@Rusty0918: Well, the producers had to balance budget into the equation, which is something we don't have to take into account.
Even though sometimes I would've love to see different sets (like the Enterprise-C bridge we mentioned a long time ago), the job the set designers did with the little resources they had available is unbelievable, and they did some pretty creative stuff as a result of it (like the Odyssey's tactical arc).
Not to mention, I do like the elegance of the smaller consoles for the XO/Specialist the Enterprise-D had. The Galaxy looks good with those big consoles, and it does make sense because it's the prototype and because of the usage those stations get, but I prefer the Enterprise's consoles myself.
@Starscream: Huh, I never thought about adding the Ent-E black lines on Galaxy style consoles... Not on the Odyssey, as JMP11 said, but I'll keep those in mind for future projects...
@JMP11: I don't think I'll be able to fit the handle bars in, we would've seen them on screen. As for the other two details, I already thought about how to add them.
I spent a long while making sure the aft consoles were correct, and improving the topology. I've also added the Excelsior style floor lights and padded elements at the back of the bridge.
For all my finished Trek fan art, please visit my portfolio
I must say I love the conn/helm stations on the Enterprise-E and it's styling and even thought about requesting them for this bridge, it would be interesting to see how they fit in. But I think we can assume they weren't on the Odyssey. However, if I requested a custom bridge I think I would want to see the tactical arc paired with the Enterprise-E's forward consoles.
@Rekkert It maybe too early to discuss, but what do you think about adding a small replicator on that side wall and the ship's plaque on the the other side? Placing them as forward as possible, not in the middle of the wall. I could also see them being out of sight behind the aft stations, a person would have to walk through those aft exits to see them/ use the replicator.
@JMP11 - the Ent-E Conn/Ops would work for perhaps a different class starship, perhaps the Akira, Steamrunner, or something of that nature.
I like the Ent-D Conn/Ops better though. I have a thing for that design. One of the things I had in mind was that they were easily replaceable if they were damaged beyond repair - just pop the old one out and put a new one in.
Agreed; the modularity -both externally and internally- of Starfleet designs always made sense. I'd hoped that after the Ent-D the multi-use console design would be refined further.
@Starscream: Hahaha, well intended or not, you placed an idea on my head! Those consoles will end up somewhere!
@JMP11: Well, those walls with the lights and padding were seen very clearly during the battle (even in some split seconds with explosions happening they get really iluminated, so they'll be really easy to reproduce). On the two walls going to the back section of the bridge would be a better place, either that or at the front of the bridge, IMO. We can certainly try out different locations further down the line.
@Rusty0918: I agree, I prefer the TNG style consoles, but I like both.
I've finished the overall shape of the tactical station. I completely redid all the elements except for the central column, it was a pain to get it to align with all the references...
For all my finished Trek fan art, please visit my portfolio
@Starscream: Hahaha, well intended or not, you placed an idea on my head! Those consoles will end up somewhere!
@JMP11: Well, those walls with the lights and padding were seen very clearly during the battle (even in some split seconds with explosions happening they get really iluminated, so they'll be really easy to reproduce). On the two walls going to the back section of the bridge would be a better place, either that or at the front of the bridge, IMO. We can certainly try out different locations further down the line.
@Rusty0918: I agree, I prefer the TNG style consoles, but I like both.
I've finished the overall shape of the tactical station. I completely redid all the elements except for the central column, it was a pain to get it to align with all the references...
That's coming together pretty awesome. it's a strange bridge but it's growing on me seeing it through your work here.
@Rekkert Sounds good, the more I look at it the more I wouldn’t want them on that wall, let’s try a few different spots when the time comes, they would fit good in the forward area if the flat wall panels don’t work there. The tactical arc does look like a pain to figure out. But your work is awesome!
This is an odd bridge but I like what you're doing. Looking at the way in which they shot the scenes for this bridge, I wonder whether they were trying to hide the fact that it wasn't the Enterprises's bridge. (Had Generations filmed by this point?)
This is an odd bridge but I like what you're doing. Looking at the way in which they shot the scenes for this bridge, I wonder whether they were trying to hide the fact that it wasn't the Enterprises's bridge. (Had Generations filmed by this point?)
I think that was the idea in the way the shot the scenes. However, we observant people could see through it.
I doubt Generations was being filmed; "The Jem'Hadar" was the second season finale, my guess is Generations was being filmed in between the second and third seasons of DS9.
Makes me wonder why they didn't/couldn't use the D bridge, then. If the idea was to shock the audience that even the Enterprise would've been quickly overcome, using the same bridge would have doubled down on that.
Makes me wonder why they didn't/couldn't use the D bridge, then. If the idea was to shock the audience that even the Enterprise would've been quickly overcome, using the same bridge would have doubled down on that.
Here's my two cents - it was being redressed for Generations and couldn't really be readily made available for the DS9 episode when it came out.
Regarding why they couldn't use the the Enterprise-D bridge, indeed Generations was being filmed. The movie started principal filming at the end of March 1993, pretty much as TNG ended production, and filmed until June. "The Jem'Hadar" was filmed in April, right in the middle of Generations.
I've added most details on the aft consoles. I was surprised when I noticed that the pillars at each side of the consoles don't have the usual 'holes' they had on the Excelsior/Prometheus. At least some effort was made to make them more 24th Century.
For all my finished Trek fan art, please visit my portfolio
Actually, I would believe the "holes" were present. We didn't get a good view of the buttresses in "The Jem'Hadar," they probably were there but no one noticed. But I do like the idea of the buttresses not having them.
@Rusty0918 Nope, they seem to be gone, I found a good screen shot and increased the brightness.
@Rekkert Have you been able to determine if they also closed off those aft exits? If they closed those "holes" they may have closed off those exits also, to make the aft center work station larger. In the second screen shot it looks like those center stations are similar to the center aft wall stations on Voyager or the LCARS panels stretch below what an adult could stand there and see/use.
You know, those consoles in the far aft alcove behind Keogh almost look like they could be regular Galaxy consoles... sorta.
Also thinking on that area, I had an idea JMP11: Unless we actually did catch a glimpse of closed doors at either side of the aft alcove (I don't think we did), have you and Rekkert considered maybe having them just as openings that lead to Galaxy-style padded foyers? You could then have the turbolift, head, and conference lounge exits in the same locations as usual, so as to fit the studio model... Food for thought?
@Starscream We haven't discussed it, but that is an option if the aft alcove wasn't closed off as I suggested it might be. I don't think we get a good look at the side walls of the alcove in the episode. Captain Keogh's head was always in the way
I have thought about suggesting the side doors are just openings that either lead to a corridor or foyer as you suggested.
I am absolutely beyond loving this. As far as I’m concerned, THIS is the true battle bridge of a Galaxy-Class Starship. I love what you’re doing, 100%. Don’t change a thing!
@Rusty0918: Hehe, I made sure to check. it's very noticeable here that both the console side and the little ceiling support at the side had new panels added in to cover those holes.
@JMP11: No, the aft doors aren't seen at all, however we also don't see anyone going in or out of them, so they might or might not be there. as far as I can tell. We do see that the aft consoles are a bit wider than on the Saratoga, but they don't go from wall to wall.
@Starscream: If only he would sit down a for a bit, why was he standing up in the middle of a battle anyway?!
@BolianAdmiral: Haha, thank you! Unfortunately, I have to change stuff in order to finish this.
I've worked on the side walls. it's really hard to see the wall colors so they might be beige or grey like on the Prometheus, I'll have to keep looking at it for a while.
One odd thing to notice is that these walls have a different texture on the right side than on the left one. On the left side of the bridge, as you can see on the render below, there are two rows of a grey textured material, similar to the one used everywhere on Voyager. This textured material was always there, as we can see on the Saratoga and Norkova. On the right side however, a different pattern was used, and starting with the Norkova, illumination was added behind it. This illumination was changed for the Prometheus.
I have no idea why this asymmetry was done except perhaps to only film some ships from one side and make them look more different because of the changed textures. This does make sense as the left side on the Saratoga and Norkova was only seen very briefly during action shots with a lot of movement, and we can only appreciate them today going frame by frame.
Anyway, here's the wall so far. JMP11, do you want me to keep this patter for the right side as well, or to add the illuminated patter there as we see on the other ships?
For all my finished Trek fan art, please visit my portfolio
No reflection upon Rekkert (obviously! ) but that's one fugly mess they built into those corners. You'd think they'd at least put some Galaxy-esque padding there for the Odyssey, instead of the Voyager greebtastic griddling.
Between that and the color clash of lilac with beige, I'm starting to wonder what the set design team were smoking by the end of DS9 season 2...
I've been thinking of a variant of this bridge for the USS Venture - the Galaxy-class ship with the extra phaser strips. Instead of those electrical trunks they have in those corners, there would be additional doors for a ready room and emergency turbolift perhaps (conference lounge and heads would be accessible via those egress openings in the aft, if they are present). LCARS would be Voyager style with Voyager color templates and the command seating being Voyager style as well. Conn and Ops would be TNG style of course, but with newer Voyager style instrumentation. Perhaps some bio-neural panels as well (if the ship got refitted with a bio-neural computer). That or perhaps another sister ship. Oh and the doors would be Voyager style as well.
@JMP11: Very well, I've copied that patter onto the other side.
@Starscream: Hahaha, the walls are certainly... unique...
Regarding the lilac color, yeah the combination is weird, but they didn't have much of a choice there, as the chairs were reused as they were from the Pasteur set, which was used just a few weeks before, no time to change their color.
@Rusty0918: That does sound good! Given the way this bridge was build, possibilities are endless here.
I've done the first prototype for the ceiling. This isn't final by any means as I've already identified several inaccuracies in it, but the general shape is correct. Also, I've changed the overall set color to beige, with just some details left in grey. After further analyzing the bridge scene, I think this is more accurate to how it looked.
For all my finished Trek fan art, please visit my portfolio
@Rekkert yeah I figured as much re: the seating. They didn't need to repeat the bloody problem with the wall padding though! I did like the look of lighter seating, though it woulda been substantially better IMO if it had been a faded grey-white-beige to contrast the darker background.
The bridge certainly looks better (and more spacious!) now we're getting a wider angle view. I like your approach to the ceiling too - it ties in with the overall more angular appearance of this Galaxy Bridge.
I do have one suggestion if I may: Rather than have those weird skinny butresses to the port and starboard, why not replicate the ones to either side of the rear consoles? They're a similar angle, and would give a more uniform appearance... Plus, as IIRC the Saratoga set had those same supports in that location but with the angular holes lit - so it's not exactly "stretching canon"
Actually, @Rekkert and @JMP11 - I was more than thinking of perhaps using this bridge style in 2372 for a refit of the USS Galaxy.
After the destruction of the Enterprise-D, the Galaxy is scheduled for a massive refit and layover at San Francisco Fleet Yards. This upgrade includes Type XII phaser arrays ala Enterprise-E (with extra arrays on the nacelles), rapid fire torpedo tubes to replace the burst ones - with the forward one firing quantums, auto-modulated shielding (possibly regenerative), a better SIF, Enterprise-E style warp core, bio-neural computer system, EMH, etc. The Galaxy's saucer gets a warp sled, while the drive section on the dorsal part gets four rapid fire phaser pulse cannons a la Defiant for use in separated flight mode. And a newer more utilitarian bridge module based off this design.
Instead of the Voyager command seating style, perhaps we can adapt the Hathaway command seating style here. Again, LCARS would be updated to be more like what we saw on Voyager as are the doors.
I love your approach to the ceiling! So far, I'm loving everything about this. Even though it's an obvious re-dress of the TMP set, as has so often been the case, the way you have this laid out (and lit) makes it somehow feel more "open".
@JMP11: Very well, I've copied that patter onto the other side.
@Starscream: Hahaha, the walls are certainly... unique...
Regarding the lilac color, yeah the combination is weird, but they didn't have much of a choice there, as the chairs were reused as they were from the Pasteur set, which was used just a few weeks before, no time to change their color.
@Rusty0918: That does sound good! Given the way this bridge was build, possibilities are endless here.
I've done the first prototype for the ceiling. This isn't final by any means as I've already identified several inaccuracies in it, but the general shape is correct. Also, I've changed the overall set color to beige, with just some details left in grey. After further analyzing the bridge scene, I think this is more accurate to how it looked.
This is really coming together. Loving the look even with the wonky colors.;)
Posts
Even though sometimes I would've love to see different sets (like the Enterprise-C bridge we mentioned a long time ago), the job the set designers did with the little resources they had available is unbelievable, and they did some pretty creative stuff as a result of it (like the Odyssey's tactical arc).
Not to mention, I do like the elegance of the smaller consoles for the XO/Specialist the Enterprise-D had. The Galaxy looks good with those big consoles, and it does make sense because it's the prototype and because of the usage those stations get, but I prefer the Enterprise's consoles myself.
@Starscream: Huh, I never thought about adding the Ent-E black lines on Galaxy style consoles... Not on the Odyssey, as JMP11 said, but I'll keep those in mind for future projects...
@JMP11: I don't think I'll be able to fit the handle bars in, we would've seen them on screen. As for the other two details, I already thought about how to add them.
I spent a long while making sure the aft consoles were correct, and improving the topology. I've also added the Excelsior style floor lights and padded elements at the back of the bridge.
The aft consoles look great to me; I sense TUC-era bridge commissions in your future
@Rekkert It maybe too early to discuss, but what do you think about adding a small replicator on that side wall and the ship's plaque on the the other side? Placing them as forward as possible, not in the middle of the wall. I could also see them being out of sight behind the aft stations, a person would have to walk through those aft exits to see them/ use the replicator.
I like the Ent-D Conn/Ops better though. I have a thing for that design. One of the things I had in mind was that they were easily replaceable if they were damaged beyond repair - just pop the old one out and put a new one in.
@JMP11: Well, those walls with the lights and padding were seen very clearly during the battle (even in some split seconds with explosions happening they get really iluminated, so they'll be really easy to reproduce). On the two walls going to the back section of the bridge would be a better place, either that or at the front of the bridge, IMO. We can certainly try out different locations further down the line.
@Rusty0918: I agree, I prefer the TNG style consoles, but I like both.
I've finished the overall shape of the tactical station. I completely redid all the elements except for the central column, it was a pain to get it to align with all the references...
That's coming together pretty awesome. it's a strange bridge but it's growing on me seeing it through your work here.
I think that was the idea in the way the shot the scenes. However, we observant people could see through it.
I doubt Generations was being filmed; "The Jem'Hadar" was the second season finale, my guess is Generations was being filmed in between the second and third seasons of DS9.
Here's my two cents - it was being redressed for Generations and couldn't really be readily made available for the DS9 episode when it came out.
Regarding why they couldn't use the the Enterprise-D bridge, indeed Generations was being filmed. The movie started principal filming at the end of March 1993, pretty much as TNG ended production, and filmed until June. "The Jem'Hadar" was filmed in April, right in the middle of Generations.
I've added most details on the aft consoles. I was surprised when I noticed that the pillars at each side of the consoles don't have the usual 'holes' they had on the Excelsior/Prometheus. At least some effort was made to make them more 24th Century.
@Rekkert Have you been able to determine if they also closed off those aft exits? If they closed those "holes" they may have closed off those exits also, to make the aft center work station larger. In the second screen shot it looks like those center stations are similar to the center aft wall stations on Voyager or the LCARS panels stretch below what an adult could stand there and see/use.
drawing.jpg
Bridge 1 (4).jpg
Also thinking on that area, I had an idea JMP11: Unless we actually did catch a glimpse of closed doors at either side of the aft alcove (I don't think we did), have you and Rekkert considered maybe having them just as openings that lead to Galaxy-style padded foyers? You could then have the turbolift, head, and conference lounge exits in the same locations as usual, so as to fit the studio model... Food for thought?
I have thought about suggesting the side doors are just openings that either lead to a corridor or foyer as you suggested.
@JMP11: No, the aft doors aren't seen at all, however we also don't see anyone going in or out of them, so they might or might not be there. as far as I can tell.
@Starscream: If only he would sit down a for a bit, why was he standing up in the middle of a battle anyway?!
@BolianAdmiral: Haha, thank you! Unfortunately, I have to change stuff in order to finish this.
I've worked on the side walls. it's really hard to see the wall colors so they might be beige or grey like on the Prometheus, I'll have to keep looking at it for a while.
One odd thing to notice is that these walls have a different texture on the right side than on the left one. On the left side of the bridge, as you can see on the render below, there are two rows of a grey textured material, similar to the one used everywhere on Voyager. This textured material was always there, as we can see on the Saratoga and Norkova. On the right side however, a different pattern was used, and starting with the Norkova, illumination was added behind it. This illumination was changed for the Prometheus.
I have no idea why this asymmetry was done except perhaps to only film some ships from one side and make them look more different because of the changed textures. This does make sense as the left side on the Saratoga and Norkova was only seen very briefly during action shots with a lot of movement, and we can only appreciate them today going frame by frame.
Anyway, here's the wall so far. JMP11, do you want me to keep this patter for the right side as well, or to add the illuminated patter there as we see on the other ships?
Between that and the color clash of lilac with beige, I'm starting to wonder what the set design team were smoking by the end of DS9 season 2...
@Starscream: Hahaha, the walls are certainly... unique...
Regarding the lilac color, yeah the combination is weird, but they didn't have much of a choice there, as the chairs were reused as they were from the Pasteur set, which was used just a few weeks before, no time to change their color.
@Rusty0918: That does sound good! Given the way this bridge was build, possibilities are endless here.
I've done the first prototype for the ceiling. This isn't final by any means as I've already identified several inaccuracies in it, but the general shape is correct. Also, I've changed the overall set color to beige, with just some details left in grey. After further analyzing the bridge scene, I think this is more accurate to how it looked.
The bridge certainly looks better (and more spacious!) now we're getting a wider angle view. I like your approach to the ceiling too - it ties in with the overall more angular appearance of this Galaxy Bridge.
I do have one suggestion if I may: Rather than have those weird skinny butresses to the port and starboard, why not replicate the ones to either side of the rear consoles? They're a similar angle, and would give a more uniform appearance... Plus, as IIRC the Saratoga set had those same supports in that location but with the angular holes lit - so it's not exactly "stretching canon"
After the destruction of the Enterprise-D, the Galaxy is scheduled for a massive refit and layover at San Francisco Fleet Yards. This upgrade includes Type XII phaser arrays ala Enterprise-E (with extra arrays on the nacelles), rapid fire torpedo tubes to replace the burst ones - with the forward one firing quantums, auto-modulated shielding (possibly regenerative), a better SIF, Enterprise-E style warp core, bio-neural computer system, EMH, etc. The Galaxy's saucer gets a warp sled, while the drive section on the dorsal part gets four rapid fire phaser pulse cannons a la Defiant for use in separated flight mode. And a newer more utilitarian bridge module based off this design.
Instead of the Voyager command seating style, perhaps we can adapt the Hathaway command seating style here. Again, LCARS would be updated to be more like what we saw on Voyager as are the doors.
But to quote Doctor Bashir, "I hate the carpet. I do."
This is really coming together. Loving the look even with the wonky colors.;)