The Perfect TNG SHIP

[MarkyD]

As jimmy posted in one of the threads.

We have been unindated with a huge amount of TOS, PRE TOS and JJ ESC designs as of late.. not allot of TNG in there with the exception of DJ and Rengers. So to that end.. I ask the question...  

 What makes the perfect TNG Fed ship in your opinion..  ??

    What should it have? what does it need? what should it do without? what are the limitations? To what the trek universe will let us explore..??

I ask these questions because I am building a TNG varient of the Atraiu.. and want to have some imput.

For those that dont remember her I have included an image that Wiley provided when he got her in game last.

It was converted for release, by the superb Dalek.. he went to town on it.

But to make it TNG or any other ship TNG..   what would you guys really like to see in a game model for BC??

[baz1701]

Well I'm a big fan of sticking to the classic Jefferies configuration.

The only exception to the rule that has worked it the Defiant.

[Bren]

Surely you're forgetting the Akira, the Nebula class, the Sabre, the miranda, and (to an admittedly lesser extent) the Steamrunner?

They're all fine ships that contravene the Jefferies basic shape.

[DJ Curtis]

I think that TNG is too narrow of a descriptor.  The ships of the 2360's, ie: Galaxy, Nebula, etc... are products of schools of design of the late 2340's and 50's, if you read the tech manuals.  So really, TNG I think means 2350's and 60's.  

My thoughts:

1: A saucer that is wider than it is long.
2: Very smooth, organic lines.  No hard edges like what we see in TMP or the revival post-TNG.
3: Wrap around blue nacelle grills.
4: A galaxyesque color scheme.
5: Impulse engines that look a little small for the design.
6: Phaser arrays, rather than emitters.
7: Nacelles mounted below the saucer, whether or not they are above or below the drive section.
8: Saucer sep

These are mostly things that could be executed in a variety of ways, but i think they certainly help to give a TNG feel.  I think that #1,2,3, and 6 are probably the most important.

[Lionus]

And then there's Akula, Freedom, Challenger..

[MarkyD]

Thanks, fellas..

Allot of you are just naming ship classess, but that means (not a lot) to people when visualising it.

@ DJ THanks for ur input that norrows the field a little..  ;)

@ Baz can you explain the Jeff config?

and to the namers of ship classes can you guys please explain what ur thinking?
 

THanks.

[baz1701]

@ Baz can you explain the Jeff config?

Enterprise 1701 throught to E, Voyager, Basicly saucer with a engineering hull slung underneath and to warp nacelles connect buy pylons.

Jefferies as in Matt Jefferies the father of the Enterprise.

[Lionus]

and to the namers of ship classes can you guys please explain what ur thinking?
 

THanks.

Akula



Challenger

[MarkyD]

Thanks fellas.

@ Lionus

your now just showing images of ships... 

I do not see what you are trying to get at in relation to the Perfect TNG ship mate  ;)

[Lionus]

IMHO, engineering/sec hull is just overrated.. those ships that I showed did well without one, and same applies to Cheyenne-class and few others that have been mentioned.sure, the cap ships (Galaxy, Intrepid, Sovie) still have them, but most of the smaller ones are just dandy without sec hull.

[MarkyD]

IMHO, engineering/sec hull is just overrated.. those ships that I showed did well without one, and same applies to Cheyenne-class and few others that have been mentioned.sure, the cap ships (Galaxy, Intrepid, Sovie) still have them, but most of the smaller ones are just dandy without sec hull.

@ Lionus..           thanks for the explanation mate   

Open to allot of discussion i am sure  ;)

[CptBenSisko]

IMHO, engineering/sec hull is just overrated.. those ships that I showed did well without one, and same applies to Cheyenne-class and few others that have been mentioned.sure, the cap ships (Galaxy, Intrepid, Sovie) still have them, but most of the smaller ones are just dandy without sec hull.

A lot of those ships were also cannon fodder or two slow to be front line explorers and such....ships like the Cheyenne, the Springfield, Challenger...most of them were testbed ships designed to test new systems, and also to be defensive ships as well because of their low warp and slow impulse speeds...

P.S. I don't think there is any 'perfect' TNG design. More so what makes sense i would say. if you take the TMP Enterprise and slap the Intrepid saucer on it it would look atrocious...but modifying a prometheus saucer section and mounting it to a sovereign styled secondary hull and similar styled nacelles wouldn't look bad...it has been done before fyi just using that as an example...

[bankruptstudios]

I'd say follow dj"s line of thinking. Narrow down the year of the ship you want to design, and from there look at the canon designs from around that time. Some TNG ship are really jest reworks of the Enterprise, and then there are others that are way out there. But if your looking for imput, asside from defient, most all ship in tng are big, or have a wide stance. A good starting place would be doing the next class up from the Nova. Small, compact mid range potrol that is more balanced for cargo, or light compat, like a police ship.

[metalnick]

For me the perfect TNG ship is the Galaxy class. Matter of fact I usually stick with DJ's Pegasus in my custom install and don't really bother too much with the other ships I have with the exception of the TMP 1701 I have.(can't remember whose it is atm) I think DJ pretty much nailed it with his post as far as what a TNG ship should have.

[MarkyD]

Lol..

Kinda funny.. I agree with allot of the input, and I agree with DJ's input as in the physics of how it should stand....    But what I need is the Bubble, in the Norm, the Challenge the idea that says NO!!!    Why not do this  Etc Etc

The fountain of knowledge is here.. im kinda tapping it on the cheap 

[DJ Curtis]

Best place to start then is to probably determine a role for the ship.  What's it going to be for?  What would starfleet demand of it in terms of speed, sensors, firepower, etc?  Answering those things should help you get a go on things like size and general shape.  Galaxy class is only so big because it's designed to do everything, Nebula is designed so that it can carry a pod.  Catch my drift? 

You're a clean modeler, Mark.  Make something special.

[dEjavU]

Akula



Challenger

I think what Lionus(and others)are trying to get you to grasp is how the basic older designs like the TMP Akula is translated into TNG Akula(Challenger class)from here you can desipher exactly what TNG lineage can be introduced to any known varient of any classes available or into any new designs concieved. Another good comparison is the Constitution refit and the Galaxy class, both are designed for maximum mission flexibility for their era but if you can see how much more erodynamic the galaxy design is compared to the Constitution refit. Looking at other TNG era fed ships like the Akira, Luna, or even the Nebula and comparing them to any TMP fed ships and you can see that it's not too hard to notice what TNG design elements there are as they are very pronounced.  ;)

[Bren]

All I was really getting at was that a ship doesn't have to be shaped like the standard Jefferies (or "Enterprisey") configuration in order to be beautiful. I was basically citing oddly-shaped ships that I like, to encourage you to think outside the box.

[hobbs]

if i were to say "TNG ship what is it" first thing comes to mind is the galaxy class... it was a multi role ship and mainly explorer (if very powerful on the weapons front) but to me that is what a TNG ship is EXPLORER.

I agree with what has been said but to give you a "you must"---

you MUST make it galaxy (ent-D) colour... thats the TNG look... the grey scheme is pretty much after tng.

[King Class Scout]

you mean to tell me I'd have to put up with all that Duck Egg Blue forever and ever?  Ewwwwwwwwww.

DJ summed it up very nicely, but i think the Next G design format would be confined to the first five seasons at the most (2369/SD 45000)  i think when the borg were introduced and gene died, the format started shifting back to war preparedness physically (that's when ships suddenly gained their spear-hulls).  take Mr Roddenberry's revival and Death times as the ideal spot in the next G design area.