Spoilers Starship Design in Star Trek: Picard

[Tuskin38]

The pic Rama posted, then referred to. Outer side of left nacelle on #3 vs outer side of left nacelle on #2 (also ship at the top of the pic above #3)

2 and 3 are the same, just with different coloured bussards for some reason. You just can't see the other bussard collector on 3 because of the angle and lighting.

You can see another '3' here on the right (the impulse and bussard collector colours)

Side note, something I didn't notice before, you can see the Fed fleets shields activate, that blue glow travels from front to back after Riker orders 'Deflectors at full'+

 

[fireproof78]

I’m sorry, are you accusing me of something?

I'm stating that I think that accusing someone of being condescending is being needlessly provocative.

 

[Dukhat]

I'm stating that I think that accusing someone of being condescending is being needlessly provocative.

Well, everyone’s entitled to their opinion.

 

[RAMA]

Oh God... Not this again...

Watch.....the....video.........................

10:28

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/starship-design-in-star-trek-picard.302502/page-206#post-13552572

That's just asking for trouble

What else is new.

2 and 3 are the same, just with different coloured bussards for some reason. You just can't see the other bussard collector on 3 because of the angle and lighting.

You can see another '3' here on the right (the impulse and bussard collector colours)

I don't see it, and in the other photos, the upper Bussard is very obvious. Still, even if that wasn't it, there are 4 versions. I'm done sleuthing, I'll wait and see them when all 4 are released.

 

[Tuskin38]

I don't see it, and in the other photos, the upper Bussard is very obvious.

Yes, because the camera is higher up, or the ship is angled towards it.

 

[NCC-73515]

The pic Rama posted, then referred to. Outer side of left nacelle on #3 vs outer side of left nacelle on #2 (also ship at the top of the pic above #3)

Obviously, when you move the camera up and see 3 from the same height as 2, you see the upper bussard better. Obviously this in only a difference in height that shows you more or less of the upper part. Why is this not clear to you? Always has been pretty clear, I think.

Edit: That's precisely my point:

You just can't see the other bussard collector on 3 because of the angle and lighting.

 

[Arpy]

So the differences are where the Bussards are placed and little else. Hell, why stop at 4? Slap a random Bussard on 14 other places and have the most diverse fleet in all Trek! Except...it would still suck more or less in the same way. And we’d be on here arguing that there are only 6 ships in that fleet because the look identical at different angles.

 

[Dukhat]

So the differences are where the Bussards are placed and little else.

It’s not even about that. It’s literally about if the bussards are glowing or not. Somehow this constitutes a ship being of a different type if one ship’s bussards glow and the other one doesn’t.

RAMA doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about, and I’m pretty sure that guy that was interviewed doesn’t either. Maybe he’s confused because three ships were approved but only one was used, with two different variants.

 

[Tuskin38]

So the differences are where the Bussards are placed and little else.

They're not placed differently. The nacelles are identical, they just made the red a different shade.

It’s not even about that. It’s literally about if the bussards are glowing or not.

They're still glowing, just a different shade. You can just barely make out the colour of them, the angle is obscuring them.

 

[Dukhat]

They're still glowing, just a different shade. You can just barely make out the colour of them, the angle is obscuring them.

I stand corrected.

 

[Timo]

I for one would be fascinated to learn the exact detail by which this mass of unity can be divided in four. Two types of nacelles is already amusing, one type being tilted for variety is hilarious, but four "versions"? I'm pretty sure they are there, somehow, and digging them up will be the ultimate exercise in... Well, in what we do here.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Dukhat]

I for one would be fascinated to learn the exact detail by which this mass of unity can be divided in four.

So would I, because I'm still only seeing one ship with two nacelle variations.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Me too.

 

[RAMA]

I for one would be fascinated to learn the exact detail by which this mass of unity can be divided in four. Two types of nacelles is already amusing, one type being tilted for variety is hilarious, but four "versions"? I'm pretty sure they are there, somehow, and digging them up will be the ultimate exercise in... Well, in what we do here.

Timo Saloniemi

I always found it odd that Starfleet would have more than a few basic types and classes, it's so inefficient. Better to be modular and interchange the parts, especially when we've always had such a deliberate separation of hull sections and function. Clearly, Starfleet ships are supposed to be that anyway, suggested as far back as Franz Joseph's tech manual. So the fact they have one basic hull for their ultimate ship of 2399, and different nacelles seems pretty sensible.

https://trekmovie.com/2020/07/05/us...seen-in-star-trek-picard-battle-of-coppelius/

Personally, I like the curvier torpedo styled nacelle design seen in the fleet in the foreground as its facing left to right.

 

[TRON JA307020]

I always found it odd that Starfleet would have more than a few basic types and classes, it's so inefficient. Better to be modular and interchange the parts, especially when we've always had such a deliberate separation of hull sections and function. Clearly, Starfleet ships are supposed to be that anyway, suggested as far back as Franz Joseph's tech manual. So the fact they have one basic hull for their ultimate ship of 2399, and different nacelles seems pretty sensible.

https://trekmovie.com/2020/07/05/us...seen-in-star-trek-picard-battle-of-coppelius/

Personally, I like the curvier torpedo styled nacelle design seen in the fleet in the foreground as its facing left to right.

That have always had different style ships for different uses. Medical ships, science ships and exploration ships. To make one class ship for all types of missions would mean you would have to outfit the ships with all the necessary equipment, space and personnel for all kinds of missions. Also as you can see to make one type class ship they turn out to be clunky looking and ugly.

 

[fireproof78]

They don't need as many classes as are presented.

Also, give me the Enquiry class over the Galaxy. And the Excelsior and Miranda and Ambassador too.

 

[RAMA]

That have always had different style ships for different uses. Medical ships, science ships and exploration ships. To make one class ship for all types of missions would mean you would have to outfit the ships with all the necessary equipment, space and personnel for all kinds of missions. Also as you can see to make one type class ship they turn out to be clunky looking and ugly.

It makes sense to have a few basic types in space, especially with limited support. I didn't say there would only be ONE type, but in the case of a super Starfleet ship, meant for combat, you could have destroyer level, ship perhaps slightly slower, or a cruiser level ship, different nacelles and then the top of the line battleship version...then you could even vary the battleship nacelles. All perform the same function at a different scale. Then you'd have a support vessel hull, for cargo, towing , etc. This is almost exactly like the Franz Joseph tech manual, which basically interchanged the same parts for each ship.

Are you saying this is an ugly ship? This particular version with the rounder nacelles is my favorite, and it's definitely not ugly.

 

[Dukhat]

That have always had different style ships for different uses. Medical ships, science ships and exploration ships. To make one class ship for all types of missions would mean you would have to outfit the ships with all the necessary equipment, space and personnel for all kinds of missions. Also as you can see to make one type class ship they turn out to be clunky looking and ugly.

That's not true at all. Just take the Oberth class for example. That class of ship has been used for science vessels, supply ships, transports, and prototype testbeds for new technologies. Yet it's the exact same ship each time. So no, there aren't different ships for different uses. The ship used for the specific task was always (at least in the physical model era) based on whatever model the VFX personnel had on hand to use.

Are you saying this is an ugly ship? This particular version with the rounder nacelles is my favorite, and it's definitely not ugly.

Not ugly, just very bland and boring.

 

[137th Gebirg]

That's not true at all. Just take the Oberth class for example. That class of ship has been used for science vessels, supply ships, transports, and prototype testbeds for new technologies. Yet it's the exact same ship each time. So no, there aren't different ships for different uses. The ship used for the specific task was always (at least in the physical model era) based on whatever model the VFX personnel had on hand to use.

I think maybe Pubert is referring to the myriad variants of the Miranda class, each of which could be argued had a specific mission configuration. I forgot how many we've seen - 7 or 8, probably. I put together a comprehensive list in another thread a year or two ago on that topic. There's also the 3 or 4 Nebula variants we've seen out there. But yes, the Oberth definitely seems to have been a one-size-fits all platform, which is a shame since there are a lot of cool fan-made variants out there that could have been used on-screen with minimal effort to imply different mission profiles.

 

[Dukhat]

I think maybe Pubert is referring to the myriad variants of the Miranda class, each of which could be argued had a specific mission configuration. I forgot how many we've seen - 7 or 8, probably. I put together a comprehensive list in another thread a year or two ago on that topic. There's also the 3 or 4 Nebula variants we've seen out there. But yes, the Oberth definitely seems to have been a one-size-fits all platform, which is a shame since there are a lot of cool fan-made variants out there that could have been used on-screen with minimal effort to imply different mission profiles.

Because TNG was infamous for recycling movie models, the three main ships (Excelsior, Reliant, Grissom) were used even when they logically should have been a different type of ship. In the case of the Miranda:

1. Reliant: survey ship/front line warship, as shown in TWOK
2. Lantree: supply ship with 26 crew
3. Brattain: science vessel with 35 crew
4. Saratoga: unknown function/non-front line warship (families aboard, etc.)

(I'm not bothering to list the class's appearance in later DS9 because it was just representing generic Starfleet vessels.)

So we have at least three distinct mission profiles of what is essentially the exact same ship. So there's more evidence that Starfleet doesn't build ships for a specific type of mission. Ergo, those Inquiry class ships, while being used as warships at that point, could easily have been used as science vessels for some other mission. That's the way it's always been in Star Trek, even with the original TOS Enterprise which was used as a science vessel, a warship, an exploratory ship, etc. etc. etc.