The USS Humboldt (the thing I keep coming back to..)

Discussion in 'Fan Art' started by MisterD, Apr 30, 2020.

  1. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Yeah. As the title says, the USS Humboldt is a thing I started somewhen. It grew on me. And became the project that I would really like to finish someday as my best piece. Until this will happen I have a long way to go. The road is paved with stupid Ideas, bad lighting, sloppy modeling and non existing texturing. But I will not stop. And I invite you, to guide me, to talk me out of bad and into good ideas.....and probably inspire me to put more effort into it. So in the I will not have to delete my account in shame, but will look back at my mediocre fiddling in pride. Knowing that this was not where I stopped.

    So without further rambling like a mad man: I present to you the latest version of the USS Humboldt(v.0.3) with her motto "to go where someone has gone before, and take a closer look"


    [​IMG]

    The whole concept for this ship is still the same as it alwas was. It travels to the discovered, but not investigated planets in federation space. There the saucer section, with scientists, laboratorys and lots of eqipement lands, and studys the eco-system, discovers new lifeforms and stuff. The secondary hull stays in orbit and uses its specialized sensors to make detailed maps of the planet, to look for geological phenomena, study the athmosphere, weather etc. Also it could investigate moons, rings, asteroids, planetoids, (lifeless)planets and stars of the system.

    So basically all the fun stuff I would like to join Starfleet for.

    [​IMG]
    Sizewise the ship is somewhere between an Exelsior Class and a Galaxy Class (total Crew about 500 c.a.). And thats where it also fits in the timeframe.
    [​IMG]
    Designwise it is also supposed to fit between the Galaxy and the Excelsior. But its not a direct link I think. I'd like to think that a whole line of ships was designed to replace the Excelsior. But then the decision was made to keep the Excelsiors in service.[​IMG]
    Despite the fact the Humboldt Class never went in production, its prototype the USS Humboldt entered service and fulfilled its role until she was hit by a breen energy dampening weapon during a battle in the Dominion War. Left by its Crew and floating in space she was taken in posession by Ferengi Raiders, but later handet over to the Federation again (not for free, of course).

    Now she is waiting to get an overhaul and enter service again as one of the last true research vessels in Federation service. The, one of a kind, USS Humboldt......
    na na naaaaaa, na na nana naaaaaa, NA NAAAAAA (..and the adventures continue..)
     
  2. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Since I already ran into problems with this model, its save to say that I will start it all over again someday in the future. Also there are some things that have to be done. Like the shuttle bay. And I want to show the saucer seperated and landet.
    Also I am thinking about a Miranda or Nebula vesion of this one.

    So these are the things I have in mind for this thread.
     
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  3. Cyfa

    Cyfa Commodore Commodore

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    Oh, I remember your Humboldt - those strange and unusual lines (the flat topped saucer, those beautiful elegant nacelles, the swooping secondary hull) but still quite beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. I like your backstory and purpose for the ship, and I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress with it :bolian:
     
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  4. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    @MisterD, if you don't mind my asking...what's the reason you named the ship Humboldt? Does it have anything to do with this?
     
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  5. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Oh yeah....I named that ship after a horrible accident. The Ships Captains name by the way is Jaskirat Singh Sidhu.
    Oh wait....this was a mistake. Of course the Ship is named after Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt the famous Explorer.
     
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  6. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    So that nobody thinks I repost the same crap I thought was worth sharing with the rest of the world (and seing this really makes me doubt my brain was in good condition back in the day...), I digged out an older version(the only one I could find) of the same ship and made a quick side by side render.[​IMG]
    As you can see, this is completely new, from scratch. That right thing looks like the inflatable beach toy version of a Starship, and also like smoke should be arising from it, at the same time. I still like the deflector....so thats something.

    Making the new one have ten times more windows, wich are (almost) all the same size (dammit...one could even count the decks...) was possible thanks to a technique I stole from a gentleman called @lewisniven. He showed that in his Akira Class Thread https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/akira-class-blender.301736/ So thanks man. I am looking forward to the thread where someone shows me how to texture that thing right.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2020
  7. publiusr

    publiusr Admiral Admiral

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    publiusr
    I love both versions myself—especially your layered designs
     
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  8. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Thank you. I have to let you know that I did not forget about the "Phase II-Enterprise" interpretation I kinda owe you. Unfortunately I was not able to come up with something that I am happy with or
    differs enough from already existing designs (there are some good ones out there). But I am still on that.

    P.S.: Lookaing at the difference of my two ships in the erlier post, I am kinda glad I did not post what I was working on.
     
  9. Kaiser

    Kaiser Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Boyertown, PA as of July 2011
    Pretty design :)
     
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  10. Atolm

    Atolm Commodore Commodore

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    The secondary hull on the one on the left is superior to me, but then again I am bias :)
     
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  11. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Thank you.

    I agree. But the part about your bias needs further explanation.
     
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  12. Atolm

    Atolm Commodore Commodore

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    I'm bias because I designed a hull similar to yours a long time ago for an Excelsior variant I was playing with... So seeing your's made me feel nostalgic :)
     
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  13. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    So...is there a link or something? I am curious now.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2020
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  14. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Here is a "Nebula-variant" of the Humboldt. In Trek tradition its a kitbash of course. Only the secondary hull with the sensor pod is new. I call her the USS Fresnel because USS Background would have been too silly.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Santaman

    Santaman Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I like both versions so maybe develop them into two unique vessels? As for the Nebula-ish ship, also a nice one. :mallory:

    Of course you can also juggle all kinds of parts around, if I were to do it you'd probably get a double decker saucer, with sensor pod, both style stacked deflector and 4 nacelled monstrosity.. :p;)
     
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  16. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    It's an odd looking duck, but I like it. The newer version definitely has more Galaxy DNA in her.
     
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  17. Atolm

    Atolm Commodore Commodore

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    Here you go:
    https://www.deviantart.com/atolmazel/art/Concept-Federation-Excelsior-Class-Refit-00-793617496
    https://www.deviantart.com/atolmazel/art/Concept-Federation-Excelsior-Class-Refit-01-793617565
    That's quite striking :)
     
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  18. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    Just downloadet Blender 2.83 and tried it out fiddling around on saucer seperation.
    [​IMG]
    Unfortunately I ran into a problem with the sky texture node I am using for the background. As soon as I press F12 to render, the sky texture node goes back to its default setting....what turns the space greyish blue (any solutions for that problem anybody???). So I deleted the damn thing (for now) what makes the scene darker. Good news is that adaptive sampling will save me lots of time in the future.
     
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  19. Finn

    Finn Bad Batch of TrekBBS Admiral

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    Why do the windows on the secondary hull appear bigger than the windows along the rim of the saucer?
     
  20. MisterD

    MisterD Commander Red Shirt

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    If you look from a flat angle all the windows have the same height. But because of the angle the windows on the secondary hull und the lower side of the saucer are bigger. Its the same with the windows on the neck and the saucer on the other ship. If you scroll up and compare the first and the third picture you will see that the windows have different sizes, but the same height.
     
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