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(WIP) Enterprise D Interiors

At work we discuss this a lot with Mike himself. The problem is that current day fonts didn't exist back in 87, so a lot of little details exist on the sets due to the manual process they did back then, and that's simply impossible to be replicated via fonts.

They used a variety of fonts, essentially what was available in the shops at the time. It wasn't until late TNG when a lot more things were first done digitally. Lots of early LCARS were indeed Compacta Light, while others were Helvetica Ultra Compressed (of which Swiss 911 is a clone, so MA is half-right). But yeah unless you go in there and adjust kerning and do some resizing to make up for the fact that we're essentially using digital reproductions, there's no perfect font for these.

This is really fascinating. May I ask: Do you have a "close as can be" font you typically use for LCARS and tags? Or is your process more involved to make things match on a case by case basis?
 
I only just realized that the Cerritos version of Cetacean Ops is a redress of their main engineering set. That is such a brilliant and economical use of an existing location which wouldn’t need to be done in animation, but would be something they’d have done on TNG to save their pattern budget.

I’d probably approach the Galaxy-class version in a similar manner, and maintain the design language and themes.
 
I only just realized that the Cerritos version of Cetacean Ops is a redress of their main engineering set. That is such a brilliant and economical use of an existing location which wouldn’t need to be done in animation, but would be something they’d have done on TNG to save their pattern budget.

I’d probably approach the Galaxy-class version in a similar manner, and maintain the design language and themes.

You just gave me a lightbulb moment. I have a completely out of scale non-canon engineering room based off of the Enterprise D. This would be a perfect start to Cetacean Ops and give me a little head start in the overall layout.

Thanks for this idea!
 
Thomas Marrone of Star Trek Online has been working on a book on Trek Starships and recently posted some art he commissioned for Cetacean Ops. This sketch is a take on Probert's concept from the unmade version of STO, and there's also a logo for the department.
Ah, good to see he’s still around. Used to post here years ago as thomasthecat, I believe.

I only just realized that the Cerritos version of Cetacean Ops is a redress of their main engineering set.
Wow, good catch! I never had noticed that either. But yes, if intentional that’s a cool nod to maintaining the reality of filming live-action Star Trek shows and having a limited budget for sets.
 
This is really fascinating. May I ask: Do you have a "close as can be" font you typically use for LCARS and tags? Or is your process more involved to make things match on a case by case basis?

I'm afraid not because the differences are not consistent, so it's a matter of camera matching each display and aligning things letter by letter when needed, which luckily isn't a lot of the time. :p
 
if intentional that’s a cool nod to maintaining the reality of filming live-action Star Trek shows and having a limited budget for sets.

I was unsure of an animated comedy and how it would work when Lower Decks first came out, but I have grown to love this show. And this is one reason I do. The people who make it incorporate “trekness” so deeply into every episode.
 
I'm afraid not because the differences are not consistent, so it's a matter of camera matching each display and aligning things letter by letter when needed, which luckily isn't a lot of the time. :p

That is awesome, and while it sounds time consuming I love those tedious things. Though, I suppose even I have my limit. The time and effort you give your projects really shows, true talent. Your patience must be amazing.
 
That is awesome, and while it sounds time consuming I love those tedious things. Though, I suppose even I have my limit. The time and effort you give your projects really shows, true talent. Your patience must be amazing.
Oh that's only for Roddenberry Archive work, when I'm getting paid to do that level of detail. Otherwise, I've got my limits too ;)
 
*SMALL UPDATE*

I hope everyone had a wonderful holidays! I don't have a lot of time but I just wanted to drop my first progress render for Cetacean Ops.

This image is in the long corridor that leads to the main wet/dry access room (behind the camera). The camera is facing the entrance to the corridor. Beyond the door is a main hallway. This is just what I did in the last couple hours. So like.. .05% of the project? lol.

robert-mcnatt-cetaceanops-progressrender-001.jpg


The two windows will be looking into the water filled areas. They are mainly for viewing as you make your way down the
corridor.

Some additions I am currently thinking of:
1. Simple LCARS panels below the viewing windows.
2. Some horizontal ribbing along the lower 25% off the walls with inset lights that run under the windows (basically modeling the lights below the windows in the conference room behind the bridge)
3. Some gadgety looking device right in the middle of the X lighting display on the ceiling.

Not sure I like these windows fully. I was thinking more floor to ceiling windows. But that seems a bit too much. There is another set just like this 8ft behind the camera.

Open to ideas. Have a great night everyone!
 
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I remember Andrew Probert saying that the vertical portholes on the Enterprise hull were that way so that shorter and taller people could see out.
Would it be worth making these windows larger vertically, for the same reason? Or even copying the hull-porthole shape for them?
Impressed with your work so far, looking forward to whatever you add!
 
I remember Andrew Probert saying that the vertical portholes on the Enterprise hull were that way so that shorter and taller people could see out.
Would it be worth making these windows larger vertically, for the same reason? Or even copying the hull-porthole shape for them?
Impressed with your work so far, looking forward to whatever you add!

I was thinking about this myself. At first I thought I might try to mimic the windows and curve of the conference room. But it was too “homey” feeling for the corridor. I could try something similar here: portrait instead of landscape.

I might put up some alternatives soon and people can pick which one looks best.
 
Not sure I like these windows fully. I was thinking more floor to ceiling windows. But that seems a bit too much. There is another set just like this 8ft behind the camera.

Open to ideas. Have a great night everyone!
Personally, I like them as is. It seems reasonably practical for a set they could've constructed at Paramount.

Something that could be worth adding are LCARS access stations beneath the windows for those that don't need full access to the wet lab portion. Perhaps even an equipment locker or replicator for wetsuits.
 
Another quick drop - just a few renders. I'm upping the realism in this one (but I may need to tone down the smudges prints on the glass -- opinions?).

In the blueprint this is the section of hallway (with the little red hand drawn door) running between the two tanks towards wet/dry access. The door you see at the end is where the red door is. It is about 1/3 longer than what you can see in the renders here. I'm going to be taking cues from Lower Decks and combining that with Probert's concepts and a just good ol' TNG set design.

I remember Andrew Probert saying that the vertical portholes on the Enterprise hull were that way so that shorter and taller people could see out.
Would it be worth making these windows larger vertically, for the same reason? Or even copying the hull-porthole shape for them?
Impressed with your work so far, looking forward to whatever you add!

I agree - and the vertical windows feel more Star Trek. @Firebird - I did like the portrait style ones as well but these vertical ones just feel smoother. What do you think?

Alright - on to the images.

robert-mcnatt-deck-13.jpg


robert-mcnatt-cetaceanops-progressrender-002.jpg


robert-mcnatt-cetaceanops-progressrender-003.jpg


I have some ideas for tall vertical LCARS also on the angled short sections of wall. I might reuse some props from engineering in the spots between the windows.

Alright - short update. Everyone enjoy your evening!
 
@Mr. Phreez, I feel like the vertical windows clash with the horizontal corridor bulkhead section. If you keep the windows in the same orientation with the bulkhead, it gives a better sense of movement and flow in the wet/dry access corridor.

The more I look at it, however, I'm a bit conflicted. The production designer on TNG might've gone with the vertical windows, because those would look better in a 4x3 television shot. Horizontal is better for widescreen framing, while also looking better in my eye for the overall look of the room.

I think this is all a long-winded way of me arriving at preferring the horizontal windows after all.
 
Well, I’m exactly the opposite in that I definitely prefer the vertical windows. They look much more interesting to me compared to the long, horizontal windows. They remind me of the window in Picard’s ready room, which in my mind makes them look more realistic as something they would have built on the show.
 
@Mr. Phreez I think I prefer the vertical windows, as they add a feeling of depth to the hallway and also the environment outside it. And, personally, I think that them breaking the horizontal flow of the corridor is actually an effective way to make them stand out, with the carpet, bulkhead, and even the ceiling's cross beam design serving as subliminal guiding lines to the main thing that's supposed to draw attention in this room----the windows.
 
What is on the other side of these windows? If it is nothing but water like looking into an aquarium then maybe it should be the entire wall or the horizontal windows? If it is half full of water then I like the vertical windows. All IMHO.
 
What is on the other side of these windows? If it is nothing but water like looking into an aquarium then maybe it should be the entire wall or the horizontal windows? If it is half full of water then I like the vertical windows. All IMHO.

On the other sides are two massive tanks of water which extend from deck 13 (The deck this corridor is on) up to deck 14.

An artificial ocean base with kelp, rocks, and whales will be visible through these windows.

i have considered making these windows massive floor to ceiling windows. The vertical really is nice looking imo though.
 
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