NX-01 Deck Plans, Version 2.0

[AstroSmurf]

Four years ago, I decided to take on the task of translating one of my favorite Trek ship into a set of working deck plans and schematics. Originally it was started as a lark. Someone was chatting here in this forum about the lack of NX-01 schematics and I started tinkering with a few things just to see what would happen. At the time, I had no clue that it would grow into what it has. What started out as a few plans attached to my website has now become a complete website all its own. If I had known the path this would take, I would have prepared things a little better than I did. To be honest, the original full deck plans are crude and really nothing more than “digital sketches”. I am a little embarrassed that so many people have seen them. It also really pains me to think that people are looking at these drawings and thinking that this is my best work. Trust me. It isn’t.

So I have started upgrading my plans to a higher resolution and correcting a few things that have been bugging me. One of the biggest fixes is a miscalculation I made when I was blowing up the original CG renders for the ship. I had accidentally made then about four meters bigger than they needed to be. I also wasn’t happy with some of the details.

Last summer, I did the first major upgrade and I chose the Escape Pods. I needed something small and easy to deal with and they seemed like the logical choice. (I have since flipped the way they dock in the saucer. Instead of facing in they now face out. This will be corrected soon on the published plans.) I did figure out very quickly that certain things did not work very well. For example, rather than fully detailing the consoles I have simplified them. The full detailed versions turned into color blobs when you shrink them down to web resolution. I also found that I needed to keep things simple. Last month I started on a new schematic for A deck, or more specifically, the bridge. I have over hauled almost everything while keeping in mind what I had learned from the Escape Pod schematic.

Here are a few images from the latest versions.

The Bridge.

The Escape Pods.

This is side view of the Escape Pod’s enhanced details.

A view of the front of the Escape Pod featuring the umbilical connection ports, RCS thruster and identification marker.

This is the aft view showing off the pod's entrance hatch and engine nozzles.

I even fully detailed the consoles... which I have to admit turned out really well even though you can’t see them in the published plans.

The Airlock Vestibule featuring the airlock controls... and stuff that no one will be able to really see.


If you would like to see the full size versions… The Bridge and the Escape Pods. Be sure to drag your mouse over the schematic to activate the labels. If you want to check out the entire website start here.


What do you think? Questions? Suggestions? And I have more on the way.

 

[Patrickivan]

Very nice. I'm viewing it on my blackberry- can't wait to see these pics on my computer!

 

[doctorwho 03]

I was starting to wonder when you'd get back to this. The higher resolution is definately an improvement and I can't wait to see how the rest will turn out.

 

[judexavier]

Good Mercy...I had downloaded those awhile back, (as IMO the definitive, best way to render deck plans...) I am still blown away by the quality of your art and the...Detail!?!...those are really incredible.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Great talking beagles on a high-wire instigating interstellar diplomatic incidents whilst singing Heart of Oak! That's some primo stuff there, daddy-o. Holy toledo.

 

[Ziz]

I actually went to your site a few weeks ago looking for NX info. I was debating scratchbuilding a landing bay into my 1/350 scale NX-01 and needed some reference and found a tiny mistake.

When I overlayed the upper and lower levels on top of each other using the staircases to line them up, the circles that represent the grappler arms that lower the shuttlepods didn't line up with the attachment point on the top of the shuttlepod.

I know, it's very minor but it's something you might want to put in your notes for when you get around to that section again.

 

[The Axeman]

Normally deck plans just bore me rigid, they kind of miss the point for me. It's like seeing an awesome statue for the first time and making up a story about the guy who mixed the concrete. I have to say that your plans are actually quite interesting to look at, well drawn and detailed. They look like they've come from some scrolling game from the late 90's, very cool looking stuff.

 

[AstroSmurf]

I know, it's very minor but it's something you might want to put in your notes for when you get around to that section again.

Already done! To be honest, that error was intentionally made. If you look at the visual effects for any of the launch or capture sequences (except one), you would notice the shuttlepod is docking with its nose facing forward. If you look at the sets for the launch bay, the ladder (from the upper gantry) that meets the aft dorsal hatch on the pod is located on the same side as the control booth. This puts the control booth between the two bays! There is NO WAY that booth could be there. There is just not enough room. So to make it work and keep continuity, I fudged it. On the latest set of plans I have flipped the bay so the control booth is forward and everything lines up properly. The only issue is that the pods are now launching backwards to what was seen on the show (except for that one time). Rather than choose continuity, I made it mechanically correct this time.

And thanks for the posts everyone!

 

[Kaiser]

Wow! you made this? I was wondering who did all that

I must say this stuff is awesome and better than if Paromount made a book of the same stuff

 

[Crewman47]

I see you changed the forward section of the Bridge from Missions Operations to a viewing area. I remember asking you about the purpose of that section on your 1st version, did you just change you mind about it's purpose or is this what you initially intended?

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ Actually I ran out of room. When I recalculated the outer hull of the bridge module (to correct for my miscalculation), I found that the area had lost about 4 feet. So I went with what Doug Drexler said the area was for, a viewing gallery. Besides, the overhead clearance is just to narrow for anything substantial to be placed there. You also need to keep in mind that the plan is only showing the floor space. It makes it look a lot bigger than it actually is. Really you only have about a 1.5 meters width to work with before a person would bash their head into the angled outer wall. I wish I had been able to keep the Mission Ops consoles though. It was a good use for the space.

 

[B.J.]

Sweeeeet!
You used Photoshop and MSPaint for the first version. What's the toolset this time around?

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I am just using Photoshop now. I have streamlined my process and I also bought a better, faster computer that can handle the file loads. These things are huge, especially when you start breaking them down into thirty or forty different layers. The finished bridge file is close to 40MB, which is manageable. The file for B deck (what I am currently working on) is 120MB. The file for E Deck is 160MB and that is with the deck cut into fourths. Needless to say the computer hates them and bogs down really quickly when trying to render large things.

But I am also drawing out the entire decks in the same scale and resolution I did A Deck, which accounts for the file sizes. It may eat up a lot of computing space but it is making it much easier to be precise and get details right. Once I finish them, I plan to shrink them down and balance the contrasts to create the full deck plans. The detail is going to be very dense but they are going to look awesome and light years better than what I have published now. I will also be able to generate specific detail plans of every area on the ship. I won't need to but the option will be there.

 

[fleetcaptain]

Looks great. Glad to see your working on this again. Can't wait to see what the rest of the ship looks like. The images are awesome as well.

 

[LCARSGFX]

I loved your original drawings and I'm loving these ones even more!

Photoshop FTW!!!

 

[Sarvek]

Great work. I too am glad that you have picked this project back up. You might want to refer to Doug Drexler's blog under the Enterprise tech for reference on some things. Once again, great work.

 

[sojourner]

So didn't you have some other ship deckplans under the "WaxingMoon" label?

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ Actually I changed my business name from Waxing Moon to Android Monkey Designs at the beginning of the year. Same company, same deck plans, just a new name.

And Sarvek, I have been keeping a very close eye on Mr. Drexler's blog for more than a year now. (Actually I was one of the first to post on it! ) If he said something about the NX-01, I made a note. He has also been very generous in answering my questions. Amazing guy!

 

[AstroSmurf]

I have had a slow week at the office so I have been killing a lot of time on the deck plans. And trust me, it really was a lot of time since I have somehow managed to completely finish B Deck. I intend to pull some new detail plans from it tomorrow to post to the website. I should have fresh plans for the science labs and computer core. I am thinking about adding an additional detail schematic for the aft mechanical area in the port warp faring.

This is a complete view of the new Deck B...

The original file is 7324 x 6355 pixels (or just over 6 feet wide) and clocks in at a whopping 220 MB. The reduced image above is smaller than the full deck plan will be. I will start posting those just as soon as I finish off E Deck and have an outline to use for the new schematic background.

 

[doctorwho 03]

6 FEET!!! I can only imagine how big E Deck will be.