@topic: Not all of my experiments do work out that well, as proven by these throwaway sets:
Ah, the old trial and error. I agree, those don't look as good as what you did for the Miranda and Steamrunner. Though, they're not horrible. The one in the same color scheme you did for the Miranda bridge reminds me of the Prometheus bridge from DS9. (Nebula class USS Prometheus, that is)
@BorgMan: Well, I wanted to try something different after all those TNG bridges. That railing is actually the same metal that's used throughout the rest of the bridge. The idea was to later put the actual console on top of it, kinda like the back console on the Intrepid bridge. There's something bugging me about that bridge as well, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
Timeship? Try to study some of Sean's more unusual bridges from back in the day. There are two or three that should give you a few valuable ideas.
Perhaps that's the problem. When you compare it to the source (the Galaxy bridge), you'll notice that the railing goes down the way it does because it also acts as a railing for the two or so steps the one level goes down to the other; it has function. Your Steamrunner railing lacks that function, transforming it from a multipurpose railing and console stand to "just" a console stand with a metal bar jutting out from the sides that just happens to look nice, but doesn't serve a real purpose. Perhaps making a level bar, ending in a diagonal part going down, might do the trick. It isn't as splashy as a curved railing, but it might fit beter with the general curvature of the bridge itself?
Thanx for the tip. Now to find out where I can find Sean's old bridge designs. Any suggestions? Google Images only gave me more recent work...
Hey SFM, might I suggest adding a "tag" feature? ;-p
The other one (pre-TNG cruiser) is quite good as well. You should definitely take those across the finish line. They just need some detail to finish them off. You might also work on trying to make the lighting a bit more dramatic. Reduce the main overhead light coming from the ceiling and allow for more pools of light around the turbolift alcoves, baseboard lights, etc. I'm particularly fond of the lighting in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Star Trek: Generations.
The arch is the one element I certainly won't remove since the thing I've always despised most about the Sovereign bridge is how they basically just threw a ton of consoles in there to clutter it up and fill the empty space when it doesn't really tie the whole thing together like John's original concept drawings did. Due to its actual shape (not how it appears on camera), the TNG arch actually doesn't serve much of a purpose either, apart from guiding your eyes along the different sections.
And all of you really should take a closer look at the pics Sean just linked to. Then you'll see why I always insist that I'm nowhere near where he was, even more so considering the technical limitations he had to work around back in those days.
@Sean: That one bridge actually started its life because that exact picture popped up on a different site and reminded me of the last time had seen it. A few days later while browsing through one of my references folders I then came across a pic of Doug Drexler and Denise Okuda joking around on the redress for some DS9 episode (not sure if it's the Saratoga or something else) and I could no longer resist.
You're right, the lighting and contrast is actually what I want to tackle quite soon, since that's what always makes my interiors seem too flat.
And we're pretty much on the same page, though in my case it's practically everything from ST5 to TNG and ST7. VOY has its appeal, but it's just something different.
@seanr: Nice collection of images. It's like Christmas for a bunch of nerds like us. I remember your Nebula bridge. I tried downloading it from 3D Gladiators back when I was still using Truespace, but the actual object wasn't in the archive on there, it's all textures.
the TNG arch actually doesn't serve much of a purpose either, apart from guiding your eyes along the different sections.
It also frames the command section and kind of partitions it off from the rest of the bridge. Plus, there are at least a few episodes with battles in them where people grabbed onto it to stay in place. Though, on a few occasions, people also flew over the lower parts, so it was hit or miss in that function. Aside from that, it's really a very attractive feature, in my opinion.
@seanr: Nice collection of images. It's like Christmas for a bunch of nerds like us. I remember your Nebula bridge. I tried downloading it from 3D Gladiators back when I was still using Truespace, but the actual object wasn't in the archive on there, it's all textures.
I think i still have the files on my old computer. I'd have to dig for it
It also frames the command section and kind of partitions it off from the rest of the bridge. Plus, there are at least a few episodes with battles in them where people grabbed onto it to stay in place. Though, on a few occasions, people also flew over the lower parts, so it was hit or miss in that function. Aside from that, it's really a very attractive feature, in my opinion.
Best TNG action scenes. Cheesy but awesome for it!
@BorgMan: Basically, if you take the idea of Sean's Light Ship bridge (always reminds me of what that concept drawing of the NX Excelsior bridge could have become if budgets constraints hadn't been an issue), harvest Google for other multi-level bridges like Macross and SeaQuest (for the idea of slightly separating the aspects "flight" and "time/mission" while keeping the captain in command of everything), some random Google picks for "spaceship bridge" and then bring it back to Trek by echoing the Relativity bridge, you'll already have your starting point.
@Sean: One of these days I'll really have to return to the idea of combining your two Romulan bridges with the ones from DS9 (plus the Romulan engineering rooms on TNG) and some Nemesis (Valdore redress of the Enterprise bridge and the rooms on Romulus) thrown in for good measure.
hi i love these images, would you consider creating something similar for my ship bridge?
Why don't you just steal them from the person, it's what you do to me, chop off the credits and post away then bash them... hey why not the more the merrier eh Baylis?
Time for a little team-up project.
Here's the first stages of a bridge for Stuart Baldwin's Interceptor class, which long-time members will surely remember.
I was quite fond of the Interceptor, being a fan of Voyager and similar designs, back in the day. Was unfortunately not very keen on his interiors though, as they seemed a bit too cluttered and unergonomic for me. I'll be interested to see how the "real thing" ends up looking in your final renders!
Loving your work! I honestly thought I'd be spending more time on bridges than I have recently. Starship interiors have always been a fascination for me.
I blame Rekkert for this thought experiment!
One of his projects made me think what the bridge of a TNG Ambassador could look like if they approached it as a bona fide command center (even more than the explorer bridge of a Galaxy).
hi lennier
i really like the interceptor class! great work on that bridge. if you are interested to use my works on the MSD on that vessel, let me know.
Rekkert has a lot to answer for on that front - I have two dozen original ideas I'm working on myself, all because of his renders! That said, you've been a similar "bad influence" in the past, with things like your Soyuz bridge and Potemkin interiors... Did you ever finish your Rigel-class or the Steamrunner predecessor design?
Regarding this one: Although moving to something a bit larger than the TMP-TUC sized bridge is a good idea for the Ambassador-class, IMHO this one's maybe a bit too big and TNG-looking.. I could sort of imagine it as a brand new TNG era build though, like a third-gen batch of Ambassadors...
I definitely like the idea of using the curvy molded "shell"; that was one of my favorite parts on SeanR's version, too. The Con/Ops seated consoles up on the sides look good too - It's a cool change from the standup consoles that most designs put there. I'll have to remember that... (he said, as he saved the image to his ever-expanding Ideas Folder )
I know you're going for the "busy C&C" look, but IMO the consoles to either side of the centre seat could perhaps stand to be nixed, to allow for a bit more flow. Maybe try a wooden version of the movie handrails instead, as a predecessor to the "horseshoe" rail?
Posts
Ah, the old trial and error. I agree, those don't look as good as what you did for the Miranda and Steamrunner. Though, they're not horrible. The one in the same color scheme you did for the Miranda bridge reminds me of the Prometheus bridge from DS9. (Nebula class USS Prometheus, that is)
Those throwaway ones certainly feel like they would pop up on Nextgen.
Thanx for the tip. Now to find out where I can find Sean's old bridge designs. Any suggestions? Google Images only gave me more recent work...
Hey SFM, might I suggest adding a "tag" feature? ;-p
he also used to have a website
http://www.webolutionary.com/truespace/gallery/seanr/temp/
http://www.webolutionary.com/truespace/gallery/seanr/temp/bridge_nebula-7.jpg
The other one (pre-TNG cruiser) is quite good as well. You should definitely take those across the finish line. They just need some detail to finish them off. You might also work on trying to make the lighting a bit more dramatic. Reduce the main overhead light coming from the ceiling and allow for more pools of light around the turbolift alcoves, baseboard lights, etc. I'm particularly fond of the lighting in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Star Trek: Generations.
The arch is the one element I certainly won't remove since the thing I've always despised most about the Sovereign bridge is how they basically just threw a ton of consoles in there to clutter it up and fill the empty space when it doesn't really tie the whole thing together like John's original concept drawings did. Due to its actual shape (not how it appears on camera), the TNG arch actually doesn't serve much of a purpose either, apart from guiding your eyes along the different sections.
And all of you really should take a closer look at the pics Sean just linked to. Then you'll see why I always insist that I'm nowhere near where he was, even more so considering the technical limitations he had to work around back in those days.
@Sean: That one bridge actually started its life because that exact picture popped up on a different site and reminded me of the last time had seen it. A few days later while browsing through one of my references folders I then came across a pic of Doug Drexler and Denise Okuda joking around on the redress for some DS9 episode (not sure if it's the Saratoga or something else) and I could no longer resist.
You're right, the lighting and contrast is actually what I want to tackle quite soon, since that's what always makes my interiors seem too flat.
And we're pretty much on the same page, though in my case it's practically everything from ST5 to TNG and ST7. VOY has its appeal, but it's just something different.
It also frames the command section and kind of partitions it off from the rest of the bridge. Plus, there are at least a few episodes with battles in them where people grabbed onto it to stay in place. Though, on a few occasions, people also flew over the lower parts, so it was hit or miss in that function.
Best TNG action scenes. Cheesy but awesome for it!
@Sean: One of these days I'll really have to return to the idea of combining your two Romulan bridges with the ones from DS9 (plus the Romulan engineering rooms on TNG) and some Nemesis (Valdore redress of the Enterprise bridge and the rooms on Romulus) thrown in for good measure.
Why don't you just steal them from the person, it's what you do to me, chop off the credits and post away then bash them... hey why not the more the merrier eh Baylis?
And a nice look back to over 10 years ago, seanr.
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XBeOe0
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/5m69z
I love your Centaur bridge specifically, the Constitution one seems a little claustrophobic if I'm being honest.
Well, the Miranda bridge should make up for that.
As usual, the panorama view can be found over at ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/58nanJ
Here's the first stages of a bridge for Stuart Baldwin's Interceptor class, which long-time members will surely remember.
Panorama: https://kuula.co/post/7Pzmh
Easier to mount seatbelts.
360? panorama and more: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6anJkn
Loving your work! I honestly thought I'd be spending more time on bridges than I have recently. Starship interiors have always been a fascination for me.
Love the helm on this one.
One of his projects made me think what the bridge of a TNG Ambassador could look like if they approached it as a bona fide command center (even more than the explorer bridge of a Galaxy).
i really like the interceptor class! great work on that bridge. if you are interested to use my works on the MSD on that vessel, let me know.
Regarding this one: Although moving to something a bit larger than the TMP-TUC sized bridge is a good idea for the Ambassador-class, IMHO this one's maybe a bit too big and TNG-looking.. I could sort of imagine it as a brand new TNG era build though, like a third-gen batch of Ambassadors...
I definitely like the idea of using the curvy molded "shell"; that was one of my favorite parts on SeanR's version, too. The Con/Ops seated consoles up on the sides look good too - It's a cool change from the standup consoles that most designs put there. I'll have to remember that... (he said, as he saved the image to his ever-expanding Ideas Folder
I know you're going for the "busy C&C" look, but IMO the consoles to either side of the centre seat could perhaps stand to be nixed, to allow for a bit more flow. Maybe try a wooden version of the movie handrails instead, as a predecessor to the "horseshoe" rail?