Did the ceiling / dome of the Enterprise D bridge serve a purpose? Or was it just decorative? Was it transparent? The crack in Generations kinda supports this. Just looking an explanation for it -- canon or otherwise.
Bridge Ceiling / Dome
- Thread starter jaygibson77
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It's purpose? To look out of.
Was it transparent? Yes. By virtue of the fact of being able to see through it.
The purpose was to give the TV audience a greater sense of actually being in space. It didn't make a lot of practical sense, but then again having the bridge module where it was -- right on top of the saucer -- never made much sense to me either. Way too vulnerable there. It should have been hidden right in the middle of the saucer where it would be better protected and allow for easier and more direct access to other parts of the ship in an emergency situation. But sometimes practical considerations have to be weighed against the dramatic needs of television series.
I never bought into the "vulnerability" aspect people like to bring up when it comes to the bridge's location. The shields and such make it just as protected as any other spot on the ship and why would an attacker take out the bridge? Sure you'll probably kill the command crew but then there's still 100s of other people on the ship who can take over. It'd be better to take out the engines, the weapons systems or the deflector which can in of itself destroy the ship. And those are all bigger, easier, targets.
It would have been cool to have the crew look up and seeing a gigantic Borg cube looming above.
But alas, it was frivolous and completely forgotten.
But alas, it was frivolous and completely forgotten.
There's only so much they could do with special effects back then.
I know, but one static shot of the cube looming above wouldn't have been hard to do.
Actually, given the time period, it would've been pretty hard to do. Impossible? No. But timely and likely expensive (there were no blue/green screens above the set) to do for almost no pay-off.
That's how Probert initially designed the Enterprise-D. Roddenberry vetoed it, however.
(From Memory Alpha)
Sorry, but I do buy into the vulnerability bit. The shields fail all the time, and giving a tangible target for an enemy take out the command crew is absurd. Yes there are other people who can take over, but it'll take time for them to figure out who's in charge and where, and an over all loss of efficiency in a crisis. The bridge should've been right smack in the middle of the saucer where a single hull breach couldn't wipe it out.
Thankfully for the Federation, it's a law of the Star Trek universe that death is usually instantaneous to any enemy who gives the command "target their bridge."
Thankfully for the Federation, it's a law of the Star Trek universe that death is usually instantaneous to any enemy who gives the command "target their bridge."
Really? Tell that to the family of poor Ensign Noname, who died in "Nemesis" when the forward section of the bridge was torn away.
Seriously, though, wouldn't it make more sense for the bridge to have direct access to other parts of the ship. As it is, if the bridge is cut off from direct access to Deck 2, it's cut off from the rest of the ship.
Me, too, but there's something also to be said for being able to look at the model and actually see the bridge.
That would have been the perfect death scene for Wesley Crusher.
I just remember reading somewhere way back when that it had some sort of purpose. Maybe it was FASA manual or something. I was just curious if anyone else had heard that. There's so much in the Trek universe, both canon and non that I thought it was a legitimate question.
As ornate as it was, it almost seems likely to be more than skylight.
Picard: Mr. Data, it's such a beautiful evening out. Let's ride with the top down! Engage!
As ornate as it was, it almost seems likely to be more than skylight.
Picard: Mr. Data, it's such a beautiful evening out. Let's ride with the top down! Engage!
Too small to be of much practical use...
I think it was more as a tip of the hat to the Constitution class which had a clear dome ceiling (only seen well in "The Cage"/"Court Martial").
I think it was more as a tip of the hat to the Constitution class which had a clear dome ceiling (only seen well in "The Cage"/"Court Martial").
Today we could rotoscope a Borg cube, Romulan Warbird, etc up there very easily. A perfect opportunity now that we have TNG-R, if they would only take it.
You don't seem to understand the purpose of TNG-R.
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