What's Up with the Warp Core (SPOILERS Into Darkness)

[Brent]

What do you all think of the new visual for the Warp Core. First, it's outside appearance (looks like a modern day experimental laser induced fusion generator). Then there is the inside view, which looks like, I dunno, electricity flowing between two conduits.

This deviates quite a bit from the good old vertical warp core, with pulsing lights of future ships. Now of course in TOS, we never really saw the warp core from this perspective, and many theories exist how that might have looked like.

So, do you like this new design?

Personally, I see where they are going here, trying to give it a more realistic feel. From the outside, I can see that looking like what you might think of as a power core. On the inside, it looks futuristic.

My theory is that what we were seeing on the inside was the Dilithium Chamber itself, it's just bigger here cause it isn't as advanced. The chamber must be so big in this period you can go inside it, and the two nodes were holding Dilithium Crystals, and the power flowed between them. Though, I don't know where the reaction takes place.

At least I'm glad they are back to just one warp core, and not multiple cores, I never liked the multiple core idea.

Thoughts?

 

[Christopher]

What do you all think of the new visual for the Warp Core. First, it's outside appearance (looks like a modern day experimental laser induced fusion generator).

You're not far off. In fact, it was shot on location at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore Labs.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

The warp core was just an astonishing improvement not only over oldTrek designs but of course over the improvised Engineering spaces in the first Abrams Trek movie.

 

[cbspock]

I liked engineering better in this film a little bit better than the last film. The CORE reminded me of the Death Star reactor where it had the two halves with the beam of energy between them..lol


-Chris

 

[Nero's Shadow]

Yep I liked it more realistic looks like it could work much better than some constructed set with flashing light going up and down on it. I have to say I've always liked the TMP engine room, but I really do like the engineering set.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

The others were pretty but, like so much of oldTrek, don't actually look real. This does (presumably because much of it is).

 

[Xaios]

I wouldn't say one is better than the other. I really like both the old tube of blue glowiness, as well as the newer "giant spark plug" look.

 

[cbspock]

I think the worst engine room set was TNG. It was like they placed it at the end of a hallway.


-Chris

 

[Galileo7]

The warp core was just an astonishing improvement not only over oldTrek designs but of course over the improvised Engineering spaces in the first Abrams Trek movie.

Agree.

 

[MickJo1701]

It was a vast improvement over what we saw in ST09 but wont knock the Enterprise E engineering set off its perch as my favourite.

 

[Kemaiku]

The warp core was just an astonishing improvement not only over oldTrek designs but of course over the improvised Engineering spaces in the first Abrams Trek movie.

This. It's the best interpretation I've ever seen of a warp reactor.

 

[throwback]

I'm in the minority here. I don't like it. I feel that it is reflective of something that might have been passable in a low-budget film. I feel that the engine cores in the classic Trek were far more believable, mainly, because, there was thought put into the design. What we saw in the series was the reaction chamber which was part of a larger engineering system. And, if I remember rightly, Kirk had to climb his way up to the connection point, because there were no stairways and no catwalks. And, when he got there, he literally had to kick one of the connection points into place. Really? And where was the dilithium crystal to modulate the reaction? I didn't see one.

 

[DaveyNY]

I'm in the minority here. I don't like it. I feel that it is reflective of something that might have been passable in a low-budget film. I feel that the engine cores in the classic Trek were far more believable, mainly, because, there was thought put into the design. What we saw in the series was the reaction chamber which was part of a larger engineering system. And, if I remember rightly, Kirk had to climb his way up to the connection point, because there were no stairways and no catwalks. And, when he got there, he literally had to kick one of the connection points into place. Really? And where was the dilithium crystal to modulate the reaction? I didn't see one.

The bluish-glowing tips of the two halves appeared to be some kind of crystal-like material to me.

Personally, they could have made the chamber a bit smaller for my tastes and rational, but I'm not going to dwell on production decisions, it was effective for what they were attempting to convey in the scene.

 

[Galileo7]

I will always like TOS and Shatner movies Warp Cores, however I accept the new JJ era too.

 

[Johnny]

The warp core was just an astonishing improvement not only over oldTrek designs but of course over the improvised Engineering spaces in the first Abrams Trek movie.

This. It's the best interpretation I've ever seen of a warp reactor.

I can't stand the thing, looks like it could pour a hell of a coffee though.

 

[Kemaiku]

I've made clear in other threads, I'm glad to see the over sized lava lamp shit being given the heave ho at last.

 

[Plum]

Oh I loved how it looked. I was never one to hate the Bud factory from the last film as it did give the interiors a grand scale. The warp core itself actually did look like something real. And you can't stop at just that without mentioning the room Kirk must climb into to save the ship, which was great. When that sequence appeared I sorta giggled a bit saying it was the 'Omega13' room. I don't mean that in a bad way!

 

[ATimson]

My thoughts: it was an interesting design, but I find it hard to rationalize as something involved in the matter/antimatter reaction. (Then again, the new side room in TWOK has the same problem.)

There doesn't seem to be any way to eject it, either.

 

[RAMA]

I loved that warp core...now there's a high energy particle physics reactor if I ever saw one!

 

[Flake]

The new warp core is more believable and more functional (because its a real functional thing!) than the standard Star Trek vertical warp core but honestly I would prefer the old style vertical warp core because its more 'Star Trek' but thats just my preference

Maybe we will get one in the future. For example, if there is ever a nuTV show they wont be allowed in the laser fusion room every week!