Minutiae Man encouraged me to post about this here. I was hired to Pocket Books to design a TOS-era space station for a new book series. You can read a bit about it here: http://www.psiphi.org/cgi/upc-db/ (See the Dec 27 update)
Posted by Ace (Member # 389) on :
Congrats! How did you happen upon this opportunity?
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
Congrats mate! It's definatly more detailed than what you usually produce, hopefully the cover will do it justice.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
COool. I look forward to seeing it.
Man, Pocket REALLY needs new cover artists: the cover for the newest SCE book has the very worst cover I've ever seen on a Trek book. Seriously, it's a horrible composition of a Sabre and Steamrunner (obviously taken from the publicity shots we've all seen) rendered in VERY sloppy oil paint.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
The Pocket Books editor, Marco Palmieri, is a fan of the Starfleet Museum, so was familiar with my work. I had to draw the station with more detail than I usually do, since I knew from the outset that it was going to be the basis of a computer model. I've seen the artwork for the cover: it's a render by Doug Drexler and looks pretty cool.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
WOah. Insanely-cool.
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Wow, congratulations. That's a nice design, and I look forward to seeing it on a bookshelf soon. Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
I'd seen the interview between you and someone else about that (can't remember where), just forgot to congratulate you. Maybe I was just trying to get over my insane jealousy...
B.J.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
That little bit of green starting under my fingernails is just the jealousy starting to kick in. Pay it no mind.
That's a great station design though. Superfly.
And Jason, you're right about that cover. Wow. Maybe I should send them a sample packet... I may actually have a prayer if that's what they're going with these days.
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
Woot! Congradulations! Someone at Pocket Books must be a fan of the Museum. Nice design work too, as usual.
As for recent cover art, I thought the artwork on Ex Machina was very nice.
Marian
Posted by Kazeite (Member # 970) on :
Well, congrats to you as well!
(psst - don't forget to draw a crowd of tiny Flarites waving from windows )
Posted by Nim' (Member # 205) on :
Ehm, ehm, ehm, SPLUNGE! I'm not being indecisive!
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Thanks!
I will promise to try to remember all the little people I stepped on to reach my present exalted position.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
WD Masao!
Just a little tangent... that Strange New Worlds contest... what catagorey is "Speculations"?
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
I've been wondering about that too
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Looks like no one knows! Posted by FawnDoo (Member # 1421) on :
If I recall correctly from the last SNW anthology I picked up, the "speculations" category is basically a bit of a free for all where writers can put together a story set in the Trek universe, but not necessarily constrained by the settings of any of the series.
One story, for example, showed us the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-Infinity travelling the universe. Another showed us galactic history from the perspective of the Horta and was interesting enough.
I think the speculation section of the books is an interesting way to widen the scope of the contest a little...though IMO the quality of the stories in SNW has slipped in recent years - some of the ones in the last anthology I thought were just plain dull to be honest, not far above the usual "shuttle crash" level of drama you get on some televised trek.
Of course, sorry if I've misunderstood the question and made myself look somewhat foolish! :-)
Cheers
FD
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
No, that's explained it - thanks.
Enterprise Infinity... oh boy. :I
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
That makes sense, but as I understood it, the story still had to include an established Star Trek character.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
That's nice, but once you click on the link, for some reason, it brings up the thumbnail pic instead.
Posted by The Captain from M.I.K.E. (Member # 709) on :
type "-big" right before ".jpg" in your browser to see the big one.
Is that Fleet old School for the Font? The registry on the 1701 looks a little off. Is this the render by Drexler?
The design is way cool Masao -- congrats on finally going big time!
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Drexler did the render, but I don't know what font he uses.
The CGI doesnt do the design justice IMO. Mabye because they used an awful stock nebula for the background.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Is that a Conestoga and a Botany Bay on the pylons?
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Noice.
Just something about the middle 'pylons' - they look reminiscent of the Species 8472 ships for some reason! Maybe too "organic" for TOS?
Nice though, congrats Masao. Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Wes: Yeah, I've seen that nebula, or one similar to it, in lots of fan CGI renders. But it might be pretty new for book covers.
Andrew: I'm pretty sure I wasn't influenced by Species 8472 ships. The pylons are mostly straitght lines, other than the slightly curved "webbing" between them.
Thanks, guys!
Posted by Griffworks (Member # 1014) on :
I realize I'm coming in to this really, really late, but then it's never too late to kiss up, right...?
Great job, Masao! I really like the basic design layout on that w/the docking ring around the "middle" like the TMP Office Complex and Regula One stations. Nice bit of continuity! Proportions look good, too.
Posted by Balaam Xumucane (Member # 419) on :
That does look great. Congratulations, Masao.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Thanks, guys!
Griff, no reason to kiss up to me. I'm just a hired hand.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Bueatiful job, as always, Masao!
Guys like you are why I want to see TOS's effects updated one day.
Posted by Masao (Member # 232) on :
Thanks, Jason. You know, when the schematics are released with the book (as a full-color fold out), you could build this in 1/2500 scale. It would be a bit more than 30 cm tall and wide.
Posted by Griffworks (Member # 1014) on :
I've started something similar in 1/2500, tho it doesn't exactly have a "saucer" for the upper main section. I've based it using most of a Perry Rhodan "SOL" kit with some minor extras. It's also going to have three "arms" with pods on the end, sort of like the K-7... but not....
Would love to hear some constructive criticism from you once I've have a few pics to post, Masao. Posted by thesonofodin (Member # 1025) on :
I am Orion Slave Girl Green With Envy Masao!!! Good Luck!
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Masao: Thanks, Jason. You know, when the schematics are released with the book (as a full-color fold out), you could build this in 1/2500 scale. It would be a bit more than 30 cm tall and wide.
Let me know when it's out and I'll give it a shot.
I've been digging stations since I built mt R&D model a few months back.
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