Topic: What makes a starship look right?

[intermech]

I have a theory about what makes a starship look "right" and if I am right it can be boiled down to just a few numbers which then can be applied to starship design. In order to determine this, I would like you guys each to post in this topic a picture or link to your most favorite design, model, or schematic (the more views the better). If your favorite is one of your own designs, show that. The more that participate, the more accurate and usable my findings will be. I hope that I can get one for every regular poster in the models forum. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Chris Johnson]

If I were to draw from Canon, I'll go by Era and assume Earth/Fed-based ships rather than another species.  In Pre-TOS, the Daedalus-class.  In TOS/TMP, I'll go with a tie between Constitution-class (TOS and TMP) and Excelsior-class.  In TNG, the Galaxy-class.  Out of them all, I'm tempted to boil it down to the Excelsior-class perhaps.  I hate to be torn between that and the Constitution-class (refit), let alone being torn between the two and the Galaxy-class.

Perhaps the Excelsior-class.

I'd also like to add that I might not brush much by non-canon Starships and I don't have much to draw from as far as my own designs go, if any I can recall.  But I might try and take a look from each era, and as far as Earth designs in the Pre-TOS-era go, I'd have a good chance of finding my favorite here.

[Starforce2]

well, it's gotta have some kind of flow. Elements of it need to have a  reason and if some style and sportyness can be thrown in the max all the better.

[ModelsPlease]

I would say Andy Proberts Enterprise prototype which later became the basis for the C version. to me it just incorporatesa perfect balance of the TOS and TMP design elements in a more futuristic package. A little of the original Ent, the TMP Ent and A as well as slight traits of the B as well. Very nicely thought out. It's a shame we never got a chance to really know the B and C  .

-MP

[GotAFarmYet?]

If you really had to pick something I would not go with Trek ships, although the first movie version Kligon Ships seems to be the better design.

I would go with B5 Minbari Federation Sharlin Cclass WAR-Cruiser as the winner for me.

[Magnum357]

Hmmm... B5 Mimbari War Crusier.  Interesting choice.   

Its hard for me too give a detailed explaination of what makes a good design look "cool".  In short, the design has too make sense.  Just slapping together a couple of warp engines and bending a hull shap in different ways will not make a good design in my opinion.  Nor will Kitbashing that many people do in these forums.  Its very rare for me too like a Kitbash, mostly because a Kitbash has too follow the same rules above, the design has got to make sense. 

I design SFB ships because I've never been fond of TOS era ships (but I will say that I have seen a few modelers here on this board make some outstanding TOS style ships).  So I try to design my SFB ships with a little more "style" and have a TMP influence (I'm kinda more of a fan of the TMP era).  But when I make a SFB ship, I don't just slap together parts and hope it looks "cool", I try too actually study SFB SSD's and history of the ship and technical facts (if there are any) before I start dishing out a mesh.  These are the main points I think if your trying to come up with a new design.

As for Star Trek ships, I have a lot of favorite ships (mostly Federation).  But proabably my most favorite designs are the Excelcior and Amdassador Classes.  Mostly because there designs make the most sense and seem "practical" to build.  I remember reading that in World War II, there had been big debats between which American Fighter plan was the best Plan in the European theater... the P-47 Thunderbolt or the P-51 Mustang.  The P-51 Mustang was a more streamline design compared to the P-47, but the P-47 had more firepower and could take considerably more damage then the P-51 could.  As I said above, a design must make sense.  Some could say that the Defiant Class is kind of an ugly design, but the ship is designed for Combat so it will look more "battle harden" then say a Galaxy.

[CaptainTombs]

USS Dauntless NX-01-A Dauntless class from hope and Fear and an ep of Enterprise

this will more likelly get fired up rofl due to it being non federation and alien looking but enterprise sort of made it canon with it being a ship used in the future

[intermech]

I am asking for any ship that looks good, if it is not Federation or even Trek, it will diversify my data and produce even better results in confirming or disproving my theory.

[ModelsPlease]

I also love the Veritechs from Robotech, and the Colonial Viper as well.

[Fedman NCC-3758]

1. Constitution

2. Miranda

[intermech]

I am starting to see some corrolation. Proportions I think have a huge part in it. The Excelsior and the Defiant, too favorites, have the same vertical verses horizontal proportion.  I need to check these other ones.

[jayvt3]

in my lowly opinion it has to do with GOOD DESIGN.
constitution and sovereign classes are really bad designs from a realistic point of view, i.e. the bridge is a hood ornament, lightly armoured and in some cases no defenses.  While the new battlestars are a feasible design, command and control is in deep and protected plus there are batteries and batteries of ship-defense systems ranging from the phalanx type to just plain old cold rolled steel, albeit 74 inches thick but by golly is works.


also PROPORTIONATE REALITY.    yeah i said "UH?" when it first popped into my head, this is a real simple principle though.  basically it applies for modellers and it just plainly states that what is designed must be proportionate to what is designed.  So you can't have a 20,000 meter long ship with eight galaxy class warp nacelles two saucer sections side by side and refer to it as a "Heavy frigate".

lastly, ORIGINAL CONCEPT.  Wicked Zombie is good at this so is TUS with his ICON and McCOY Classes.  Whoever came up with the Kryptonian PREUS Class and whomever designed the Hellions, that was very original.  Now better textures for the Constitution Class are always welcome but you can only take the "ol girl" so far as meshes and kitbashes are concerned. 

These are just my own opinions.  They are not meant to belittle or show favoritism to anyone.
I have though the patent and trademark on the term "PROPORTIONATE REALITY" and it's definition.  Just like Bill does on the term "WINDOWS" when applied toward computers and/or the programming, development of programming and/or software for computers and/or the programming, development and development of software and such.

[AUDACIOUS]

Hmm..
Ok, I'll post my baby at all angles..

[Darkseid]

Sovereign Class Rules!

[intermech]

These last two ships have almost the exact same height to lenght proportion. Height is 12% of length.

[wulf111]

i would say this has to be my favorite ship so far but i am a little biased tho LOL

[Starforce2]

Hmm..
Ok, I'll post my baby at all angles..

Now there is an example of a ship that looks great for the most part, but is too fat from the front view. It doesn't look like it would belong in a TV show.

[AUDACIOUS]

**shrugs**
To each his own..

I've gotten allotta kewl feedback on this baby..
But I'm glad you expressed your opinion.. 

[ModelsPlease]

Raven Night's Scorpion....... now that's a great design.

[Fedman NCC-3758]

I remember how much I disliked the Nebula when I first saw one.

She's now grown on me and is one of my favorites.

Starships have a way of doing that.   

[ModelsPlease]

I remember how much I disliked the Nebula when I first saw one.

She's now grown on me and is one of my favorites.

Starships have a way of doing that.   

Then you'll be happy to know that OutaLance is gonna do the 2 proto-nebs 
-MP

[AlchemistiD]

IMHO:

The imagination of the individual(s) who designed or modelled it.  Besides that:

Aesthetics, Functionality, and lineage.

[AUDACIOUS]

I agree big time. 

IMHO:

The imagination of the individual(s) who designed or modelled it.  Besides that:

Aesthetics, Functionality, and lineage.

[Scottish Andy]

I'd say what counts is proper proportion--giving a balanced look--but most importantly, logical design.

One of the things I cannot stand at all is bad kitbashing. People just sticking hull structures and odd shapes together with no rhyme or reason. There has to be a valid inside-perspective reason for putting a ship together, an actual ship design reason that Starfleet R&D engineers decided would help a ship perform its misson better. There also has to be a sense of aesthetics to it all. A TMP saucer, an amorphous blob of a secondary/extended hull, and some differently-placed TMP nacelles does not a starship make. (PS: Does anyone know which FASA design I'm referring to? No? I'm not surprised. That description grabbed a good 50% of all Fed designs, but I was referring to the Northampton class. Or the Andor class.)

As you may have noticed, my pet peeve is 99.98% of the FASA designs. It is all very well bashing away, but would you put a TMP nacelle in place of an Oberth's sensor pallet? The only decent FASA Fed designs are the Loknar and Larson.The Klinks do a bit better, but so many of their ships just don't look Klingon, and the Roms just look like LEGO ships.

Why do you think the SFB ships have been so successful? The original TOS designs have been TMPed, and the basic concepts pushed into Excelsior, Ambassador, Galaxy and Sovereign-style designs. This is because their SSDs required thoughtful placing of the interior components, which then dictated the external arrangement. Granted, they are simple designs, but that little black dress never goes out of style for a reason.

Thus, getting back to the original question and away from my rant, what makes a starship look good is an appreciation for what that ship is suposed to do, and working that into the basic race-specific design philosophy.
This is a Federation ship. It's a ship designed to patrol the spacelanes and protect shipping. It makes frequent stops at starbases and outposts, so it doesn't need to be long ranged. Mission duration can be planned for 2 years, max. It's a smaller ship, not a cruiser-type. It'll be fighting pirates and raiders, so it needs powerful weaponry, but not so much on the science--though, this being a Fed ship, there'll still be scientific facilities and versatile sensors. It doesn't need to be super-fast, since it's escorting merchants. Warp 7 is fine, 9 isn't needed. Limited science and short duration means smaller crew, moderate facilities.

We have a destroyer!

Proper design philosophy makes a ship look right.

Favourite canon ships: Constitution refit. Nothing looks as good, she's a classic. The Excesior grew on me and now I love her almost as much as the Consitution refit. The Ambassador is a beauty as well. The Sovereign merges the Intrepid with the Constitution refit and makes her look reeeeal good.
Other nice canon ships: the Miranda, Constellation, New Orleans, Nebula, Akira, Sabre.
Favourite non-canon ships: Akyazi, SFC FireHawk and SparrowHawk, SFC F5, Dizzy's Star Union. Can't think of any more off the top of my head.

[AUDACIOUS]

Wow..
that was well thought up and hard to disagree with but in my humblllle opinion..
Sometimes aesthetics rank with that "Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder" Qoute.

I'm speaking strickly as a modeler myself..

[Shadowfleet]

IM - I've been thinking about this thread for a week or so now and here are my favorites:

First for Star Trek, here's my Favorite ship for each race/hull:

Federation Cap Ship
Wicked Zombie's USS Titan – If there ever was a great design for the Titan – this was it. I modified mine slightly with the Galaxy Evo’s engines


Federation Shuttle
MarkyD's new Arrow Class Hopper - she's fast/dangerous and you know it with one glance. I want one in my garage.


Klingon Cap Ship
Raven's recently built M'aveq - original design and definitely something a Klingon would drive.


Haven't seen a Kink shuttle or fighter I could put in a favorite category yet.

Romulan Cap Ship - a lot have been built lately by Raven and Pepperman and they are awesome, but I’ve been dreaming of seeing this baby in game for a long time. It's an Atolm design.


Haven't seen a Rommie shuttle or fighter I could put in a favorite category yet, either.

Now I’ll branch out into other genre.

Favorite ship from another game, the Galaxy Class Freighter from Wing Commander Privateer – she’d make a great pirate shuttle – Hint ;-)


My Favorite Cap Ship from TV/movies – the original Battlestar Galactica. Sign me up; I’d love a tour on board the Galactica!


My favorite fighter from TV/movies – Buck Rogers Starfighter – I already turned her in the Mk 1 Warpfighter.


My Favorite Space Station – once again from Wing Commander Privateer – she’d look great in SFC too…


Interesting thread and it really y made me think. It was hard to narrow it down even this far. There’s been a lot of great work here lately and my favorites are expanding all the time.

Redneck out.

[Adonis]

My ones:

Star Trek (in order of writing per race):
Cannon:
Ent: Fed: the Warp Delta; Rommie: BoP; Klink: Raptor; Andorian: Kumari; and Vulcan designs (all)

TOS: Fed: Definetly the Connie and the Daedalus; Rommie: BoP; Klink: D-7

TMP: Fed: Connie refit, Excelsior/Ent-B, Miranda, Oberth (these two are a different basic design phylosophy than the Enterprise-line ships - saucer, neck, sec. hull), Constellation; Klink: D-7/A, BoP; Lyran and Hydran ships

TNG: Fed: Galaxy, Sovereign, Defiant, Akira, Norway, Sabre, Steamrunner, Nova, NX-01 Dauntless, Cheyenne, Freedom; Rommie: D'deridex, Norexan (Valdore); Klink: Vor'cha, Negh'var; Dominion ships; Reman Scimitar (ain't your casual ship, she's detailed like hell); Cardie: Hideki (nice shape)

Post-Nemesis: Wells class (wild shape), Aeon class

Non-cannon:

TMP: Fed: Atolm's JTK, WZ's Doohan and Relentless, Ulyssess, Joshua; Rommie: Firehawk

TNG: Fed: Dj Curtiss's Schumann, Supremus, Victory, WZ's Titan (both versions), LC's Titan, MayhemUK's Courageous, Queball's Repulse, Orus Class, Insignia class, Legacy class (Titan design), Andrew Probert's Ambassador study, BC2 Concord, Scorpions, Nebuchadnezzar; Rommie: Kerchan, Atolm's Falcata and Aen'Stelam, BC2 D'voridex and D'deridex

Star Wars:

Venator SD, X-wing, TIE interceptor, Grievus's Command ship, Mon Calamari cruiser

BSG:

Battlestar, Basestar, Viper fighters

Space Oddisey:

Leonov

The Last Starfighter:

Gunstar

Robotech:

SDF-1, VF-1J

Farscape:

Moya/Talin

Stargate:

Goa'uld Deathglider

Designs I despise: ST Fed Ambassador class (blocky!), SW Ep5-6 SD, SSD.

[AncientAngel]

Here is my example. New Reimaged look to match that inbetween Era from the Galactica's hull Design to the Pegasus.

[Magnum357]

Wow!  Thats a neat Battlestar Galactica Ship.  It really does look a lot like a Frigate/Escort Size Vessel for the new series.