Xerxes-Class Escort

[evil_genius_180]

Some people may remember this. Nearly six years ago, I built a ship that was a version of the Defiant from DS9 in TOS style. It was my very first WiP on Scifi-Meshes, or on any forum, for that matter. (that was several months before the big site crash of 2006, where everything was lost) This is the original drawing that inspired the model:



I found that drawing in the Starship Schematics Database and was inspired by it. The original artist is Rutger Warrink. I changed a few things on my model, plus I really didn’t know what I was doing, so this was the result:





Amazingly, I made that mesh entirely by box modeling with spheres, cubes and cylinders. I’m amazed it turned out as well as it did. At some point, I did a new, more advanced model, but I don’t really have any good pics of it. Both models are lost now, due to corrupt backup discs. So, I was going through some stuff the other day and I decided I should build a new version of it.

I started working on this yesterday. I’d like to have been a bit farther than I am by now, but there were a few issues with the program not doing things the way I wanted, so I had to restart a few things. Also, there was some required error cleanup on a few things that slowed thing down. But, it’s progressing. As with the first model, I’m using the Rutger Warrink drawing as a basis, though I won’t be referring to it as much. I basically used it for size and placement of things, I’ll be doing things my own way from here on.






This is going relatively quickly, though I will have to take breaks to work on other projects, unfortunately. However, even with said breaks, I don’t expect this build to take very long.

[evil_genius_180]

It’s not a huge update, but I finished the grid lines on the bottom of the primary hull and started on some nacelle details. The time frame for this ship is somewhere from 2260-2270, so the details will reflect a cross between the TOS and TMP styles. Also, the ship is intended to have a more armored look than the cruisers of the time, hence the somewhat heavy grid pattern. (the textures will show more of the ship’s armor)






The ship currently sits at 119.92 meters long. It might get a smidgen more length when I detail the impulse engines, it might not. That depends on whether or not I recess the engine details. I might do that to add to the armored look. The width is 103.2 meters, the height is 16.84 meters, though it will definitely get a bit taller once I add the bridge. Even though that will be recessed into the upper structure, it’s still going to get a dome on top. Also, there are running lights and greebles to add to the upper structure. The deck count is 4 2.5 meter tall decks. There’s room in the “nose” for a small 5th deck, but that’s where the deflector components will go. So, we’ll just say that it’s a tall 2-level room and not really a 5th deck.

[gmd3d]

that is cool ....... great to see this been done again

[evil_genius_180]

Thanks Ger.

[gmd3d]

most welcome mate.... love to see other creative designs for this era for trek

[evil_genius_180]

More updates. My original goal today was to watch NFL football (the Browns at the Bengals) and model. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t sold out and the stupid NFL has an idiotic rule that, if a game isn’t sold out, it can’t be broadcast out of the immediate area of the city in which it takes place. And I live just outside of being able to receive broadcasts from Cincinnati, so I was screwed. However, I did find the radio broadcast streaming on the Bengals’ website, so I listened to the game while I was modeling.

Anywho, I actually made the bridge the other day, but it wasn’t a big enough update for me to post. Today, I cut more grid lines into the upper deck area, as well as the window cuts and I also added some “space” behind the windows for some low poly rooms. Since trueSpace is a solid object modeler, I had to actually booleans cut out the spaces for the rooms. Also, I built the bussard collectors. The materials on said bussards are still very much works in progress, but you get the idea.

[gmd3d]

hey that looks cool

[evil_genius_180]

Thanks bro.

Work continues on the Xerxes. The nacelles are now finished. Next, I might tackle the impulse area, or I’ll move back to the main hull, I haven’t decided yet.

[evil_genius_180]

Sorry for the update delay. Star Trek Online released their latest update on the 1st, (the version of the game that's going F2P in a little less than a month in a half) so I've been playing. Even though I tested this game model on the test server, I had to get my character on the main server switched over to the new currency and skills systems. (pain in the butt) I also started some new characters.

Anywho, onto the update. I messed around with the impulse engines while I was watching a very disappointing NFL game today. The blue bits on the nacelle end caps have also been changed to chrome, the blue glowy crap wasn't working for me.

[gmd3d]

COOL updates Chris....... nice work as always

[evil_genius_180]

Thanks Ger. Unfortunately, I'm progressing more slowly on this than I'd have liked. Damn computer games anyway. (they're so alluring )