Custom Gaming Mechanical Keyboard

So I decided I would jump in on the custom keyboard scene by getting myself into the Phantom PCB group buy.  Unfortunately I have not had much practice soldering and its construction was a bit daunting for me to attempt on such a valuable kit.  WhiteFireDragon from the geekhack forums has put in the work to build this beauty for me using a Filco TKL White case. 

The idea behind my switch selection were that I loved the feel of reds for the WASD keys as they're very soft and quick to actuate.  Gaming gets intense sometimes and pressing a harder key causes finger strain.  Coming from a rubber dome where I have often had finger cramps my current CM Storm Quickfire Rapid just feels so much gentler.  I went with red for all the alphas as I wanted to ensure typing felt consistent.

For the number row I went with whites for a soft click.  Numbers are often used for switching weapons so a pronounced tactile click will let me know I've hit the key long before the switch animation finishes.  Again for consistency I went with a full row, except for the tilde and backspace keys which are used a little more often.  I chose whites over blues because the louder click would get annoying when switching weapons often is required.

The modifiers are brown to give that soft tactile feedback for keys that are usually kept held down.  This was a choice based on my brothers observation whilst testing my QFR.  He said he couldn't tell when he had pressed shift due to it being so light.  The lightness of the browns keeps the pressure consistent with the reds but their slight bump in actuation would ensure each user would know when the switch has actuated.  I went ahead and picked them for all the common modifier keys that are held during both gaming and typing.

The function row and 6 key cluster are using ergo clears for a nice pronounced actuation bump.  These keys are rarely used so having a more pronounced bump means there won't be any accidental keypresses.  The only exceptions are the Prt Sc key (green switch to simulate a loud camera click) and scroll lock (grey switch for a harder actuation force).

I've also gone with grey switches for the more obscure keys that I don't usually use.  Caps Lock, Windows and Fn keys use the much harder Grey Switch.  This is to make sure I don't hit the Windows key during gameplay, or SIMULATE YELLING when typing during in game chats.

I use the arrow keys a lot during Photoshop editing for fine pixel perfect movements.  I've gone with blue as the loud click helps me keep count of how many pixels I'm moving each way.

Finally blacks for escape and space.  Space for jump usually means I'm striking that key a little harder than the rest subconsciously.  Black switches are smooth like reds but much heavier to actuate.  It'll help alleviate the impact on the switch by using a heavier spring.  The escape key is black just because it's used more often than the rest of the function row and often hit consecutive times so a linear switch just makes more sense.



Thanks again to WhiteFireDragon!
You're too awesome!

The Right and Wrong way to get into the Video Game Industry

I was reading a few interesting stories on my Pulse News Reader the other day and coincidentally read 2 very different experiences of starting (or attempting to start) a career in the video game industry.  I happened to read them one after the other despite having starkly unrelated headlines.

The right way can be found through Eurogamer here: The Right Way

The wrong way can be found here through Kotaku: The Wrong Way

Personally I had never attempted to contract as a tester myself, although that may be due to the very limited opportunities in Australia in the first place, but I do feel like it would definitely be the wrong way to go about starting a career.

Finding bugs in video games takes skill for sure, but less obvious bugs are often addressed in post release patches these days.  That leads to one very harsh conclusion.  As a game tester you need to be happy to play games FOR FREE.  Therefore getting paid, however little it may be, is simply a bonus.  If you think about it for a second, game breaking bugs are often found immediately or require only a handful of testers going through 1 play-through to find.  Anyone could do it.  Why place value on somebody working a position that anyone could do?  It sounds harsh but it's the brutal truth that can be seen in almost every industry.  Working hard might help but when less obvious issues are left to the release's player base to report. Your hard work then becomes like lending somebody some cash on their way to an ATM.  They don't need it but they'll gladly take it before paying you back, leaving you with nothing more than what you started with. 

Making mods on the other hand, have been a tried and true method for breaking into the games industry.  Some notable individuals and studios that entered the industry this way include Minh Le and Jesse Cliffe (Counter-Strike), Garry Newman (Garry's Mod), IceFrog (DOTA) as well as the interviewee in the above article, Adam Foster (Minverva: Metastasis).

Why? How? When?  To answer Why and How, they added extra content to an existing game for free whilst utilising assets within the original game that helped solidify the prowess of the original developers.  They would have contributed a great deal to the sales numbers of the games they modded without seeking any reward.  An employer sees value where the revenue gained equates to no expense.  To answer When, they were all hired at a point where their particular skills became abundantly obvious in terms of delivering content, and adhering to the player-base's requests.

The most important difference between the right and wrong way was the passion shown between each example.  The right way shows a sincere love for making games, whereas the wrong way had the mindset of anyone working a temp job.  "This is only temporary, I won't be here forever".  Anyone who finds themselves thinking the latter will find themselves in limbo for longer than they intended.


For me in Australia, the best way to get into video game development is through the now thriving indie scene.  I am working on a little something special in my spare time, and I'll hopefully be able to share it with you soon.