3D interiors in Blender

[Rekkert]

@Michael: Yeah, it was a long time coming this one. I'm not exactly a fan of it, but it's a very interesting "what if". Definitely outside the scope of what TNG had available, budget wise.

@valkyrie013: Thanks for the offer!

@publiusr: Oh, interesting! Thanks for sharing!

I've done some more progress on the concept bridge, though it's a lot of small tweaking of vertices that don't produce any significant change for showing right now. It's all for making sure the wall consoles are correct once I extrude them out. Particularly on the area where they connect and kinda open up into the viewscreen, it's a really tricky shape.

Meanwhile, I moved forward with another project I'd had in the waiting list for quite a while: the Captain's quarters for the Galaxy-Class USS Astraeus. I started this one today, and I have most of the basic structured in place, though lacking refinement of course.

It's obviously based on Picard's quarters from TNG, but with another room added mirroring the bedroom (essentially, using the full crew quarters set from TNG). Given the time frame of the Astraeus on the 2390's, furniture and colors will be based on the Enterprise-E, as was the case with its bridge (and yes, I will do something to fix that carpet).

I've decided to work on these two commissions together to give me some financial breathing room, and thus avoid situations that had happened before with burning out.

Spoiler: Images

 

[Lt. Washburn]

It's obviously based on Picard's quarters from TNG, but with another room added mirroring the bedroom (essentially, using the full crew quarters set from TNG).

That's how Beverly and Wesley's quarters appeared in season 1's The Naked Now.

 

[Rekkert]

@Lt. Washburn: Ah, I didn't know that! I always though Picard had the biggest quarters, being the Captain; but it makes sense they had the largest.

Progress on both projects today. I'm still tinkering with the front and sides sections for the concept bridge, but I did work on the back consoles. The dimension of these are very much identical to the aft consoles in the "real" TNG bridge, and I'll probably detail these in very much the same way.

The turbolifts also got some attention, with the area around the doors getting some more details. I've also started work on the exit alcoves, but it's an area I want to have further developed before going into detail on it.

Spoiler: Images

On the Astraeus quarters, I've finished the room structure itself (though not all details are yet in place or properly beveled). I changed the colors to that of the Ent-E interiors during Nemesis, and placed the exit doors.

Spoiler: Images

 

[Nays]

Love all the updates Rekkert! Super exciting to see you take on the TNG quarters!

 

[batboy853]

Not one, but TWO turbolifts directly to their quarters? The captain must be Oprah.

Also in S1 of TNG they did some interesting layouts with that quarters set. In one episode they replaced the windows with a closet of some sort. (Too Short a Season). In another episode they removed all of the walls so all 5 sections was one large lounge type room. (I think Justice?) They also modified the hallway several times to make it look longer and extended, rather than end at the Turbolift doors on both sides. (Hide and Q)

 

[Rekkert]

@Nays: Thanks, glad you're liking them!

@batboy853: Hehe, I just copied the doors from the bridges, label and all. Thanks for the tips, I've been going over every appearance of the "TNG quarters set" whenever I had time this past week, including Voyager, Insurrection and Nemesis. There are a ton of different details from all the different versions I want to bring over here. Plus stuff from 'All Good Things' and 'Endgame', given that this is a 2390's ship.

I wasn't kidding when I said updates were gonna be a lot slower for a while.

I've been working on the quarters some more, changing the door labels, adding some shelves, and starting work on the secondary room, which is a small office space. Layout isn't set in stone yet. I've also added a small indirect light source on the ceiling, casting over the windows, to make that wall less dark.

Spoiler: Images

I'm also planning on adding some spotlights looking up from the floor, identical to the ones Picard's quarters had on Insurrection. However, I can't seem to make out how the light sconce actually looks like. Two of them are visible in this shot (bottom right). I've been looking at auction sites and behind the scenes pictures, with no luck. Anyone can help identifying it?

 

[Lt. Washburn]

I've been looking at screencaps and those show up in other shots and sets. Here's a better look at some in the ready room.

They're simple enough that they might have been custom built to just dress up the lights, but it's possible they are a commercial sconce. Not one that I recognize though.

 

[Rekkert]

@Lt. Washburn: Interesting... When looking at them I can swear they're different sources, but they must be the same style as used on the ready room in that pic you shared. Thanks for that!

I've been mostly busy with non-Trek stuff these past few weeks. I've worked on the commissions, but doing menial stuff mostly. Don't worry, I'm still fully committed to them, no burnout or anything like that this time, I simply got into some other work that needed to be done fast.

Yesterday however, while doing some sketches I came across my old design for the Potemkin engineering. Back when I started doing the interiors for the USS Potemkin, as a "generic TNG workhorse ship", I draw several top-down concepts for a ton of rooms (engineering, transporter room, brig, labs). After looking at that engineering concept and expanding it some more, I started mocking-up the room in Blender, and next thing I knew, 6 hours had passed.

So today I kept at it, I guess this kinda took over, so better to finish it off. The logic for this room (as with the rest of the Potemkin interiors) is to be quintessentially TNG but clearly from a ship that's past its prime (and that was made on the cheap by the TNG production crew ). The center area with the pit is very much based on the Pegasus engineering seen in TNG, while the consoles at the sides of the warp core are reused elements from the Potemkin bridge.

I tried to base the warp core on the external shape of the Excelsior somewhat, while still being fairly similar to the TNG one.

Still a lot of detailing to do. The central wall mounted display will be changed as to not reuse the bridge MSD graphic (most LCARS display will be changed or tweaked in fact, right now they're just copied and pasted from other rooms), while two stairs going to the upper and lower levels will be added flanking the warp core, outside the glass on the aft walls. I also have to add random wall detailing, and a rail around the core.

Spoiler: Images

 

[Donny]

@Lt. Washburn: Interesting... When looking at them I can swear they're different sources, but they must be the same style as used on the ready room in that pic you shared. Thanks for that!

I've been mostly busy with non-Trek stuff these past few weeks. I've worked on the commissions, but doing menial stuff mostly. Don't worry, I'm still fully committed to them, no burnout or anything like that this time, I simply got into some other work that needed to be done fast.

Yesterday however, while doing some sketches I came across my old design for the Potemkin engineering. Back when I started doing the interiors for the USS Potemkin, as a "generic TNG workhorse ship", I draw several top-down concepts for a ton of rooms (engineering, transporter room, brig, labs). After looking at that engineering concept and expanding it some more, I started mocking-up the room in Blender, and next thing I knew, 6 hours had passed.

So today I kept at it, I guess this kinda took over, so better to finish it off. The logic for this room (as with the rest of the Potemkin interiors) is to be quintessentially TNG but clearly from a ship that's past its prime (and that was made on the cheap by the TNG production crew ). The center area with the pit is very much based on the Pegasus engineering seen in TNG, while the consoles at the sides of the warp core are reused elements from the Potemkin bridge.

I tried to base the warp core on the external shape of the Excelsior somewhat, while still being fairly similar to the TNG one.

Still a lot of detailing to do. The central wall mounted display will be changed as to not reuse the bridge MSD graphic (most LCARS display will be changed or tweaked in fact, right now they're just copied and pasted from other rooms), while two stairs going to the upper and lower levels will be added flanking the warp core, outside the glass on the aft walls. I also have to add random wall detailing, and a rail around the core.

Spoiler: Images

Really digging the shape of that warp core and the little control alcoves to each side of it

 

[137th Gebirg]

Yep, love that core design. Excellent upgrade to a familiar structure.

 

[Lt. Washburn]

Snazzy warp core design.

 

[Henoch]

Yep, love that core design. Excellent upgrade to a familiar structure.

The layout looks like a nod to the TOS Season 2/3 Engine Room, double triangular doodad in front of pipe structure.

 

[valkyrie013]

Very nice!
Very clean, maybe add a big lever for the "Shut off" ala Space Balls

 

[137th Gebirg]

And, of course, a tiny little label somewhere that reads, "LUDICROUS SPEED!"

 

[The Librarian]

The size feels very appropriate for a ship of the week, and I'll echo the comments about the warp core. The wrap-around plasma feeds in particular feel like a mix of TNG interior aesthetics with those of the Excelsior's warp nacelles with their own unique grills.

 

[Rekkert]

@Henoch: Huh... I never thought of that... consider it a happy accident.

I'm glad you all liked the overall design!

I've done the LCARS display for the pool table, with a readout of the ship status as the centerpiece. I might tweak it a bit further, but overall I'm happy with how it looks.

I've also done the ladders at the back of the room, heavily inspired by the TNG jefferies junction. @Redgeneral's work recreating the Voyager jefferies junction proved invaluable here. A big thank you for making that awesome piece of investigative work.

I did turn the hatches sideways 90° though, because otherwise they wouldn't have enough room to fully open. As with the main doors, I have yet to add a keypad for opening these.

Overall illumination on this back area is pretty dim. In a sense I like to have the core as the main light back there (kinda like it was in TNG sometimes), but it might be too dim. I could re-add the floor level lights on the consoles, as they were on the bridge. What do you think?

Spoiler: Images

 

[Matthew Raymond]

Wow, that one shot looking down towards the warp core is friggin' gorgeous.

Minor nitpick: Those large support beams near the consoles impede traffic flow, and the angular bend in them makes the beams structurally questionable. Is the point of them to create angled lines that visually draw attention to the warp core? If so, perhaps arched beams with lines that orbit the core might work just as well.

The shape of the warp core implies a simpler-but-easier-to-maintain design, which is what you'd expect on a ship that had been in service for generations. It also feels very aesthetically in keeping with the external design of the Excelsior. If there were a lineup of warp cores, and I had to pick which was the one for the Excelsior class, I wouldn't have much trouble.

 

[valkyrie013]

hmm, idea, know those small interface consoles, like behind the captain , voyager bridge, the small consoule on the railing that 7of DD is at all the time? Maybe, put a small consoule on the railing thats around the pool table? positioned where there standing outside the pit looking in? Just a thought.
Looking real good sir! and yes, it is a bit dark, in the core area and the work stations maybe some under station lighting slats?

 

[cardinal biggles]

That's an interesting chair there... it looks like it's attached to the base on the side rather than in the center.

 

[137th Gebirg]

This one keeps getting better and better. I honestly haven't been so enamored with a warp core design since TMP/TWOK. Not usually in my wheelhouse, but this is a thing of beauty! Colors, lighting, composition, layout, texturing - everything!