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The Doomsday Machine...

With all of the requests I've gotten since I posted this up, I'm going to have to. :)

If I re-design the thing, how far should I go? Totally off the wall, or should I try to keep it close to the original?
 
Good question.

I'm not sure which way you might go (notice I didn't use the word "should", which implies I'm telling you what you must do).

I do, however, ponder this. What would Abrams do? I know that speculation raises the hackles upon a few of our more passionately devoted tOS fans, but since several of your examples have been Abrams influenced, might as well keep with a "theme".

I will say I remember a "hand drawn" illustration in this forum from a couple of years ago depicting a planet killer with "suggestions" of TNG's "TinMan" (the space-going "pine cone"), specifically, craggy, illuminated "risers" staggered across its surface, like the tiers of a rice paddy in Asia. I thought that looked wicked. Who did that piece? Anybody remember?

Sincerely,

Bill
 
Well, you want to keep the basic shape intact. What I would recommend is a bit of a 'metallic ribbon wrap' along the hull, like a double helix tapering to the back, making it look more organic. It would, of course, be marred and scorched. Between the helixes you would have an inner 'rocky' layer where your details and mini greeblies would be (also, of course, aged and worn).
 
Good question.

I'm not sure which way you might go (notice I didn't use the word "should", which implies I'm telling you what you must do).

I do, however, ponder this. What would Abrams do? I know that speculation raises the hackles upon a few of our more passionately devoted tOS fans, but since several of your examples have been Abrams influenced, might as well keep with a "theme".

I will say I remember a "hand drawn" illustration in this forum from a couple of years ago depicting a planet killer with "suggestions" of TNG's "TinMan" (the space-going "pine cone"), specifically, craggy, illuminated "risers" staggered across its surface, like the tiers of a rice paddy in Asia. I thought that looked wicked. Who did that piece? Anybody remember?

Sincerely,

Bill

Hmm, I think I remember what you're talking about... I've been searching everywhere, but I can't seem to find anything...

I think I will go in a little different direction, that the traditional one, though.

Doug Drexler has Spinrad's doodle of his version of the Doomsday Machine. Not exactly overwhelming, but just for reference. You can see it on Doug's blog here: http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/spinrads-doodle-of-doom/.

Wow. :)

Well, you want to keep the basic shape intact. What I would recommend is a bit of a 'metallic ribbon wrap' along the hull, like a double helix tapering to the back, making it look more organic. It would, of course, be marred and scorched. Between the helixes you would have an inner 'rocky' layer where your details and mini greeblies would be (also, of course, aged and worn).

Hmm, not a bad idea... I might use part of that...
 
With all of the requests I've gotten since I posted this up, I'm going to have to. :)

If I re-design the thing, how far should I go? Totally off the wall, or should I try to keep it close to the original?

Both! What can I say... I'm greedy. :lol:
 
seeing as you're probably going to make at least three versions anyway, why not both? :)
 
seeing as you're probably going to make at least three versions anyway, why not both? :)

:) I would never do such a thing. :)

Here's what I was thinking..... this is all just roughed out for the idea, at this point...

MM_DDM_WIP_001.jpg


MM_DDM_WIP_002.jpg


More later. :)
 
It's a neat model, which is actually the problem. It's neat. The DM should be dirty, battered, nearly organic in hull, and have a lot visibly broken on it. It's a little tough to do that and keep with NuTrek's look, but that's part of what the DM actually is. Pocked, marked, and was around while the human race was young.

So, thoughts. Keep the 'clamps' on the hull, but noise up the surface on the maw and interior hull. Replace the 'antenna' area with the helix 'neutronium sheath' like I mentioned and see what you get.
 
Yeah, I get that... but I haven't greebled it up, yet. :) I assure you, it's going to look old, when it's done...

I don't know about the organic part, though... I know that was the idea behind the original one, but I was thinking about more of a "tech" look would be different. We've seen lots of re-done doomsday machines that look a lot like the old one, you know?
 
I really like the design. Here's what you should do:

Finish it and make it look like it's brand new, and then beat the hell out of it. Almost like a BEFORE and AFTER kind of thing.
 
Awesome idea. :) I've got to do it, now. :)

That was my suggestion for the 'sheath' as opposed to the array. You still get more of a 'tech' look (damaged as it may be), but you get a hull shape that invokes the original a little more. You can also add some good texturing underneath it so all the greeblies in the original draft can be hinted at.

I was personally thinking something like the 'rough texture' found on the TNG Romulan Warbird. Actually, thinking on it, it's a good geometric base (with the circular wings) to what I was thinking. Not exactly right, naturally, but a good way to get what I was thinking across. (My unscanned sketch doesn't work at all for this, sadly.)
 
OMG, a peak at some "Mad" PS skills...:) I knew you were holding back...
Love this stuff, the "fake" phone shot...
The "doomsday machine" was my childhood favorite episode, so, I'm hooked.
Awesome.
 
Thanks, guys. :)

Been messing with this today...

MM_DDM_WIP_004.jpg


MM_DDM_WIP_003.jpg


I think it's coming along. :) I'm going to heavily greeble the front, since that's probably what is going to be seen the most...

What do ya'll think?
 
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