Bridge Choice. ST TMP or TWK?

[Galileo7]

I did like what I saw of the brief cameo of the white bright TVH bridge.

 

[Ian Keldon]

I don't know where I read this, but I distinctly remember reading that the Enterprise bridge from TVH was a quick fix job because the set had suffered water damage, which destroyed most of the electronics in the consoles.. This is also why the camera only shows a limited angle of said bridge set, nothing behind the camera was still screen worthy.

Half right. The Bridge got beat all to Hades in ST II, and was left that way for fiming III (since they hadn't had time to repair the ship between the two films). When the close ups of the Saratoga bridge were shot, they kept focused on the Helm console so you couldn't see the damage to the wall units. When it came time to shoot the "new" bridge scene for IV, they only "repaired" the part they needed for the shot to save money.

I also believe that shortly after the bridge scene was shot, the set was struck and pieces were reused for the enterprise battle bridge set in encounter at farpoint.

I believe that is correct at least in part. I don't know how early they made the decision to build an all-new Bridge for V, but it is correct that parts of the old bridge set were incorporated into the battle bridge set. Other parts were kept in storage and occasionally used for other rooms (like Data's cybernetics lab), and once or twice completely redressed as an alien bridge-of-the-week.

 

[CoveTom]

ST:TFF bridge. Only good thing about the movie.

Agreed completely. And to this day, the best bridge set ever built.

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

 

[Data Holmes]

ST:TFF bridge. Only good thing about the movie.

Agreed completely. And to this day, the best bridge set ever built.

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

I wouldn't go that far.

 

[CoveTom]

Agreed completely. And to this day, the best bridge set ever built.

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

I wouldn't go that far.

I would. And I did. So there.

I don't like Meyer's cold military look. I don't like his insistence on having all the physical buttons, switches, dials, controls, etc. I don't like his touches like the fire extinguishers and the digital clocks (which are always out of sync). I really just don't like anything about the TUC variant of the bridge.

 

[RyanKCR]

Agreed completely. And to this day, the best bridge set ever built.

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

I wouldn't go that far.

I liked the bridge in TUC. It fixed a lot of what was wrong with TFF's bridge.

 

[RandyS]

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

I wouldn't go that far.

I liked the bridge in TUC. It fixed a lot of what was wrong with TFF's bridge.

What was wrong with TFF's bridge?

Other than the fact that we didn't see it in TUC, that is.

 

[RyanKCR]

For me it was to bland. It was too brightly lit and I don't like the flat panels. But that is just my aesthetics. I still prefer the TMP bridge. To me that felt the most "real."

 

[Data Holmes]

Amen. And, IMHO, absolutely ruined by Meyer in TUC.

I wouldn't go that far.

I would. And I did. So there.

I don't like Meyer's cold military look. I don't like his insistence on having all the physical buttons, switches, dials, controls, etc. I don't like his touches like the fire extinguishers and the digital clocks (which are always out of sync). I really just don't like anything about the TUC variant of the bridge.

I like the removal of the carpet. I like the inclusion of the clocks even if their film execution may have been flawed, as I never really noticed them being that out of sink. I like the idea of the inclusion of physical controls.

My ultimate bridge choice would actually be a blending. Starting with the TFF bridge as a base to start. Go with the steel plate flooring instead of carpet. I would have "clocks" around the bridge like TUC, but I would actually make them TIX Clocks or something similar looking and less conspicuous. I would include the TMP/TWOK physical buttons and controls. I would have a TMP/TWOK style "weapons console" on the left but including the TFF/TUC display style LCARS. And, I would have TMP/TWOK style chairs.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

In the choice between TMP and TWOK Bridges, I would have to go with the latter. I think it looks a little more worn and 'lived in', whilst TMP's was too sterile and shiney.

Of all the Movie Era Bridges, my favourite has to be TUC. Its a shame we never got to see more ot it.

 

[starburst]

I would. And I did. So there. 

I don't like Meyer's cold military look. I don't like his insistence on having all the physical buttons, switches, dials, controls, etc. I don't like his touches like the fire extinguishers and the digital clocks (which are always out of sync). I really just don't like anything about the TUC variant of the bridge.

Similarly to the TMP/WOK Bridges I think in some ways he made it better, some worse. TFF Bridge was streamlined and from what I have read was meant to have a pretty visual connection to the TNG aesthetic. The big let down is the display screens which just like in early TNG looked washed out. By the time of TUC they had got it right.

My ultimate bridge choice would actually be a blending. Starting with the TFF bridge as a base to start. Go with the steel plate flooring instead of carpet. I would have "clocks" around the bridge like TUC, but I would actually make them TIX Clocks or something similar looking and less conspicuous. I would include the TMP/TWOK physical buttons and controls. I would have a TMP/TWOK style "weapons console" on the left but including the TFF/TUC display style LCARS. And, I would have TMP/TWOK style chairs.

Just like the early Bridge a merger of the concepts would be good, I believe someone built a 3D Bridge set which did similar to this by mixing the Reliant and TFF/TUC styles.

I liked the idea of the clocks but like both of you pointed out the execution of the idea was terrible (for anyone who paid attention to them). Fire extinguishers were a good real world touch and I wouldn't remove them, but for anyone who doesn't think they fit the look they could easily be placed behind panels in the walls along with medical and possibly breathing gear (like how the NEM Bridge had areas holding Phaser Rifles).

The chairs for me would be the big question, the separate styles are some of my favourite points on both TMP/TFF Bridges so I can't picture in my head what would be best, if only I was better at 3D modelling I would give this a go!

The main thing I didn't think worked is they tried to make it feel more claustrophobic but to me it always seemed wider, possibly due to the much larger set of consoles set behind the centre seat.

 

[SchwEnt]

For me it was to bland. It was too brightly lit and I don't like the flat panels. But that is just my aesthetics. I still prefer the TMP bridge. To me that felt the most "real."

^^^ Quite right about TFF bridge. It was the first movie bridge to be seen after the premiere of TNG. You can see the influence clearly, with the bright lighting and flat panels and beige, as mentioned. It's almost a TNG-style bridge in TOS configuration. I noticed it immediately back in the day. It's unique in that respect.

 

[starburst]

Which is probably why it worked so well in a modified form when it was used for the Bridges of the Equinox and Prometheus.

 

[RandyS]

For me it was to bland. It was too brightly lit and I don't like the flat panels. But that is just my aesthetics. I still prefer the TMP bridge. To me that felt the most "real."

^^^ Quite right about TFF bridge. It was the first movie bridge to be seen after the premiere of TNG. You can see the influence clearly, with the bright lighting and flat panels and beige, as mentioned. It's almost a TNG-style bridge in TOS configuration. I noticed it immediately back in the day. It's unique in that respect.

You just listed everything that make it my favorite bridge, and did it much better than I could.

 

[CoveTom]

^ Agreed. I must be in the minority, but I actually like both the carpet and the lighting. I like the warmer feel. I like the touch of having wood on the railing, just like the TNG bridge has the wooden horseshoe console. I like the touch panels with no physical controls.

And I also like that it connects the Enterprise-A, aesthetically, to its Enterprise-D successor. If they had left it alone in TUC, then it would have been a beautiful transition showing the evolution of designs from Kirk's time to Picard's.

 

[Patrickivan]

I am also working on the rec dec for this build up and will post it here. I am including the contours of the ship because it has always bugged me that they didn't in the movie.

Fortunately, it works with the contours! Here's a work up in scale.

Any thoughts for my take on this?

 

[RandyS]

^ Agreed. I must be in the minority, but I actually like both the carpet and the lighting. I like the warmer feel. I like the touch of having wood on the railing, just like the TNG bridge has the wooden horseshoe console. I like the touch panels with no physical controls.

And I also like that it connects the Enterprise-A, aesthetically, to its Enterprise-D successor. If they had left it alone in TUC, then it would have been a beautiful transition showing the evolution of designs from Kirk's time to Picard's.

It seems we're both in the minority on this point.

Oh well.

 

[Patrickivan]

^ Agreed. I must be in the minority, but I actually like both the carpet and the lighting. I like the warmer feel. I like the touch of having wood on the railing, just like the TNG bridge has the wooden horseshoe console. I like the touch panels with no physical controls.

And I also like that it connects the Enterprise-A, aesthetically, to its Enterprise-D successor. If they had left it alone in TUC, then it would have been a beautiful transition showing the evolution of designs from Kirk's time to Picard's.

It seems we're both in the minority on this point.

Oh well.

It would have been a nice bridge to end the "series" with. But the bridge has to match the mood and tone of the movie and apparently that was much too cheerful for TUC (my least fav bridge)

 

[sbk1234]

I am also working on the rec dec for this build up and will post it here. I am including the contours of the ship because it has always bugged me that they didn't in the movie.

Fortunately, it works with the contours! Here's a work up in scale.

Any thoughts for my take on this?

This looks great. WHere can I see more?

 

[starburst]

Has anyone read the graphic novel of 'Ashes of Eden'? The Bridge oddly returns to the version from TFF, which may be explained either by an artist who didnt use the right reference material or Shatner had them draw the Bridge from his movie.