OMG! Design the next USS ENTERPRISE (Offical Contest)

[sloweye]

Being honest, i think that is to much like the Excelsior.


(click)

Sorry

[TheEndIsNigh]

I'm thinking cubics - Long live The Borg.

Seriously though, I'm surprised they haven't done a Borg POV version.

Absorption into the collective episodes and the trauma of new species trying to do em in.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Another doodle:


And another low poly model revision:


[edit]
Minor progress:


None of these objects will make it into the first real draft btw. I'm just trying to establish shapes, curves and proportions before I actually get started.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Okay, I think I'm ready to start modeling the first draft. Working on a good looking saucer right now, and I think I've gonna keep it.

I think after I model each hull section I'll stitch them together, then experiment with smooth settings and subdivided surface conversion. My hope is to get something a sleeker than the Enterprise D.

I'm still learning Maya's modeling tools. For a decade I modeled in Rhino, then exported to Maya for texturing and rendering. I left Rhino behind a couple years ago now, and I find there is still a lot of Maya I just haven't scratched the surface of yet.

Fortunately, a buddy sent me a Maya textbook. Thanks man You're a lifesaver

[Fuzzy Modem]

Progress on the 1st draft.

[Fuzzy Modem]

I'm playing with basic shapes again, experimenting with connecting the nacelles to the saucer like in my first wip image, and just trying to come up with something more interesting, attractive or unique.



[edit]
Minor changes:


[edit]
Gak. Apparently I just re-created this:

Coming up with something that hasn;t been tried before is proving rather difficult.

[Fuzzy Modem]

It's interesting what happens when I extrude the secondary hull out of the back of the saucer.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Something I whipped up for pondering purposes:

[Fuzzy Modem]

Moments before I fell asleep last night I came up with something that may not have been done before:



-but does it look like an Enterprise?

[edit]
I think I'll move forward with this horseshoe shape idea, which I'll refer to as the "Entusi" from now on (Homeworld players will catch the reference )

I may abandon it eventually in favor of something more recognizably Enterpris-ish, but in the meantime, what can I do to make it look bigger and more like the traditional Enterprise without loosing too much of it's distinctness?

[mosaix]

Thought of three nacelles? Or more?

[Fuzzy Modem]

Originally Posted by mosaix

Thought of three nacelles? Or more?

I considered 4 in an X configuration, but I fear I'm straying too far from the source material as it is.

[mosaix]

Well how about twin nacelles but each containing two 'engines'?

[sloweye]

Originally Posted by mosaix

Thought of three nacelles? Or more?

The three nacelled Enterprise was done in 'All good things'. in the future Riker was captain of the ship and it could do warp 13 (i think)

[Fuzzy Modem]

Originally Posted by mosaix

Well how about twin nacelles but each containing two 'engines'?

I like that thought. Redundancy is good, and it will add something unique without dramatically changing the silhouette.

[Fuzzy Modem]

Had to post this picture for the sake of sheer epic-ness.