Fennius' Ships and Images

[Fennius]

The Connie Refit from The Motion Picture is supposed to be 1,000'. The Connie 3 from Picard Season 3 is apparently twice the size. How big is your ship supposed to be?

The intent was a more compact Connie I/II, and I built it matching the saucer on plans (though I knew the bridge was a touch smaller)

It now appears those plans were wildly off on the proportions - here I have a drawing on top, mine in the middle, and Lewis Niven's *gorgeous* render below, and when scaled to pretty much the same saucer thickness you can see how big a difference there is

That said as long as I can mentally accept a smaller bridge module this does actually better fit the concept.

Comparing this scaling against Niven's Connie, which from the level of detail on it I'm assuming is accurate, this (I believe I'm going with Ravenna class) is actually slightly longer but clearly less volume (and where it does make up volume is in the massive wings, which wont have usable crew space). Factor in potentially larger cargo bays for ferrying and I think it fits with the idea of something with comparable output but less endurance.

 

[blssdwlf]

The intent was a more compact Connie I/II, and I built it matching the saucer on plans (though I knew the bridge was a touch smaller)

It now appears those plans were wildly off on the proportions - here I have a drawing on top, mine in the middle, and Lewis Niven's *gorgeous* render below, and when scaled to pretty much the same saucer thickness you can see how big a difference there is

That said as long as I can mentally accept a smaller bridge module this does actually better fit the concept.

Comparing this scaling against Niven's Connie, which from the level of detail on it I'm assuming is accurate, this (I believe I'm going with Ravenna class) is actually slightly longer but clearly less volume (and where it does make up volume is in the massive wings, which wont have usable crew space). Factor in potentially larger cargo bays for ferrying and I think it fits with the idea of something with comparable output but less endurance.

How long is Niven's Connie? If it is 1,000' long then he built it scaled to Probert's scale for TMP. If it is larger than that then he made it to fit his idea of the size of the refit. Given how loose scale is played with in Star Trek you could make your ship as large or small as you want, IMHO.

 

[Fennius]

How long is Niven's Connie? If it is 1,000' long then he built it scaled to Probert's scale for TMP. If it is larger than that then he made it to fit his idea of the size of the refit. Given how loose scale is played with in Star Trek you could make your ship as large or small as you want, IMHO.

Oh my assumption is its as accurate as he could make it, certainly looks the part, and the general difference from the drawn plans matches another free model I found and some other images.

In this case its less the numerical length I'm concerned about (though I do want to work out a figure, but especially with the SNW Retconnie I'm aware those are never accurate) and more the vibe of how this looks next to it.

 

[blssdwlf]

Oh my assumption is its as accurate as he could make it, certainly looks the part, and the general difference from the drawn plans matches another free model I found and some other images.

In this case its less the numerical length I'm concerned about (though I do want to work out a figure, but especially with the SNW Retconnie I'm aware those are never accurate) and more the vibe of how this looks next to it.

Hmm, if you are more concerned with how it looks compared to a Connie then I suggest only render it next to the Connie of your choice You can't go wrong there Whether Niven's Connie or someone else is more accurate doesn't matter if you present your ship next to the one you want to compare it to, IMHO.

 

[Fennius]

Hmm, if you are more concerned with how it looks compared to a Connie then I suggest only render it next to the Connie of your choice You can't go wrong there Whether Niven's Connie or someone else is more accurate doesn't matter if you present your ship next to the one you want to compare it to, IMHO.

It was literally downloading a free Connie model that made me realise the plans I was using were wrong

 

[blssdwlf]

It was literally downloading a free Connie model that made me realise the plans I was using were wrong

You could scale up your bridge and taper the B-C deck module along the z axis to fit the larger bridge to match Niven's and leave the rest of the saucer as-is.

That will give the impression of a smaller ship.

 

[Fennius]

You could scale up your bridge and taper the B-C deck module along the z axis to fit the larger bridge to match Niven's and leave the rest of the saucer as-is.

That will give the impression of a smaller ship.

I was playing with that the first time I realised the scale wasn't working, it didn't look good

I think I'll leave the model as is, and just declare the bridge is more slimline

 

[blssdwlf]

I was playing with that the first time I realised the scale wasn't working, it didn't look good

I think I'll leave the model as is, and just declare the bridge is more slimline

Your bridge will be theoretically more cramped

 

[Fennius]

Your bridge will be theoretically more cramped

Screw it, the TMP bridge is too big and empty looking anyway.

In fact, NEW HEADCANON

This ship tested the bridge module design, they expanded it for the Connie refit but didn't have as much to fill it which is why it looks emptier, and then they stick more equipment in after :P

Fractionally more seriously, the bridge module and the bridge itself rarely seem to have any close relation to each other, and they usually seem pretty bulky externally, so I assume there's a lot of stuff between the outer hull of the module and the walls of the bridge itself

 

[blssdwlf]

Screw it, the TMP bridge is too big and empty looking anyway.

In fact, NEW HEADCANON

This ship tested the bridge module design, they expanded it for the Connie refit but didn't have as much to fill it which is why it looks emptier, and then they stick more equipment in after :P

Fractionally more seriously, the bridge module and the bridge itself rarely seem to have any close relation to each other, and they usually seem pretty bulky externally, so I assume there's a lot of stuff between the outer hull of the module and the walls of the bridge itself

No worries I only speak in jest with the smiley as Picard S3 threw out using ship features for scaling with the Connie III. Your scale can be whatever you want it to be

 

[Fennius]

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So I got the bussard vanes spinning and the blinkies blinking, then set it to a nice big 4k 20 second render...which took almost exactly 24 hours at the end of which.....I realised I'd accidentally deleted the windows. Reducing the size down to HD (and honestly my video editor wont export 4K without premium so no loss there) and a few fewer samples cut almost 20 hours off the render time, BUT it seems the glare node isn't proportional to the image size because that got a LOT brighter. Think a middle ground in glare size is better and I might desaturate the port and starboard lights a little. I will say I really like how it looks when the camera pulls away, the hull texture when viewed form more of a distance works really well with the lighting to make it feel solid and real

 

[Fennius]

Schematics done, that scale bar is not *exact* but is close enough for government work. Was paying around with different colours including a SNW yellow orange and a reddish-purplish vibe I liked but couldn't quite get right.

The download on the deviantart is in a truly ridiculous A0 size!

 

[Fennius]

On Cosmic Shores

 

[publiusr]

I could see it evolving to this
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363947213639687833/

 

[Fennius]

I could see it evolving to this
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363947213639687833/

Through no fault of your own, Oof.

Yeah I remembered that ship after I'd mostly finished it but fortunately for my personal sake of mind I'm pretty certain I got to those shapes independently as I know the logic track I used as it evolved.

I have no problem being inspired by other people's work, but I happen to know why that artist is in prison.

You're right the lines of the ship flow quite nicely into that and it would work perfectly as a precursor to it, but for very specific reasons I'm going to declare it isn't. Since he was moderately prolific and people occasionally still post his stuff I think people should know about him, but I'll stick it in spoiler tags. Otherwise let's just say we can feel more comfortable knowing his design wasnt picked for the enterprise F

Spoiler: Grim, no really, trigger warning SA

I was a staff member on another forum he frequented and we got a message when he stopped posting. He was arrested and then sentenced to 45 years in prison for grooming and long term sexual assault of an 8 year old girl in his care.

ANYWAY, for lighter toned stuff Thtre's a fan Kelvin design that's not as close a match but I'm happy to envision as an alternate universe sister though

https://pin.it/6fgqPZ3Ce

 

[publiusr]

Yikes--I really step in it--Duderstat is similar--a few others where nacelles go atop the saucer but a secondary hull is bemeath--Reliant could have been the first.

 

[Fennius]

Yikes--I really step in it--Duderstat is similar--a few others where nacelles go atop the saucer but a secondary hull is bemeath--Reliant could have been the first.

I tend to mention it when that guys art gets brought up just because people deserve to know imo, even if its grim.

I quite like the duderstat, and the fore view of this one really brings to mind that 'angry spaceship' shot with the Intrepid


Huh. Thinking of the Reliant's original nacelle up configuration, I don't think I've seen pictures of that with the rollbar underneath. Make it just a smidge bigger and it would really fit in with the Oberth

 

[Fennius]

Couldn't think of a better name for this one so:

Above Red Skies​

 

[Michael]

Ooh, that last one is just gorgeous! Very nice composition, mood and lighting. Love it!

 

[Fennius]

Ooh, that last one is just gorgeous! Very nice composition, mood and lighting. Love it!

Thank you, I was worried that one would turn out the worst, but it has a certain mood to it