Thanks Aresius! It's getting there. Here are a couple of more recent and differently lit renders to show the lights. Eventually it's going to look like an upside down Christmas tree but I guess as a public facility that runs 24/7, that's not a problem! :cool:
I'll be starting to texture the docking arms today! May God have mercy on my soul!
Have you ever heard of JoAT? If not go to treknology.org and submit this baby when it's finished. I think with a bit of backstory it could be a sure entry.
Ok completely new docking arms (obviously still working on the textures!)
The original arms when this was an operational starbase would have been the same as the lower ones. The upper arms were retro-fitted with the small island complexes to act as visitor information centres for the static ship displays.
More when I've improved the textures but I'm enjoying the journey!
I tend to agree with Starship in regards to those windows. I mean, consider what they'll look like when you've got starships docked to it. I'd suggest that you get a finished model of something like the Ent-D, "dock" it and then compare the window sizes.
The windows are larger in this station as a retrofit. The top docking arms and gallery windows are purposely latge as "Sight seeing" features. The lower docking arm gallery for example is two decks in the lit section (which is similar to the ring on DS9 where Quarks etc is located.) The large windos merely provide a view to the static displays.
The large windows on top of the body section are similarly large to allow views out and in for the main interior display area. Remember this is not an 'operational' starbase but a museum and as much a public facility and recruiting tool as anything else.
That was my reasoning anyway?
Thanks to Bucky (1701), Kenny (NX-01) and Andrew Hodges (Daedalus) for their meshes here!
I'm tellin' ya, man, your windows are still WAY out of scale. Adding those ships for size comparison only proves the point. In the end, it's your model, do as you will. But I'd HIGHLY recommend that you reevaluate the issue.
Just completing a couple of newer renders but I have a couple of questions for the MAX gurus out there.
1. I've placed comms arrays top and bottom but I'm not certain how to place red warning (or obstruction) lights on their tips?
2. I've merged some starship meshes with my museum model but suddenly my material editor is no longer showing the textures for the museum! They're still appearing on the model but is there any way to get the textures back into the material editor?
Thanks for following this thread guys an gals, your input is always welcome!:thumb:
The windows on the bottom look properly sized to me. I imagine them as HUGE windows that several dozen people could stand in a circle around, and look through the floor at the displays below. When I compare the size of those windows to the nav domes of the ships, I estimate that if you put one of those windows on the main Bridge of a Galaxy class Starship, it would take up most of the floorspace. I don't think that's too large for their purpose, especially if you imagine that there could be several open decks with railings also looking down toward the same windows.
That's basically what I was aiming for Polaris. Yes the windows are larger than starship windows but the structure is much larger and the view out to the docking arms from as many directions as possible was important to me.
I think I'll be keeping them as they are but I appreciate the input from everybody.
Just completing a couple of newer renders but I have a couple of questions for the MAX gurus out there.
1. I've placed comms arrays top and bottom but I'm not certain how to place red warning (or obstruction) lights on their tips?
2. I've merged some starship meshes with my museum model but suddenly my material editor is no longer showing the textures for the museum! They're still appearing on the model but is there any way to get the textures back into the material editor?
Thanks for following this thread guys an gals, your input is always welcome!:thumb:
I wouldn't merge ship meshes into the file. Try X Ref Objects.
Your right to an opinion does not make your opinion valid.
Thanks oldmangreg! I actually only put them in there for the renders and being a total newbie with all this malarkey didn't know there was another way to do it! Obviously, now I do!
Thanks to all the contributors to this thread, (the first of many I hope!)
The model is now (nearly) finished with one or two tweaks to throw in but nothing major I don't think. Unless, of course, you guys have any suggestions?
I don't see why not. Some ships might require heavy restructuring before being ready for the museum. It would make sense to have that work done right there. If 4 of the lower 8 arms had drydocks on them (perhaps even from different eras: TOS, TMP, TNG and NEM) that would look best, I think. It could also mean that the museum preserves maintenance facilities as well as ships.
The Pima Air and Space Museum, which is the largest non-governmental museum of its kind, has two hangers dedicated to rehabilitating aircraft for the public to view. However, those hangers are not themselves exhibits, they are working areas, and the public generally doesn't even notice they are there.
Aresius, you're confusing "shipyard" with "drydock". One shipyard consists of many drydocks, plus related structures (e.g. administrative spaces). The Federation probably has a small number of shipyards (at least three were named, at least one of which was shown onscreen to be comprised of a lot of space stations) and a larger number of stand-alone refit-and-repair facilities, so I see no reason why they shoudn't have four additional drydocks to be used exclusively for the SF Museum, be it a private or public operation.
I'm not actually set on the idea of a dedicated refurbishment facility when the San Francisco orbital yards are so close anyway.
Besides, as suggested earlier, many of the ships that will have been refurbished will travel between museum annexes as Cadet training cruises. This makes me think the (potentially) those ships would be on Starfleet's Reserve roster and be afforded use of yard facilities anyway?
Posts
I'll be starting to texture the docking arms today! May God have mercy on my soul!
Have you ever heard of JoAT? If not go to treknology.org and submit this baby when it's finished. I think with a bit of backstory it could be a sure entry.
The original arms when this was an operational starbase would have been the same as the lower ones. The upper arms were retro-fitted with the small island complexes to act as visitor information centres for the static ship displays.
More when I've improved the textures but I'm enjoying the journey!
And a rough comparison shot for fun! Thanks to Raul for the Spacedock model! 8)
The large windows on top of the body section are similarly large to allow views out and in for the main interior display area. Remember this is not an 'operational' starbase but a museum and as much a public facility and recruiting tool as anything else.
That was my reasoning anyway?
Thanks to Bucky (1701), Kenny (NX-01) and Andrew Hodges (Daedalus) for their meshes here!
Try these shots.....
1. I've placed comms arrays top and bottom but I'm not certain how to place red warning (or obstruction) lights on their tips?
2. I've merged some starship meshes with my museum model but suddenly my material editor is no longer showing the textures for the museum! They're still appearing on the model but is there any way to get the textures back into the material editor?
Thanks for following this thread guys an gals, your input is always welcome!:thumb:
I think I'll be keeping them as they are but I appreciate the input from everybody.
Thank you!
I wouldn't merge ship meshes into the file. Try X Ref Objects.
Thanks again.
The model is now (nearly) finished with one or two tweaks to throw in but nothing major I don't think. Unless, of course, you guys have any suggestions?
Here she is in several views:
@suspex: Nice work, I like the station. Especially the idea of two stages of pylons is quite fancy.
Besides, as suggested earlier, many of the ships that will have been refurbished will travel between museum annexes as Cadet training cruises. This makes me think the (potentially) those ships would be on Starfleet's Reserve roster and be afforded use of yard facilities anyway?