The new uniforms seem way too busy and "sci fi series" like. Your second pass with the branch insignia was more realistic looking.
I'm actually going to have to say thank you then because that's really what I was going for. To me the previous ones were too...flat...and felt too close to our current, modern uniforms. I wanted it to clearly be a futuristic uniform. And all those little details have reasons which will be explained on the website.
So the other night I was talking to one of my friends online and we got into the topic of the technology of the Chronicles of Man and how the ships didn't really fit the level of technology i had described. They looked like they were powered by old-fashioned chemical engines/reaction-based propulsion, they felt somewhat clunky and overall too retro for the type of story I was telling (or wanted to tell).
It was a harsh session that made me really rethink the look and feel of the ships. So after about 2 hours of concept sketching I created this little baby (well, the outline at least) and set to work on developing her.
What you see before you may very well be the new direction for ships in the CoM universe but first I wanted your opinions.
I'm not sure how much you've talked about the level of technology you've had in mind for these ships (it might be helpful if you threw in a little refresher), but they certainly do not look as though their driven by chemical rockets. Nor do they look clunky, or at least I don't think so. I think the style you've already developed is worth continuing, it's unique and fresh. What you've drawn there looks like something out of Freelancer, rather than the distinctive style you've cultivated with the CoM universe artwork you've already produced. I say stick with what you've got, it's beautiful work.
It does certainly look more futuristic compard to the previous style (which I actually associate more with Freelancer). I think both styles can be in the same universe, since they do have common elements: For example, the new design could be an update/advancement on the old styles, comparable to WW2 and modern destroyers. This would give depth to your universe -> If you read science fiction novels/space operas, you will find that R&D usually plays an important part.
Well the response over on deviant art has been overwhelmingly "yes" and so far tied here so I guess I will move forward with the new look and feel (unless a sea of objection comes roaring in on this thread)
I like it a lot. It's takes your style in a more updated and advanced direction, while clearing belonging to the universe you've developed.
That being said, I would second Viti's opinion, and suggest that you maintain the style and configuration you currently have, while using this new design as a new state of the art, cutting edge design. Something like the difference between the Galaxy Class and the Sovereign class in Star Trek.
Well the only issue I have with trying to maintain the previous style is that they don't really fit alongside each other. Its more akin to putting the original connie and the sovereign in the same era. They just don't meld into something that looks like they belong to the same fleet. Or perhaps a better analogy would be pre-dreadnought battleships vs. a modern destroyer.
We'll see though. As I progress with getting content ready for my website (which has sadly been pushed back to a february launch) I'll know more precisely what I am going to do.
This new ship is awesome, high-tech, very high ... sleek, deadly. But your old style has true human nature, hard hitting, roughness ships. I also support Viti's opinion.
Been a while since I made a comment anywhere, so I thought I'd throw my two cents in. madeinjapan1988, I'm a fan of your work. I have loved your original designs (been playing around with some of my own that were inspired by your designs), as they had a very gritty feel to them that appealed to me. The new design is also very nice, but seems like it is from several years down the line. Nothing wrong with that, but me personally I was hoping to see more in the direction you were first going.
Remember, spaceships don't need to be streamlined in space. I like that boxy look for large warships. The sleek design is cool, but it doesn't fit, but that is just my opinion.
None of the ships look like they are chemical rocket propulsion vehicles. And yes, I can see similarities with Freelancer, as well as the TEC ships from the game Sins of a Solar Empire (at leas the capital ships for the TEC).
So I know you are going to go whichever direction you feel you must, but if it were up to me, I would stick to the original designs. You can still explain away their look despite advanced technology. I mean come on, EVERY science fiction show, movie, and book does that. I find that it is ok sometimes.
Either way, I'll be watching the progress. Keep up the great work! :thumb:
I, too, kind of like the look of the old ships. That's not to say the new design is bad- it's actually a pretty kick ass design- but there's a certain appeal to the old designs.
Perhaps revert the old designs to a border faction that's not *quiet* as advanced as the core systems? Something like the difference between US and USSR equipment during the cold war. While Soviet machines functioned just as well as their western counterparts, they were much rougher looking in appearance and stressed durability and simplicity over the "high-tech" equipment favored by the west.
I'm just going to stick witha redesign on this one folks. I appreciate all your opinions and I am by no means going to take down the old designs. You are free to enjoy them here. However, for the sake of the universe I want to create I am moving forward with the new concepts.
My inspiration for this design was something akin to modern fighters, supersonic planes, and stealth craft. I wanted to create a ship that was clearly modern and advanced as well as atmospheric and aerodynamic.
I wouldn't rule out it subconsciously working its way in but I was really drawing from planes like those from the movie stealth and other sleek fighters. Which may simply be where the folks from Mass Effect got ideas for the Normandy and consequently the designs are somewhat convergent, but I didn't set out with the image of the Normandy next to me as one of the things I drew shapes from.
Looking good. I also had some doubts about the redesigning (after reading the other posts) and seeing the differences (I like industrial designs). Yet the new designs have an alltogether different feel to them which is certainly refreshing and just more streamlined compared to the more industrial look of your first designs.
The Katana is certainly a very different design which I quite like. So will be interesting to see where you are heading now. Ow and are you also planning to redesign the uniforms now you are going for another direction? Keep up the great work and can't wait to see more.
Looking good. I also had some doubts about the redesigning (after reading the other posts) and seeing the differences (I like industrial designs). Yet the new designs have an alltogether different feel to them which is certainly refreshing and just more streamlined compared to the more industrial look of your first designs.
The Katana is certainly a very different design which I quite like. So will be interesting to see where you are heading now. Ow and are you also planning to redesign the uniforms now you are going for another direction? Keep up the great work and can't wait to see more.
With regards to the uniforms - that's actually where it all started really. I posted an update to the uniforms a couple pages back. (PAGE 9) Those uniforms (to me) felt too advanced for the old ships but feel comfortably military yet modern enough for the new ships.
As for the direction of the design - while the previous, industrial style designs decidedly had a weight to them, I just didn't think they really captured the level of technology in this universe. This is a verse where 30km long space fortresses are common place in the defense of star systems and cities towers reach 5km into the sky. There was a sense of scale and technology level that I felt was lacking in the previous design (they were bordering on steam-punk IMHO) and I tried to rectify.
So yes, these designs are a big step in a different direction but I think for the better. I'm glad to see you are like the results thus far Flanker and look forward to getting your feedback as the project progresses in its new direction.
Yeah had to think Mass Effect too. Probably just because of the overall sleekness and clean look.
Love the Katana class!
There are very few ways these days to do sleekness and not evoke some sort of thoughts on something. I just did the bow view cutaway of the Katana and that view lends itself to the delta flyer. At the end of the day, our brain works by categorizing things and associating something knew with something we already know. Consequently, anything you see is going to get compared to something in your brain.
Glad you like the look though and the way it is going!
NOTE
I don't know if this was clear but the Katana-Class is the new Shadow Knight-Class.
There was some questions posed to be about that on deviant art so I wanted to clear it up here.
Physical Attributers
Classification:Frigate(6th Rate Ship of the Lance)
Length:170m (984 ft)
Height:17m (56 ft)
Width:58m (190 ft)
Crew:50 Crewmen, 15 Non-Commissioned officers, 10 Officers
Other 50 Disembarkable Marines and Equipment or 30 Orbital Airborne Drop Troopers and Equipment
Defenses
- 20cm Thick Titanium-G High Density Alloy
- Counter-Grav Barriers (300 PW/S Dispersion Rating)
Support Craft
- 2x GOV-38 AâBounderAâ Drop Shuttles
- 10x OA Orbital Drop Pods
- Marine Support Equipment (Mission Variable)
Propulsion and Power
- 1x Rork Type F10R Zero Point Energy Core Aâ 40 PW output
- 4x Rork CMD-90-L Low-Grade Counter-Mass Drives (rated for maximum velocity of 0.8c and acceleration of 1200g)
- 1x Rork FTL-9L Katsumi-Fujita Gravitic Drive Unit (Independent and Termini Interface Modes)
History:
The Katana-Class frigate is the Alliance NavyAâs new standard for frigate design and operation and represents a major paradigm shift in the way in which Alliance frigates are used. Until the development of the Katana, Alliance frigates had been Aâ much like their destroyer cousins Aâ space bound vessels. Like destroyers, frigates deployed marines and orbital airborne troops via drop pods or dropships but could not enter the atmosphere of a celestial body. However, the with the development of the new Rork CMD-90-L Low-Grade counter-mass drive, the bureau of ships had a powerful enough drive system to allow a frigate sized ship to operate safely within a planetAâs atmosphere. Out of this convergence of events, the Katana was born.
The Katana is a whole new breed of frigate. The hull is clearly designed for atmospheric efficiency, with the give-nothing boxiness of a dedicated starship replaced with a smooth hull form that resembles turn of the millennia air superiority fighters. Consequently, the Katana is a "frontal assault" design. Her axially fixed dual-mass drivers (firing 120 rounds per minute) provide a hefty forward facing armament that, when coupled with her maneuverability, make the vessel and effective anti-corvette platform as well as a deadly anti-pirate/anti-privateer vessel. In addition, her racked missiles launchers provide a ranged engagement capability that improves the vessels intercept capacity.
Favored among special operations teams and the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Katana benefits from hull and engine upgrades that, when used in parallel, provide a "silent running" mode that effectively masks the ship from even the most modern sensor systems. Consequently, the Katana has become the go to ship for investigative missions and covert operations in which subtlety, as well as strong offensive and defensive capabilities, is wanted. These facts combined have given rise to the joke among Katana Captains that, while being one of the most numerous ships in the Alliance Navy, the Katana's are the most illusive.
Whoah that's just unbeliveable. Everything you draw is perfect in every possible way. The background story also sounds good; the ship does look like it's designed for its role. Looking forward to whatever you come up with next ! :thumb:
Wow, I really like the work in this thread. Kinda makes me want to get off my ass and start working on my own projects again. Well, almost, I guess I've just got too much other stuff going on right now. Anyway, good work on all of this, man.
Support Craft
- 2x GOV-38 AâBounderAâ Drop Shuttles
- 10x OA Orbital Drop Pods
- Marine Support Equipment (Mission Variable)
Propulsion and Power
- 2x Zeus Type BC9Z Zero Point Energy Core Aâ 20,000 PW output
- 1x Rork MG-CMD-17 (rated for maximum velocity of 0.8c and acceleration of 1200g)
- 1x Rork MG-CMD-17-BKup (rated for maximum velocity of .6c and acceleration of 800g)
- 1x Rork FTL-13-MGH Katsumi-Fujita Gravitic Drive Unit (Independent and Termini Interface Modes)
Other
History:
The Renown-Class Battlecruiser is the latest ship of the line produced by the Bureau of Ships in conjunction with the Armstrong Design Firm and represents the Alliances direct response to the rapid production of battlecruisers in both the Coalition of Independent Systems and Star Kingdom of Sagittarius. Preceded by the venerable but somewhat limited King Henry-class, the RenownAâs designers were faced with filling a somewhat neglected warship weight class in the Alliances fleet. The result was a warship that not only met but also exceeded every design requirement set by the Bureau of Ships.
The Renown-Class borrows heavily from its bigger brother, the Illustrious-Class battleship and has even been jokingly referred to as a AâPocket-BattleshipAâ by some. However, this designation is not far from accurate as RenownAâs armament out-classes any existing battlecruiser design in any navy by at least twenty percent. This awesome firepower is married to a hull capable of pulling cruiser maximum velocities and accelerations, which create a potent foe for even the largest capital ship.
In the two years since the classes namesake, ANS Renown (BC-2000), left the slip Aâ the Renown-Class has become the star of the Alliance Navy and one of the most highly desired commands of any Battlecruiser qualified Captain. In her first month of operations, Renown was credited with twenty-two high profile anti-piracy missions. Furthermore, she served as the flagship of Admiral Koji Katsumi during the Verge incursions of 2780 Aâ accounting for 4% of the total tonnage destroyed, extraordinary figures for a single warship.
However, Renown is not without her weaknesses. Her high accelerations and top speeds is paid for in armor, with RenownAâs total armor mass equaling her predecessor King Henry despite being 15% larger. This weakness is offset by staggering armor layouts over more vital-areas of the ship as well as investing in far stronger counter-mass shields. Furthermore, Renown must also rely more on its cruiser escorts for effective anti-destroyer/anti-frigate screening when compared to its predecessor.
Yet despite these disadvantages, preliminary reviews of the first flight of twenty-ships has shown the vessels to be a valuable addition to the Alliance Navy. Consequently, BuShips had already placed an order for an additional four-hundred hulls with another one-thousand planned for staggered replacement as the King Henry-Class ships are phased out.
Famous Ships of the Line
[li]BC-1400----ANS RENOWN[/li]
[li]BC-1401----ANS REPULSE[/li]
[li]BC-1422----ANS PRINCE HENRY[/li]
[li]BC-1450----ANS JOHN PAUL JONES[/li]
[li]BC-1470----ANS JOHNSTON[/li]
[li]BC-1520----ANS LION[/li]
In all honesty, I liked the old designs better. The new ones look more like they should be star liners instead of men-of-war. The older designs had similar aesthetic to the A-10, tough and chunky looking. IMHO looking high-tech isn't as good as looking like you can take a beating and still fly home.
Posts
I'm actually going to have to say thank you then because that's really what I was going for. To me the previous ones were too...flat...and felt too close to our current, modern uniforms. I wanted it to clearly be a futuristic uniform. And all those little details have reasons which will be explained on the website.
So the other night I was talking to one of my friends online and we got into the topic of the technology of the Chronicles of Man and how the ships didn't really fit the level of technology i had described. They looked like they were powered by old-fashioned chemical engines/reaction-based propulsion, they felt somewhat clunky and overall too retro for the type of story I was telling (or wanted to tell).
It was a harsh session that made me really rethink the look and feel of the ships. So after about 2 hours of concept sketching I created this little baby (well, the outline at least) and set to work on developing her.
What you see before you may very well be the new direction for ships in the CoM universe but first I wanted your opinions.
That being said, I would second Viti's opinion, and suggest that you maintain the style and configuration you currently have, while using this new design as a new state of the art, cutting edge design. Something like the difference between the Galaxy Class and the Sovereign class in Star Trek.
We'll see though. As I progress with getting content ready for my website (which has sadly been pushed back to a february launch) I'll know more precisely what I am going to do.
Remember, spaceships don't need to be streamlined in space. I like that boxy look for large warships. The sleek design is cool, but it doesn't fit, but that is just my opinion.
None of the ships look like they are chemical rocket propulsion vehicles. And yes, I can see similarities with Freelancer, as well as the TEC ships from the game Sins of a Solar Empire (at leas the capital ships for the TEC).
So I know you are going to go whichever direction you feel you must, but if it were up to me, I would stick to the original designs. You can still explain away their look despite advanced technology. I mean come on, EVERY science fiction show, movie, and book does that. I find that it is ok sometimes.
Either way, I'll be watching the progress. Keep up the great work! :thumb:
Perhaps revert the old designs to a border faction that's not *quiet* as advanced as the core systems? Something like the difference between US and USSR equipment during the cold war. While Soviet machines functioned just as well as their western counterparts, they were much rougher looking in appearance and stressed durability and simplicity over the "high-tech" equipment favored by the west.
Also, here is the 80% complete renown:
Kudos again.
My inspiration for this design was something akin to modern fighters, supersonic planes, and stealth craft. I wanted to create a ship that was clearly modern and advanced as well as atmospheric and aerodynamic.
Hope you enjoy.
The Katana is certainly a very different design which I quite like. So will be interesting to see where you are heading now. Ow and are you also planning to redesign the uniforms now you are going for another direction? Keep up the great work and can't wait to see more.
Love the Katana class!
With regards to the uniforms - that's actually where it all started really. I posted an update to the uniforms a couple pages back. (PAGE 9) Those uniforms (to me) felt too advanced for the old ships but feel comfortably military yet modern enough for the new ships.
As for the direction of the design - while the previous, industrial style designs decidedly had a weight to them, I just didn't think they really captured the level of technology in this universe. This is a verse where 30km long space fortresses are common place in the defense of star systems and cities towers reach 5km into the sky. There was a sense of scale and technology level that I felt was lacking in the previous design (they were bordering on steam-punk IMHO) and I tried to rectify.
So yes, these designs are a big step in a different direction but I think for the better. I'm glad to see you are like the results thus far Flanker and look forward to getting your feedback as the project progresses in its new direction.
There are very few ways these days to do sleekness and not evoke some sort of thoughts on something. I just did the bow view cutaway of the Katana and that view lends itself to the delta flyer. At the end of the day, our brain works by categorizing things and associating something knew with something we already know. Consequently, anything you see is going to get compared to something in your brain.
Glad you like the look though and the way it is going!
NOTE
I don't know if this was clear but the Katana-Class is the new Shadow Knight-Class.
There was some questions posed to be about that on deviant art so I wanted to clear it up here.
Katana-Class Frigate
Specifications:
Physical Attributers
Classification:Frigate(6th Rate Ship of the Lance)
Length:170m (984 ft)
Height:17m (56 ft)
Width:58m (190 ft)
Crew:50 Crewmen, 15 Non-Commissioned officers, 10 Officers
Other 50 Disembarkable Marines and Equipment or 30 Orbital Airborne Drop Troopers and Equipment
Armament
- 2x Daulin MD-49 2inch Rapid Fire Mass Drivers (Axial Fixed Type)
- 4x Integrated GML-58 AâLanceAâ Missile Rack (Type 58 ADCAP Armament)
- 300x Plasma Chafe Decoys
Defenses
- 20cm Thick Titanium-G High Density Alloy
- Counter-Grav Barriers (300 PW/S Dispersion Rating)
Support Craft
- 2x GOV-38 AâBounderAâ Drop Shuttles
- 10x OA Orbital Drop Pods
- Marine Support Equipment (Mission Variable)
Propulsion and Power
- 1x Rork Type F10R Zero Point Energy Core Aâ 40 PW output
- 4x Rork CMD-90-L Low-Grade Counter-Mass Drives (rated for maximum velocity of 0.8c and acceleration of 1200g)
- 1x Rork FTL-9L Katsumi-Fujita Gravitic Drive Unit (Independent and Termini Interface Modes)
History:
The Katana-Class frigate is the Alliance NavyAâs new standard for frigate design and operation and represents a major paradigm shift in the way in which Alliance frigates are used. Until the development of the Katana, Alliance frigates had been Aâ much like their destroyer cousins Aâ space bound vessels. Like destroyers, frigates deployed marines and orbital airborne troops via drop pods or dropships but could not enter the atmosphere of a celestial body. However, the with the development of the new Rork CMD-90-L Low-Grade counter-mass drive, the bureau of ships had a powerful enough drive system to allow a frigate sized ship to operate safely within a planetAâs atmosphere. Out of this convergence of events, the Katana was born.
The Katana is a whole new breed of frigate. The hull is clearly designed for atmospheric efficiency, with the give-nothing boxiness of a dedicated starship replaced with a smooth hull form that resembles turn of the millennia air superiority fighters. Consequently, the Katana is a "frontal assault" design. Her axially fixed dual-mass drivers (firing 120 rounds per minute) provide a hefty forward facing armament that, when coupled with her maneuverability, make the vessel and effective anti-corvette platform as well as a deadly anti-pirate/anti-privateer vessel. In addition, her racked missiles launchers provide a ranged engagement capability that improves the vessels intercept capacity.
Favored among special operations teams and the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Katana benefits from hull and engine upgrades that, when used in parallel, provide a "silent running" mode that effectively masks the ship from even the most modern sensor systems. Consequently, the Katana has become the go to ship for investigative missions and covert operations in which subtlety, as well as strong offensive and defensive capabilities, is wanted. These facts combined have given rise to the joke among Katana Captains that, while being one of the most numerous ships in the Alliance Navy, the Katana's are the most illusive.
Famous Ships of the Line
FF 7000A----ANS KATANA
FF 7058G----ANS XIPHOS
FF 7871A----ANS KATANA
FF 7983A----ANS BROADSOARD
FF 8149B----ANS CLAYMORE
FF 9217C----ANS RAPIER
Wow...just...Wow! Kinda like what Rhadek said. Awesome kinda falls flat when I look at this. Astounding is in there too!
But it is also beautiful like a...work of art? :cool::thumb:
Intersystem Alliance Navy
Renown-Class Battlecruiser
Specifications:
Physical Attributers
Classification: Battlecruiser (3rd Rate Ship of the Line)
Length:2,000m (6,561 ft)
Height:297m (974 ft)
Width:274m (898 ft)
Crew:3,000 Crewmen, 600 Non-Commissioned officers, 200 Officers
Other:1500 Disembarkable Marines and Equipment or 150 Orbital Airborne Drop Troopers and Equipment
Armament
- 8x HMD-50H 50inch Capital-Grade Mass Drivers (4 in each turret)
- 32x Daulin MD-49 2inch Rapid fire Mass Drivers (2 in each turret)
- 1x HMD-100H 100inch Capital-Grade Mass Driver (Axial Mount)
- 60x GML-58B AâDual LanceAâ Missile Racks (Type 58 ADCAP Armament)
Defenses
- 3mThick Titanium-G High Density Alloy
- Counter-Grav Barriers (3,000 PW/S Dispersion Rating)
- 100x Daulin PBD-132 3cm Particle Beam Repeaters (Deployable)
Support Craft
- 2x GOV-38 AâBounderAâ Drop Shuttles
- 10x OA Orbital Drop Pods
- Marine Support Equipment (Mission Variable)
Propulsion and Power
- 2x Zeus Type BC9Z Zero Point Energy Core Aâ 20,000 PW output
- 1x Rork MG-CMD-17 (rated for maximum velocity of 0.8c and acceleration of 1200g)
- 1x Rork MG-CMD-17-BKup (rated for maximum velocity of .6c and acceleration of 800g)
- 1x Rork FTL-13-MGH Katsumi-Fujita Gravitic Drive Unit (Independent and Termini Interface Modes)
Other
History:
The Renown-Class Battlecruiser is the latest ship of the line produced by the Bureau of Ships in conjunction with the Armstrong Design Firm and represents the Alliances direct response to the rapid production of battlecruisers in both the Coalition of Independent Systems and Star Kingdom of Sagittarius. Preceded by the venerable but somewhat limited King Henry-class, the RenownAâs designers were faced with filling a somewhat neglected warship weight class in the Alliances fleet. The result was a warship that not only met but also exceeded every design requirement set by the Bureau of Ships.
The Renown-Class borrows heavily from its bigger brother, the Illustrious-Class battleship and has even been jokingly referred to as a AâPocket-BattleshipAâ by some. However, this designation is not far from accurate as RenownAâs armament out-classes any existing battlecruiser design in any navy by at least twenty percent. This awesome firepower is married to a hull capable of pulling cruiser maximum velocities and accelerations, which create a potent foe for even the largest capital ship.
In the two years since the classes namesake, ANS Renown (BC-2000), left the slip Aâ the Renown-Class has become the star of the Alliance Navy and one of the most highly desired commands of any Battlecruiser qualified Captain. In her first month of operations, Renown was credited with twenty-two high profile anti-piracy missions. Furthermore, she served as the flagship of Admiral Koji Katsumi during the Verge incursions of 2780 Aâ accounting for 4% of the total tonnage destroyed, extraordinary figures for a single warship.
However, Renown is not without her weaknesses. Her high accelerations and top speeds is paid for in armor, with RenownAâs total armor mass equaling her predecessor King Henry despite being 15% larger. This weakness is offset by staggering armor layouts over more vital-areas of the ship as well as investing in far stronger counter-mass shields. Furthermore, Renown must also rely more on its cruiser escorts for effective anti-destroyer/anti-frigate screening when compared to its predecessor.
Yet despite these disadvantages, preliminary reviews of the first flight of twenty-ships has shown the vessels to be a valuable addition to the Alliance Navy. Consequently, BuShips had already placed an order for an additional four-hundred hulls with another one-thousand planned for staggered replacement as the King Henry-Class ships are phased out.
Famous Ships of the Line
[li]BC-1400----ANS RENOWN[/li]
[li]BC-1401----ANS REPULSE[/li]
[li]BC-1422----ANS PRINCE HENRY[/li]
[li]BC-1450----ANS JOHN PAUL JONES[/li]
[li]BC-1470----ANS JOHNSTON[/li]
[li]BC-1520----ANS LION[/li]