Star Trek: Starships Model/Magazine Subscription

[Dukhat]

Something about the blockiness of that model seems like it would be better suited for the pre-TOS era. However, I would have preferred that to reusing the BoP model as a larger ship. That always seemed particularly lame, would have preferred the K'tinga if they needed a model with more detail.

I think the rationale was that they wanted the K'Vort class to be a ship that would have been a match to the Enterprise-D, which the K'T'Inga most certainly was not. And neither was the BoP, which was why they had to scale it up. Since they'd already scaled it up before in "The Defector," they probably had no qualms about doing it again.

 

[David cgc]

Something about the blockiness of that model seems like it would be better suited for the pre-TOS era. However, I would have preferred that to reusing the BoP model as a larger ship. That always seemed particularly lame, would have preferred the K'tinga if they needed a model with more detail.

It kind of fits with the alternate timeline idea, considering the Vor'cha was intended to reflect some Federation influence in the design (though the most visible element of that, the grey hull color, was removed when it was retconned to being Klingon Green in DS9). This could've been the road not taken (though, given the realities of production, we probably would've seen it frequently, and I don't really have an issue with it as a Lost Era ship design either way).

 

[Michael]

Now it's the XL version of the Discoprise that's 50% off in their flash sale.

I just pre-ordered the XL-Discovery and the Orville model. I'm really looking forward to those. BTW, it's funny that they are listing the Orville with the Star Trek stuff.

 

[Gepard]

I think it more likely that there is a high turnover rate for these artists, with inexperienced new people coming in, not yet having been burned by the trauma of critical data loss. Either that or they're more "artists" than "computer people" and they simply don't get it - the computer is a little magic box under the desk that never breaks... until it does.

In the world of VFX, it's not the responsibility of the artists to back up data. In fact, taking assets home or making copies yourself is against your NDA as the clients want control over the work, and studios keeping a tight lockdown on things is how that control is achieved. Backups are the province of the IT department, and those can fail/be functionally unrecoverable for a variety of reasons, even if a company is scrupulous about making backups. Also, yes, VFX studios are in a nebulous in-between space of not quite being an art firm, but also not quite being a fully fledged tech company either. So they tend not to care as much.

 

[fireproof78]

USS Zheng He

Nice!

 

[valkyrie013]

Well.. It was explained to me once that the vfx work quarterly, so 3 months. First month, 8 hour days, weekends off, 2nd month 6 day week, maybe 7 sometimes .. And 3rd month there sleeping at the office running on coffee.
And my teachers at art school took the gig to get away for awhile cuz they were burned out. Its kind of a crappy living. Why I never really entertained the thought of going to LA or wherever the vfx is now..that changes too. And companies fold then reopen.. Ugh..
And yes.. Most think you press a button and the magic box makes magic.
My Discoprise took.. Egh.. 50 hours to just build it.. Not even texture or light.

 

[Nate]

Over on Facebook some UK subscribers have gotten a letter that the Discovery sub is stopping at issue 33 due to the delay in Season 3.

The models will still be made at some point(just the subscription is stopping). Haven’t seen anything here in the US about it but I’d assume the same will happen.

 

[Markonian]

Over on Facebook some UK subscribers have gotten a letter that the Discovery sub is stopping at issue 33 due to the delay in Season 3.

The models will still be made at some point(just the subscription is stopping). Haven’t seen anything here in the US about it but I’d assume the same will happen.

Whaaaaat! That’s horrible! This could be the perfect opportunity to catch up on the remaining Klingon fleet from season 1. Sech class, anyone?

 

[Markonian]

BSG issue 18 Landram has been shipped. Detailed aztecting and the magazine is a love-letter to nerds and collectors. I had no idea the Landram appeared in the reboot as well.

BSG issue 19 is the Cylon Heavy Raider.

STO collection issues 03 and 04 have shipped, USS Andromeda NCC-92100 and the IKS Bortasqu’,
From the box, we learn of a 12th ship in the collection, the RRW Aelahl. STOWiki link: https://sto.gamepedia.com/Aelahl_Light_Warbird_Battlecruiser

edit: Aliens APC is now available for pre-order in Britannia.

 

[JamesRye]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the XL Voyager and it arrived the very next day! Here's a mini-review:

1. The magazine is a waste, the smaller ships magazine had much better content. This one is full of filler.
2. The model itself has a nice weight to it and a very large percentage of it is metal.
3. Window misalignment - as I only paid £25, I can't complain. But the windows start out aligned on the leading edge of the saucer and by the back of the model - they are a mile off. Surely someone out there knows how to remove them. I think I will experiment on one window with a nail varnish remover pen. Then fill them in with a sharpie!
4. No articulating warp engines, which is a shame.
5. Lovely detailing (very good decals and paint applications) and has areas of detail where there are none on the smaller model.
6. The stand is a joke. Firstly, the magazine tells you that it clips on at the back rather than under the saucer. Mine has a tendency to nose dive. It's not secure at all.
7. The navigational deflector is often a weak point on these models - and it is here too. So much detail missing.
8. Is it worth a punt for £25? You bet.

Lastly, if anyone is interested, and this article is pretty old - but check out the Voyager in HD:
http://blog.trekcore.com/2013/07/voyagers-visual-effects-creating-the-cg-voyager-with-rob-bonchune/

It's flipping incredible what they achieved back then. That crash landing sequence blows anything that we've seen on DSC and Picard out of the water. I remain baffled why the CG from the early 2000's in Voyager, DS9, BSG etc... often looks better than what we get now.

 

[drt]

BSG issue 18 Landram has been shipped. Detailed aztecting and the magazine is a love-letter to nerds and collectors. I had no idea the Landram appeared in the reboot as well.

There was one in Galactica's museum in the pilot. And a CGI one in "Scar" (maybe another episode as well).

 

[Markonian]

There was one in Galactica's museum in the pilot. And a CGI one in "Scar" (maybe another episode as well).

That makes the Landram the only design that appears exactly 1:1 in both the TOS and RDM TV show.
(I think a lot of TOS designs appear mildly modified in the BSG: Deadlock game as First Cylon War vehicles).

 

[137th Gebirg]

Nope - the TOS shuttle made an appearance at the beginning of RDM’s pilot.

Now THAT is one I would love to see Eaglemoss do a model of.

 

[Tuskin38]

the TOS shuttle made an appearance at the beginning of RDM’s pilot.

It also shows up occasionally in some other episodes. I think one of the shuttles either arriving on, or evacuating New Caprica.

 

[137th Gebirg]

If you count the nearly-all-CG landing bay museum, there are a bunch of 1:1 artifacts from TOS:

 

[David cgc]

There was one in Galactica's museum in the pilot. And a CGI one in "Scar" (maybe another episode as well).

Landrams actually start appearing pretty frequently after "Scar," often with a bulldozer attachment when they're used to moved wrecked fighters off the landing deck.

 

[drt]

It also shows up occasionally in some other episodes. I think one of the shuttles either arriving on, or evacuating New Caprica.

First time I remember one not in the museum is they used one to get Roslyn down to Kobol (not in flight, but you could see them walking away from one on the surface).

 

[Tuskin38]

https://twitter.com/TrekOnlineGame/status/1282059285464141824

The STO Eaglemoss line has been expanded to 20 ships, one of them will be the Enterprise-F (Yorktown Sub-class refit)
https://sto.gamepedia.com/Yorktown_Science_Star_Cruiser
https://sto.gamepedia.com/U.S.S._Enterprise_(NCC-1701-F)

And 7 to 10 have also been revealed (though they kinda leaked with the most recent models)
#7 - Pathfinder Class https://sto.gamepedia.com/Pathfinder_Long_Range_Science_Vessel
#8 - Jem'hadar vanguard carrier https://sto.gamepedia.com/Jem'Hadar_Vanguard_Carrier
#9 - Europa Class https://sto.gamepedia.com/Europa_Heavy_Battlecruiser
#10 - Klingon Mogh Class Battlecruiser https://sto.gamepedia.com/Mogh_Battlecruiser

 

[Markonian]

Also, new shuttle pack announced for December.
Image shown was the stare-at-the-screen-and-you-still-won’t-see-it Starfleet dock shuttle from TNG’s 111000111000111001110010111.....

Edit: image! https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/File:Eaglemoss_Shuttle_Drone.jpg

 

[publiusr]

Now, Okuda has found a photo and posted it on his Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Denise.Okuda/posts/3136396856397847
Now I would like that as a release—-seems more a fast patrol craft.
.

Oops
If there is ever another remastered TNG, use the FASA L-24