Not all ships need a battle bridge. Most bridge functions can be routed to main engineering or an auxilary control room, if needed. Looking at the above, I'd absolutely believe it can both separate and reintegrate on it's own (like Galaxy Class). Nothing in canon says Galaxy was first afaik. Prototyping must've started somewhere. Why not an Amby?
Battle bridge should be somewhere deep inside the secondary hull. Heck, when I make my ship, the saucer "bridge" is only going to be a ceremonial/harbor pilot sort of bridge, with the actual bridge deep inside the saucer.
Battle bridge should be somewhere deep inside the secondary hull. Heck, when I make my ship, the saucer "bridge" is only going to be a ceremonial/harbor pilot sort of bridge, with the actual bridge deep inside the saucer.
Heh. I have always found it funny that a helmsman having a bad day could shave off the bridge, the officer's quarters...basically the entire chain of command, in one little flight accident!
If you stick with the ambassador's "canon" thruster assembly, the big thick blocks. You could argue the ship was only designed to separate it's saucer as an emergency life-raft, and the heavy duty thrusters are to assist with planet-fall.
Honestly, i don't see a realistic way for a saucer-sep on the Amby to be anything _but_ disaster scenario.
In a scenario like this, i don't think an Amby has a battle bridge so much as an Auxiliary Control centre, in-case the bridge is too heavily damaged.
Honestly, i don't see a realistic way for a saucer-sep on the Amby to be anything _but_ disaster scenario.
Yeah. I think that was the big step-up for the Galaxy-class. The idea that 'separated flight mode' could be a routine thing, and that both sections could operate as independent craft.
So yeah. Giant lifeboat. But I also think at some point the designers went back and said "You know, we shouldn't need a starbase to reattach the saucer if/when the disaster has passed."
I did try play around with modeling small impulse engines with the aft thruster blocks. It didn't look good, IMHO.
I can see this fitting into the timeline nicely.....Whereas the earlier ships needed a star-base repair facility to reattach a separated hull, this could be the start of the technology needed for the ship and saucer to separate and then rejoin without aid from a star-base.
Started playing with the aft shuttlebay this morning. It was either going to be TMP-style clamshell doors, or a Voyager-style garage door.
Went with similar doors to the Yamaguchi model, but trying to put more of the TMP details. Still much more to do, but I like the basic shape.
yea, the Yama's are essential basically if you're using the thicker hull, the E-C's hull whittled down that a TMP based hangar would look ok, not so much on the wide butt edition.
One thing worth musing while you're setting that up, it might be worth embedding a galaxy-class aft torpedo launcher where the spine detail ends above hte shuttlebay as well. the Canon Ambassador model has it embedded in the undercut below the saucer, but embedded in the spine also evokes a Galaxy class motif.
One thing worth musing while you're setting that up, it might be worth embedding a galaxy-class aft torpedo launcher where the spine detail ends above hte shuttlebay as well. the Canon Ambassador model has it embedded in the undercut below the saucer, but embedded in the spine also evokes a Galaxy class motif.
I have been thinking about that. The snag is that the aft end of the Galaxy engineering hull had a huge pile of nothing, making it easy to add the aft torpedo launcher. Ambassador still has that shuttlebay...I'll play around a bit, but suspect the torpedo launcher will end up underneath.
May put a couple small phaser strips to either side, too. Currently doing the phaser arrays, and aft area seems to be lacking.
This will probably be an exercise in frustration, but as I'm starting to think about windows, I'm starting to think about decks.
I've seen conflicting information on the number of decks for this class. Given the size of Decks 2 & 3 on the model, window size and such, I think 36 is probably the better number. (also seen 26, 33, 40)
So I've tried to roughly map out where the decks should be. The good news is that this mostly lines up with the reference model I was using. Even better, I can get away with my plan to do a more Constitution/Excelsior window pattern on the saucer rim. (Or at least two rows instead of one.)
The part where it gets messy is the secondary hull. The curves of the deflector grid are totally incompatible with flat decks. The studio model (and resulting renders) had the windows follow the shield grid, which implies the decks themselves curve internally. This doesn't match ANY ship schematic we've ever seen, for any class.
So how do I have straight rows of windows, without it looking weird against the deflector grid? I think the most likely solution is that the further I go towards the top and bottom of the secondary hull, the fewer windows I can have, in order to minimize the effect.
Realized it's been a while since I posted some overall progress pics, just close-ups of what I was working on. Most of my work the last couple weeks has been nit-picky stuff with the way edges and vertices line up...things that probably wouldn't be so annoying and time-consuming now if I'd had more experience building the initial meshes.
Anyway:
Still not sure how I'm going to do the secondary hull windows...
Two ideas for the aft torpedoes. The TMP-traditional style launcher under the fantail. Or, as someone on here suggested, something on the spine of the secondary hull, suggesting the evolution to the Galaxy-class...
Finally got the shuttlebay looking more like a TMP-style shuttlebay and less like Marvin the Martian's helmet! Still needs some details, but much improved.
Did more details around the shuttlebays. I'm very happy with the way the aft shuttlebay has turned out.
Not so much the saucer shuttlebay. I feel like this would actually be the secondary shuttlebay, since having one on the saucer was a new thing when this class came out.
I tried adding some details to make it match the aft shuttlebay a bit better...lights, landing indicators...even trying a Sovereign-esque contol tower. Don't think I like that bit though.
Yea, the markings only really work in the galaxy because the area is flat to the bay. either lower the bay into the ground further and give it a flattened area like the D. Or just stick with C Classic and simply have the ship's registry number below the door.
Still been plugging away on this one. The past many weeks have been working on textures/shaders and UV mapping. But I'm fairly happy with the result...barely visible pattern, unless the light hits it right.
Entire stardrive section has been mapped...just the saucer left.
On the one hand, it looks gorgeous as is. And most logical, since you would assume having exposed windows would make the ship less durable.
You're absolutely right. To quote Mass Effect "Windows are structural weaknesses. Geth do not use them."
But yeah. Windows have sort of been a funny think with Star Trek ships. Barely any on the saucer on the TOS and TMP Enterprise. Even Excelsior didn't have that many. (But all those ships had two rows of windows along the rim!) It was the Galaxy-class and other TNG ships that really added a ton of windows...part of that "United Nations In Space, Floating Embassy, Sure-Families-Are-Cool" mentality of TNG. And then Voyager...yup, the ready room needs HUGE WINDOWS!
If the Ambassador-class was intended for that similar, TNG purpose, then I'm thinking bigger windows on the superstructure for Decks 2 & 3, where VIP and senior officer quarters were. Two rows along the rim. The rest I can keep close to the same...except maybe a few places on the secondary hull where the shield lines and window alignment would look weird.
So I've run into a somewhat-anticipated problem: engineering hull windows. The studio model and most source material I see has the windows follow the curve of the shield lines...this implies decks with a ridiculous curvature. But following the horizontal desk gives rows of windows that clash with the shield grid, in particular on the upper half of the engineering hull.
Either way looks weird. And I'm at a loss as to how to resolve it. I've tried staggering some windows to imply that maybe decks to the fore/aft were staggered...looked worse. Tried cutting down on the number of windows, didn't help. Tried going Constitution style and saying "No windows on the upper quarter of the secondary hull." That looked really silly. Also tried removing the distinct colour of the shield grid in a couple places...still didn't really help.
Any other ideas?
(Reposted my deck reference guide at the end...the saucer rim is totally getting two rows of windows!)
So after taking a look at McC's gorgeous Ambassador-class, I opted to go back and redo the fore/aft shield grid lines...which was a royal PITA. I'm not motivated enough to do the sort of work they did with the interior rooms for the windows, but I had been wanting to at least put in a different window texture. So I borrowed another idea I've seen many times, just putting little images of Star Trek sets in the background. (Full disclosure, I don't know if it would have occurred to me to use shorter windows to get around the Starfleet banner if I hadn't seen McC's line-of-portholes in one of his images.)
(Full disclosure, I don't know if it would have occurred to me to use shorter windows to get around the Starfleet banner if I hadn't seen McC's line-of-portholes in one of his images.)
To be fair, I ripped them back out when I did the facelift.
I'm liking this version a lot, especially the pylons. Also I'm glad you used the "variant" bussard shape instead of the half lolipop looking version on the one we saw in TNG
So I've run into a somewhat-anticipated problem: engineering hull windows. The studio model and most source material I see has the windows follow the curve of the shield lines...this implies decks with a ridiculous curvature. But following the horizontal desk gives rows of windows that clash with the shield grid, in particular on the upper half of the engineering hull.
Either way looks weird. And I'm at a loss as to how to resolve it. I've tried staggering some windows to imply that maybe decks to the fore/aft were staggered...looked worse. Tried cutting down on the number of windows, didn't help. Tried going Constitution style and saying "No windows on the upper quarter of the secondary hull." That looked really silly. Also tried removing the distinct colour of the shield grid in a couple places...still didn't really help.
Any other ideas?
I would personally go for 40% of the windows that were on the original. But if you know me I like my ships with limited windows haha. What you did with the decks seems to be the best approach though.
@Hunter G Thanks! Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the awkward, L-shaped pylons or the big red domes...I thought the Yamugachi bussard shape was a nice step towards the Galaxy class.
I did actually go back and remove a bunch of windows. Not down to the number you suggest, but I tried to thin down the engineering hull windows to better match what's on the saucer. Still working on the upper saucer windows...following the studio model very closely (other than the rim), but might thin those down a bit too. We'll see.
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Heh. I have always found it funny that a helmsman having a bad day could shave off the bridge, the officer's quarters...basically the entire chain of command, in one little flight accident!
Honestly, i don't see a realistic way for a saucer-sep on the Amby to be anything _but_ disaster scenario.
In a scenario like this, i don't think an Amby has a battle bridge so much as an Auxiliary Control centre, in-case the bridge is too heavily damaged.
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
Yeah. I think that was the big step-up for the Galaxy-class. The idea that 'separated flight mode' could be a routine thing, and that both sections could operate as independent craft.
So yeah. Giant lifeboat. But I also think at some point the designers went back and said "You know, we shouldn't need a starbase to reattach the saucer if/when the disaster has passed."
I did try play around with modeling small impulse engines with the aft thruster blocks. It didn't look good, IMHO.
Went with similar doors to the Yamaguchi model, but trying to put more of the TMP details. Still much more to do, but I like the basic shape.
yea, the Yama's are essential basically if you're using the thicker hull, the E-C's hull whittled down that a TMP based hangar would look ok, not so much on the wide butt edition.
One thing worth musing while you're setting that up, it might be worth embedding a galaxy-class aft torpedo launcher where the spine detail ends above hte shuttlebay as well. the Canon Ambassador model has it embedded in the undercut below the saucer, but embedded in the spine also evokes a Galaxy class motif.
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
I have been thinking about that. The snag is that the aft end of the Galaxy engineering hull had a huge pile of nothing, making it easy to add the aft torpedo launcher. Ambassador still has that shuttlebay...I'll play around a bit, but suspect the torpedo launcher will end up underneath.
May put a couple small phaser strips to either side, too. Currently doing the phaser arrays, and aft area seems to be lacking.
I've seen conflicting information on the number of decks for this class. Given the size of Decks 2 & 3 on the model, window size and such, I think 36 is probably the better number. (also seen 26, 33, 40)
So I've tried to roughly map out where the decks should be. The good news is that this mostly lines up with the reference model I was using. Even better, I can get away with my plan to do a more Constitution/Excelsior window pattern on the saucer rim. (Or at least two rows instead of one.)
The part where it gets messy is the secondary hull. The curves of the deflector grid are totally incompatible with flat decks. The studio model (and resulting renders) had the windows follow the shield grid, which implies the decks themselves curve internally. This doesn't match ANY ship schematic we've ever seen, for any class.
So how do I have straight rows of windows, without it looking weird against the deflector grid? I think the most likely solution is that the further I go towards the top and bottom of the secondary hull, the fewer windows I can have, in order to minimize the effect.
Anyway:
Still not sure how I'm going to do the secondary hull windows...
Two ideas for the aft torpedoes. The TMP-traditional style launcher under the fantail. Or, as someone on here suggested, something on the spine of the secondary hull, suggesting the evolution to the Galaxy-class...
Not so much the saucer shuttlebay. I feel like this would actually be the secondary shuttlebay, since having one on the saucer was a new thing when this class came out.
I tried adding some details to make it match the aft shuttlebay a bit better...lights, landing indicators...even trying a Sovereign-esque contol tower. Don't think I like that bit though.
Suggestions?
I like of the upper torp launchers!
I think the land bay markings looks strange this way. Maybe doing the bay recessed would help.
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
Entire stardrive section has been mapped...just the saucer left.
But on the other hand, the ship looks rather naked without windows 😁
But yeah. Windows have sort of been a funny think with Star Trek ships. Barely any on the saucer on the TOS and TMP Enterprise. Even Excelsior didn't have that many. (But all those ships had two rows of windows along the rim!) It was the Galaxy-class and other TNG ships that really added a ton of windows...part of that "United Nations In Space, Floating Embassy, Sure-Families-Are-Cool" mentality of TNG. And then Voyager...yup, the ready room needs HUGE WINDOWS!
If the Ambassador-class was intended for that similar, TNG purpose, then I'm thinking bigger windows on the superstructure for Decks 2 & 3, where VIP and senior officer quarters were. Two rows along the rim. The rest I can keep close to the same...except maybe a few places on the secondary hull where the shield lines and window alignment would look weird.
Thanks! Trying to keep what I love about this class of ship, while adjusting a few things that annoyed me. Speaking of...(on to next post)...
Either way looks weird. And I'm at a loss as to how to resolve it. I've tried staggering some windows to imply that maybe decks to the fore/aft were staggered...looked worse. Tried cutting down on the number of windows, didn't help. Tried going Constitution style and saying "No windows on the upper quarter of the secondary hull." That looked really silly. Also tried removing the distinct colour of the shield grid in a couple places...still didn't really help.
Any other ideas?
(Reposted my deck reference guide at the end...the saucer rim is totally getting two rows of windows!)
Very happy with the results. On to the saucer!
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I would personally go for 40% of the windows that were on the original. But if you know me I like my ships with limited windows haha. What you did with the decks seems to be the best approach though.
I did actually go back and remove a bunch of windows. Not down to the number you suggest, but I tried to thin down the engineering hull windows to better match what's on the saucer. Still working on the upper saucer windows...following the studio model very closely (other than the rim), but might thin those down a bit too. We'll see.