Has an interesting Trekified NuBSG CIC vibe to it.
3D interiors in Blender
- Thread starter Rekkert
- Start date
This bridge has made an unexpected turn...interesting, but odd.
IMHO, the location of the captain's chair is killing any hope of liking this layout, though. It just seems that the captain's chair should be required to be in the center section. Might I suggest that a platform that's level with the outer ring of bridge extend out into the "pit?" It would give the captain an unobstructed view of the table in the center and it looks like there might be enough room to have steps on either side.
IMHO, the location of the captain's chair is killing any hope of liking this layout, though. It just seems that the captain's chair should be required to be in the center section. Might I suggest that a platform that's level with the outer ring of bridge extend out into the "pit?" It would give the captain an unobstructed view of the table in the center and it looks like there might be enough room to have steps on either side.
@137th Gebirg: There's certainly some BSG inspiration here. 
Odd's exactly the word I was looking for in this bridge, it's supposed to be a one-off, a specifically assigned Constellation-Class with a specific function.
Regarding the Captain's chair, there's enough room in there for the Captain to comfortably reach it and walk around it. Adding a step up would require more space, and bringing the chair forward into the center section would mean less space to walk around the center table, plus that the captain would fall pretty easily into the pit if the ship shakes around. Currently the chair is positioned behind the railing to avoid that.
Still, I will be playing around with the Captain area a bit, maybe I can come up with something that looks a bit more like it belongs there, rather than having it look like an after thought.
Going back to the Constellation, the final bit is done now: The holographic astrogator on the ceiling. Expect high quality (not so noisy) renders and a cutaway soon!
Odd's exactly the word I was looking for in this bridge, it's supposed to be a one-off, a specifically assigned Constellation-Class with a specific function.
Regarding the Captain's chair, there's enough room in there for the Captain to comfortably reach it and walk around it. Adding a step up would require more space, and bringing the chair forward into the center section would mean less space to walk around the center table, plus that the captain would fall pretty easily into the pit if the ship shakes around. Currently the chair is positioned behind the railing to avoid that.
Still, I will be playing around with the Captain area a bit, maybe I can come up with something that looks a bit more like it belongs there, rather than having it look like an after thought.
Going back to the Constellation, the final bit is done now: The holographic astrogator on the ceiling. Expect high quality (not so noisy) renders and a cutaway soon!
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It probably helps that there are still buttons to push in that era.
I'm thinking that the Valkyrie "bridge" is more like a shuttle operations center. Maybe located beneath the bridge, but not the actual bridge. Bridge should be in command of steering the ship, manning weapons, sensors, and control of the craft's directions and operations. This shuttle command center is more for coordinating so many launches and landings from... what... five distinct shuttle bays? (Including the main one, though I know here its is replaced by a deflector).
Maybe after the decades went on, either advances in computer control or Constellations not actually being used for large shuttle operations of this caliber, and they were removed or repurposed. The equipment was either re-tasked to other parts of the Federation or just remained unused in all of the Constellations still in service. That is, until that one time the main characters need something within the shuttle command complex that helps advance the plot
Maybe after the decades went on, either advances in computer control or Constellations not actually being used for large shuttle operations of this caliber, and they were removed or repurposed. The equipment was either re-tasked to other parts of the Federation or just remained unused in all of the Constellations still in service. That is, until that one time the main characters need something within the shuttle command complex that helps advance the plot
Just like in BSG, it's supposed to be both a CIC and a bridge on the Valkyrie. You still have your helm and your tactical station and all that, but you also have direct communication to the shuttles (I would imagine the four officers sitting at the back area of the pit would wear headsets similar to those seen by Starfleet HQ officers in 'The Voyage Home') and a big overview of the whole operation area.
Here are the finished renders for the Constellation:
You still have your helm and your tactical station and all that, but you also have direct communication to the shuttles (I would imagine the four officers sitting at the back area of the pit would wear headsets similar to those seen by Starfleet HQ officers in 'The Voyage Home') and a big overview of the whole operation area.Here are the finished renders for the Constellation:
Great work!
That is very sweet 
Awesome! It's done!
...aww, it's done...
Looking forward to the next project rekkert!
...aww, it's done...
Looking forward to the next project rekkert!
Thank you all for the kind comments! I really enjoyed working on this one (and having a break from the usual 24th Century work hahaha). Oh it's far from done @Norsehound, now I can't help but experiment a lot with with this set 
I've already started a new commission, but it's not a regular one; so I won't be producing a finished set, rather just the structure of one, so I'll have nothing to show here other than some untextured walls.
With that in mind, I'll continue to work on the Valkyrie and on another Constellation-based bridge I'm doing. These two are experiments and might be finished, or they might not be.
For the Valkyrie, I've expanded the Captain's area quite a bit, and placed the chair further back. I've created some new wall pieces for this area, and moved the dedication plaque there, as I think it complements the area well (though I still need to find some bit of greeble to place mirroring the plaque on the port side).
I've also changed the seating, both in design (I went for the taller back version of the Kelvin chairs) and in quantity, adding a second chair to each wall station. My logic here was the redundancy was paramount given the ship's role as carrier and mobile command center. I've also added a little arrowhead logo on the back of the chairs, to add to that 'command center' feel or something.
The second bridge I'm doing started as simply being for a smaller ship. Thus I removed some of the stations from the Constellation. It also has a bit of a TFF vibe, with bigger and brighter lights, and some carpeting, though I didn't want to make it 'full TNG' as the TFF bridge was. For now, the bridge's for the USS Belknap, a fanon design which I never cared for, until yesterday when I saw @Forbin's awesome physical model of it.
Like I mentioned, these are completely personal projects, so any design feedback is more than welcome
I really enjoyed working on this one (and having a break from the usual 24th Century work hahaha). Oh it's far from done @Norsehound, now I can't help but experiment a lot with with this set I've already started a new commission, but it's not a regular one; so I won't be producing a finished set, rather just the structure of one, so I'll have nothing to show here other than some untextured walls.
With that in mind, I'll continue to work on the Valkyrie and on another Constellation-based bridge I'm doing. These two are experiments and might be finished, or they might not be.
For the Valkyrie, I've expanded the Captain's area quite a bit, and placed the chair further back. I've created some new wall pieces for this area, and moved the dedication plaque there, as I think it complements the area well (though I still need to find some bit of greeble to place mirroring the plaque on the port side).
I've also changed the seating, both in design (I went for the taller back version of the Kelvin chairs) and in quantity, adding a second chair to each wall station. My logic here was the redundancy was paramount given the ship's role as carrier and mobile command center. I've also added a little arrowhead logo on the back of the chairs, to add to that 'command center' feel or something.
The second bridge I'm doing started as simply being for a smaller ship. Thus I removed some of the stations from the Constellation. It also has a bit of a TFF vibe, with bigger and brighter lights, and some carpeting, though I didn't want to make it 'full TNG' as the TFF bridge was. For now, the bridge's for the USS Belknap, a fanon design which I never cared for, until yesterday when I saw @Forbin's awesome physical model of it.
Like I mentioned, these are completely personal projects, so any design feedback is more than welcome
I love, love, love your helm/nav setup for the Belknap. It still feels like the Constitution bridge with the consoles having that distinct TOS movie shape, but the base reminds me of both versions of the Excelsior bridge (TSFS and TUC) as well as the conn/ops stations on the Enterprise-E.
Oh it's far from done @Norsehound, now I can't help but experiment a lot with with this set
I tell ya, it's a good time to be a fan on the forums right now. You and Donnie are making TMP fans very happy
On the Valkyrie, now that I see where the captain's char is, I kind of question it's utility and placement. Typical captain's chairs don't block the 'ring corridor' allowing people to move behind the captain to different stations. The seat here is kind of awkwardly blocking it... it feels a little out of place.
If it stays where it is I'd almost rather see it raised on a platform of its own, or moved further back to be a seated station in itself. Maybe put a horizontal console in front of it for the captain's use (and to stop him if forward motion suddenly stops, we know how that can happen). You can have stairs going down on either side of the captain's console.
Otherwise, I'd say make the captain's chair a stool attached to the planning table. If he's supposed to be at the center of the bridge, then put him there! The Valkyrie lacks a typical helm and navigation console, so I also don't think there's reason to stick the convention of a captain's seat as well. Especially if he's not as center to the room as that big console is.
Belknap's bridge looks great. Really wish this console could have been invented for the Excelsior... didn't like the TNG console usage, it's far too early for that.
I agree with @Norsehound re: the helm/nav consoles, having come up with a similar idea in a redesign of the TSFS Excelsior bridge when I did pixelart bridges back in the day. The E-D consoles really shouldn't have appeared so early, and I'm tempted to say we should collectively retcon them from the era
And re: the Captain's chair, I love the idea of putting it down at the table! Shame you've already used the highback chairs, otherwise I'd have suggested that could work to make it stand out.
And re: the Captain's chair, I love the idea of putting it down at the table! Shame you've already used the highback chairs, otherwise I'd have suggested that could work to make it stand out.
There is a traditional helm/nav console on the Valkyrie, they're the two consoles looking forward in the usual position. I'll do some experiments regarding the Captain's chair position, I like the idea of making the aft section a little 'alcove' for the captain, but I want them to have a clear path forward into the pit. Maybe some defiantesque consoles at the sides would do the trick...
I'm really happy with the Belknap console myself. It was a happy accident, it's the same kind of console used on the Valkyrie pit, but I noticed it looked cool and wouldn't be very visible there. That's what started the whole Belknap idea.
I'll do some experiments regarding the Captain's chair position, I like the idea of making the aft section a little 'alcove' for the captain, but I want them to have a clear path forward into the pit. Maybe some defiantesque consoles at the sides would do the trick...I'm really happy with the Belknap console myself. It was a happy accident, it's the same kind of console used on the Valkyrie pit, but I noticed it looked cool and wouldn't be very visible there. That's what started the whole Belknap idea.
I had that thought too, flanking consoles? I thought a console in front of the captain was a better idea ergonomically so they don't have to turn their head too much to access those workstations. At least a console in front of them they could get up and round it to a stairway to get down into the pit. Making open access so they can stand and access the center table is also an invitation to fly out of the chair if momentum suddenly stops :P
Another thought is how many standing officers and people around the center table will block the forward view screen.
Putting the captain IN the pit, connected to the center display, is also a solution. He'd be the only one sitting while everyone else is standing though.
