Project: New (colored) case for A1200

[candyman]

There are many traditional keyboards out there. Personally I hope the keyboards will be mechanical: on the contrary I'll make a pledge for the cases only :-)

[amenophis]

Hi Guys,


Hope you all doing great.
As i'd like to confirm you good news, i just saw that IanP nailed it

So i'll simply answer some of your questions/statements here.

To IanP:
Nice catch
We've indeed obtained license to use Amiga name, Amiga logo and the Boing ball.


To Candyman:
Yes, keyboards (internal Amiga 1200 at first) and Key Caps are coming, we just need a bit more time for that. But we do look forward to get mechanical keyboards indeed.
I'm not sure i said molds costs 30KEur each.. I said for the 3 molds  it'll be around 90KEur. The third mold is much smaller than the 2  others.
And we're still working on that!

To Oldsmobile_Mike:
You're right, we'll need all and every of you guys help for that to happen.


Do not hesitate to ask anything guys, We're close to the KS campaign re-launch.


Cheers,
Phil

PS:
Another thing the team wanted me to say so i just put it down here:
The team understood that after they tried their best to demolish our efforts (on the Amiga Impact French Forum), some members are trying to do the same here. We have nothing against them and they can state and tell anything they want! We're not going to react/answer.
But because of allegations of us willing to "hide" informations to the french community, we'd just like to inform you all that before leaving this French forum for another French forum, we clearly and publicly apologized to all supportive members about us not willing to update this forum anymore with our news.
 
We're making new Amiga 1200 cases. This is what we do.
And it's understandable that some people simply don't appreciate others efforts. If some people think they can do better, they should do it.

[candyman]

I think Philippe's campaign deserves a big attention.

When I saw the first mock-ups, I thought was a pity that the Amiga logo was missing. Then, when I saw the traditional italic bold Georgia logo I had a strange sensation: are we making BIG efforts for something old yet? I don't like the new HxC led position over the AMIGA writing: it appears so messy!

I think this is the opportunity to get something REALLY new, not just a plastic clone. So, I think that we need the latest custom Bodoni Amiga Technologies logo, maybe with the dot over the "i" with a red power led (or, at least, cutting lines to place it).



For the same reason we don't need the A1200 badge/sticker anymore: the "limited editions"  (Rsi, Scoopex and so on) can have their logos (or a simple signature that appear when we power-up the machine) created with the matrix on the little LCD screen. Maybe my ideas are technically too difficult to reach but I'd like to share my thought anyway: there are tiny 16x2 LCD screens out there!

According to me with a minimal change we could really obtain "a Limited Edition for all" and not just the same old A1200 case with some goodies that skilled people can get with some polish&paint and drilling some holes. With a NEW engraved logo we could have really a NEW A1200. It would truly be an A1200+ and it would have more coherent from an historical point of view too.



I've created a two basic GIMP samples: what do you think?
As we made for the colors, can we have a poll for this also?

p.s.: I thought also to place the HxC LCD screen beside the Amiga logo (getting rid of all the power and disk leds) but I imagine that the disk drive takes too space.

[Akiko]

It's a once in a lifetime oppertuntiy now with the new licensing in place.

My dream A1200 - A transparent case, Amiga reloaded motherboard and future FPGA based accelerator card. :-)

[IanP]

Sorry candyman but I really dislike the newer AMIGA logo, always have, from the day I first saw it I thought it looked ridiculous. The classic AMIGA logo is elegant, timeless and well recognised.

I suspect moving the LCD display option pre-cuts to where you suggest would preclude having the label recess there. I think the label recess should be kept as is. What appears on the LCD is down to the firmware of the (disk emulation) controller it's plugged into. Not all special edition purchasers would want an LCD display either.

[amenophis]

@candyman,

Very nice new logo !
I'm not sure we can change this logo design on the case.
Technically we could of course, it's about to know if we can do it legally as we're bound to manufacture "clone" cases with invisible inner enhancements.
We'll check that.

For the LCD display location, we've decided the location base on the surface for the mounts. Your suggestion is very nice !
But it also remove the original badge holder, and again i'm not quite sure we can.
Checking also.


About keyboards:

This is the process we're going to follow for keyboards and key caps.
Please comment and tell us what you think:

- We'll first make available Key caps only. Localized keys, as well with all special "A" keys.
- Caps are going to be available in these colors:

• Original Amiga 1200 color (Dual White/Brown)
• Original CDTV Black
• Transparent
• All colors supporter by the new Amiga 1200 case will have counterparts for caps.
• For caps, technical choices have to be made. We'll simply ask the community through a poll with examples. As these choices will have impact on final pricing.

- Aside from that new full keyboards are going to be available. With and without caps.
The new keyboards will need technical choices as well to be made
We'll ask you also about that.

- The new key caps & keyboards will be available through a new campaign.


Cheers

[DutchinUSA]

Really dislike Candyman's logo suggestion, I definitely would not be interested in a case with that.

[Mr_Byte]

Really dislike Candyman's logo suggestion, I definitely would not be interested in a case with that.

100% Agreed. I think most people want the case to look original.

[candyman]

Many thanks to amenophis (Philippe) to have at least considered this opportunity. I like his approach that considers other people's point of view (polls and so on). If you looking at the project you'll discover that many ideas are taken from hobbyst's projects found on the Net (like the CF solution over the PCMCIA port) and putted together for nostalgic or not-so-skilled people. Great idea.

I agree with Akiko that is once in a lifetime opportunity and I think that all out there should share their ideas to create a product that is a thing that is worth to create and not only a replacement part.

Many years ago, when I discovered the new Amiga logo by Amiga Technologies I hated that. It's natural that we don't like when things we love are changed, but changing is essential for life. I think that attitude to leave all the things unchanged is the same that led Amiga to ruin. On the other hand I would prefer to spend 79 Euro for a thing that is something different from the one I've already on my desk (maybe a little yellowed).

I'm speechless seeing people that prefers to have the reassuring and pointless Amiga plaque over the Esc key to place a LCD screen over the engraved (originally old fashioned) AMIGA logo against all the basic rules of aesthetics.

I hope Philippe will consider the possibility  to put some cutting lines to place a tiny LCD screen in the place of the pointless plaque over the Esc key.

I guess that a poll over this or others Amiga forums will see the old AMIGA logo (Commodore era) as sure winner, but I'm pretty sure that people who doesn't know Amiga will consider the latest one (Amiga Technologies era) as more modern. All changed their logos (Facebook and Lenovo, the latest) only Amiga can't...

For my taste the LCD screen over the AMIGA writing is really too messy, I preferred the case without the AMIGA writing (first kickstart model).

I hope the next kickstarter it will be successfull and I'm sure it will be.
The only thing that was missing was the Amiga writing: a plause to Philippe that understood this...

[DutchinUSA]

Agreed, old logo > no logo > new logo

I didn't mind it not having the logo as it is very clear what it is to us but I know there are others who said they didn't like it all without a logo.

Man, kickstarter re-launch at midnight for me guess I have to either stay up or set my alarm and wake up as I definitely want the LukHash special edition

[amenophis]

@Candyman,

My friend came back quickly on that and it's safe to say we can't do anything regarding the overall design. We're bound to the original design.
 But thanks for your suggestion anyway

Right now we really would'nt change anything more on the overall design of the enhancements.

What we do need right now, is people helping us with the remaining 9 colors to choose:
LINK

Also, when we'll publicly come about with Keyboards and caps, we'll surelly need all community suggestions


Cheers

[amenophis]

Dear friends,

It's about to come
Please be a bit more patient, we'll update you as soon as the new campaign is live.

Cheers

[broken]

I don't understand. Why go through the hassle of getting approval to use the logo and not use the correct font?

[amenophis]

The logo and font we're actually using are not the final ones.
We'll have our own Logo designed by Paul Kitching soon.

Thats the reason why we're not using the "AMIGA" logo, the one with square point on the I, as well as it is commercially used by Amiga Inc.
Our license does gives us the right to use it, but we're not Amiga Inc, so we'll have our own logo.

Of course, the "AMIGA" name on top of cases stays the exact same as it is on Commodore/Escom previous cases.

[amenophis]

Dear All,

Our New Amiga 1200 cases Kickstarter campaign has started today at 12PM

You can follow it at this address: https://t.co/7J1eDoAuv3

New infos for Keycaps and Keyboards are scheduled for around next week.

Stay tuned

Cheers.

[dammy]

Dear All,

Our New Amiga 1200 cases Kickstarter campaign has started today at 12PM

You can follow it at this address: https://t.co/7J1eDoAuv3

New infos for Keycaps and Keyboards are scheduled for around next week.

Stay tuned

Cheers.

With 50 days to go, this project has reached the 50% mark.