New C64 Keyboard font recreates classic Commodore 64 keycap typography

Font Release Details

A new font named C64 Keyboard has been released, offering a recreation of the typography found on classic Commodore 64 keycaps. The font features cleaned-up shapes and consistent proportions, aiming to provide a faithful visual representation of the original hardware's text and symbols.

The font is available for download in TTF, OTF, and webfont formats. Users can install the TTF or OTF files and select "C64 Keyboard" in their applications to use it. Version 1.107 is the current release, and users with earlier versions are advised to update.

Included Characters and Features

The C64 Keyboard font includes uppercase letters, numbers, punctuation, arrows, and the pound symbol. It also features selected accented letters, including Hungarian characters, and function-key labels from f1 to f12, along with classic C64 key legends. All 63 PETSCII graphic front legends are incorporated, arranged by key in the provided preview.

A notable characteristic is that lowercase input displays as uppercase, which mirrors the printed key legends of the original Commodore 64. The PETSCII graphics are smooth geometric reconstructions rather than bitmap representations.

Usage and PETSCII Support

To utilize the PETSCII symbols, users can open the provided preview.html file, use the PETSCII buttons to insert symbols into a type tester, and then copy the text. The font is required for these copied symbols to display correctly. A PETSCII key map and encoding guide are available for understanding character codes and keyboard combinations.

The font's outlines are reconstructed based on photographs of keycaps, with identities and key assignments referenced from the Ultimate Commodore 64 Reference. Frame thickness, curves, and print proportions were inferred from a supplied keyboard photograph, making them reconstructions rather than exact photo traces.