3DPhoenix-class (yet another Enterprise F?)

Raen

Well, I dunno if this is going to be an Enterprise F. Most people seem to consider the (non-canon) Insignia-class to be the Enterprise F. Nontheless, I've seen a number of attempts in the forum to create a possible version. So, I thought, why not try that, too.
My idea is probably going to be too sharp and edgy, but I think it'll look good anyway.
So, when looking at the different Enterprises, one notices they're becoming more and more stretched and streamlined. The Enterprise J is an exception, but I don't think it's going to be the real Enterprise J. I mean, it was a different timeline. To me, it looks like a deformed manta ray, with the saucer (2x as wide as it is long) as wings and the deflector as maw, and some small, matchstick-like nacelles added to it. Just doesn't look like the direction the Enterprise "evolves" in.
Anyway, I'll try to create a fast looking ship.

So, well, it's fast. High-yield warp drive, and quantum slipstream drive, of course. It's built for heavy exploration, but it's also a reasonable warship, if necessary. Dunno if I like that ablative armor thingy. I mean, where's that coming from? Rapid replication? So, it's got strong shields. Multiple phaser strips, pulse phaser turrets (perhaps), and transphasic torpedos. And, of course, all the goodies for curious people. Multi-spatial sensor arrays, for example.
Somebody said, after the destruction of Romulus, the contract that forbade the Federation to develop their own cloaking device (big mistake anyway, that contract), would be void. So if that's correct, she's got one now. Perhaps even one of those phase shifting cloaking devices.

This time, I'll start differently than usual. I have the design outlined, but I'm not gonna create a "sketch" model. So, here's a nacelle.

Dannage

mm, interesting. Look forward to seeing where this goes.

There are a few people on here who hate the J, though many debates have been had over its authenticity for 'canon'. I think we should park that right now, and move on... Heh heh..

oldmangreg

Well technically the J is canon and then its not canon. It's just one possible timeline.

Aresius

Nice work, I like the idea.

I for one, don't care if that ent-J is canon, semi-canon, or not canon at all. It's so far in the future that it may not be created due to some time-streams going different and whatnot.

James Midsen

Thank you for being one on the good side, who believes the J shouldn't be cannon.

Now, on to the modelling. I like the design of this nacelle so far. My only complaint is that it looks like it needs a little more streamlining to look fast. It looks powerful but blocky. The front end needs to be tapered.

Raen

Heh, well the Enterprise J is canon, because it was seen in an original (not fan-made) StarTrek episode. But i think it's a massive warship that would only exist the way it did in that certain timeline. In the actual timeline, it would look different.

About the nacelles being blocky, I know. Maybe I'll edit it, but right now I'm rather satisfied. I can do organic shapes, as seen with the Starbridge-class, but that makes it much harder for me to add details that don't look like they were just slapped on. It's easier to texture was well.

Anyway, there we go, this is the third layout of the body that I try. The first one was a spearhead shaped body. Difficult to create and didn't look much like Starfleet. The second was a "saucer only"-design with an enforcement in the middle. Didn't look good. This one I like.

LockeFP

What exactly are those vertical blocks between the nacelle pylons and the engineering section? Those, along with the fins attached to them, seem to be screwing with the shape of the ship. I realize you're trying to depart from the traditional shapes of Starfleet a bit, but the blocks just seem to be out of place. Perhaps making them cylindrical from the side view would make it work better. And I can't see how those fins are useful. I believe you have a good shape going, but perhaps if you knocked 1/4 off the front of the saucer it would work better. Right now it looks kinda strange.

Kalic-Vadek

They could be Slipstream Stabilizers, or Some kinda Weapons/Sensors platform

James Midsen

Those fins could be warp foils. (Something from STO about how the Discovery class [Intrepid variant] has these warp foils that supposedly do something to make the warp field less turbulent. Don't remeber exactly.)

Raen

@LockeFP: These blocks are the impulse engines. You're right, they're screwing with the shape, even more so after I replaced the edgy wings with rounded ones. They have a different shape now, as you can see below.

The fins, they were there because otherwise the engines looked too top-heavy. Warp foils is an interesting idea, however, I replaced the original engines, so they're not necessary anymore.

I was thinking about placing the impulse drives at the backside of the saucer, the classical way. Not sure if I want to do that, tho. Perhaps, if I consider making the saucer able to separate. Speaking of separation... can the E separate? Does anyone know?

airbusA380

it never did onscreen, but when it was being designed the separation was designed. ill see if i can find it if you want

oldmangreg

You could also Youtube it. There are a few videos out there that fans did that are pretty accurate.

I think airbus was referring to this:
http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/images/dee-7.jpg

LockeFP

Greg, no hotlinking to that site . . .

http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/1701-e.html

Bottom of the article, on the right.

oldmangreg

LockeFP wrote: »

Greg, no hotlinking to that site . . .

http://www.starshipdatalink.net/art/1701-e.html

Bottom of the article, on the right.

I figured it was easier than sending him the article. Unless there is a rule on here forbidding that. You have to admit that some of those designs are pretty interesting.

LockeFP

That's strange. The first couple of times I clicked it I got a hotlink warning message. Just now it didn't do that. How odd . . .

Raen

Ok, got it. Not sure if I'm gonna incorporate that here, it was hard enough getting the secondary hull the way I wanted it. I will try tho.

And LockeFP, that's probably because your browser cached the article.

Raen

SMAAAALL update, added a forward torpedo launcher, as well as a bridge. Dunno if that's final or placeholder, but it shows the position.
Huh... everytime I build a saucer, I always make it in ways that make it hard to actually place decently sized lettering. XD

Aresius

I'd put the bridge a tad more to the centre (not entirely, it should stay in the forward area) with the name and registry directly before it. Not so sure about the pylon-thingy....

Raen

Weeell... didn't have much time recently, but finally managed to get a small update underway. So...
Moved the bridge dome a bit farther back, added details to the bridge dome and placed escape pods. As you can see, I added a sensor/weapons pod. Not sure about it, What do you think, should I keep it or ditch it?



Side view, you see the modelled windows and the beginning of texture works. You can also see the forward torpedo launcher on the underside of the saucer, as well as a bit of the captain's yacht that is docked in front of it.



Aft view, showing off the large impulse engines, as well as the aft torpedo launcher, landing area and hangar door. The landing area can be covered in a forcefield and is equipped with artifical gravitation, so ships landing there must not necessarily enter the hanger to be boarded and exited. This is useful should a quick exchange of passengers or cargo be required. Hoversleds or tractor beams can quickly transport cargo in and out of the hangar.
The hangar control dome situated above the door has a tractor beam emitter, too (that barely visible blue stripe).



Closeup of the bridge dome. As you can see, it is separated in two parts. The starbord dome is the bridge (front part with the lit up glass dome), and the conference/communications room behind it. The latter is equipped with powerful communications devices and can use as command center for fleet operations. It also holds a revolutionary quantum link communicator that is connected to a counterpart at Starfleet HQ. It allows real-time communications with the HQ no matter the distance. Only the most important ships have this.
The port dome is a lounge/observation room that serves as conference and mess hall for diplomatic receptions and the likes.



This is the captain's yacht. The model is not very complex, I didn't even plan on actually modelling it. But well, I did anyway. It is a 2-deck ship, the lower deck contains the cockpit, engineering section and cargo bay, the upper deck contains living quarters and a lounge.



I now also have dimensions: The Phoenix-class, from tip to nacelles, is 1177 m long, 302 m wide and 116 m high (that is 3,862 x 991 x 381 ft) and the captain's yacht is 62 m long, 28 m wide and 12 m high (203 x 92 x 39 ft).

colbmista

windows are to big

Randy Tjang

Yeah, the windows on the edges of the saucer are far larger than those of the hull (as windows are usually used to judge how big the ship is so, it is important to keep window sizes consistent throughout the ship.)

Raen

I know what you mean. Problem is, the windows around the saucer are textured. Since I can't make a texture that is wide enough to go around the entire saucer (that would be over 20,000 px wide, Photoshop refuses to save that), I had to use a repeating pattern. It was very hard to find a size that doesn't create texture errors, such as windows being cut in half.
I sadly can't model the windows, because C4D likes to distribute the polygons in an uneven pattern if using NURBS. So in the end, there might have been 132 windows on one side, and 124 on the other.
Also, the windows around the saucer are not supposed to be quarters. I thought there may be recreation areas and an arboretum.

Starship

ThereA’s something going wrong.... I can see just an image of a frozen frog, and this statement: Domain unregistered. To view, register at bit.ly/imageshak-domain
Do you know what is happening? It isnA’t happening only in this thread, but in a lot others too.

Raen

Uh... that is weird. I tried it while not logged into Imageshack, it works fine. Your URL leads to a domain registration page, asking me to register my domain with imageshack, so all images are visible on it. I don't know what that means, actually.