USS Defiant, NCC-1764-A

[MadMan1701A]

Well, I figured this one could have a thread to it's own, now.

While you're getting started on the saucer... may I reccomend you move the arboretum up there? It could free up some room in the engineering hull for... engineering stuff. And there's already plenty of space to spare for the crew in the saucer as is, as many posters here could likely attest.

I'd reccomend the saucer rim, the B/C deck bulge or the spot originally indicated for the rec room by The Probert (LINK).

I think I might just add a second set of big square windows on the back rim of the saucer, like where the rec room is located on the right side. I can texture one set as the rec room, and the other as an arboretum.

Here's where I am as of tonight...

I think it's coming along nicely. I was able to stick the torpedo bays above the nav dome, where one of the old spotlights would have been.

More to come...

 

[judexavier]

Nice. I know it's just a WIP stage, but I always found this smooth semi-gloss base texture look attractive!
I was curious as to what you have in mind for that forward vertical portion of the dorsal, where the torpedo housing was originally?

Here's what I think you should do:

>Make the nacelles much bigger, and the accentuate cowlings...perhaps add some dramatic "shark-gill-slits" to their lower edge.
>Move the secondary hull radically forward, flatten it, and build a long, continuous curve from the saucer to the shuttle bay. Also,
radically increase the size of the ventral cut-out.
>Move the pylons back to the extreme rear, and give them a dramatic sweep and arch profile.
>Make the ship larger
>Use the TMP saucer

OK, I'm joking I have to work today unexpectedly, so I'm trying to build up a sense of humor and good attitude

Anyway, as always, great work, can't wait to see more.

 

[Bernard Guignard]

Very nice Looking foward to the final results

 

[sojourner]

Great work as usual! I just can't get over one thing. The nacelles um, er, look un-circumsized.

 

[MadMan1701A]

Nice. I know it's just a WIP stage, but I always found this smooth semi-gloss base texture look attractive!
I was curious as to what you have in mind for that forward vertical portion of the dorsal, where the torpedo housing was originally?

Here's what I think you should do:

>Make the nacelles much bigger, and the accentuate cowlings...perhaps add some dramatic "shark-gill-slits" to their lower edge.
>Move the secondary hull radically forward, flatten it, and build a long, continuous curve from the saucer to the shuttle bay. Also,
radically increase the size of the ventral cut-out.
>Move the pylons back to the extreme rear, and give them a dramatic sweep and arch profile.
>Make the ship larger
>Use the TMP saucer

OK, I'm joking I have to work today unexpectedly, so I'm trying to build up a sense of humor and good attitude

Anyway, as always, great work, can't wait to see more.

Good one. I was waiting for that. Thinking of the secondary hull "jutting out radically forward" on the new Enterprise, it really doesn't, if you use the TOS E for reference. I think the Original TOS E sticks out farther, including the dish...

I haven't decided yet if I will have a physical dish on this one, or the glowing area like the TMP ship. I'm leaning towards a dish...

About the vertical spot on the Neck... It'll probably go away. I was just using stand-ins from my original Refit Enterprise I built, about 6 years ago. It looks better in green.

Have fun at work.

Very nice Looking foward to the final results

Thanks.

Great work as usual! I just can't get over one thing. The nacelles um, er, look un-circumsized.

Well, there were complaints before, in the other direction. Personal preference, I guess.

 

[TrekkieMonster]

Great work as usual! I just can't get over one thing. The nacelles um, er, look un-circumsized.

See, Madman, I'm not crazy.

To me, this version looks less ... phallic ... than the previous version, but I still see the point.

I definitely like the overall size and shape of the nacelles; the cowling is definitely a matter of personal preference.

 

[MadMan1701A]

Well, it's hard to make a cylinder with a round ball out it, not look phallic.

 

[bryce]

Nice. I know it's just a WIP stage, but I always found this smooth semi-gloss base texture look attractive!
I was curious as to what you have in mind for that forward vertical portion of the dorsal, where the torpedo housing was originally?

Here's what I think you should do:

>Make the nacelles much bigger, and the accentuate cowlings...perhaps add some dramatic "shark-gill-slits" to their lower edge.
>Move the secondary hull radically forward, flatten it, and build a long, continuous curve from the saucer to the shuttle bay. Also,
radically increase the size of the ventral cut-out.
>Move the pylons back to the extreme rear, and give them a dramatic sweep and arch profile.
>Make the ship larger
>Use the TMP saucer

OK, I'm joking I have to work today unexpectedly, so I'm trying to build up a sense of humor and good attitude

Anyway, as always, great work, can't wait to see more.

Needs more lens-flare.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Another idea when you start detailing - TOS-style landing lights under the shuttlebay?

 

[MadMan1701A]

Sure, I can do that. Might tweak them a little, though.

 

[Ziz]

I haven't decided yet if I will have a physical dish on this one, or the glowing area like the TMP ship. I'm leaning towards a dish...

Somewhere I saw one that "split the difference" - recess the TOS style dish into the secondary like TMP but keep the center spike, then illuminate behind the dish blue similar to the NX.

 

[MadMan1701A]

I haven't decided yet if I will have a physical dish on this one, or the glowing area like the TMP ship. I'm leaning towards a dish...

Somewhere I saw one that "split the difference" - recess the TOS style dish into the secondary like TMP but keep the center spike, then illuminate behind the dish blue similar to the NX.

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm leaning towards... good idea.

Here's tonight's update... I did something I think is neat with the phaser banks... I get tired of the usual rectangular base with balls on it...

And the rest of my progress... it looks a little strange without the torpedo launcher in the neck.

Any suggestions about the neck? Have fun guys...

 

[Tiberius]

That's a really nice take on the Connie!

As for the neck, I prefer the movie version, with the torp launcher at the base.

 

[fleetcaptain]

Looks great so far. Can't wait til your finished. But I do love the influence of old and new in your design.

 

[Ziz]

You could do a single torp launcher in the neck. That way you'll have the tube jutting out in the profile like on the Refit but not the protrusions from the side.

 

[Science Officer]

Hi MadMan,

You do need a torpedo launcher - but try to keep it really low down on the neck. Looking at the side profile, I'd say roughly follow that line between the light grey of the neck and the dark grey of the secondary hull. I wouldn't bother with putting an airlock in there either. I know that's trespassing on engineering a bit, but since you're redesigning ....

I think you're come up with an interesting combination of TOS/TMP for the nacelles. It works very well. I've seen too many ships where TOS nacelles have been put on a TMP ship - the results have always looked wrong.

On the phasers, I like the style but I think you will need the balls. The problem here is practicality - you can only shoot straight ahead. Although I've never seen the ball-style phasers in any detail, I'd imagine them to be split into 3 slices with the central slice able to move veritcally and the entire assembly can swivel horizontally. Could something like that be tried with your existing housing?

That aside, you're making good progress. I only wish I could develop something that quickly. Looking forward to the finished ship.

Cheers,
S.O.

 

[erifah]

... On the phasers, I like the style but I think you will need the balls.

He'll need the balls? He SEEMS like a pretty brave fellow...

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Why do the phasers need to pivot?

Going off of TOS, there's nothing to suggest that the phasers pivoted.

Considering the extreme range of combat in TOS/TMP, it's not unreasonable to have fixed weapons emplacements.

Besides, ommitting those mechanisms leaves more room for the captain's Lovenasium.

 

[Science Officer]

Why do the phasers need to pivot?

Going off of TOS, there's nothing to suggest that the phasers pivoted.

Considering the extreme range of combat in TOS/TMP, it's not unreasonable to have fixed weapons emplacements.

Besides, ommitting those mechanisms leaves more room for the captain's Lovenasium.

Phasers would need to rotate to some degree. If they were fixed, the only ways you could hit you're target would be by manoeuvring the ship (slow and wastes energy) or by having your target move conveniently into the line of your phasers. Rotating/pivoting phasers are much more likely to keep a lock on their target.

Enough room for the captain's Lovenasium? That probably explains the size of the Abramaprise!

 

[Science Officer]

Lovenasium - Madman you should probably add this to the list of changes!