Ah, ok... I think those are just regular external access panels/ports, like on the 1701-D. I’ll ask Atolm tomorrow just to make sure, but I was fairly certain those large doors directly under the shuttlebays on the lower hull were the cargo bays. But I’ll ask him.
Really not liking how that rear bulkhead is looking. TO get all the profiles right it has some ugly curves in it. I have a feeling I am going to have to compromise on something to get it to work out. Going to remove it for now and try modeling it as a separate unit with the hull having the curvature up to it.
phew....Hard to get back access to this forum after so much leave...
First off: Excellent work Brother!
Next: In answer to your inquiries:
-The pink highlighted areas that are recessed are actually hard points for equipment upgrades.
-The section under the the Shuttle bays are cargo bays and access to the Shuttle bays if needed.
Hope that helps
Making some rough edits to the textures as I convert things. I have most of it dealt with just some file paths that insist on pointing to old locations and all the stuff in the bussards. Hard part is reproducing all the small details and ticks as I cannot just look at the old materials. Meh.
Might be some windows not lit right and I think I lost all the tint light objects that added those "off" color rooms. I do need to tune the lit "panels" and the lower marker lights. I have a bright object in there but I think originally I had a gradient from light emission to a fall off transparency.
Once I get the bussards done the fun will be finding any errant Mental Ray materials that might exist in the scene but not applied to the mesh or as phantom multi mats. Not really found a good way to destroy old materials in multi mats.
Messing with the struts. Had tapered them on the leading edge and removed it as it made no sense and taking it as a intent to show perspective.
I also took some liberties in the lower hull details since the last update to get rid of some of the strange forms created to match adjoining faces in the image. (mostly bits around that dome thing in back) Also altered the bridge module and lower upper decks angles and shape a bit.
renders might look a bit different as I had to swap the video cards damned scalper assholes have driven 400usd cards to 1200usd+ and everything is sold out and driven to ridiculous prices. And the AMD card and its vulkan bugs and shader issues have driven me to swap the gpus around. The 1660 is not cutting it either but beats the RX 570. So far I have not seen much of a impact here. Time will tell but hopefully by then I can get at least MSRP on a 3060ti.
Took some liberties from what I had to do something a bit more interesting than just rounding things off. Observation deck (fairly large) and sensor pallettes flanking and around it. Sort of like what I did for the IOWA's rear end. I have some kinks and wobbles to repair as I really made a mess of this area looking for solutions.
Going about looping and getting rounded corners in. Some areas are just to complex to retain a nice smoothing group loop. Mostly those inner faces of the hoop.
I will probably redo the deflector opening as this is another area I have fought with as it looks a bit on the large side and does not transmit the feel of the drawing. I think increasing the wall thickness and maybe rounding off the side to front transition might help some.
Redid the deflector bits. Did the back in gray so I can see what it is doing. Probably do a voyager like backlight thing but maybe mustard vs shock orange. Sort of like the D's set up. Changed up some of the shapes a bit too, put a steeper angle on the forward superstructure pulled the hoop back a bit more, changed up the impulse housing, etc. Even considering narrowing the deflector as well.
More small adjustments mainly narrowing of the deflector pod. Still working on the guts of the deflector, not happy with what I have atm.
Also started working the shuttle bay openings. This is what I referred to in how the inner and outer angles create a offset bay. From the images it looks like a clam shell door unless it is a inset one like Voyager, you would loose sidewall in either though.
Here it has a slightly domed door, vs say a flat sided one like on the Refit connie. ATM there is still room to get those danube class in and out.
Another option is to eugh undo and give up on the consistant die paneling on the inner and outter hulls and just slowly taper the angles so it is more symmetrical by the time it gets to the shuttle bay. Hard to see how it will affect the hull shape without panels etc in. Even if it means tossing today's work I think I might go this route. It still wont match 100% left to right though and retain the profiles wanted.
Frigates are fast by their very definition. In modern terms, a Frigate basically sacrifices armor and weaponry for the ability to outrun anything that they can't outgun, and basically there for escorts against enemy aircraft, IIRC.
The Assiduous class in modern naval terms would probably be more like a Destroyer or Light Cruiser, maybe a Medium Cruiser: smaller than a Heavy Cruiser, but still a Jack of All Trades & Master of None. Of course, a Destroyer is Bigger than a Frigate, but smaller than a Light Cruiser or Medium Cruiser.
Then again, someone might want to fact-check the above. From what I can tell, a vessel's classification comes from the size of its guns.
Some stuff from a few days ago that didnt get posted. Mostly rough out for nacelles and testing ideas. Ignore the tight line in the sides as it iwl be softened, or plan is to. It tightened up from adding loops for the bussards and the inset rib bits. Also aligned up all the corners on the deflector (angles are all matched) and some other small clean up.
Yeah, its mission is mostly one of diplomacy, so she's not a "warship", but, like most Starfleet ships, she's definitely more than capable of defending herself.
Yeah, I don't think wrap-around warp lights would work that great here. The deflector is looking very nice!
Not much today just refining the shuttle butts and more loops. Also working on that flat area transition. You can compare the rear shot to the first post in #2155
The name of the Ambassador class also suggests a political or diplomatic mission profile, and yet canonically could put up a fight against even three Romulan heavy cruiser battleship equivalents, so I don't think that the class name necessarily dictates classification or mission profile.
But then Starfleet vessel classification isn't simple, since they are often times designed for a multi-mission profile. We see her predecessor the Miranda class take on mostly science and supply missions, but she is definitely used as some sort of small warship type.
I think that she would have been described as a Cruiser in TOS, but reclassified as a Destroyer by TNG as ship and weapon power sizes increased. But then it depends on whether Starfleet dominantly classifies their fleet based on military use or how they are used most frequently.
The Assiduous class probably could be used as a Light Carrier, but because her shuttlebays are probably not linked, nor the largest, that probably wouldn't be her optimal or dominant role. But then again, given how the Enterprise was used during the Dominion War, anything is possible. She would definitely be a well-armed supply ship.
Great work as usual.. if I'm honest I think shed look better without those clunky nacelles. I know I should probably keep opinions like that to myself.
Took the nacelles back to a more simple shape to manually work in some of the larger details vs having them subdivided into them. Just easier to avoid any wonk as features cross on the soft curved hull. TNG era stuff just is not meant for clean flow. ATM the ribs are a separate mesh, and the bussard domes are detached and have thickness and socket into the nacelle rim which has a interior of the bussard now. Next step is the warp grills then breaking the nacelle body up for paneling and believable maintenance hull separations. Blue bits are still just suggestive atm.
Posts
Really not liking how that rear bulkhead is looking. TO get all the profiles right it has some ugly curves in it. I have a feeling I am going to have to compromise on something to get it to work out. Going to remove it for now and try modeling it as a separate unit with the hull having the curvature up to it.
First off: Excellent work Brother!
Next: In answer to your inquiries:
-The pink highlighted areas that are recessed are actually hard points for equipment upgrades.
-The section under the the Shuttle bays are cargo bays and access to the Shuttle bays if needed.
Hope that helps
This is absolutely incredible work - Well Done
alt impulse
really not keen on either thought I would like to do something fairly different here.
I also took some liberties in the lower hull details since the last update to get rid of some of the strange forms created to match adjoining faces in the image. (mostly bits around that dome thing in back) Also altered the bridge module and lower upper decks angles and shape a bit.
renders might look a bit different as I had to swap the video cards damned scalper assholes have driven 400usd cards to 1200usd+ and everything is sold out and driven to ridiculous prices. And the AMD card and its vulkan bugs and shader issues have driven me to swap the gpus around. The 1660 is not cutting it either but beats the RX 570. So far I have not seen much of a impact here. Time will tell but hopefully by then I can get at least MSRP on a 3060ti.
Anyhow off topic.
I will probably redo the deflector opening as this is another area I have fought with as it looks a bit on the large side and does not transmit the feel of the drawing. I think increasing the wall thickness and maybe rounding off the side to front transition might help some.
Also started working the shuttle bay openings. This is what I referred to in how the inner and outer angles create a offset bay. From the images it looks like a clam shell door unless it is a inset one like Voyager, you would loose sidewall in either though.
Here it has a slightly domed door, vs say a flat sided one like on the Refit connie. ATM there is still room to get those danube class in and out.
Another option is to eugh undo and give up on the consistant die paneling on the inner and outter hulls and just slowly taper the angles so it is more symmetrical by the time it gets to the shuttle bay. Hard to see how it will affect the hull shape without panels etc in. Even if it means tossing today's work I think I might go this route. It still wont match 100% left to right though and retain the profiles wanted.
The Assiduous class in modern naval terms would probably be more like a Destroyer or Light Cruiser, maybe a Medium Cruiser: smaller than a Heavy Cruiser, but still a Jack of All Trades & Master of None. Of course, a Destroyer is Bigger than a Frigate, but smaller than a Light Cruiser or Medium Cruiser.
Then again, someone might want to fact-check the above. From what I can tell, a vessel's classification comes from the size of its guns.
The more I look at this design, the more it grows on me. Reminds me of several NASA concepts for deep space travel from the early 2000's.
[img][/img][img][/img]
Yeah, I don't think wrap-around warp lights would work that great here. The deflector is looking very nice!
A bit slow as I am grinding a game at the same time lol.
But then Starfleet vessel classification isn't simple, since they are often times designed for a multi-mission profile. We see her predecessor the Miranda class take on mostly science and supply missions, but she is definitely used as some sort of small warship type.
I think that she would have been described as a Cruiser in TOS, but reclassified as a Destroyer by TNG as ship and weapon power sizes increased. But then it depends on whether Starfleet dominantly classifies their fleet based on military use or how they are used most frequently.
The Assiduous class probably could be used as a Light Carrier, but because her shuttlebays are probably not linked, nor the largest, that probably wouldn't be her optimal or dominant role. But then again, given how the Enterprise was used during the Dominion War, anything is possible. She would definitely be a well-armed supply ship.