WIP of TheUnknown - The Akula (mk II)

[Shadowknight1]

Would there be a way of setting up some kind of orbit inside the the station so that it could have small ships flying around controlled by the AI (workbees or Runabouts)?

Just curious. Looks good, if a little disproportionate, though.

I must agree that this base looks a little...off as far as proportions go.  I think the "mushroom cap" is too tall.  Don't get me wrong, it's a good model, and we need a good new Starbase, but it just seems off to me.

[Bones]

I think those gates are waaay to big also station is too small against Galaxy, I have both Constitution and Galaxy docking screencaps for comparision

[X_TheUnknown_X]

The proportions of the station match the schematics of the link Bones provided. The cap of the mushroom might look a little too tall, but they are based off - what I believe to be - tech manual drawings from the ST:III spacedock. My own research found only two blueprints - Billz's link version (starbase 79) and one from Ex-Astris-Scientia in which the cap and dock enterance looks too small, the stalk looks too fat, and the bottom antennae are offset. I'll attach both pictures (it's not too late to change just yet). IMO, the Starbase 79 style is better   .

I have both Constitution and Galaxy docking screencaps for comparision

AFAIK, the docking shots from ST:III were re-used for the docking sequence in TNG, leading to a dramatic size difference. If neccessary, I'll make the station larger against the Galaxy. But I'm trying to keep it resonably small so it doesn't dwarf other ships and stations. Finally, in the escape sequence from ST:III, as the Enterprise exits the doors, you can see the enterence is quite tall in comparision - although I might need to make them thinner and a bit shorter.

[Billz]

It was Bones that gave you the schematic link by the way, not me.

[X_TheUnknown_X]

Apologies, Billz. Corrections made.

As for the proportions issue, one of the problems was that the gates were too big. This was because I took the entrance 'gap' and extruded it outwards - making it larger. I've redone the entrance, this time extruding inwards. I've rendered an image, trying to resemble the shot with the Galaxy-class Bones posted.

[Bones]

looks already better but still I can't get used to the fact that Galaxy is one huge ship and now starbase doesn't look so menacing as it used to be in TNG and TSFS, here is another thing that bothers me, will Galaxy fit inside the dock with ease ???
not that I nitpick or something lol  I think it would be awesome to just have TMP variant as well as TNG one

[Bren]

The door appears wider at the base than it is at the top, in the screencaps, they are perfectly rectangular.

[Shadowknight1]

The door appears wider at the base than it is at the top, in the screencaps, they are perfectly rectangular.

Give the man a gold star!  I knew something was bugging me about this.  He's right, the Spacedock doors are rectangular, not angled.

[X_TheUnknown_X]

Bren is probaly right. Attached to this post is an analysis of the lines on the station (picture from a few seconds before Bones' screenshot), extrapolated out to see if they match. The red lines (the docking enterace) meet at completely different location (off screen) to the green lines (points of referance from the dome's slant).

However, analysis of both sets the scematics shows that the slant of the dock enterance and the Dome's slant are equal, meeting at the same point off the image. At this point, I may have to side with the easier option of letting the current model stand as it is - because modeling it to by square with the ship could prove difficult - and would require a redesign of the outer and inner sections of the enterance.

I'm willing to attemt it though, if enough people want to have the docking enterance changed - it's not too late to make adjustments. If you'd like it edited, please say.

[tiqhud]

HMM, looking at it, IMO it appears fine as is.

[Bren]

I've always wanted a good, accurate looking starbase, so I vote to change it. Sorry!

[Shadowknight1]

I've always wanted a good, accurate looking starbase, so I vote to change it. Sorry!

While in a way I agree with Bren...there's nothing that says every starbase is exactly the same, is there?

[tiqhud]

I apologize this a kinda late idea, but what about the starbase in the painting , in Picards room.
http://www.neutralzone.de/database/Federation/Station/Base/StationPicardPainting.htm

[X_TheUnknown_X]

I apologize this a kinda late idea, but what about the starbase in the painting , in Picards room.

Perhaps my next project? Also, it looks a lot like one of the bases I've seen on the STO trailers.

Well, I decided to do a redesign of the dock entrance anyway (thankfully I saved a model of the dome without any cut-out sections). I've made it much squarer now, and it is resized against the Galaxy (DJ's model). How about this then:

[Toa_Kaita]

Looks good! Keep it up!

[Bones]

Doors look great, you're in buissness man ;) keep it up !

[Shadowknight1]

Now it looks right!

[X_TheUnknown_X]

I've started texturing the Station, with most of the modelling phase out of the way, I think it would be best.

With most of my ships so far, I start at the top; but I'm deliberately avoiding the 'mushroom cap' section until I'm sure it looks right. So, I started these textures on the upper section of the 'stalk' and the underside of the Dome. The current design is still very much WIP, and there are more lights and illumination to be added. I'm adding some of my own design ideas here (such as the hull plating - which seems sensible considering the plated sections are where the people live), because there is so little referance and source material on the Spacedock. I was wondering whether to add the station's name 'Starbase 12' somewhere on the station - considering the K-7 stations had their names written on  .

[Dalek]

I wouldn't add Starbase 12 somewhere on it. BC is need of a new Starbase and leaving it untitled on the texetures allows anyone to use it anywhere.


Looks good.

[Bones]

yummi that is cookie worthy ;)