posted
Jim Stevenson had some Starship design rules by Gene Roddenberry listed on his page (SSD, no this time not what you think, Frank ), including that the number of warp nacelles had to be even, the nacelles (or Bussard collectors) had to be visible from the front, etc. Someone here who has saved the text or knows where I can find it?
I need these rules for a new page about *good* starship design.
posted
The rules were: 1. Nacelles in multiples of two only. 2. Nothing in front of the nacelles. 3. each nacelle has clear line of sight to the other nacelle for at least 50% of its length.
Obviously these rules are crap. All of them have been broken by numerous classes. I wouldn't bother with them.
posted
Thanks. The clear line of sight was the one I was looking for. My intention is to put up a page with hints and good/bad examples for starship design, along with some practical/"technical" considerations. Nevertheless, I have no illusions that I could ever stop the ongoing cut'n'paste and kitbash horror.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Maybe that is what the little 'windows' on the underside of the Defiant are for, to do with the line of site between the two nacelles, they are too small to be windows...
although not on the same path (to do with nacelles and line of site) I also assume that those little round blue holes on the dorsal side of the defiant are also to do with the blue grills that we normally see on other starships, They are not escape pods, even though one blew off in "Valiant" - I think that was just pressure build up...
posted
Erm... "Line of sight" doesn't mean that people can actually see the nacelles from each other. It just means that you can draw a line from one nacelle to the other w/o hitting any other part of the ship.
------------------ "About as useful as a narcoleptic rickshaw driver." -James Lileks
posted
No, TSN let me explain, I'm saying that those windows aren't actually windows, but part of the nacelle 'grill' like the blue vents say on the E-D
except cause the Defiant is enclosed, there needs to be some area for the nacelles to spew its 'blue stuff' I'm saying these windows are vents and maybe they do allow the defiant to conform to the Nacelles have a line of site (yes drawing a line from one to the other) of at least 50%
posted
The "blue stuff" the nacelles are "spewing" is simply light generated by the warp coils when they are in use. It really doesn't need to get out. It could just-as-easily be absorbed by the walls of the nacelle (which, even in a normal nacelle, most of it would have to be). I think the only purpose for those grills is to let other ships easily see whether or not your warp drive is working.
------------------ "About as useful as a narcoleptic rickshaw driver." -James Lileks
posted
The most obvious case where a design principle has been broken is the Enterprise-B. The fact that the original Excelsior doesn't seem to have Bussard collectors might serve as an excuse that the saucer is directly in front of the nacelle tips. However, the Enterprise-B does have Bussard collectors.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
But, the E-B's bussards DO clear the saucer... Thus, it breaks no rules.
------------------ Lyta Vorlon: "Our great mistake. Our failing. And now your failing. The error is compounded." Delenn: "What mistake?" Lyta Vorlon: "The first one, the one from which all mistakes proceed: The error of Pride..."
), including that the number of warp nacelles had to be even, the nacelles (or Bussard collectors) had to be visible from the front, etc. Someone here who has saved the text or knows where I can find it?
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