I'd imagine by the late 25th century that the Federation would have figured out how to use artificial wormholes as as a long range transporter conduit. This might eliminate the need for escape pods all together. Just transport to the nearest starbase. It would also make swapping out personnel a lot easier too.
I agree transport will be used on a larger scale. I dont think all escape pods will be removed just in case all transport fails. A example is a ship in a battle it has enough time to transport all non-essential beings while being attacked. Then there is the only the essential or skeleton crew. The escape pods will come in handy in those cases. The only thing is they will be designed to move at a faster rate velocity so they aren't shot down.
Am I correct in my assumption that this ship is about 80% saucer section?
I would say 50%/50%. The hull is long thats why the ship has a sleek profile. Since the saucer has a more flatter design then most saucer sections the mass is about par with the hull.
So I was not feeling the background I was using so I made a test animation and I added a shuttle pod model. I'm thinking of how to best place the windows.
I haven't finished the windows. I was a little sidetracked and adding more plating and replaced the lamp units of the bottom of the saucer. It gives homage to the Excelsoir NX-2000.
It a definitely step up from a Galaxy class. I kept some familiars but thrown little changes.
Somewhat looks like a supersized version of the Galaxy....
It's a big ship. The only common thing might be size but the ship would be considered a replacement for the Galaxy class some time in the future. Although its big it has a very low profile much like the Soverign but bigger. Some of the Soverign design and I added some Excelsoir cues.
The warp drive is definitely a future ship and the deflector is different due to a different type of deflector needed. Since this would be a much faster ship.
Latest updates. So I decided to go with some Blender bmesh for certain parts. So, this is what I have added since.
1. Full meshed windows on both sides of hull in separate sections. It's a lot of windows. So, I will be able to light certain parts and also do inner ship shoots through windows.
2. Shuttle bay external docking rings on each side.
3. Excelsoir style lighting on underside of saucer.
4. 8 Detailed sensor arrays.
5. A few more cameras.
6. The typical huge side room on the ship hull
7. More lighting.
Once I redo the saucer windows. I think I could go into textures.
Nice work, I love most of it, but one suggestion.
Right now, you only have lit windows sprayed all over the place in a random fashion. Add unlit/blackened windows to make it look like there are sections of same rooms there. I mean in TNG, we saw that most quarters had 2 rooms (a sleeping room with 2 row-windows, and a huge living room with 4-5 row-windows), it's lilkely that they're placed right next to eachother to make the best use of the given space. But right now, it doesn't look like it.
Nice work, I love most of it, but one suggestion.
Right now, you only have lit windows sprayed all over the place in a random fashion. Add unlit/blackened windows to make it look like there are sections of same rooms there. I mean in TNG, we saw that most quarters had 2 rooms (a sleeping room with 2 row-windows, and a huge living room with 4-5 row-windows), it's lilkely that they're placed right next to each other to make the best use of the given space. But right now, it doesn't look like it.
I am going to address the lit and blackened issues after the I redo the saucer windows. I probably make a grid mesh texture to the shop of the windows. Then if I ever get board paint where areas lit. I can get bolder but doing a script texture load. controlled lighting pre-scripted.
As for the arrangement, in the upper section I will lean towards doing that. The bottom section of the hull will be blackened a lot. I feel those are many emergency quarters. I know the Galaxy on the hull was plastered with windows in a refit I will add more windows but it's time consuming the way I am doing. So, I stopped at the amount I did. So once I finish the saucer I can go into textures which will be another challenge in itself.
Most of methods will be utilized for a smaller ship which the process will be much faster.
I don't think I would go totally TNG Galaxy class windows. The two main reasons it weakens the structure doing attack and slipstream or higher warp drive up to slipstream. The saucer do have a spread of windows but there it a lot plating on the saucer so it can handle direct impact in certain areas. I also added sensor arrays on each side where the torpedo bays are, bottom center back, and will probably add one on the rear. One good reason is to detect spacial flux which would be used doing high warp drive or slipstream.
It might also help if you rendered a few shots with a longer camera lens. It seems like all the shots you have posted so far are wide-angle, which then makes it hard to really judge the proportions. How about a few orthogonals?
I think, the saucers windows are either too big for the size, or the engineering hull windows are too small. Right now, they look like two different sizes of ships, and as such, two different deck sizes.
Could be the perspective tho.....
I think, the saucers windows are either too big for the size, or the engineering hull windows are too small. Right now, they look like two different sizes of ships, and as such, two different deck sizes.
Could be the perspective tho.....
The saucer windows is roughly the size of the hull windows. It's the perspective of the camera and the angle. The ship is long around twice the length of the Galaxy. So, I assuming the hull windows would look twice as small compared to the saucer windows.
I have been updating the model. I replicated the original to new meshes or completely changed the topology while adding more details. The model went from 4.5 million poly vertex down to 1.7 poly million vertex and I probably could get it to 1.5 poly million vertex.
As to the updates:
a) Completely redesigned the saucer section matching the original
b) Added a lot more windows with a cleaner look to match the windows on the secondary hull
c) Added spacing between saucer and secondary hull in the future for interlocking mechanisms, saucer shuttle bay, hatches, and additional phasers
arrays
d) Reduced phaser array poly accounts and increased the size to a stand 3.27 meters about 10 feet in width and height
e) Added more plating on saucer and secondary hull
f) Added lighting and more details (radiation and coolant unit piping and grills) to all torpedoe bays making one standard size
g) Added more details to the saucer deck
h) Added a lot more details for a functioning shuttle bay with interior with lighting and beams
i) Spaced the saucer section so in the future decks can be made. There is enougth room between floors(levels) for passageways, conduits, and pipes.
j) Added a lattice modifier for wrap sequences and kept the phaser array paths for animations. Adding particle plates for torpedoe launch.
h) Redesigned the deflector dish for animation and rigging.
There are more changes but I'm now working on the UV Maps and grid texture.
I added a few more things for details in the future. I'm not great with texturing but this is what I am working on this weekend primarily the saucer section or upper hull. As a 26th century model it has hints to pass generations of ships but a balance of new technology with a proven and stable spaceframe.
I will upload some ortho pics and I'm still doing the texture (also a dry dock). I'm not the best at that. There are a few modeling modifications for future animations and visual effects. I like options.
Posts
I agree transport will be used on a larger scale. I dont think all escape pods will be removed just in case all transport fails. A example is a ship in a battle it has enough time to transport all non-essential beings while being attacked. Then there is the only the essential or skeleton crew. The escape pods will come in handy in those cases. The only thing is they will be designed to move at a faster rate velocity so they aren't shot down.
Think of a Soverign on steroids minus the stuff for a beauty touch or something. Lol. Bad analogy.
independence.jpg
Like the music too.
Not sure about your shuttle though...doesn't look more futuristic than what Trek's got in its current series.
It a definitely step up from a Galaxy class. I kept some familiars but thrown little changes.
bige4.png
bige3.png
bige2.png
It's a big ship. The only common thing might be size but the ship would be considered a replacement for the Galaxy class some time in the future. Although its big it has a very low profile much like the Soverign but bigger. Some of the Soverign design and I added some Excelsoir cues.
The warp drive is definitely a future ship and the deflector is different due to a different type of deflector needed. Since this would be a much faster ship.
1. Full meshed windows on both sides of hull in separate sections. It's a lot of windows. So, I will be able to light certain parts and also do inner ship shoots through windows.
2. Shuttle bay external docking rings on each side.
3. Excelsoir style lighting on underside of saucer.
4. 8 Detailed sensor arrays.
5. A few more cameras.
6. The typical huge side room on the ship hull
7. More lighting.
Once I redo the saucer windows. I think I could go into textures.
enteprise.png
windowpass.jpg
Right now, you only have lit windows sprayed all over the place in a random fashion. Add unlit/blackened windows to make it look like there are sections of same rooms there. I mean in TNG, we saw that most quarters had 2 rooms (a sleeping room with 2 row-windows, and a huge living room with 4-5 row-windows), it's lilkely that they're placed right next to eachother to make the best use of the given space. But right now, it doesn't look like it.
I am going to address the lit and blackened issues after the I redo the saucer windows. I probably make a grid mesh texture to the shop of the windows. Then if I ever get board paint where areas lit. I can get bolder but doing a script texture load. controlled lighting pre-scripted.
As for the arrangement, in the upper section I will lean towards doing that. The bottom section of the hull will be blackened a lot. I feel those are many emergency quarters. I know the Galaxy on the hull was plastered with windows in a refit I will add more windows but it's time consuming the way I am doing. So, I stopped at the amount I did. So once I finish the saucer I can go into textures which will be another challenge in itself.
Most of methods will be utilized for a smaller ship which the process will be much faster.
bige.jpg
bige2.jpg
Could be the perspective tho.....
The saucer windows is roughly the size of the hull windows. It's the perspective of the camera and the angle. The ship is long around twice the length of the Galaxy. So, I assuming the hull windows would look twice as small compared to the saucer windows.
From the top back view. It looks like a carrier. So, I probably do similiar motion animations like real life carriers.
As to the updates:
a) Completely redesigned the saucer section matching the original
b) Added a lot more windows with a cleaner look to match the windows on the secondary hull
c) Added spacing between saucer and secondary hull in the future for interlocking mechanisms, saucer shuttle bay, hatches, and additional phasers
arrays
d) Reduced phaser array poly accounts and increased the size to a stand 3.27 meters about 10 feet in width and height
e) Added more plating on saucer and secondary hull
f) Added lighting and more details (radiation and coolant unit piping and grills) to all torpedoe bays making one standard size
g) Added more details to the saucer deck
h) Added a lot more details for a functioning shuttle bay with interior with lighting and beams
i) Spaced the saucer section so in the future decks can be made. There is enougth room between floors(levels) for passageways, conduits, and pipes.
j) Added a lattice modifier for wrap sequences and kept the phaser array paths for animations. Adding particle plates for torpedoe launch.
h) Redesigned the deflector dish for animation and rigging.
There are more changes but I'm now working on the UV Maps and grid texture.
bige.png
Thanks. I am trying to do a logical arrangement which is working out okay.
bige.jpg
bige2.jpg
bige3.png
bigedock1.jpg