3DLate night (early morning) Trek design

markmassey

Its half past 2, im in work animating hundreds of berries bouncing into the back of a tractor for a ribena commercial, which started off good but has now lost all its charm on me...

I've not got my laptop annoyingly so i cant take a break and do any of my own stuff. but i have knocked up a design for a federation starship.. Why not everyone else does right...

I've wanted to do one for a while but could never come up with something original looking.. Heres the basic design. I've just sat and done this over about half an hour, I need to know if somwhere in the back of my memory box i've ripped off someone elses design..

Any thoughts guys...??? Most people will probably be in bed now...

Endeavour

That looks pretty neat, and definitely about as original as one can get within the confines of Starfleet designs. It looks like it could be a slipstream design. Cool work. :thumb:

Buckaroohawk

I like it! There's a definite aquatic feel to it, very dolphin-like, but it still adheres to the Trek aesthetic. It will be interesting to see what this looks like when more details and material maps are added.

Joker37

Very cool! The third image makes looks very aggressive and fast. I agree with the aquatic comment, almost reminds me of how Covenant ships are described, as being almost whale like, definitely gives off an image of power and purpose.

Im sure if would be revealed through later details but do you have a size in mind?

Jayru

Nice concept! Look forward to seeing more on this :-)

markmassey

Thanks for the comments guys, Yes i was trying to get the under side hull to feel like the bow of a ship, without making it to obvious. looking at it, it does look very organic.. whale or dolphin like.. I think that might be a bit of my farscape modelling creeping in..

Yes but i want her to look sleek, IA’m going to try and have as little detail on the hull as possible if i can, but still holding to the trek style..
I've done a quick estimate of what size IA’m thinking of. Might be a little big.. I donA’t want this to be a warship, no quantum torpedo launchers strapped to wherever they can.. sheA’s a state of the art science ship.. Saying that I want it to be able to defend its self against larger vessels..

I think thatA’s pretty much the definition of every federation star shipA… so IA’m not breaking any new ground there I suppose..

Jayru

I’d scale her down a little more, have her between the Intrepid and Akira, science ships tend to be smaller vessels – but maybe you can break new ground here by having it bigger ;-) But my gut feelins says smaller.

I love the shape – very different. I do have issues with the nacelles. I’m wondering if rather than have them angled up, have them angle down, and further back. It will lengthen the ship, but give it a sleeker profile. Just a thought.

Nacelle size is fine – I am of the school of the thought that feels that’s one technology that would have got smaller over time ;-)

markmassey

Thanks Jayru, yes i was thinking smaller, exactly that more the size of the akira, i want the ship to be able to land on a planet surface so it will have to be smaller than it is now..

I did have a go at having the nacelles swept down rather than up, it looked a little clunky to me. but no harm in doing a render to show you..

Endeavour

I think if the nacelles were lengthened a bit, it might help to balance the design out a little more. But still, this is your design, so it's up to you.

Pearse

The underhanging portion of the saucer section kind of reminds me of Galactica, but that's the only thing I think it looks anything like. And it's more the idea of it, than how it actually looks. Anyway, cool design. Looks really nice from the back.

Oh and I'll have to watch out for that Ribenna ad!

Hellsgate

Why does it have-to be a "Starfleet" ship, rather than a lightly-armed Federation (multirole) transport for colonial settlement, evacuations, or fuel transport, (Command & Control) / Starfleet Marines, at al.? Starfleet's transport command got tired of losing older/slower Whorfin-type & other freighters, so they decided to build modestly-armed/armored larger transports with fleet-escort (Valkyrie-Class) launch bays now that the Borg have been vanquished but the (alleged) up and coming Typhon Pact are now rattling their sabers. Basically, Mediterranean-Class meets Danube-Class meets Intrepid-Class.

"Type 1" (Diplomatic Cruiser)
Port/Starboard "through-deck" launchdecks.
State of the art conference rooms.
Multi-environmental (Amphibious) staterooms.
Permanent "Elite Force" Security Detachment

"Type 2" (Fleet Support)
State-Of-The-Art Deuterium Holds
High Yield Torpedo Armories
360-Degree Phaser Coverage
Holographic Masking Device

"Type 3" (Colonial Transport)
Enormous Cargo Decks w/ Horticultural Stasis Containment Option.
Defiant-Class Style Personnel Cabins
Amphibious Craft Bays
Upsized Infirmary And Mental Health Offices.
Science Labs Swapped-Out For Uprated Gymnasium & Holosuites.
Astrometrics Lab, Onboard Classrooms, Arboretums.

Pearse

You could always comment on the modeling as well, if you get time.

Jayru

markmassey wrote: »

Thanks Jayru, yes i was thinking smaller, exactly that more the size of the akira, i want the ship to be able to land on a planet surface so it will have to be smaller than it is now..

I did have a go at having the nacelles swept down rather than up, it looked a little clunky to me. but no harm in doing a render to show you..

Cheers, I look forward to seeing it.

Of course, you have to do what's right for you, and if you feel the nacelles are fine as/where they are: go with it. It's your baby

markmassey

Thanks Pearse, retractable nacelles (i have to check that every time i type it for some reason) and a bit of ribbing would finish it off i think..

Endeavour, sort of what i said to Jayru, i've got a set of longer nacelles in the scene. Well I’ve got 6 sets, 4 and a hlf different saucer sections and 3 versions of the bottom hull with the deflector inserted.. when i turn on my construct layer it looks like a modellers workshop haha..

But yes I’ve been playing around with different components, and i prefer the shorter ones. but like i said when i next update with images, I’ll do a couple of the different versions.... The trouble with that is that I’ll probably like the look of another version haha..


Hellsgate thank wow that’s a lot of information to take in.. I think I’ll keep it as a Starfleet ship… But the thought of taxiing whiney colonists around all day.. Uuuurrgg…. She is going to be a multi role ship though… well not that I know much about the real tech of trek… just a fan level, which I know is just the surface… But I might higher her out for conferences..

L2K

could be a tax transport too.
USS nothingham. but she'll need an escort then.
dont tell me star trek people dont have to pay taxes.

design is fine. i'd squeeze it a bit thou

Melak

I like this design!

The whale-mouth-ish rim doing around below the saucer especially, it reminds me a bit of the excelsiors neck - in a good way!

Warp nacelles dont need to be any bigger IMO, they look just fine this way.

I like that you are departing from the standard fed fantail, its been used a lot. However, the plate thing you have on the bottom still looks a bit strange at the moment - detached, if you will.

Looking forward to more updates

PS: Any chance of any sort of superstructure on the top half of the bridge? Right now the bottom half seems to be heavy with all sorts of negative spaces and structures.

Hellsgate

I picture your transport as a 'walking starbase', Starfleet's Corps of Engineers uses her all the time to mop-up disasters (ie: Wolf 359). Enough industrial replicators, multiple tractor beams, and holds with difficult-to-replicate/machine components at the ready for (almost any) situation. She's shaped like a whale & maneuvers like one. I'd increase the size of her nacelles to match the Akira-Class in your comparison & double the nacelles to four total. She's got almost no teeth but her capacity to build two or three Valkyrie-Class fighters, Venture-Class runabouts (aka Talon-Class) and anything upto a single Defiant-Class on-the-spot keeps Nausicaan Pirates at arm's length.

She's seldom alone, as a CoE ship, she's got other ships at least partially re-enabled to fight back or draw fire, so the majority can get out of harm's way until they've restored main power and launched shuttles to board Starfleet Marines / Elite Force security, who's job it is to take out critical areas of the aggressor.

somacruz145

Nice concept :thumb: I don't really care for the size issues or stuff like that as long as the mesh is nice And it's shaping up really well. Looking forward to new images !

Jayru

If marmassey says sheA’s primarily a science ship capable of multi-purpose roles, then thatA’s what she is :thumb: Multi-purpose ships are, after all, the backbone of Starfleet.

I really like the design of this A– itA’s just different enough, and unique to grab the interest.

Sandman

Great work! What kind of software did you use to develop this?
Thanks! Sandman

markmassey

Been ill and buisy this weekend so didnt have much time to work on anything. I did have time to play around with this though.. Still working on the primary hull, trying to add detail but keep the flow of the hull.. I guess thats the hard thing about designing in 3d..

I've also added 2 impulse engines at the rear now, still working on that elusive deflector..

Thanks Sandman im using Maya 2009.

Jayru

Sorry to hear you've been ill mate.

However, the update: WOW. This baby is looking amazing. The design flow is spot on, and the addition of details really brings it to life.

Keep up the good work :thumb:

publiusr

I like the Aventine, but the shorter vessel you have designed has a charm all its own. I reminds me a little of the description of the ship in the novel "Serpent Among the Ruins" which described the Tomed event.

markmassey

I've had a little time today to sit and do some 3d other than work, which i've not had chance to do for a while now, and is starting to bug me .......

So other than work on moyas texture i've kept away from my galactica animation and had a go at this ship.. Worked a little detail into the spine.. re-worked it a little from the last update. I've tried to get rid of the more angular forms i had previously, and keep the shapes more organic.

I'm taking the design aesthetic from voyagers ablative hull armour. I'm going to try and have that style for the hull plating on the rest of the ship.. see how that works out..

Straying towards my more geeky side i was thinking of a story for this ship.. Still emphasis on the science ship... which is why the hull is going to be armoured.. i like the idea of the ship needing to fly into or close to dying suns so study how black holes and worm holes form.. Obviously the hull armour is good in a battle.

I've been watching episodes of deep space nine recently, and had the idea that the ship would be sent into the gamma quadrant. a few years after ds9 ends odo comes back through the wormhole asking the federation for diplomatic help... the dominion is being disbanded, no more jam hadar are being bred, and all worlds that were under the control of the dominion are being freed, After odo convinces the founders that the federation will help change the dominion into a type of rebublic/federation.. whilst at the same time offering protection to the changelings, who will no doubt be in danger from the newly liberated worlds who would seek revenge.


so this ship is quickly refitted and sent to the gamma quadrant, where the crew have to help establish this republic, on board would be a group of changelings accompanied by jem hadar who are now priest like and only wish to serve the founders for what short lives they have left..


I probably didn't need to go into that but i thought i would....

fluxfire

Hum i rather find the story line your going with to be rather fascinating..... as for the ship the idea of the voyager hull armor is an intriguing one, I like the redone spline work, it does give a more organic feel to this ship overall and does seem to suite the ship.... I am rather curious to read more of a story on this time line your envisioning..... great work

Hellsgate

Tesla-Class Science Frigate

markmassey

thanks fluxfire, Worked a little more on the ship this afternoon, made and rigged the shuttlebay doors, and think ive sorted out the deflector... still seeing how it feels at the minute... i might put a secondary dish on the saucer but im not sure yet...

Let me know what you think...

rojren

That's a really nice design. Very sleek. But the clam-shell doors look kind of odd to me. It looks a bit too... upright. With a ship that has such a complex shape, that partial sphere seems out of place. Maybe something a bit more like the Enterprise refit doors?

Jayru

Loving it! Really nice feel and look

Raen

Pretty cool. This could easily be the USS Voyager, if the show was done in the styles of the latest StarTrek movie.

Aresius

I like the shuttle and impulse area, but somehow I find the deflector to look odd.