Design a Trek Ship

[sojourner]

OK, just for Kicks and giggles, I decided to turn another thread over on it's ear and try to get a new thread off to a better start.

How would you design a ship to be "most efficient" at a certain task? That task can be as specific as "fuel carrier" to as general as "Explorer", the choice is up to you.

The constraints are to use technology only seen in movies ot tv and that it must be available to the race you are using. Hence fed technology on fed ships, etc. Do you think that any particular race would excel in certain tasks?

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

I would design it using pencil and paper, tracing it in Illustrator and finally making it into a 3D mesh in Modo.

As for the engineering; I have no idea. I'm a designer dammit, not an Engineer.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Define most efficient.

 

[sojourner]

"Most efficient" in that it excels at the given task, realizing that nothing can excel at everything at the same time. Conversely, What ships in Trek do you think were flawed in their design with regards to the task they attempted to perform?

 

[Kaziarl]

For an explorer I would probably do a deck by deck design. There would, of course, be standard starfleet equipment in relationship to normal operations. crew quarters, mess hall, recreation, etc. I would have one deck dedicated to scientific research. Another deck with meeting rooms for diplomatic missions. Another with guest quarters that could be set up for specialized exotic environments needed by visiting dignitaries.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

Hmm, while this topic is in Trek Tech, not Trek Art, it's still about designing a ship.

So I'll be the first to show a design:

(model made a long, long time ago -- prompty lost interest before I finished it)

This would be my idea of an efficient scout. Somewhat larger then the Delta Flyer.

It has a streamlined hull geometry for slipstream travel, full size aft doors with loading ramp, an ejectable "whatever the dauntless has" core, 5 phasers for self defense, 2 phaser cannons and a twin micro-torpedo launcher for attacks, a small space for cargo, a medical bed, shower, combined bunks for 4 people, two replicators and a normal operating capacity for 2.

It has big, honkin' bussard collectors for all your energy needs, extra armor above the torpedo launcher with easy access hatch for underlying machinery, a deeply recessed navigational deflector for extra protection (the generated field will cover the ship -- but the actual deflector is only targetable from a very small angle), oversized navigational thrusters for the life-saving maneuvers through minefields, asteroid belts and weapons fire and last but not least; oversized windows for a more direct feel with space.

It also has a spoiler at the back for that hotrod feel. And a muffler. So you can be silent while cloaked.

 

[sojourner]

to quota Uhura, "the things gotta have a tailpipe!"

 

[Tom Riley]

Hmm, while this topic is in Trek Tech, not Trek Art, it's still about designing a ship.

So I'll be the first to show a design:

(model made a long, long time ago -- prompty lost interest before I finished it)

This would be my idea of an efficient scout. Somewhat larger then the Delta Flyer.

It has a streamlined hull geometry for slipstream travel, full size aft doors with loading ramp, an ejectable "whatever the dauntless has" core, 5 phasers for self defense, 2 phaser cannons and a twin micro-torpedo launcher for attacks, a small space for cargo, a medical bed, shower, combined bunks for 4 people, two replicators and a normal operating capacity for 2.

It has big, honkin' bussard collectors for all your energy needs, extra armor above the torpedo launcher with easy access hatch for underlying machinery, a deeply recessed navigational deflector for extra protection (the generated field will cover the ship -- but the actual deflector is only targetable from a very small angle), oversized navigational thrusters for the life-saving maneuvers through minefields, asteroid belts and weapons fire and last but not least; oversized windows for a more direct feel with space.

It also has a spoiler at the back for that hotrod feel. And a muffler. So you can be silent while cloaked.

That is one nice ship. I totally wish my art skills were that good lol. What program did you make that with?

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

That is one nice ship. I totally wish my art skills were that good lol. What program did you make that with?

Thank you. Lightwave and Modo, I believe (it was quite a while ago).

 

[Crazy Eddie]

Certain races have certain priorities emphasized. Humans, for example, build ships that are best balanced for long range exploration and research programs, plus a considerable bounty of offensive/defensive capabilities. Other races with different priorities would design different types of ships; the Breen probably design better refrigeration systems than anyone, and if you want something that's going to be able to move alot of people and freight over a long distance you want a ship designed by someone with strong migratory instincts.

Do any Trek races migrate? Maybe we need to resurrect the Xindi Avians?

 

[jamestyler]

I'm far from a designer, just some guy who gets bored and draws things. Such as...

When I got bored and did this the thought was on the Akira. Two pylons reaching back from a primary hull to provide cover for incoming or outgoing fighters in a battle situation.

The carrier bay poked out from the back of the primary hull and has three entry/exit points reaching below the hull to a bulky deflector dish.

The nacelles pylons curve through the protective pylon things to a weapons pod type thing while the prot-lons also have impulse engines at the tips. The bridge would be inside the bubble on top of the primary hull, engineering would be in there somewhere as well.

Not a lot of effort, skill, logic, ability or other views (they're in my office, I'm not) but I'm as bored now as I was when I drew it, so have it

I also had this shuttle idea a while back, which now looks to me like a streamlined version of the shuttles in Trek XI. Other sketches had an interior like a Runabout and a seperate section in the back for storage.