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3DAquarius Class - Blender

Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
edited January 2015 in Work in Progress #1
Yup, another new one. xD

With all of my previous ships I've started big and gone smaller. Usually I do the saucer first and then go from there. I decided this time, to see how I would get on starting smaller and working my way bigger. I began with the bridge and shall be taking it from there, I think. Not quite sure where this ship is going to fit in, most likely somewhere between Ent-TOS.

I have an idea of what the overall profile of the ship shall be (I should probably sketch that down.) but not the finer details. I'm not trying to hard to make it look pre-TOS/ Pre-1960's. This one's more art form than trying to fit it in.

Here's where I'm at so far:

http://vortex5972.deviantart.com/gallery/51046287/Aquarius

(Linked to album as I keep getting an "exceeds your quota" message.)

aquarius_by_vortex5972-d7xt5sf.jpg

aquarius1_by_vortex5972-d7xt5t5.jpg

aquarius2_by_vortex5972-d7xt5tc.jpg
Post edited by Vortex5972 on
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  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Nice start. It definitely has an Ent-TOS look to it.

    Yeah, you only get so much room for attachments here. I used to have issues with that before I started using external sites.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Thankyou. :)

    How to you put your pictures in then? I've always used the insert button and 'From URL'.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    aquarius2_by_vortex5972-d7xt5tc.jpg

    Hit "Reply With Quote" to see the code for that. ;)
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    AHA!! Thankyou. :D

    Gonna have to remember that one.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Okay then, a slight change of plan here. I was going through my WIP folders the other day and came across some old stuff that I forgot was there. One was the beginnings of my own take on the NX-Class. This is sort of my own alternate reality. Story wise etc, it's all the same as the Prime-Line, just a re-visualization more than anything else.

    I used a front ortho of the NX-Class to start with ages ago. All I needed to do before carrying on was to switch Blender to meters and scale the saucer up.

    I decided that I'm gonna go with this project and try to have the model as near finished as I can by the end of the year. So as not to waste what I've already done for the Aquarius, I've recycled the bridge. You can see two sets of impulse engines here, I'm only keeping one. I'm leaning towards the saucer engines as that'll give me more room in the aft hull for engineering and I won't have to cut anything out.

    I like the idea of the spine/tails but they do need work. Nacelles are currently placeholders but I did learn that the thickness modifier is the best way of adding depth to those cutouts. Here, you can also see Bob at work.

    vortexverse_nx_class___01_by_vortex5972-d7yojb6.jpg


    vortexverse_nx_class___02_by_vortex5972-d7yojbj.jpg


    vortexverse_nx_class___03_by_vortex5972-d7yojbr.jpg


    vortexverse_nx_class___04_by_vortex5972-d7yojc8.jpg


    Just need top get the thread renamed now.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    I've decided to go with the saucer engines. I've moved the nacelles up and mocked in some pylons. I put them higher up than I tend to like so that they aren't blocking the impulse engines in the aft view. You can also see the warp field governor. This is currently two decks thick, with the bottom deck intended to house engineering. This means upgrades to the warp core can be done by installing a new pod and it serves as a good eject function.

    EDIT: I'm stuck for deflector ideas. I don't want a secondary hull, I've tried building a nose/snout but haven't liked anything I've done. I'm thinking of doing it NX style instead, if I can figure out how to make the cut in the saucer.

    front_by_vortex5972-d7ysjqz.jpg

    aft_by_vortex5972-d7ysjqv.jpg


    vortexverse_nx_class___05_by_vortex5972-d7ysjbw.jpg


    vortexverse_nx_class___06_by_vortex5972-d7ysjc8.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___07_by_vortex5972-d7ysjcg.jpg
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    I like it. I tend to like NX-like ships with a solid central section as opposed to the catamarans.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Thanks. I tend to lean towards the solid hull as well. I need to figure out what to do with the back there. I don't like the way that it just ends.

    I've always wanted to see an NX-Class with phaser strips and a FC era paint scheme. I've always thought that that would look cool. I may have to give it a go someday. And no, I don't mean the Akira. :p

    I think that I'm going to thicken those pylons out a bit.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Okay then. I've added a little more thickness to the pylons, started to de-square the back end and decided to test another approach to the bridge area. I think that I'm liking this slightly more integrated look better.

    vortexverse_nx_class___08_by_vortex5972-d7ywnw2.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___09_by_vortex5972-d7ywnwd.jpg
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Worked some on the nacelles, a certain new shot of the NX Refit helped there. :) I've not yet felt brave enough to cut out the saucer front. I like the smoothness of it. xD

    I've been tinkering with the idea of a hull. It makes the back end look less flat in the side views, but the deflector looks undersized. I may consider this for a possible refit version later down the line, not sure if I'm going to keep it for now.

    side_by_vortex5972-d7z0210.jpg

    sidehull_by_vortex5972-d7z0217.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___10_by_vortex5972-d7z021i.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___11_by_vortex5972-d7z021m.jpg
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    The lower bulge of your saucer is partially obstructing the navigational deflector, limiting its deflecting capabilities. If you put a planetary sensor dome there, it's going to probably be mostly blocked.

    Other than that technical issue, everything is looking good. I really like the nacelles so far.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    That's one of the reasons I don't like that hull, I can't get a decent sized deflector on it either. I've ditched it, for now, having figured out what was bugging me in the side view before.

    It was too flat, so I've done a little reshaping. I've also shrunk the front of the nacelles and bussards a little and added the sensor dome. I've also learned of the inset tool. xD

    side2_by_vortex5972-d7z0vka.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___12_by_vortex5972-d7z0vpm.jpg
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Here's where I'm leaving it for tonight. It's starting to shape up. :)

    vortexverse_nx_class___13_by_vortex5972-d7z1uvn.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___14_by_vortex5972-d7z1uw1.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___15_by_vortex5972-d7z1uwb.jpg
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Yeah, it's looking really good so far. :thumb:
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Thankyou. A little more work here on the details.

    vortexverse_nx_class___16_by_vortex5972-d7z5gee.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___17_by_vortex5972-d7z5gen.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___18_by_vortex5972-d7z5gf3.jpg

    vortexverse_nx_class___19_by_vortex5972-d7z5gfh.jpg
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    I like the running light, it's very Enterprise-ish. Are you also going to do some of the bell-shaped RCS thrusters?
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    I was thinking off, yes. I'm looking over the NX-01 and NC-10 for details, just to try and tie it in better. Also because those details were amazing. I'm planning on small dishes etc around the saucer rim as well.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Do you have the detail closeup pics from Doug Drexler's old blog?
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    I have some, not sure whether I have them all.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    I can put what I have in a zip file and you can download it and see if I've got any you don't. :)
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Here, I zipped my entire NX01 references folder:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/j1lb92p1w5zoe71/NX01.zip?dl=0

    I have all kinds of stuff, some from DrexFiles, some from other places. I'm one of those people where, if I find a shot of a model that I like and don't have, I put it in a reference folder. I even have some screen caps I made and a closeup of the little access hatches that Jenny DeSalle did for me a while back. :)
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Oh, excellent. Thankyou. :D I take them when I think about it. xD I do have a folder full of pictures of the Ent-E model.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    No problem. I'm always happy to share references. :)
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Don't suppose you know how big Enterprises shuttle pods are supposed to be? I can't really do the shuttlebay without knowing how big the doors should be. :p
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    They're about the size of a minivan. Beyond that, it's likely only the people who made the full-sized mock ups know for sure. If you want guesstimates, approximately 6 to 6.9 meters long. (sources: Ex Astris Scientia and Memory Beta)
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    I may build an original shuttle for it, then. I'll make 7 meters my target size. Still, one thing at a time.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    First pass at the bussards and I've ended up blocking in a drydock.

    vortexverse_nx_class___20_by_vortex5972-d7za9of.jpg
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    Double post again...

    Bonus shot:

    vortexverse_nx_class___21_by_vortex5972-d7zadce.jpg
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    The bussards look interesting, though I'm waiting for Pac-Man to come and eat them. :p

    The rear shot looks really nice. Good use of the persistent vBulletin double post bug.
  • Vortex5972Vortex5972321 Posts: 1,202Member
    I've based the bussards off of the NX refit. They still need some work. I need to decide what colour I want the impulse engines to be.
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