An overview of some of my unfinished, abandoned or just plain forgotten ships.
The Tau Ceti started off alright, but I couldn't (and still can't) a satisfying saucer/neck configuration. The Bradbury was a quick attempt at drawing the Voyager protoype model, abandoned because it looked like ****. The Madison was almost finished, until I realized that it was utterly useless. There's no gravity, so what's the use of those chutes? The Klushantsev (named after a Soviet moviemaker, IIRC) only exists as a half-finished Ambassador-era saucershape. Actually, I kind of like it still. But refining it and drawing other views is mightily difficult (TNG ships are really much more work than TOS ships). The TOS-era sentry is just of such a low quality that I'd have to start all over. I kind of forgot about that orbital plane. Isn't of the best quality, but I might just redo it sometime. The Normandy class was supposed to be some sort of ship involved in planetary attacks, IIRC. The Andoria evolved from some pencil sketches. The saucer is sucky, and I abandoned it because I realized that the ship only looks good in a side view. The Alliance class was heavily influenced by Bernd's work. I even used the nacelles of his Sirius class! Never finished because it looks silly.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
I kind of like the Madison Class, eye catching to me...
Same with the Andoria Class, maybe redfine the saucer to be a bit like the proposed Nova class in the TNG:TM.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
The Madison looks fine to me, those drop chutes could be for transfering mass cargo into planet bound storage bins, ideal for mass foodstuffs like grain or seafood. They could be used to transport large ship or station components between fabrication plants and ship yards. They could also be used to drop auto-guided cargo pods from high orbit, a quick way of resupplying isolated colonies and outposts without the need for power hungry cargo transporters or to simply cut down the time taken on long haul border runs.
This looks like fun, maybe I'll dish up a set of half finished or abandoned projects too. Posted by Sarvek (Member # 910) on :
I also like the Madison Class. It reminds me of the Robot Cargo Ships from the TAS episode "More Tribbles, More Troubles." I think I have that right. Anyway, that is a good looking ship. Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I dig your take on the Bradbury class (I can't stand the ASDB version). It looks llike it uses the hull and nacelles from the Voyager study model. The Normandy class would make for a cool colony ship (or possibly a huge heavy mining ship).
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
quote:Originally posted by Harry: The Bradbury was a quick attempt at drawing the Voyager protoype model, abandoned because it looked like ****.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
It still looks better than the other Bradbury design though! Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Madison is a pretty good design; also the Andoria.
Reverand: Yes please!!
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
The Independence, a ship I was designing back when we thought the Challenger might look something like this. It was meant to be a not-so-kitbashed interpretation of that configuration. Abandoned because the real Challenger was discovered and because it still looked like a kitbash.
Next we have two attempts at correcting my most successful failure, the Hopper. The first one just looked shite and the second one was a little too cumbersome. I may yet go back and finish the Mk3.
Over on the right is something I designed for a larger project that never really got off the ground. It was meant to be part of a short series of 3D rendered movies depicting the Breen attack on Earth. (Another leftover of this project is Kenny's Breen Fighter)
Below the Hoppers is something I threw together with elements that I liked from the Defiant, Olympic, Nova and Zadura classes. I never could come up with a side view that I was happy with (a common problem when designing a ship from scratch) so the project remains on hold until I get some inspiration.
Below the Nimrod is my own attempt to depict the Proto-Voyager. Like some others here I'm not a huge fan of Lance's Bradbury either so I started this as an alternative back when there was still hope that the "Intrepid-Variant" from the DS9 tech manual was infact the Proto-Voyager. Then we saw what the Elkins really looked like and that hope disappeared. Still I may yet go back and try again, mainly because I can't abide that unholy, double hulled Excelsior/Sovereign amalgam.
Lastly we have Geordie's Hover Car from (TNG)"All Good Things". Abandoned because there really wasn't any point in it.
Well that was fun! Anyone else want to air their dirty laundry? Bernd, Masao, I'm pointing at you. Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Like some others here I'm not a huge fan of Lance's Bradbury either
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
quote:Originally posted by Reverend: Well that was fun! Anyone else want to air their dirty laundry? Bernd, Masao, I'm pointing at you.
Most of my dirty laundry eventually ends up clean by evolving into finished designs. I don't really have too many abandoned projects. But I'll look through my hard disc and see if there's anything embarassing I can show.
Posted by Sarvek (Member # 910) on :
Reverend, I really like your Independence and Nimrod Classes. It looks like you put a great deal of thought into them. It would be cool to see them furthered along to completion. I know that I have seen your Nimrod design before, but this one looks more complete. Keep up the great work. You have a touch when it comes to designs starships and shuttles. Both you and Masao have good and well thought out design skills. Keep it up. Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Heh... that Dominator idea was probably after I suggested that you try to modify the NX-01 design for the Museum. Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Rev: I dig that planetary defense platform. I would love to see a finish on that.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
Personally I envision Gorn ships as having a fat, stressed out saucer shaped hull with three or four outboard engines....something else I'll have to draw someday.
quote: Rev: I dig that planetary defence platform. I would love to see a finish on that.
It's pretty much done as it is, all it really needs is a few gradients and a little extra detail. Even so, part of the reason it was abandoned was because some said I made it a little too heavily armed.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I'm building a Gorn ship for the TNG era as we speak and will share pics when it's finished. It's kinda a update on the old FASA designs with sleeker rounded edges and warp engines cxlose to the central body. For the worst possible designs imaginable, see the SFB versions of Gorn ships. Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: For the worst possible designs imaginable, see the SFB versions of Gorn ships.
Man, I thought my Gorn ship was the worst possible design. It's ridiculously sauromorphic and certainly not something the Gorn themselves would build. Looks like a car from 'Wacky Races'
There were some interesting Gorn ships in the TNG graphic novel 'The Gorn Crisis": http://www.doasales.com/images/art/kordey_t16.jpg I like the vertically oriented primary hull.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
How much did the Gorn ships change between SFB and Starfleet Command? I rather liked the designs in SFC myself...
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
For a second there I thought I was looking at some Babylon 5 artwork, those ships in the far background is very reminiscent of the Centauri Cruiser. I like the split hull look and the vertical alignment is quite original, something defiantly worth paying homage to.
(Homage; read Plagiarise) Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Even still, the main Gorn ship in SFC looks like a big flying brick. Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Not that areodynamics matter in space. The Gorn ships from the graphic novel present a very large target profile from all angles (excepting the odd vertically oriented scorpion shaped sjips, that is). My own ship is more of a "streamined brick". Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
Reverend: I like that little ship, um, third from the bottom? :-)
Trouble with the side view, you say? well you couldn't do much worse than with the icky Nova class side view. IIRC, the Nova's main sideview problem was the proportionally too short saucer. Enlengthen that a bit and it would get a lot better, I would think.
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