing on my new Keyboard all along! (3 Weeks) But there were … complications.

If you decide to do such complicated layout stuff like I did:

  • Make sure to have the newest template file
  • Convert EVERYTHING to shapes
  • Use one clipping mask for everything

Even though I explicitly told them to contact me if they encounter complications they made some mistakes on the layout. The quality was great but for some reason they activated some layers and brought some others into the wrong order. After contacting them the technician at WASD went over the whole layout and checked back with me every now and then to get it right. Yesterday I got my replacement keycaps.

Also Roccat Tyon and 3Dconnexion Space Mouse Pro …

hqCZlAr.jpg4272×2848 1.05 MB

1742e5395eec969398e7a7a1be32575baaf344bc034c.jpg4272×2848

1767d12602fdeb5b77a57b6f08c7577573c9558fdd64.jpg4272×2848

[Album] Input Update

Link to the gallery …

The Cherry MX Clear switches feel great. Its fun to hear springs while typing. :slight_smile: Generally to have such a massive and robust thing on the table feels conforming and reassuring, it won’t slip, keys won’t stuck and it will not break … (ever) … anyway.
After deciding to pick this project up again I looked at the layout again and just liked it how it was. And now I’m pretty happy with it. I really needed those white symbol reminders, my old keyboard had them on the wrong keys.

You’ll hear more on the other two siblings on The Random Thread :smiley:

5 Likes
13

Where are the letters @Lomsor?

Also, you have a very nice setup and you would benefit greatly with a secondary monitor.

14

I touch type … I don’t need those. Layout was busy enough anyway. The guys at WASD probably thought the same and activated the hidden dummy letters … misunderstandings.

Thanks. I’ll probably move the 30 inch to the left when I get a 4K monitor … hahahaa :open_mouth:

Thanks to everyone who helped me design this.

1 Like
15

Oh wow I just saw this…

Very cool Lomsor!! You have all my jealousy!

@cybercritic no actually uses those pesky letters anymore do they? :stuck_out_tongue:

1 Like