Designing ships [possible BFG scale]

[Malika]

Thanks for the comments guys!

I know what you mean that it seemed to much like just a rectangle block, I've been experimenting a bit with adding some 'vertical stuff':

You can see that the 'vertical components' are kinda similar to the tail thing of my , which is kinda funny since that original escort formed the basis of . I'm toying with the idea that from a background perspective all these ships have the same 'origins' if you will, an empire or something that originally produced some specific designs (compare it to the STC in 40k I guess). This empire eventually collapsed, and new, and smaller, ones raised from its ashes. Now these smaller empires don't all maintain contact with one another, meaning that their technology might also develop in different directions. But despite of this there would still be some markers here and there that would make them seem somewhat similar.



In order to give the ship some more shape, I've also thinned out the front part (everything in front of the Distortion Drive) a bit. Some more detailing will have to be added, but that has to be done anyways!

[Malika]

Changed the front part of the ship a bit by thinning it out vertically:


(the top picture is the new version, for comparison I've added the previous version on the bottom)

[mangozac]

I definitely like the thinner profile! While the protruding sections help un-blockify the silhouette, I still feel they look a bit boring. Not sure whether some vertical asymmetry would be the way to go...

[Malika]

I know what you mean, it's kind of a problem of the design/style. It's sort of the same with the ships from Halo or Homeworld which all tend to have a very similar, singular shape, making them seem like rectangle blocks.

At the moment I'm very tempted to totally change the prow itself, making it almost axe shaped. I'll try to experiment with that and then come back to you!

[Malika]

Update:

Here's a quick experiment with the axe shape...


Not 100% sure yet, but it's getting somewhere. It also shows a more similar 'background' to the design of the previous warships.

[mangozac]

I really dislike it. The axe shape, while novel and of itself not totally ridiculous, does not at all fit with the aesthetic of the rest of the ship.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the original prow shape. Where you need to focus on adding interest is around the void generators. That's the weak spot that is letting the design down.

[horizon]

I have to agree with Zac here but the axe needs to go.

In a previous post Zac mentioned that you should do something non-symmetric to the basic design.

Perhaps from a top down view that one side has an extension. Hmm, like the Millenium Falcon has that cockpit on the side. Or the B wing sometimes looks (when he goes horizontal). But not to much. because the overall design is quite nice.

It has a slight Sorylian feel to it:
http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/SearchRe ... p?Cat=1978

[Islacrusez]

I would extend the upper "bridge" area, forward and aft somewhat. A sub-bridge should also be extended from the base of it, either slightly taller or in line with the engine block to form a spine, possibly with the aftmost gun-ball forming the front of it.

[Malika]

Hmm, I've put the new design on hold for now, I need to ponder a bit more about it. The axe prow will come back at some other ship, most likely something Destroyer sized.

In the meantime, I've been working a bit on the Corvettes, and upgraded a design variant into a Frigate:

[mangozac]

These ones are progressing nicely!

[horizon]

Yup, I really like the hull and back of those. Maybe the prow needs a little refining.

[Malika]

Do you think the round turrets/cannons fit on those ships though? Personally I quite like them, but I'm not 100% sure if they'd fit the aesthetic.

@Horizon: you mean more details? I was kinda tempted to add some sort of cannon or something sticking out of the bottom of the frigate's prow. However, since it already has the spherical guns and launch bays, it might end up having too many weapons.

[mangozac]

[Malika]

Panel lines, sensors and masts sound rather interesting, will try to come up with something for that. The scrolls might not work that well, would be a bit too ornamental for this design.

Panel lines have always been a bit of a challenge to me, I'm always worried I either make them too thick or to thin. Would 0.25mm do?

[Malika]

I've been experimenting a bit with some panel lines, they're 0.25mm wide and 0.5mm deep. The big gap on the port side of the ship is going to be where the sensor array will be placed. I'm a bit in doubt at the moment on how to design it, at the moment I'm pondering about a flipped sideways version of the ' sensor array, or maybe something more akin to the one of the ...