Shuttlecraft Design

[RichMerk]

I have a ship for my fanfic now (http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=116034), so I figured it was time for some shuttles. Here's a quick history so far:

There are some sloppy parts where the mesh isn't as crisp as it needs to be. I think it might need landing gear, but I don't know how to model moveable bits yet.

As for shuttle names, I was thinking of naming them after Rush songs. Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, Xanadu...

 

[sojourner]

Very cool looking, but won't those doors cut the engines in half?

 

[Mage]

I like the design, but if I might make one point:
The rear of the shuttle seems much more modern then the front. The rear looks like something that's late 24th/early 25th century, while the front looks like a TOS-era shuttle.

 

[RichMerk]

Very cool looking, but won't those doors cut the engines in half?

Funny... all along I was imagining the door to open like a drawbridge and form a ramp like some of the TNG shuttles, but then everything I actually modeled looks like it slides open to the sides. Well, now I have something to do tomorrow.

I like the design, but if I might make one point:
The rear of the shuttle seems much more modern then the front. The rear looks like something that's late 24th/early 25th century, while the front looks like a TOS-era shuttle.

Heh. I thought the front looked like a Stargate Atlantis puddle jumper.

 

[Mage]

Perhaps with more detailing the front could look more modern. Right now it looks to simple, I think.

 

[Nero's Shadow]

I'm loving that shuttle !!! Looks like one from the new film !!!

 

[RichMerk]

Oh now there's an insult if ever I heard one. Now I have to change it!

 

[sojourner]

Well, it does have some similarities to Eave's sketches for Trek '09. Not that that's a bad thing. The shuttles in the movie looked nice. I like your design. One thing is bugging me though. The intakes on the impulse engines. Not sure why they even have intakes and really not liking the "hypnotic spiral" looking texture.

 

[RichMerk]

I wasn't thinking "intake", I was thinking "nav deflectors". But yeah, you're right about the hypno pattern.

 

[Solarbaby]

I love this!

 

[T'Girl]

Does it have a forward landing gear?

Or is so much weight aft, that it doesn't need one?

 

[RichMerk]

I don't know how to make moveable landing gear, so we're either going to have to pretend the back end is heavy enough, or postulate some sort of antigrav support, or else I'll just stick landing gear on there that I can make visible/invisible as the picture demands.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

I wasn't thinking "intake", I was thinking "nav deflectors". But yeah, you're right about the hypno pattern.

I'm none too fond of having some big glowy bits right there. Personally, I'd have an actual deflector dish mounted in the nose, like the Chaffee, and have those dome bits act as some nice, clean cowlings for sensors or some other bit of equipment.

Never be afraid to let the lines of a design stand out more than the greeblies and glowy bits.

 

[RichMerk]

Ok, I took the expert advice and made a few easy changes. I dulled down the big blue glowy bits and moved the nav deflector to the traditional spot down front. The rear door texture got changed to make it look like the door is the type that drops down to form a boarding ramp.

 

[B.J.]

Better, but I'd differentiate the texture between the deflector and the impulse engines.

 

[Ensign Ro-]

Very, very cool. I like the changes you made to the impulse engines. May I ask what era you imagined this design being used? It seems to cross certain lines so several eras (or alternate timelines...lol) are possible. Really some excellent work.

 

[Wingsley]

Neat design.

I take it that the Captain of this particular mothership reserves the prerogative to commit a weekly crime... ... no doubt while in orbit of planet Cygnus X-1...

(Maybe the NCC should be 2112?)

 

[RichMerk]

On my ship, the Rocinanté
Wheeling through the galaxies.
Heading for the heart of Cygnus
Headlong into mystery!



You have discovered my secret naming scheme. Red Barchetta's sister shuttles are the Tom Sawyer and the Xanadu.

May I ask what era you imagined this design being used? It seems to cross certain lines so several eras (or alternate timelines...lol) are possible.

My little fanfic universe takes place in 2384. I try to keep things fairly canon.

 

[RichMerk]

Okay, I think we've rounded third and are barreling towards home plate. I deleted the nav deflector altogether, added landing skids to the bottoms of the nacelles, and a porch light above the door.

 

[largo]

slick!