Dac's NX-01(.5) & more!

[Dac]

Dac, I have a C4D question, if you don't mind. What method are you using to cut windows for your meshes? I've been using C4D for awhile, but I'm self-taught, and I have a lot of holes in my skills. You're not using booleans, I take it?

Thanks,

Guy

Well, on most of my meshes im afraid I do use booleans. Its the best way of doing it most of the time, although on my Enterprise D i cheated and used textures for the neck because that would take so long to cut out manually.

 

[Dac]

I've done some more to it.

I think i've added the cargo bays/deuterium storage tanks, or whatever those black patches are behind the main shuttlebay.

 

[fleetcaptain]

Looking great. What next the J? LOL.

 

[timelord1010]

Just wondering, with the NX-01.5 design, where are the shuttle bays at? The original had the drop bays at the rear of the saucer so where were they relocated to?

 

[Dac]

Just wondering, with the NX-01.5 design, where are the shuttle bays at? The original had the drop bays at the rear of the saucer so where were they relocated to?

I spoke with Doug himself about this. The 2 rear bays are unobstructed by the neck, so they can still be used, albeit with care from the pilot not to crash into the neck.

As for the other two, they've been relocated to the back of the saucer. There's two cargo bay doors there which Doug says could easily be retrofitted to link in with the shuttlebay. I've actually done a couple of basic renderings of it, wait a mo and i'll dig em out.

 

[Dac]

I wasnt kidding when I said they were basic

 

[Dac]

I've redone the deflector cowling/"neck" portion of the ship to make it into the First Contact Enterprise E.

Why? simply because I think it looks a tonne better than a flat square.

Also, cut out some of the detail around that area, and i've added bits and pieces of paneling all over, but nothing amazing, so this'll do for now

 

[timelord1010]

Just wondering, with the NX-01.5 design, where are the shuttle bays at? The original had the drop bays at the rear of the saucer so where were they relocated to?

I spoke with Doug himself about this. The 2 rear bays are unobstructed by the neck, so they can still be used, albeit with care from the pilot not to crash into the neck.

As for the other two, they've been relocated to the back of the saucer. There's two cargo bay doors there which Doug says could easily be retrofitted to link in with the shuttlebay. I've actually done a couple of basic renderings of it, wait a mo and i'll dig em out.

That is incredibly tight, on the show the "tube" usually come down out of the opening slightly to dock with the shuttle pod and pull the pod in.
To get into the bays now you would have to fly in at a angle. plus the grappler can't be used ( at least not easily) to pull a shuttle into the bay.
I know you are trying to be faithful to Mr. Drexler's design but couldn't the drop bays be moved to the bottom of the secondary hull? Then the shuttles would have a free and clear path in and out of the bays.
Don't get me wrong, you are doing beautiful work and I wish I had a fraction of your talent with computer animation, I'm from the old graphic arts school of pencil, a t-square, and paper. I just like to find the most "logical" and least complicated way to build things, even if it is just fantasy ships.

 

[Bernard Guignard]

I wasnt kidding when I said they were basic

That is cutting it close perhaps too close I'd retrofit the back of the saucer to allow the shuttles to exit and enter.
Great work on the mockups by the way

 

[Dac]

That is cutting it close perhaps too close I'd retrofit the back of the saucer to allow the shuttles to exit and enter.
Great work on the mockups by the way

There's two cargo bay doors there which Doug says could easily be retrofitted to link in with the shuttlebay. I've actually done a couple of basic renderings of it, wait a mo and i'll dig em out.

Err, perhaps I didnt make it as clear as I could of, but in the image I posted above you can see I did extend the shuttlebay into the cargo bays, and change those doors into launch ports for the shuttles.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Yowza! Indeed, that does call for some pretty tricky maneuvering, no matter what...

Probably a good thing Deanna Troi hasn't been born yet during the ENT-1.5's service life!!

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Satyrquaze]

I saw this first on the Ships of the Line 2011 Calendar and I'm not quite sold on it, but it does show a possible evolution to the 1701.

 

[brandomack]

Dac, You have done a wonderful job!

I wish i could have found this thread earlier.

This is mine. (Obviously a rework from Drex's)
Think we could work together?

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX01_Refit_Altered-3.jpg

I beefed up the Secondary hull, slid the neck back, shortened it, and did away with the two shuttlepod bays and created an all new 6-bay hangar on the underside.

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/DSC01955.jpg

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/DSC01947.jpg

all here:

http://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/

 

[Dac]

Thanks for the kind words brandomack, and welcome to the BBS


I'm not sure if you saw it or not, but a few pages back I did a rendering without the catamarans coming from the saucer and it looked a lot like what your trying to do. The only thing im not entirely sold on with that design is that the pylons are too long and throw the ship off balance visually, but if your shorten them you throw the position of the nacelles away and you loose the image of the NX-01. Because of this, I think Doug's design is the best compromise between the NX and conventional connie design.

 

[timelord1010]

Dac, You have done a wonderful job!

I wish i could have found this thread earlier.

This is mine. (Obviously a rework from Drex's)
Think we could work together?

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX01_Refit_Altered-3.jpg

I beefed up the Secondary hull, slid the neck back, shortened it, and did away with the two shuttlepod bays and created an all new 6-bay hangar on the underside.

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/DSC01955.jpg

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/DSC01947.jpg

all here:

http://s581.photobucket.com/albums/ss257/brandomack/NX-01/

Wow, this is exactly what I meant when I said relocate the shuttle drop bays to the secondary hull to allow unrestricted entry and exit for the shuttles.
Both of you guys do really nice work. I'm jealous.

 

[Dac]

Wow, this is exactly what I meant when I said relocate the shuttle drop bays to the secondary hull to allow unrestricted entry and exit for the shuttles.
Both of you guys do really nice work. I'm jealous.

Here's another pic I rendered earlier showing a shuttle exiting out the rear cargo/shuttlebay doors. This is pretty unrestricted if you ask me.

 

[timelord1010]

Wow, this is exactly what I meant when I said relocate the shuttle drop bays to the secondary hull to allow unrestricted entry and exit for the shuttles.
Both of you guys do really nice work. I'm jealous.

Here's another pic I rendered earlier showing a shuttle exiting out the rear cargo/shuttlebay doors. This is pretty unrestricted if you ask me.

It is unrestricted and provides some protection of the bays.

The only thing is you still would have a problem using the grappler unless they finally got Shran to share the tractor beam technology with Starfleet.

 

[MrPointy]

I like it. But why does the 1.5 still have that tiny deflector on the saucer when it has a new, big, circular one?

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Personally, I'd have made the pod deflector-less, to make it more of a utility/supply module.

 

[brandomack]

Dac,

would it be okay to show a link to this thread on Starship Modeler? I'm sure there are guys that would really, really appreciate your work. as there is very little reference material out there.