I was hoping that I would be one of the finalists, but I guess the Essex wasn't quite on par with some of the other entries. Oh well, if its any consolation to those who didn't win, chances has it that for each of our designs, there is at least one parallel world in which they won (if you take any stock in the theory of parallel timelines).
I'm going to reuse her design though. She kind of stems from a Heavy Cruiser class called the Potemkin, which is supposed to replace the Ambassador and supplement the Korolev classes. I plan to first focus on the Valkyrie class, sense she is smaller, and I have no immediate reason anymore to focus on the latter design.
Congratulations to Ihlecreations (or should I call you Adam?) for earning the grand prize, and being chosen as the designer of the next Enterprise.
I'm relieved to hear you say that you aren't quite satisfied with your design thus far, because I still feel skeptical about her. But whatever you do, DO NOT simply leave the refining your design to the artists at Cryptic (thinking about many of the designs already in STO). You must take a major part in refining your design.
I personally hope that the saucer is designed to be a long oval like the Sovereign, and not a short oval like the Galaxy, because I am certain that she will look better with a long saucer section. I would also personally suggest that you think about how the two sections are going to look while separated, and make the necessary changes to make them look good.
Whatever you do, just remember: this is the Enterprise. Do everything you can to make her one of the most aesthetically pleasing vessels ever. There are a lot of people counting on you. It probably won't be easy, but I doubt you would have been chosen as the winner if you couldn't do it.
Congratulations to Mojomoe, Vector, AntaresDefiant, and all the other runner ups.
*AntaresDefiant: no surprise here that you're a runner up, your pretty good. Before the contest, I had never seen any of your work. I'd like to see any other designs that you've done if there are any.
P.S.
While my design was not picked for the game it will remain the Enterprise-F or even G in my non-canon Universes (Dark Mirror and Fereration Universe). Think of my design as a Myriad Universe Enterprise-F.
Cragrats again!!!
Isn't that a little, I don't know, arrogant? I would agree with the idea of using your design as an Enterprise for an alternate/parallel timeline, but I think that it would be a good idea to acknowledge the existence of yet another reality in which the canon Enterprise-F co-exists with the rest of your designs, while also making an alternate Federation Universe that is based more on your vision. No need to quite do that with your Dark Mirror Universe, since that is obviously already an alternate timeline to the 'original'.
Oh well, I have my model and my dreams. 
