Pick a project ship

[The Axeman]

Hi all, while I'm currently working on the USS Detroyat MkIII with Mr Morrisette it's a slow business as he draws up the blueprints. In the meantime I want to get away from all the recent TOS and Star Wars stuff I've been doing and want to try a more modern design. I've been sketching away over the past couple of days and have picked out 3 designs that sort of take my fancy. Two are rather similar, one much more different. Here's the pictures on my Flickr page...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/4247687293_801942ef32_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4247687209_7251539e86_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4248459160_a9a98f1af2_o.jpg

The two arrowhead ones are pretty similar, although one is meant to be more streamlined and longer looking, while the other has the twin tails and would be stubbier overall. The Akira thingy will have it's nacelles built into the two tails of course, and the rollbar could come or go.

Obviously there's not a lot of detail, these are just boxes I've pulled into a rough shape. The final models will be properly rounded out where it's needed, and not the square cut stuff they look like now. I am not too familiar with a lot of the fan designs out there (Or ENT and VOY designs) so if you can let me know if I've copied something then let me know. I'd also like to know which of these you guys prefer, and think I should work up into a final model. Ideas for changes are also appreciated.

 

[Clawhammer]

Cool,

I personally would go for the third design, I really like the center one, but somehow I can't get used to ships that have their nacelles "grown" into the hull. However I like the front view and the rollbar, so I would "transfer" the rollbar feature to the third design, as it would connect the booms and provide rigidity. It would be an interesting small ship.

 

[jaspertjie]

The first arrowhead one ( is very similar to one of my own ships: the Confidence-class

 

[AnyStar]

i agree with Clawhammer's opinion.

i like the subtly curved shape to the middle options hull, but prefer the layout of the 3rd craft

 

[sojourner]

My first impression of the first pic was that all of the side views looked too fat, but that's just me. I am not into fat designs. second image I loved the front view of #2. Third image, I liked #1 and #3.

If it were me (I start lots of ships, but don't finish many, hehe), I would take number 2, stretch it on the y axis to make it longer and leaner, extend the "secondary hull" bulge aft of the primary, and move the catamarans in closer or merge them into one hull.

The front view of #2 is the best out of all images. It's just not becoming in the other views so much. Particularly the side.

Edit: Maybe make the catamaran hulls less Akira-like.

Edit again: just re-read your OP about #2 having integrated nacelles. In that case, no, don't move them in or merge them.

 

[AnyStar]

(I start lots of ships, but don't finish many, hehe)

my 1 NY-resolution this year is to get a handle on that little problem myself...

 

[The Axeman]

Tell me about it. I cleaned out quite a few from my hard drive that I had started and then completely forgotten about.

So the 'third' design, the one with the thicker, stubby nacelles and the split rear is the one to go for, eh? I'll have a go at developing it a little today and see what it looks like. More later.

 

[Clawhammer]

(I start lots of ships, but don't finish many, hehe)

my 1 NY-resolution this year is to get a handle on that little problem myself...

That sounds like a good resolution, I'm adding this on my resolution list as well. Another resolution is to stop making resolutions and just do it.

Good luck Axeman with this ship!

 

[Kaiser]

the middle one all the way

 

[The Axeman]

The middle one is appealing to me too, I have this tendancy to go for wide, flat designs. This time maybe I should go with the majority and stick to one of the arrowhead designs.

 

[AnyStar]

i have a thought, what if you compromised a little and turned that middle one into an Akira or NX type. instead of having what you represented as nacelles be married to the hull, expand on them to be part of a pylon type structure, and attach nacelles to those?

 

[Patrickivan]

Just my two cents. I like the more angular one. The middle one just isn't my thing. But, different strokes I suppose...

 

[Saquist]

The first Design Concept.

The pylon /nacelle mating is more unique
It's also more stable than the Akira like Support Booms on the other two designs
It's also easier to place the warp core deep within the ship than as opposed with the Akira Design which have the cores in the Booms.

The Triangular shapes match on all sides of the ship in a uniform and regulating style

 

[The Axeman]

Anystar, if I make the middle design with nacelles hanging off the rear hulls, then it will just be an Akira or Akiraprise. I can only really put the nacelles angled up (Akiraprise) or down (Akira or Reliant). I dont particularl want to remake those ships.

Likewise with Saquist, I can see why the single hull would be a more sensible option in terms of interior volume, but then it starts to look quite like ships such as the Nova class.

 

[Saquist]

Well that's something I couldn't help but notice.

The first looks like the Nova
The Second looks like Akira or NX
The Third looks like Norway.

I suggest stripping the nacelles off the First one putting Akula style pylons on it with a redress...

 

[MadMan1701A]

I think I like the third one, with the split secondary hull. Too bad it doesn't have a round saucer, though.

 

[The Axeman]

Round saucers are so old fashioned.

 

[unusualsuspex]

Round saucers are so old fashioned.

LOL!

I do like the third design myself. There's a familiar element to it but enough difference to to make it unique.

Of course this is from a bloke who has 3ds Max and can't model, just render (and even that ain't mind blowing!)

 

[The Axeman]

Alright, third one it is. I'll get to work on the main body tonight and see how it comes out. It's been a while since I made one of these, it may take me a bit of relearning my spline patching technique.

 

[sojourner]

^Well, you have the technobabble down.