prototypes

[ACES_HIGH]

So this is a question that I have wondered for a while now, where did the Idea that prototypes have blue impulse engines and orange bussards come from?  As I recall, none of the Prototypes we have seen in star trek have them.

[Bones]

I think the main reason to make impulse blue and bussards orange was that they equipped new ship with experimental impulse engines, or something like that and the bussards was not entirely flooded to become red in color or they made them this way just to make a difference between prototype and regular ship...

btw. tho this is good idea but I hate the way they make ISS ships (teal/green/yellow bussards and so are impulse, thrusters and warp engines + sometimes even deflector dish)

[Capt. Jon]

hmmm.... ive never thought of that... i think i shoud make some of my ships have blue impulse!
my Mneymsmone class doen by Wickedzombie has been UU refited... for me i mean.... oragne impulse and shields around the shuttle bays! 

[Nighthawk]

if ("IF") the impulse and bussard coils are kinda heat-based, and the ship is equipped with a half-power (experimental, temporal, or replacement) core then we can assume the engines and bussards are actually "cold", meaning that red is full heat/power.

[DJ Curtis]

sometimes it's just a neat twist, i guess.  i've done it before, if only to differentiate the ship from the others.  there's no real reason behind it that i know of.

[moed]

Yeah, I have to chime in and say that I've always wondered that too.

IMO, I think that there should be a standard color to impulse/bussards for all ships in general unless there is some "special" power requirements (such as maybe the Prometheus.... maybe). It just makes it more canon that way.

[ACES_HIGH]

if ("IF") the impulse and bussard coils are kinda heat-based, and the ship is equipped with a half-power (experimental, temporal, or replacement) core then we can assume the engines and bussards are actually "cold", meaning that red is full heat/power.

hate to burst your bubble, but blue is actually hotter than red, but still they could be running hot, I remember that the Defiant was way over powered when it first arrived.

[Legacy]

So this is a question that I have wondered for a while now, where did the Idea that prototypes have blue impulse engines and orange bussards come from?  As I recall, none of the Prototypes we have seen in star trek have them.

The Enterprise C (early ambassador) had the blue impulse engines.

And i agree with DJ. Most people do it just to get a more unique effect, as if the different technology would result as a different appearance.