Topic: Starship "poll" #1

[FoaS_XC]

Introducing the first of a series of questions. Share your thoughts on the matter in replies - Threads will be open for a week for people to weigh in and discuss, and then we'll move on to more questions.

Question number one: What is your favorite canon Federation design (from any era) and why?

[Chrystoff]

Mine would have to be the Miranda/Reliant/Avenger class. It has a utilitarian, workhorse feel to it that appeals to me. I also like the dual shuttle bays, and the "rollbar" weapons pod.

[FoaS_XC]

For me its the Excelsior, as you might have already guessed. The proportions feel solid and but the long lines are graceful and sleek without being a hot rod. Less of a Jeep Wrangler like the Miranda, or the Miata of a Defiant - the Excelsior is a Cadillac.

[I, Mudd.]

The Daedalus class ... ( it IS canon, isn't it???) there's something almost tangible and plausible about the design ... as if we might actually build something like it ... it has always sung to me for some reason.



Mudd.

[762_XC]

TMP Enterprise. It has a grace and elegance that has never been surpassed.

[Kreeargh]

I am a fan of the 1701-C .

[Starfox1701]

Galaxy Class USS Venture. She is the Galaxy class perfected. More poertful weapons, more power to run everything and better impulse engeines so she is actully more menuverable then the Mk 1 like Galaxy and Chalenger even though she come in 600,000 tons heavier. She is the badest of the bad. Fought through the Dominion war and set the standard.

[Norsehound]

The Refit Constitution "Enterprise" class.

Much of the movies is, as I see it, the mature form of the Original series and the Refit Connie is no exception. She takes off the muted paint, stick-like support struts, and clumbsy greebling and streamlines her into a mechanical bird. The nacelle struts swoop, the blocks and greebles flow with the rest of the design, and she's illuminated like a real vessel. Her bare metal hull adds a level of detail that the original could not.

She is Star Trek at it's height during the mid 1980s, representing a bold Federation ready to take on anything and a franchise that wasn't afraid to be bold about shooting adventures in space. Enterprise-A is just as effective of a warship as a vehicle for exploration.

The Miranda/Avenger/Reliant is a hot contender, if not surpasses the Enterprise. Compact, cut-down, and being the co-star of TWOK, the Reliant is a pure military vessel sporting better firing angles and better guns. Her compact form implies she can turn quicker, move faster, and won't catch her angles on anything. Where the Enterprise epitomizes grace, the Reliant emphasizes compactness... while still retaining the material aesthetic of the Enterprise. She is indeed a counterpart to the Refit constitution in many ways, yet still remain a contemporary.

Maybe a third category is all TMP-era ships in general. I'm disappointed there was never a TV show set in this era because it would have been the most awesome thing ever.

[atheorhaven]

Simple, for me anyways.

TOS Connie - the original, and the one that started it all.  Iconic, simple and clean.  My next favourites are derivative works off that, Phase II Connie (as done by Schtupp and coloured illumination maps by me) actually comes ahead of the TMP Connie at number 3.

Yes, someone's work from here is actually my Number 2.  And here's why.. after all these years, I still freaking LOVE this ship..   

[Chrystoff]

atheorhaven, you're right; that USS Doohan is a beautiful ship. I use it as my Galactic Exploration Cruiser.

Hey, Fury, I also agree with you on the Excelsior. However, and people have heard me rail on this topic before, I much prefer the Ingram Class SCS design over the Excelsior. It just seems like a more fleshed out, logical design evolution of the Excelsior. Bear in mind, that's just my opinion. I respect other's opinions on this.

[FoaS_XC]

I'm actually more a fan of the Enterprise-B - I like the protrusions on the secondary hull - they were a good visual breakup of the smooth hull. As far as the Ingram, or the Doohan: remember: we're talking Canon

[Chrystoff]

As far as the Ingram, or the Doohan: remember: we're talking Canon

I know, you're right, lol. 

[FoaS_XC]

Maybe a third category is all TMP-era ships in general. I'm disappointed there was never a TV show set in this era because it would have been the most awesome thing ever.

Quoted for massive amounts of truth! the TMP has always been, and will always be, my favorite era.

[atheorhaven]

I'm actually more a fan of the Enterprise-B - I like the protrusions on the secondary hull - they were a good visual breakup of the smooth hull. As far as the Ingram, or the Doohan: remember: we're talking Canon

Phase II was canon, it was just briefly canon before it went on to TMP.  My view is that if Paramount used the Phase II design to advertise TMP in Marvel Comics (and DC at the time), then that makes it canon.. if only to be superseded by TMP shortly there after once those designs were fleshed out.

That's my little soapbox, and I stand on it stamping and pointing at all non-believers.  >=)

[FoaS_XC]

Personally, I'm willing to call it Sanon (Damnit, if people can make a word out of Fan Canon, then I can make a word out of Semi-Canon). For this? we can call that canon

[Norsehound]

I'm actually more a fan of the Enterprise-B - I like the protrusions on the secondary hull - they were a good visual breakup of the smooth hull. As far as the Ingram, or the Doohan: remember: we're talking Canon

Mnn... I don't like the Enterprise B because it breaks up the form of the Excelsior's lines. It's too many additions.

Part of the reason why I like the TMP/TOS era is that many of the designs and shapes use perfect circles and geometry without a lot of clutter. When seen from the top, the Excelsior can be represented by circles and squares. From the front, it has a semi-circular cross-section on the engineering hull before connecting to the engineering section. The secondary hull from the front, and primary hull from the top, on the Enterprise are also perfect circles.

The Enterprise-B makes the design too busy in my opinion, with additions that hurt, rather than support, the shape simplicity in the Excelsior. It's really interesting how the NX-2000 design fits so well into TMP alongside the Enterprise-class while giving off the sense that it IS the B-29 to the Enterprise's B-17. I also feel the NX-2000 from ST3 represents a future of Star Trek that was never capitalized on. TNG's world became more homely, expressing creature comforts over utility. In my opinion this makes starfleet seem unwilling to take combat (and by extension, the dangers of space exploration) seriously. NX-2000 on the other hand still has that utility of the Motion picture era but expanded with a new level of technology. The NCC-2000 version (and the Ent-B) we see later is just a brick in the road to TNG, and moves away from the promise given in the NX design.

[knightstorm]

My fav is easily the Constitution refit

I also really like the Sovereign.  It seems to have the most attractive features of all of the preceding ships.  The sleek hullform of the Intrepid class, the back swept nacelle pylons of the Refit Constitution, and the long nacelles of the Excelsior.  In my opinion, it is much worthier of the name Enterprise than the Galaxy class.

[FoaS_XC]

Mmm - I can live without the extra impulse engines and the fins and nacelle caps on the Ent-B - but I really like those chin extensions for some reason. *shrug* I can't articulate why, but you definitely have a point.

@Knightstorm - I'm with you on the Sovereign and the Galaxy both. I might get flamed, but I was never big on the Galaxy.

[Wicked Zombie]

I generally favor the TMP era as a whole, but I don't have a specific favorite from that time frame. Since we're talking single, canon designs, then I'd have to jump ahead to the TNG era and go with the Galaxy class. It has an epic majesty, and the design is distilled to the point where it can't be easily kitbashed or modified without looking silly or pointless. Not that it hasn't been tried...

For you Miranda fans, there's this video courtesy of DrexFiles that you might find interesting.

[marstone]

Original Enterprise.  I guess it is mainly that I like the ship as it was what I first seen.  I don't mind seeing alittle massaging of the ship (but pulling it close to TMP/TNG etc I say meh).  when I think SFB/SFC the original series is the ships (mainly as that is the timeframe it was based on, the game never got to the movie ships as they didn't have the writes to that material.

Now I like some of the other era ships (Even the JJ stuff) for different reasons, but when asked about the gut love, it is the original.