Since I was a kid I've been trying to draw 2D deck plans of TOS Enterprise. If I had discovered TrekBBS and you awesome fans sooner maybe I would have made better progress lol. Like most I started with Franz Joseph's work and Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise (the later I love). I've referenced Charles Casimiro and Alan Sinclair (no relation lol) for the exterior. But more recently it's been TrekBBS members who have inspired me the most. Originally I wanted to use the 11' model as a base for my calculations for window placement and hull curvature until I discovered how little information is publicly available. I've made a few assumptions on how thick the hull is and how thick the floor is. For Deck height (assuming 11 decks in the Saucer) my math comes out to a little over 8'. I know that doesn't match with what was shown on screen but I had to compromise somewhere. I started my drawing with Deck 6 using MSPaint (I'm not skilled with anything else and except for the size limitation I like using the program). I marked where the windows and overhead hatches would be. I also put airlock and docking tube on both sides and justify it with the doors sealing in such a way that they would be invisible from any distance seen on screen. I'm at the point though where I could use some input. Four rectangles on the top of the Saucer I figured would be hatches for cargo holds. I was going to have a crew lounge in front of the windows with a corridor and cargo hold behind it but when I draw them in they're in space for the corridor. So what's everyone think?
Nice! Welcome. Something that never seems to get attention: Those windows only tell you what the deck height is where the windows are. Away from there (or off of the centerline if you're looking at Matt Jefferies' cross section) you're on your own.
Have fun with the undercut! And routing the turbolifts. Don't be afraid to make people walk a few dozen feet. If I were you, I would check out Inkscape. I found it very easy to work with and more versatile than MS Paint, especially for rotating rooms and other parts around the center.
Yes, definitely look at Inkscape. For a project like this, you should really be working in Vector rather than Raster (bitmaps). Trust me, once you get the hang of it, your life will be much better off for it.
I'll third the motion for vector. Inkscape is good (and free). There might be another free vector option, but that's what I've used.
Here's two documents that you may find useful. Five and three pages. They were written with Star Fleet Battles universe in mind, but most (90%) of the information is generic enough it can apply for your project. http://www.starfleetgames.com/documents/deckplan/How_to_Draw_Starship_deck_p.pdf http://www.starfleetgames.com/documents/deckplan/PROTOCOLS_FOR_DECK_PLANS.pdf As others have already mentioned, you really should switch to a different program, for reasons explained in the first document.
Thanks Tallguy, in researching what everyone else has done I forgot about Matt Jefferies cross section lol. My thinking is that the windows (at least for deck 6) do line up. The circles at the front of the saucer I consider to be sensors or a secondary deflector (or both). I've already figured out the undercut and have planned for it when I get to Deck 7. The turbos will definitely be a problem but I'm not gonna have as many as what we saw on screen lol. I've tried Inkscape before and found it to complicated for what I'm trying to do. I don't have any rooms to rotate. Right now my plan is to block out areas for rooms like those to either side of the airlocks. Maybe later I'll learn Inkscape so I can add details. Thanks Sgt_G, I'll give them a look.
As far as discerning deck levels from exterior window openings, you might want to consider something I put together back in 2003: I also recommend the Jefferies cross section, particulary in light of his later, more detailed Phase II cross section. Ignore the TMOST "eleven decks in the primary hull" description. The ship works fine with the decks Jefferies designed her with. Shoehorning in extra decks to match the Writers Guide will lead to problems. YMMV. M.
Thanks MGagen that'll come in handy if I get that far lol I found a mistake in my calculations on the angle of the edge of the primary hull and started the drawing over. I'm also going with an 8 deck layout with possible half deck in the lower sensor. Here's the cross section and the new Deck 5. I welcome all input
So, that drop down rim is just one, long, circular corridor and quarters? Being so close to the hull might not be the safest place on the ship. Or is that darker region along the rim like water tanks? Water is good at stopping radiation. The windows match up, or so it seems (it might be missing one or two). No, those windows are mostly for the continuous deck - not the little drop down deck. Mighty short turbo lifts there - or just a few Jeffries ladders?
There's no way to have the rim of the lower deck as anything but one long corridor. Even where the neck meets it, it's not really clear it's positioned far enough forward to enable a cross corridor. You're pretty much stuck taking the ladder or stairs up to the next deck if you want to reach the center.
I'm working on deck 5 (upper rim). For deck 6 my measurements show enough room for a 4 foot wide corridor and a number of rooms along the rim with a depth of maybe 10 feet. I don't have my notes on me so I can't give exact measurements/calculations. The dark gray area is the angled exterior hull of Deck 5. Here's my progress so far: And a closeup
There's tons I don't know, but I imagine they have to have some pretty big water tanks on board somewhere (maybe in many oddly shaped areas they can't use for much else, particularly toward the outer hull). They'd need lots of water just for mass for the replicators to convert, drinking (bathing by sonic showers means they don't need it for that), but tanks two meters thick would also be excellent radiation shields. We can't know the shielding properties of Tritanium bulkheads - maybe they handle everything - otherwise, water is great. Sure, it cost us tons to put a pound of anything in space, even water, but TOS types can just beam it up (even with Whales in it if necessary). So it might be good to know where it is (if that is something you might consider).
Very nice plans you have here. I have always dreamed of doing my own Connie Plans at some stage (once I complete my Daedalus Plans) This thread has awakened my urge to do them again.
There are several design flaws in Mr. Jefferies original TOS design. The angle of the main bridge for example to compensate for the turbolift tube being directly aft of centerline rather than slightly to the port side (interior bridge design). The added "under scoop" of the saucer was for external appearance only. Like the auto designs of the 1960's. Tail fins and moon bumpers, so to speak. But we all loved the Lady E!
Water storage I planned for in odd shaped spaces and/or located in several engineering spaces I'll be scattering about the ship. Fuel tanks on the other hand... I've always assumed that the hull, in combination with deflectors and shields, provide enough protection from radiation. Continuing work on Deck 5 I completed filling out rooms around the outer edge except for the back half around the impulse engines. I know it looks like a lot of Briefing Rooms but I used the table to represent all rooms that were a redress of the set (mess hall, rec room, chapel, court room, etc.). I also found that the Medical Lab set was pretty close in size to the Briefing Room set so decided some of the rooms on my plan could be for Labs too. In universe they looked alike because they could be easily converted as needed. I also added in a number of yellow hallway ladders down to deck 6 and the forward sensor room with red ladders like we saw on the Engineering set. Figured I'd add in a scale too.
Just discovered this thread; are you really still using MS Paint? Those image files must be enormous! Anyway, it looks fantastic - keep up the good work
Still working on it but haven't made much progress since the beginning of the year. Thanks Mytran. Yes I'm still stubbornly using MS Paint lol. My main file is 31,400 KB and 8051 X 8001 pixels. Well here's what I've been working on: