TMZs '07 hot new Trek styling trends - Scifi-Meshes.com

Red Spar · 10-20-2007, 01:05 PM

Something I have noticed lately. Many people seemed to be playing follow the leader when it comes to starship designs lately...

Trends I have noticed:

-Warp nacelles with exposed innards (seeing a lot of this lately!)

-Clawhooks on nacelles bussards. (Is EVERYONE doing this?!?) I guess the Federation has been having problems with the bussard domes falling off...

-Segmented deflector dishes. The more intricate and complicated looking the better. To hell with functionality based on physics.

-Negative extrusions and cuts all over the hull exposing lots of greebly thinger-mo-doodles (not that you would want to cover vital equipment)

-Sqwooshing a ship as flat as possible and stretching it out so it looks more like a flounder than a starship (you know the ships that are 1 deck tall and 3000m long)

-Making large starships all aerodynamic (addendum to above) These things fly in space right?!?!?

-Glowy stuff. It ain't a real ship unless it looks like a Christmas tree that can do warp 10. A little glow goes a long way. (I too have fell under this spell)

OK rant over. I think we need to come up with a new original trend for '08. Hmmm ships with racing stripes? Rear spoilers?

juanxer · 10-20-2007, 01:20 PM

About the glowing thing, it must be fun to have a starship chernobilizing everything around while visiting a Starbase or such. Remember: if you can see your bluesy Cherenkov radiation, you are already dead

(those windows' glass must have a superduper anti-radiation coating).

Myself, I think that since the Enterprise E onwards everything has gone downhill: graceless chunky masses (see the impulse drive housings or the whole nacelles), nonsensical insets all over the place (specially the saucer section's undersurface), cheap mosaic textures, an overbusy overall look, plus a bit too desperate attempt at suggesting that this ship is pointing forward (all that arrowheading).

The TMP and Generations' Enterprises (that D's repaint job was really nice) were great at balancing detail and overall shape awareness.

I am not opposed to aerodynamics and shape flattening... as long as it doesn't go so far that grace is lost.

spudmonkey · 10-20-2007, 02:17 PM

You will always see trends in 3D modeling as people will be inspired by other people's designs. It's a fact of modeling (and art) in general and is not a bad thing

traq · 10-20-2007, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juanxer

Remember: if you can see your bluesy Cherenkov radiation, you are already dead

(those windows' glass must have a superduper anti-radiation coating).

It's actually "harmless secondary photons...providing a visible blue glow." [TNG Tech Manual, p.59]

Red Spar, I know what you mean. I don't think it's a bad thing, people are trying to find a way away from conventional Trek designs - it's all been done, so it's kinda a necessary process if you want to find a new way to go.

Simple is better... and by that, I mean the designs that have simpler lines, where there's been enough design work to find a simple way to accommodate the complexity of a design. I like the more organic design themes that have been coming to light - the Nautilus and now the Sutamina, for example - the Sovereign lineage is gross and fanboyish, IMHO.

jimi kane · 10-22-2007, 11:30 PM

The aerodynamic thing, aint that to do with the warp drive and deflector efficiancy?

traq · 10-23-2007, 12:45 AM

supposedly the hull shape compliments the warp field geometry

**DarkElfa** · 10-23-2007, 01:02 AM

Well, at least looking at the USS Relativity, the overall look of Trek ships is due to change drastically in the future.

traq · 10-23-2007, 01:20 AM

I think a non-cannon creative process is in order.

Not that there's anything wrong with the Relativity.

Melak · 10-23-2007, 01:30 AM

Well, I don't think people will stop making their ships "aerodynamic" (well sort of) and flat anytime soon. Of course there are always exceptions...Atolm's/Howard's Chariot class, MadKoiFish's designs...
And in regard of paintjobs, well I've had an idea for that for quite some time, if I ever get around to actually model a trek ship for it...maybe in 2008?

**DarkElfa** · 10-23-2007, 01:51 AM

Well, I mean most people never would have thought of a design anywhere near the Enterprise D until we all saw it for the first time and now people are chomping at the bit for Cannon Trek to show us future design progression and hold back a bit on the pre-TNG designs.

10-20-2007, 01:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
Red Spar SFM Nugget Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 41 Posts: 116	TMZs '07 hot new Trek styling trends Something I have noticed lately. Many people seemed to be playing follow the leader when it comes to starship designs lately... Trends I have noticed: -Warp nacelles with exposed innards (seeing a lot of this lately!) -Clawhooks on nacelles bussards. (Is EVERYONE doing this?!?) I guess the Federation has been having problems with the bussard domes falling off... -Segmented deflector dishes. The more intricate and complicated looking the better. To hell with functionality based on physics. -Negative extrusions and cuts all over the hull exposing lots of greebly thinger-mo-doodles (not that you would want to cover vital equipment) -Sqwooshing a ship as flat as possible and stretching it out so it looks more like a flounder than a starship (you know the ships that are 1 deck tall and 3000m long) -Making large starships all aerodynamic (addendum to above) These things fly in space right?!?!? -Glowy stuff. It ain't a real ship unless it looks like a Christmas tree that can do warp 10. A little glow goes a long way. (I too have fell under this spell) OK rant over. I think we need to come up with a new original trend for '08. Hmmm ships with racing stripes? Rear spoilers?
	Last edited by Red Spar; 10-20-2007 at 01:15 PM.

10-20-2007, 01:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
juanxer SFM Guru Realname: Juan Gómez Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spain Posts: 555	About the glowing thing, it must be fun to have a starship chernobilizing everything around while visiting a Starbase or such. Remember: if you can see your bluesy Cherenkov radiation, you are already dead (those windows' glass must have a superduper anti-radiation coating). Myself, I think that since the Enterprise E onwards everything has gone downhill: graceless chunky masses (see the impulse drive housings or the whole nacelles), nonsensical insets all over the place (specially the saucer section's undersurface), cheap mosaic textures, an overbusy overall look, plus a bit too desperate attempt at suggesting that this ship is pointing forward (all that arrowheading). The TMP and Generations' Enterprises (that D's repaint job was really nice) were great at balancing detail and overall shape awareness. I am not opposed to aerodynamics and shape flattening... as long as it doesn't go so far that grace is lost.
	Last edited by juanxer; 10-20-2007 at 01:33 PM.

10-20-2007, 02:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
spudmonkey SFM Obsessed Total Awards: 4 (more» ...) Realname: Nick Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: UK Posts: 2,284	You will always see trends in 3D modeling as people will be inspired by other people's designs. It's a fact of modeling (and art) in general and is not a bad thing
	USMC #2 - Now finished! Spud's tutorials: Poly modelling 1 Nacelles: 1 \| 2 Windows: 1 Subdiv: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4

10-22-2007, 11:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
jimi kane SFM Guru Join Date: May 2006 Age: 22 Posts: 493	The aerodynamic thing, aint that to do with the warp drive and deflector efficiancy?
	But where do all the calculators go? Ain't nothin' over till it's over.

10-23-2007, 12:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
traq SFM Guru Realname: Adrian Join Date: May 2006 Location: So Cal Age: 29 Posts: 944	supposedly the hull shape compliments the warp field geometry
	I design your custom anything * Sea Scout Ship Changing Tides the dream afraid of waking

10-23-2007, 01:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
DarkElfa Will Render for Food Realname: Joseph Lyon Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 34 Posts: 83	Well, at least looking at the USS Relativity, the overall look of Trek ships is due to change drastically in the future.

10-23-2007, 01:20 AM	#8 (permalink)
traq SFM Guru Realname: Adrian Join Date: May 2006 Location: So Cal Age: 29 Posts: 944	I think a non-cannon creative process is in order. Not that there's anything wrong with the Relativity.
	I design your custom anything * Sea Scout Ship Changing Tides the dream afraid of waking

10-23-2007, 01:30 AM	#9 (permalink)
Melak SFM Obsessed Total Awards: 1 (more» ...) Realname: Leon Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin Age: 18 Posts: 1,314	Well, I don't think people will stop making their ships "aerodynamic" (well sort of) and flat anytime soon. Of course there are always exceptions...Atolm's/Howard's Chariot class, MadKoiFish's designs... And in regard of paintjobs, well I've had an idea for that for quite some time, if I ever get around to actually model a trek ship for it...maybe in 2008?

10-23-2007, 01:51 AM	#10 (permalink)
DarkElfa Will Render for Food Realname: Joseph Lyon Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 34 Posts: 83	Well, I mean most people never would have thought of a design anywhere near the Enterprise D until we all saw it for the first time and now people are chomping at the bit for Cannon Trek to show us future design progression and hold back a bit on the pre-TNG designs.

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