Mithra Class WIP (Updated May 29th, 2010)

[rengers]

wow Aeries, I'm really impressed how the mythra turned out. I'm loving the nacelles and the
hole design. For the weapondary I agree with UFDF Delta, it looks a bit like a torpedo cruiser, but
that is up to you.

Definatly a cookie

[DJ Curtis]

with regards to weaponry...

be logical.  where would starfleet put the weapons?  I think it goes without saying that phaser coverage should be 360, or at least close to it.  Starfleet's modern ships have also sported more torpedo launchers than in the past, so adding dual tubes front and aft is probably reasonable.  If you go onto BCU's old modding forum there are a couple of good phaser making tutorials that would be worth following.

[ChronowerX_GT]

Great Aeries. Can't wait to see textures on her.

[El]

with regards to weaponry...

be logical.  where would starfleet put the weapons?  I think it goes without saying that phaser coverage should be 360, or at least close to it.  Starfleet's modern ships have also sported more torpedo launchers than in the past, so adding dual tubes front and aft is probably reasonable.  If you go onto BCU's old modding forum there are a couple of good phaser making tutorials that would be worth following.

Just to add to DJ's comments, 360 degree phaser coverage is more important on the slower less manoeuvrable ships where it can be difficult to bring weapons to bear on multiple smaller ships.

Think about the role of the ship and that should give you your answer.
As DJ mentioned, the more recent Fed ships have increased the number of torp launchers, so if its a fast attack ship, you probably want four or 6 single fire launches both fore and aft. Phasers will be primarily forward arrays.

A slower torpedo cruiser will have 6 to 8  multifire tubes forward  and 2 to 4 aft depending on ship size. It may also have port and starboard launchers. It will probably have better phaser coverage than an attack ship.

A dreadnought will have thorough 360 degree by 360 degree phaser coverage, 2 to 4 multifire torp launchers forward and the same number aft, and possibly quantum torpedo launcher(s)

[Aeries]

Oh, I see, yeah... thanks a TONN, guys, your input is extremely helpful! Cookies to both of you for your awesome assistance!

[Aeries]

ZOMG DOUBLE POST! O_O;;;

Anyways, I've bee working on the Mithra for the past few days, jsut cleaning up some issues with the mesh, and I've been thinking of another set of nacelles. Only sleeker, smoother, and simply a design that'll flow better with the new Mithra. So I dug up some of my concept sketches and found one of a warp nacelle I'd been considering. I have a scanner now, so I can upload the pic for you. Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.

[Technerd89]

while the design itself its very good, not to mention unique, i dont think it would fit the Mithra very well. first, it lacks that "federation" appearance, seems more romulan. secondly, the Mithra is a warship, an assault frigate, and should retain a somewhat stocky, beefy design scheme. this design seems a little to elegant and curvy

[Shadowknight1]

I must agree with Technerd.  While it's a beautifully designed nacelle, it doesn't quite fit with the Mithra's current design...maybe a nacelle similar would work, but its current configuration just doesn't quite mesh.

[DJ Curtis]

I like it.  I think once you actually meshed it out it would look quite a bit different, at which time you can adjust it to fit the mithra's look a bit better.  Though, can you render a few pix of the nacelles from some different angles?  Then maybe we could provide more in depth suggestions.

[Shadowknight1]

What DJ said there...I'll bet if it was done up in Feddie style colors, it'd look really good.  It's just kinda hard to get a feel for it when it's just black and white.

[Aeries]

A little update. Haven't built the new warp nacelles yet, nor have I drawn up anything new. My head's just not in the game much lately; too much fraking drama all over the place. SO! To cope with said drama, today, I worked on the Mithra a little bit. Here's some pics. Have fun. C&C welcome. :]

-edit-

Yes, there are some smoothing issues and I messed up the right nacelle when I was adding the armor... *sigh*

[AndrewJ]

Awesome.

[Shadowknight1]

Looks good to me.  I hate to hear about the drama, I know what that's like.

[DJ Curtis]

looking good aeries.  some mesh problems right at the front of the deflector housing though, near the tp of the saucer.  also, don't go overboard on the modeled panels.  Most of that can be textured on and it will looks better too.

I like how this is shaping up.  Such a drastic improvement over the first incarnation of this ship.

[mayhemuk]

Looking good.

[Vanguard]

lookings great =D

[intrepid90]

Iz in luv ^^

[henrie85]

awsome

[ChronowerX_GT]

Looking very nice. What's the poly count on her?

[Aeries]

I've gone an rebuilt most of the top of the ship. It's obvious. I think it looks a million times better. I've also gone and added another set of aft-firing torpedo tubes, done some work on the main impulse engine and added the secondary engines on the innermost parts of the nacelle pylons (also obvious). The poly count is now 21k after I played around and reduced it. I don't think it'll ever go above 22k, though, as it's my goal to make this ship around the same poly count as DJ's Century, if not a bit less (it's 21,094 right now, to be exact).

Wiley also gave me an interesting variant idea; that of having 'upward' nacelles rather than downward. Oh, I still gotta get around to making the new nacelles, too... And I'm still cleaning up after the reduction tool... it make a slight mess and removed some polys that it shouldn't have.

Anywho, pics. C&C Welcomed, and just for the record, the armor plating is done. Hence why the poly count shouldn't rise much anymore. Oh yeah, and I got the ideas for the top of the saucer from staring at Renger's Ancheron for a while. ;)

Anyways, I'll stop being such a wind bag and give ya guys the pics...