USS Grandeur - One... More... Time!

[Vektor]

That's right, I'm back to take another shot at finishing this beast once and for all. Since I am effectively starting over from scratch, I decided to kick off a whole new thread rather than continue with the old one. Besides which, the old thread seems to have disappeared anyway.

So, without further ado, here's what the new primary hull looks like.








Obviously the modeling work is still in its early stages. There are lots of details yet to be filled in, corners to round off, etc. As usual, the underside is still a blank slate, which is why I haven't shown it here, and I literally haven't even started on the rest of the ship yet, at least not in 3D.

You'll note that while this design definitely has some new features, most of the distinctive lines from the first major redesign are still there. I'm talking about the version I first worked up on paper a couple of years ago and modeled pretty thoroughly before deciding to go in a different direction. Well, I've come full circle and decided to go back to a lot of what worked so well in the first place.

A few quick comments about the new/old design:

- Go ahead, ask me what the air intake type thing on the front of the bridge module is. I really have no idea. I just stuck it there to break up that curve a little bit. I suppose it might be a Defiant style deflector grid for use in saucer separation mode, especially since I have eliminated the auxiliary deflector from the previous design. That's just one possibility, though.

- The bridge module itself is new. I just figured, why the heck am I using a Sovereign bridge module when I could do something original that would fit better with the rest of the ship? If you're observant, though, you may notice that I did keep the old bridge dome. And SeanR, if you're still out there and thinking about modeling the bridge for this baby, looks like I've got a new shell for you to fit it in.

- If you're really observant, you may notice that the core of the impulse engines is borrowed directly from my UES Vanguard model. I'll probably do something all new with them before I'm done, but for now they add a touch of completeness.

I guess that's all for now. Comments and crits are welcome as always.

[timmay2411]

Nice.......I like it.

What's weird is that there are some similarities to a design I'm working on. Hmm...

[Mr. Cellophane]

Yea! The USS Grandeur is back! Lookin' good as usual, Vektor. Are you going to use those unique impulse vents (the rib-like architecture) that you had on the other thread?

[Lord Azathoth]

NICE! Not sure what it is but I really, really like the top view, it has nice lines.

[candida]

am so pleased to see the Grandeur back.

Though I know you've moved on conceptually, how about reposting where you'd got last time for comparison ?

[Vektor]

Ushaan said:
Are you going to use those unique impulse vents (the rib-like architecture) that you had on the other thread?

Probably not. I just don't think they'd work very well with the current design.

In fact, I've been thinking about impulse engines in general and why they would have gotten so much bigger in later ship models like the Sovereign class. I'm sure there's some rationale for it but I'm disinclined to play that game. I will probably wind up making the impulse engines just a little smaller than they are now. Not much, just a little.

[Vektor]

candida said:
Though I know you've moved on conceptually, how about reposting where you'd got last time for comparison ?

Here's a pretty good shot of where things stood with the previous version:

[Titan Designer]

Very nice ship you have there Vector. Keep up the good work. I really like the details you have put into the impluse deck.

[FrontLine]

Vektor bless your soul for bringing the Grandeur back. I cant wait to see what else it is that you develop in this newest incarnation. I love what youve done with the impulse vents.

[Kazeite]

It's good to see Grandeur back. I'm not sure about that "air intake" being secondary deflector dish. I mean, to me, it looks too small for this job.

Not that we have some definite data about how big secondary deflector should be, but... well, I think deflector dish should be bigger, that's all. I mean, you gave her double phaser strips, so why stop with such small deflector?

[Vektor]

Okay, time to roll out the big guns!

[Cary L. Brown]

Hey, Vektor!

I don't know if you've checked out my "WIP" here... but if you have, you might be aware that I put a big "nose" at the front of my saucer (that some people don't seem to like and others just love). The idea with my concept was that this is the main active scanner beam... a really high-power scanning sensor device.

You said that you're not sure what the little detail in front of the bridge is. But as I look at it, it looks very much like the scanner I put in... and I'd like to suggest you treat it as such. This would be something in the same vein but not quite as powerful (my ship is really a deep-range-reconnaisance and science vessel after all). I certainly didn't come up with this concept on my own, mind you... I was basically "extending the concept" of the active scanner array at the lower sensor dome of the refit Enterprise... and since this is, VISUALLY, a spotlight-like device, and having a spotlight there would look great on your model, hey, I'd go that way if this were my model!

Just my 2cents...

[CaptainRoop]

Hey Vektor I am so glad you are back in the swing of things. I do agree with some of the people here that what you had before was not half bad. But I do know that you want it to be right on all accounts. Not being an artist of any kind I can not comment on various aspects of the drawing from that stand point, but I am glad that many here can.

We know that you are still trying to stick in most ways to what "The Commander" had started quite awhile back and we do appreciate that. Keep up all the great work and we look forward to your posts here and the other threads as well.

[candida]

Cary L. Brown said:
You said that you're not sure what the little detail in front of the bridge is. But as I look at it, it looks very much like the scanner I put in... and I'd like to suggest you treat it as such.

Of course, then the bridge module would have to be rotated off-centre so the viewscreen didn't have "interference"

[the citizen]

I guess those are the housings for the guns, right. Having trouble seeing the gun turrett. It looks like two impulse engines for the ever-helpful "full reverse" mode we often use for emergencies.

Glad to see you back Jason!