NX-01 Deck Plans, Version 2.0

[Ziz]

You probably mentioned this earlier in the thread but I'll ask anyway - what resolution are you working at drawing these things? I just went to your Downloads page and grabbed one sheet to see how big it would be as a print out. It saved as 72dpi, 3096 x 2013 pixels, which works out to 43" wide by 28" high. Is that right or are you rendering them at web-friendly 72dpi so they'll download faster? Is there a way to get them at higher res?

 

[AstroSmurf]

They are only available at 72dpi. But I do the drawings at 300dpi and reduce them when compositing onto the background sheets. I find that it makes the edges crisper and keeps the details clean. And before you even ask, I have no plans to make the higher resolution pieces available to anyone. Unless someone approaches me to publish a book (which they never will), those original renders will never be made available to the public. I have enough trouble keeping idiots from trying to sell the drawings on eBay without giving them the ability to print high res copies. Doing so would be pure stupidity on my part.

 

[doctorwho 03]

It's a shame Star Trek tech manuals aren't being printed anymore, because these would be so perfect for one. Perhaps you could make your own manual, and have it as a downloadable PDF for the rest of us. But then again, more likely some asshole would probably scam us all by selling printed versions on Ebay.

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I have seriously thought about doing a PDF manual. I even tinkered with some formats, layout and content (most of which later showed up on my website). It would take a lot of time to write, layout and illustrate properly but I think the end result would be worth it. But what you just pointed out is why I ultimately abandoned it. Okudagrams.com was also working on their own version and I didn't want to compete. (I have no idea if they are even still working on it.)

But on the other hand... I might consider doing one in a year or so. After four and half years, I doubt I will be able to completely walk away from this ship. (I really do love her. )

 

[Ziz]

http://www.lulu.com allows you to publish your own books. You email them the content, they do all the hard labor.

I used their calculator and an 80 page paperback book, 8.5 x 11 comes out about $21, with the price dropping below 20 for various levels of quantity discount.

 

[Bill Morris]

This might be helpful, and you might already have it. It's a list of Christie's auction listings. This page has an image of the control panel of the inspection pod and its dimensions, which are helpful to me in scaling my schematic of that. But many items from ENT can be found here, each with an image and dimensions. At the bottom you can access the other pages, but on this page alone there are several items from ENT.

http://startrekpropcollector.com/trekauctions/data/pages/christies/page6.html

 

[Sarvek]

Great job on the Environmental Suit and the LERC Suit. There is one auxilary craft that has not been done and that is the Orbital Inspection Pod and Lcars24 has a great reference. Once again great work.

 

[AJBryant]

Lovin' it, man. Keep it up!

 

[Admiral_Young]

Awesome.

 

[B.J.]

Nice! Must have taken forever to get all the shading on the environmental suits just right.

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ It wasn't as difficult as you might think. I actually used a clothing catalog (LL Bean) as reference to get the right folds and creases in the suits.

This might be helpful, and you might already have it. It's a list of Christie's auction listings.

Yep! I already have it. But thanks for the info. Speaking of which, have you seen this? I have found it very helpful as well, especially with props.


And folks, I have still not decided on doing the inspection pod yet. I don't really like the vehicle and I don't have room for it on the website. But I also want to be as complete as possible and my need to be thorough is pushing for it. Ask me again in a couple of weeks and I might finally have an answer for you.

 

[Ziz]

What's left to do on your list of stuff? Can you add something else to one of the existing sheets (or re-arrange what you have) to make room for the pod? Like it or not, the inspection pod is part of the NX's "accessories" (for lack of a better word.)

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ Again, I haven't decided. If I include the pod, I include the pod. If I don't, I don't. As always, I am thoroughly thinking this through and will not make the decision lightly. And forgive me for being blunt but the decision is not open for debate. In fact, given my rather stubborn nature, pushing me on the subject would do more to persuade me not to do it.


I am curious about something. Has anyone seen the new Haynes Manual? I was curious as to what they did with the NX-01. Anyone want to sound off on their take of her? (Or to be more precise, did they rip me off?) I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy and curiosity was killing me.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ I've not seen it but we've had a large thread in Trek Tech for months now and the majority of people who have flipped through or bought have been disappointed with it. I'd suggest taking a quick gander at the thread to see the reviews for yourself.

 

[AstroSmurf]

^ I have been keeping up with it already. But considering the responses and everyone's focus on the "Big E" I don't want to ask in there. I was looking for a quick answer and not a twelve page diatribe about how much they hate the NX-01. Unicron is a friend and the last thing I would want to do is make a mess for him to have to clean up.

 

[AstroSmurf]

I thought I would take a minute and show off some of the progress I have made in the last couple of weeks with the new Cutaway schematic. I began tinkering around with this one back in the summer but that first take quickly became nightmarishly complicated. It was also hard to read once I reduced it to the end resolution. All the details melted into this big ugly mess. But the most glaring problem was the fact it would take months of work just to bring it to completion. So rather than waste A LOT of time on something that would end up looking like crap, I abandoned the design approach. Now after a couple of months of careful consideration I think I have found a solution that works.

The first design was going to include fully detailed rooms. I wanted it to look as if I had sawed the ship open… just like the deck plans. This latest version actually uses those details in the foreground but utilizes a stylize “shadow” of the sets for the backgrounds. It still gives the impression of the room without creating a heavy image. I am also reinstating the color coding found in the first version of the deck plans.

Here are a few samples to chew on. Please remember that these are not complete and may be missing elements and details.



This is a view of the bridge area and the computer core. The bridge is not complete and its background is just a placeholder. The core is also missing its center console.

This sample is of the forward sections of B and C. The purple area is the ship’s gym. The yellow area is the lift shaft. The orange section is the forward access tube… where Travis likes to hang out upside down.

This shows the Armory and the forward compartment of G Deck. The empty space behind the Armory is torpedo storage.

In this one we have the Launch Bay and just below is the Observation Booth in green.

This last one is a full resolution view of the corridors. I had thought about stripping these back and overlaying them onto a pale blue background to match the rest. But this bit turned out so well in my first version that I ultimately decided to use them in the new version without any changes. Even reduced down to the final resolution the corridors manage to hold up just fine and still look good with the other revisions.

So what do you folks think? Yah or Nah?

 

[Sarvek]

I simply love your work. I say Yah. I can not wait to see more.

 

[B.J.]

Nice work! Judging by your B/C area cross section, I'd say that the stylized backgrounds of the room interiors are a bit *too* light. It's hard to tell anything is there until you look closely.

 

[AstroSmurf]

Yeah, I think you are right B.J. I have did a little tinkering last night and made the background detailing a little more pronounced and it works better. I also reduced it to the end resolution and it still looks clean (even though that resolution makes it very hard to see anything anyway).

 

[AstroSmurf]

I have run into a problem and I decided to pop in today to ask for some help (and to give a little update).

Last month I finally broke down and decided to do a schematic for the inspection pod. Two months I didn't really think it was necessary. Actually I was experiencing project fatigue and didn't want to be bother. Then my OCD kicked in. What can I say? I am a completest. Anyway, I am having a hell of a time locating decent reference materials to even start the project. And before you folks hit me with some stuff, let me explain this a little further.

The Inspection Pod renders that Doug Drexler posted on his blog are NOT the final models used in the show. The model he used is missing key details and looks to be a digital "sketch" that the art department made before handing it off to Foundation Imaging. Screencaps from the show are of almost no use since they are either of the pod moving or at sharp angles. And I have come up with almost nothing in three days of searching on the net.

So, I have hit a wall and was hoping someone might have something or know somewhere I can find something. Any ideas? If not, I may have to go with my first plan and abandon the Inspection Pod schematic.


And the update: I am about half finished with the cutaway. It has been a thorn in my side for almost four months now and I am glad to be almost done with it. But I am very happy with how it is turning out so far. Check it out. (Please remember that the examples, except for the last one, are bigger than they will ultimately appear. I just wanted you folks to see the absurd amount of detail that I pumped into this piece that you will never see in the finished product. I told you I was OCD. Believe me now? )

The Bridge:

The Forward Section of B, C & D Decks:

Engineering:

The Aft Launch Bay, Second Stage Plasma Accelerator, Dorsal Observation Gondola

Nacelle Superstructure, Warp Coils, Plasma Injectors and Catwalk

View of Cutaway at Correct Scale

What do you think so far? Feed back is always welcome.


Since I am having issues with the inspection pod I have started work on a schematic of the uniforms. It won't include everything seen on the show but it will be close. After that is complete I am going to go back and finish off the rest of the cutaway. It will be my grand finale for this project... that seems to be never ending.