Nah man, you got your done at least! Besides, we're here to learn from each other, and I'm learning from all you guys
I got the dorsal section windows cut in, and reshaped the spine into the new stardrive geometry. I looked at the windows on the physical model and tried to get as close as I could without making a mess of things (the windows on that part were pretty tight and close together) I also did an ortho of where I am, to double-check the proportions, deck height, etc.
just remember to check the model pics ocasionally, becasue whatever ortho's ur going off of probably have the window count/placement all screwed up ( i know mine did and I didnt catch it... and added an extra 20 windows... )
Well.. I'm the opposite.. I'm a builder, and not that profescent in lighting and texturing (though I am trying and learning ) .. hell I didn't texture a ships i've built till a couple years ago.. up till then, once I finished building.. I quit! ... ... glad I pushed myself to start texturing
It's looking great. Good luck with the windows. Like Valkyrie said, for some reason, none of the schematics for this model have the secondary hull windows correctly placed and most have too many on there. :rolleyes:
Haha thanks guys - Yeah, this is the schematic I've been working from, and it's waay off in thesecondary section. So I've been looking at the Christie's model shots to get the placement more accurate. I really hope that works! And as a service to those wanting to model this ship in the future, I'm thinking about drafting my own schematics after the model is complete.
Well.. I'm the opposite.. I'm a builder, and not that profescent in lighting and texturing (though I am trying and learning ) .. hell I didn't texture a ships i've built till a couple years ago.. up till then, once I finished building.. I quit! ... ... glad I pushed myself to start texturing
looking good!
That's a good skill to start out with, and I like the textures you've been using on your ships. I'm finding the thing with lighting is experimentation. I started looking up different portrait photography rigs as reference and that really helps out a lot.
Haha thanks guys - Yeah, this is the schematic I've been working from, and it's waay off in thesecondary section. So I've been looking at the Christie's model shots to get the placement more accurate. I really hope that works! And as a service to those wanting to model this ship in the future, I'm thinking about drafting my own schematics after the model is complete.
Ah, yes, Gustavo's schematics. I'm not saying he's a bad artist or anything, but both that one and his Excelsior-class schematics have some inaccuracies. (I have them all, of course. )
We should definitely have a discussion about schematics. I started cutting windows into the cylindrical part of the stardrive and noticed that not only did I use a window mold that was too large for the sides, but that the front part of the cylinder (which matches all the schematics I've seen) still seems a little different from the Yamaguchi/Zhukov versions. Not sure if the whole structure is different or just the extremities that were changed...
What do you guys think? Should I rebuild the structure or just fix the windows and keep going?
I got the shuttlebay cut in properly, as well as the phaser strips and whatnot. I also wanted to post an idea I had about the bridge, based on you guys' comments about pulling aesthetics from both TNG and TMP eras. I started building it a month or so ago on the Stargazer layout, but I also wanted to use elements from the B and D bridges. (Don't mind the chairs - I just used those for scale.)
From a "real world" perspective, remember that different ships, built at different yards, are going to be slightly different from each other. From a "behind the scenes" perspective, remember that different models were used, and people who made the schematics were often not privileged to see the actual models, just the often blurry images on-screen.
All of which is by way of saying, if it looks right to you, it's jake by me.
Ryo, something I might suggest with your bridge would be to change the helm and navigation chairs to something more "attached". You'd hate to have your helmsman roll away from his console when the ship takes a hit.
ooh.. Bridge looks nice! .. just keep in mind on how many people are going to be on the bridge.. and where there going to stand, just look at the ST 2 and all the bridge personel at stand up stations etc. along with the regular stations. so start with ur basic positions.. helm/con science, comunications, engineering, tactical, captain plus stand ups for movie era. and Helm, ops, tactical, captain, first officer. plus science and eng stations that might not be in use alll the time as in tng..
love the phaser strips!!
nothings going to be perfect, especially with flawed scymatics when it comes to hull curves.. so i'd say get the hull as close as possible, and maybe recut the windows if thre a bit to big, but it all comes to how much work uv already done, and if you want to go back and fix thing and add a week to the build or soo.. Up to you!!
@Jenny - Certainly! I've been watching episodes of TNG while I work on this, and the aesthetic and logistic differences between some of the same ship classes are pretty noticeable. That's part of why I'm building a bridge that brings a bunch of different design elements together. I went with the Stargazer layout in particular because it fit the shape of the Ambassador bridge module pretty well.
As for the hull of the ship, it seems that the studio model does deviate quite a bit, even from Sternbach's approved schematics. (Shield grid, etc.) So all things considered, it may make more sense to stick with the mesh I have and see where it goes.
@Juvat - Haha yeah, those are the chairs I built for the observation lounge, so they won't stay there; I just used them to make sure the bridge was at the right scale. I actually thought the same thing when I looked at the chairs on the Excelsior bridge xD
@VALKYRIE013 - Yeah man! I'm gonna draw a sketch of what I'm going for with the bridge and post it on here before it's done. I'm most likely going to put Science, Engineering, and Communications in the stations that are already built, and maybe add tactical and mission ops in stand-up stations behind the captain.
I kinda (not really though :P) want to recut the windows because of areas where they seem to throw the scale off and it would be a bit easier to implement, especially on the curved surfaces. I hope it won't add too much time to this thing.
@Starship - That does appear to be the logical move at this point. Just wanted a second opinion before moving forward
Hah, I'll keep that in mind when I work on the bridge again :P
Speaking of which, I started putting a floor plan together, based on that of the Stargazer. I'm sure it'll change as things start to come together though.
As for the stardrive, I got the last of the lifeboat hatches in, as well as the ventral phaser array. I cut the dorsal pylon windows at the right size this time, and the grid pattern is in place. This definitely takes a lot more patience than the saucer section.
I always thought the Captain's sea cabin (Ready room) ought to have an exit that didn't lead to the bridge. People are always looking for the skipper, and if they all have to traipse through the bridge to get to her....
@TALON_UK - Thanks, mate! This is the first model I've tried to build that I didn't want to trash completely.
@Jenny - That's actually a good idea. Plus, it might be more practical to have a staircase/ramp near the front of the module than off the starboard turbolift, if possible. I'll play around with it and draft something up
take a closer look on the impulse engine... in the refs.. something seams off.. though don't know what it is.. maybe nothing.. .egh
like the bridge.. though of a personal opinion HATE the tng helm and con stations on earlier ships than the Galaxy... i like the 1 station like the old contstution... but thats just me
edit: nevermind.. looked at the refs.. all looks good guess i just done something else i saw on the Ent C model and not the yamaguchi... owell
Good catch! It does seem to be a little low, and missing a few bits above the exhaust housing. It does also appear to be wider on the studio model. That's my mistake for working primarily off the spec in this case.
As for the bridge, I see what you're saying The thing that set the Galaxy class apart was it's ergonomic design, where the older ships looked more machined and angular. It does make those stations stick out a bit, good point. With only about 25-30 years between the Ambassador and Galaxy class launches, it is fun to speculate how much would really have changed in the meantime.
well I flared mine on the top, bit wider to make it look a bit more like the Ent D engine.. i think that was just me adding a detail....
just makes me think of what the bridge designs would have looked like if they had the extra cash to build new sets for them, instead of re-dressing them... that and.. on the Stargazer which was lost in 2355.. had the old constitution.. well everything... 60 years after the consoles "suposidly" come in on the excellsior and Ent B... so the stargazer didn't have a refit for... 60 years?? nahhhh... I like the ST V bridge with the touchscreen controls... egh owell.. just blabbering
Did you take into account that the official length of the ship has been retconned to 478m after it was discovered that the original construction plans for the studio model were enlarged 115% prior to building thus leading to the 526m length that has been commonly cited for the last 20 years? At 526 metres a lot of things on the studio model appear to be out of scale (windows seem too big as do the lifeboat covers) but rescaled to 478m the ship makes a lot more sense.
@VALKYRIE013 - Ah! I remember that I actually like the more "isosceles trapezoid" shape Not really sure why they didn't go that route...
And yeah, almost none of the interior design stuff makes much sense, when you realize the budget constraints. :P
@Wishbone_Ash - Thank you, and yes actually; I've been reading as many articles I could find on the production process, to make sure it's believably accurate. That's actually part of what made me re-cut some of the windows to match the deck height, as opposed to matching them to the schematics I found. It also makes sense why the crew kept commenting on how big the "D" was.
But yeah, with the stardrive, I'm going to try to place things so that they make sense with the proper scale, even if they deviate a bit from the studio model. Thanks for bringing that up, though. It took me quite a while to realize it
I think you could put a ramp on the port side like you did on the starboard, but flip its orientation so the top is forward, and the bottom aft, so that it comes out outboard of the ready room.
The modeling looks great. I also like your plan for the bridge, it works much better than the battle bridge mod they did for the Ent-C. That one didn't have the turbolifts in a believable place, they didn't work with the exterior of the bridge module on the studio model. Yours corrects that issue.
Man, I just love your model! The Ambassador has always been one of my favourites and your's looks awesome!
I'm quite excited what you will do to the bridge. I personally always felt the Amassador deserves a bigger one - since she's quite a big lady, so your deckplan feels a bit crammed to me. But I appreciate your level of research and I know you're nearer to the "truth" than my gut feeling. Keep up the astonishing work. I'll follow your thread very closely. :thumb:
@Jenny - I took your advice on the deck plan, but I haven't done any detailing in that area except the bridge so not much to show just yet.
@jeffabby - Thank you, sir! The windows are a pain, but I'm getting better at cutting them out without too much mess to clean up.
@evil_genius_180 - Yeah man! The canon bridge always bothered me too, hehe. It's funny, I started this thing looking at it as an artist, then as more of an engineer once I got into the details. It's like you want to make it look right, but you also want things to fit reasonably.
@Flanker - Definitely! It's challenging, but I'm finding it to be a lot of fun!
@Colonel - I'm glad you like the concept, sir. She's one of my favorites as well. She kinda reminds me of a VW Karmann Ghia; not the fastest or sexiest vehicle around, but fascinating because it's different and unique.
More panel and window-cutting at this point. To keep the window and deck height consistent, I had to make some more adjustments from the configuration on the studio model. The arboretum and subsequent windows were moved up one deck, to account for the lifeboats on the bottom of the hull. Going to have to improvise on the window pattern on the four upper rows, since they won't follow the grid pattern, though.
Posts
Things are getting a lot easier now; hopefully I can get this done within a reasonable time.
Nah man, you got your done at least! Besides, we're here to learn from each other, and I'm learning from all you guys
I got the dorsal section windows cut in, and reshaped the spine into the new stardrive geometry. I looked at the windows on the physical model and tried to get as close as I could without making a mess of things (the windows on that part were pretty tight and close together) I also did an ortho of where I am, to double-check the proportions, deck height, etc.
just remember to check the model pics ocasionally, becasue whatever ortho's ur going off of probably have the window count/placement all screwed up ( i know mine did and I didnt catch it... and added an extra 20 windows...
Well.. I'm the opposite.. I'm a builder, and not that profescent in lighting and texturing (though I am trying and learning
looking good!
That's a good skill to start out with, and I like the textures you've been using on your ships. I'm finding the thing with lighting is experimentation. I started looking up different portrait photography rigs as reference and that really helps out a lot.
Ah, yes, Gustavo's schematics. I'm not saying he's a bad artist or anything, but both that one and his Excelsior-class schematics have some inaccuracies. (I have them all, of course.
What do you guys think? Should I rebuild the structure or just fix the windows and keep going?
I got the shuttlebay cut in properly, as well as the phaser strips and whatnot. I also wanted to post an idea I had about the bridge, based on you guys' comments about pulling aesthetics from both TNG and TMP eras. I started building it a month or so ago on the Stargazer layout, but I also wanted to use elements from the B and D bridges. (Don't mind the chairs - I just used those for scale.)
All of which is by way of saying, if it looks right to you, it's jake by me.
Ryo, something I might suggest with your bridge would be to change the helm and navigation chairs to something more "attached". You'd hate to have your helmsman roll away from his console when the ship takes a hit.
love the phaser strips!!
nothings going to be perfect, especially with flawed scymatics when it comes to hull curves.. so i'd say get the hull as close as possible, and maybe recut the windows if thre a bit to big, but it all comes to how much work uv already done, and if you want to go back and fix thing and add a week to the build or soo.. Up to you!!
looking great!
Just fix the windows and move on.
As for the hull of the ship, it seems that the studio model does deviate quite a bit, even from Sternbach's approved schematics. (Shield grid, etc.) So all things considered, it may make more sense to stick with the mesh I have and see where it goes.
@Juvat - Haha yeah, those are the chairs I built for the observation lounge, so they won't stay there; I just used them to make sure the bridge was at the right scale. I actually thought the same thing when I looked at the chairs on the Excelsior bridge xD
http://images.wikia.com/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d6/Excelsior_Bridge_1.jpg
@VALKYRIE013 - Yeah man! I'm gonna draw a sketch of what I'm going for with the bridge and post it on here before it's done. I'm most likely going to put Science, Engineering, and Communications in the stations that are already built, and maybe add tactical and mission ops in stand-up stations behind the captain.
I kinda (not really though :P) want to recut the windows because of areas where they seem to throw the scale off and it would be a bit easier to implement, especially on the curved surfaces. I hope it won't add too much time to this thing.
@Starship - That does appear to be the logical move at this point. Just wanted a second opinion before moving forward
Speaking of which, I started putting a floor plan together, based on that of the Stargazer. I'm sure it'll change as things start to come together though.
As for the stardrive, I got the last of the lifeboat hatches in, as well as the ventral phaser array. I cut the dorsal pylon windows at the right size this time, and the grid pattern is in place. This definitely takes a lot more patience than the saucer section.
@Jenny - That's actually a good idea. Plus, it might be more practical to have a staircase/ramp near the front of the module than off the starboard turbolift, if possible. I'll play around with it and draft something up
take a closer look on the impulse engine... in the refs.. something seams off.. though don't know what it is.. maybe nothing.. .egh
like the bridge.. though of a personal opinion HATE the tng helm and con stations on earlier ships than the Galaxy... i like the 1 station like the old contstution... but thats just me
edit: nevermind.. looked at the refs.. all looks good
As for the bridge, I see what you're saying
just makes me think of what the bridge designs would have looked like if they had the extra cash to build new sets for them, instead of re-dressing them... that and.. on the Stargazer which was lost in 2355.. had the old constitution.. well everything... 60 years after the consoles "suposidly" come in on the excellsior and Ent B... so the stargazer didn't have a refit for... 60 years?? nahhhh... I like the ST V bridge with the touchscreen controls... egh owell.. just blabbering
Did you take into account that the official length of the ship has been retconned to 478m after it was discovered that the original construction plans for the studio model were enlarged 115% prior to building thus leading to the 526m length that has been commonly cited for the last 20 years? At 526 metres a lot of things on the studio model appear to be out of scale (windows seem too big as do the lifeboat covers) but rescaled to 478m the ship makes a lot more sense.
And yeah, almost none of the interior design stuff makes much sense, when you realize the budget constraints. :P
@Wishbone_Ash - Thank you, and yes actually; I've been reading as many articles I could find on the production process, to make sure it's believably accurate. That's actually part of what made me re-cut some of the windows to match the deck height, as opposed to matching them to the schematics I found. It also makes sense why the crew kept commenting on how big the "D" was.
But yeah, with the stardrive, I'm going to try to place things so that they make sense with the proper scale, even if they deviate a bit from the studio model. Thanks for bringing that up, though. It took me quite a while to realize it
I'm quite excited what you will do to the bridge. I personally always felt the Amassador deserves a bigger one - since she's quite a big lady, so your deckplan feels a bit crammed to me. But I appreciate your level of research and I know you're nearer to the "truth" than my gut feeling. Keep up the astonishing work. I'll follow your thread very closely. :thumb:
@jeffabby - Thank you, sir! The windows are a pain, but I'm getting better at cutting them out without too much mess to clean up.
@evil_genius_180 - Yeah man! The canon bridge always bothered me too, hehe. It's funny, I started this thing looking at it as an artist, then as more of an engineer once I got into the details. It's like you want to make it look right, but you also want things to fit reasonably.
@Flanker - Definitely! It's challenging, but I'm finding it to be a lot of fun!
@Colonel - I'm glad you like the concept, sir. She's one of my favorites as well. She kinda reminds me of a VW Karmann Ghia; not the fastest or sexiest vehicle around, but fascinating because it's different and unique.
More panel and window-cutting at this point. To keep the window and deck height consistent, I had to make some more adjustments from the configuration on the studio model. The arboretum and subsequent windows were moved up one deck, to account for the lifeboats on the bottom of the hull. Going to have to improvise on the window pattern on the four upper rows, since they won't follow the grid pattern, though.