Did Anyone Ever Figure Out How...(from GEN)

[Timo]

One would think that rotating the shields would significantly weaken them. I mean, that's how intuition would have it - once you have a good shield going, anything you do to fidget with it is only going to make matters worse. It's just that against the Borg, weak rotating shields are better than strong but useless stable ones. Against all other opponents, though, rapid rotation would be a stupid thing to do. A change every now and then, perhaps, but certainly not constant rotation.

In ST:INS, we see that adjusting the shields actually results in a brief moment of weakness. Certainly our heroes wouldn't want that to happen every two-three seconds!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Lieut. Arex]

Since they learned what they learned from the Borg, why aren't shield modulations automatic and constant now? And that it wouldn't require an order to happen.

According to the TNG tech manual, it's supposed to be. The problem with doing it in GEN is that it would have easily defeated the Duras sisters and as Braga and Moore had been directed from above to destroy the E-D, a quick and successful resolution to the battle couldn't be allowed. It's too bad they didn't use a Vor'cha class attack cruiser instead of the overused BOP. It would have been more plausible.

No doubt that wasn't done because (a) that miniature may not have held up on the big screen and (b) the BOP is such a fan favorite.

 

[Brian]

^ And (c) they were probably directed to reuse that "kewl sploshun" from the previous film.

 

[DonIago]

^Well, only in the sense of saving $.

That re-use was the first time I've ever been really ripped out of a Trek movie.

Agreed that a Vor'cha would have been better in oh so many ways...

 

[USS KG5]

^Well, only in the sense of saving $.

Well GEN did not have a big budget by movie standards, and most of the budget allocated to SFX went on the Saucer Crash (which was bloody good).

Fundamentally it was made by the TV crew, with the TV cast, to essentially a TV script - and so it plays like a long episode of the TV show, GEN has its weaknesses (especially its yawnworthy middle section, pacing people, pacing) but a lot of strengths.

It is a nice, moral parable, very Trek. It has some good set pieces, some nice character moments, and was superbly lit. Never did those TV sets look that good!