Bridge looks great! I love the triple viewscreens, I was thinking of something similar for my own bridge. Also reminds me of the support beams interrupting that giant window in the Kelvin bridge in Star Trek 2009, so a nice bit of continuity there.
Also digging the command chair and the console in front of it. I can so imagine the evolution of that where it's split in the middle, then moves to the side, etc until it becomes the controls on the Captain's chair itself.
Bridge looks great! I love the triple viewscreens, I was thinking of something similar for my own bridge. Also reminds me of the support beams interrupting that giant window in the Kelvin bridge in Star Trek 2009, so a nice bit of continuity there.
Thanks! The split view screens is meant as a visual nod to mission control centres - my thinking being that a crew would presumably need all the telemetry streams they can get in order to plan out a mission. But it's nice that it has a bit of visual continuity with the Kelvin - I love that design.
I said I was done with the modelling, but the floor was bothering me because it was looking too busy, so I've dialled back the trip hazards a little bit:
Love the ship, do u have any idea on the size of this ship
I'm glad you like the ship! According to 3DS Max the ship has the following dimensions:
Length 152.7m
Width 67.2m
Height 47.8m
Pretty small and compact compared to many Star Trek ships, but I think it's in roughly the right size class for a ship that pre-dates all the various Enterprises. I think some Daedalus Class size estimates come in at around 160m if I recall correctly?
I really want an Expanse style Star Trek show now.
Actually that was my first thought when I saw the finally of season one: Why can't Discovery look like that? (and have actors of the same quality!)
I'm glad someone is going down that road.
Yes! The early days of deep space colonization ,the first encounters with other life forms (and WEIRD nonhuman life forms as well). Stuck on these ships for months or years at a time, a bit like Battlestar or how people wish Voyager was.
Makes me wish Enterprise had been something like this. It really should have been Trek meets The Right Stuff (at least in the first season) meets the Expanse.
Makes me wish Enterprise had been something like this. It really should have been Trek meets The Right Stuff (at least in the first season) meets the Expanse.
Me too, but considering the constraints that show was working within, I think they did a good job. I remember hearing that they initially planned on having a good chunk of season 1 Earth-bound, and it would be all about trying to get the ship ready to fly, getting the Vulcan's approval to launch etc. It would have really underlined how new and daring the Enterprise's mission was, and then when it finally launches, it would've been a sequence that felt dramatically earned. But apparently, the UPN suits squashed the idea because they couldn't fathom the idea of a Star Trek that wasn't trekking from the get-go (I'm guessing these are the same suits that wanted boy bands in the ship's mess!)
As far as the visuals went, the interiors are among my favourite for any of the shows. The way they blended real life submarine and aerospace looking features with trekkian elements is something I always love to look at. For my money, the uniforms are my favourites too.
The exteriors are in my opinion a more complicated story. The initial John Eaves sketches often way too sleek, with one sketch in particular having nacelles that were just plainly 24th century designs (a problem repeated with the design of the Shenzhou, and to a lesser extent Discovery.) For all his undoubted talents that far exceed my own, I find it very frustrating that Eaves doesn't design according to the correct time period. He also has an obsession with cutouts that make the ships look like sculpture, rather than a piece of engineering. Again, fine for the 24th century+ when the technology is pretty abstract, but the 22nd-23rd century is more relatable, and I want the machines to actually look like machines darnit! 😀
After they couldn't make any headway with getting the Eaves designs to work, someone apparently showed the producers an image of the Akira Class and they went 'oh that looks cool, let's go with that' - again with no apparent awareness of being era appropriate. Under such constraints, I think Doug Drexler did a remarkable job of adapting the basic Akira components onto something that seems fairly plausible as a 22nd century ship.
Some more work put in on the shuttlepod lately: I've reworked the wing and removed the vertical stabilizers on the wingtips. In their place I've started modelling four gridfins on the back of the vehicle. The vehicle as a whole has been tweaked so it's a little more tapered and less blunt, and I've added a lot of the heat shield panels to the exterior. I've also roughed out the basic shape for two air intakes which will help supply the main engines whilst in an oxygen atmosphere - taking inspiration from SABRE and scramjet concepts.
The modelling for the shuttlepod is just about completed, save for a last minute tweak or two:
Hopefully it works as a half-way point between the Spacex Starship vehicle, and the NX-01 Shuttlepod:
As an extra, here was my first attempt at this mesh, back when I modelled it a few years ago. You can see the fundamental features are the same model, just with a bunch more stuff added on top:
I've been experimenting with creating engine exhaust plumes with the Corona Volume Material and 3DS Max's procedural maps. I've used them before to make clouds and atmospheric haze, but for some reason it never occurred to me that I could probably do engine exhaust and other firey stuff. I'm really happy with the results because it means I will be able to create all kinds of havoc now!
This is just a proof of concept render, I'll attempt more complex flames and billowing clouds for a proper landing shot when I get round to it.
Trying my hand at making a Jupiter-type gas giant. I started with a NASA texture map of Jupiter as reference, then drew swirly shapes over the top of it.
I'm thinking that the previous version of the planet looks a bit too '50s scifi matte painting' for my taste, so I've overhauled the textures with finer and subtler surface features:
I'm thinking that the previous version of the planet looks a bit too '50s scifi matte painting' for my taste, so I've overhauled the textures with finer and subtler surface features:
Definitely looks a lot better than the first try. Well done!
Bits and pieces of progress this week. I've continued to work on the lighting as well as some texture mapping/weathering on the bridge. I've also modelled some hardpoints and droptanks for the shuttlepods.
Fantastic renders... these are real inspiring, love the planet shots as well.
I don't know if you watch For All Mankind, but I was thinking since this is an alternate universe Enterprise, maybe the shuttles are named after alternate universe astronauts. Essentially, I see that shuttle and imagine it's called the Baldwin.
Fantastic renders... these are real inspiring, love the planet shots as well.
I don't know if you watch For All Mankind, but I was thinking since this is an alternate universe Enterprise, maybe the shuttles are named after alternate universe astronauts. Essentially, I see that shuttle and imagine it's called the Baldwin.
I've been intrigued by that show, it has a lot of positive buzz, and I will probably watch it when I get Apple TV. I only get one streaming service at a time though, so I'll have to get around to finishing Strange New Worlds first
Your idea of naming the shuttles after people has me thinking though. It got me thinking of the various depictions of early era Earth astronauts whisked off into deep space by aliens and anomalies. Seems plausible an early Earth Starfleet would want to name a shuttlepod or two after those seemingly lost compatriots? Maybe I'll call one of them Richey (Commander of the Charybdis, TNG - Royale) and the other Kelly (Commander of Ares IV - VOY - One Small Step.)
Anyway, one last progress shot to round the weekend off. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this bridge set:
Fantastic renders... these are real inspiring, love the planet shots as well.
I don't know if you watch For All Mankind, but I was thinking since this is an alternate universe Enterprise, maybe the shuttles are named after alternate universe astronauts. Essentially, I see that shuttle and imagine it's called the Baldwin.
I've been intrigued by that show, it has a lot of positive buzz, and I will probably watch it when I get Apple TV. I only get one streaming service at a time though, so I'll have to get around to finishing Strange New Worlds first
Your idea of naming the shuttles after people has me thinking though. It got me thinking of the various depictions of early era Earth astronauts whisked off into deep space by aliens and anomalies. Seems plausible an early Earth Starfleet would want to name a shuttlepod or two after those seemingly lost compatriots? Maybe I'll call one of them Richey (Commander of the Charybdis, TNG - Royale) and the other Kelly (Commander of Ares IV - VOY - One Small Step.)
Anyway, one last progress shot to round the weekend off. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this bridge set:
I think it's a bit less kliper-esque since I deleted the vertical stabilisers on the tips of the fins, and put gridfins in instead. But yeah it's still got something of that squished shuttle look to the design.
Jesus, man, I really like your approach to that bridge set. I've taken a pass at a Daedalus class bridge a couple of times but I think you really nailed it - only thing I might tweak is make it smaller and more cramped but I love the style.
Jesus, man, I really like your approach to that bridge set. I've taken a pass at a Daedalus class bridge a couple of times but I think you really nailed it - only thing I might tweak is make it smaller and more cramped but I love the style.
I'd be interested to see your take on a Daedalus class bridge! I think you've got a good point about the size - the room is sized to fit snugly within the bridge dome of the ship exterior model posted on the previous page of this thread. I originally thought that was big enough to have a couple of rows of 'mission control' style benches, but it ended up way too cramped, which limited the number of good camera angles. If I could do it all again, I would make a smaller bridge - it would also cut down on the amount of time this thing has taken to do!
As for progress updates, I've tidied up the bridge access hatchway, and did some work on the console textures:
Edit, the gas giant has been bugging me again, so I've made some improvements to the materials and deleted the rings - looked too similar to my previous planet, and they can't all have ring systems...
Hi everyone! Haven't been able to post much in the way of new renders lately, but have been busy putting some texture sheets together for the displays. Hopefully will be able to show the complete set in the bridge model soon:
Posts
Also digging the command chair and the console in front of it. I can so imagine the evolution of that where it's split in the middle, then moves to the side, etc until it becomes the controls on the Captain's chair itself.
Thanks! The split view screens is meant as a visual nod to mission control centres - my thinking being that a crew would presumably need all the telemetry streams they can get in order to plan out a mission. But it's nice that it has a bit of visual continuity with the Kelvin - I love that design.
I said I was done with the modelling, but the floor was bothering me because it was looking too busy, so I've dialled back the trip hazards a little bit:
I'm glad you like the ship! According to 3DS Max the ship has the following dimensions:
Length 152.7m
Width 67.2m
Height 47.8m
Pretty small and compact compared to many Star Trek ships, but I think it's in roughly the right size class for a ship that pre-dates all the various Enterprises. I think some Daedalus Class size estimates come in at around 160m if I recall correctly?
Actually that was my first thought when I saw the finally of season one: Why can't Discovery look like that? (and have actors of the same quality!)
I'm glad someone is going down that road.
Me too, but considering the constraints that show was working within, I think they did a good job. I remember hearing that they initially planned on having a good chunk of season 1 Earth-bound, and it would be all about trying to get the ship ready to fly, getting the Vulcan's approval to launch etc. It would have really underlined how new and daring the Enterprise's mission was, and then when it finally launches, it would've been a sequence that felt dramatically earned. But apparently, the UPN suits squashed the idea because they couldn't fathom the idea of a Star Trek that wasn't trekking from the get-go (I'm guessing these are the same suits that wanted boy bands in the ship's mess!)
As far as the visuals went, the interiors are among my favourite for any of the shows. The way they blended real life submarine and aerospace looking features with trekkian elements is something I always love to look at. For my money, the uniforms are my favourites too.
The exteriors are in my opinion a more complicated story. The initial John Eaves sketches often way too sleek, with one sketch in particular having nacelles that were just plainly 24th century designs (a problem repeated with the design of the Shenzhou, and to a lesser extent Discovery.) For all his undoubted talents that far exceed my own, I find it very frustrating that Eaves doesn't design according to the correct time period. He also has an obsession with cutouts that make the ships look like sculpture, rather than a piece of engineering. Again, fine for the 24th century+ when the technology is pretty abstract, but the 22nd-23rd century is more relatable, and I want the machines to actually look like machines darnit! 😀
After they couldn't make any headway with getting the Eaves designs to work, someone apparently showed the producers an image of the Akira Class and they went 'oh that looks cool, let's go with that' - again with no apparent awareness of being era appropriate. Under such constraints, I think Doug Drexler did a remarkable job of adapting the basic Akira components onto something that seems fairly plausible as a 22nd century ship.
Hopefully it works as a half-way point between the Spacex Starship vehicle, and the NX-01 Shuttlepod:
As an extra, here was my first attempt at this mesh, back when I modelled it a few years ago. You can see the fundamental features are the same model, just with a bunch more stuff added on top:
Edit - one last tweak to round the weekend off;
I've been experimenting with creating engine exhaust plumes with the Corona Volume Material and 3DS Max's procedural maps. I've used them before to make clouds and atmospheric haze, but for some reason it never occurred to me that I could probably do engine exhaust and other firey stuff. I'm really happy with the results because it means I will be able to create all kinds of havoc now!
This is just a proof of concept render, I'll attempt more complex flames and billowing clouds for a proper landing shot when I get round to it.
Definitely looks a lot better than the first try. Well done!
I don't know if you watch For All Mankind, but I was thinking since this is an alternate universe Enterprise, maybe the shuttles are named after alternate universe astronauts. Essentially, I see that shuttle and imagine it's called the Baldwin.
I've been intrigued by that show, it has a lot of positive buzz, and I will probably watch it when I get Apple TV. I only get one streaming service at a time though, so I'll have to get around to finishing Strange New Worlds first
Your idea of naming the shuttles after people has me thinking though. It got me thinking of the various depictions of early era Earth astronauts whisked off into deep space by aliens and anomalies. Seems plausible an early Earth Starfleet would want to name a shuttlepod or two after those seemingly lost compatriots? Maybe I'll call one of them Richey (Commander of the Charybdis, TNG - Royale) and the other Kelly (Commander of Ares IV - VOY - One Small Step.)
Anyway, one last progress shot to round the weekend off. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel with this bridge set:
That looks amazing
—reminds me of Kliper:
http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kliper.html
I'd be interested to see your take on a Daedalus class bridge! I think you've got a good point about the size - the room is sized to fit snugly within the bridge dome of the ship exterior model posted on the previous page of this thread. I originally thought that was big enough to have a couple of rows of 'mission control' style benches, but it ended up way too cramped, which limited the number of good camera angles. If I could do it all again, I would make a smaller bridge - it would also cut down on the amount of time this thing has taken to do!
As for progress updates, I've tidied up the bridge access hatchway, and did some work on the console textures:
Edit, the gas giant has been bugging me again, so I've made some improvements to the materials and deleted the rings - looked too similar to my previous planet, and they can't all have ring systems...