Miranda Class v2.0

[The Axeman]

Many moons ago I started doing an updated version of one of my very favourite starship designs, the Miranda class USS Reliant. I did some basic work on the shape and that's about as far as it went before I got sidetracked and forgot about it. I was raking through all my stuff the other day and found it again, and decided it was time to get into gear and get it finished.

To that end I've started throwing on details such as escape pods, thrusters, major windows and the like in preparation for cutting in panel lines, windows and final details. It will probably take some time, I'm rather rusty at this. If anyone has a preferred method of making panels in Lightwave let me know, because there has to be a more accurate way of doing it than I use!

 

[Dac]

Its looking cracking, but too my eye it looks an awful lot like Rademaker's Merian Class that was featured in the Ships of the Line Calendar: http://drexfiles.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/technofold_2012_r06.jpg

Sure, the resemblance is little more than sharing the same overall shape, but it just rings awful close too me :/

 

[The Axeman]

You had me worried there for a minute until I saw the Merian design. I think its sufficiently different that I needn't worry. Its more angular, longer and flatter than my little effort, not a lot of common ground other than the basic layout of hull & nacelles.

 

[Psion]

Neat.

A very strong influence from Voyager -- say what you will about the show, the ship was a gorgeous design. To my eye the nacelles look a little too bulky for the ship, but the model is still at an early stage and the ship may yet balance them out. This design also solves the Reliant's missing navigational deflector problem.

 

[Kaiser]

Good design there

 

[The Librarian]

For the most part I like it, but I'm not a fan of having two big deflectors or having so many cut-in windows. The bridge structure is great, though.

 

[The Axeman]

Yeah, I wanted a proper deflector on there to address that issue. The secondary one is more fluff though, I was going to make it more like a sensor thing than anything else but we'll see. You're also right about the nacelles being a little bulky, I was aware of it and I may have to change that at a later stage. Nacelles are easy to swap out though, but coming up with a novel design for them that doesn't offend the eyes is a problem.

As for the cut-in windows, I'm ok with them as they make more sense than very heavily sloped windows. I plan to have only a few sloped ones, the inset ones may be about 50% total of all the windows. I certainly don't plan on wallpapering the thing with them like the Galaxy class. The bridge structure was one of the main reasons why the hull section looks like it does, I wanted to work that in for sure.

 

[Starship]

Looks coold Kenny!
Go ahead!

 

[sojourner]

It's a cool design but something kept bugging me about it while I looked at it. I think my problem with it is the knife edge of the "saucer". It just looks too sharp for a federation ship. At least to my eye. That feeling may go away as detail is added that breaks up the edge a bit.

 

[Psion]

... You're also right about the nacelles being a little bulky, I was aware of it and I may have to change that at a later stage. Nacelles are easy to swap out though, but coming up with a novel design for them that doesn't offend the eyes is a problem....

Ain't that the truth!? And I think the unfortunate tendency has been to over-engineer them. I'm not specifically complaining about your design here, it's tough to make original nacelles that aren't over-complicated. After all, how many different ways are there to carve a cylinder?

It's a cool design but something kept bugging me about it while I looked at it. I think my problem with it is the knife edge of the "saucer". It just looks too sharp for a federation ship. At least to my eye. That felling may go away as detail is added that breaks up the edge a bit.

Wow. Wow! I didn't notice that until you mentioned it, but now that you have, it's a bit like that mole on Aunt Martha's nose. Maybe I'm bringing too much baggage from the original along?

No offense intended, Axe!

 

[dayxday1000]

Slightly off topic, but why is the Reliant design so often referred to as the Miranda Class? Canon or fanon?


Edit: With a little Googling I was able to answer my own question: The name Miranda-class was not mentioned in dialog on-screen, but was devised by the art department of TNG to refer to this design. The name was used on several pieces of on-screen signage referring to these vessels, and is also used by dedicated references such as the Star Trek Encyclopedia. Source: http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Miranda_class

 

[The Axeman]

I never thought of the saucer edge as sharp, it's rounded to avoid the razor sharp edges that give away stuff as being CGI. I try to avoid sharp edges if at all possible for just that reason.

 

[B.J.]

I think what they mean is they're used to the saucer edge being at least a full deck thick, while this one looks thinner. Personally, I have no problem with it.

 

[Psion]

I think what they mean is they're used to the saucer edge being at least a full deck thick, while this one looks thinner. Personally, I have no problem with it.

Yep. Well, that's what I'm talking about. Snowjourner's his own man.

And I won't even say it looks bad so much as it just defies "trek-spectation." The rim is traditionally two decks high, and I'm expecting to see windows along it. There's no reason you can't come along and redefine those "rules", Axeman, you just have to be prepared for dumb jerks like me to come along and question you about it.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

This is a nice looking design.

Truer to the Reliant than, say, the Ronin, which is based off the Sovereign design/style, but has the Nebula type pod.

 

[Andymator]

I love the nacelles, there's nothing wrong with them!

 

[Wingsley]

This is a really neat design, even though I've never been a fan of the Reliant's roll-bar. I think your design would look much better without it.

 

[sojourner]

I never thought of the saucer edge as sharp, it's rounded to avoid the razor sharp edges that give away stuff as being CGI. I try to avoid sharp edges if at all possible for just that reason.

Yeah, by "sharp" I was referring to it not being a deck or so tall. Nothing wrong with the modelling technique, for sure.

 

[The Axeman]

The nacelles were bothering me a bit too, so I've made some tweaks to the proprtions and details. They're now less bulky and deep, and a little cleaner looking, which I think helps the proportions a little. I've also added a few more details here and there such as the small phaser strips and impulse engines. I cant start cutting in the panel details because the plug-in I use for that sort of work has expired, so I may have to lash out $25 to fix it. :P

 

[Psion]

Well, the changes to the nacelles are too subtle for my addled senses to pick out. But I will say you've either done something right or they're growing on me. I definitely like the overall shape and details of the things. I suppose the only thing that bugs me about them now is the way they just fade out towards the back in your side view. Maybe if you had a spotlight back there instead of directly over the glowing "flux chillers"?

Of course, in the rear shot, they look terrific, so it might just be a question of knowing the ship's best angles and lighting.