Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Contest)

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

Seriously guys, I could use some more opinions on my alternative design. Even if my design doesn't win, I still intend to recycle it. I have plans to recycle her as the next generation heavy cruiser to replace the Ambassador class, and supplement the Korolev class. I might even use the new design elements in more of my future designs, if enough people think that it has potential. But I need to know if the design elements are worth further exploring before I can do anything further with them. Anyone? You don't have to leave a lengthy post if you feel you don't want to spend the time, just tell me whether or not you think that the new design elements should be used.

 

[JES]

Need Secondhand Opinions for Newer Essex Design Concepts

I could really use some secondhand opinions for the alternative design sketches I posted in post #17.
No else but erifah has responded to my request for an opinion, so I'm trying other methods in hopes of attracting the necessary attention, namely, giving my latest post a new title. Again, I don't need lengthy posts if you don't want to spend the time. A "yes, you should further explore those design elements" or "no, those design elements aren't worth using" would do.
Thanks in advance.

 

[sojourner]

Re: Need Secondhand Opinions for Newer Essex Design Concepts

^No one can see the post title until they enter the thread, so it's not really effective in attracting attention.

As far as the design, it is just sketches at the moment. Not really much to see either way. I don't think anyone is critiquing due to there being not much to critique as yet. As for the latest sketch, it still looks very Ent-E derived from what little we can see. Clean up what you have into something a little more formal to view, or keep sketching till you get something more original.

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

So in other words, further refine my new idea to help you decide? Will do. The only problem is that I have three tests on Monday to study for, so I doubt that I'll have time to much, if anything new done till afterwards.

 

[publiusr]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

You might try a single nacelle Sovereign with your pylon and the impulse deck on it.

Jeff Robb for GEC LOGBOOK years back did a variation of the Ent-E that looked nice. He also did the council class, another take on Probert's Ambassador concept seem on the wall.

Misc works of another GEC member
http://dcmstarships.com/

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

Funny that you should mention that, since I do have a sketch of a single nacelle destroyer somewhere. She does share many characteristics with the Sovereign class, but she is not really a relative like The Red Admiral's Utopia class. She is meant to be a descendant of the Saladin class, and shares the characteristic of having her nacelle overhead (like Tourangeau's Stingray class, but I swear that is only because I thought it looked better than putting it underneath!).

Or do you mean something using a shorter version of the pylons, than add another pair like that of the Larson class that comes around, meets, and forms the attachment point for the nacelle? Kind of like using the standard heavy cruiser profile (saucer + engineering), but using a single nacelle like the Loknar.

Considering the fact that I like experimenting, perhaps I will do some sketches. I'd imagine her as using a downsized frame, similar in some respects, but still different. Maybe kind of like how the Challenger class, Cheyenne class, etc. is to the Galaxy class.

 

[publiusr]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

I'd like to see them. Jeff Robb of the GEC did some nice Sovie' mods with impulse domes at the pylon/wing roots.

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

I intend to scan n' post them sooner or later.

I guess that it is safe to assume that you do mean that I should make destroyer variant, as opposed to experimenting with a new hull configuration.
I suppose it would make sense, considering there really aren't that many destroyer classes of late 24th century-early 25th century.

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

An Update:


So, what do you all think? Should I go with the wings above the hanger, stay with my original concept, or do you think I should do more sketching before you can decide?

 

[LordSarvain]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

I think you forgot your link...

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

I think you forgot your link...

Oh crap... I must of done somthing wrong. Thank you for noting.

Okay, lets try this again, and this time, you WILL work linky, or else...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40445677@N06/5688673188/in/photostream

There, that should do the trick!

 

[JES]

The Origins of the Essex class, and Beyond

A series of sketch studies for a heavy cruiser replacement for the Ambassador and Korolev classes called the Potemkin. This series of sketched is based off of a series of other sketches which formed the basis for the Essex class, though I haven't posted those yet because I was concerned they weren't outlined in a dark enough pencil, and hence might not show up well enough. We will dwell deeper into the beginnings of the Potemkin class later once those are posted, but for now, we will focus on the series of sketches at hand.

The nacelle design is based off of a mixture of elements from Joshua Samuelson's and Ihrecreation's nacelle designs. The back in particular was inspired by one of Ihrecreation's nacelle concepts. One of the versions of my nacelle design was inspired by the nacelle end from McQuarrie's Phase II Enterprise concept (also now known as the Apollo class.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40445677@N06/6066500578/in/photostream/

A series of very detailed sketches for a mid 25th Century Heavy Cruiser called the Excursion class (I like to name ships after vehicles if I feel that it places well), which is supposed to replace the Potemkin in the future when they are starting to show their age.

The name is tentatively given at this point, given that it might not be the best for a ship that is meant more for border patrol and deterrence than an explorer, though like most of the Heavy Cruisers that came before her, she isn't supposed to be incapable of that role.

The hull shape is based on a design I saw on Imageshack, and I had been wanting to experiment with it for quite some time.

Given the fact that she is supposed to be a contemporary to the Enterprise-G, I should probably come up with a different pylon-nacelle design arrangement than the rather archaic arrangement she has now. I probably won't carry this design any further for now, but wait until I feel my skills are developed enough to carry it to it's full potential conclusion.

 

[publiusr]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

I love those two nacelles you drew off by themselves. Teardrop like, yet angular as befitting Ent-E's Sovereign type nnaceles. It might be nice to place those on the FASA Decker design, which is long and lean, except for the fatter Ent-D nacelles which don't go with its flow...

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

Thanks!

Sorry that I responded so late. Been busy with the contest.

Do you have any advice on which direction I should go in for the Excursion's nacelles?

 

[JES]

Re: Essex-class Galaxy Exploration Cruiser (My Entry For the STO Conte

More sketches for the Potemkin-class Heavy Cruiser that I thought that I had already posted, but apparently hadn't.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7191054316_3a78e52692_b.jpg

The two images below are a series of sketches meant for both my Drawing II final project and the November art contest from the past year, but due to the final project not getting completed until mid December, and due to being either too busy with class work or lazy, this has not been posted until now. It probably wouldn't have mattered, since the final drawing is too big to scan.

It is in series of sketches in the first image below that I worked out the appearance of the Potemkin class from the angle that I intended to work with, and the unknown vessel that the Potemkin-class vessel encounters.

The alien vessel takes quite a few design cues from the SR-71, which is one of my favorite classes of aircraft, and to which I'm thankful to the United States Air Force for declassifying and allowing to be displayed.

Now, if only they could be convinced to declassify all the rest of the cool stuff they're hiding (and even denying)... At least put on display the saucer shaped craft that are no longer in use!

The pod on top is the navigational deflector, and the circle shaped markings are hatches for retractable weapons.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5235/7190893486_a9ed854afb_b.jpg

Here the Potemkin class U.S.S. Exeter (NCC-100701), while approaching a nebula to take a break from the Federation-Undine conflict and to gather fuel using her bussard collectors to top off her energy reserves, encounters a vessel with a shape definitely similar to other Starfleet vessels, but is quickly determined not to be of Starfleet in origins, but of a previously uncatalogued race.