JR Trek

[JR TREK]

Maybe they also pop out.

Meanwhile, I'm struggling to figure out how the retraction mechanism on the warp nacelles works. If it wasn't retarded, I'd have the pylon detach at the base and use a tractor beam to pull the nacelle down to a point where it would latch back on. You know, that future Federation "detached sections" thing is nothing that couldn't be done in Kirk's time, or sooner. Vulcans could have done it in the Enterprise era. But what's the point?

 

[JR TREK]

.gif test. I need to work out the geometry to support this animation, but I believe I've nailed down the retraction sequence.

Don't know why GIMP compressed the image so much. Be nice if it didn't.

 

[blssdwlf]

.gif test. I need to work out the geometry to support this animation, but I believe I've nailed down the retraction sequence.

Don't know why GIMP compressed the image so much. Be nice if it didn't.

As neat as it looks, why does it need to go up or down?

 

[JR TREK]

The real reason - "Up" looks better when attached to the saucer, "down" looks better when the delta is separated.

The rationalization - "Up" is better for warp, which fits with the reason established in Enterprise of ships being more maneuverable at warp if the nacelles are offset from the centerline (vertically, apparently no need to do it horizontally as well). I believe that is something Doug Drexler came up with that isn't exactly canon, but I'm going with it.

"Down" is more structurally sound at sublight speed, and the ship is more maneuverable with all that mass moved closer to the center of gravity (vertically anyway). Well, it makes as much sense as Voyager lowering her nacelles for sublight, or the Klingon Bird of Prey putting its wings in the middle position because it's stronger that way. One would think that wouldn't be an issue in a world where the structural integrity field makes a Constitution class's skinny warp nacelle struts possible, but maybe the middle wing position of the Bird of Prey requires 5% less power to maintain.

I think mine is the least dumb of the three, but the transformation is the most complicated so it's a harder sell.

 

[JR TREK]

Another thing to consider is that this is a variant of the J. Hayes, modified to support the "spore drive" saucer. It's likely the regular J. Hayes doesn't have to raise its warp nacelles as high, and has a more sensible articulation. This is a bit of a hack job for a prototype ship. A production "Crossfield" could have a better arrangement for the warp nacelles.

 

[JR TREK]

3rd segment isn't animated correctly. I'm not happy with the thinness of these extending segments, although this is Star Trek and they can be strong enough through the magic of the structural integrity field.

There may also be a tractor beam that helps pull the warp nacelle down - I thought that might be interesting as a distant precursor to the detached nacelles of Discovery's future period. Hmm, maybe the beam effect would be enough to visually fill the gap between the extension segments and the nacelle. Once the transformation sequence is over, the thin segments look fine.

There's another attachment point near the top of the warp nacelle, so when it rotates over it clamps back onto the wing root.

 

[JR TREK]

Closer to working, but it really is a Transformer.

Now I've got this hatch that needs to cover again, but the cover is over on segment 2; and there's no good place for a cover to come from without invoking the Tim Burton Batmobile armor effect.

Segment 4 is intersecting the wingtip, not sure what to do about that. I'll figure it all out, but in the end will she be Autobot or Decepticon?

It would be so much easier if I redesigned the vertical pylon to fold outwards, and that would make it more like the Ganges class; with the warp nacelles on the wingtips. I think it looks better like this though, and while the transformation looks spindly the end result is likely stronger with the mount wrapping halfway around the warp nacelle instead of only plugging into one spot. Now that I think about it, it kind of looks like it's being held in a hand.

 

[JR TREK]

Now that I think about it, if the inner surface of the hatch pushed out to fill in the hole, it would take the pivot point for panel 4 outside of the fin, and then panel 4 wouldn't intersect with the fin. That would solve two problems, but it would move the nacelle out of position.

This is beginning to make me consider the viability of inflatable structures, or morphing materials, in a world that has the structural integrity field. We haven't seen any folding cloth starships in Star Trek, and it might not make sense for a combat ship, but for recreational purposes you could have a shuttle that folds up to fit in a briefcase when deflated. Or it could be a good way to do escape pods.

 

[JR TREK]

I've got the transformation sequence worked out, now I'm detailing the mating area between the wing tip and warp nacelle. So far I've got the airlock area blocked in, the tractor beam emitters to help pull the nacelle into place, warp plasma conduits, environmental system piping, and plugs for the structural integrity field. Things i still need to put in - EPS conduits, data link, main power, pipe for hydrogen from the bussard ramscoop, and clamps to hold the nacelle in place. Almost forgot about that one. It's almost enough to make one question the sanity of detaching a warp nacelle. Or warp nacelles that tilt upward. How does B'elanna even get into Voyager's warp nacelles? Are they like the lower hull of the O'berth, where you have to beam over or spacewalk? It looks like the hinge mechanism is big enough for an access hallway, but what about all the other stuff?

What else do I need?

You know what - now that I did all that work, I realize that the first extension will cut it all off when it retracts in Ugh. Well, it retracts into subspace. How do you like that?

 

[JR TREK]

Still more modelling to do, but I've finally got it working right. It's ridiculous and overcomplicated, but now that I see it with the tractor beams (blue green things if it isn't obvious), I think using tractor beams to pull parts of the ship around adds something to Star Trek. They use tractor beams to pull shuttles in, so why not? Star Trek could do more with tractor beams. They could have tractor beam gloves so they can point at people and throw them around.

Luckily the first extension didn't have to retract into subspace. I made the section under the wing deeper, and the extension retracted into it fine.

 

[JR TREK]

Anyone know a quick and easy way to mirror these animated parts in Blender?

 

[JR TREK]

 

[JR TREK]

More phasers! Still using phase cannons as stand-ins, but they'll be replaced or altered eventually.

Mega-phaser? It's smaller than the chin phaser, but perhaps through the magic of being next to a warp nacelle it is just as powerful as the chin phaser.

Smaller defense phasers. Dropping the nacelles improves the firing arcs for the phasers. The arcs would be even better if I'd rotate the nacelle ends to the outside and get the flux tuners out of the way. Not sure if that would "look right" or not.

The upper hanger platform could make for an interesting set. You could set up a lawn chair and watch the phasers blast Suliban cell ships. Would also be a good spot to execute particularly tough prisoners.

 

[JR TREK]

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Well this make my transformation mechanism look a little more believable. It's hard to believe that's strong enough without a structural integrity field. It even makes a Connie's warp pylons look stout.

 

[blssdwlf]

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Well this make my transformation mechanism look a little more believable. It's hard to believe that's strong enough without a structural integrity field. It even makes a Connie's warp pylons look stout.

Keep in mind that the Parus4's joints are taking all the stress and since it looks very lightweight then current-day materials should be more than up for the task especially on a relatively calm day they are demoing on.

The Connie's warp pylons and your transformation really should not be an issue since they have futuristic advanced materials.

 

[The Librarian]

That's a really clever animation and yet I can't help but think it's the origin story of some engineering-themed villain or badmiral who had to work on one in the field.

 

[JR TREK]

Keep in mind that the Parus4's joints are taking all the stress and since it looks very lightweight then current-day materials should be more than up for the task especially on a relatively calm day they are demoing on.

The Connie's warp pylons and your transformation really should not be an issue since they have futuristic advanced materials.

Evidently it works, but I've got a few electric RC planes and the motors and batteries aren't all that lightweight.

That's a really clever animation and yet I can't help but think it's the origin story of some engineering-themed villain or badmiral who had to work on one in the field.

Well hopefully the prototype is the only one with this folding mechanism. Imagine how many villians the Protostar class spawned!

I may have done something stupid because the only reason for this is the desire to maintain the aesthetics of the docked ship; which were developed before the idea that the secondary hull would be a warp delta that could detach. I'll really look dumb if I build the regular J. Hayes with a simpler mechanism for lifting the nacelles which also visually fits with the saucer section.

 

[blssdwlf]

Evidently it works, but I've got a few electric RC planes and the motors and batteries aren't all that lightweight.

I also fly RC quads and planes it looks lightweight to me - especially the Parus4 prototype which looks like the body is styrofoam and can be handled with one person. The Parus12 and 6 are definitely larger and heavier but it still looks like the fuselage and wings are made of lightweight materials so that the hinge or joints can handle the stress of transforming. It would be interesting to see how these rc craft handle in more severe weather.

 

[JR TREK]

Been a while since I've posted again. Have to work factory since everyone wants remote game jobs now. Over 600 applications for one junior artist position I applied for. Factory is usually an 11 hour day, some people are working 12/7. You can pay the bills that way but it's not much of a life.

Anyway, I took a moment to sketch out this idea for the J. Hayes landing gear. We know from Nemesis and Prodigy that wheels are still useful in the Trek universe, and I think skids are generally overused in scifi. Antigravity doesn't make wheels obsolete. Some helicopters have skids but many have wheels, and all vertical lift jets have wheels. Trek antigravity doesn't seem to have any safety issues like jet blast or rotor downwash (or spinning rotors), but maybe there are times when you want to move a vehicle without turning it on. Or you just want to taxi on the ground without lifting off an inch. Maybe you don't do that with Voyager but i see the J. Hayes as a vehicle that would often be on the ground, and frequently covertly on the ground behind enemy lines. It seems like the ability to roll would be useful. If nothing else, i like the idea of it taxing along to a take off area at the space port. I don't like it when ships casually take off, or make hot shot approaches for no reason. Especially in Trek where a shuttle used to be flown carefully, or fly up to a capture zone and be pulled in by a tractor beam.

 

[publiusr]

Always good to see your work.