I don't think I've suggested this before, but if you wanted a cheap way to publish a Star Trek technical publication, why not hold a contest much like the Strange New Worlds book series.
Ship designers among the fan community would send in their starship designs (I'm assuming Federation ships at least in the beginning).
The designs would included at least three views of each ship (fore, side, and from above), the dimensions of the ship, and a 100 to 200 word description of the ships design history.
There would be the following restrictions on submissions:
1) Ships would have to fit within the established onscreen Trek era. Roughly from the first year of Enterprise to within a decade of the end of Voyager.
2) The ships would have to be no more than 1,000 meters in length and no more than 400 meters wide. Roughly the size of a Romulan Warbird. This is to keep fans from submitting MONSTER ship designs while still allowing some flexibility.
3) The brief narrative would have to be reasonably consistent with established Trek history. In other words NO "the Federation built 1,000 of these ships and went on to conquer the galaxy" or "this ship destroyed over 100 Romulan vessels and won the war singlehandedly".
This type of "tech manual or ship recognition manual" would have some clear advantages:
1) Schematics are printed in black and white normally. No expensive color graphics.
2) It would most certainly include Trek designs from EVERY show era. Giving it some appeal to fans of each series.
3) The Strange New Worlds issues have done wonders to resolve any legal issues involving fan submissions.
Anyone have any thoughts on this idea?
Ship designers among the fan community would send in their starship designs (I'm assuming Federation ships at least in the beginning).
The designs would included at least three views of each ship (fore, side, and from above), the dimensions of the ship, and a 100 to 200 word description of the ships design history.
There would be the following restrictions on submissions:
1) Ships would have to fit within the established onscreen Trek era. Roughly from the first year of Enterprise to within a decade of the end of Voyager.
2) The ships would have to be no more than 1,000 meters in length and no more than 400 meters wide. Roughly the size of a Romulan Warbird. This is to keep fans from submitting MONSTER ship designs while still allowing some flexibility.
3) The brief narrative would have to be reasonably consistent with established Trek history. In other words NO "the Federation built 1,000 of these ships and went on to conquer the galaxy" or "this ship destroyed over 100 Romulan vessels and won the war singlehandedly".
This type of "tech manual or ship recognition manual" would have some clear advantages:
1) Schematics are printed in black and white normally. No expensive color graphics.
2) It would most certainly include Trek designs from EVERY show era. Giving it some appeal to fans of each series.
3) The Strange New Worlds issues have done wonders to resolve any legal issues involving fan submissions.
Anyone have any thoughts on this idea?
