Spoilers Starship Design in Star Trek: Picard

[Tuskin38]

Eleos is another case of Eaves submitting a previously rejected design. Though to be fair, the Phoenix technically wasn't rejected, the version of the game it was made for just never released. The slight redesign he did of it for ST09 was never used however.

Like the DSC Connie, the Eleos was finished up and altered by another artist after Eaves final concept, in this case Doug Drexler.

Now that the Eleos is in STO, the design has kinda come back full circle.

This is the ST09 concept art

 

[Dukhat]

Eleos is another case of Eaves submitting a previously rejected design. Though to be fair, the Phoenix technically wasn't rejected, the version of the game it was made for just never released. The redesign he did of it for ST09 was never used however.

Like the DSC Connie, the Eleos was finished up and altered by another artist after Eaves final concept, in this case Doug Drexler.

Now that the Eleos is in STO, the design has kinda come back full circle.

The thing that annoys me about randomly picking some old STO designs for ships is that the Phoenix Eleos was supposed to be an old ship, but it looks more advanced than the Titan did. The same thing happened with using old artwork of a Sovereign-era Eaves STO design for a ship that was commissioned in 2285! (The Leondegrance.) It's like whoever is choosing these designs has no concept of chronological starship design attributes.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Based on the registry numbers of the Curry (NCC-42254), the Raging Queen (NCC-42264), and the Centaur (NCC-42043), I surmised that at least some of those ships might have been Mediterranean class or Istanbul class.

The Curry and Raging Queen were curious examples to me. They were similar in design and configuration of major components, but had an equally large amount of visible differences, specifically connective pylons and nacelle orientation. Additionally, while the Curry contained a "USS" in the name, Raging Queen had just the name printed on the hull without a "USS", "SS" or any other ship type designator (possibly the only ship in Starfleet service that's ever done this to my recollection), yet still had relatively close registry numbers (42254 and 42264 - some folks out there also use 42284 for the latter, I've noticed). Not sure if they're separate classes with similar mission profiles, or both of the same class with the ostensibly-newer Raging Queen possessing many physical refit wartime upgrades. The design choices the model makers of these two ships used have always fascinated me.

 

[Dukhat]

The Curry and Raging Queen were curious examples. They were similar in design and configuration of major components, but had an equally large amount of visible differences, specifically connective pylons and nacelle orientation. Additionally, while the Curry contained a "USS" in the name, Raging Queen had just the name printed on the hull without a "USS", "SS" or any other ship type designator (possibly the only ship in Starfleet service that's ever done this to my recollection), yet still had relatively close registry numbers (42254 and 42264 - some folks out there also use 42284 for the latter, I've noticed). Not sure if they're separate classes with similar mission profiles, or both of the same class with the ostensibly-newer Raging Queen possessing many physical refit wartime upgrades. The design choices the model makers of these two ships used have always fascinated me.

The Curry was built by Dan Curry, and the Raging Queen was built by Gary Hutzel. Yes, they are quite similar in design but have enough differences that I would consider them to be different classes. Based on the research I've done, I get the impression that most of the kitbashes that were made for "A Time to Stand" utilized Excelsior parts because that model was readily available in stores because AMT over-produced them, and there were way more options for kitbashing that particular kit than, say, the Reliant (which was also over-produced, but seemed to be used more in its original configuration for far background ships than trying to kitbash it.) I'm hoping that at some point Lou Zutavern will send me photos of the kitbashes he made so that we can analyze this even more.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Would LOVE to see those if/when you get them (if you're allowed to post them, of course).

 

[Tuskin38]

but it looks more advanced than the Titan did.

I don't agree personally. In fact I think the exterior, minus the nacelles and deflector, would fit better in the 22nd century.

The sets though I think fit an older not well maintained 24th century ship.

 

[Dukhat]

I don't agree personally. In fact I think the exterior looks too old for it being a 24th century ship, minus the nacelles and deflector, it would fit better in the 22nd century.

Uh, ok. I’m not really seeing that, but to each their own.

 

[HotRod]

This is the ST09 concept art

That'd be a dynamite design for the Romulan War Era / Early Federation. I kinda dig it.

 

[cooleddie74]

The next step beyond the Franklin and the NX-class.

 

[Dukhat]

The next step beyond the Franklin and the NX-class.

Actually, beyond the Franklin and the Intrepid-type, with the pointless fins.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Yeah, never looked at it that way, but it could definitely be a splinter branch off that lineage.

And I would assume that the ship is small enough that it could easily enter an atmosphere, hence the fins for stabilization and to prevent ass-wobble on reentry.

 

[cooleddie74]

True!

 

[Daedalus]

I don't agree personally. In fact I think the exterior, minus the nacelles and deflector, would fit better in the 22nd century.

The sets though I think fit an older not well maintained 24th century ship.

Wasn't the interior, at least the bridge, inspired by the Raven? Seems like it had a similar helm/nav set up?

 

[HotRod]

Ya know.... taking a closer look at the Eleos for the first time in awhile, you can't help but notice there's a lot of NX-01 in there.

Obviously it's been updated, but is there anything in the canon that says the Eleos can't be VERY old?

It's the the same basic configuration, including a Warp Field Governor between the nacelles. That's something we haven't seen since the 22nd century. And if you look closely, it even has the exact same style of markings on its shuttle landing pad that the NX-01 has over her cargo bay doors.

Is there anything that says it couldn't be an old surplus Starship from the 22nd century that has been refit over the many years?

 

[137th Gebirg]

I'm still shocked the thing has a gold hull finish with the blue livery, although some renders (like that one) don't seem to show it that way.

 

[HotRod]

I'm still shocked the thing has a gold hull finish with the blue livery, although some renders (like that one) don't seem to show it that way.

That's right! They did say that it had a goldish tint to it, didn't they?

Definitely has a similar appearance to the bronze look of the NX-01.

 

[cooleddie74]

The saucer/bow-mounted deflector dish is also similar.

 

[Markonian]

Ya know.... taking a closer look at the Eleos for the first time in awhile, you can't help but notice there's a lot of NX-01 in there.

Obviously it's been updated, but is there anything in the canon that says the Eleos can't be VERY old?

It's the the same basic configuration, including a Warp Field Governor between the nacelles. That's something we haven't seen since the 22nd century. And if you look closely, it even has the exact same style of markings on its shuttle landing pad that the NX-01 has over her cargo bay doors.

Is there anything that says it couldn't be an old surplus Starship from the 22nd century that has been refit over the many years?

I read from someone on Reddit they like the Eleos because it looks like a Chibi Steamrunner.
Perhaps the Eleos class can be interpreted to be the Steamrunner used in ENT Earth fleet scenes!
In Star Trek: Fleet Command, they came up with the Realta and Turas classes instead. Perhaps there is a lineage?

 

[Dukhat]

Ya know.... taking a closer look at the Eleos for the first time in awhile, you can't help but notice there's a lot of NX-01 in there.

Obviously it's been updated, but is there anything in the canon that says the Eleos can't be VERY old?

It's the the same basic configuration, including a Warp Field Governor between the nacelles. That's something we haven't seen since the 22nd century. And if you look closely, it even has the exact same style of markings on its shuttle landing pad that the NX-01 has over her cargo bay doors.

Is there anything that says it couldn't be an old surplus Starship from the 22nd century that has been refit over the many years?

Oh, there’s no doubt that they added the WFG to make it look more like the NX-01. That’s the first thing I noticed. But the nacelles, escape pods, windows, etc. seem to indicate a newer design.

 

[HotRod]

But the nacelles, escape pods, windows, etc. seem to indicate a newer design.

Could those things not have been added/modified over the years?

If you put NX style Nacelles, and a copper Deflector dish on the thing, plus a few other cosmetic changes, it would fit right in with the mid 22nd century designs.