Not sure if this is the right forum, but..... I am (fruitlessly) searching Google for an early, pre -TOS Enterprise design that I had stumbled across a couple of years ago. It was called SS Enterprise and was a smaller simpler ship (about four-five decks each for both hulls). Apologies that I have nothing more, but hope that someone might be able to point me to it (if it still exists, of course!) please.
I would probably need more to nail down what you are looking for, but a bunch of early designs for the first USS Enterprise can be seen here: https://forgottentrek.com/the-original-series/designing-the-first-enterprise/ And if you're looking for the ringed ship, you can see the early drawings here: https://forgottentrek.com/the-motion-picture/the-ringship-enterprise-mystery-solved/ I don't know if any of these are what you are looking for, but good luck!
Scifieric - many thanks for your helpful suggestions. However, I have, purely accidently, stumbled across an older thread, in this exact forum, authored by the same person, that summerises what I was looking for - serendipity and all that!
Actually it was neither suggestion, but posting the enquiry here inspired me to search here for what I couldn't find on Google. It is here as a thread entitled "S.S. Enterprise Google Skechup" by Patrick Ivan. He has extrapolated from one of Jefferies original designs and planned and drawn a great ship, which I think makes a good alternative to Pikes (smaller?) 200 odd crew vessel.
Could you post a link to the thread please? Because I can't find it with the board search function. Interested to see what the vessel that piqued your interest looks like. EDIT: Was it this one...https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/s-s-enterprise-google-sketchup.115048/
Yes, this is the exact one! The reason for my interest is that I write and run story telling games, and am working on a pre-TOS/Pike/"The Cage" inspired campaign, part of which is to find a suitable ship for the players. And I have, also, for years, been trying to rationalise Pike's 200-odd crew with Kirk's 430, assuming the exact same ship in both cases. Now I can imagine the older ship having less advanced systems, taking up much more room, so leaving less space for the crew, but would prefer a simpler answer. Now, this extrapolated (from a Matt Jefferies early concept) ship of Patrick Ivan's gives a smaller, more compact ship, with a (presumably) much smaller crew, looking (to me) like the Conny classes immediate ancestor, and close enough in design to allow me to replace the Big E on screen, if I squint hard enough. As I see it, a beautiful piece of work, and a suitable ship for my purposes.
Yes an RPG. I never know how recognisable that term is for people, and so try a, hopefully, more descriptive one first - lol. I have and still continue to use the 1980's Star Trek The Roleplaying Game by FASA. I ran three long campaigns with it, back in the day, and am planning on returning to it, after a long break. For me it captures the spirit of ST as it was back before TNG "took the game right out of it". And this ship, I think, fits in quite nicely with that. EDIT - I've just seen the Orion Wanderer on your sign in. Another great ship!!
Well done on keeping the FASA game going, Sir! Haven't played in years, but did run alternate games in a 20 scenario campaign early 90s. Have both the Last Unicorn (ICON) and Decipher (CODA) systems, but only ran one scenario with the CODA system. I agree, I also feel that the FASA system caught the TOS & TOS Movie era to a tee. And that design of ship, smaller than a Constitution class, would be a good alternative, although there are a good choice from the official smaller FASA vessels. But as a earlier era, good idea for your players. And yes, go Orions! (Sorry, I love the FASA Starship Combat game (STSTCS)).