Spoilers Starship Design in Star Trek: Picard

[cooleddie74]

My thoughts exactly. I was actually kind of miffed that they ripped Akira for the NX, but since they ripped one of my favorite all-time designs, I decided I could live with it.

How many literal centuries have Klingons used ship designs that look generally identical? D-7/K'tnga and Birds of Prey, anyone?

If we don't ignore the K't'inga-class battle cruiser model used in "Unexpected(ENT)" then the Empire used the same basic look for its frontline battle cruisers for a bare minimum of 224 years, from 2151 until 2375.

 

[fireproof78]

Then why not just build more Excelsiors? Come to think of it, why not just build more Excelsiors instead of all the other ship classes they have?

I wish that they had. But, Starfleet does random stuff with their ships.

 

[Dukhat]

If we don't ignore the K't'inga-class battle cruiser model used in "Unexpected(ENT)" then the Empire used the same basic look for its frontline battle cruisers for a bare minimum of 224 years, from 2151 until 2375.

I'm happy to ignore it, as it was meant to be an older ship but there were issues production-wise which necessitated the use of the model.

 

[137th Gebirg]

That's only because Star Trek had a budget where they hated building new filming models unless they absolutely had to.

Well, yeah, I get that. Still on-screen canon, though, for better or worse, like "Spock's Brain".

 

[cooleddie74]

I'm happy to ignore it, as it was not meant to have been used.

In my head canon it's the D4 that was originally intended.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I'm happy to ignore it, as it was not meant to have been used.

I really do wish they had employed their unused D-4 concept for that. Great design, IMO. Ninja's by Eddie.

 

[Markonian]

Then why not just build more Excelsiors? Come to think of it, why not just build more Excelsiors instead of all the other ship classes they have?

Starfleet puts out loads of ship classes at any time, both old, new-but-old-style, and new, e.g. Wolf 359 fleet.
In STO, Starfleet puts out new ship classes all the time while also bringing centuries-old designs back.

To quote Cabot Finch: "Less is not more. More is more! So make more!"

 

[Dukhat]

I really do wish they had employed their unused D-4 concept for that. Great design, IMO. Ninja's by Eddie.

I read somewhere that the D4 CGI model was ready to be used but Rick Berman didn't like the lights. Really, that was the reason.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I read somewhere that the D4 CGI model was ready to be used but Rick Berman didn't like the lights. Really, that was the reason.

[Kirk Scream]BERMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!![/Kirk Scream] I really don't like that guy. Lights? Change the fucking lights and use the model! Sheesh!

Starfleet puts out loads of ship classes at any time, both old, new-but-old-style, and new, e.g. Wolf 359 fleet.
In STO, Starfleet puts out new ship classes all the time while also bringing centuries-old designs back.

To quote Cabot Finch: "Less is not more. More is more! So make more!"

The Wolf 359 fleet seemed different than the other fleets. They weren't just kitbashed ships, they were whole new designs - really large scratch-built filming models using off-scale Galaxy-style engine and saucer combinations, as opposed to rearranged AMT/ERTL kits. Almost like they were supposed to be Galaxy-era testbeds that were long since decommissioned but pushed into emergency service to serve as nothing more than a wind-break against the oncoming Borg cube. Sadly, they were nothing more than a speed-bump.

 

[Ronald Held]

Jean-Luc broke his models while playing with them? That is why some parts seem backwards?

 

[137th Gebirg]

The Trial is an on-screen Miranda variant with a reversed rollbar in DS9. There are likely others. This could possibly be a replica of that design.

 

[Dukhat]

[Kirk Scream]BERMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!![/Kirk Scream] I really don't like that guy. Lights? Change the fucking lights and use the model! Sheesh!

I believe it was either Drexler or Eaves's blogs where I read that.

The Wolf 359 fleet seemed different than the other fleets. They weren't just kitbashed ships, they were whole new designs - really large scratch-built filming models using off-scale Galaxy-style engine and saucer combinations, as opposed to rearranged AMT/ERTL kits. Almost like they were supposed to be Galaxy-era testbeds that were long since decommissioned but pushed into emergency service to serve as nothing more than a wind-break against the oncoming Borg cube. Sadly, they were nothing more than a speed-bump.

I think they were more than just Galaxy testbeds. They were 2350-60's era Starfleet starship classes. But for some reason we didn't see much of them, other than the Nebula class.

 

[fireproof78]

I read somewhere that the D4 CGI model was ready to be used but Rick Berman didn't like the lights. Really, that was the reason.

Sounds about right for this franchise.

[Kirk Scream]BERMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!![/Kirk Scream] I really don't like that guy. Lights? Change the fucking lights and use the model! Sheesh!

Dude, how much do we fans complain about little details? Really, we are going to treat Berman poorly for something fans do on the regular?

 

[Dukhat]

Really, we are going to treat Berman poorly for something fans do on the regular?

Yes.

 

[fireproof78]

Yes.

Stay classy, Trek fans.

 

[Tuskin38]

So excited to see the NX refit in this episode! Hopefully the finale will contain some new ships like the season opener did. Not sure how if it’s all in the past, though.

I doubt we'll see new ships in the finale, it will most likely be the exact same fleet as in Episode 1, but Matalas has said Season 3 will have a lot more ships.

 

[Dukhat]

Stay classy, Trek fans.

Your judgements mean nothing to me.

I doubt we'll see new ships in the finale, it will most likely be the exact same fleet as in Episode 1, but Matalas has said Season 3 will have a lot more ships.

I agree. I have a funny feeling we'll be seeing the Enterprise-F next season, but that it will be the STO version. I'm assuming they're going to make a better CGI model for it than what STO currently has.

 

[fireproof78]

Your judgements mean nothing to me.

Good.

 

[Tuskin38]

I'm assuming they're going to make a better CGI model for it than what STO currently has.

If it's getting a closeup, most likely. the STO models are good for background shots, but not for hero shots.

They did recently redo the Yorktown-Class model, which is the what the refit-Enterprise F is.

 

[Dukhat]

If it's getting a closeup, most likely. the STO models are good for background shots, but not for hero shots.

They did recently redo the Yorktown-Class model, which is the what the refit-Enterprise F is.

Yeah, that's what I meant. If they use the Yorktown class for the Enterprise-F (as was hinted by Drexler in the obscured LCARS panel on the Stargazer bridge set), they'll need to make a more detailed model for it than what STO has.