U.S.S. Carolina

[Dennis]

Barely begun...

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/threeview.jpg

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/frontback.jpg

[Proximo]

Another one?

[Dennis]

Another what? :confused:

[Proximo]

Ship. You're just pumping them out at the moment, it seems...

[Dennis]

Oh, that. Yeah, well...:)

Here's a go at the saucer:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer001.jpg

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer3001.jpg

[darkwingduck1]

*begin Ronald Reagan mode*

Well...there he goes again!

*end Ronald Reagan mode*

:)

Looks good so far, Dennis!

[Admiral Pip]

Oh boy, here we go again, I sense another kickass ship comming! ;)

[Dennis]

A little work on the saucer:


http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer4001.jpg

[seanr]

faster, faster!!!


;)

Looking good so far.

[Dennis]

Testing colors and textures:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/back02.jpg

[Captain Hottie]

your designs are literally inspiring. i hope to be able to translate some of my designs into this medium someday.

i think you should give this one a fat neck. not really fat, maybe like the enterprise C or D, but not as sculpted, to more easily fit into this era.

[Dennis]

Thanks. I'm thinking along those lines.

[Dennis]

Happy Thanksgiving. :)
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/windows.jpg

[Kakaze]

Are you going to have the entire thing done for Christmas?

[Ryoken3D]

What are those groves along the side ? Cargobays or just decoration :)



Looking sweet :)



Ryoken

[Proximo]

I'm guessing theyre just decoration. Unless they're cargo bay doors that open sideways that is. I mean, the windows above and below are too close to allow those inserts to slide up or down.

[ST-One]

I think they are for the sensors, like the ones on Voyager.

[Proximo]

Eww... :devil:

[Admiral Pip]

That deflector reminds me of spiders. *shudders*

[SeanP]

Come on man - aren't you done yet?
Hurry the hell up will ya?
:p :p :p :p :p

[seanr]

You frriggin slackers are starting to make ME look good!!!

[Dennis]

A little bit of progress. :)

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_beauty1.jpg

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_back1.jpg

[Nimrod]

Cewlies! Love the textures! :)

[Boh_iNfecTeD]

:yikes:

Coolies!

[Anárion]

Looks like a good design. I like it. Btw, You use Imagine right? Have yoiu ever come across a plug-in to convert iob files directly to Max?

[Dennis]

No, I use 3dwinOGL to convert the iob files to Lightwave -- it does Max as well, I think.

More saucer stuff. Some textures are temporary.

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer_back001.jpg

[seanr]

Cool!!!! What are those round things on top of the saucer, though?

What formats does 3dwinOGL support?

[Dennis]

Instrument domes. :)

I'll have to look up and make a list of the formats supported.

[021310061976]

:eek:

your superior skills make me want to scrap what i have of my ship and start over from scratch...

[Deks]

YUMMIE !!!!!

She looks MAGNIFICENT !!!!
I LOVE HER !!!!

MAn, your modelling/texturing skills are EXCELLENT !!!!
Excellent work and KEEP IT UP.

Btw, WORK FASTER !!!!!

[Dennis]

Thanks. :)

More structure for the upper hull, and some details...
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_beauty2.jpg

[Ryoken3D]

Is that Saucer poisition final ? I would move it down some [to fit in with the "squat" look that that main hull has ]

Other than that she looks fantastic :)




Ryoken

[seanr]

DAMN, that's SWEET!

[Sierra-Hotel]

Awesome!!!!!:eek: Can't wait to see her kick some ass!

[Proximo]

Beautiful texture work Dennis, just beautiful.

[General Phoenix]

I would see how thick the "neck" ends up being before I lowered the saucer. A thicker neck could add to the stout appearance of the ship without making it look too short.

[Dennis]

Thanks for the support and suggestions, guys. I have some ideas about the interconnecting hull, so we'll see how that goes.

Here's the beginnings of the warp nacelle. The warp grille is modeled, BTW:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_nacelle.jpg

[VayVay]

I may get lynched for this, but I'm sorry to say you lost me with the nacelle. I don't think it will go well with the proportions of the ship. It's nice work and would fit nicely with a TNG or later era ship, but I think something longer and with more graceful lines would work better. Of course it may come together when you get everything else in place, but I have my doubts. Everything else so far is fabulous, though. I escpecially like the look of the bridge superstructure. Keep on it. :)

[Nimrod]

*nods*

[chrono]

Ummmm...... UGH!

[darkwingduck1]

I dunno...I kind'a like the nacelle. Remember, it's in it's early stage of modelling here. Dennis turns out INCREDIBLE meshes, and I'm sure this one won't be an exception! :)

[seanr]

THUMP

[darkwingduck1]

Am I to take it that I am the "THUMP-ee", Seanr? :)

[seanr]

No, Dennis is for being so damned slow with the updates. ;);););););););)

[Nayslayer]

:rolleyes:

It looking great so far Dennis!

[Dennis]

Thanks.

A couple of images. One pulling the parts together in a rough assembly:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_beauty2001.jpg

And one with some saucer detail:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_beauty3001.jpg

Lot of temp textures on this thing. I'm working back and forth over the ship more than usual, trying to see how it's shaping up...with the Enterprise and Phoenix I was following an existing design closely enough to just work each section in detail. "Carolina" may not be a terribly original ship either but it does involve a lot of elements fit together in ways that it's hard for me to visualize in advance...

[Nayslayer]

That bridge detail is awesome!

[Nimrod]

Indeed! Incredibly good work there!

[Dennis]

Since everyone's not enthusiastic about the engines, I've noodled a quick-and-dirty "sketch" of a different design for the nacelles -- no details, a couple of textures borrowed from other models, but here's an alternative:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/new_nacelle.jpg

I don't actually know which design I'll use, right now. Maybe a whole 'nother one. I'm not fond of the post-TNG engines found on ships like the Enterprise-E and the Equinox, BTW, even though I knocked them off once for the Concord...

[seanr]

DO NOT change the engines!!! ;) The only change you should make to the first engine design is to make the part that covers the top and bottom of the buyssard collector not come out so far. Make it so that it only extends half-way to the tip of the red part. I think that'll look MUCH better than the new ones you've created.

[darkwingduck1]

I liked the first nacelle design, and I like this one...either would be a good choice, IMO! :)

[Nayslayer]

i agree with SeanR....

[The Vorlon]

I actually prefer the 2nd design. It's a rather stylish TOS nacelle, for a change...

[Proximo]

Can I add to Seans comments that you should perhaps incorporate some of those "clips" that the NX01 and your Phoenix have, perhaps just around the longer portion of the collector. It'd give more visual interest and a better sense of balance, I reckon. :)

[Dark Angel]

Holy.....
Looks fantastic Dennis.
I hope that you finish it soon.


:cool:

Btw. I like more the first design of warp naclles.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by darkwingduck1
I liked the first nacelle design, and I like this one...either would be a good choice, IMO! :)

Thanks.

Hey, and thanks for the support over at TrekBBS. Slarus/Zunar (alternate username) is a flaming @$$h0le. He's just back from serving out a *long* ban because of his paranoid ranting, and he'll be gone again soon -- he can't help himself.

[darkwingduck1]

Any time, Dennis! :) I don't understand why they don't just PERMENANTLY ban people like that!

At any rate, Proximo may have an idea going about those bussard cap "clips". 24th century versions of them might look good on EITHER nacelle design.

[Reaperman]

How about you rotate the engine so the grills are on the Top, a kinda Retro Movie-Era nacelle?

[BRUTUS]

*gasp* I just found this coming from another thread...the one with the image of three of your ships?

This is great, those curved steppes make it look Probert-ish. And don't squish it; I think the Ent-E looks squished....I like a stately neck, saucer held high, like the Enterprises that came before.

I can say, I DO like the Ent-E's nacelles; maybe go for something of a mix between the movie connie and the Ent D. I see a lot of the D there anyway.

It's really neat looking though. Love the windows too.

[Dennis]

Real life's been interesting lately. But I'm back, with a little saucer progress:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer_back2001.jpg

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer5001.jpg

[Jason .T]

Nice ship there, Dennis!
I'm not sure if I like the nacelles or not; I think that something more TMP-ish work better considering the shape of the Enginnering Hull. They might grow on me if I look at them a little more.

[seanr]

*THUMP*

[Dennis]

Okay, one last stab at these damned nacelles:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_beauty4.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_back_nacelle.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_saucer6.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_nacelles.jpg

[seanr]

These are OK, but I _MUCH_ prefer the original flattened ones.

[ST-One]

Yes, now you got it. These are great.

[seanr]

Looks like you're going to have to do two versions, Dennis. ;)

[darkwingduck1]

Dennis, I suggest you go with the nacelles YOU like, and ignore all of us! :) You have good skills and instincts, and I'm sure whatever you come up with will be great!

[Starship]

I like more of the last nacele design, but the first design is interesting too.
Do what you prefer, anyway, will be other great model made by you (as always). ;)

[Kakaze]

Damn that is awesome looking!

I like these latest nacelles...they're a link between the old and the new, very nice.

This thing is gonna look damn fine when it's finished!

[Dennis]

Thanks.

You know what? I'm gonna stick cylindrical TOS/"Enterprise" nacelles on it and the hell with it. ;):D

[seanr]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! ;) Give me a few minutes and I'll whip up some engines for you.

[Dennis]

Thanks, sean, but hold off on that -- I'm actually liking the cylinders as I work on them (they're flattened to the same degree as the Engineering hull).

I have a fetish about TOS cylindrical nacelles, you know. :D

[Mike]

I think you've mentioned in the past that you didn't like the flattened nacelles? Personally, I think the flattened nacelles takes away some of that antiquated rocket-booster look from the TOS ship.

[seanr]

D, I'm going to go ahead and do them anyway. If you eve4 release the mesh, I'll use mine instead of yours. ;););););)

[Dennis]

Okay, a rough assembly -- still minus the main interconnecting hull and with details of pylons and nacelles flopping about a bit:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly3.jpg

[Kakaze]

The round nacelles look out of place...


:furrows brow:

[Proximo]

Well, the tweaking has to stop somewhere... although I suppose squaring them off a little might help. ;) Or some detailing on the back like the Ambassador... or something...

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Proximo
Well, the tweaking has to stop somewhere... although I suppose squaring them off a little might help. ;) Or some detailing on the back like the Ambassador... or something...

There is more detailing to be done on the nacelles.

[darkwingduck1]

Looking VERY NICE, Dennis! I told you to trust your instincts! :)

[Mike]

I love the round nacelles, keep 'em!

[seanr]

I can't stand 'em, sorry. ;) So far the best I've seen was the very first on you did, the flattened one.

[Dennis]

The flattened ones don't look particularly good aloft on the end of long pylons. They worked fine on the Dawnstar or on the several shuttles that John Eaves originally used them on, but not with a ship proportioned like the TOS ships.

[seanr]

Well, _I_ liked 'em, darnit! ;););)

If I may suggest, use the painting Andrew Probert made for the Ent. C design as a reference. I even think the secondary hull from that painting would go well with your primary hull, but that's a matter of personal opinion.

[Mike]

I prefer the round nacelles. The ovoid nacelles simply looked liked squashed round ones. The symetery of the round nacelle is far more appealing on this model I think.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by seanr
Well, _I_ liked 'em, darnit! ;););)

If I may suggest, use the painting Andrew Probert made for the Ent. C design as a reference. I even think the secondary hull from that painting would go well with your primary hull, but that's a matter of personal opinion.

I like that -- but actually, that's where I started a couple of years ago; that's the Ascenscion/Dawnstar.

Both those ships are larger in scale and generally squatter than the Carolina -- the "C" is proportioned and detailed (as Probert conceived it, anyway, rather than as eventually built) to be a half-way stage between the Excelsior and Galaxy.

[chrono]

So I guess blending the vertical bussard scopes into the cylinderical nacelle body would'nt look good?

[Dennis]

Possibly. I'll think about that.

Here's a rear view...I dunno, I may change the nacelle rear caps. I like the curves, but these things look distressingly phallic even by the standard of Trek warp engines ;):

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly4.jpg

The red at the foreward end of the warp grilles is show-through from the bussard domes where the mesh is incomplete, BTW, and not part of the design.

[seanr]

Try moving the engines down a bit, so the bussards aren't blocked by the primary hull.

[Dennis]

That's a good idea. I'll post a different configuration in a while.

[seanr]

Move them down, detail the tops the same way as the Ent-C, and do something different with the rear ends of them and they'll at least be passable.

[Dennis]

Hmm. Don't think so:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly_back.jpg

Think I'll move them back above the saucer, like ST:TMP.

[BRUTUS]

How about keeping them round and put an inset where the grills are that is narrow, like a narrow nacelle body inside a round one. Hard to explain. I'd prefer a more dynamic shape to the nacelle is all, like how the TMP Ent has them, but that doesn't mean they can't still be round.

And here's out of left field, how about for the shuttlebay doors, instead of spherical have them be eggish...oblong on the verticle.

[Dennis]

Well, here it is -- pylons are more-or-less the final design but positioning is temporary (obviously); nacelles are about 3/4 complete:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly_front.jpg


http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly_back2.jpg

[darkwingduck1]

Any progress, Dennis?

[Proximo]

I was just wondering that myself... ;)

[EBOLII]

HEY you.....yes you.......STOP confusing me!

one way then the other back the other way then change that...AGGGHHHH stop it!

[Dennis]

Some fairly major rethinking. Update by Monday evening. :D

[Anárion]

First of all...I really like your ship. I like the way that you made it transitional--- particularly the nacelles.

Just a suggestion:

The Aft part of the nacelle where the warp grid wraps around the back....Why not fade the illuminated blue to black? A sort of energy bleed-off.

Try it and see how it looks.

[McC]

Originally posted by Dennis
Some fairly major rethinking. Update by Monday evening. :D

*taps foot* It's Tuesday morning, Dennis. :cop:

[Dennis]

Originally posted by McC


*taps foot* It's Tuesday morning, Dennis. :cop:

Somewhere, I guess it may be. Where I am it's 9:47 AM on Monday morning. :D

[McC]

:wtf: Yeah, yesterday was Sunday, wasn't it....:nervous:

[Nimrod]

Originally posted by McC


*taps foot* It's Tuesday morning, Dennis. :cop:

Damn you! I read your post this morning, so I thought it was Tuesday until now! :D

[Dennis]

Okay, this is very much two steps forward and one step back.

The pylons are *very* temporary. Some detail has been lost and textures are flopping around and all kinds of stuff misplaced in the general remodeling of the nacelles and the engineering hull. Now that the thing in general is roughed out I'll be adding detail and knitting things together again.

One of these days I'll try starting out with a plan and see what happens.
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly_side001.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/12001.jpg

[Mike]

I really like it. It's something more progressive and original.

[Dan]

The nacelles are nice, but given their visual center of gavity, the nacelle strut position and angle probably doesn't work: They seem to want to be below the saucer, a la the D.

[mercutiojb]

Well, they're definatly different!

[Nimrod]

Yes... different but way cool! Great design, Dennis!

[The Vorlon]

I'm afraid I don't like the new approach that much. Those nacelles just don't work IMHO.

Sorry. =]

[Vektor]

Hey Dennis, if I may offer my humble opinion, I like the individual parts and pieces you've created, but they just don't seem to fit the standard arrangement very well. Maybe you should try something radically different like moving the secondary hull above the saucer or attaching the nacelles to the saucer instead of the secondary hull. That's just an example; it might or might not work.

[Dennis]

Okay, Dan, here's another configuration:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly_new.jpg

[Mike]

The flattened nacelles definately look best in the latest configuration. Dan is definately right about this one.

[McC]

LOL! I was sitting here trying to figure out why the hell it looked so odd when I realized -- he didn't put the neck in yet! :D

EDIT: Try shifting the nacelles farther back on the pylons (that is, more of the nacelle "hanging" off the back of the ship). I think that'll look better.

[Dan]

*L* Actually, I'll go the other way, Ryan: Push the struts back to a more extreme angle to the body and anchor them to the rear of the nacelles: Something about the squatness of the components doesn't mesh with the diagonal struts: It seems to want a bend. But maybe pushing the angle of the struts back farther astern would serve the same purpose and allow for them to remain straight.

[Reaperman]

hey dennis mate, did u get my PM?,

i like the nacelles on the higher struts, maybe have them slightly rotated so they sit on a bit of an incline?

sweet work tho :)

[seanr]

I think it's perfect exactly the way it is right now.

[Dennis]

Thanks.

Here's the nacelle, about 95% final (a couple of details may still flop around some):

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_nacelle_final.jpg

[seanr]

AWESOME

[BRUTUS]

Neat.

[VayVay]

That's very nice work Dennis. I really like the assymetrical bussard collectors. Those nacelles should go really well with the rest of the ship. Have you thought about rotating them so that they are in line with the pylons. Might look cool (and then again it might not). :) I can't wait to see the finished product.

[McC]

The nacelles are quite excellent, but there's a huge problem: they definitely don't look like early 24th/late 23rd century nacelles. They look like something from the 25th century Trek. I don't see how they fit with the early 24th/late 23rd century design.

[ThomasB]

Really incredible :) I kept checking your threads long before I started posting here. Awesome awesome awesome! Love the nacelle!

[BRUTUS]

I think his ship is late 24th, not late 23rd.

[Nimrod]

Anyway, these nacelles are way cool! :)

[Trek]

Wow! Love this.

Those nacelles are really cool (as is the rest of this ship!)

[Dennis]

Thanks, guys.

I think of this ship as more or less the TNG-era version of a Constitution-class, but I've never been too concerned with fitting designs in precisely with the onscreen continuity.

Obviously it's not TOS or pre-TOS (even by "Enterprise" standards :D). I'd think it'd be later than the Enterprise C as well, maybe around the time of the Enterprise E or Voyager.

Or not. ;)

[Fëanor]

Sweet! :) I love the nacell's!

[darkwingduck1]

Dennis: I thought the original Phoenix was a TNG Connie...not that this is anything less than excellent work! Waiting anxiously for updates.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by darkwingduck1
Dennis: I thought the original Phoenix was a TNG Connie...not that this is anything less than excellent work! Waiting anxiously for updates.

It sort of was, but that was a long time ago. :D

[Dennis]

I declare these nacelles finished (before they finish me :D).

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/nacelleside.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/sidenacelles.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/backnacelles.jpg

[BRUTUS]

Well, they're certainly frickin' huge nacelles. :)

[Proximo]

Eh, this one looks sort of like pre-phoenix but post-movie sorta thing...

What the hell, I love it anyway. :D

[Dennis]

I don't think they're huge -- the angles above favor them.

Okay, I don't think the mesh is quite ready for this, but...

Because of so many concerns about the nacelles and based on Baroba's suggestion over at LightWaveGroup, I put together a temp interconnecting hull and pylons, more or less positioned them and dropped the model into an old scene I used for the Concord, bumped the light up a little and hit render:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carolina_flyby001.jpg

So that should give some sense of how the whole thing will come together at this point.

Here's a profile, to get a sense of the proportions of the elements. Yeah, the engines are big -- I may take them down, but only by about ten percent -- because how big should FTL engines be, anyway? ;)

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_profile.jpg

[Proximo]

I like them as they are. You could consider the ship a testbed for larger warp coils or something... :)

[Dennis]

Well, when you consider how *huge* the nacelles on the "D" or "E" are in comparison to these (not proportionately to their ships, but in absolute terms)...

[Proximo]

I still like em... :) THey look to be about the same size as Amby nacelles. Like I said, a test-bed for new technology... :)

[darkwingduck1]

Looking GOOD!

[BRUTUS]

Did I say huge was a bad thing? :)

[David J Lindsay]

I think that a sharper angle on the pylons so that they connect to the nacell's further back would look good, but then thats just my opinion.

[Trek]

Dennis, I have to commend you on the lighting. It makes it look sooooo realistic!

I really love this model. It shares some nice simularities with on of my unfinished WIPS.

[Dennis]

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/interconnect.jpg

[seanr]

Nice job. Just make sure that when you do the pylons, you make them so they their connction with the secondary hull is horizontal when seen from the side. Right now, the the trailing edge intersects the hull much lwer than the leading edge (almost a full deck lower), and it looks extremely odd. It may take a bit of distortion to do it right, but I think it'll look better if you do.

[Dennis]

Yeah, the pylons are just placeholders right now.

[Hito]

Those nacells and the Dawnstar...
They were made for each other

Hint hint
nudge nudge :naughty:

[Dennis]

Oh yeah, the Dawnstar. I've been thinking about that...

Well, the devil's in the details:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/detail1.jpg

[Hito]

That "A" in the regrestry is going to drive Dan nuts.
(He thinks only the enterprise can have a bloody A, B, C or D :D )

[PepeWan]

I've been sitting here trying to think of the appropriate wording to describe this design/modeling/texturing and I'm getting nothing, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to stick to the time-honored "Kick Ass!!!"

[Nimrod]

Awesome! :eek:

[Dennis]

The pylons and their placement are (is?) temporary:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/detail2.jpg

[seanr]

Very nice!!!!

[McC]

Those temp pylons are simply awful ;) The rest is coming along quite nicely, though :)

[darkwingduck1]

Yeah, and you covered up some of the windows partway...:)

[Dennis]

Yeah, well that's why they're temps...:)

[Nimrod]

Originally posted by Dennis
The pylons and their placement are (is?) temporary:


Hope so. They cover the windows. ;)


Okay, someone was faster :D

[Dan]

*L* People really *don't* read these things, do they..?

The meshing's really spectacular, Den. Not a big fan of the design, but the level of detail and creativity illustrated in the components is winning me over...

except for the nacelle struts :drevil:

Dan

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Dan

except for the nacelle struts :drevil:

Dan

They're temps, they're temps, they're temps!

:)

Yeah, I know you know. :D

[Dan]

:P

[Ryoken3D]

Well give us the real ones you lazy .. Oh wait this thing is on..

Hey ! :)

Looks great.. Espically the struts :D




Ryoken

[Zanith]

Great quality of work. Your work is inded inspiring.

To answer the once famous question of the indentations on the port and starboard edges of the secondary hull - They could be cargo bay doors that retract with an up and down split, then the doors could fold or bend into the ceiling and flooring of that deck, not interferring with the decks above and below.

AWESOME WORK!

The deflector dish is really cool and very "sexy" heh. the saucer really a pioneerering design, so sleek. And those Nacelles look like deadly missiles. SCARY!

[Dennis]

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carpylons.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_pylon2.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carpylon3.jpg
http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_pylon4.jpg

[Kakaze]

Cool!


The middle picture doesn't seem to want to open.

[Kakaze]

Nevermind, it decided to download after I sent my message.


pah.

[Mike]

Dennis, this is the best looking amateur design I've ever seen. Very sharp.

[Dan]

Not knowing how "finished" the nacelles are, I would offer the suggestion of putting some kind of visual, structural tie-in between them on the secondary hull. Because they're so high up on the hull, and the hull angle so extreme, it might give the appearance of greater stability.

[darkwingduck1]

Dennis: looks GREAT! I'd guess 95% there or so. Looking forward to Seeing the last details in place and some "plan renders" :)

[Ryoken3D]

I would put a "beam" conecting to the nacell, and running along the top of the Pylons and finally conetcing to some centeral Thing on the enginearing hull.. Would would add greater support, it could give you an idea of where the warp core could go ( this ship could eject the core up, insteed of the standard down ) and IMHO it would look cool :)


Just an idea :)


Excellent design :)


Ryoken

[Dennis]

Structurally it's complete (finally and thank god); now it's a matter of finishing the details and lighting. :)

[General Phoenix]

Now THAT's a snappy tomato!

[Dennis]

Thanks.

Here's a little fun detail -- ship's arboretum:

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/arboretun.jpg

[Dennis]

Saucer top is about done.

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/saucerangles.jpg

[Nimrod]

Wow, the saucer looks awesome! Great work there, Dennis!

[Dark Angel]

Excellent work Dennis !!!:thumbsup:

Ship looks fantastic.
I hope that you finish ship soon... waiting for final version.

[Nurbz]

Another class act from Dennis, beautiful work!:thumbsup:

[AltGoFuR]

Looks really great! :D

I can't wait to see it finished!

It rocks! :alien:

Kevin

[Dennis]

Thanks. :)

Okay, working on the saucer bottom. A little homage here to one of my favorite sf films, if you notice:

http://www.3dgladiators.net//phoenix/carsaucerbottom.jpg

[Mike]

Ummm....Forbidden Planet? *shrugs*

[Nimrod]

Err... ID4?

[Mike]

Somehow I doubt that was Den's favorite sci-fi movie.

[Kai]

the Day the Earth Stood Still?
there;s somthing about the underside that reminds me of the saucer from that

[Proximo]

It's reminding me of "Attck of the Saucer People" or whatever it was, somre really early B&W scifi film where the alines slowed their heartbeats right down and were really old.

[Dennis]

Good guesses. I'll tell you what; in a couple of days I'll show you instead of telling.:)

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/carsaucerbottom2.jpg

[BRUTUS]

The neck and engineering hull are very pretty together and I really like the saucer. This is a great ship. Especially since you figured out the pylons.

[darkwingduck1]

So close to being done! I can't wait for the final renders! Hope you do a traditional Janes spread too! :D

[Howedar]

Damn thats a fine ship!

[Splat]

Bump.....updates, perhaps? Please?

[seanr]

We get very upset when weeks go by with no updates. If ya get my drift. ;);););)

:naughty:

[darkwingduck1]

Das bump...

[AslanC]

:eek: Wow! Wow! Wow!

[Dennis]

Thanks. :)

Sorry about the dearth of updates, guys.

I'm spending most of my free time reworking Subspace Relay right now.

I'll probably be back to regular updates on the Carolina (or Venture or Phoenix, whatever it winds up being called) in about a month. Hope you'll drop back by then; I'm very grateful for the interest.

[JasonA]

Have you and seanr ever considered combining your work for one awesome model? I guess diff progs are a bit of a challenge and I know it doesn't apply for the bridge, but suppose you made a rec deck or something ie where there are windows? Maybe seanr could put together something for a cool "zoom up" type shot....

Well just a thought, look forward to seeing this thing evolve!

JasonA

[Standing Wolf]

My vote continues to be for the USS "North" Carolina.

....but then I'm a Carolina boy at heart. ;)

[newadventures]

Awesome!!! :drool:

One minor thing, though: could you change the shape of the secondary hull a little? Compared to all the other parts, it looks a bit ... how shall I put this ... oldfashioned. :) IIRC you said it was a TNG-contemporary ship? How about flattening it a bit and smoothening the edges?

[Dennis]

http://www.subspacebbs.com/botsaucer.jpg

[Standing Wolf]

I disagree.... DON'T change the secondary hull as I love her just the way she is.

[Nova Class]

Its the C57-D! I love it. :D

Very clever Dennis!

[EBOLII]

mmmm I don't know?

[darkwingduck1]

Dennis, can the Carolina come out and play yet? :)

[Dennis]

Originally posted by darkwingduck1
Dennis, can the Carolina come out and play yet? :)

I'll be back to it shortly. I'm so wrapped up in getting www.subspacebbs.com going that it's eating up all my net time.

I haven't even had time to go beat up on my favorite whackos at TrekBBS today.

Oops. I didn't say that. ;):D

[Mike]

Here a plug, there a plug, everywhere a plug plug :D.

*cough*FarScape Forum (http://www.3dgladiators.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=402)*cough*

farscape/pilot.gif farscape/rygel.gif farscape/dargo.gif farscape/chiana.gif farscape/jool.gif farscape/zhaan.gif

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Mike
Here a plug, there a plug, everywhere a plug plug :D.



Plug? Plug!?

I'm deeply wounded.

Speechless.

In fact, I don't even feel able to mention right now that we have a new front page at www.subspacebbs.com -- a work in progress, but pretty nifty I think.

But I'm too humble to ask people to come check it out.

Unless they want to.

Don't do it for me.

Do it for the children. ;)

[Mike]

The children need an "Enterprise" free world so that mankind will reach a new era of thought and enlightenment. If you really care for the children, you'll denounce all-things Enterprise and join the following of John Crichton. I emplore you, stop the cycle now! Join us, join us and be good! Follow the light, follow it to your Salvation! (http://www.3dgladiators.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=402)

BTW, Subspace looks awesome. Congrats! Now burn it! :D

[seanr]

:rolleyes: *GAG!* :upchuck:

:D

[Mike]

I have this sickening feeling that I just hijacked a topic. Whoops!

:devil:

[Zanith]

Go little ship go!!

As for an old gag that was going on . . . I love the struts!!

[Mike]

[gear head joke] Weren't they designed by a guy named MacPherson? [/gear head joke]

[Zanith]

Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

:cop:Alright sir, if you will come with me!:cop:

[Mike]

Attica!!! Attica!!!!

[Zanith]

:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

[Mike]

Apparently, you've never heard of MacPherson Struts :D. I do, because it's going to cost me $700 to get them replaced in my car.


As for "Attica", it's a pop-culture reference that I neither know the origins of or understand the meaning of. But I've seen it used satirically in situations where people were being arrested :D.

[Zanith]

LOL!!! OOPS! :eek: :eek: :eek:

<- STUPID!

[Mike]

Don't worry, very few people understand me. :D

[Zanith]

Be sure to scratch me on that list! :: Hands out a business card :: :D

[Mike]

No problem. Lets see...you're on page 956. *scratch*

[Zanith]

Wow. 56, a good number.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Mike
The children need an "Enterprise" free world so that mankind will reach a new era of thought and enlightenment. If you really care for the children, you'll denounce all-things Enterprise and join the following of John Crichton. I emplore you, stop the cycle now! Join us, join us and be good! Follow the light, follow it to your Salvation!

Bite me. It's fun. :)

[General Phoenix]

Originally posted by Mike
As for "Attica", it's a pop-culture reference that I neither know the origins of or understand the meaning of. But I've seen it used satirically in situations where people were being arrested :D.

It's from "Dog Day Afternoon" - a really cool 70's Al Pacino film. Give it a spin on DVD sometime.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Dennis
Bite me. It's fun. :)

I refuse to partake in your perverse fantasies! :p

Thanks Rick. A movie that produced quotable lines must be worth a look.

[Zanith]

Originally posted by Mike


I refuse to partake in your perverse fantasies! :p


:rolleyes: :confused: :eek: :: runs :: ^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v :: stops :: :upchuck:

[Mike]

I have successfully derailed this topic permanently! WOOHOO

[Dennis]

Only until I post some progress on this puppy. Probably next weekend. :)

[seanr]

Attica is a famous prison in New York. There was a deadly riot there in the 60s or 70s.

[Zanith]

Hrm . . . Fascinating. How do you know this?

[seanr]

History Channel. ;)

[Proximo]

"History is Bunk."

[Zanith]

Cool . . . ::Orders History Channel::

[Mike]

That's it Sean, I knew it was crammed back there in my head somewhere, along with all the Enterprise memories that I'm trying to forget. Luckily, nothing was dislodged from that pile ;).

[darkwingduck1]

^All right, Mike, you presented such a good target I just can't help myself this time...

TAKE THIS: "I've got faith....Faith of the Heart...!"

:D

[Mike]

*seizures*

[JasonA]

please no, .... anything but that theme music....
if only there was a barf icon

[Zanith]

Jason, there is such an icon. It is under the command (with spaces) : UPCHUCK : (When using the icon, of course the collins (SP) are not spaced from the command name.

:upchuck:

[Mike]

Maybe you sould just call it the Enterprise icon :D.

[JasonA]

hhehe thanks Zanith, perfect:)

"cause I've got faith.... :upchuck: of the heart.."

ok all togehter now, one... two...
:upchuck:
:upchuck:
:upchuck:

Ok I better stop... sorry for the distraction Dennis..

Oh hey I hope you still might consider a rear torpedo launcher for the Carolina
:)

cheers!

[seanr]

UPDATE!

.

.

.

.

please?

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Zanith]

LOL!!!! That was great . . . .

[darkwing_duck1a]

:D

[Mike]

What's with the extra vowel DW?

[darkwing_duck1a]

My system was getting old and majorly cranky, and I wanted some more features anyways so I decided to upgrade. To help afford that I did one of those ISP contracts (sign up for so many years and get a discount)things. It was easier just to "start over" with fresh accounts (along with my new email addy) than to try to extract all the old passwords and such from my old system.

Not that that helped me much over at TrekBBS, where they had my old account all messed up and haven't yet got my new one sorted out. :)

[Mike]

I'm sorry to hear about that DWalpha. I think I can get use to the revised handle ;).

[darkwing_duck1a]

Hey, I'm not complaining...I went from a 533Celeron w/96 megs SDRAM, 8.4g hd, and a cranky after market 4x CDRW to a 1.6g Pentium4 w/256meg DDRAM,a 60g HD, and an integral 24x CDRW...:D

I also got the techies at the store to fully burn back ups of my data files...my precious image archives are SAFE....preccciouss....precccious....;)

Oh, and I just heard from admin over at TrekBBS...they're getting things sorted out on that end soon :)

[Mike]

Hmmm, my computer is looking older and slower everyday :(.

[darkwing_duck1a]

Sorry, Mike, didn't mean to sound like I was bragging.

[Mike]

Oh I'm just being fecetious, no harm done DWalpha :D.

[Zanith]

Computers are not what they used to be, especially factory built. That was my first mistake buying this time. I ordered a Gateway! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! But hey, I was desperate and did not have moondo cash!

I bought a 1.8 GHz P-IV, with 512 megs PC800 RDRAM, 80 Gig HD with an additional 10 Gig then I got a 40x burner and a 48x DVD. And now I have my laptop and zip drive always hooked up and ready. However, it does not compare to the old machine that croaked. :( :(

[Dennis]

Well, after the next couple of days I should be done with most of the software upgrades and hacks that currently need to be done on the Subspace site. I'll get back to the Carolina (currently the Intrepid, but god knows how many times that may change) over the long weekend. Maybe finish it off in the next couple of weeks. I want to play with some bridges...

[Starship]

:confused: :confused: :confused:
Updates ?

[Dennis]

This'll be back...I'm limbering up. ;)

[Mike]

Old people, always complaining about their rickety bodies. :D

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Mike
Old people, always complaining about their rickety bodies. :D

There is only one cure for aging, young'un. :D

[Mike]

Pornos?

[Standing Wolf]

::: fears this ship will not get out of drydock and may have been scrapped. :(

[Dennis]

Nah, it'll be back soon. :)

[Standing Wolf]

Actually, Dennis... I think we write something here every few weeks just to keep this article near the top so that it is easy for you to find when you do get back to it. :D

[Zanith]

UPDATES!! WE NEED UPDATES!

[Dennis]

Originally posted by Zanith
UPDATES!! WE NEED UPDATES!

Well look, I'm completely wrapped up in another project that's just about done and that's a few topics away from here -- folks should check it out.

[seanr]

We'd rather you finished this one first, and tehn got back to that one. ;) This one is just so damned cool that it needs to be finished sooner rather than later. ;)

[neo6]

Could I inquire about your material settings? I like it alot, the specular, glossines, etc...Thanks.

[Mike]

Did somebody delete my post that said..."Dennis is best forgotten! :D"?

Shame! That was a joke!

[Dennis]

Originally posted by neo6
Could I inquire about your material settings? I like it alot, the specular, glossines, etc...Thanks.

Sure thing, neo6. Most of the settings are straightforward. There's a fractal diffusion setting of 12 percent opacity, 1x1x1 meter in size, and a texture value of about 30% on the hull.

This particular hull is a little shiny with a glossiness value of 64.

The only thing which is a little interesting, maybe, is the specularity map. Here are the color map and the specularity map for the bottom of the engineering hull:

http://www.subspacebbs.com/reference_images/car_engineering_plate.jpg

http://www.subspacebbs.com/reference_images/car_engineering_plate_spec.jpg


On the specularity map I overlaid a scratched metal texture -- it doesn't accurately represent anything, but it breaks up and scatters the specularity in a random way that doesn't look the same as a fractal. I just noodled with it a little and liked the way it looked on the hull.

[General Phoenix]

Mike, are you sure you didn't post it in a different thread? We don't delete posts here as a rule, (rather, we move them to a private forum for blackmail uses later) so if something actually disappears, it gets me a bit worried... :)

[Aeinc]

Dennis ... I have a few question about the dawnstar..

How come the ship dont have her running lights? she looked very dead LOL... and do u have the Dawnstar Reg number and name for texture?


Not the USS Asendent ( or whatever name it spelled ) but the USS Dawnstar. :chef:


:)

[Dennis]

I didn't know how to do lights other than as luminous surfaces at the time I built the Ascenscion mesh. Every so often I think that I'll go back and rebuild that ship with what I've learned in the last couple of years, but when I start to think about it there are so many things I want to change in order to make it worthwhile that I just go ahead and build a different ship instead.

I never did a "Dawnstar" version of the ship, though, sorry -- just came up with the name as a class name.

[Aeinc]

Originally posted by Dennis
Possibly. I'll think about that.

Here's a rear view...I dunno, I may change the nacelle rear caps. I like the curves, but these things look distressingly phallic even by the standard of Trek warp engines ;):

http://www.3dgladiators.net/phoenix/car_assembly4.jpg

The red at the foreward end of the warp grilles is show-through from the bussard domes where the mesh is incomplete, BTW, and not part of the design.



If i may give ya an idea... if you are going to release this Mesh... Can you release this version of the mesh along with ur final one ? Or you can Release the Final one but add in the package of some of the Warp necelles design as objects if we choose to make a mesh with different designs for different time era.:chef:


it an idea Dennis... But i really like this one.. it fits her perfect.


btw didn't you made an Ambassador class refit or Nova class ?

[Aeinc]

Yo!!!updates..please :rage:

[Fabio]

Aeinc - I hope your post was meant in jest?

[seanr]

Fabio, why? This project has gone _far_ too long without updates. The last update was posted on June 2nd.

Dennis, you still out there?

[Mike]

I think Dennis has temporarily lost interest in this project. He's moved on.

[Standing Wolf]

If you follow his CONSTITUTION-class thread, you will read that he is planning to return to this one very shortly.

[seanr]

I know, which sucks. ;) I like this one SO much better than any Constitution anyone could do. ;)

[Fabio]

Originally posted by seanr
Fabio, why? This project has gone _far_ too long without updates. The last update was posted on June 2nd.

because the post looks like a "demand" to me, not a request for an update. As Dennis isn't being paid to do this - no-one is in any position to demand anything.

politely requesting is another matter ;)

[Mike]

When he finishes this one you can arrange a demonstration of its firepower on the Constitution :D.

[seanr]

Originally posted by Fabio


because the post looks like a "demand" to me, not a request for an update. As Dennis isn't being paid to do this - no-one is in any position to demand anything.

politely requesting is another matter ;) I wouldn't have called that a deman, just a good hard poke. ;) He did say please, you'll note.

[Fabio]

well, seeing as he did say "please"..... ;)

[Dennis]

I think I'm starting to get some of the spline cage stuff...

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/testeng1.jpg

[seanr]

To be completely honest, I liked the shape better the way it was before.

[Dennis]

Lotta temporary stuff going on here, but still:

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture1.jpg

[Hito]

It looks a lot like the dawnstar.
Except for the deflector being an outty instead of an innie

[General Phoenix]

I like the shape of the hull, but I have to say that it makes the deflector look "inappropriate" - howver, if you reduce the forward depth of the deflector, or make the hull's lines flow into it more, it should work.

[Dennis]

Hmm...F'rinstance:

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture2.jpg

[Dennis]

The hull's patterned on the TNG Enterprise's, but for a much smaller ship -- about the size of the TMP Enterprise. I wanted something like this all along, but didn't know how to go about it. As a first attempt at splining a large part of a ship I think the result is only an approximation of what it should be, but I have to start somewhere...

Here's the direction the whole shebang is going:

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture3.jpg

[KBOC]

<----thinks this is like looking at the chapter of "The Making of StarTrek (insert number here)" where they talk about the design development... :D

[General Phoenix]

Oh, there you go!

I assume those are torpedo launchers under the deflector?

[Dennis]

Yeah, looked like a good place to tuck 'em away so they don't mess up the line of my interconnecting hull...;)

[General Phoenix]

Well, a lot of people will probably think they're in a wierd spot, but I like the unconventional placement.

And this way, a stray torpedo won't be shaving the bottom few decks off your saucer, either...

[Aeinc]

U know dennis you rock with these meshes u made... but i really have to say you should stick with the first design of the hull... I think she looks better that way.. IMHO.... :naughty:


are u going to be releasing it this when you are done

[seanr]

This hull design is growing on me, but if you're going to stick with it, you really need to completely redo the defector to match it. The od-shaped hull totally clashes with the round deflector.

I do like the torpedo launcher placement.

[Standing Wolf]

I agree with everything that he said on the changing of the deflector and why. The two shapes do not compliment one another as the shape of the hull forward would reflect the style of the deflector or vice-versa.

[Proximo]

How about some small cut-in dishes on either side to fill the blank spots? See, I prefer teh round deflectors to the funny shaped ones... oh what the hey, make what you want to make. :)

[Aeinc]

it been awhile with no update ?


he does it again LOL :blink: :blink:

[Zanith]

If you just push the deflector into the hull more, removing the outer assembly structure I think all in all the ship would be more aesthically appealing and look more streamlined. However, seeing how small this secondary hull is having such a large piece of equipment pushed that far into the hull might be more of a problem than anything else, severely lowering the utalitarian factor of that entire area of the secondary hull.

[hutt359]

I was wondering if you thought of using a pylon set up like the New Orlense ?sp class. They may help bridge the age gap in designs. The New Orlense is suposed to be pre next gen, post film series.

But it is your work and its up to you. It is a beutiful ship.

[Standing Wolf]

If he did a play on the NEW ORLEANS though, he would have to redo the neck, making it shallower.

Likely better to keep working with it as it is.

[GJHSdesign4]

I liked the first hull design a lot, but the second one is very nice. It reminds me of a drawing Andrew Probert did in the Art of Star Trek Book, it was an alternate Galaxy-class design.

[Dennis]

Originally posted by GJHSdesign4
I liked the first hull design a lot, but the second one is very nice. It reminds me of a drawing Andrew Probert did in the Art of Star Trek Book, it was an alternate Galaxy-class design.

Thanks. Yeah, I did another, slightly closer, riff off of Probert's design (actually his version of the Ambassador class; they misidentified it in "The Art Of Star Trek") as the U.S.S. Ascenscion, Dawnstar Class. It was a couple of years ago, but images of it may be floating around the net.

I haven't posted this week because I dislike posting stuff that's this rough, even as work in progress, but...here's the direction the front deflector is going in, taking y'all's comments into account:

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture4.jpg

As I say, it lacks texturing, detail and a lot of stuff -- it might have a Voyager-style dish situated in the middle of the blue sensor glow.

[Standing Wolf]

NOW the deflector is really looking good! ;)

[Nova Class]

Hey, I really like that! You know, I was wondering if you had been looking at that Probert painting, I thought that there might be a little inspiration from that in your design :)

[Aeinc]

Looks like this is going to replace the Dawnstar LOL... now i am starting to like this model alot... hey dennis have u thought of releasing her ?

[Nimrod]

Yeah baby! This time the deflector is PERFECT. Great work there, Den!

Oh wait, I'll give you a cookie for this. :D

:oreo:

[Standing Wolf]

Nay.... can't replace the dawnstar as this puppy is the size of a connie. :)

[seanr]

BINGO!

[Zanith]

Damn that older looking, previous deflector was cool! Too bad ya removed her.

[Dennis]

Well now, the cross-section is probably final but the details of the dish and its housing may change some -- the dish may have ribs or, as I said uptopic, an inner dish like the D or "Voyager". Or maybe not. :D

[Dennis]

http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture6.jpg
http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture7.jpg

[Nimrod]

Very cool! Like the deflector ribs. :)

[GJHSdesign4]

:tos: this dish looks realy good, even better than the old one and this really is beutifully done trek. It's great!

[Dennis]

Thanks.:)
http://www.subspacebbs.com/renderings/venture8.jpg

[Aeinc]

Well well... isnt she a beauty... Now Dennis you know how to make a man drool LOL.... can u give us the whole ship shot to see what she really looked like?

[Aeinc]

Dennis ya there * helllo * Damn he gone LOL

[Standing Wolf]

Whatever became of this version of the ship as well as the original that was abandoned? I'm hoping that they were not tossed. :(

[Zanith]

I like it. New, yet old . . . Perfect.

[ThierryD]

Can we see the whole ship Dennis

[Melvin the Dork]

WOW!!! Very cool as always.
Mel

[Trek]

Beautiful!!

[Tank Ripgrunt]

Looks good. Is this thing still in progress?

[Howedar]

Outstanding work!

[ST-One]

Wow, this is one really old WIP. :)

But still very cool!!

[starforce2]

ditto

[Dennis]

Working on this one taught me a lot about detailed modeling, but ultimately I couldn't make the design work -- too many disparate elements that I was trying to cram together. Various bits and pieces of this have made their way into ships I've modeled since, though.

[General Phoenix]

Wow - someone's been digging up corpses, haven't they? :D

[Starship]

I was just surffing, when a link in another forum lead me to this old thread...
My last post in this thread has 6 years, and the last one from Dennis has five years... This is what I call bring back from the death, don´t you know? :D :D :D
Hope you don´t mind about this big necropost. I really would like to know if this wip was finished. Somebody has news about Dennis?
Hey old beam, where are you??

[darkwing_duck1a]

Dennis now posts over at TrekBBS under the name "Starship Polaris". He did the CG fx for the currently being released "The Tressaurian Intersection" episode of "Starship Exeter".

[evil_genius_180]

I was just surffing, when a link in another forum lead me to this old thread...
My last post in this thread has 6 years, and the last one from Dennis has five years... This is what I call bring back from the death, don´t you know? :D :D :D
Hope you don´t mind about this big necropost. I really would like to know if this wip was finished. Somebody has news about Dennis?
Hey old beam, where are you??

Nostalgia or not, please don't bump threads this old.