Looks good, but I think you got too many life boats on the saucer.
Presumably you mean "on the underside of the saucer." I say that because the number on the top is canon. I added some on the bottom because the number on top didn't appear to be enough for the ship overall, and the bottom needed more detail. However, it's a great observation. I'll cut back.
Don't forgot this ship has a very small crew.
It mentioned in the Voyager episode it first appeared in most of the ship is automated. So no need for standard crew size for a ship of this size.
I think the EMH Mark 2 mentions that the ship would not normal carry a full medical staff. One of the reason why the ship had holo-emitter around the ship and not just in sickbay and presumable a holodeck if it has one.
I hate to say it, but me too. Not because I am so great, but because I'VE LOOKED and they just aren't out there. People just don't model this ship, much like they don't do the Niagara Class. There is a potential best model in one done by The Lightworks Group (probably Tobias Richter) for a paperback novel about the Prometheus. However, there are no orthos and in the few cover shots you can find, it is pretty clear to me that HE took liberties on the design like I did. Admittedly I've taken more. One thing I knew I wasn't going to mess with is the wavy contour of the saucer under those two lateral plates with the 5 "speed bumps" on them. I believe Tobias dropped that too. His model is more like mine there.
As far as the ship, I thought it was passable to attractive in design. Once again, having done it, I'm finding it quite sleek and attractive.
Yeah, I think a lot of people don't do it because they just don't like it. Like you said, it's not a bad design. But, it's an underdeveloped design that relies heavily on the multi vector assault mode gimmick. When a design relies on a gimmick, the design itself can suffer. The Equinox is another ship from around the same time in the series and its design is better developed. So is the Dauntless. I think doing away with the gimmick and putting some real love into this design could make for a cool ship.
Yeah, I think a lot of people don't do it because they just don't like it. Like you said, it's not a bad design. But, it's an underdeveloped design that relies heavily on the multi vector assault mode gimmick. When a design relies on a gimmick, the design itself can suffer. The Equinox is another ship from around the same time in the series and its design is better developed. So is the Dauntless. I think doing away with the gimmick and putting some real love into this design could make for a cool ship.
That's really well worded.
"Underdeveloped" - Yes they were in a hurry for the series
"Gimmick" - Good word for what happened to this design.
There was another design that wasn't thought through and that was the Oberth class science ship. You know what I'm talking about. The often-discussed "How does the crew get to the lower portion of the ship?" question. So I did THIS.
It's a retractable turbolift tube that rises out of the lower portion to connect with the upper. It occurred to me that the separation of the two had to do with being able to quarantine specimens in the lower portion away from crew quarters on the chance that something could leak or something could get loose. The lower portion could also have had supplies that were only rarely accessed.
That looks good and doesn't take away from the design.
There's a theory that the lower section is just a pod full of sensors and whatnot, since the ship is a science vessel. If that's the case, that part of the ship wouldn't be used very much and could be accessed using Jefferies tubes in the pylons. Unfortunately, that theory takes a hit when you see some of the MSDs from TNG that show decks in that section.
@evil_genius_180, I think that was the idea behind it when the came up with the ship.
But like you said the MSD on TNG knocked that idea.
As for a turbolift using the pylons. It's a good idea, but the pylons are two small for it to fit though.
It would have been nice if they had modified the ship for TNG to work round this problem.
I always thought they were just access decks. I think the SD designs put a transporter in there for site to site between the hulls along with Jeffereies tubes, but I really like your idea too.
The Equinox is another ship from around the same time in the series and its design is better developed.
That's probably due to the Equinox being developed on concept art for the Defiant. I agree on the Prometheus, though. I've always liked it but it has issues.
Great looking model so far.
The Equinox is another ship from around the same time in the series and its design is better developed.
That's probably due to the Equinox being developed on concept art for the Defiant.
Oh, no doubt. Plus, it was designed by Rick Sternbach, who always put so much detail into his design drawings. But, even the CGI model seems more fleshed out and less thrown together at the last minute than the Prometheus. But then, going with an existing design might have also gotten it into the hands of the CGI modelers more quickly.
I took the plunge and started messing with the split attack ship idea. All our discussion about the need for more thought on how to make this a 3 piece ship motivated me. Here's an early modeling of the lower half. As you can see, there is a bridge tucked in on top at the front. I'm trying to rein in an urge to overdo phaser strips and photon torpedo launchers on it. Hey. If it's for attack, it's for attack.
I think that Defiant style canons would make a lot of sense on this ship. It's odd that we never saw those on any other ship. Maybe that was the Defiants "gimmick".
I think that Defiant style canons would make a lot of sense on this ship. It's odd that we never saw those on any other ship. Maybe that was the Defiants "gimmick".
Yeah, pretty much. The pulse phasers and cloaking device were the elements that made the ship different from any other, so they were its gimmicks. Just like the Enterprise-D's separation for battle mode (that was rarely used due to costs) and Voyager's moving warp engines.
This is a better render of the canons, although there are Lightwave artifact and issues with the rest of the render.
I've spend much of the day working on texturing. I used things I learned from you @evil_genius_180. The main saucer has no major texture, but the lower attack sled does. Really need to work on texturing and painting the engines and pylons.
I have a question. Those triangular cutouts toward the front of the saucer (the maneuvering thrusters?) In the Prometheus for the series they aren't yellow, but I have seen at least one model where they are.
That looks great. It definitely has a more complete look than what they used on the TV show, but then that was only designed to be seen clearly from a few angles.
This has turned out really nice.
Have you decided what your going to put in that top nacelle alcove?
Yeah. I have reason to put in the original warp engine on the top for a client. However, for my model, I want to finish a top half / bottom half split and put a warp fighter into the top. So a Prometheus "Refit" so to speak.
I am sill not quite happy with the texture on this and of course I need to complete the underside of the upper half and the topside of the lower half.
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Don't forgot this ship has a very small crew.
It mentioned in the Voyager episode it first appeared in most of the ship is automated. So no need for standard crew size for a ship of this size.
I think the EMH Mark 2 mentions that the ship would not normal carry a full medical staff. One of the reason why the ship had holo-emitter around the ship and not just in sickbay and presumable a holodeck if it has one.
Yeah, I think a lot of people don't do it because they just don't like it. Like you said, it's not a bad design. But, it's an underdeveloped design that relies heavily on the multi vector assault mode gimmick. When a design relies on a gimmick, the design itself can suffer. The Equinox is another ship from around the same time in the series and its design is better developed. So is the Dauntless. I think doing away with the gimmick and putting some real love into this design could make for a cool ship.
"Underdeveloped" - Yes they were in a hurry for the series
"Gimmick" - Good word for what happened to this design.
I feel better about messin with it.
It's a retractable turbolift tube that rises out of the lower portion to connect with the upper. It occurred to me that the separation of the two had to do with being able to quarantine specimens in the lower portion away from crew quarters on the chance that something could leak or something could get loose. The lower portion could also have had supplies that were only rarely accessed.
There's a theory that the lower section is just a pod full of sensors and whatnot, since the ship is a science vessel. If that's the case, that part of the ship wouldn't be used very much and could be accessed using Jefferies tubes in the pylons. Unfortunately, that theory takes a hit when you see some of the MSDs from TNG that show decks in that section.
But like you said the MSD on TNG knocked that idea.
As for a turbolift using the pylons. It's a good idea, but the pylons are two small for it to fit though.
It would have been nice if they had modified the ship for TNG to work round this problem.
That's probably due to the Equinox being developed on concept art for the Defiant. I agree on the Prometheus, though. I've always liked it but it has issues.
Great looking model so far.
Oh, no doubt. Plus, it was designed by Rick Sternbach, who always put so much detail into his design drawings. But, even the CGI model seems more fleshed out and less thrown together at the last minute than the Prometheus. But then, going with an existing design might have also gotten it into the hands of the CGI modelers more quickly.
Yeah, pretty much. The pulse phasers and cloaking device were the elements that made the ship different from any other, so they were its gimmicks. Just like the Enterprise-D's separation for battle mode (that was rarely used due to costs) and Voyager's moving warp engines.
This is a better render of the canons, although there are Lightwave artifact and issues with the rest of the render.
I've spend much of the day working on texturing. I used things I learned from you @evil_genius_180. The main saucer has no major texture, but the lower attack sled does. Really need to work on texturing and painting the engines and pylons.
Will do.
Have you decided what your going to put in that top nacelle alcove?
I am sill not quite happy with the texture on this and of course I need to complete the underside of the upper half and the topside of the lower half.