Spoilers Starship Design in Star Trek: Picard

[Noname Given]

I don’t think it’s a matter of them not paying attention. I think it’s a matter of them not really knowing what to do about SNW’s visual inconsistency, and choosing (correctly in my opinion) to go with the TOS visuals for their show.

Given that through the entire franchise the Only Rule with respect to Starship shots on screen is:

"What looks good to the audience..."

The various production design teams aren't ignoring anything. There have been plenty of shots in DS9 where the Defiant is too large in relation to the DS9 space station itself.

Basically they've always been composing shots with the audience in mind and nobody's paying attention to the actual fan debated length of the ships.

 

[Dukhat]

Given that through the entire franchise the Only Rule with respect to Starship shots on screen is:

"What looks good to the audience..."

The various production design teams aren't ignoring anything. There have been plenty of shots in DS9 where the Defiant is too large in relation to the DS9 space station itself.

Basically they've always been composing shots with the audience in mind and nobody's paying attention to the actual fan debated length of the ships.

But we weren't talking about the same ship at a different scale. We were talking about choosing to use one design over another design to represent the same ship.

 

[cooleddie74]

The Titan-A scaled to the previous Titan, the Enterprise-D and the NX-01.

 

[Dukhat]

Something looks a little off in scale to me. Both Titans (and the A especially) look a bit larger than they should be.

 

[cooleddie74]

The Titan-A is supposed to be 530 meters long and the Enterprise-D is 642 meters so I think you're right.

 

[Dukhat]

Actually, I have a hard time believing that the Titan-A is supposed to be 530 meters long, but that's another story.

 

[cooleddie74]

One thing's for sure. That's definitely a 225-meter NX-01 in comparison to the 642-meter Enterprise-D.

 

[Caeruleus]

I have to be honest, USS Titan looks much better than USS Titan-A. Especially on this scale photo up.

Anyway


Transporter room 3, USS Titan-A

 

[Search4]

Quite literally. The NJ is on screen from 26:16 until 26:18..just over two seconds lol.

This could be the best post ever.

 

[Sci]

I have to be honest, USS Titan looks much better than USS Titan-A.

Between the Constitution III class, the Sagan class, the Obena class, and the Excelsior II class, I think it's pretty clear that Starfleet circa 2400 (with the Obena class preceding this) has entered a period in its design history where it's indulging in nostalgia for its 2280s-2290s design aesthetics.

 

[Racefuel]

That makes me wonder, did the Dominion War cause even more culture shock then the Romulan War? I mean, I'm sure the number of deaths were far greater during the Dominion War, but that was because it was pretty much the "World War Alpha Quadrant."

But on the more personal level of Earth vs. Romulus, it had to cause one hell of a panic on Earth, especially after the whole "Xindi thing."

Didn't DS9 mention that Earth itself was attacked during the Rom War? So we know it must have got pretty dicey. But Earth/The Federation managed to come through it without becoming all "hawkish". They were still all about exploring. Star Trek Beyond even kinda hinted that the more, we'll say right leaning, hardened veterans of the war felt somewhat ostracized in the early days of the Federation.....

God I want a Romulan War series/movie/mini series.

The Dominion War clearly had a great deal of fallout and culture shock given that it changed starfleet so badly that Picard felt he had no place in it any longer and they were still trying to find that "soul" by 2399 during Picard S1

 

[137th Gebirg]

The notion that a race of beings can infiltrate and destroy something so iconic and monolithic as the Federation, forcing it to sacrifice some of its ideals in exchange for preservation, digs at the soul of every sentient being. Sometimes I think we are walking on a similar path in this world right now.

 

[Racefuel]

The notion that a race of beings can infiltrate and destroy something so iconic and monolithic as the Federation, forcing it to sacrifice some of its ideals in exchange for preservation, digs at the soul of every sentient being. Sometimes I think we are walking on a similar path in this world right now.

We are.

Star Trek has always been a commentary and exploration of current events.

 

[Nate]

Fair enough. I guess it could also be that the Federation of the late 24th/early 25th cenutry isn't so gun-shy about warships. Between the Defiant, the Prometheus, and the Inquiry class starships, Starfleet has definitely taken a step back from the moral high ground of "no warships."

We don’t know that Starfleet has taken a step back from no warships in the early 25th century. Defiant was a response to the Borg threat and Prometheus was an experimental ship during the time of the Dominion War. The last in universe appearance (not counting possible futures) of both was what 2378 ?(VOY Endgame) & we are now in 2401 ? They could all be decommissioned. For Inquiry all we know is that they’re the toughest, fastest, most powerful ship… That doesn’t necessarily make them warships, could be multi mission explorers like the Galaxy. Taking lessons learned from the war and encompassing them in future design strategies.

As far as Defiant being in the museum, remembrance doesn’t equate to celebration.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Between the Constitution III class, the Sagan class, the Obena class, and the Excelsior II class, I think it's pretty clear that Starfleet circa 2400 (with the Obena class preceding this) has entered a period in its design history where it's indulging in nostalgia for its 2280s-2290s design aesthetics.

Art imitates life.

 

[Sci]

Art imitates life.

In fairness, it's realistic that there would be a nostalgia cycle for aesthetics. Certainly we see that in real life -- 70s nostalgia for the 50s, 90s nostalgia for the 70s, '10s nostalgia for the 80s, etc.

 

[Dukhat]

Art imitates life.

So the Navy will start building ships that look like they were designed in the 1900's any time now!

 

[fireproof78]

If the navy had infinite resources and funding it would.

 

[Dukhat]

If the navy had infinite resources and funding it would.

No it wouldn't.

 

[David cgc]

So the Navy will start building ships that look like they were designed in the 1900's any time now!

Well, maybe not the Navy...