3DBattle Carrier Redesign

SeanP

There were a lot of things I didn't really like about my battle carrier. I never liked how it looked from the front because it looked like it had a really weak chin. At first it didn't really matter to me because the image I created for my book cover showed the carrier from behind. Afterwards I was encouraged to write a technical guide to the carrier and give it to the people that buy my book. After rendering the carrier from all sides I decided I needed to fix the everything I didn't like. I want the carrier to look more "spaceshippy" and less "ocean shippy" too.

Simply modifying the existing hull proved difficult and since it was all rounded and had very few flat surfaces it was proving difficult to add nice looking detail. So I scrapped the main hull and designed a whole new one. The new hull is made up of a bunch of armor plates that have all flat surfaces so I can easily add tons of details. I also incorporated a large open "mouth" in the bow that will house a large navigational deflector dish, breaking thrusters, weapons, antennas and a bunch of techno greebles.

I also redesigned the engine section and will be adding tons of engine detail back there. Moving on from there I will redesign the edge of the flight deck, I will modify the superstructure with the same type of armor plating the main hull has and I will be changing the main hangar section on the flight deck.

The way I designed the armor plates will make it easy to add dirty textures to make it look more real than the original as well. The UNWRAP UVW just didn't work for me - I'm not very good at it.

Honestly not much of the original carrier will be left.

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Knight26

So, you realized that the wet navy design on a space carrier wasn't the way to go?

evil_genius_180

I really like this. As much as I liked the first design, this does look more space ship like and less water vessel.

SeanP

Knight26 wrote: »

So, you realized that the wet navy design on a space carrier wasn't the way to go?

Yes, that was part of it for sure. A bigger part of it was the difficulty in adding detail for the technical guide. It seemed that no matter what I tried I couldn't add detail that looked right to the curved hull.

SeanP

evil_genius_180 wrote: »

I really like this. As much as I liked the first design, this does look more space ship like and less water vessel.

Thanks evil_genius_180! I'm going to start adding detail today which will be lots easier with the flat surfaces.

Knight26

Are you still planning on a traditional island and flattop for take off and landings?

Knight26

If I might offer some suggestions should you still be going that dirrection:

SeanP

I am going to leave the original superstructure, the island and the big guns, but I want to redesign the hangar deck. I'm still going to have a flight deck, haven't designed it all yet.

SeanP

Thanks for the images, I was looking at some of the carriers in the Yamato universe for ideas. I have several ideas I'm toying with. I want this to be original and not an adaptation from another universe.

SeanP

I started working on the navigational deflector array and the radio array this morning. Much more detail to add yet.

New Hull 06.jpg

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psCargile

Do they land in water as well?

SeanP

psCargile wrote: »

Do they land in water as well?

No, it operates in space and in atmosphere, but never lands. It can hover above the ground like a Star Destroyer using an anti-gravity system.

SeanP

I finally had some time tonight to finish the greebles on the navigational deflector array. Did I mention I don't like greebling very much? LOL! I'm looking for ward to getting back to work on the hull tomorrow.

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Schimpfy

For not liking to greeble very much you pulled this off beautifully. This new direction for your carrier is producing some excellent results.

SeanP

Schimpfy wrote: »

For not liking to greeble very much you pulled this off beautifully. This new direction for your carrier is producing some excellent results.

Thanks Schimpfy!

SeanP

I didn't have much time to work on my battle carrier this week, just added some field constrictors to the navigational deflector array. Still need to greeble them. Yay more greebles!

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Hunter G

This is very satisfying to me, great details so far!

SeanP

Thanks Hunter G!

Just finished closing up the front end of the carrier and added the braking thruster.
All the thrusters on the ship are going to be replaced with more detailed ones a little later.

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evil_genius_180

This is looking really good so far, Sean. :thumb:

SeanP

Thanks evil_genius_180!

I just added some particle beam cannons near the bow. It seems to take forever for me to come up with something I like for these major details. Once they are all done I am going to swing back through everything and add a bunch of smaller greebles.

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SeanP

I added the more detailed braking thruster in the bow this morning. Now onto some more guns.

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evil_genius_180

I'm really liking the detail on the front of the ship.

SeanP

Thanks evil_genius_180!
There's a lot more detail to add yet.
I just finished copying the new thrusters to the back of the carrier.
Still need to adjust the spacing a little, but I will do that when I start to add the small details in the engine area.

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evil_genius_180

Looking good. I like your engine design.

SeanP

Thanks again evil_genius_180!
Today I started adding some details to the hull.
I added RCS thruster pods, reactor vent clusters and some small sensor pods in the little triangle pockets at the edge of the armor plates.
Lots more detail to add yet.

New Hull 20.jpg

SeanP

Added lots of detail today, lots more to go.

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Stormcloud

i assume the big glowing things on the underside are the reactors - i dont know about them - they kinda scream shoot me here - but otherwise looking good

SeanP

Thanks Stormcloud!
Actually those are the FTL drive field generators - sort of equivalent to the warp nacelles in Star Trek.
There are always sensitive areas on a ship to shoot at for almost any ship in scifi i.e. again the warp nacelles on a Star Trek ship.

evil_genius_180

Looking great, Sean. :thumb:

SeanP

Thanks evil_genius_180!

I've been busy adding windows to the hull today. More to come next week.

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SeanP

SIGH! I decided once I got the windows done on most of the hull that I didn't really like how they looked and that there were too many of them for a warship so I toasted them. Going to add detail another way. :rolleyes: