3DAlternate NX-01

Rekkert

Looking through an old folder with conceptual designs I came upon an alternate design for the NX-01 created by Paul Frenczli. After googling it I found that it came from an old article on Ex Astris Scientia about the problems the NX presented to the ship lineage. Paul's design was presented as an example of a similar ship that nevertheless looks more in line with the original 1701.



Anyway, I started to toy with the idea of creating it as a 3D model. Not to suppress the original NX-01 or anything like that, (I'm okay with the NX's design), but simply because I liked it and I thought it would be a challenge given that it's more complex than my previous models.

I'm approaching this to make this model much more detailed than my TOS ships, but far less detailed than a TMP or later design. So, for example, hull lines and such don't necessarily match up, but the texture and hull details will be much deeper than my previous ships.

Most of the basics are already in place and somewhat detailed, but no part is finalized yet. The shape of the catamarans in particular may be modified in the future. I'm hoping to be able to UV map this ship in order to learn how to do that, which will later allow me to convert my models to .obj format.

Comments and critics are, as always, welcomed.

spacefighter

nice work and good panel lines already just about visible. my heck that's a short hull though. i like the double "tail" arrangement but think that the pylon area needs to be stretched along the y(forward-backward) axis. that said this weird short length of pylons is only really clear from certain angles. as long as that short hull, which hangs very low considering it's size, does not stand out too much this could be a very nice model.

publiusr

That is very clean. Looks nice!

Rekkert

Some more work done. Basically I've finished the secondary (or tertiary;)) hull, and added more details on the catamarans and nacelles.

As this is a project in which I want to apply all the stuff I can't on TOS ships, I'm also adding some lights like on the canon NX-01. Their positioning won't be exactly the same though.

evil_genius_180

I always enjoy your builds and you're doing a great job so far, though I personally think it would look better without the little secondary hull. Just my opinion. Build wise, it's looking nice and clean so far.

Rekkert

I see that little hull isn't very popular around here.:) To me, it's probably the thing I like the most of this version of the NX over the others, as I never liked the deflector on the front of the saucer. But maybe, like spacefighter said, it' hanging too low for it's own good.

Anyway, as much as I tried to modify the shape to avoid it, I had to remake the whole catamarans, as they weren't very faithful to the original design. I'm still in the process of re-adding all the details that were already there on the previous version, but it won't take me much longer.

I've also added some more details on the nacelles; and also modified the pylons to become thinner at the end, as the ones of the canon NX-01, I think they look much better this way.

evil_genius_180

To me, it's the size and how low it hangs. It's so useless looking, in my opinion. It looks just big enough to house the deflector works and that's it. But, it's your ship and if you like it, that's what's important.

Everything else is looking great. I like the new shape for the catamarans better than what you had before.

Rekkert

Yeah, in the original blueprints it's shown that the only thing housed there is the deflector and the aft sensor pallet. I like the idea that it gives a sense of modularity to the design. Like, maybe latter during the Earth-Romulan War they could've swapped it with a pod loaded with weapons, or something like that.
It also gives the impression, in my opinion, that the deflector is still an experimental technology that occupies a lot more space than latter models, or maybe even isn't completely safe yet. After all, if this is the first warp 5 ship then maybe it's also the first one equipped with a proper deflector array.



A little bit of backstory/future-plans is ahead. I've used the spoiler tag simply because it's pretty long and I don't want this post to be eternal for you if you're only interested on the modeling part of this:

I've come up with the following production list for the class (all names based on the US OVs, the proposed Buran-Class OVs, and the test vehicles/mock-ups of both programs):

1st prototype:
NX-01 Enterprise
2nd prototype:
NX-02 Columbia
1st production batch:
NX-03 Challenger
NX-04 Discovery
NX-05 Atlantis
NX-06 Endeavour
NX-07 Pathfinder
2nd production batch:
NX-08 Buran
NX-09 Ptichka
NX-10 Baikal
NX-11 Inspiration
NX-12 Explorer
NX-13 Kosmos
NX-14 Adventure
NX-15 Resolution

The first and second prototypes were test-beds for different technological breakthroughs, and hence are very different from each other. Once actual production began - a couple of years after each prototype was already commissioned - the best parts of each prototype was chosen for the proposed ships, while also making some minor changes to the design. Then when the second batch came, more changes were made.

I'm planning on making 4 ships of the class, Enterprise, Columbia, one from batch NA°1, and one from batch NA°2. As each batch will be different, each of those ships will have changes.
For example, Columbia won't have a deflector dish, instead, the module will have a sensor pallet similar to the one seen on Daedalus, with it's "drum-like" deflector.

BTW, I'm not sure if I'll add "UESPA" on the registry numbers as shown on the original design. What do you guys/gals think? Same with a UES prefix for the name. "UESPA-NX-01 UES Enterprise" is a bit too much isn't it.

Now to the model itself!

Up to this point I've been using the horrendous viewport background feature of 3DS Max to display the references images. As anyone who uses Max knows, it doesn't make it exactly easy, as the images will change size or resolution at will without reason. Now, after only 30 seconds searching for a solution via Google, I've found a better way to display my references using planes; I should've done that a long time ago. :shiner:

Anyway, than means that now I had way more accurate references, and hence I found that my model was pretty inaccurate. I had to make modifications almost everywhere to have the proportions and locations match the original design. The saucer was made smaller, the deflector pod was moved closer to the saucer in both Y and Z axis, the pylons were moved forward, and lots of other changes were made.

Oh, and I've also added more details everywhere. The nacelle caps are finished, the saucer now has red stripes and a lower sensor dome, the lights now have modeled sources, etc.

Aresius

certainly looks well thought-out.

evil_genius_180

I'll admit, the little deflector thing is starting to grow on me. Of course, it helps that your modeling is excellent, as usual.

spacefighter

nice cutaway and cool blueprints style image.

Rekkert

@evil_genius_180: Oh, stop it, you.

@spacefighter: yeah, they are amazing. They're not mine though, they were made by Paul Frenczli. I'm merely translating his redesign to 3D. Now that I think about it, I should probably contact him and tell him about this.

simoni: Thanks! I'm using 3DS Max.

It seems I've been in front of the computer with Max opened the entire Saturday.
I've added all the running lights, most of the remaining red markings, the weapons emplacements, and the whole bridge area. There are probably several little changes that I'm forgetting to mention, so I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

BTW, I've started to render my WIP images in 1920x1080. You can open them on a separate tab to see them in all their glory.

The Librarian

It's looking grand! For some reason, I've always thought extending the pylons down like that really helps make the NX design look more distinctive, and I do love a good sensor pod. I have to question placing a deflector that far back, given that it means the saucer cuts into its 'field of fire' even more than usual, but it looks good and that's the main thing.

All in all, a great looking realisation of a neat design.

VK08

Well the reason that the Refit has such a large secondary hull (on the official one) is that there is a secondary warp core/setup in the new Engineering hull, as well as the primary warp core in it's old location center rear inbetween the two cargo bays, in the refit, those are now shuttlebays, as well as the two underneath ones (you lose two with the neck) but it's so they can always have one warp reactor running while the other one is being upgraded en route and swapped out.. the Warp governor also sits in the engineering hull now instead of dangling by the pylons..

Dunno if that answers some questions as to why the refit looks like it does and doesn't just have a little dangling deflector/sensor thingie

Rekkert

Thanks Librarian! I have to agree with you about the reduced field of fire. I rationalized that maybe in this era, where deflector dishes were actual dishes, they were only capable of shooting straight forward.

I've just finished the plasma grills. Some of the elements were reused from the Valley Forge, but polys were added where needed and removed where needed (some pieces had way more polys than necessary, I should really clean
up the VF model someday:p). Except for the shuttlebay, all the basics are now in place and almost finished.

Yesterday I've also worked on finishing the "B Deck" structure, and I've started putting windows all over the ship.
I've also heavily modified the Bussard texture, adding some clouds and changing the color to make it match the canon NX-01 better. The fins are also barely visible now.

Remember to open the pictures separately to see them better.




Oh, and I'm also having fun with the self illumination on this ship. More spotlights on the way!

evil_genius_180

Personally, I don't like setting up lights until I have the textures on, that way I don't have to go back later and adjust the intensities. But, to each his/her own.

The modeling is looking great. So are the lights.

My browser won't open the images in separate tabs, but I can right-click on them and view them larger in this tab.

Rekkert

@VK08: I think that, given the original NX-01, the refit makes a lot of sense from a technical point of view. Having a separate warp core on the secondary hull is logical, and I'm planning to implement something similar in one the refits.

@evil_genius_180: I know that I'll have to modify those lights later, but I just couldn't wait to put them there.

I realized that I was putting a lot of effort in making some parts of the ship really high-poly, but that there were some areas that weren't detailed enough to keep up. Most prominent among those areas were the hull lines of the saucer. In the original NX-01, these lines cut out before colliding with the catamarans or other area of the ship, but this wasn't reflected in my model. So now I'm in the process of editing said lines to add that other layer of realism.

evil_genius_180

Looking good. The only thing I don't like about those lines on the original NX is how they just end. They stop suddenly. From the standpoint of this being a grid, that's not good because the grid is incomplete. On other ships with etched grid lines, there's a radial line at which all of the "spoke" type lines stop, so they don't just suddenly end. But, I guess that wasn't something they wanted to do on the NX-era ships.

VK08

evil_genius_180 wrote: »

Looking good. The only thing I don't like about those lines on the original NX is how they just end. They stop suddenly. From the standpoint of this being a grid, that's not good because the grid is incomplete. On other ships with etched grid lines, there's a radial line at which all of the "spoke" type lines stop, so they don't just suddenly end. But, I guess that wasn't something they wanted to do on the NX-era ships.

It's not a "grid" on the NX that's why EG.. it's some extra paneling..

Saquist

It's an improve over the original in a huge way but it still needs hemming to make it more of predecessor to Connie.

-avoid cut-outs in the hull
-The booms should either be circular or rectangular or even Hex/Octogonal (for torsional stress flexibility)
-Make the booms part of the ship's full underside. Don't waste the space by making them one flat piece between the two booms (adds strength and space)
-You really don't need a needle on the dish. (That was a sixities style future look and I've done every thing possible to remove it from my connie.)

Good job getting ride of the square meaningless forward bulge.
Fantastic job getting ride of the Forward deflector (It only countered the entire purpose of a saucer to enhance the warp field)
Great original bridge work that looks connie-esque

Finally someone that understands what was wrong with that ship!

MadKoiFish

evil_genius_180 wrote: »

Looking good. The only thing I don't like about those lines on the original NX is how they just end. They stop suddenly. From the standpoint of this being a grid, that's not good because the grid is incomplete. On other ships with etched grid lines, there's a radial line at which all of the "spoke" type lines stop, so they don't just suddenly end. But, I guess that wasn't something they wanted to do on the NX-era ships.

From my understanding those circular grids that sorta just stop are part of a mechanical repair arm or shuttle track to ferry crew about on the ships surface. Least if those are the ones you mean lol.

Only crit I have is mostly a modeling one. If at all possible NEVER cut hull grids patterns or decals on existing geometry. IE cut between other edges that make up any geometrical changes in the surface of the object. This avoids that segmenty, flatfaced, or stepped look.
There is a tut here ion SFM that explains what I am talking about better.
I can see this distortion in some of the lateral edges near the cargo bay doors and those 2 tight radial grooves.

http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/showthread.php?41652-Smooth-Panels-App-unspecific

Stormcloud

beautifully modeled - my nx-01 is my first real attempt at a trek ship beacuse i find curved shapes a nightmare but yours are just so smooth - have to say though i think i like the nx-01 scoop on front dorsal section - for me it jsut works - though without it this ship is screaming ST:TOS which i'm assuming is the goal - anyway excelent work so far keep it up

Rekkert

@evil_genius_180 and VK08: Yeah, whatever their function is, they're unlike any other hull lines on other ships out there, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did it that way just for the sake of being different. That being said, I actually like them.

@Saquist: Thanks for the suggestions, but I'm not trying to make this fit so close into the Connie style. If I wanted to make a TOS era ship, I've got my Siegfried, Madero, and Tereshkova Classes halfway done.
Something that I think most people forget is that the NX not only incorporates things from the Connie; but also from real, current space technology. It's supposed to bridge the gap between those two realities, not stay completely true to one of them and ignore the other.
Think of it this way: the NX predates the Connie by some 100 years. If it would have the same style of details and shapes, that would mean that starship designs didn't advance at all for all those years! It would be like having the original Connie fly during the timeframe of Star Trek Online on the 25th century... oh, wait...

@MadKoiFish: I didn't know that, thanks! I'll be redoing the ones where the distortion is most obvious. If I were to redo all I would have to start the model all over.

@Stormcloud: Thanks so much! Yeah, that whole frontal area makes a big change on the overall design, it can look so different with so little changes.

Anyway, back to the ship...

The shuttlebay is almost done. I've been mostly correcting some geometry errors and cleaning the mesh lately, so there isn't much to show.



Reciently I had to kill some time at work while waiting for some clients to finish a troubleshooting, so I made this:

spacefighter

i must say that's quite a nice logo. well thought out.

Rekkert

Thanks , it's based heavily on the one they used on the series.

I've finally finished the shuttlebay. That area brought me more trouble than it should have.
All the windows on the saucer are now in place, and I remade several hull lines following MadKoiFish's advice.

Don't mind the smoothing errors in this render, I've already corrected them.




A couple of weeks ago I've sent an email to Paul to tell him about this model, to see if he had any comments or advices. He didn't mail me back, maybe he changed his address, maybe he doesn't want to.

Anyway, I needed to ask him what those yellow thing on the saucer edge are, because I have no idea. If any of you know what they could be, please tell me. I have to model them and I don't want to do it without knowing what they are!

BlueNeumann

"Our affiliation is United Earth Space Probe Agency!" Can't wait to see that livery in action (and I do love the update to the patch as well).

evil_genius_180

The rear shuttlebay doors being curved like that are problematic. With the way they're constructed, they couldn't possibly open. That part on the schematics looks flat, like it is on the TV NX-01.

Stormcloud

i dont know if you've modeled this to scale or not - but i'd have a look at the shuttle bay's size - mine isn't to scale but when i compared the size i had for shuttle bay to the size of the windows in teh saucer section the shuttle bay was to small - can say for certain from the view of yours but it looks about the same size as i had mine originally

Rekkert

@BlueNeumann: You've gotta love acronyms!

@evil_genius_180: Dammit, I never realized that. I wanted to make the shuttlebay an extruded area that came out of the saucer, like on the original NX; but given the modified shape of said saucer, it's impossible to make it look good that way AND make it completely flat. So I'll have to redo it as a little cutout on the saucer, like the lateral cargo bays.

@Stormcloud: Yeah, the first version I did wasn't big enough, but for the last one I posted here I made sure those doors were big enough. They are a tight fit though.

I've added all the lateral red stripes for the UESPA pennants (even though I don't know if they'll be replaced by a texture or not yet), and started adding more illumination.
Even while I'm not finished with the modeling I've started the painful work that is UVW mapping this thing. For that I've disassembled the model is as many smaller parts as I could. I know that probably that isn't the most efficient way to go, but I found it the easiest. If anyone can give me a hand or some advice on how you do it, it would be most welcome.

Rekkert

Shuttlebay v3.0.

On another note, seriously, does anybody have any idea what those yellow things around the saucer could be?

evil_genius_180

That looks great. :thumb:

As for the yellow things, not a clue. However, if I had to guess, I'd say possibly sensor arrays.