Submitted by MicoEstavillo t3_y3q2k8 in MechanicalKeyboards
Comments
DocMayhem15 t1_isb214q wrote
It does get exhausting reprogramming a hotkey for doom3.com every time I use a new PC.
sail4sea t1_isb3y32 wrote
There is a normal faceplate you can use for non-gaming. I think there was even a Microsoft Word faceplate.
justl00kingthrowaway t1_is9v4bj wrote
This is Steelers Z series. The entire front was replaceable and the 3 sections folded in a z shape. Hence the name z series. It came with a standard qwerty layout and a generic gaming layout. There were at least 3 specific games keyboard layoutst hat you could buy , Doom, age of empires and I can't recall the third I am want to say WOW or EverQuest. I had the aoe layout and that was a game changer. Every key was labeled with the game command. This increased my speed greatly. However, the keys were awful to type on any documents on. Imo it barely fits the definition of a mechanical keyboard as the keys on the faceplate were push buttons the hit the membrane underneath. I love that keyboard but I had to have a regular keyboard and switch to do work, which was annoying.
morriscey t1_isa4tvu wrote
yeah they were a cool Idea. They also went by the name "Zboards" and there was a fair number of layouts and colour schemes.
probably helped a lot of console gamers move over to PC
grimice18 t1_isaxeeh wrote
It was WoW I got this keyboard for Christmas from my parents when Wow first launched, honestly as a young kid it was a great keyboard and having buttons for every function in the game freed up space for keybinds.
Blue-Bird780 t1_isayxv1 wrote
I had the WoW one too. Those were the days! Lol
flying-sheep t1_isaew0y wrote
haha canβt find a picture with high enough resolution to actually read the keys because the product is so old!
Baumtreter t1_iscv98n wrote
I...i was selling it in the electronics store I used to work for five years as they came out. THEY'RE NOT THAT OLD AND NEITHER AM I πππππ
TheStatMan2 t1_isedag6 wrote
Uh oh... Grandad's on the loose again... π
Baumtreter t1_isee0ip wrote
In my time we showed more respect for a generation which actually worked. I needed to walk 50 miles each morning to get there! Where are my pills π
TheStatMan2 t1_iseevmz wrote
In my day we'd use proper WSAD layouts on keyboards made of pure beige and you'd be damn lucky if your keystrokes registered. And you'd damn well like it!
Baumtreter t1_isegjda wrote
Damn the good old times....
[deleted] t1_isahut8 wrote
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p3dal t1_isdgzpy wrote
They look readable in the picture OP posted.
flying-sheep t1_isf83q4 wrote
I was searching for the AOE one
Mirakool t1_isaqu1l wrote
2008 me thought these were so cool and I wanted one in a bad way.
rainbrodash666 t1_isat8z1 wrote
back then my friend had one with the game pad on the left, and my upper classman had the logitech g15 with the screen, I had an old dell keybaord i took from the school garbage can lmao.
Mirakool t1_isb09cd wrote
I think the extra keys on the left in this picture were attachable from either side. I could be wrong.
rainbrodash666 t1_isb9tx4 wrote
yeah this is a z board the whole face comes off and is replaceable, my friends were not removable.
Tiavor t1_isayd31 wrote
GuildWars was another one I had.
after changing the plates a dozen times or so, it stopped working. just electronic waste.
demetriusjackson t1_isbn2dn wrote
Yeah my buddy had one of these and we thought it was so sick. He had a counterstrike layout for it.
mindkilla123 t1_iscvc7s wrote
WoW had multiple. Iirc they did one for Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm
p3dal t1_isdgvvq wrote
>Doom, age of empires and I can't recall the third I am want to say WOW or EverQuest.
I had one of these! I think mine was for Planetside. Or maybe Tribes. It was terrible!
CaveManta t1_isabmii wrote
Chyrosran22 reviewed one of these, and he had some friendly things to say about it. https://youtu.be/Fm-SsZy5qXA
All this thing really needs is a dedicated flashlight button for those people with really dim monitors who rag on about Doom 3 being too dark.
f314 t1_isaz7n8 wrote
There is a dedicated flashlight button on the one in OP π¦
notFREEfood t1_isclifu wrote
He didn't have the "standard" layout, but I don't think that would have changed his review by much.
(I still have mine that I got back in high school)
nyxerus t1_isb305c wrote
This is probably my favorite review ever
Exodus412 t1_is9uft8 wrote
I remember these keyboards! I used tonthinknthey were so cool
websterhamster t1_is9ryjz wrote
Wow, I didn't know they made a keyboard for Doom 3. I loved that game as a kid, great memories.
Karrigan7 t1_isavk8y wrote
"HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIDEOUS" - Chyrosran
krowe0509 t1_isao5nc wrote
I used to have the battlefield zboard. These keyboards bring back memories!!
dbaconjr t1_isapw9f wrote
I had this board when it was just zboards. Had multiple layouts, was great until a drink was spilled on the main layout. I was able to use the mmo board a decent replacement. I ended throwing it out because I couldnt get a replacement main layout. I still think about that mistake.
Att1cus t1_isaqgvh wrote
Not mechanical, but had interchangeable faceplates for different games.
le-battleaxe t1_isb019m wrote
Yup, I had BF2 and WoW.
rainbrodash666 t1_isasuze wrote
steel series Z board SHEEESH
Opposite-Nebula842 t1_isb3a18 wrote
I remember having something similar to that years ago. Had a battlefield 2 style face iirc
idealape t1_isanedh wrote
you gotta add the doom switches on there :P
cnw4747 t1_isas2md wrote
Those where the good ol days
flamingc00kies t1_isav7wk wrote
But can it run Doom?
le-battleaxe t1_isaztr0 wrote
I had one of these! And the second iteration as well.
Also had the WoW keys and the BF2 keys for the first one. At the time I thought it was the coolest thing ever. In hindsight, they were gimmicky garbage.
Kokukenji t1_isb2v14 wrote
I remember these! They had different layouts for different games that you can buy!
sail4sea t1_isb4d3l wrote
They had a Microsoft word faceplate.
evil_noodles t1_isb4wbn wrote
I had the World of Warcraft version of this back in the day.
C0RPSEGRINDER666 t1_isbcfag wrote
WTF
ProjectSnowman t1_isbiewj wrote
Whoa thatβs a blast from the past
Grantoid t1_isbq4zs wrote
I had a Zboard! It was pretty neat and honestly cool for more comfortable keyboard gameplay
acelaya35 t1_isc3etl wrote
Damn, this makes me want to dust off my Saitek Eclipse.
be-LazY t1_iscch1c wrote
oh no
TheMeleeMan t1_iscmosb wrote
I'm pretty sure I still have mine somewhere...
thejevans t1_isanj0t wrote
What a throwback. I used to have one of these. It was soo cool.
Antonio_Malochio t1_is9s4j8 wrote
Impossible to type on, but a dedicated key for going to doom3.com. Seems like a fair trade.