Starbase Epsilon X

[Locke]

I was gonna put this in the Modding forum, but I figured this was the better place.  This is just for fun, really.  I saw a concept art drawing for STO that featured the Epsilon IX station and I liked it so much I wanted to make my own.  Since I don't want to remake it, I figured I'd just make a massive station that looked kinda like it.

The Starbase 12 next to it is the stock BC version, and they're to scale.

[Locke]

So here's a render of the interior (so far).  That's the Supremus in the background, the Defiant is in the lower bay and the Juno in the upper bay.  I'm also going to be adding more bays out around where the Supremus is hanging out right now.  The main hub will have three of the tiers, each 120 degrees apart.  I'm also thinking about making some hidden tunnels throughout the structure, so that if it ever gets into BC you can explore it in a shuttle or runabout.  Sort of a hide-and-seek game if you turned off the sensors . . .

And yes, I know the lighting is a bit funny right now.  That's just temporary so i can get renders that don't look flat.

Any suggestions?

[FarShot]

Don't you mean Excalibur instead of Supremus?

Otherwise, looks good.

[Locke]

Yeah, sorry, Excalibur . . . get those two names confused, for some reason.  I mean, the two ships don't really look much alike.  I guess I just think "really fraking big!" when I hear "Supremus". ;)

Thanks!

[MarkyD]

Nice job mate...

I'd like to see this implimented...  like a multideck habitat ring to the docking areas..

[Locke]

Okay, wait.  Do you mean two cylinders that go all the way around?  I'm not sure what that red hot-air balloon thing is off to the left . . .

EDIT:

Never mind, it's the top view of what you drew, right?

[Nebula]

looks like it

[Locke]

Well, since I figured out how to convert to BC correctly, this is going to be the next project.  Of course, I'm guessing the HP and other stuff for a starbase is gonna be   and   along with some extreme   before its all over with.

The purple bit in the back of the shot is a wall-mounted dock large enough to fit the Excalibur.  The floor bays should be large enough for anything smaller than that, and the two types of bays on the pylons should be perfect for most small- or medium-sized ships.  Like any of that matters with BC . . . :roll

PS - Would some kind mod move this over to the Modding forum, please? :angel

[FarShot]

For the area in between the two small and medium bays, I would put some large bays with tiers, you know, for landing shuttles and such.

[Locke]

For the area in between the two small and medium bays, I would put some large bays with tiers, you know, for landing shuttles and such.

Actually, the poly count is already pretty high for a station (around 15k) and I want to keep it as low as possible, since I'm gonna be adding some more stuff on the exterior.  I may not even be able to get a city on the top: may just have to make a "biosphere" bubble or some such junk.  So the small bays for shuttles and whatnot may just end up being "doors" on the textures.  After all, it isn't as though we can actually use them . . . 

[FarShot]

Good point.

[tiqhud]

my nephew, and I [long time back] tractored a defiant into a SB, and sometimes I like to try my flying skills and fly inside, this be funn , all these places

[Locke]

my nephew, and I [long time back] tractored a defiant into a SB, and sometimes I like to try my flying skills and fly inside, this be funn , all these places

When (and IF) I get it into the game, I'll be adding low-powered phasers and tractor beams on the interior.  This way, a firefight can ensue inside the base!  The defending force will have to be careful about firing inside it's own Starbase (ever try that in Starbase 12?) and the attacking force has to worry about the station blasting them or holding them with tractors for the other ship to engage.  Plus, if you're in a small enough ship, a little dogfighting around that central column will be intense!

[Dalek]

Wouldn't that be a bit impractical? Phasers aren't 100% accurate, you could be blowing holes in the windows.

[Locke]

Wouldn't that be a bit impractical? Phasers aren't 100% accurate, you could be blowing holes in the windows.

That's exactly the point.  The agressor can fire at anything and not worry about whether or not they're hitting the targeted ship or the base, but the defender has to worry about his aim and how much damage he's inducing.  Advantage: agressor.  However, the agressor is under constant attack by the base as well as the other ship.  Advantage: defender.  Would add another element of risk to the battle.

The exterior should also be large enough that fighting around it would present a significant tactical edge.  Jumping out from behind the starbase's shields and hammering your attacker, then jumping back inside or behind the base would allow a smaller ship to defend against a larger ship one-on-one.  But the larger ship has the advantage of waiting until the little bugger pops his head out and unleashing all of the fury at one time.

[Dalek]

Its an interesting idea, but I don't think Starfleet would even considering something as potentially fatal as that.

[Locke]

Its an interesting idea, but I don't think Starfleet would even considering something as potentially fatal as that.

"Sir, with all due respect, Starfleet isn't out here; we are."

No, but seriously: it's just for the game.  Perhaps the story goes something like "Whoops!  A cloaked Romulan Warbird somehow stole it's way inside the base.  Get in there and take it out.  But be careful: stray shots will be killing innocent civilians!"  Could be a good chance to use mouse targeting and thrusters to strafe.