OMG! Design the next USS ENTERPRISE (Offical Contest)

[Flagg]

I don't see the need for the seperation between saucer and engineering section, frankly. It's something that was being phased out until the designers at cryptic came along. But yours is just funkily done. It's there because you felt like you needed something there. The nacells also look like they belong on an excelsior.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Consolidated hull designs make sense, but I found the blending of the engineering section on both Voyager and the Ent E to be unappealing for a variety of reasons, especially on Voyager. What an ugly ship.

A distinct neck communicates a sense of animal-ism, like a serpent pointed to strike, or a falcon with head raised high. It conveys poise and sophistication. Having no neck makes a ship look like a thug, brutish and unrefined, which can be a good thing, but not what I was going for.

I always thought my nacelles look like the Galaxy's, only squinting.

[Crazedwraith]

I think the thickness of the neck at the rear is the only real weakness of the design as far as I can see. Though it does make it look somewhat like the rear end of a man-of-war.

edit: i need to pay more attention when typing...

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I think the thickness of the next at the real is the only real weakness of the design as far as I can see. Though it does make it look somewhat like the real end of a man-of-war.

Thickness of the neck? Too thick?

[Crazedwraith]

I think the thickness of the next at the real is the only real weakness of the design as far as I can see. Though it does make it look somewhat like the real end of a man-of-war.

Thickness of the neck? Too thick?

Sorry, that last post of mine was awfully typed.

Yeah, I meant the neck was too wide, creating that big wall-like section that we don't usually see on Federation ships, which are usually narrower and angled.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I think the thickness of the next at the real is the only real weakness of the design as far as I can see. Though it does make it look somewhat like the real end of a man-of-war.

Thickness of the neck? Too thick?

Sorry, that last post of mine was awfully typed.

Yeah, I meant the neck was too wide, creating that big wall-like section that we don't usually see on Federation ships, which are usually narrower and angled.

The neck's width at the back is determined by the separation between the nacelle pylons, which could have been reduced slightly. The width at the front is dependent on nothing, and could have been reduced significantly, making it look like that of the Enterprise D. The length of the neck front to back is exceptionally long because it's the entire distance between and including the standard neck and the standard nacelle pylons, it's just been merged and completely filled in up to the level of the saucer.

To put it another way- traditional nacelle pylons create two giant walls. The front of the neck creates another, and the top of the engineering section and bottom of the saucer create 2 more. That's 5, one short of a closed object, so I added one additional wall, sealing off and combining the back of the nacelle pylons, and then pulled it forward to merge with the back of the neck, creating a single closed object that connects everything.

This may have been lost a bit though, because the nacelle struts extend pretty far into the top of the saucer, up to right behind the bridge actually. I did this because the sovereign class already has a similar raised triangle shape to the back of the saucer, but perhaps I should have made it much more subtle, or had the origin of the struts extend from much farther back, maybe behind the impulse engines.

[Chardok]

I don't see the need for the seperation between saucer and engineering section, frankly. It's something that was being phased out until the designers at cryptic came along. But yours is just funkily done. It's there because you felt like you needed something there. The nacells also look like they belong on an excelsior.

Tell me something - How does it feel to be so completely and utterly wrong?

[Flagg]

I don't see the need for the seperation between saucer and engineering section, frankly. It's something that was being phased out until the designers at cryptic came along. But yours is just funkily done. It's there because you felt like you needed something there. The nacells also look like they belong on an excelsior.

Tell me something - How does it feel to be so completely and utterly wrong?

Coming from you? Pretty fucking good. It's literally the high point of my day.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I've never been able to fathom insulting banter.

[ShadowDragon8685]

I, personally, like the Intrepid/Sovereign style "where the hell is the neck" type of ship, where you can tell there's a distinct engineering hull and saucer, but you're not exactly sure where one begins and the other ends.

That said, I like Fuzzy's design, too. It hearkens back to the big Exploration Cruisers, the Galaxy class, but it's also... New, innovative. I like the way it actually looks kind of slab-sided; this is an Explorer, but we've learned the lessons of the Dominion War and the Klingon War, and our ships are nobody's gimps.

[Phantasee]

I can see how that rear view looks kinda Excelsiorish, but it works for me.

[Molyneux]

I've never been able to fathom insulting banter.

It's just dick-waving from insecure people, ignore them.

I have to say, your design is growing on me; I think what I'd really like to see is a 3D model of it in motion, to get a sense of the shape. Here's hoping that they put it into STO!

[Fuzzy_Modem]

I think what I'd really like to see is a 3D model of it in motion, to get a sense of the shape. Here's hoping that they put it into STO!

You watched the video right? -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEUf9UfRpSU

[Molyneux]

I think what I'd really like to see is a 3D model of it in motion, to get a sense of the shape. Here's hoping that they put it into STO!

You watched the video right? -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEUf9UfRpSU

No, actually, that's the first I've seen of it! I was just going off of the high-res pic you posted somewhere or other.
It's still a bit odd to see an Enterprise with the nacelles attached directly to the saucer, but I like it. It's got a fairly unique look to it, while still remaining obviously "Star Trek".

Just curious, but why specifically did you give it that big shuttle-bay on the back of the engi hull? Just aesthetics, or was there another reason?

[Fuzzy_Modem]

No, actually, that's the first I've seen of it! I was just going off of the high-res pic you posted somewhere or other.
It's still a bit odd to see an Enterprise with the nacelles attached directly to the saucer, but I like it. It's got a fairly unique look to it, while still remaining obviously "Star Trek".

Just curious, but why specifically did you give it that big shuttle-bay on the back of the engi hull? Just aesthetics, or was there another reason?

The shuttle bay was originally part of the "spine," specifically the protrusion on the top of the neck between the nacelle struts. This was later shrunk to a single deck height and become an airlock, and the shuttle bay moved down to the traditional location, the shape of which had already been finalized except for the oval shaped protrusion on top, which I imagine to be the "traffic control center" for the shuttle bay. Other than that I just re-textured part of the hull to be either a forcefield or closed doors, and added the objects for the open doors, and the shuttles too of course. There used to be three distinct types, but one was too large, and it's shape too ambiguous, so now there are only two types, the one landing, and the smaller ones on the deck.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Ok. I like the overall concept, and all of the component parts. The saucer is good, I like the shuttlebay, the Nacelles, everything. The problem I see is spatial arrangement. The nacelles are too far forward, they would look way better attached to the actual engineering section rather than the connection between saucer and star-drive sections. Think about it from an engineering standpoint. The warp core in the star drive. They have to route power for the nacelles that entire distance, and the most vulnerable part of the ship is right next to many of the primary armaments, blocking fields of fire, and if those get hit... secondary reactions will happen to both saucer and star drive sections within the power grid.

You also left out the placement of beam arrays.

Again, all of the components are elegant. Sexy even. The arrangement makes it something, as a player of STO, that I would not fly around in.

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Phasers are there. Labeled image here: http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/ ... ge_lbs.jpg

Doesn't it make more sense to keep components closer together, rather than separating them with long fragile limbs? Isn't this the standard approach when designing ships for battle, like the Defiant or Sovereign?

That being said, I do wish I'd moved the nacelles slightly farther back, with slickly slimmer struts.

and the most vulnerable part of the ship is right next to many of the primary armaments, blocking fields of fire

Can you be a little more specific please? I'm not understanding this, and I'd like to. Which part is most vulnerable, and where do I not have firing arc coverage?

[Fuzzy_Modem]

This is cool. This version was made with transparent plastic, so I'll be able to put an LED in it for the nacelle and deflector and window lights




Once I'm done puttying and painting I'll just scrape away any area that I want to glow, and go over it with sharpie to change the color. I'll use a white LED considerably brighter than the key chain light you see above.

[Themightytom]

Seriously, all I hear when people complain "Well it just doesn't look like the Enterprise with the nacelle's coming out off the saucer" is "It just doesn't look like the enterprise with rounded pylons instead of straight angular ones" or "it doesn't look like the Enterprise without a neck"

Is the nacelles-off-the-saucer commonality the last thing to go?



The design has changed pretty significantly from edition to edition with the most minor changes being between the original constitution and its refit(Which really shouldn't count given they were using the same frame, and the disaster that WOULD have been the phase II Enterprise was the alternative), or between the Enterprise C and D.

I would say there was a greater change in design elements relatively speaking between the Enterprise D and E than anything Fuzzy's model presents. I kind of like the space created between the left nacelle and the saucer in his picture and the glow the nacelle creates.

Though I feel bad for anyone who gets the quarters looking at the Big Red Always On Light... it'd be like getting an apartment that faces a big neon coca cola sign.

[Chardok]

Surely there is some sort of dimming or polarization effect that the dura....glass....porthole provides? Personally - I feel more sorry for the dude who's quartered next to the turbolift door on the mess deck.

*HISS*
clomp clomp
*HISS*
*HISS*
clomp clomp
*chatter chatter*
*HISS*

[Fuzzy_Modem]

lol!

I'm strangely reminded of Christian Slater's role in "Undiscovered Country" perhaps because those quarters seemed tiny for a captain's.



Christian Slater wore the trousers made for William Shatner in Wrath of Khan. "It was an honor to get into Shatner's pants," he quipped.

True story

[Chardok]

Oh hey - Fuzzy, I have decided that if they pick your design I will buy the game just for the oppotunity to be able to fly your design around eventually. Seriously - I like it that much. Have you thought up a class name for her yet? Sovereignsciordor?

[Fuzzy_Modem]

Oh hey - Fuzzy, I have decided that if they pick your design I will buy the game just for the oppotunity to be able to fly your design around eventually. Seriously - I like it that much. Have you thought up a class name for her yet? Sovereignsciordor?

That's a hell of a vote of confidence. I hope the game devs are listening

I doubt I'll get to name the class, but if they ask, I'll tell them "Frontier Class" which is a reference both to "Space: The Final Frontier" and to my home (and Riker's) "Alaska: The Last Frontier."

[Eternal_Freedom]

lol!

I'm strangely reminded of Christian Slater's role in "Undiscovered Country" perhaps because those quarters seemed tiny for a captain's.



Christian Slater wore the trousers made for William Shatner in Wrath of Khan. "It was an honor to get into Shatner's pants," he quipped.

True story

I thought that was him! Never checked though. Thanks Fuzzy, you've answered a decade old mystery for me

And like Chardok, I would probably but STO if your ship wins. And if I have the cash, and if it's (the game) any good.

As for class names, some suggestions are (if it's an Explorer:

Magellan or Columbus Class

And for a warship:

Trafalgar or Midway Class

[Fuzzy_Modem]

The game is pretty fun. Space combat is a blast. Ground combat is kind of repetitive/boring ,but I hear it's headed for a re-vamp.