3DKumari-Class Science Ship v2.0

Rekkert

Hi!
I've been pretty busy this last months (or years ) learning 3DS Max and I think that I can now try modeling a starship.
I found fitting to model the Kumari-Class, as it was also the first ship I designed and modeled with SketchUp.
Here's the class history and description (I use the spoiler thingy to avoid adding a wall of text):

The development of the Kumari-class started in 2293 just after the U.S.S. Excelsior returned home. The project was proposed by captain Sulu, his idea was to develop a small ship as reliable as the Excelsior-class for science and survey missions. This new class, named Kumari after the first ice cutter to circumnavigate Andoria, used a new tipe of computers that allowed most of the shipA’s systems to be completely automated, and the shipA’s size to be reduced. The prototype, U.S.S. Kumari NX-2500, was completed in 2295 and, after her succesful maiden mission, the construction of 9 more ships began. The ships were excelent for deep space exploration and the large cargobays allow them to take lots of equipment necesary for some missions. The ship was mass produced during the early 24th century, replacing the Oberth Class as Starfleet's "multipurpose little ship". During the Dominion War some Kumari-class ships were refitted. By 2409, some ships were reasigned to training operations or became museum ships, but some others are still out there, boldly going where no one has gone before...

You can download the original model for SketchUp here, there you can also watch an in-browser 360Ao preview of the ship. (warning, the low-polyness of the model may cause your eyes to bleed)
I'm thinking about changing the class name, as I doubt the andorians would be too happy to have a little science ship named after what 100 years ago was their proud flagship. I'm open to suggestions.

I'm currently focusing on the nacelles, I'll most likely redo the entire saucer, but I included so that you can see the general direction I'm going.

As always, please tell me what you think, as I'm open to ideas during the design process.

evil_genius_180

Andorians are members of the Federation, maybe one of them designed it. Hence, the class name.

Nice start. I like your old version, even if it is low poly, (it would make a good game mesh) but your new one looks like it's going to be a big improvement.

Paragon

I really like what you have so far, especially the nacelles. I do sort of hope you don't build the secondary hull the way the sketchup model has it though. I feel like it shouldn't be longer than the nacelles, and might look better not being so tall and odd shaped.

Schimpfy

Good to see you back at it again. The Kumari is off to a good start and I'm gonna echo what Paragon said about the secondary hull. Really digging the nacelles, too. :thumb:

VALKYRIE013

he he.. my version of this ship kinda hit a brick wall awhile back.. he he.. sorry bout that!!

Glad to see the designer having a try at it!! looking great!

floodcasso2

LOVE what you have so far. I'm a huge fan of the bulky/clunky science & medical ships of starfleet like the Oberth or the Olympic Class. This is great stuff, keep it up

Flanker

Looking good so far Rekkert, looking forward to what you will do with this one

Rekkert

Thanks all for the comments!

@evil_genius: I'm not sure about the name change yet, I really like how it sounds, so maybe I'll adopt your idea.

@Paragon and Juvat: Don't worry, I've already redesigned the whole scendary hull, it will stil be reminisent to the Excelsior but also along the lines of the Oberth (like everything else ). Originally it was way too tall and it's odd shape was because I didn't know how to create it, so I just create the top and back part, and then I just bridge them together.

@VALKYRIE013: you don't have to be sorry! It may have been my design but it was your project, it wasn't like you were making it for me or anything.

So here are some updates, as you can see the main nacelle is pretty much finished, I only have to add some details. I wont be doing it a visible bussard collector, my idea is that it is there inside the nacelle, but it's only activated when needed.

evil_genius_180

That's a really cool nacelle. I like how you blended different elements from Trek ships of that era to make it. Great work.

Rekkert

Alright, I think the nacelles are finished as far as modeling goes, what do you guys think?

VALKYRIE013

interesting idea's there! I'm liking it!

.. and no, its just me appologizing.. for maybe getting your hopes up of seeing another one of your ships made.. it was just one of those projects that just couldn't get off the ground for me.. might revisit it later.. still have the project files ( i'm kinda of a pack rat!)

as said.. looking good! can't wait to see what you got for the rest!

Paragon

I might have extended the grilles to the back of the top, so they have a long slope between the bottom and top, but that looks alright too. It just seems like there's no real reason to have the top extend back like that without being part of the nacelle mechanisms.

evil_genius_180

Looks good to me.

Aresius

Nice work, I love what you're doing with the nacelles.

Rekkert

Thanks for the comments guys!

@Paragon: I've tried doing that with the grills, but I just didn't like how it looked. Besides, the warp coils are supposed to be in there, and they have to be rectangular in shape when seen from the side, so all that slope would end up unused.

So, I've started modeling the pylons, as originally, they meet the secondary hull at a small deck at it's top. However I won't make a shuttlebay there as in the original model, instead I'll make a big lounge, and the shuttlebay will be at the bottom of the secondary hull.

As you may have noticed, I've also stared experimenting with some lights and materials, mostly following MadKoiFish's tutorials.

evil_genius_180

Nice work. Those pylons are nice and smooth.

Schimpfy

Great work. This is looking to be a nice mesh and a beefy little ship to boot. :thumb:

Rekkert

Thank you guys, I really appreciate your comments!

Forget that thing I said earlier about the nacelle being finished, I've added some details around it and I'll probably add some more.

I've also did a first pass at the secondary hull, but I didn't like it so I dropped it and I'll start it again soon.

I feel like I did a lot in a pretty small amount of time, however, that'll change now, as the Assassin's Creed novels I've ordered a month ago finally arrived, so I'll spend most of my free time reading this next few days. But, as I have lots of free time (I won't start school till next week), I'll still get some work done on the ship.

evil_genius_180

Added detail is always good. Nice work.

VALKYRIE013

ooh, nice details! like the smoothness... Max always works better than maya in that regard!!

oh, note, the top fin on the nacelle, has a gap at the bottom rear.. don't know if its intentional or not!

Good luck with school!!

Rekkert

Thanks guys, the design process is coming along nicer and faster that I expected.

@VALKYRIE013: Don't worry, it's intentional. I originally wanted the fins to be connected and forming an L shape, but once I modeled them the detailing proved too hard for me, so I chose to do them separately.

VALKYRIE013 wrote: »

Good luck with school!!

Thanks, I know I'll need it. :shiner:

Flanker

Wonderful job indeed. I do like the what you have done so far and you have learned quite lot since the last time I saw your models. Will be fun to see what you will do with this ship.

Melak

Very nice work on the nacelles and pylons do far, and I really like the nacellles' design

Rekkert

Thanks! I don't know how much it usually take to learn 3DS or other software like it, but I feel like I've learned a lot in a pretty small time.

Not much of an update, I've just added more details on the nacelles and pylons, this time I think they are finished for good.
But when I try to start working on the secondary hull, (whether adding details on the part already modeled or modeling the rest), I just find myself looking at the screen for half and hour without doing a thing. I've done the body like 5 times and I never like it and just delete it, it's not that I can't model it, I just can't design it. I know the answer will come, in time.

Anyway, C&C as always welcome.

VALKYRIE013

loving it!!

try steping back and doodling something.. might help the modleing block!!

evil_genius_180

That looks good so far.

Rekkert

It's time for some updates!

I've lost track about how many times I've done the secondary hull, but I like this one (not entirely though).
I've also redesigned the saucer, combining elements of the Excelsior and Oberth, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

As always, please let me know what you know.

evil_genius_180

I like the saucer a LOT. Nice work so far on that, I like the combining of elements. The secondary hull is good too, though it's more straight Excelsior than a blend.

Schimpfy

I think the only way you could really make the secondary hull look blended at this point would be to add the detail of the underslung pod of the Oberth as opposed to a traditional deflector.

Overall, great work! This is developing nicely and I agree that the saucer is very nice indeed.

Rekkert

Thanks for the feedback guys.
It's true that it looks more like the Excelsior that like a mix of both, but I've tried mixing some elements and it just didn't looked right to me.
@Juvat: I've tried just that, but in my opinion it doesn't work well here. The pod of the Oberth is pretty thin and slim, however the secondary hull of the Kumari is pretty "fat", so, in my opinion, it doesn't look good.
Anyway it'll start resembling the Oberth more when I start adding details.

Rekkert

Things have been slow, basically because I've been scratching my head over the design of the impulse engines.

I've started over with the saucer, retaining the main shape but completely redoing the impulse assembly to be actually part of the neck.

I'll redo the details around the bridge once I'm sure of the shape of the assembly, of course there's a lot left to do here.