Bridge Commander Central

BC Forums => BC Modding => Topic started by: DJ Curtis on March 09, 2009, 11:22:21 PM

Title: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 09, 2009, 11:22:21 PM
Since releasing the Enterprise F a year and a half ago, and starting construction of it more than two years ago, I've struggled to come up with a concept for a next-next generation of Federation flagship-class of ship.  When I initially decided to re-name the Supremus re-imagination to Enterprise, I recall feeling some apprehension, because I knew that since the name is so cherished, it could be a pretty tough sell.  With more than 11,400 downloads of that ship, and it regularly being in the top 25 Downloads every week since, I feel good about the decision and a bit vindicated, since there were some people who really thought that the name Enterprise should not have been used.

I'm feeling that same apprehension again.

When I decided to re-imagine the Supremus, I went through a deliberative process, essentially asking myself: "If I did it over again, what would I do differently to improve the visual appearance, and make it look about 20 years newer than the Sovereign?"  This is the same process I have gone through this past weekend, except with the Century.  If I had to do it over again, and build a ship from about 2525, what would it look like?

Here's the list...

1. much more streamlined integration of nacelles and nacelle pylons.
2. Pylons should be wider from for to aft.
3. improved dorsal phaser coverage
4. 15% bigger
5. Thicker towards aft end of ship.
6. more advanced and less traditional looking impulse engines.
7. Saucer separation
8. maintain forward pushed drive section while reducing front heavy appearance of the ship.
9. Mount nacelles further forward on the ship.
10. a smooth appearance that incorporates edged design principles.
11. bridge should sit further forward on the saucer
12. slightly triangular saucer that tapers more at the rear.
13. reduced cutaway
14. phaser arrays that are recognizable but appear enhanced with additional but streamlined structure.
15. uniform appearance of torpedo launchers.
16. some type of heavy burst cannon weapon, mounted axialy, highly integrated into main body.
17. Revolutionary deflector design.
18. Redesigned escape pod hatches.  Different type of arrangements.
19. Redesigned trasporter pads.
20. drive section body structures that flow into the saucer and go around the inner circumferance.
21. drive section body flares.
22. nacelle phaser mounts.
23. some modeled interiors.
24. impulse engine that straddles the middle section of the dorsal ship.

The overall design is still not a radical one.  Every Enterprise, including F, has followed GR's rules of starship design, and this one is really no different.  But I have tried to stay true to a few principles of my own that I see as being a constant for a ship this size:

1. An emphasis on a strong, uni-body construction, where things such as nacelle pylons appear a more integrated part of the body as opposed to sticking out from it.

2. An saucer that has some elements of a more advanced triangular shape, but due to the ship's size, must be mostly oblong, as opposed to smaller cruisers and frigates.

There are some deceiving visual elements on this ship.  For example, the nacelles are mounted slightly higher up more forward, giving the nacelles the appearance of being short, when in fact, they are longer than those of the Enterprise F.  The saucer might also appear short in length, when in fact, it too is longer than the one on the F.

The mesh is really still a fairly early WIP.  I've basically just got the basic shape fleshed out, and the process of adding details and making everything flow and be smooth is underway.  one thing you may notice is the thickness of the nacelle pylons.  That is an intentional design, a nodding of the hat to the problem facing by Paris and Torres as they modified a shuttle to try and get to warp 10.  They had a problem with the nacelles trying to fly away from the ship.  While the Enterprise G does not go warp 10, it will (in conjecture) go so fast at warp as to begin to have the same problem... hence the large uni-body pylons.

The deflector dish is meant to show a reasonable degree of enhancement over the previous generation while remaining recognizable.

I expect this to be a long term project, with a release anywhere between September - December, as I have important commitments to ST: Excalibur.

As a side note, some of the inspiration for this ship has come from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-22_Raptor)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_G8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_G8)

As usual, i look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 09, 2009, 11:23:24 PM
more pics.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 09, 2009, 11:25:32 PM
And some comparison shots with the Enterprise F.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Tuskin38 on March 09, 2009, 11:40:02 PM
hmm i like the ship.. I'm not the a fan of the galaxy class style nacelle pylons though
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darkthunder on March 10, 2009, 12:16:24 AM
I'm not the a fan of the galaxy class style nacelle pylons though

I 100% disagree. I think having the Galaxy-ish nacelle pylons adds a bit of lineage to the ship, an homage of past ships named Enterprise. The Enterprise-F was the same way in that it had a similar pylon style to the Enterprise-E.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 10, 2009, 01:01:21 AM
I think DJ just made me drool on my keyboard. Also with the Deflector, I like how it's split like that, it's new and unusual which is a great thing. Seems like it's made for Transwarp or Slipstream in order to navigate it easier :P
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Shion on March 10, 2009, 02:42:33 AM
I can tell that you have put forth a considerable amount of effort into brainstorming and conceptualizing this ship.  It shows.  As such, I have absolutely no recommendations that could make this mesh look any better than it already does.  I'd say you nailed the time period and look you were going for perfectly.   The design elements make the ship look both large and streamlined.  Perfectly suited as a successor to the Century class.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Billz on March 10, 2009, 05:25:46 AM
The model is awesome.

But Enterprise again? I suggest not calling it Enterprise. A unique name would be good. I don't dislike the name Enterprise but there are other ways of making a ship famous rather then giving it a familiar name.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: baz1701 on March 10, 2009, 05:30:04 AM
I like alot DJ though she looks more like a beefed up Intrepid Class than a Heavy cruiser. Still a fine looking ship and wish I had a quater of your talent.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Villain on March 10, 2009, 07:12:53 AM
From what I see, it looks like the exact opposite to the Century class, and if that is what you were aiming for, you struck it dead on. It's an interesting design, and I like the "Exhaust" sort of look that the Impulse engines have.  Though I guess a ship isn't set in stone until the smaller details are placed (Which can change an appearance radically), so I look forward to seeing how you handle that with this one.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: mckinneyc on March 10, 2009, 07:23:32 AM
I dislike the deflector, otherwise I love the design. DJ as a bit of lineage try using your DJ style deflector.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: martyr on March 10, 2009, 07:52:59 AM
i love the galaxy style back end.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: mckinneyc on March 10, 2009, 08:25:01 AM
DJ is the raised section running along the top and then round to be bottom of each nacelle going to be a phaser strip?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 10, 2009, 08:49:32 AM
Oh i really like it :D awsome work dj!
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 10, 2009, 08:59:51 AM
DJ, I love your ships to death... but not this one. :(
I am not getting the "Oh it's Enterprise!" thing from this.  I guess it's because I've seen to many fanboy pics on the web of someone taking a Prometheus class and slapping "Enterprise" on it.  It just looks too... warship-y.

My major issues with it:
1.  The triangular saucer has got to go.  No other Enterprise has had anything unlike a circle.  Again, it just seems too much like a warship.
2.  The deflector is too original.  The Century style deflector had that bisected look, which was good, but this one looks like you have two.  I suggest removing that halver and instead unite the two halves or do something similar to what was on the Vivace, Raptor, Century, etc.  Or you could just do a round deflector, like on the EntE.
3.  Too many phasers.  The Enterprise was never meant to be a warship.  If any Alpha Quadrant power gets the impression that the Federation flagship was built for war, they'll just become more hostile.  I suggest going back to the EntD, where the saucer had just two huge phaser strips.  Maybe you could have just one modeled strip, but treat it as if it were many in the HP.

Other than that, I love the nacelles.  They are reminiscent of the Galaxy's, yet streamlined like the Sovereign's.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Villain on March 10, 2009, 09:42:37 AM
Farshot, keep in mind that time change, perhaps the Feds had to aim for a more warlike look due to changing status with other races and such... Besides, progress doesn't mean it has to look old.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darran on March 10, 2009, 10:31:22 AM
I like aspects of it, i think it could benefit from more of a rearward sweep the the pylons and slightly more elongated nacelles, (btw dj, still working on the sun-tzu class msd.... slowly)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darkthorne on March 10, 2009, 04:14:35 PM
DJ I like this design... the dual deflector for this ship seems both advanced and very appropiate. while others do think there may be too many phasers .. I think there are not enough... not because it gives a warship feel to it, but because there is currently no phaser coverage aft on the stardrive, leaving a large blind spot that most ships do try and cover. But its early on and I know as things progress the ship will only improve more.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: moed on March 10, 2009, 08:38:03 PM
Excellent as usual.

My suggestions:

1. The nacelle pylons (especially from the top view look a bit too fat. Maybe streamline them a bit.

2. Nacelles are nice, but I think they might need to be ever so slightly lengthened.

3. I can see this design eventually being worthy of the name Enterprise, but IMHO, I hold the name Excelsior with nearly as much regard..... How about the Excelsior C or D?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 10, 2009, 09:16:31 PM
Its great work as usual DJ, but if I might I would like to dissent and say I dont like this one as the next Enterpise. Though I can see where you were going, something seems wrong with the overall shape. I cant quite put my finger on it though....I would say its something in its dorsal face fore-mid to aft quarter. Might be how the main hull connects to the nacelle strut assembly.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 10, 2009, 09:17:23 PM
Don't get me wrong, but I love how the ship looks, it's just that I don't see Enterprise in it.  My suggestions were not to make it look better, but rather to make it look more like the Enterprise's we love and know so well, including the Century class, DJ.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 10, 2009, 09:58:40 PM
We look at the evolution of federation starships to the point where some federation ships wouldn't look like federation starships at all until we're told they are. This here could be the next in the Lineage of starfleet vessels. Does the USS Enterprise D Look like the Enterprise E? C? A? B? No, they're all different classes, even if this ship isn't "Enterprise" Class,  it can still bear the name Enterprise.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: USSGalileo on March 11, 2009, 01:07:50 AM
She is a beauty alright, but I'm not ready to call her Enterprise.  I agree that each class that has included an Enterprise has been different but they all are good as the "hero" ship.  In the shows the ship is primary piece of the background, they are almost a character in themselves. The Defiant was a fighter, always looked ready to mix it up, and the Intrepid was scrappy, not looking for a fight but up to one. They help with the story of the given show.

All the classes that have included an a ship of the line have, I feel, a grandeur in there design, including your Century class. The A through the D were explores. The E was a grand design but a defender as well, which was good given that all three movies it was in were war movies.  The Century stuck a nice balance between looking tough and looking like an explore, a step back form the Sovereign but not all the way to the Galaxy.

This new one just looks to aggressive so far and I don't think that the number of phasr strips has anything to do with it, to some one how has no knowledge of Star Trek ship design they are just lines on the hull. It is the shape and line of the hull that give the the ship it's feel. Maybe play up the Galaxy class like elements, always felt that galaxy class was a bit to grand but could help here if any one understands what I am getting at.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Villain on March 11, 2009, 01:18:08 AM
Actually, the C and D do very much share similarities. The classic and the A did too, though that's a different story. While I get that many don't like the warship feel for the poster child of the Federation, keep in mind that ships are built for the time they are in. According to STO there's a war breaking out. Realistically, would you make an exploration ship your poster child if you were bracing for a war against foes you know are a challenge, or would you make it a warship ready to prove that your coalition will stand up for what is right?

If I remember, many felt this exact same way about the Sovvie, but now the design is adored. Same with the reimagined Classic. I'll wager in 3 months max people will be begging DJ to label this ship "Enterprise".

Failing that, after DJ has a firm grasp of backstory for her.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 11, 2009, 01:26:31 AM
Federation ships are supposed to be like well federation ship, they're made for both exploration and combat (in case needed). The USS Enterprise E for example is not only a diplomatic ship of peace, but also a ship of war having to be called at any point to protect the federation. So if a ship looks beefy, it doesn't mean that the ship is just out to blow some ships away. Take example DJs new Enterprise Version, the ship is a federation ship, none the less. Top of the line, most likely, and all Enterprise Starships are top of the line. Also name one Federation ship that's not intimidating one way or another. They're supposed to be (Unless ships mainly confined to their own space kinda like Oberth etc)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: JimmyB76 on March 11, 2009, 09:27:57 AM
guys please try and avoid getting sidetracked in the thread...

thx :)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Dalek on March 11, 2009, 01:35:43 PM
The only thing that gets me is the nacelle pylons. If you gave this newbie an oval saucer facing forward, it would like a Sovereign on Galaxy pylons. It just doesn't seem right.

But I dig the triangular saucer. :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: MarkyD on March 11, 2009, 02:31:34 PM
As usual excellently built DJ, model looks perfect.. Not a big fan of the design this time around (but you cant please everyone eh)

Looking forward to seeing how it looks dressed  :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Aeries on March 11, 2009, 02:41:13 PM
not a bad ship, i kinda like it. In all honesty, though, i can't really see this being a replacement by any means for the century class. Call me a cynic, but it just doesn't seem to have that classic, or even timeless feel that the century seemed to pull off. It's the shape... I mean, it's a really nice ship, just a lot of the design elements are bothering me. I totally dig that deflector, though.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Vanguard on March 11, 2009, 04:38:01 PM
I like the ship, but it seems more like the century era's version of the Prometheus rather than the Century's successor. I love the design however, although the warp nacelles look like they could be a little longer.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 11, 2009, 04:39:58 PM
I like the ship, but it seems more like the century era's version of the Prometheus rather than the Century's successor.

COOKIED!  That is what I was trying to say.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 11, 2009, 06:10:20 PM
Thanks all for the comments and suggestions so far.  I'm taking them all under advisement, save for changes to the deflector, with which I am very pleased.  I have made some significant modifications to the warp pylons, including an increase in the sweep angle, particularly along the rear edge.  I have also totally redone the connection points between the nacelles and the pylons.

The engines themselves have been dropped, moved back slightly, and brought inward about half their own width.

Also, I didn't mention before that ship does already have saucer separation ability, I'm just not really happy with how it looks yet though, so I haven't showed it off.  Here are some pix of the changes to the rear.  You'll note the connections are pretty different from anything that's probably been seen on previous ships.  I really wanted to retain the look of them being incredibly strong, without being overly fat or bulky.  i don't think there's any doubt they certainly look better than what was there. lol. :D  The one thing I will do to them yet is to add some polys here and there to smooth out the angles.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: JimmyB76 on March 11, 2009, 06:14:55 PM
oooh much much better! :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 11, 2009, 06:32:03 PM
A huge difference. Shes a real beauty now.

I know that the deflector area is your signature, but would you consider a more gradual slope instead of such a strong angle?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 11, 2009, 06:38:45 PM
Curse me and my insatiable picky-ness.  I'm sorry DJ, I'm just not getting the Enterprise vibe from this ship.  I'm getting a mixture of Prometheus, Intrepid, and Supremus (the nacelles), but not Enterprise.  Sorry. :(
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 11, 2009, 07:20:51 PM
Its just my opinion mind you, but I feel it is more like Enterprise now.

I think what it is lacking is soft edges. Perhaps that is what is turning people off to the idea. Personally I think it makes sense, as some Enterprises havent exactly been smooth globs of duranium...Ent A for instance, more a warship than a explorer from my perspective.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Adonis on March 11, 2009, 08:55:56 PM
Definitely better pylon setup than than the first pics.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: CaptainGMAN on March 11, 2009, 10:36:27 PM
This ship is yelling Enterprise at me this is right now and this is my favorite DJ ship and I can't think of a thing to make it better.

I just may have to slap a Seahawk reg on it and use it as the seahawk b in my trek story.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darran on March 11, 2009, 10:59:22 PM
great, now elongate the nacelles and we're onto a winner
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 11, 2009, 11:38:46 PM
*sob* *cry* *more sob*
I just can't bring myself to like this ship as Enterprise material.  I feel nothing for it save that it looks kick a**.
Sorry DJ, I'm just not feeling it :cry: :violin
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 11, 2009, 11:46:07 PM
I've further worked on the nacelle pylons, and, i think this may be a first, but I've integrated some impulse engines directly below the warp nacelles, and further smoothed the overall connection.  i got rid of the hemispherical base and opted for something symmetrical.  I can't believe how much time I'm spending on this one little part, but for some reason, it really seems to make or break the ship.

*edit* streamlined them even further.  there is now no longer a bump, but rather a smooth transition around the bottom of the pylon.

Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Aeries on March 12, 2009, 12:05:45 AM
AHHH! Those pylons are MUCH better! :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 12, 2009, 12:27:57 AM
Some refinements to the engines.  there's a bit more of a bend to the top forward section, and i also decreased the length of the nose, while increasing the length of the overall nacelle to compensate.  I also decreased the slant angle at the back to curl in a bit and look overall less drastic.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 12, 2009, 01:55:18 AM
 :shock: wow just wow
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Shion on March 12, 2009, 01:58:01 AM
I was worried additional changes to the mesh would detract from it's looks since I liked the first mesh so much.  I was wrong, all the changes are marked improvements to the overall shape of the ship.  I'm also very glad you kept the deflector untouched, as it looks great.  Any chance for some orthographic shots since you redesigned the back end.

As for calling this ship enterprise.  You don't need a consensus from the community to do that.  I was one of the more outspoken people against making the Century an Enterprise.  Now I just think that if this is your vision for the Enterprise-G then don't let anyone sway you from that vision.  Besides you managed to change almost everyone's mind before, so I would expect this will go the same way.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Aeries on March 12, 2009, 03:36:35 AM
hmm. An idea, if I may be so bold... perhaps do something similar to what Rengers is doing to the Ancheron's nacelles; model in the interior and use a semi-transparent texture for the [glass?]. Could look really cool. I'm doing it with the Mithra's original nacelles right now, to see how it'll look. :3
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Nighthawk on March 12, 2009, 03:41:47 AM
sssoooooo......
this is set to be to the Ent-F as the Ambassador was to the Excelsior...... right?
 :?

I mean... don't get me wrong... every new design means a lot of work, but, don't you think you would end up with a flat line instead of a ship by the time you reach Ent-Q?

the Enterprise as itself doesn't have to be eternal. I mean, you don't have to continue the legacy until Ent-Z. it won't hurt if you come up with a new "iconic" ship instead of Enterprise. you have plenty of names out there to build a lineage after them.

EDIT: if something I would change, it would be the "nose". Starfleet design (mostly) was always rounded saucer (or round-ish) and elongated secondary hull. don't make it go much into "triangle-ish" saucer, or you will start a design line towards this branch:
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/NX_EntepriseG_Study;50147
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: MarkyD on March 12, 2009, 05:58:51 AM
All those little changes have made such a difference DJ, great work mate.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Eddie on March 12, 2009, 09:59:16 AM
Very nice design.  I especially like the idea of the impulse engines on the nacelles.  DJ, you do amazing work, and this time around is no different.  Keep up the fantastic work!
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: JimmyB76 on March 12, 2009, 11:54:01 AM
DJ, you do amazing work, and this time around is no different.  Keep up the fantastic work!
cheers to that! :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Barihawk on March 12, 2009, 11:58:12 AM
I was not very impressed with the original design, but I need to agree with markyd. Those changes made all of the difference and this ship is definitely taking on a new form. I like it.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Adonis on March 12, 2009, 03:16:19 PM
Some refinements to the engines.  there's a bit more of a bend to the top forward section, and i also decreased the length of the nose, while increasing the length of the overall nacelle to compensate.  I also decreased the slant angle at the back to curl in a bit and look overall less drastic.

I have another idea for the pylon connections to the nacelles, but I think I'll use it for the Desert Rose's redesign I wanna do.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 12, 2009, 06:26:28 PM
I haven't spoken up on this til now, but I do have to say that she is pretty, and I agree with Shion.  If this is YOUR vision of the 1701-G, don't let people sway you from that opinion.  As for the "warship" like look, any starship can look that way if you slap the wrong coat of paint on the hull.  Let's wait til he starts texturing before we say it's too battle-ready instead of explorer.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: JimmyB76 on March 12, 2009, 07:32:53 PM
I agree with Shion.  If this is YOUR vision of the 1701-G, don't let people sway you from that opinion. 
absolutely!  couldnt agree more! :)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: ChronowerX_GT on March 12, 2009, 08:00:00 PM
Personally, I think it's too beefed up for an Enterprise. Even the Sovvie was still pretty streamlined and had a smooth hull. I'm just not getting that Enterprise feel to it.

IMO, a beefed up design doesn't really have the same beauty as a smoother ship because it's gracefullness goes. I'm thinking that the ship should appear flat, wide and long to get that real streamlined feel to it.

BUT.... it's really hard to tell how a ship will turn out until the textures are on her. Either way, i've liked what you've done so far (but perhaps not as an Enterprise) and I know that it will end up great when you release her.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 12, 2009, 09:17:11 PM
It feels Enterprise to me. Though once the textures are laid out then it will be easier to tell what it fits into. Though if you look at other ships they don't have the Enterprise Feel to them, it's just a new design and things need to settle in a bit.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 12, 2009, 09:42:04 PM
There's piles of work to go, even to the mesh.  What exists now is still really unrefined in a lot of ways.  I don't think i'll even get to the textures for some time, really.  And I think FourChan is right, that it takes time for the name to settle in.  So as of this post, I'd like to put the "Enterprise Yes or no" conversation to bed.  I don't mind if it springs up down the road, in fact, it really should.  But for now, I'm going to give the ship a class name, and that's what we'll refer to it as for the time being.

I want, in my own mind, to be able to consider the ship on its own merits, rather than those of its name.  That was the original process with the EntF.

I'll post a class name later tonight.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darran on March 12, 2009, 10:05:13 PM
I'm always a big fan of your designs DJ and I love 90% of the one, but the short, forward slung nacelles  seem to give it a hunched, doubled up look, perhaps if you lengthened them and set them back a bit

Edit: poor photoshop but something like this
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 12, 2009, 10:06:35 PM
I just can't wait to pilot this ship, and I hope someone creates a custom bridge for it and the Enterprise F, cause those ships need something custom. Is this going to separate? Or is it going to include any new torpedos?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 12, 2009, 11:17:18 PM
Darran--> From that angle it doesn't look too bad with the long nacelles, but trust me when i say it would throw the design out of balance.  Believe me, the nacelles are already quite long.  Significantly longer than those on the Century, Sovereign, or Galaxy in fact.  I have played with lengthening them, and it simply didn't look that good.

FourChan-->As mentioned, it does indeed separate, and I haven't given much thought to the HP yet.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 13, 2009, 01:33:20 AM
Alright, now you're making me even more twitchy on getting it DJ.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 13, 2009, 03:49:13 AM
Further refined the warp nacelles, adding a dip to the forward section to add a bit of flare and house the subspace field emitters.  Also modeled on some thrusters to the saucer.  I also raised the bridge up a touch, added a captain's ready room and a lunch area on either side of the bridge.  Removed are the inward forward phaser arrays.  I didn't care for them.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 13, 2009, 06:07:02 AM
might just be a trick of the eye, but no matter how much i love this ship (yes i do know its size) i feel like she's quite small...Dunno why?? lol

on another note, damn fine work as normal DJ, just hope i can reach ur level of skill on day  :arms: lol
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: majormagna on March 13, 2009, 07:32:05 AM
Lookin' good DJ! I can't wait to bash some Borg with this baby! (Wow, lots'a B's!)

I think the reason people see this as a smaller ship is because of the nacelles... they look a tad big for the ship, but then... it could just be a new way of getting warp to work... a semi-experimental drive.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 13, 2009, 09:10:03 AM
DJ, with these recent improvements, such as making the nacelles have the gold slit things and dropping the extra phasers, it looks closer to Enterprise to me.  I still don't care for the egg shaped saucer though.  One thing though:  have you tried tapering the back of the nacelle?  The bulky part at the back makes me thing of the environmental concerns surrounding warp drive.  The Sovy and Intrepid were designed with that in mind, and what came out was smaller profile, sleeker build.  I just think that the large nature of these nacelles kinda goes in a backwards direction.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Vortex on March 13, 2009, 10:12:54 AM
Now it has the Enterprise vibe!!

This is awesome DJ... I HAVE to get a new computer so that I can play with this.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Dalek on March 13, 2009, 02:47:58 PM
It looks better...but I still don't like (personally) where the nacelles are. To high up for a ship like that to me.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Barihawk on March 13, 2009, 03:01:34 PM
This ship has curves and is not a flat arrowhead like most recent Fed ships. Great work, DJ.



(post edited to remove a sentence which may have been interpreted as offending to another patron)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: mayhemuk on March 13, 2009, 03:20:28 PM
I can just say that i do love this design, but it does look to small because of the compact design.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: MarkyD on March 13, 2009, 03:58:28 PM
Those details on the necelles look great mate.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: ChronowerX_GT on March 13, 2009, 08:13:59 PM
Definatly a big improvement. Looks more elegant now.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 14, 2009, 02:15:36 PM
Redid the dorsal aft drive section and refined the design.  I've also further refined the nacelles, balancing them a bit more and smoothing some areas out with a few added polys.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 14, 2009, 02:37:19 PM
I like the venting on the nacelles, are they going to glow or have any special effects to them? I hope so.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: ChronowerX_GT on March 14, 2009, 02:47:10 PM
I suggest either making the nacelles slightly more narrow or a little longer. I think it would give it more sleekness.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 14, 2009, 03:03:10 PM
Can I get a side view DJ? Shes looking really good :)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 14, 2009, 04:53:21 PM
No prob, tho i've made some changes, including lengthening the secondary hull belly by about 15% which has resulted in a sharper undercut angle.  And the backs of the nacelles have also been lengthen with a slight inward taper.  I think a lot of you might feel there's a bit better balance now, as I do.

Oh yeah, and I added a thin connection layer between the nacelles and the pylons that very slightly raises the nacelles.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 14, 2009, 06:30:52 PM
Can't see the taper all too good from those angles.  Could you do some others?

I'm also curious to know what you have planned for the undercut in the secondary hull.  That's a huge spot--it's kinda boring looking as is.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Darkthunder on March 14, 2009, 08:40:08 PM
Perhaps an Excelsior-style cargo/shuttlebay in that undercut area? :)

Can you post a side-by-side top view of this Enterprise and the Sovereign please?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 14, 2009, 09:29:09 PM
If I might be so bold...do you think it might look better if the deflector was moved backward ever so slightly? Here is a pic to show you what I mean.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 14, 2009, 10:07:48 PM
acutally raven, i think u have a good idea, lets see what dj thinks
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FourChan on March 15, 2009, 02:32:01 AM
if he done that, wouldn't he have to rework the whole model around again? I think leaving it the way it is for now would be good, then bring that design in an updated version if he feels it's applicable.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: antagonist on March 15, 2009, 02:37:49 AM
Why exactly do you think you're bad at designing nacelles again? They're beautiful!

I can really see the decades lying between this one and the Century. You've done some awesome work here, as usual. ;)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 15, 2009, 04:04:25 AM
Well, it may or may not take alot of work to change, depending on how the polys are laid out and if it is worth his time. It all really depends on whether or not he thinks it looks more balanced that way and changing it will not screw up his mesh.

I think that balance would be perfect if the deflector was moved back just a tad.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: MarkyD on March 15, 2009, 04:23:24 AM
Its just gets better DJ, keep it up mate.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on March 15, 2009, 08:23:46 AM
But i think djs deflector would just fit nicely into the evolution. Making it more dedicated to the sov.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: andrewsean2006 on March 15, 2009, 09:02:43 AM
Thanks all for the comments and suggestions so far.  I'm taking them all under advisement, save for changes to the deflector, with which I am very pleased.  I have made some significant modifications to the warp pylons, including an increase in the sweep angle, particularly along the rear edge.  I have also totally redone the connection points between the nacelles and the pylons.

The engines themselves have been dropped, moved back slightly, and brought inward about half their own width.

Also, I didn't mention before that ship does already have saucer separation ability, I'm just not really happy with how it looks yet though, so I haven't showed it off.  Here are some pix of the changes to the rear.  You'll note the connections are pretty different from anything that's probably been seen on previous ships.  I really wanted to retain the look of them being incredibly strong, without being overly fat or bulky.  i don't think there's any doubt they certainly look better than what was there. lol. :D  The one thing I will do to them yet is to add some polys here and there to smooth out the angles.

the ship kind of reminds me about rikers titan? what would be cool, if you put the same pylon setup from the jjprise? dont know of anyone would agree but just sticking a thought in. :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 12:58:15 PM
I don't think I'm going to push back the deflector, i moved the cutaway back because I wanted to lengthen the secondary hull, and pushing back the deflector would make that moot.

You can also see that I've changed the bridge area, reduced the spine a bit, and ditched the underwork on the bottom of the saucer.  It wasn't jiving with me so well.

Here's some updated shots, including where the separation plane is.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 15, 2009, 01:13:07 PM
ohh nice, like the way we can see the saucer sep there :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 15, 2009, 01:34:56 PM
Man, saucer sep sure is in style. :D

I would like the deflector more if that center piece extended off into a torp launcher/yacht like on the Ent E.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 15, 2009, 01:46:31 PM
Neat-o!

I don't know why, but this, to me, looks almost like an evolution of my Endor-class starship.  :?
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 03:59:19 PM
if anyone has any ideas for the underside of the saucer, please share.  I'm a little stumped.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 15, 2009, 04:06:15 PM
You mean as far as details or form? It looks pretty good as it from where im standing ;)
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 04:14:49 PM
modeled details
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: mckinneyc on March 15, 2009, 04:21:08 PM
How about a few recessed windows like on the Sovie and the Raptor? It's really starting to grow on me by the way DJ.  :D
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on March 15, 2009, 05:06:10 PM
u know what, if Dj keep's this up, we're really going to have a problem, there's only a limit on letters of the alphabet! lol

fantastic work DJ can't wait to play her!
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Raven Night on March 15, 2009, 06:05:37 PM
I would recommend something ala Voyager, like a large yacht of some type docked underneath...you could just model in the outline.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: FarShot on March 15, 2009, 06:44:13 PM
*Ryan points to his previous post*
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Aeries on March 15, 2009, 08:44:14 PM
I'm liking it more and more.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 09:15:25 PM
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I've been agonizing over a class name for days now.  For some reason its really important to me, because it really, in a way I think, can make or break a ship.  When I named the Century Class, I got lucky because I found a name that hit a few key notes... 1. it was of sufficient grandeur without being overbearing, cheesy, or overly self-important.  2. No other ship in ST had that class name.  3. It suited the elegance of the design.

The design of this new sip is quite different, both in terms of aesthetic and intention.  It's a little edgier, but not overly aggressive.  Where the soft lines of the Enterprise F really lent themselves to a soft and elegant name like Century, this ship is designed to look edgy and forceful, like it's leaning forward and ready to go.  This ship, in a sense, is a Pontiac, where the Century was more like a Buick.

Anyhow, the Class name I've decided on is Eclipse.  It meets the same criteria as mentioned above, and to me, is well mated in its meaning and tone to the design of the ship.

Some other names I strongly considered, but rejected were...

Magnus Class  -->Too Latin
Theseus Class -->Greek, which is overdone and cliche.
Odyssey Class -->same problem
Valiturus Class -->So Latin as to be a bit pretentious.
Nobel Class -->Too subdued, but would have been  easy to name ships of the line after Nobel winners.  I think I'll use this for a future series of science ships.
Hood Class --> Pays tribute to a British Admiral whom to me, doesn't stand out as a Prime example of a stand-up 25th century person.
Indefatigable Class -->Actually I really like this one, but I'm willing to bet a lot of people out there don't have a clue what such a big word means. :)

So, Eclipse Class it is.

I'm aware that there is a Star Wars ship out there with the same name, but there has never seemed to be any problems with that kind of thing before.  I certainly can't foresee anyone saying "but Star Wars has got a lock on this one!" :D

I'm eager to read what you guys think of the name.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on March 15, 2009, 09:41:44 PM
I love the name!  It works perfectly!

indefatigable-
incapable of becoming fatigued

Too long, too many syllables.  Better alternative would be something like Timeless or Enduring or Invincible or Incomparable.

Too many or's.   :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 15, 2009, 09:55:04 PM
Ahhh, I like the class name, seems to fit.  As for Star Wars having a "lock" on the name, it was a single Star Destroyer...a monster Star Destroyer as a matter of fact, and the name only fit it because it was freaking huge.  Eclipse seems to fit this ship well.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 10:14:25 PM
Glad ya like shadow.

I've done up an Ortho schematic for anyone who wants to draw suggestions for posting.  It's big! :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on March 15, 2009, 10:24:00 PM
Admit it DJ, you just named it after my awesomeness :P

Joking aside, I really like how this is shaping up...I hope to one day be a great modeler such as yourself :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 15, 2009, 10:45:59 PM
Hmmm...I'm honestly thinking that a Captain's yacht or some other kind of support craft would work well on the underside.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 15, 2009, 10:50:51 PM
not to mention provide a little mvam awesomeness!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on March 15, 2009, 11:13:46 PM
Here is what I suggest, as others have, for a docked ship. I made sure to put it forward of your sep line.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Tuskin38 on March 16, 2009, 11:55:39 AM
Hmm I know you've already picked a class name. But what about a Class name that reflects a species/Founding Member in the Federation? Everything is named so... Terran in the Federation, it doesn't seem right for a United Federation of Planets.

Just a suggestion, maybe for a future class perhaps?

although, Eclipse is a cool name.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: MarkyD on March 16, 2009, 12:28:43 PM
Very nice, she is really shaping up..  looking forward to the textures, hoping you spend as much time on them as you did with the Galaxy  8)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on March 16, 2009, 12:58:12 PM
Here is something I came up with.  Feel free to tear it apart. :wink:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on March 16, 2009, 01:04:00 PM
Permission to take apa-? Thanks :P :D.

Considering the size of the Eclipse, that little shippy is quite large. If you imagine the Sovereigns yacht, and since the Eclipse is bigger than the Century which is bigger than the Sovie. then I imagine it might need taking shrinking.

Just my two cents. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on March 16, 2009, 01:16:50 PM
It's smaller now.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 16, 2009, 01:39:40 PM
I personally would like the bigger one, it seems to fit a more diplomatic/courier type role, which is what I was thinking of.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shion on March 17, 2009, 02:22:08 AM
How about shortening the partition in the middle of the deflector and changing it's angle so it's perpendicular to the saucer, instead of at an angle.

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on March 17, 2009, 04:39:29 PM
How about shortening the partition in the middle of the deflector and changing it's angle so it's perpendicular to the saucer, instead of at an angle.



I have to admit, I like the spine there. Seems like a good place to add several torpedo launchers to, BTW ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on March 17, 2009, 11:50:55 PM
Btw Dj, have you put any thought into her armaments?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 19, 2009, 12:51:10 AM
I was about to give up on saucer separation, because I couldn't find any way that I liked to do it... until I saw something Raven was working on, as well as the suggestion above.

Here's the result, which is introductory, but I'm pleased so far.

As to the armaments, i would like to do something somewhat special, but I don't want to get into detail about it right now.

As to the aero-shuttle idea.  It will be a go.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FourChan on March 19, 2009, 01:18:41 AM
That looks awesome, in a way it kinda looks like a small version of the Nova Class when it separates. =)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on March 19, 2009, 01:38:26 AM
YES!  He used that forked design that was in my suggestion!
+10 HP
+10 ATK
+10 DEF

AW YES HAXORZ! 8)

...small version of the Nova Class when it separates. =)

Funny, cause the Nova is much smaller than that... like about maybe 20 decks smaller. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on March 19, 2009, 02:57:10 AM
That looks awesome, in a way it kinda looks like a small version of the Nova Class when it separates. =)

I was thinking the exact same thing :)

Loving this ship more and more.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on March 19, 2009, 03:47:41 AM
DJ....perfect. The secondary hull looks brilliant :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Villain on March 19, 2009, 06:57:10 AM
Definitely going to try a match without the saucer present when it's released. The secondary hull actually looks like a viable ship design on it's own (Almost) :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on March 19, 2009, 07:41:29 AM
indeed we do have a winner
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on March 19, 2009, 11:49:02 AM
Looks awesom! What about the weaponry of the sec. hull? Might give it some pulse cannons. That would be something different, as the ship would be much more agile and could handle pulse weapons much better?...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on March 19, 2009, 02:19:37 PM
I don't want to get into detail about it right now.

fair enough. ;)
that saucer separation scheme looks pretty good, but on a more personal note I'm not sure about the pointy ends at the aft section... Still, looks great so far.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on March 20, 2009, 11:02:39 AM
Heh. Those fins at the end of the saucer don't look out of place to me, but the sharp angles on the back of the stardrive does. Didn't the Prometheus' saucer have a ridge to circumvent this "issue"? Might be a viable option, although I'm not sure how it was solved with the Galaxy, actually...did it have a ridge like that when separated?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 23, 2009, 05:54:15 PM
hey guys, i could really use some more ideas for an aeroshuttle/captain's yacht within the defined area.  i've attached a pic for you to edit with your ideas.

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on March 23, 2009, 06:29:43 PM
What about something the shape you have outlined DJ? Think WW2 bomber. or Hammerhead shark. hmm hammerhead shuttle... :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: MarkyD on March 23, 2009, 06:59:38 PM
Since your paying allot of attention to detail on your ship mate, why not make a captains yacht / fighter..  something really tough, and self dependant almost on par say with a defiant, so your shippy is mvam but has a kick ass fighter to boot..   

mabey this size, if you have the time to make it avail for mvam..  (mabey you just want a texture outline)

anyway, look forward to seeing what you decide mate  8)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: yanlou on March 23, 2009, 08:46:39 PM
heres my idea for an aeroshuttle/capt yachts, dont know if it helps tho lol
(http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p258/yanlou/yachtidea.jpg)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 23, 2009, 08:48:28 PM
markyd-->hmm, probably too big. I think.

bigkap-->thanks for the pic over msn.  i had to dash.  a hammerhead isn't quite what i'm looking for i don't think.

Also, this ship is gonna feature a little launch-able toy.  A phaser mine....  you can see it superimposed by the Pegasus' saucer.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on March 23, 2009, 09:35:11 PM
No worries, was just playin around with the idea. I like your phaser mine idea though!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on March 24, 2009, 12:04:59 AM
How about a mini-defiant like ship with your own unique take...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 24, 2009, 01:06:43 AM
hmm.  i rather like that.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on March 24, 2009, 01:29:26 AM
Did you do a Valiant? I was thinking that nacelle style, a bit more stylish, perhaps a bit ovoid but fluid which you do without flaw.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on March 24, 2009, 03:18:23 AM
here's an update to the ship.

some changes and additions...

1. taken the boomerang shape and started construction of an mvam aeroshuttle.
2. pushed back the middle bar in the deflector.
3. added some lateral sensor arrays.
4. added forward ventral phaser strips to the drive section.
5. added for and aft torpedo launchers to the drive section.
6. reworked some mesh areas for better fit and finish.

still a long way to go.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: MarkyD on March 24, 2009, 05:16:21 AM
Looking sweet, love that mine idea. very cool  8)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shion on March 24, 2009, 08:15:00 AM
Awesome, you pushed back the deflector partition, deflector looks 100% perfect now.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on March 24, 2009, 05:27:33 PM
I actually liked the deflector prong. Heh, it's your design :P

Those aft torpedo launchers look a bit tacked on to me, though...can't you recess them into the main body? The same applies to the front launchers, actually, but it's less noticeable there. I'm just saying, even the Enterprise-E did have her torpedo launchers recessed into the main hull, and she's two generations behind this one :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on March 24, 2009, 05:59:41 PM
Great work DJ, I especially like the ramscoops :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phantom0981 on March 24, 2009, 08:44:25 PM
Great work! I love the deflector and nacelles. I must say that this is starting to become one of my favorite ships you have done. Definitely liking the aeroshuttle. Keep up the excellent work!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on March 24, 2009, 09:32:22 PM
Very, very nice DJ.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on March 25, 2009, 12:37:11 AM
gorgeous work, dude. She's really growing up to be a fine gal.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on April 03, 2009, 11:43:04 PM
L-O-V-E this ship! I'd like the artist's permission to use it in future fan fiction.

April 3 2381 - The U.S.S. Nairobi NCC 79255 (Eclipse-Class), is assigned to DS9 in the wake of rising tensions between the breakaway Imperial Romulan State and The Klingon Empire. Starfleet placates The Bajoran Provisional Government by urging Captain Elias Vaughn to sign-off on re-assigning Ro Laren (DS9's Chief of Security,) to the Nairobi's Executive Officer position.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on April 05, 2009, 10:03:35 PM
2381 is a bit early...  Considering that DJ intends this ship to exist in the 25th century. :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Anger on April 21, 2009, 06:51:53 AM
For such an advanced ship I would recommend a new power source then the standard Matter/Anti-Matter reaction. I was thinking a bit of Romulan inspiration with a twist would be an order. How about a ship powered by a singularity core, except this core has two singularities orbiting around each other at a very high speed.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v358/SuperFriendBFG/th_SingularityCore.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v358/SuperFriendBFG/?action=view&current=SingularityCore.jpg)

"The rotating motion of both singularities effectively caused them to be orbiting each other. This has actually made containing and stabilizing the singularities more efficient then what is found in any single singularity core. The rotating motion also provides more power. The only drawback to such a design was that the orbiting speed has to be strictly regulated to reflect the core's power output. In then end though, the dual singularity design proved more then adequate to provide ample power to larger vessels. Although such a core cannot be effectively downsized without losing its effectiveness as a viable power source." - Doctor Jared Samson, Daystrom Research Institute.

The core's design was a sort of idea I had when I was re-imagining a new fleet revamp project after the Federation had nearly been wiped out. It's a bit of fan fic that involves the destruction of StarFleet Command as an organization and the near complete dissolving the the Federation as a whole. The Federation won the great war with the help of the Klingons but were left completely devastated. Left with some relative peace some surviving members of the Federation began rebuilding the Federation's foundation.

In the early years of the rebuilding several of the remaining StarFleet admirals came together and began what was simply known at the time as "The New Beginning Project". The idea was to rebuild StarFleet on a completely new and fresh technological foundation. The project began with revamping the way resources are harvested or mined. The project was formed with near total secrecy with only some of the highest members of both the Federation and the Klingon Empire being aware of the research being done.

The project was founded on a burning determination to not only restore the Federation but completely revamp it. After about 10 years the project would have designed 5 new ship designs featuring all new sensors, weapons, propulsion and power systems (including the new Dual Singularity Core).

Yeah I'm just rambling on. It's a bit of a story idea I've had brewing in my head for a few years, and this would be the first time I actually speak of it to anyone else. If you guys want me to flesh the story out I could do so, but the purpose of this post was to suggest a fresh core design for DJ to work with.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on April 21, 2009, 04:35:02 PM
I thought experiments with quantum singularities are banned within the Federation.

Besides, this is a post better confined to the PM system.  Plus this could count as resurrecting an old thread.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on April 21, 2009, 06:58:44 PM
I thought experiments with quantum singularities are banned within the Federation

More accurately, Subspace Weapons are outlawed by the Khitomer Accords. However, this hasn't necessarily been followed. The USS Voyager used tricobolt devices which are classified as "subspace weapons", capable of obliterating starbases. Essentially, a weapon of mass destruction. The Son'a regularly uses subspace weaponry, which in a run-in with the USS Enterprise, caused a subspace rift. Only way to seal the rift, was to cause a massive antimatter explosion near/in the rift. In this specific case, a warpcore.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Cmdr. Madden on April 22, 2009, 12:42:40 AM
if anyone has any ideas for the underside of the saucer, please share.  I'm a little stumped.


why not just build a valiant class into the bottom of the saucer..... the eclipse class seems big enough to be able to fit one on the underside
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FourChan on April 22, 2009, 01:06:32 AM
On the back of the nacelles, the pipe like things. Those are going to glow right? I mean those have to glow.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on April 22, 2009, 07:30:02 AM
They are impulse engines after all.

Hoorah for resurrecting old threads... :?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on April 22, 2009, 08:00:39 AM
I'm no expert at this, but I really think the next post should go to DJ Curtis. I'm sure he'll update this when/if he has something new to add.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on April 22, 2009, 09:28:53 AM
couldnt have said it better myself :)

guys - it would be best to please let this thread rest until DJ has anything to add...

thx :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 09, 2009, 01:23:21 AM
just to confirm... there's no problem with using textures in BC that aren't of square dimensions, is there?

For example, where your standard texture might be 1024x1024

I'd like to use one for example that is 1024x512.

No problem with that, right?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on June 09, 2009, 01:31:51 AM
HOLY SHIZNO YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!

And I wouldn't know.  :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on June 09, 2009, 02:36:22 AM
I'd like to use one for example that is 1024x512.
None at all :) As long as the resolution is power of two it'll work.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on June 09, 2009, 03:57:31 AM
I'd like to use one for example that is 1024x512.
None at all :) As long as the resolution is power of two it'll work.

I think for tga everything works, but when you want to convert to dds (Excal?) width and height of the image need to be a power of two. But 1024*512 will work with both formats. Not sure how BC handles targas which have resolutions that are no powers of two, some of Redragons ships use them, but I'm not sure whether they have ever been put into BC.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 09, 2009, 10:25:42 AM
thanks guys.  I thought it was possible but wanted to confirm before I put a bunch of work into something.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Villain on June 09, 2009, 11:01:35 AM
I don't even wish a wasted texture on my worst of enemies. Good to see you're about still dude, and I'm looking forward to whenever the next update comes (As I'm sure a lot are! :lol:)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on June 09, 2009, 02:44:38 PM
Not sure how BC handles targas which have resolutions that are no powers of two

Not gonna draw them for example  :arms:

Read posts carefully mate :!:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on June 09, 2009, 04:40:55 PM
Not sure how BC handles targas which have resolutions that are no powers of two

Not gonna draw them for example  :arms:

Read posts carefully mate :!:

I wasn't entirely sure whether you referred to targa, the BC engine, dds (2^x makes sense here, because of mipmapping).
 Anyway, DJ's question has been answered and so we don't need to talk about this anymore.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 18, 2009, 09:10:14 PM
Sup?

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on June 18, 2009, 09:12:31 PM
That is freaking awesome!!

*cookie*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 18, 2009, 09:13:09 PM
more
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on June 18, 2009, 09:30:15 PM
Wow DJ, you came back with a vengeance!  Nice work on that ship!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on June 18, 2009, 09:51:21 PM
Refer to this thread (http://bc-central.net/forums/index.php/topic,5921.msg114059/boardseen.html#new) for the theme music. :P

Nice work there.  Incoming torpedo cookie for reviving this. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthorne on June 18, 2009, 11:26:53 PM
Its soooo pretty... *Gives a cookie*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 19, 2009, 01:07:02 AM
Fire ze cookies!  :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FourChan on June 19, 2009, 01:53:23 AM
Now that looks awesome, I can't wait to use it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on June 19, 2009, 03:57:24 AM
 :shock:

Awesome as always DJ.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: xxSWxxNinja on June 19, 2009, 06:27:23 AM
Thats a very tidy and clean looking mesh, kudos too you :D
However I must ask what is the poly count on that bad boy, I'd estimate it at around 14 - 16k?

Impressive work :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on June 19, 2009, 07:50:50 AM
Cookieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee... eee.. eee... ee... e... hhhhhhrrrrchhh.... out of breath.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 19, 2009, 12:28:58 PM
Okay, when will this beauty enter the service?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on June 19, 2009, 12:44:42 PM
The answer to all questions like that is:

It's done :whenitsdone
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 19, 2009, 12:56:32 PM
Okay, when will this beauty enter the service?

probably sometime in the next two months.  I'm a teacher and I don't really have time for modding during the school year.  If it's not done by the end of August, it will probably be a Christmas release.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on June 19, 2009, 02:12:02 PM
Big fan of Christmas Presents DJ ;).  But seriously take your time on this, this is lovely work so far!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 19, 2009, 03:38:10 PM
Indeed. We'll play nicely until she's ready. *crosses fingers*  :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on June 19, 2009, 06:50:35 PM
 :shock: frakking loving it!    (as with everything else you do lol ) :)  :dance
*moar cookeez*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on June 19, 2009, 08:58:10 PM
I TOLD you boys he was just busy with school stuff, didn't I!? :P haha, very nice work DJ, as always. This girl's got some aesthetic teeth going on, that's for sure. Great stuff.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on June 20, 2009, 02:22:28 AM
Okay, when will this beauty enter the service?

probably sometime in the next two months.  I'm a teacher and I don't really have time for modding during the school year.  If it's not done by the end of August, it will probably be a Christmas release.

A nice ship, love how it looks separated. May I ask what subjects you teach (I'm just curious)?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on June 20, 2009, 09:43:24 AM
Whoa! Unexpected, but definitely far more than worth the wait. Beautiful ship you have there, DJ!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on June 20, 2009, 03:48:12 PM
The more I look at this, the more this thing grows on me.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on June 20, 2009, 03:55:28 PM
That is because it is your galactic form. You call yourself eclipse, this ship is Eclipse class! :P

She certainly is a darlin' DJ. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 20, 2009, 04:03:31 PM
Glad you guys like the way its shaping up. 

gdata- for the record, I teach English and social studies.
Title: Re: The Next Enterprise
Post by: Starforce2 on June 20, 2009, 04:11:55 PM
hmm i like the ship.. I'm not the a fan of the galaxy class style nacelle pylons though

Will provide an extra place for a phaserbank though..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 21, 2009, 01:20:18 AM
for the record, this ship will get a hull color/pattern very similar to that on the Raptor.  You can see in the pic i'v already started a first layer of hull textures to the saucer.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: majormagna on June 21, 2009, 04:59:25 AM
 Wow! Just wow! I can't imagine what it'll look like when she's finished...

I'd forgotten she was to be the Enterprise G too... Are you going to make the namesake of the class too (Possibly with minor changes)? As you did with the Century?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on June 21, 2009, 05:05:11 AM
DJ, you never cease to amaze, mon ami :D
thank you :)
*moar cookeeeeez*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on June 21, 2009, 07:09:44 AM
 :( Enterprise G already? I'm still recoiling from the shock of the Ent F. Will there be a USS Eclipse reg texture as well?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 21, 2009, 11:22:40 AM
yeah i think I'll release more than just the Enterprise.

Also, change of plans, I'm going with a different hull paneling style.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on June 21, 2009, 03:06:10 PM
Ooh!  Pretty!  Love those nacelles!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on June 21, 2009, 03:09:32 PM
I'm interested to see what the rest of the saucer/triangle is like. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on June 21, 2009, 04:12:30 PM
Looking slick there DJ.  You have a real sense of Starfleet aesthetics, especially when it comes to the future of the Grey Lady, especially in the nice details from Enterprises past that you incorporate.  Have a cookie!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on June 21, 2009, 05:55:30 PM
i.came
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on June 21, 2009, 08:11:47 PM
Outstanding work DJ.

She's a beauty.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phaser on June 21, 2009, 10:33:34 PM
Oooo!  Purdy!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FourChan on June 22, 2009, 12:25:55 AM
Looking sweet Admiral Curtis. I was wondering, since this is the Enterprise-G. The HP is going to be able to rip apart the Enterprise E and etc in retrospect right? Cause newer the ship the better weapons and shielding. So are you going to custom create weapons to fit this like torpedoes etc? Or are you going to like use already created weapons and spruce them up some?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 22, 2009, 01:19:25 AM
I think that the HP will be a distinctive one.  The phasers will be a modest increase over the F, but perhaps with a slightly different color or texture, as well as sound.  You'll note that the arrays on this ship have ribbing that runs lengthwise instead of across.  So I think some kind of difference is warranted, as one is intended.  As for torpedoes, I'm not sure yet.  I do intend that the hull of this ship will be very sturdy.

Probably will do a custom shuttle for the ship as well.

I have started adding windows to the saucer.  That should give you guys some sense of the scale of this ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on June 22, 2009, 02:47:22 AM
Very nice! thats a definite cookie!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on June 22, 2009, 02:42:57 PM
Oh that's hot, man. I love the style of paneling you've decided to go with. She's one hot chick, bro.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on June 22, 2009, 11:24:10 PM
So awesome.  So... so awesome :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on June 22, 2009, 11:52:53 PM
*cough*mememememe*cough sings to the ship* There's only 1 thing, 2 do, 3 words 4 youuuu I love you!!!!

Sorry had to do it, but this is turning out great :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 23, 2009, 01:19:05 AM
A little more hull paneling and windows applied.  Bear in mind this is just the first round of hull textures and that the hull will ultimately be much more detailed.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on June 23, 2009, 01:32:09 AM
Lovin' it. And boy, this baby looks mean :D

I'm really looking forward to the finished product ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 23, 2009, 01:39:06 AM
hmmm... it seems that it could probably dish out 'ImmaFiringMahPhazorz'-type fury from 6 phaserbanks at the same time. I wish that the firing arcs will enable that  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: rengers on June 23, 2009, 04:53:19 PM
excellent stuff mate! I have to say this design really start to grow on me :D

just one little question, how big is that aeroshuttle thing? By the size of these windows
and the other proportions, that have to be a gigantic shuttle :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on June 23, 2009, 05:43:25 PM
B-E-A-utifullll

looks downright awesome!
cant wait to see it finished
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on June 23, 2009, 05:56:15 PM
Love it DJ.  That deflector just makes it awesome.  Period.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on June 23, 2009, 06:58:23 PM
You could make the hull panels smaller, she's a big ship after all ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 23, 2009, 10:06:18 PM
oh yeah i will.  this is just the first round.  they'll be much more detailed.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Meteorafallen on June 24, 2009, 03:20:16 AM
Will you include blank textures for this ship as well? even if we don't release any retextures at least for our own personal use ?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 24, 2009, 09:38:03 AM
the closer to launch it gets, the greater my desire for this ship is. DO WANT!  :D *bribes with cookie*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Starforce2 on June 24, 2009, 10:11:58 AM
:( Enterprise G already? I'm still recoiling from the shock of the Ent F. Will there be a USS Eclipse reg texture as well?

We've had a G since the beginning. Though it's now a very ugly, outdated bash using promethius parts which needs to be completely rebuilt and named something else lol.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on June 24, 2009, 01:52:58 PM
Oh I love that pattern you've put on the underbelly. :3 Very badass.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 25, 2009, 12:14:58 AM
you know, i hadn't forgotten about that old enterprise g.  wasn't that from some sort of contest?  man that was a long time ago.

new pics.  she's a big girl.  probably pushing a 900m I'm thinking by the window pattern.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: serverandenforcer on June 25, 2009, 01:12:25 AM
Geez DJ, your skills at this stuff is inspiring.  I really love your style with model desgins, and I really dig these textures that you're making.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 25, 2009, 01:35:14 AM
thanks server.

adding some newly minted lifeboats.  also should help with the perception of scale.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on June 25, 2009, 01:55:05 AM
thanks server.

adding some newly minted lifeboats.  also should help with the perception of scale.

Hey DJ, should I change my username to better suit the namesake? :P  LOL

I'm still loving it :), I don't know if I've given cookies or not, but yeah, I'm gonna shoot you a few your way!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 25, 2009, 03:42:58 AM
*launches a photonic cookie*  8) Those are some big phaser arrays.. from what I can see, they are about what, 1 deck high? and hundreds of meters long..  :dance I'm loving it!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on June 25, 2009, 09:17:33 AM
Y'know, nothing against the lifeboat positioning per se, but they will be a pain to get into under fire/stress/whatever, since they're intersecting several decks... :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on June 25, 2009, 09:28:04 AM
Looks like DJ is trying to take the 'biggest fed ship' award from Legacy (remember how big LCs Excalibur was?!?), lol.

I love this ship DJ.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 25, 2009, 10:18:48 AM
Wasn't the Excalibur between 800 and 1200 meters?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shino Tenshi on June 25, 2009, 10:21:31 AM
1024m to be precise. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on June 25, 2009, 10:42:08 AM
by 768? :lol:

Nice work DJ!  That yacht is huge!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 27, 2009, 12:57:26 AM
some more windows and hull paneling done.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on June 27, 2009, 01:50:36 AM
Awesome...do you have any specs for it, yet (size, etc.)?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Starforce2 on June 27, 2009, 02:13:44 AM
you know, i hadn't forgotten about that old enterprise g.  wasn't that from some sort of contest?  man that was a long time ago.

new pics.  she's a big girl.  probably pushing a 900m I'm thinking by the window pattern.

I don't know. It may have been. It wasn't the winner. I forget which actualy did. The one in question was done by joker and is similar in construction to 4 other ships, including the montana class, which was the first ship I ever released for bridge commander. All 5 of which I would like to see rebuilt, with some minor changes and textures similar to the way you and rengers do For this vessel and the theseus. If it ever happens, I plan on requesting assitance from you and rengers with regards to supplying the nacelles for each of the 5 vessels (so each has a different nacelle). But that's obviously a matter for another time.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: mayhemuk on June 27, 2009, 04:35:59 AM
DJ she is looking great, i wasn't the biggest fan of her when she was first revealed to us, but i should of known better, and in DJ i should trust.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 27, 2009, 12:12:08 PM
Glad you're warming up, mayhem.

Gtada, no specific specs yet, but i'm a tech nerd too when it comes to ships.  Rest assured that there will be specifics.

Started texturing the nacelles.  The mapping is pretty tedious on these babies.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on June 27, 2009, 12:15:25 PM
awesome!!

hmm ya know I just noticed those nacelles kinda look like whale sharks....
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Starforce2 on June 27, 2009, 12:37:51 PM
The only thing that looks bad there is that phaserbank being at an odd angle with the fed stripe right above it. Maybe the phaserbank should be paralell? It just seems to clash the way it is now.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Brightland on June 27, 2009, 01:27:36 PM
GREAAAAT!!! i cant wait till this beauty is released xD
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 27, 2009, 01:45:14 PM
good point starforce.  this makes it better i think.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on June 27, 2009, 01:47:14 PM
Wow, that gives it an almost 80's flare to it. :P

Looks good all round. Going on the size of the windows, she look huge. As in really huge. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on June 27, 2009, 05:23:12 PM
well, let's hope that this fat lady sings as hard as it seems..  :P :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on June 27, 2009, 05:30:08 PM
 :shock: loving it!!!   :D   :dance
*moar cookeeeez*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthorne on June 27, 2009, 07:01:41 PM
This is a truely awsome ship

*gives a cookie*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on June 27, 2009, 08:02:13 PM
heh coool

that reg now has an almost TOS feel to it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phaser on June 27, 2009, 09:44:32 PM
awesome!!

hmm ya know I just noticed those nacelles kinda look like whale sharks....
You look like a whale shark!...Sorry, knee-jerk reaction.  :P

Anyway, this is looking better and better.  I like your solution to the phaser/registry alignment issue.  I agree with Nebula, it does give it a slight TOS feel.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 28, 2009, 12:04:10 AM
I'm thinking of changing the pennant color to a navy blue.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Starforce2 on June 28, 2009, 12:31:49 AM
good point starforce.  this makes it better i think.

Indeed. What is that hole in the rear of the pylon? A launcher?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 28, 2009, 12:44:53 AM
auxiliary impulse engines for separated flight.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: mckinneyc on June 28, 2009, 05:08:57 AM
But Starforce has hit on an interesting concept, torpedo launchers in nacelle plyons.

Also DJ I'm not sure if blue would look as good the red pendant, maybe a mix of the two?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shino Tenshi on June 28, 2009, 06:57:40 AM
I think a mix would be the worst option xD
Blue can look good. We'll see what DJ can come up with. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on June 28, 2009, 07:07:07 AM
We'll see what DJ can come up with. :D
indeed - DJ always makes it work beautifully :)
*moar cookeeez*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 28, 2009, 01:24:38 PM
Shuttle bays 1 and 2.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on June 28, 2009, 01:40:45 PM
Nice placement. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on June 28, 2009, 01:42:53 PM
That looks really good DJ!

Strange though, it feels like I'm looking at the much bigger brother of my Endor-class design in some ways.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on June 28, 2009, 08:09:21 PM
The Enterprise-G is so SWEET! Keep it coming with that one!

Ok, so 25th Century? I'd rather go for late 2390's. You don't want The Federation / U.F.P. getting too comfortable for its own good. As you mentioned, the tatters of Starfleet have clawed their way back from borderline political / literal extinction. I'd love to help with the fan fiction. trekwriter31@yahoo.ca
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on June 28, 2009, 08:23:19 PM
I think the Enterprise-F is closer to the 2390s, making the Enterprise-G likely early 2400s-2420s.

Speaking of which, makes me wonder what Cryptic Studios decision on what the Enterprise of Star Trek Online will look like, and which letter it will have, being set in 2409.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Tuskin38 on June 28, 2009, 11:04:27 PM
I think the Enterprise-F is closer to the 2390s, making the Enterprise-G likely early 2400s-2420s.

Speaking of which, makes me wonder what Cryptic Studios decision on what the Enterprise of Star Trek Online will look like, and which letter it will have, being set in 2409.

It is in the same time line as the Star Trek Countdown Comics and, the Ent-E was in the comics (Data as captain), so I'm guessing the Ent-E

Then again, the comic takes place in 2389, that is still 20 years.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 29, 2009, 12:21:20 AM
Ent F isn't until 2395, at which point E would be 24 years old.  Ent G is probably somewhere around 2425 or 2430 with development staring around 2410.  I'll get it all nailed down in a tidy backstory.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Starforce2 on June 29, 2009, 12:49:29 AM
Was a date given for the J we saw in Enterprise? Starfleet seems to be changing enterprise like it changes underware. I guess they really get beat to hell in their short lifespans.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CptBenSisko on June 29, 2009, 09:30:36 AM
The original 1701 was around for almost 40 years...the Ent-A was around for 13....very odd indeed....then the Ent-B was around for we don't even know how long cuz the Enterprise-C was destroyed in 2344...the Ent-D was around for only 8 years before she was destroyed...and then we had the Sovereign from 2373 till maybe 2393 or 2394 at which she's only 20 or so years old....yet we have mirandas and Excelsiors still serving after nearly 90-100 years.....Guess Starfleet wants their flagship to be new and pristine all the time eh??
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on June 29, 2009, 10:05:47 AM
The original 1701 was around for almost 40 years...the Ent-A was around for 13....very odd indeed....then the Ent-B was around for we don't even know how long cuz the Enterprise-C was destroyed in 2344...the Ent-D was around for only 8 years before she was destroyed...and then we had the Sovereign from 2373 till maybe 2393 or 2394 at which she's only 20 or so years old....yet we have mirandas and Excelsiors still serving after nearly 90-100 years.....Guess Starfleet wants their flagship to be new and pristine all the time eh??

id guess so, flagships usually are the top of the line in terms of technology.
look @ the rate of which technology advances in REAL life... now think of how quick it must advance with the influence of other species and minds in ST.
so i guess seeing a new flagship every 10 to 20 years dosent sound too insane.

as for older ships still serving.. i guess as the old saying goes: "if it aint broke, dont fix it"

at any rate, that ship is hot as hell DJ, ill be drooling on my keyboard untill it gets released and my pathetic excuse for a laptop tries to run it, the ent-F chugs my framerate but i STILL love it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 09, 2009, 11:35:17 PM
I imagine that the Enterprise F still exists.  I think that in this ship's back-story I'll write that the Century Class Enterprise F was decommissioned for a 3 year overhaul and refit and to be recommissioned with a new name.

Sorry not many updates recently.  I've been busy teaching summer school, and my course load is a little heavy.  Though I picked this baby up tonight and have done some work to it.

-textured thrusters
-mapped and began texturing bridge module area
-did some additional modeling to make the structure of the spine rear of the bridge a little more interesting.
-raised the impulse engine a little bit and sunk the vents further back.
-refined the raised paneling that sweeps back to the aft saucer and smoothed it out.
-added a small, fly-through shuttle bay for personnel shuttles near the aft bridge platform.  The area behind the bridge (with the big oval windows) holds two large convertible ballroom/conference halls and the shuttle bay allows quick access to these areas for dignitaries or officers who prefer to use their own personal transportation to the ship. (shuttle bay 0)

More updates coming tonight.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 09, 2009, 11:49:54 PM
Also, I did some deck counting and window size comparison, and the Eclipse Class is indeed a big ship.  Not just big, but really, really big.  Perhaps somewhat larger than I intended, but that being said it doesn't bother me.  She weighs in at having 59 decks, compared with the Galaxy class at 42.  Eclipse is also just over twice as long as Galaxy, so the final length will be in the 1300-1400m range, or roughly similar in length to a Romulan Warbird.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 09, 2009, 11:52:30 PM
So it's the Federation's response to the Romulan's big -n'- beefy warbirds. Cool. :]
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 09, 2009, 11:55:17 PM
not necessarily.  by the time this ship is commissioned, D'Deridex Warbirds have been in service for 60 odd years (presuming they were originally built in the 2360's)

but (and I've dropped hints before, and this is another) this ship will have a purpose for existing, and its size and armaments will be justified.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 10, 2009, 01:08:34 AM
Time for bed, but first some work done to the bridge.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 10, 2009, 01:09:30 AM
OHMYGOSH I hope you're hinting at what I think you're hinting at! :D :D :D <3 GREAT work there buddy!

[Wow looking at the bridge there really gives me the sense of "holy crap she's HUGE!" feel!]
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on July 10, 2009, 07:23:41 AM
A honking huge fed ship!  :shock: do want! Those Dominion Battleships will not bother us any longer! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA  :twisted: actually, with that the federation could make a claim on few.. hmm.. "disputed" areas on their borders.. :) :lol: if there will be a war refit version I will sooo rock that. *fires a volley of awesome-cookies*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 10, 2009, 08:31:43 AM
 (http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/confused/confused0053.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-sign-smileys.php)

holy crap!.... i think were gonna need a new spacedock for this big beauty....

and YES to the war refit!!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 10, 2009, 09:43:06 AM
probably not, actually, as it's only slightly wider than a Galaxy Class starship.  As to a war refit, probably not, as black paneling smothering a starship has never appealed to me.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Centurus on July 10, 2009, 11:24:21 AM
If a ship this size needs a war refit, I'd hate to see the ships that it has to fight.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: MarkyD on July 10, 2009, 11:34:56 AM
awsome stuff mate. textures look sharp  :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: 086gf on July 10, 2009, 02:45:26 PM
Holy frakking wow. She is just absolutely epic!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on July 10, 2009, 02:47:58 PM
I demand that ship in my 9th sig. NOW! :P Anything that is pretty and huge goes in my good books. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on July 10, 2009, 06:55:44 PM
(http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/confused/confused0053.gif) (http://www.mysmiley.net/free-sign-smileys.php)
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b54/jimmyb76/random/yeahthat.gif) :D  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 10, 2009, 07:02:15 PM
If a ship this size needs a war refit, I'd hate to see the ships that it has to fight.

Hm...maybe a fleet of Naradas?  :P j/k

Seriously, I did not expect that ship to be that big, but it is beyond awesomeness!!  I can't wait to see her flying in Bridge Commander.  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 10, 2009, 07:46:36 PM
If a ship this size needs a war refit, I'd hate to see the ships that it has to fight.

Hm...maybe a fleet of Naradas?  :P j/k

that sounds like a good shakedown cruise to me  :twisted:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on July 10, 2009, 08:25:11 PM
nice.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phaser on July 10, 2009, 09:49:58 PM
WOW.  That is one huge ship!

I'm absolutely loving the saucer design.  The overall shape is great, and the accented hull lines are very slick.  I'm not a fan of the warp nacelle or pylon design (in fact, I think they really spoil the look of the ship), but they're sized pretty nicely.  Personally, I'd make the nacelle pylons more in-line with the Sovereign design than the Galaxy design.  That way, they'd really compliment the slick, swept back lines of the saucer.  Maybe removing more of the hull between the pylons would do the trick.

I know it's a little late to be talking about the design, but now that I see how nice this ship is going to be (especially with the saucer design), I thought I'd pay this ship a little extra attention. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: GotAFarmYet? on July 10, 2009, 10:03:13 PM
some more windows and hull paneling done.

Looks like she is coming along nicily hopefully she will not be to high in polys to make it into SFC.

After looking at her I do have to say glad I don't have the job of cleaning the windows on her
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 10, 2009, 10:26:21 PM
glad you like the saucer phaser, but yeah, the main mesh is way past alterations.  The pylons are built to demonstrate a sort of unibody construction with the secondary hull, instead of being attached on.  Also, in the back story of the ship, I'll talk about how as the ship reaches high velocities, the engines tried to run away from the ship in early testing, leading to the beefy pylons. (Ala Voy: Threshold).
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Tuskin38 on July 10, 2009, 10:35:43 PM
The ship is Beautiful DJ!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Kaempfer on July 10, 2009, 10:41:48 PM
No wonder it's called the Eclipse class! It looks big enough to cause one! Great design, kinda looks like a cross between the Sovereign and Galaxy classes, IMO.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 10, 2009, 10:59:53 PM
I'm really pleased about the positive feedback.  I'm hoping that once this ship hits the community it will strike a chord like the Enterprise F.

Some panel lines on the saucer.  I'm such a slow texturer because i basically check every detail I add to see if I like it.  I'm sort of a nazi that way.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on July 11, 2009, 12:00:31 AM
 :(  I'm sorry, but this never will be the Ent G in my book.  Enterprise has to have a circular/elliptical saucer or I don't like it.
Although it's still pretty.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 11, 2009, 12:03:37 AM
It's a better Ent-G than the Soulwolf...or was the Soulwolf an F?  Either way, textures are looking good though the name below the reg number still freaks me out. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 11, 2009, 12:16:59 AM
I don't think I can ever look at it seriously though with the smiley face on the bow with the phaser array and all. :P Hehe. Looks good dude.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 11, 2009, 01:02:26 AM
Dang it Aeries, I would've NEVER noticed that if you hadn't said anything. >_<
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 01:11:24 AM
me neither, and now I have to change it. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 11, 2009, 01:12:43 AM
me neither, and now I have to change it. :)

LOL! xD "Die Borg! We'll SMILE you to death until you're dead! Buahahahaha!"

Okay I'm done spamming. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 01:14:02 AM
well, i wasn't really crazy about the location of those transporter emitters anyhow.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 01:46:01 AM
Adjusted.  made them smaller and put them in front of the forward array.
Also, didn't mention before, the lateral sensors are textured, as well as some hatches and small cargo doors on the saucer rim.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on July 11, 2009, 04:21:05 AM
 :shock: pretty.... hm, sadly, the hull doesn't look like it would offer too many ideal placements for pulse phasers like the Excalibur has.. But, in a scrap, I think this ship will do just fine even without those.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on July 11, 2009, 08:11:13 AM
I really love this design. Good work!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on July 11, 2009, 08:14:26 AM
She keeps getting better and better DJ. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on July 11, 2009, 11:02:26 AM
She's a big beautiful girl DJ. The level of detail is awesome! Great job  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 11, 2009, 11:59:07 AM
That's a better place for those transporter arrays.  And comparatively, those are some darn small hatches. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 12:05:04 PM
I'm trying to scale down a lot of the details in order to emphasize the ship's mass.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 12:30:05 PM
More hull lines done this morning.  The top of the saucer is almost fully mapped, though far from being fully textured.  The only part of the ship that hasn't been mapped is the cobra head. 

Couple of overall shots too.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Jb06 on July 11, 2009, 01:56:52 PM
Loving the detail you'r putting into this DJ :D

awesome work!

~Jb06
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 11, 2009, 03:08:56 PM
I'm definitely getting a sense of how big this ship is.  I wonder though, how big is she compared to the Century?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on July 11, 2009, 03:20:09 PM
I'm definitely getting a sense of how big this ship is.  I wonder though, how big is she compared to the Century?

Probably only slightly bigger.

How big is she compared to a ZPM-enhanced Wraith Hive ship though? Thats the real question!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on July 11, 2009, 03:56:44 PM
Damn. How many decks, that's the real question. I'd say somewhere around 30-40, but I'm not sure...

Loving her, DJ. Oh, and now it's an upside-down frowny :/

I'd reposition them aft of the forward torpedo tubes and see how it'll look, TBH...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on July 11, 2009, 04:29:39 PM
I must admit that I did not like the design when you came up with the model, but these textures fit perfectly; they make the whole thing better proportioned. I suppose a ship of this size is allowed to look a little bit clumsy.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vanguard on July 11, 2009, 06:16:40 PM
Can you release a smiley face variant?  :P

Looking good though here DJ!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on July 11, 2009, 06:24:50 PM
 :D that would be sweet! "Why so serious.. I'MMA FIRING MAH PHAZORZ!!!"
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Ryles on July 11, 2009, 07:05:15 PM
Damn. How many decks, that's the real question. I'd say somewhere around 30-40, but I'm not sure...

Also, I did some deck counting and window size comparison, and the Eclipse Class is indeed a big ship.  Not just big, but really, really big.  Perhaps somewhat larger than I intended, but that being said it doesn't bother me.  She weighs in at having 59 decks, compared with the Galaxy class at 42.  Eclipse is also just over twice as long as Galaxy, so the final length will be in the 1300-1400m range, or roughly similar in length to a Romulan Warbird.

Epic.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 07:27:28 PM
I'll probably round the deck count out to 56 to allow some height for crawlspaces etc.  Plus 56 was my number when I played football. :)

As to the transporter emitters, I'm not sure where I want them yet, really.

I've done more hull paneling and windows to the dorsal saucer.  Also did a grid and some larger viewing deck windows on the ventral saucer.  You may also notice a dual tube torpedo launcher added to the underside of what I am now OFFICIALLY NAMING the ASV (Auxillary Support Vehicle).  The name of the ASV is the Thunderbird.  Named after my first car. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 11, 2009, 07:31:41 PM
Thunderbird eh?
good name, but to be a smartass (since its an eclipse class) ida voted for lancer. lol  :lol:
she looks beautiful DJ, cant wait to pit this up against ur century

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 07:42:29 PM
don't worry.  you'll have something to pit her against.

and as for the name lancer, it's taken.  That will be the name of the scout/fighter in Excalibur.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 11, 2009, 09:11:30 PM
Hmmm....that "aeroshuttle" is about the size of the Defiant.  :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 10:07:53 PM
probably somewhat smaller in length and height, but definitely a lot bigger than an aeroshuttle or runabout.  hence why I'm calling it an ASV. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on July 11, 2009, 11:42:39 PM
One thing that looks a bit "iffy" to me, is the torpedo tubes that are placed above the dorsal registry, and below the deflector dish. For some odd reason, they look "out of place" on an otherwise pretty smooth hull. One thing I liked about the NX-01, was that it's torpedo tubes were indented into the hull, and not tacked onto it as an afterthought.

Don't get me wrong, the rest of the ship looks gorgeous. Very streamlined and all. But to continue on the style of being streamlined, I think torpedo tubes should be a bit more hidden into the hull.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 11, 2009, 11:51:53 PM
I think you'll find that once they've got textures they'll stand out a lot less.

Changed up the textures on the top of the secondary hull and did lines, paneling, and windows.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 12, 2009, 01:58:07 AM
Yet again, very nice.  The Eclipse class is coming together nicely!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: szekeres2008 on July 12, 2009, 03:23:02 AM
 WOW I LOVE all of your ships, I hope you will port them to Excalibur when released :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 12, 2009, 03:32:42 AM
Nice!

Holy CR@P she's a big girl...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 12, 2009, 04:04:11 AM
Thanks guys.

All large surfaces are now mapped, including the hidden cobra head.  Basically just edges and some areas around the main bridge that haven't been yet.  Also did some texture work to the bottom of cobra head.  I also remapped the cowling on the engines as well as the bussard collectors.  Also, all the hidden cobra head textures are on their own map, so when you're in unified flight the compute won't need to use that texture as those surfaces won't be a part of the loaded model.

Anyhow, time for bed. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on July 12, 2009, 05:06:32 AM
 :shock: MVAM? Oooh boy, anyone who pisses off this ships captain is in for a rough ride.. :twisted: :whenitsdone
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: majormagna on July 12, 2009, 06:49:49 AM
 I have a question, it may have been asked and answered already, if so; can a Moderator delete this post please?

I've only just noticed the torpedo tubes on the Thunderbird, when the ASV is docked into the ship, will these tubes deactivate, or become part of the mothership?
I'm not particularly sure which version I'd prefer; but good work none the less, I hope to play this in a fleet against some Borg!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: mckinneyc on July 12, 2009, 06:58:01 AM
The saucer section has a twin launcher on the dorsal hull too so even with the ASV undocked and seperated from the stardrive section she still has torpedo launchers.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: majormagna on July 12, 2009, 07:05:18 AM
 I know that, I'm just wondering if the Thunderbirds launchers will be active when she's docked into the main ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on July 12, 2009, 07:10:59 AM
A man of your expertise would have been needed for star trek enterprise....... bad designs all over the show.

thats my idea of saying great work xD
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: GMunoz on July 12, 2009, 08:01:45 AM
Beautiful ship DJ.  Great job on scaling the features as you get a sense of her mass without another ship as comparison.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on July 12, 2009, 11:01:57 AM
oh my.. I think I like this one more than Excalibur already. it doesn't look so friendly and round as Excalibur-class  :lol:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: King Class Scout on July 12, 2009, 11:04:46 AM
why do I have a feeling that the original design contractor (in universe) might have been GM?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 12, 2009, 11:16:21 AM
King Class Scout--> Funny you should say that. :)  If you look at the very first post in this thread, you'll see that my design inspirations come from the F-22 Raptor fighter jet and... the Pontiac G8 sports sedan.  Pontiac being of course a GM brand.  (for a little while longer anyway. :( )

Lionus--> I've tried to give the ship some clearly defined lines.

Gmunoz--> Thanks.

JTK--> One day I'd love to get a ship on the Ship's of the Line calendar.  That'd be awesome.

Majormagna--> I've thought about that torpedo tube myself.  Originally I thought that perhaps a script could be written to only activate it when the player wanted to use it, so as not to waste the torpedo stock on board the Thunderbird.  However, i've revised that, and it will be fully operational in all combat situations.  The explanation is that there are torpedoes stored immediately above the ASV, and as they are fired off, they are automatically reloaded into the ASV's magazine.  Obviously during separated flight, the transfer conduit would be sealed off and shielded.

As for the torpedoes themselves, the Enterprise will not use either Photons or Quantums.  I intend to have a new torpedo developed.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 12, 2009, 12:20:06 PM
When this ship seperates into all three, whatever the ship is fighting would probably lose bladder control.  The saucer and secondary hulls are each the size of a Galaxy and the Thunderbird is a small starship by itself!  :shock:  And a whole new torpedo type too?  You're spoiling us DJ. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shino Tenshi on July 12, 2009, 12:40:41 PM
2 Eclipse classes = 1 Fed-Fleet
lol :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vanguard on July 12, 2009, 02:56:37 PM
It's like the Trek Version of an Aircraft carrier... That splits up...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on July 12, 2009, 04:35:21 PM
It's like the Trek Version of an Aircraft carrier... That splits up...

lol, compared to this ship, an aircraft carrier is tiny.

I suspect that damage effects will disabled for this ship? Because, if they arn't, a processor would never survive if this ship were to explode.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on July 12, 2009, 04:37:54 PM
I wouldn't have thought that would be too much of an issue. Just another big ship exploding like the Excalibur.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 12, 2009, 05:04:40 PM
won't be an issue.  it will damage perfectly in game and without lag.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Jb06 on July 12, 2009, 05:48:46 PM
won't be an issue.  it will damage perfectly in game and without lag.

Indeedy, if i can get a 20k poly borg cube to damage and blow without lag, this will be fine :P

~Jb06
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 12, 2009, 06:36:01 PM
I intend to have a new torpedo developed.

Make it rainbow. :] "FIRE THE FABUPEDOS!!!!"
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 12, 2009, 06:37:21 PM
hell im just worried about this ship in GENERAL lagging the hell out of my laptop.
f*ckin integrated crap.

looks friggin amazing dj, im gonna (finish) loosing my mind the day i take this baby out for a spin  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 12, 2009, 06:38:56 PM
Fabulpedoes.  lol.  As for performance issues... I'm not entirely sure yet.  I'll let you guys know when I get it in game.  Though i'll have to find my CD.  hmm.

More aztecing done to the ventral saucer.  added some decals to the engines.  Some smaller bits mapped out here and there.

Also, this may be of some interest to you...

WHY THE ECLIPSE IS SO BIG (will be included as back-story with the download)(wip)

Reasons for the size of the Eclipse.
1.   Extremely high warp speeds call for an incredibly large and powerful deflector.  After many years of R&D, a ?dual convergence projection? deflector of sufficient power was developed in a small enough package to allow for the ship?s high warp speeds.  The resulting deflector and interior hardware is still very large, necessitating a massive forward secondary hull to accommodate the device.
2.   While the ship?s power generation is highly efficient, running upwards of 95%, as the ship exceeds warp speeds of warp 9.999, rapid geometric fuel consumption increases due to the ship pressing the boundaries of the 9th warp factor?s peak transitional threshold.  Since the ship is able to cruise (use warp until fuel exhaustion) at a high warp speed of 9.997, the deuterium and anti-matter storage tanks aboard the ship are extremely large to give the ship extended range at these high speeds.
3.   The design requirement of such high warp and cruise velocities led to the development and implementation of subspace compression technology integrated into the nacelles of the Eclipse Class starship.  While at warp, large compression scoops mounted on the forward dorsal section of each nacelle actually draw in the inner layers of subspace distortion and compress them.  Using high energy waveguides, the compressed subspace stress is released into pre-emission chambers within the warp field emitters which force the ship?s warp field out to greater distances around the ship, allowing for very high speeds to be reached.  Subspace can be pre-compressed for rapid warp acceleration, with max safe models allowing the ship to reach warp 9.2 in less than two seconds.  The size of the technology required to make the compressors viable, as well as the requirement that they be integrated with the nacelles necessitated the construction of very large engines.

More to come later.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 12, 2009, 06:41:09 PM
SOMEBODY BUY THIS MAN A BEER!!!
(shoulda waited on that last post...)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on July 12, 2009, 07:14:52 PM
Fabulpedoes.  lol.  As for performance issues... I'm not entirely sure yet.  I'll let you guys know when I get it in game.  Though i'll have to find my CD.  hmm.

More aztecing done to the ventral saucer.  added some decals to the engines.  Some smaller bits mapped out here and there.

Also, this may be of some interest to you...

WHY THE ECLIPSE IS SO BIG (will be included as back-story with the download)(wip)

Reasons for the size of the Eclipse.
1.   Extremely high warp speeds call for an incredibly large and powerful deflector.  After many years of R&D, a ?dual convergence projection? deflector of sufficient power was developed in a small enough package to allow for the ship?s high warp speeds.  The resulting deflector and interior hardware is still very large, necessitating a massive forward secondary hull to accommodate the device.
2.   While the ship?s power generation is highly efficient, running upwards of 95%, as the ship exceeds warp speeds of warp 9.999, rapid geometric fuel consumption increases due to the ship pressing the boundaries of the 9th warp factor?s peak transitional threshold.  Since the ship is able to cruise (use warp until fuel exhaustion) at a high warp speed of 9.997, the deuterium and anti-matter storage tanks aboard the ship are extremely large to give the ship extended range at these high speeds.
3.   The design requirement of such high warp and cruise velocities led to the development and implementation of subspace compression technology integrated into the nacelles of the Eclipse Class starship.  While at warp, large compression scoops mounted on the forward dorsal section of each nacelle actually draw in the inner layers of subspace distortion and compress them.  Using high energy waveguides, the compressed subspace stress is released into pre-emission chambers within the warp field emitters which force the ship?s warp field out to greater distances around the ship, allowing for very high speeds to be reached.  Subspace can be pre-compressed for rapid warp acceleration, with max safe models allowing the ship to reach warp 9.2 in less than two seconds.  The size of the technology required to make the compressors viable, as well as the requirement that they be integrated with the nacelles necessitated the construction of very large engines.

More to come later.

Will that be the desciption in the plugin script? I'm asking because I can't come up with a good enough fan-made description for the plugin.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on July 12, 2009, 07:26:58 PM
SOMEBODY BUY THIS MAN A BEER!!!
(shoulda waited on that last post...)

Hell get the man drunk!  Buy him as many beers as he wants!

Good work on this DJ!  Again, this is still growing on me :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on July 12, 2009, 08:29:25 PM
Man everything you speak in Trek-language sounds so f***ing reasonable.... I like that!!!  :)

Good update. Man I cant give you enough cookies for that ship. Its so absolutely my taste <3
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phaser on July 12, 2009, 09:13:53 PM
Wow.  Think you put enough thought into that description?  :shock:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 12, 2009, 10:00:29 PM
Man everything you speak in Trek-language sounds so f***ing reasonable.... I like that!!!  :)

I'm a big fan of the ST:TNG Technical Manual by Mike Okuda and Rick Sternbach.  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: admiral horton on July 12, 2009, 11:37:05 PM
SOMEBODY BUY THIS MAN A BEER!!!
(shoulda waited on that last post...)



 :funny  that was very funny and i second that someone get this man a beer
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on July 13, 2009, 12:12:06 AM
well DJ u have done it yet again lol i wonder though how big is it compared to the excalibur could be classified as a new command and control ship
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 13, 2009, 12:46:46 AM
Gorgeous details, both in the scientific explanation and on the ship itself.  Really getting a "Don't you mess with me or I'll squish you" feel from the size of this ship.

9th, considering that the secondary hull alone is about the length of the Enterprise-D, I think it might beat out the Excalibur.  Not sure on that, but I think so anyways. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 13, 2009, 01:00:01 AM
The ship will be around 1300m.  Not sure how that compares to the Excalibur.

Added more details to the saucer and decided to scrap what I had on the bottom of the secondary hull.  The "spine" just wasn't working for me and I've gone with something more straight forward and in keeping with the rest of the ship.  Though I'll probably fancy it up a touch.

That's it for tonight.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: serverandenforcer on July 13, 2009, 01:20:12 AM
Actually, I thought the "spine" worked out quite well.  It gave the appearance of protective armor covering a critical area of the ship, such as the lower housing for the anti-matter pods for the warp core and maybe deuturium storage.  Overall, it gave the ship a sort of a top of the line/badass look.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 13, 2009, 04:09:48 AM
I'm a big fan of the ST:TNG Technical Manual by Mike Okuda and Rick Sternbach.  ;)

Come to think of it, I think I have that lying around here somewhere...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 13, 2009, 09:08:15 PM
Update on the dorsal saucer and ventral drive section.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on July 13, 2009, 09:36:23 PM
The name below the registery number still doesnt sit well.

Otherwise, this ship gets sexier with each update.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 13, 2009, 09:47:29 PM
I thought you just didn't like the ship being named Enterprise.  lol.  Then I saw what you were talking about.  Fixed!  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 14, 2009, 12:38:21 AM
slow day on the forums today.  oh well, some updates all over the ship.

-building a new light green hull panel layer in areas already finished, though some areas still need the first grey layer.
-added some grid to the nacelle pylons
-mapped and textured the torpedo launchers with black ribbing.
-removed the red striping from below the nacelle grills.  it was too much.
-reduced the size of the pennants on the pylons.
-altered the overall color scheme to be just a few shades lighter.
-started texturing shuttle bays 3 and 4 on the undercut of the secondary hull.
-did some detailing in the deflector area.

I think tomorrow my goal will be to texture the Thunderbird, as I'm a little sick of hull paneling right now.  Might actually take a break from this ship for a while and focus on some tasks around the house.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 14, 2009, 01:12:34 AM
I thought you just didn't like the ship being named Enterprise.  lol.  Then I saw what you were talking about.  Fixed!  :D

lol, he said it, Aeries said it, I've said it :P  That does look better.  Great work on the panelling, and I'm sure the Thunderbird will look great too.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Kaempfer on July 14, 2009, 01:27:33 AM
The torpedo tubes do look a lot better now that they've been textured. I was a little worried about them.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on July 14, 2009, 10:25:07 AM
Great texture, perfectly suites the ship. What software are you using to texture your models, DJ. Photoshop, Illustrator?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 14, 2009, 11:13:16 AM
I make the textures with Max.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Kirk on July 14, 2009, 11:27:20 AM
DJ, if you don't mind. Could you make a basic tutorial of how you make the textures in Max? That way sounds more appealing to me than photoshop. (Of course, I don't want to sound like I'm insisting, just an idea.)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: gdata on July 14, 2009, 11:51:30 AM
DJ, if you don't mind. Could you make a basic tutorial of how you make the textures in Max? That way sounds more appealing to me than photoshop. (Of course, I don't want to sound like I'm insisting, just an idea.)

yes, that would be a good idea. I'm not very good in drawing vector stuff in Photoshop (I know that's why there is Illustrator), but doing texturing and modelling in max would be great.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 14, 2009, 12:15:48 PM
DJ, if you don't mind. Could you make a basic tutorial of how you make the textures in Max? That way sounds more appealing to me than photoshop. (Of course, I don't want to sound like I'm insisting, just an idea.)

yes, that would be a good idea. I'm not very good in drawing vector stuff in Photoshop (I know that's why there is Illustrator), but doing texturing and modelling in max would be great.

i concur, my photoshop skills are pretty good, but i would like to take a crack at doing them in max. perhaps my next line of textures wont turn out soo crappy (if i decide to do texturing again)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on July 14, 2009, 12:41:20 PM
Awesome stuff DJ!! :D

but stop making smiley faces. :P

The aft section is clearly not amused!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 14, 2009, 01:05:21 PM
I'd be up for making a tutorial some time.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on July 14, 2009, 02:02:58 PM
I'd be up for making a tutorial some time.

when that happens we all owe you drinks!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: admiral horton on July 14, 2009, 04:40:09 PM
DJ when you are done i hope you'll post an orthographic view to get a good 360 degree
look at this beauty
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 14, 2009, 04:41:30 PM
I'd be up for making a tutorial some time.

PLEASE DO!!! I'm really deeply truely hating photoshop for textures with a burning insatiable passion of DOOM!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on July 14, 2009, 04:57:56 PM
Suggestion about the dorsal saucer tubes. Would it be possible to move them abit further up (just below the bridge deck), and slightly more inside the hull? More like the aft ventral tubes in one of your other pics.

Other than that, everythings shaping up really nicely. All the ventral tubes look nice now that they've been textured. But the dorsal tubes still looks a little out of place.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 14, 2009, 04:59:29 PM
Darkthunder's got a good idea there actually... i, too, think they'd look much better there. Could open up that area for other cool details or greebles if you wanted to.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 14, 2009, 06:05:04 PM
He's already said that he's not going to do any further model alterations...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on July 14, 2009, 06:47:30 PM
He's already said that he's not going to do any further model alterations...

Quote from: DJ Curtis
The "spine" just wasn't working for me and I've gone with something more straight forward and in keeping with the rest of the ship.  Though I'll probably fancy it up a touch.

This suggests otherwise. But as I said in my previous post, it was merely a suggestion. Both the pairs of ventral tubes look suitably "hidden" into the design, but the dorsal tubes stick out like a sore thumb in it's current position. In my opinion of course.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 15, 2009, 10:29:53 PM
mapped and started texturing the Thunderbird.  Shown here detached.  Has a large forward window ala the bridge of the Kelvin.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on July 15, 2009, 10:34:42 PM
awesomeness!  :D :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 15, 2009, 10:38:16 PM
Its' bridge must be bigger than that of her mother-ship, then. xD Looks hawt, man.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on July 15, 2009, 10:45:19 PM
yeah.  actually i think i'm gonna ditch the big window.  it looks cool but is just too big.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on July 15, 2009, 10:49:20 PM
I do agree that it's too big, but it does look cool.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Ryles on July 15, 2009, 11:48:55 PM
Could keep it, say its the forward observation lounge? Would make sense for the ship if it would still be used for things that the Captain's Yaught would be used for. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on July 16, 2009, 03:12:57 AM
Nice!

Something about the shape or the Thunderbird looks like a moth.

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: bankruptstudios on July 16, 2009, 05:06:04 AM
This ship is so, sweeeeeettt!!!!
How fare away is it from her release?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: szekeres2008 on July 16, 2009, 05:54:58 AM
 I only wish Paramount paied more attention to your works, they could learn much about cool ship desings fromy you DJ. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on July 16, 2009, 08:37:35 AM
You say Thunderbird, I think Longsword. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on July 16, 2009, 09:15:53 AM
How fare away is it from her release?
:whenitsdone
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 16, 2009, 01:55:29 PM
You say Thunderbird, I think Longsword. :P

That did occur to me this morning actually. We're thinking the Longsword from Halo, right? This does have a lot of similarities, for sure. :] And they're similarities that I like.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: MarkyD on July 16, 2009, 06:40:00 PM
Awsome stuff DJ mate, I agree with loosing the forward window, but a small one running vertically could look just as cool. nice job m8
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Jason_Blue on July 27, 2009, 07:41:20 PM
I can't wait to see this beauty in the game :)

I would be very happy, to have this ship in our Star Trek RPG Fleet^^ 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aeries on July 28, 2009, 12:41:13 PM
Not meaning to pluck at you DJ when you're not working on this atm but I do have a general inquiry with regards to the textures... I've just noticed that the front of the bridge looks like it has a window similar to the auxiliary craft... is that so? If it is, I'm almost inclined to start designing a bridge for this bad boy. :] Lord knows I could use more practice!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on September 28, 2009, 05:10:43 PM
Shes a real beauty DJ.

As to the thunderbird, I would keep to an overall Defiant like theme, with few windows. Gives it a tougher stance. That is what I intended when I drew the original concept for the sep...a large Defiant-ish type ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on October 16, 2009, 03:02:03 PM
indeed.. but just don't HP it to be as hyperactive as Defiant is. that things ability to turn on a dime annoys the living hell out of me. just give it some mass..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on November 11, 2009, 10:49:17 PM
Love this one. More "emergency separation" renders and "return fire!!!" shots. Does she have landing legs (VT/OL)?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 12, 2009, 07:58:07 AM
Love this one. More "emergency separation" renders and "return fire!!!" shots. Does she have landing legs (VT/OL)?

Landing struts.. on a ship that's ~1400m long? The ship itself probably wont, but Thunderbird might.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 12:24:44 AM
I have some fairly big news about this ship.  As of yesterday, I stopped producing the textures and have restarted them from scratch.  It's not due to any PC problems, but rather the following....

1. Due to the size of the ship, I was working with very large texture maps, and many of them.  Already the ship had enough maps to use up 8 times the texture memory of the Ent F.

2. Saucer map was not square.  It was giving an odd, stretched out jagged look to the textures on the saucer.

3. Hull panels were taking extremely long to do, were very tedious (each being drawn by hand separately), and I didn't feel were producing a very realistic look.

However, the new textures are already underway and looking much richer, more detailed, and are much faster and simpler to produce.

During the texturing of the Lawrence Holland, i found a quick and easy way to use splines to produce quick and realistic hull paneling.  I wanted to adapt that method to the Eclipse Class.  While this may seem to be a step back, I assure you all that it will in fact lead to a faster release.  Hopefully by Christmas.

I'll put up some pictures as soon as I'm confident no one will say, "the other one's were so much better!"  :D  Seeing as how at this point there's not much comparison.

Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 28, 2009, 02:32:17 AM
The other one's were better. :P j/k DJ, I'm sure the new textures will be fantastic. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 28, 2009, 04:23:35 AM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/kaeli/homer_woohoo.jpg)

I volunteer for beta testing.. better now than never  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 04:32:58 AM
She's a ways from beta yet.

Here's a look at the new textures.  Very early, but you can see that the hull paneling is obviously a lot more complex and has been faster to do, given that I've done all of this tonight.

The windows have also been scaled up, scaling down the overall size of the ship.  Probably expect it to weigh in around 1000-1050m long when finished.

The hull has gold, green, and teal tints over a nearly white base with an alternating light gray pattern.  This will mean a 5 tone specular hull which should look pretty stunning once its in the game.  Upper and lower saucer both on a single 2048 map.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on November 28, 2009, 04:34:24 AM
Very very cool mesh and textures :eek Its like Galaxy and Sovereign combined in one. DJCurtis, you are one of the best ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 28, 2009, 04:37:12 AM
oh, I do know that she's still far from being ready for beta, but I wanted to call dibs for one beta testers spot.  :D And the new textures look equally good if not better than the old ones. keep up the good work.  ;) (http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/images/smilies/ernaehrung004.gif)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 28, 2009, 08:03:10 AM
Looks absolutely fabby DJ. Looking forward to the hardpoint as well. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: hobbs on November 28, 2009, 08:11:42 AM
wow!!!
thats what a federation ship should look like... what do you use for texturing? and how do you get that colour scheme? love the blue/white look.

the ship has a cool shape too (and i prefer the old circle style)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on November 28, 2009, 08:59:10 AM
wow those textures look nice :D gives a galaxy feel, which I think fits perfect with this ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 28, 2009, 12:02:16 PM
Wow, that is beautiful.  I especially like the way you described the tints on the hull, that should make the speculars something pretty special. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 12:18:20 PM
Here's an update on the dorsal saucer.

Shadowknight--> I think the specs are gonna be pretty sweet, too.  We'll see.

Neb--> Yeah, I just felt that if you look at the style of hull paneling that has been most consistent, it's that aztec.  The base aztec for this ship has been modernized though.  I'll post a pic of it later.

Hobbs--> I do all my texturing in max.  I create flat scenes, render them, and then apply the maps as usual.

Dalek--> Thanks dude.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on November 28, 2009, 12:27:35 PM
She's getting very pretty. Will shame the sovereign class :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on November 28, 2009, 12:41:39 PM
I dont know if I have said it already DJ, but outstanding work. Your texture work makes me angry ;)

...and sob like a schoolgirl.

I wanted to post a shot of what I am suggesting for the sep ship...in case you were interested. Of course I defer to your actual talent, as opposed to my wannabe talent lol.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bones on November 28, 2009, 01:05:11 PM
I dont know if I have said it already DJ, but outstanding work. Your texture work makes me angry ;)

...and sob like a schoolgirl.

I wanted to post a shot of what I am suggesting for the sep ship...in case you were interested. Of course I defer to your actual talent, as opposed to my wannabe talent lol.

man you're too modest :) you're making the best Klingon warships ATM that's for sure, DJ instead is King of Feds and there's no doubt in it  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 05:49:29 PM
Work continues.  Suggestions are welcome.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 28, 2009, 05:51:11 PM
The only thing that comes to mind is perhaps blank registry's for people who want there own custom ship? I'd be absolutely in love if that was so. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 05:52:04 PM
That's easy enough to do.  I just have to hide the regs when I do a render.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Biggins on November 28, 2009, 05:52:49 PM
Its so beautiful  :eek I love how this is turning out.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 28, 2009, 05:54:34 PM
Wahoo, cookie. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 05:54:48 PM
Yeah, I'm way happier with this set so far.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 28, 2009, 06:12:00 PM
at this rate, this one will be ready for beta before christmas.  :D here, have a motivation cookie.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bones on November 28, 2009, 06:24:12 PM
She's absolutely gorgeus :) have a cookie
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 28, 2009, 06:51:57 PM
A cookie from me too, she's really shaping up again.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 07:13:17 PM
Thanks.  I suppose I should show that the ventral saucer is underway concurrently.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: mckinneyc on November 28, 2009, 07:16:34 PM
She is even better second time round Sir.

I see the class a the successor to the Galaxy class. When I look at the top of the saucer and see all those windows it reminds me of the 1701-D.

Keep up the excellent work but this just goes to show even the best are constantly learning.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 07:22:10 PM
True that man.  Every time a new ship comes along, new skills and ideas follow.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Biggins on November 28, 2009, 07:29:11 PM
A successor to the galaxy class indeed! But definently an improvement on it. I don't take the name enterprise lightly in trek but i think the eclipse is worthy of the title, god i sound like a fanboy lol
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 28, 2009, 08:00:14 PM
A successor to the galaxy class indeed! But definently an improvement on it. I don't take the name enterprise lightly in trek but i think the eclipse is worthy of the title

Agreed on both counts.  She has similarities to the Galaxy, but a far sleeker and, IMO, graceful design.  In fact, I personally believe this ship deserves the name Enterprise more than the Ent-D did.  Keep on learning DJ, your ships continue to set standards. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 28, 2009, 11:56:26 PM
Well, I still think Probert's ship is the best Starfleet ship ever designed, canon or not.  It's just perfect in every single way.  But thanks!

Some further work.  Reused thruster and bridge textures, with a color change to the bridge.  Check out the big forward observation windows below the bridge.  That's the ship's "ballroom".
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 29, 2009, 12:43:30 AM
That's pretty nifty there.  Good view for a ballroom.  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on November 29, 2009, 12:49:15 AM
This is loads better than the old texture set man. One thing I would personally change tho are those greenish-yellow panels. I'd make them a really pale shade of yellow.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 29, 2009, 02:45:24 AM
Hull colors are not set in stone yet.

Did the sensor strips, windows and lifeboats on the ventral saucer, as well as rim windows and thrusters.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Biggins on November 29, 2009, 03:06:40 AM
Good god man! You work fast!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 29, 2009, 04:02:16 AM
Well, if you consider I've been working on it all day...  maybe not so much.  lol

Check out the main impulse engine.  In the original design, this was the area I intended to be the impulse, but during the texturing process I turned it into a shuttle bay zone.  I reverted back to the original, and now have what I think is a pretty cool looking impulse engine.  Reminds me of the tail lights on my '87 T Bird.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 29, 2009, 05:53:16 AM
she's pretty..  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on November 29, 2009, 06:33:57 AM
Woow, it is looking very futuristic ;) and is very beutiful. I like those engines.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on November 29, 2009, 08:33:16 AM
Its a firey mustache!

Awesome work DJ.

Did you get the reply PM i sent you about the L. Holland by the way?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 29, 2009, 08:43:20 AM
Hull colors are not set in stone yet.

Did the sensor strips, windows and lifeboats on the ventral saucer, as well as rim windows and thrusters.

In that post, the first picture makes the Eclipse look absolutely beautiful.

And for the engine: I can almost imagine steam flying out of it. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 29, 2009, 09:32:40 AM
so, that ball room is Eclipse class interpretation of 10-forward? sweet  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on November 29, 2009, 09:34:20 AM
lookin good
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on November 29, 2009, 11:11:44 AM
How many people would this carry?

Seems like you could accomdate it for the entire population of London!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 29, 2009, 11:26:25 AM
I calculate that the Eclipse can carry up to 1705 people.

Galaxy = 642m
Eclipse = 1050m

1050/642
= 1.64 to 2 d.p (64% increase

Galaxy can carry 1040 people.

1040 x 1.64 = 1705.6 round down to 1705 (cos you cant have 3/5 of a person :P) = 1705 people.

Yay for maths lol.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 29, 2009, 11:34:41 AM
Dalek--> That's somewhat correct.  The E-D had a crew of 1012, but could accommodate up to 5000 people comfortably.  That's a pretty small crew even at 5000 though, when you consider that a modern American aircraft carrier has 5000 people on it, and while big, is considerably smaller than a Galaxy Class starship.  I think Gene kept the crew number artificially low so as to give the impression of a great deal of automation and very high technology.

Lionus--> Not exactly.  It's not a bar like Ten Forward.  It's more like a very large hall to accommodate things like conferences, or major meetings of the entire ship's crew, ie ST:TMP.  Those windows would be quite huge.  Imagine a podium in front of them, and a speaker's back turned to a great wall of stars rushing past.

Billz--> yes I did.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 29, 2009, 12:49:48 PM
The area that was the main impulse engine in the original texture job has been rebuilt, and is now the main shuttlebay.  Much more streamlined than before.  I used a chop of the main shuttlebay on my Galaxy Class mesh and adapted it.  Seems to fit quite well.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on November 29, 2009, 12:50:49 PM
She gets more beautiful by the minute. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 29, 2009, 01:25:16 PM
Slick.  I must say, I like that impulse deck, it reminds me somewhat of Kaden's Legacy-class.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 29, 2009, 10:35:09 PM
I have started textures on the drive section.  Most of the major components are mapped, as you can see.

Also, other good news on the performance aspects... I'm pretty sure I'll get all the textures onto just two 2048 maps, which for most, will mean some pretty excellent frame rates.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on November 30, 2009, 12:09:52 AM
Work continues.  Suggestions are welcome.

Outstanding work DJ.

The only suggestion I can give at this point is that the ridged parts of the saucer section look too... sharp along the edges.

What I'm referring to when I say the ridged parts are the long symmetrical sections of the saucer that run length wise. I think that the edges should be subtly rounded off for a more realistic look. 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 30, 2009, 12:31:35 AM
Not a bad suggestion, except that it would mean a whole lot of reworking of mesh, textures and mapping.  :D

Base hull textures are on a bunch of the drive section now.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 30, 2009, 01:23:03 AM
Eh.  Nobody's looking, but what the hell.  One last update before bed.  You can see I reused an idea in front the deflector dish.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Biggins on November 30, 2009, 01:30:41 AM
Looks great! Can't wait to see how the nacelles turn out.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on November 30, 2009, 02:22:06 AM
Im always looking DJ :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: dEjavU on November 30, 2009, 04:58:54 AM
....me too. Love those new impulse manifolds DJ(definte enginuety of a master).  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on November 30, 2009, 08:23:34 AM
Awesome  :eek!!!! This ship is getting best of the best   ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Villain on November 30, 2009, 09:14:33 AM
I'd hate to be in a shuttle caught in the engine wash on docking. :lol: The impulse area and the deflector really stand out. Pretty nice.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on November 30, 2009, 10:01:20 AM
guess whos getting nominated for next month hehehehehe
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on November 30, 2009, 10:18:50 AM
I would kill for aquiring your modeling skills  :evil
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on November 30, 2009, 10:43:24 AM
This ship will be the ultimate federation starship. Time to solve a couplke border disputes, once she's done. :evil
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on November 30, 2009, 08:22:07 PM
Very nice start on the secondary hull. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on November 30, 2009, 08:53:47 PM
Did some more work to the secondary hull.  You can see that the hull paneling looks way better than before and is coming 100 times faster.  Off to dodgeball!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 01, 2009, 12:15:36 AM
ha. this proves that you were just joking when you said that it would take until christmas to finish it.  :arms:
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 01, 2009, 01:47:23 AM
Update before bed.

-did the nacelle grills
-hull lines on belly
-windows
-main deflector

...and yes, moving faster than anticipated.  However, there's still a lot of texturing to go, plus mvam, HP's, icons, tactical display, conversion, specular maps, glows, etc.  Plenty of work to go.  It will be Christmas.  :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 01, 2009, 02:02:55 AM
no worries, I have strong faith in your superb abilities to get things done while overestimating the time that will be spent.  ;) :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: CyAn1d3 on December 01, 2009, 01:56:13 PM
smexxy beast none the less:) cant wait dj!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: hobbs on December 01, 2009, 02:07:21 PM
DJ: how on earth do you get such cool base texture? what do i use to create my own? i want to have ships that colour (blue/white)

awesome ship by the way  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 01, 2009, 02:09:51 PM
I dont think its necessary to tell you that its a great piece of work you did?  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 01, 2009, 03:35:39 PM
That ship just looks massive and yet graceful.

Nice.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 01, 2009, 05:11:37 PM
I killed my back last night at dodgeball. :(  Had to stay home from work today because I can barely walk and can't stand up straight.  Plus I left all my marking and planbook at work.  So, guess how i've been spending my time?

-reworked mesh and remapped the swept back part of the dorsal saucer.  
-further details to ventral drive section
-did a bunch of textures to the dorsal drive section and dorsal nacelle pylons.
-adjusted to the overall hull color to be a bit darker, and more gray/blue than white.
-textured some edges and other minutia.

by the way, if anyone has any ideas (represented graphically) for how I could do the nacelle grills, I'm glad to take them under consideration.  I'm not happy with them as they are and don't feel like I have any good ideas.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 01, 2009, 05:18:37 PM
I'm not particularly fond of the place where the pylons connect to the engineering hull. Looks like a flat football pitch with a lot of wasted space taken up by a fricking huge phaser array. Wouldn't it be better to have 2, similar to the Galaxy to take on more than one target?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 01, 2009, 05:22:52 PM
Three phaser beams will be fire-able from both the dorsal and ventral aft phaser arrays.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 01, 2009, 05:27:10 PM
The aft phaser array still looks like it's been deliberately made to fill up space...it looks too vulnerable and open and flat.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on December 01, 2009, 05:52:25 PM
DJ, the hue is perfect now IMO. Just when I thought it couldnt get better....

...I hate you ;)

Extreme kudos for the discolored panels, looks much more realistic and weathered, less sanitary. Fantastic.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: vgdude999 on December 01, 2009, 06:02:59 PM
Looks AWESOME. Can't wait to use that ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 01, 2009, 07:42:08 PM
Looking great DJ.

Have you tried the classic horizontal lines, or maybe a honeycomb grid?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Centurus on December 01, 2009, 08:27:52 PM
I had the same idea as Shadowknight had, a honeycomb grid pattern for the warp grilles.  Also, try an electrified liquid plasma effect for the warp nacelle.  Make it look as if liquid plasma is flowing and has visible electrical charges.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 01, 2009, 08:30:42 PM
Awsome work. You could try a hony comb grid work for the nacelle grills, due to the over size of the ship it's not a far strech that its glass plating would need extra renforcment.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 02, 2009, 01:33:16 AM
I'll experiment with the nacelle grills tomorrow.

Seems that sitting in my chair all day was productive for this ship.

On Adonis's suggestion I've built the interiors of the bussard collectors and will be applying transparent textures to the glass part.  Almost all parts of the ship now have some degree of textures on them... but overall I'd say about 65% of the actual texturing work is finished.  There is lots of detailing to come.  I also decreased the intensity of the yellow and green panels, so now they'll show up more on the specular side of things while taking away the greenish tinge the hull had before.

Enjoy the pics. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Cuchulainn on December 02, 2009, 01:57:15 AM
WOW! Words just can't express how beautiful that ship is. It looks like a behemoth but elegantly graceful. Everything just seems to flow. Not a huge fan of the deflector dish, but LOVE the ship to pieces. I'm just starting to model my first ship, and wish I had a quarter of your talent.

Cuchulainn
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 02, 2009, 08:12:40 AM
Whoa, nice bussard interiors, that's pretty cool DJ! :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 02, 2009, 12:38:43 PM
I still want to extend the top part of the engineering hull backwards...it doesn't seem right to me to have the top and bottom parts of the engineering hull in line with each other.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: hobbs on December 02, 2009, 01:55:25 PM
very cool ship... can i have one for christmas lol

question: what are the parts that are bellow the aft section of the nacelle, on the nacelle pylon?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 02, 2009, 02:41:30 PM
my first thought was that they'd be some huge honking thrusters for maneuvering..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 02, 2009, 02:46:47 PM
very cool ship... can i have one for christmas lol

question: what are the parts that are bellow the aft section of the nacelle, on the nacelle pylon?

Drive section impulse engines.  The primary impulse engine is located on the dorsal saucer.  The drive section engines will only be active during separated flight mode.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: 086gf on December 02, 2009, 03:12:26 PM
Incredible job DJ! Definitly a new favorite.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 02, 2009, 04:57:50 PM
I was having a conversation on MSN with Adonis last night for a good while.  For whatever reason, when I built the Century Class, I seemed to have captured some kind of magic and it really just caught on.  I think that the ship had a sort of aura or personality in a way that was very appealing.

It's been two years since then, and three since I first started building that ship, and with the Eclipse Class, I'm really trying to bottle up some of that magic again.  Like I was saying with Adonis last night, most ships are kind of a past-time or diversion for me, but for whatever reason this ship I feel is more artistic expression.  It sounds lame, but I feel pretty connected to this work.  Probably no less than a musician to their music or painter to their painting.

Anyhow, just trying to explain some of my motivation behind this project.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 02, 2009, 07:45:24 PM
I think the big thing with the Century class, and in my opinion this goes for the Eclipse as well, was that she wasn't just some ship that you slapped the name Enterprise on as some have done in the past.  She was built for that name, and she captured the best elements of her predecessors and improved on them, and that's something I see happening with the Eclipse.  The Century was the evolution of the Sovereign, only sleeker, more powerful, but also capturing the elegance of the other, earlier Enterprise designs.  The Eclipse is like that for the Galaxy.  This is the ship that would lead the future Federation into a new age of exploration and diplomacy, but like the other Enterprises, she won't play nice if you attack her.  This has been a wonderful project to watch develop DJ, and it'll almost be a shame when it's completed. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 03, 2009, 08:26:08 AM
I was having a conversation on MSN with Adonis last night for a good while.  For whatever reason, when I built the Century Class, I seemed to have captured some kind of magic and it really just caught on.  I think that the ship had a sort of aura or personality in a way that was very appealing.

It's been two years since then, and three since I first started building that ship, and with the Eclipse Class, I'm really trying to bottle up some of that magic again.  Like I was saying with Adonis last night, most ships are kind of a past-time or diversion for me, but for whatever reason this ship I feel is more artistic expression.  It sounds lame, but I feel pretty connected to this work.  Probably no less than a musician to their music or painter to their painting.

Anyhow, just trying to explain some of my motivation behind this project.

Yes. Who says games can't be a part of modern art? It's just as much art, as composing a piece of music to a part. It might be a little easier at first, but just like music, it needs a certain creativity and a feel for what you're doing.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: King Class Scout on December 03, 2009, 11:24:28 AM
I agree.  look at the evolution of even console games.  all the art used to be in the coding, now they make the graphcs better with that.  a lot of people put a lot of effort into all games.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 11:37:44 AM
Agreed.  I guess I'm thinking of this ship as my pi?ce de r?sistance.  Lol, perhaps I should retire after this.  j/k :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 03, 2009, 12:31:26 PM
perhaps I should retire after this.  j/k :P
dont you dare :arms:
or at least build a new New Orleans class first - we need a really good one of those :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 12:57:15 PM
Glad to know you'd trade my retirement for one obscure ship, Jimmy.  :funny
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 03, 2009, 01:17:17 PM
Dont feel bad, DJ, he'd trade mine in a heartbeat for a bridge. Any bridge. At least you got a specific ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 03, 2009, 01:25:12 PM
less talk and more bridges - dust off the cobwebs and get back to work, Yiper - chop chop  :P
*runs*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 01:36:51 PM
The man has no scruples.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 03, 2009, 02:14:08 PM
you sure that it's the man typing and not his cat?  :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 02:20:46 PM
never can be sure.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 03, 2009, 03:29:18 PM
Oh, see, there in lies the problem, Yimmy. New computer runs windows 7. Windows 7 no likey Max3. So no more bridgey thingies. Besides, I have to work on bigger and more important things. Like writing the Magazine article to go with this model so it can be published.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 03:35:44 PM
You could always do what I do, just have an old PC kicking around that has XP on it.  Max3 all day long baby.  That's how I convert all my ships.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 03, 2009, 03:37:18 PM
I could, if I could repair the old laptop. But since I cant seem to track down where the glitch is, I cant repair it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on December 03, 2009, 04:11:11 PM
Oh, see, there in lies the problem, Yimmy. New computer runs windows 7. Windows 7 no likey Max3. So no more bridgey thingies. Besides, I have to work on bigger and more important things. Like writing the Magazine article to go with this model so it can be published.

Certain versions of Windows 7 includes a feature called "Windows XP Mode", which is essentially a Virtual PC based Windows XP installation. If you have the right version of Windows 7 (Professional or above), and a fairly modern computer, you can run all your Windows XP based software "virtually".
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 04:24:18 PM
i've been chatting with Cord and he's running 7.  Says it's great.  If i could run max 3 on it in virtual mode, that'd be worth buying the pro version for I think.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: King Class Scout on December 03, 2009, 04:47:40 PM
that's what us newer guys are for, to keep the ball rolling on old bits. (figures, just when I find every frickin bridge in existance, complete with floorplans)

and I agree, "nawlans" needs to look less like a Little Person on the Verne Troyer end of the scale.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 06:27:38 PM
Update.  She's moving along, and I'm still open to texturing suggestions.  no mesh changes tho. :P

To many additions and changes to mention really, as I've been working on it all day.  So I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Oh, and forgive the accidental line drawn across the new nacelle grills.  just forgot to move something.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 03, 2009, 06:41:50 PM
Lara just brought me home Star Trek on DVD.  I will be not working on this ship for a while tonight.  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 03, 2009, 06:53:22 PM
I had to go through a ton of training for HP when Windows 7 was almost ready to come out. First, even if you have Windows 7 Ultimate [which I do, the XP mode only works if your computer has a special piece of hardware installed. Mine does not. And they dont tell you about it before hand. You only find it out when you install Virtual PC and XP Mode and then try it.

Second, Max 3 will not run in XP mode. It's been tried.,
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 04, 2009, 01:17:13 AM
hmm.. I wonder if there's any way to pay homage to the original constitutions design in some manner without mesh changes. I was thinking of that garden, or observation lounge..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 04, 2009, 03:27:41 AM
For the moment, the entire exterior of the model has textures applied, though there is plenty of detailing still to come.  The Thunderbird has been mapped, both top and bottom, and will have its own texture map.  The only major thing that has yet to see any textures is the separation areas of the saucer and drive section.  They are mapped, however.  i also have to mirror some hull textures around the main ship registries.  Did some extra polys in the forward engineering section as well to reduce some distortion of the textures.

Anyhow, coming along.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on December 04, 2009, 05:59:17 AM
Superb job, as usual. Cookie incoming :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bones on December 04, 2009, 06:17:55 AM
oh snap... I lost another jaw :funny

This IS work of art... cookies are not good enough here... we need a really HUGE CAKE here  :) or at least another Mod of the Month award for you :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Biggins on December 04, 2009, 06:20:16 AM
Shes a beauty DJ! great work
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on December 04, 2009, 09:15:47 AM
Damn that looks awesome!!

only 2 things...
1. as Lionus pointed out I still think this ship needs a garden/arboretum somewhere.
2. the hull imo needs to be a little darker.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 04, 2009, 10:56:34 AM
I'm still not convinced about the aft of her...:P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on December 04, 2009, 12:40:28 PM
The ship is just the best. I have nothing to say more about the ship. Just perfect. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 04, 2009, 01:18:12 PM
This ship makes me want to re-install BC...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 04, 2009, 02:04:52 PM
This ship makes me want to re-install BC...
do it!!  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: vgdude999 on December 04, 2009, 02:46:47 PM
I'm still not convinced about the aft of her...:P

I think it looks fine.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on December 04, 2009, 03:28:44 PM
Update.  She's moving along, and I'm still open to texturing suggestions.  no mesh changes tho. :P

Well, now that you mention it, would you be open to doing alternate textures for a Terran Empire version? Added as a seperate folder just incase people want a Terran Empire version aswell.

Seriously though DJ, shes a fine looking lass.

Scotty:
"She is one well-endowed lady. I like to get my hands on her ample nacelles if you'll pardon the engineering parlance.".
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 04, 2009, 06:14:14 PM
I darkened the hull a bit as requested, but i think I'm gonna skip the arboretum.  I can't find a spot that really seems to work for me.  There's no spot that a galaxy style would work, and a connie style wouldn't work because the drive section is so much wider.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 04, 2009, 06:53:51 PM
Nice.

DJ, since you've decided not to "round off" the edges of the saucer ridges I mentioned seemed too sharp in a previous post, would you consider maybe "masking" it a bit with some well-placed textures?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 04, 2009, 09:04:11 PM
i'm not sure what you're referring to?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 04, 2009, 10:08:02 PM
these...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 04, 2009, 10:09:21 PM
Sorry for the double pics.

Must have obviously mistakenly attached twice.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on December 04, 2009, 10:11:27 PM
For the moment, the entire exterior of the model has textures applied, though there is plenty of detailing still to come.

This pretty much tells me that DJ Curtis intends to do a lot more texturing to the ship then it has currently. I wouldn't worry too much about it :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on December 04, 2009, 11:30:47 PM
For the moment, the entire exterior of the model has textures applied, though there is plenty of detailing still to come.

This pretty much tells me that DJ Curtis intends to do a lot more texturing to the ship then it has currently. I wouldn't worry too much about it :P

To expound upon that, will there be more "greebles" and such on the nacelle pylons?  They seem kind of flat in an artistic sense compared with the rest of the ship.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 12:04:34 AM
lots more.  though, moed, i kind of like the sharpness of those lines.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phantom0981 on December 05, 2009, 04:11:45 AM
This ship is awesome. It just keeps getting better. I'm extremely impressed with your talent at creating such awesome ships. The only thing I notice is on the windows between the nacelles on the top of the ship. These windows are running in a straight line and I wasn't sure if it would look better if they went with the curve the hull (see image).
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 05, 2009, 07:45:14 AM
This ship is awesome. It just keeps getting better. I'm extremely impressed with your talent at creating such awesome ships. The only thing I notice is on the windows between the nacelles on the top of the ship. These windows are running in a straight line and I wasn't sure if it would look better if they went with the curve the hull (see image).

Thats what I've been trying to say but no-one seemed to care all that much.

And I like the sharpness as well. Makes the ship seems almost 21st Century as well. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 10:23:27 AM
The current pattern of those windows is what keeps them level.  If they were to curve, the decks would appear to be rising.

edit: k what i've done is adjust the hull lines to match the windows.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 05, 2009, 10:39:37 AM
Oh, thats nice. Will BC support see through faces?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 10:53:40 AM
Yes it will.  Adonis is gonna give me the low down.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 05, 2009, 02:08:14 PM
I really love that bussard assembly, it's been a bit since we've had any interior things on these ships. ;)

And I too like the sharp lines on the saucer.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Phantom0981 on December 05, 2009, 05:57:24 PM
Oh sorry I thought that they were slanting down the hull at an odd angle. But now that you have posted that picture DJ I can see what you are saying. AWESOME once again.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 06:01:59 PM
it's a bit of an optical illusion.  i agree it doesn't look quite tradition, but I did build it that way on purpose. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aramus on December 05, 2009, 06:06:23 PM
this is an awsome piece of work. A1  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 06:06:52 PM
thanks aramus.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aramus on December 05, 2009, 06:16:18 PM
I just did a search for all DJCURTIS threads, and seen allot of your work, you are one of the best non-pro modelers I have seen for some time. I bet your married with kids and work a normal job and that. You should be doing this for a living with your ability.

sorry to drag this off topic, look forward to seeing your next update.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 05, 2009, 06:22:41 PM
lots more.  though, moed, i kind of like the sharpness of those lines.

Fair enough  ;) The more I look at it, the more it grows on me that it's meant to be that way on the ship.

Once again, nice work.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 06:28:41 PM
heh.  that's the beauty of being the designer i suppose.  i can always explain away my goofs as intentional. ;P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vanguard on December 05, 2009, 09:11:31 PM
This has got to be one of my favourite 'fan' designs ever...

Why aren't you working on ST:O again? ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 05, 2009, 09:18:01 PM
can't say i'm a fan of the design of any of their ships.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 06, 2009, 06:44:39 AM
can't say i'm a fan of the design of any of their ships.

its said, that official new design mostly suck.


glad we got you!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: TheHalfMonte on December 06, 2009, 09:57:01 AM
can't say i'm a fan of the design of any of their ships.

The general aesthetic of the Starfleet isn't very coherent, much less credible as the status quo for 2409.

As for the Eclipse: love that her crucial propulsion systems (impulse engines, deflector) are coved and thus have a reduced profile because someone looking for direct hits on either has to enter her optimal line of fire. 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 06, 2009, 11:53:01 AM
Okay, I worked on this yesterday and today.  Added a whole lot of hull details and greebles that probably need close-ups to see, but add realism overall.  Also did the cobra head.  Still WIP a though.  Textures are getting close.  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on December 06, 2009, 12:01:04 PM
Wooow, saucer separation. Now this ships looks dangerously :evil . Great work DJ. This ship is going to be the most awesome ever made.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 06, 2009, 12:43:44 PM
Whats that big black thing in the middle of the fangs? Looks nasty. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 06, 2009, 01:48:24 PM
I recken its a phaser lance. Great work!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 06, 2009, 02:46:32 PM
I totally forgot about the MVAM part of this ship, I thought for a second that you churned out another ship before I recognized the nacelles. :P  Good work on the cobra head. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 06, 2009, 06:27:08 PM
Whats that big black thing in the middle of the fangs? Looks nasty. :P


well..... its the lady's weapon if you know what i mean  :evil


 :funny
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 06, 2009, 06:58:08 PM
that dark areas is just the inlet where a phaser array docks to.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 06, 2009, 07:06:36 PM
and here's the hoping that there will be bridge and battle bridge for this..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 06, 2009, 07:54:52 PM
well, i am planning on having some extras for this ship, including the Thunderbird as well as a couple types of shuttle craft that will be unique to this ship.  There is also something else I've got planned for it, though I don't want to spill the beans on that.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 06, 2009, 08:26:50 PM
Were going to need a bigger Christmas tree this year.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: vgdude999 on December 06, 2009, 08:43:57 PM
Were going to need a bigger Christmas tree this year.
Defanintly.

Keeps getting better and better. :) :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 06, 2009, 10:31:57 PM
and we have liftoff.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on December 06, 2009, 11:47:03 PM
beautiful; question though is the saucer warp capable?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Viper on December 07, 2009, 12:37:24 AM
LOL, kinda looks like the Captains yatch from the Sovy without the saucer on it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 07, 2009, 02:44:04 AM
I invite you all to check out one of the little extras that I'll be packing up in the zip.

It's a full exterior orthographic schematic of the ship.  Make sure to hover your mouse of the labels, as some of them lead to other pages.  More will soon, this is an early version.

http://www3.telus.net/public/dripkens/eclipse/ (http://www3.telus.net/public/dripkens/eclipse/)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aramus on December 07, 2009, 03:17:41 AM
looks great, love the webby.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on December 07, 2009, 06:56:59 AM
Unbelievable cool. And I am seeing a captain yacht like that one in Intrepid class but bigger :eek . I love this ship :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 07, 2009, 12:39:08 PM
Wow DJ...you really have your ship's history and Trek-nobabble all figured out, excellent! :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Kirk on December 07, 2009, 05:26:05 PM
I love it when you talk nerdy to me DJ. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bren on December 07, 2009, 08:19:02 PM
Quote from: blasphemer
These design elements are the result of the nacelles capacity for extremely high warp speeds. In early tests, it was found that the ships engines were capable of accelerating so quickly and reaching such high speeds that they would, on standard pylons, fly away from the ship. This effect had previously been documented aboard a shuttlecraft during transwarp experimentation in the late 24th century, but the designers of the Eclipse class had not forseen such a problem on a full size starship.

No DJ!

NO!

No transwarp experiments EVER took place aboard any shuttle. Not in the Delta Quadrant, not ANYWHERE! NO SPACE LIZARDS! *cries, rocking back and forth chanting "it never happened, it never happened"*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 07, 2009, 08:42:15 PM
haha!  episode wasn't bad til the space lizards. :funny
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on December 07, 2009, 08:52:35 PM
Sweet renders. I can't wait to write a fic, pertaining to this one.

8 September 2386: The (Eclipse-Class) U.S.S. Tripoli, NCC 71644. A routine shakedown expedition leads the Captain and crew into a living nightmare. Reinvigorated "Terra Prime" radicals holding the staff of a Cold Station as insurance, are threatening to release virulent bio-hazards into the atmospheres of several A.Q. Alliance refugee ships holding vulnerable / involuntarily displaced civilians. Most of whom are carrying populations of extremely elderly and vulnerable new families into the Idran System. Their leader has misappropriated Starfleet resources to notify the closest available Gamma Quadrant authorities of the "barges of the dead". Several alien ships are approaching the cargo ships on an intercept course.  

 

 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on December 07, 2009, 09:29:39 PM
Any chance of a youtube animation clip of this one separating or pulling out of its box-dock?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on December 07, 2009, 10:08:01 PM
Think you may have to revise your fanfic a bit Hellsgate. DJ Curtis wrote in one of the "tech pages", that the "Subspace Compression" technology on the Eclipse Class wasn't in use until around 2426. I suspect the entire class was launched around this time.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on December 07, 2009, 10:28:22 PM
Well, it works for the early 2420's (Star Trek: Online timeline).  I'll give DJ Curtis a co-author credit, of course, but I'm going for a time period just long enough after Nemesis for there to be a ripple effect throughout the Federation, & people are still feasibly ticked-off (ie: Layton / DS9) enough to want to do something "Greenpeace"-style dramatic. They're infiltrating transports like Arcady's "Cleopatra's Needle" & Raven-Class science ships & spazzing like grounded fifteen year-old's. They're not genuine paramilitary threats but they'll set the A.Q. Alliance back a ways diplomatically-speaking.

Design by Arcady
(http://christopherlbennett.wordpress.com/files/2009/12/arkadycleoneedle.jpg)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 08, 2009, 12:02:10 PM
STO is set in 2409. You still have 17 years to wait for the subspace compression tech. And the whole Layton/DS9 thing was 4+ years before the events in Nemesis.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bones on December 09, 2009, 01:30:56 AM
Damn this will be a great replacement for good ol' Galaxy ;) have another cookie forhard work you've done here DJ ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Hellsgate on December 10, 2009, 03:50:21 PM
I can't wait to see the Captain's Yacht interior and/or its dedicated docking airlock.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 12, 2009, 12:00:59 AM
I am doing up a shuttle, maybe two, to go with the ship.  I actually used the ship's secondary hull, stripped down and simplified, for the base of the thing. :D

Going for a fairly straightforward, utilitarian design.  Something not too flashy or sleek.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 12, 2009, 01:21:12 AM
Very nice. I don't know about you but it looks pretty sleek to me.

I like how you kept the deflector array on it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 12, 2009, 08:06:55 AM
Not entirely hooked on the deflector being there. Perhaps its a variant designed for travelling at faster warp speeds? :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on December 12, 2009, 08:17:59 AM
yeah I don't think the deflector leaves room for the crew in the front...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 12, 2009, 08:34:28 AM
I like it. and since we don't have a clue how big or small this shuttle actually is, who are we to say that there's no room?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: vgdude999 on December 12, 2009, 08:47:40 AM
looks good.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dawg81 on December 12, 2009, 08:50:21 AM
u are probably going to need to modify the shuttle nacelles since they also double as landing skids but im not sure how to pull off the right look other than that very nice idea
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 12, 2009, 08:53:00 AM
There isn't any sitting space, not without kneeling on the floor. There need to be some major adjustments made to make it seem possible to sit and walk around and if that does happen, it'll look like a bus.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vortex on December 12, 2009, 08:58:47 AM
Cute shuttle.

Dalek: Maybe it's bigger on the inside...  :roll
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 12, 2009, 09:04:11 AM
Dalek: Maybe it's bigger on the inside...  :roll

If thats the case then the Eclipse might as well be a shuttle. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on December 12, 2009, 09:16:04 AM
only way I can see this working is if it were about 2 decks....
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: KrrKs on December 12, 2009, 09:18:35 AM
There isn't any sitting space, not without kneeling on the floor. There need to be some major adjustments made to make it seem possible to sit and walk around and if that does happen, it'll look like a bus.

And while you're at it, you could "round" the aft Section a bit, that way it would look much more reminescent to a Sacharow Shuttle IMO.

And it IS Cute Shuttle, indeed  :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vortex on December 12, 2009, 01:01:10 PM
Dalek: Maybe it's bigger on the inside...  :roll

If thats the case then the Eclipse might as well be a shuttle. :P

Maybe it is. Maybe people average ten feet tall in the future. :p
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 12, 2009, 01:19:31 PM
Who said that it has to have a window, it would make sense to have a viewscreen the window is just a panoramic camera
the deflector might not be that long, the crew could sit back a meter or so, you would just have to lengthen it by 1.5 meters or so, and the back needs to be rounded off abit.  :P :P :P :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: mckinneyc on December 12, 2009, 02:17:37 PM
It stands to reason that by the time the shuttle is developed Starfleet has been able to reduce the size of the basic components of a deflector array. They've had miniture warp cores for shuttles and runabouts since the 2360s not to mention smaller shield generators and torpedos tubes.

DJ I love the shuttle and good thinking using the Eclipse mesh itself to develop it. Keep up the good work sir. I want to build a new PC just to fly the Eclipse!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vortex on December 12, 2009, 03:14:55 PM
Maybe they lie on there front, kinda like with the Tumbler in Batman Begins... just don't fall asleep. :p
I'm so going to need a new computer to play with this.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Kirk on December 12, 2009, 03:17:53 PM
I'm so going to need a new computer to play with this.
Not if DJ keeps up his poly-cutting, low texture memory usage ways. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 12, 2009, 03:49:16 PM
This ship will require only about 40% as much memory out of your graphics card as the Enterprise F.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Toa_Kaita on December 13, 2009, 12:14:02 PM
This mod is just looking better by the post. I'll have to get into BC Modding someday... :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 13, 2009, 09:37:14 PM
she's all lit up.  except perhaps for a registry light.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 13, 2009, 10:09:56 PM
added a reg light and adjusted the nacelles
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 13, 2009, 10:32:10 PM
Wowee, that looks fantastic!  Now I'm assuming that you're moving on to scripting?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: cordanilus on December 13, 2009, 10:32:35 PM
Very impressive to say the least. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 13, 2009, 10:39:54 PM
Wowee, that looks fantastic!  Now I'm assuming that you're moving on to scripting?

still gotta do specs and conversion before that.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 13, 2009, 11:07:57 PM
Specs, eh!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: FarShot on December 13, 2009, 11:13:46 PM
 :eek :) :D :evil :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Nebula on December 13, 2009, 11:16:59 PM
what FarShot said lol
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: admiral horton on December 14, 2009, 12:06:52 AM
great job please lets see an orthographic view :eek
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: moed on December 14, 2009, 01:09:49 AM
Looks sweet DJ, the specs add so much more dimension.

One thing, would you consider making the reg light a bit longer, it currently looks nice but it also seems somewhat... cut off.

Just a small quip, she's a real beauty Captain  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bigkap on December 14, 2009, 01:10:17 AM
Looks good enough for film DJ :) Incredible job with the specs!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 14, 2009, 01:16:05 AM
great job please lets see an orthographic view :eek

check out the link a couple pages back.

also, the ship's in game with a placeholder HP.  damages beautifully and looks shiny.  only thing is that I can't get the transparent bussards to work.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: dEjavU on December 14, 2009, 03:02:22 AM
The ship is really taking a life of it's own(she's so beautiful :'( ). One thing though DJ, the specular patterns on this area looks a bit..

(http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo221/dEjavU__/FoRruMs/5nn59.jpg)

....awkward.   ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Toa_Kaita on December 14, 2009, 08:31:08 AM
The ship is really taking a life of it's own(she's so beautiful :'( ). One thing though DJ, the specular patterns on this area looks a bit..

(http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo221/dEjavU__/FoRruMs/5nn59.jpg)

....awkward.   ;)

Other than that, she's definitely worthy of the name Enterprise. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 14, 2009, 10:26:51 AM
also, the ship's in game with a placeholder HP.  damages beautifully and looks shiny.  only thing is that I can't get the transparent bussards to work.

Somehow I had a feeling that was going to be a problem. :( So what's the problem, exactly?

And I don't see anything "awkward" about the specs?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 14, 2009, 11:44:21 AM
The plating doesn't follow the shield grid.  Just not conventional, that's all.  It won't be changed because in order to fix it I'd have to redo that area of mesh, then remap, and retexture the whole area.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 14, 2009, 11:44:53 AM
And I don't see anything "awkward" about the specs?

I think it might also be cos the speculars are mirrored. I have to admit, it does look a little...disconcerting. Apart from that, she's awesome :D.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 14, 2009, 12:30:48 PM
lol.  disconcerting?  who's to say it's not just supposed to be designed that way? ;P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 14, 2009, 03:04:20 PM
You see, now that I've gone hyper, I'm convinced I can see numerous devil faces. And other assorted smiley's. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: hobbs on December 14, 2009, 06:23:32 PM
awesome ship DJ
cant wait to try her out :)

I'd have liked to have seen her in her bluey white but thats just me :P

great ship
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 14, 2009, 11:47:17 PM
holy moly.  was doing some impulse experiments with the ship.  Got it up to 39.7 million KPH.  Belaruz fades away pretty fast. :)  Or, ironically, about 1/5th impulse.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 15, 2009, 12:24:07 AM
HP is underway.  Being modified from the Century Class in order to help me make the ship reasonably superior, but not overkill.

Here are a couple of in-game shots in DeepSpace.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 15, 2009, 02:10:14 AM
It's worthy of big E alright.  :D Big, beautiful, majestic, yet promises strength and safety from any external force, be it spatial anomaly or enemy vessel firing at it..

And I volunteer yet again for the beta.  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 15, 2009, 02:42:04 AM
Thanks Lionus.  Glad to here you think she's worthy of the name.

HP is coming along.  I have begun the rather arduous process of arming the ship, and her two aft phaser arrays are now armed.  I spent a great deal of time this evening creating a new phaser texture and sound pack.  I also tweaked the color and texture speeds about a dozen times and now have an effect that I think is really gonna blow you guys away when you see it in action.

In the meantime, here's a screenie from phaser testing.  I've seen the evolution of phasers go from red in TNG to orange in DS9 to yellow in Nemesis.  So I'm going with a sort of yellow/white phaser now.  I like it! :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Villain on December 15, 2009, 05:28:46 AM
I like the wavy look of the beam, but I have to say, the buzzard and nacelles seem kind of... Muted... I suppose that's the most accurate word...  I assume that was intentional?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 15, 2009, 07:54:40 AM
That's a pretty cool phaser beam.

And Prime, I think it's intentional as far as the nacelle grilles, but the buzzard was intended to be transparent. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Villain on December 15, 2009, 08:13:36 AM
Well, yeah, I know they're meant to be transparent, but I was just talking about the faded colouring. Can't wait to see how it handles my warbird.  :evil
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 15, 2009, 11:07:27 AM
I think I might've been able to get my BC fixed purely by accident and a slight computer glitch at the time. So if its possible I might be able to beta it. :)

She also looks great ingame DJ. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 15, 2009, 12:11:37 PM
Thanks guys.  Adonis and I couldn't get the transparency working yet.  The bussards are painted on.  If we can get it figured out at some point, we'll release an update.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 15, 2009, 01:15:48 PM
take your time, no rush.. approximately two weeks to get it done..  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Vladko1 on December 15, 2009, 01:28:22 PM
This ship is awesome :eek !!!! I see that when the ship is realised I will make:
Gaming down the BC
On a gaming machine of steel :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 15, 2009, 02:51:54 PM
take your time, no rush.. approximately two weeks to get it done..  ;)

Have other projects too.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 16, 2009, 01:10:53 AM
I'm pleased to report that the (many) phaser HP's are finished and balanced.  I've also finished the Quantum Pulse weapon.  

I've tried to realistically scale this ship's strength.  But I've got to say, anything from the 24th century is not a match.  This presents a dilemma, because I don't want to create a God ship.  So what I've done is put the linchpin in the shields.

The shield strength has been scaled up only a bit, not much more the Century Class.  However, the Eclipse Class will have rapidly recharging shields.  So, for example: Against one Dom War Romulan Warbird... no chance for the bird.  However, 3 of them can produce enough firepower to bring the ship's shields down and do damage before they return.

In effect what this will do is make the ship competitive with other ships of threat forces I will make from that time period, while making it very strong against older ships, but still vulnerable to being ganged up on by tough older ships.  Fair enough?

Quantum pulse is pretty devastating.  I will have a technical blurb about it on the site.  It's a brand new weapon that I created.  Phaser texture is also custom.

The ship will have maneuverability somewhere between a galaxy and the century.  It's a pretty big, heavy ship, despite being sleek.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 16, 2009, 02:08:14 AM
that reminds me.. will this ship use point defence phaser mod from KM? It's annoying to know that it is there, but not too many ships actually have it..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Billz on December 16, 2009, 05:37:28 AM
Did you ever fix the transparent bussards problem DJ?

Would be great to see the insides of the bussards during gameplay.

Please dont use anything from KM. Some people dont have KM installed so it would be great to be able to use this ship without any requirement issues.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 16, 2009, 08:21:01 AM
Did you ever fix the transparent bussards problem DJ?
Would be great to see the insides of the bussards during gameplay.
Adonis and I couldn't get the transparency working yet.  The bussards are painted on.  If we can get it figured out at some point, we'll release an update.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 16, 2009, 09:10:48 AM
that reminds me.. will this ship use point defence phaser mod from KM? It's annoying to know that it is there, but not too many ships actually have it..
wasn't planning on it.  I never use them.

And no, the bussards are not transparent.  However, everything is still in place.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: cordanilus on December 16, 2009, 10:33:15 AM
Send me the nif and the texture of the bussards, I can get them to work.  But you cannot alter the nif afterwords (unless you use nifskope) or you will lose the transparency.  Of course, unless Adonis can still get the transparency, I'm willing to wait.  Not a problem.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 16, 2009, 10:44:48 AM
hardcore
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Aramus on December 16, 2009, 11:01:11 AM
Did you ever fix the transparent bussards problem DJ?
Would be great to see the insides of the bussards during gameplay.
Adonis and I couldn't get the transparency working yet.  The bussards are painted on.  If we can get it figured out at some point, we'll release an update.

I take it, that its not just an alpha channel issue? Does BC handle TGA? have you tried reversing the normals of the faces around the bussard? would that just make them invisable? mesh opacity, as a seperate mesh object (not unified to the model) ??
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 16, 2009, 11:01:30 AM
BC uses tga as a default.  Inverting the faces wouldn't look right.

Send me the nif and the texture of the bussards, I can get them to work.  But you cannot alter the nif afterwords (unless you use nifskope) or you will lose the transparency.  Of course, unless Adonis can still get the transparency, I'm willing to wait.  Not a problem.

I still have to convert the drive section and all that.  I'll let you know.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: admiral horton on December 16, 2009, 11:35:22 PM
DJ What is the size of this class
i know the Century was about 702-712m
would this one be about 800-825m
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 17, 2009, 11:05:39 AM
DJ has mentioned in a previos post that it is 1000-1050 metres. She's a big baby. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 17, 2009, 12:43:18 PM
DJ has mentioned in a previos post that it is 1000-1050 metres. She's a big baby. :P

He also mentioned that when he started redoing the textures, he scaled her down a bit.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Bones on December 17, 2009, 12:54:05 PM
DJ What is the size of this class
i know the Century was about 702-712m
would this one be about 800-825m
Oh, I always thought Century is abou 600 meters long... at least I thought she's about the same or slightly smaller thatn Sovereign :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on December 17, 2009, 01:05:31 PM
Did you ever fix the transparent bussards problem DJ?
Would be great to see the insides of the bussards during gameplay.
Adonis and I couldn't get the transparency working yet.  The bussards are painted on.  If we can get it figured out at some point, we'll release an update.

I take it, that its not just an alpha channel issue? Does BC handle TGA? have you tried reversing the normals of the faces around the bussard? would that just make them invisable? mesh opacity, as a seperate mesh object (not unified to the model) ??

The problem is that a ship of mine with the exact material setup (checked in NifSkope too) has them working, DJ's isn't. I don't get it. The only thing that comes to mind is the way both of us do textures, that somehow tga's made in max aren't the same as in photoshop...only if my BC install would cooperate, I could fix it easy...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 17, 2009, 01:08:13 PM
DJ has mentioned in a previos post that it is 1000-1050 metres. She's a big baby. :P

He also mentioned that when he started redoing the textures, he scaled her down a bit.

Yeah, he mentioned the length of the Eclipse after he started redoing the textures. I used the length to figure out the crew count which came to 1705.

Edit:
The windows have also been scaled up, scaling down the overall size of the ship.  Probably expect it to weigh in around 1000-1050m long when finished.

How many people would this carry?

Seems like you could accomdate it for the entire population of London!

I calculate that the Eclipse can carry up to 1705 people.

Galaxy = 642m
Eclipse = 1050m

1050/642
= 1.64 to 2 d.p (64% increase

Galaxy can carry 1040 people.

1040 x 1.64 = 1705.6 round down to 1705 (cos you cant have 3/5 of a person :P) = 1705 people.

Yay for maths lol.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 17, 2009, 04:55:48 PM
Ohhh, okay, apologies Dalek.  My goof.  :funny
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 17, 2009, 06:18:11 PM
but it is skinnier than the galaxy, like the sovereign, it was longer but had a crew count of 750
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 17, 2009, 06:30:23 PM
Galaxy-class is a artistic impression of a cobra with nacelles. Eclipse-class is more like Comodo dragon compared to it.. Bigger, bulkier, but she has legs to run with when necessary.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 18, 2009, 12:33:46 AM
but it is skinnier than the galaxy, like the sovereign, it was longer but had a crew count of 750

The Sovereign's length comes mainly from her nacelles, and she's about half as tall as a Galaxy, so less room. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Darkthunder on December 18, 2009, 02:44:06 AM
but it is skinnier than the galaxy, like the sovereign, it was longer but had a crew count of 750

Galaxy Class was 640 meters, and 43 decks.
Sovereign Class 685 meters, and 29 decks.

So while the Sovereign was longer, it was nowhere near as "massive" as the Galaxy Class.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Cmdr. Madden on December 18, 2009, 02:58:00 AM
DJ has mentioned in a previos post that it is 1000-1050 metres. She's a big baby. :P

He also mentioned that when he started redoing the textures, he scaled her down a bit.

Yeah, he mentioned the length of the Eclipse after he started redoing the textures. I used the length to figure out the crew count which came to 1705.

Edit:
The windows have also been scaled up, scaling down the overall size of the ship.  Probably expect it to weigh in around 1000-1050m long when finished.

How many people would this carry?

Seems like you could accomdate it for the entire population of London!

I calculate that the Eclipse can carry up to 1705 people.

Galaxy = 642m
Eclipse = 1050m

1050/642
= 1.64 to 2 d.p (64% increase

Galaxy can carry 1040 people.

1040 x 1.64 = 1705.6 round down to 1705 (cos you cant have 3/5 of a person :P) = 1705 people.

Yay for maths lol.


just for kicks, should list crew compliment as 1701...... it's just too jucy not to (i realize though that there WERE calculations involved just so people don't think i was blindly posting idiocy...)

also, in support of previous posts, the galaxy class was designed as a multi role exploratory starship with defensive capabilities emphasized ie. enough on the weapons to get out of a scrap and shilds to adequately protect but large mass and less powerful engines (she can fight, don't get me wrong)
the soverign is more of a combat vessel. ie, she hits harder, takes a bigger beating and is faster and more agile, you can't have something the size of a galaxy move like the soverign purely because the engines aren't powerful enough and the structural integrity fields would need to keep up as well (probably something crazy like snapping in half during a backflip or the engines just flat out tearing themselves from the hull a la wile e cyote where he straps himself to the rocket and it takes off with his *ahem cough* pants leaving him alone and *ahem cough* pantsless) :funny





Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 18, 2009, 05:06:20 PM
this doent look more than 27 decks, DJ how many are there
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 18, 2009, 07:58:24 PM
about 30-35 decks I think.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 19, 2009, 04:30:29 PM
1021 crewmen
so a deck is about 3 meters, so if you were to cut the ship into 3 meter wide sections, then you have it at about 350 3 meter sections.
seeing that each crewman needs about 15 meters of space to live, you get 29.695, multiply that by 35 and you get 1020.8333333333333333333333333333, not including families. Anyway the Galaxy class had about 350 civilians on board, and lets say the eclipse has 300, then you get about 721 as your answer.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 20, 2009, 02:02:48 AM
I choose 76,512.  Because it's my ship and I get to choose.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 20, 2009, 10:55:44 AM
let's see, that is one person per square decimeter(for people that don't know that's 10 cm)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: eclipse74569 on December 20, 2009, 11:01:51 AM
I choose 76,512.  Because it's my ship and I get to choose.

Pwnd  :arms:

Still looking good though DJ :) Can't wait to see more :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 20, 2009, 02:13:15 PM
rofl
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 21, 2009, 05:31:02 PM
Ok folks, she's just about finished.  The Mvam sep and reintegration sequences have now been scripted, HP's are all done, icons, tactical displays, Submenu.  Just need to do some descriptions and then package it up with a readme and she's ready to be uploaded for Christmas.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 21, 2009, 05:35:54 PM
So the bussards wont be transparent at all then?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Lionus on December 21, 2009, 05:38:28 PM
*joygasm*  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 21, 2009, 05:42:52 PM
So the bussards wont be transparent at all then?

not any time soon.  that being said, all the internal mesh is still there and textures.  however in the meantime I actually like the way it looks.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Dalek on December 21, 2009, 05:44:41 PM
And did something happen to your install? The pictures look very fuzzy and I can see stock backgrounds there. :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 21, 2009, 05:46:00 PM
res is just a bit lower and very little aa/af atm.  don't use km anymore either.  most of the ships are ugly. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 21, 2009, 07:54:25 PM
don't use km anymore either.  most of the ships are ugly. :)

Then make better ones. ;) lol

Glad to see that the Eclipse is ready to go!  :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Tuskin38 on December 21, 2009, 10:15:22 PM
So the bussards wont be transparent at all then?

not any time soon.  that being said, all the internal mesh is still there and textures.  however in the meantime I actually like the way it looks.

Does that mean if we shoot the bussards we may see the collectors on the inside?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 22, 2009, 12:24:27 AM
possible
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Adonis on December 22, 2009, 12:40:08 AM
So the bussards wont be transparent at all then?

not any time soon.  that being said, all the internal mesh is still there and textures.  however in the meantime I actually like the way it looks.

Does that mean if we shoot the bussards we may see the collectors on the inside?

Yup, means exactly that.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Tuskin38 on December 22, 2009, 12:45:47 AM
Sweet
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: antagonist on December 22, 2009, 08:05:23 AM
Oh wow.

Now let's see if I can give you a cookie...

Yup, I could :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: Raven Night on December 22, 2009, 09:42:39 AM
Stunning work DJ.

Can i get a close-up shot of the smaller sep ship? I wanted to see if you went with more of a Defiant motif on it.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 23, 2009, 04:43:24 PM
Looking for a few beta testers who can run the ship through its paces in the next few hours.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class NEED BETA TESTERS
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 23, 2009, 05:14:55 PM
count me in.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class NEED BETA TESTERS
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 23, 2009, 05:38:05 PM
I Will Beta
Title: Re: Eclipse Class NEED BETA TESTERS
Post by: vgdude999 on December 23, 2009, 05:43:34 PM
I would like to.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class NEED BETA TESTERS
Post by: Lionus on December 23, 2009, 05:57:50 PM
I volunteered months ago lol.. I'm in
Title: Re: Eclipse Class NEED BETA TESTERS
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 23, 2009, 06:11:33 PM
I sent you each a link.

That will be enough testers.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 23, 2009, 06:55:18 PM
Lucky people.  Can't wait for the general release of this baby.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 23, 2009, 07:43:39 PM
That will be enough testers.
*coughahemcough* stupid damn marlboros
i thought i was always a given beta tester for all your work  :arms: lol j/k :P
actually im so busy the next few days, i wouldnt have the time to unfortunately...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Billz on December 23, 2009, 08:25:07 PM
Normally, I would have loved to beta tested the Eclipse for you, but it just would not be December if I didnt have a PC issue, lol. Regardless of what computer I have or however old it is, it always seems to get some kind of 'F*ck you, Billz' error around christmas time.

Technology hates me.  :'(
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Lionus on December 24, 2009, 05:55:25 PM
Well, I finally got the BC + KM to run properly on my new comp, and as soon as that was done, I installed this beastie.. And now I just can't do anything else but wonder if Federatiuon had any expansion plans. This ship can easily go against small fleets of Cardassians, Dominion battleships, Romulans, Klingons.. You name it, she beats it. Even the stock Borg were having trouble with this lady.. Especially with that extremely nasty torpedo launcher she carries with her just in case. She hides her weight well, but don't forget that she is a large ship, thus, the turning radius is.. "Majestic".. at full impulse. But do not park your ship on top of her, the dorsal phasers will dissect your hull in no-time. In case that the shields are overwhelmed ( yes, it does happen, despite the fast recharge), she damages well and can take some big punishment. There is only one small issue that irked me, and it's Thunderbird.. Against three Norexans, after MVAM initiation, all three Romulans concentrated on Thunderbird, and she didn't last long even when Stardrive and Saucer sections were giving the Norexans major spanking as fast as they could. I'll give Thunderbird yet another spin to see if it's the AI that doesn't know how to pilot her, or if it's some other issue..

As it is, I give Eclipse-Class U.S.S. Enterprise - G beta overall rating of 85/100. I will update this post after I'm done with Thunderbird.

UPDATE: Thunderbird is just fine. It was just the AI that didn't know how to pilot her efficiently. And while the torpedoes on all these three ships are pretty powerful ( it's future ship after all), I have to say one thing.. "DON'T PROVOKE THE BORG!" The smaller ships go down nicely, but the Cube in the new KM beta is vicious..

Final rating: 97.5/100.. This will get 110/100 as soon as we get a bridge for it.  ;) :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 24, 2009, 09:58:11 PM
The only part of te ship i don't like is no torp script, so AL won't pilot
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Kirk on December 24, 2009, 11:22:15 PM
Fortunately, with KM 1.1 you won't have to worry about that. Defiant found the error in the original code that made torpedoes on ships necessary.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 24, 2009, 11:28:19 PM
The only part of te ship i don't like is no torp script, so AL won't pilot

I'll release a patch for KM users.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Starforce2 on December 25, 2009, 01:01:16 AM
Would it be possible for him to pass that on so non-km users could have it? IE a patch that would go along with the 1.1 bc patch or be included as a patch to foundation or whatever (if those mods change that file?)

That would be great to have.

Otherwise DJ all you need is to quickly add a torpedo system, give  it a power drain of 1 point so you don't notice and give it a torpedo type (I use stock PhotonTorpedo) and zero for quantity.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Lionus on December 25, 2009, 06:08:00 AM
My previous post has been updated.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Vladko1 on December 25, 2009, 07:16:51 AM
DJ, your Eclipse is one Proxima destroyer  :funny . I very like it :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: cjtol565 on December 25, 2009, 08:33:23 AM
This was a wonderful gift to wake up to. Well done!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Biggins on December 25, 2009, 08:57:55 AM
She's a beauty! The Eclipse is more than  a match for most ships in my install, a good match for the some the post nemesis rommies! The only thing I was destroyed by was 2 Gorn barrage ships and thats completely understandable  :funny great work!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Jason_Blue on December 25, 2009, 10:30:02 AM
Hey there^^

Just downloaded the Eclipse and installed it on my Kobayashimaru 1.0 Install...
First: She's one very nice ship :)

But what i've noticed: When i seperate the ship, taking the saucer, it w'ont reintegrate... Also there is no option of only seperating the Thunderbird.

so long... ^^
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 25, 2009, 12:13:50 PM
MVAM does not allow for the Tbird to separate on its on.  That's an unfortunate limitation.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 26, 2009, 02:12:24 PM
I have to say, she is one beastly beauty.  I took her up against WileyCoyote's Doomsday Machine, and the only damage she took was slight drains to the shields.  Neutronium hull wasn't a match. :D  Thanks for yet another quality ship for BC DJ, both this and the Athena! :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: jer5488 on December 27, 2009, 02:32:24 AM
Wonderful ship, I love flying her around. Any chance we could get an NX-Eclipse rename of her?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Cmdr. Madden on December 28, 2009, 03:00:10 PM
I love the new ship DJ, would love it more though if it would work. I installed it on my KM 1.1 and the ship doesn't even show up in the selection menu... any ideas?


*EDIT* I meant to say 1.0, sorry
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Dalek on December 28, 2009, 03:02:31 PM
I love the new ship DJ, would love it more though if it would work. I installed it on my KM 1.1 and the ship doesn't even show up in the selection menu... any ideas?

KM...1 point....1? Thats not even out yet. And although the Eclipse was made outside of KM 1.0, it should work with KM 1.0 cos it has for everyone else.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Lionus on December 28, 2009, 03:10:19 PM
I think he means the new KM beta. and Ent G works beautifully there for me at least.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Cmdr. Madden on December 28, 2009, 03:20:32 PM
sorry meant to say 1.0. and that's the thing.... i don't crash as if it was installed improperly... it's just not showing up in my selection menu.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Toa_Kaita on December 28, 2009, 04:25:46 PM
Wonderful ship, I love flying her around. Any chance we could get an NX-Eclipse rename of her?

I second that :) Shes an absolute beauty to fly in, now all we need is a fleet of them.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: deadthunder2_0 on December 28, 2009, 04:27:38 PM
third :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 28, 2009, 08:27:34 PM
I use her in KM 1 and works fine with the exception that i can't fire any torpedoes. Funny thing is i went up aginced another Eclipse class and had my warp core handded to me because she pounded me with quantoms?? :wtf
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Kirk on December 28, 2009, 08:31:24 PM
I'm not on the beta team, but I would guess that the torpedoes are set up as pulse weapons.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: FarShot on December 28, 2009, 08:39:02 PM
Which they are.  Pulse away. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 28, 2009, 09:39:30 PM
Yup, the quantums are pulse weapons.  That's the only way to have torpedoes on an MVAM starship.  Speaking of which, is anyone else having any troubles with the MVAM of the Eclipse?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: jer5488 on December 28, 2009, 11:36:46 PM
MVAM works great for me. Only problem I've had with it is trying to separate the Saucer and the Thunderbird while less then a kilometer from a disabled Dominion Battleship. *stares in horror as Thunderbird and Saucer slam into the wreckage at full impulse*
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Lionus on December 29, 2009, 12:23:23 AM
Uh.. That would be why you usually engage the MVAM sequence at safe distance of the enemy craft. Try to remember that Eclipse is still a kilometer long, bulky ship.. and no, I haven't had any issues with MVAM.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 29, 2009, 12:50:55 AM
The ship doesn't have torpedoes.  The pulse weapon IS a pulse weapon.  Quantum Filament Pulse. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: LordReserei on December 29, 2009, 01:47:12 AM
I'm having a problem with MVAM and re-integration of the drive section, saucer section's just fine. O.o

&sharing_token=vrLgCrSzp1EQieuqywKibg

 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Lionus on December 29, 2009, 01:58:26 AM
hm.. it almost seemed like you were targetting thunderbird while trying to reintegrate..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: LordReserei on December 29, 2009, 02:15:03 AM
I noticed that too, although I didn't nor am I...probably wouldn't have noticed this if it weren't for the fact I was getting footage together a montage of sorts...no biggy for me because I hardly use MVAM but thought I'd bring it forward. ^.^
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: dEjavU on December 29, 2009, 03:44:06 AM
I too don't have any problem with it's MVAM however I do notice something rather peculiar whenever I use this ship, everytime I switch to engineering all the texts on all the tabs disappear....

(http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/oo221/dEjavU__/FoRruMs/ScreenShot002-6.jpg)

..kinda odd :s but I have gotten this ship running with torpedoe launchers working in conjunction with the pulse weapons, quite a breathe taker.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: LordReserei on December 29, 2009, 03:58:54 AM
I too don't have any problem with it's MVAM however I do notice something rather peculiar whenever I use this ship, everytime I switch to engineering all the texts on all the tabs disappear....

..kinda odd :s but I have gotten this ship running with torpedoe launchers working in conjunction with the pulse weapons, quite a breathe taker.

I knew there was something else I forgot to add, that's something I'm experiencing as well.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Adonis on December 29, 2009, 04:57:32 AM
What's the console saying on both accounts?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 29, 2009, 06:47:35 AM
The ship doesn't have torpedoes.  The pulse weapon IS a pulse weapon.  Quantum Filament Pulse. :)

Yea everybody, there pulse not torpideos :P  :funny i had no idea  :funny Any way are the pulse set up any diffrently? I ask because normaly you have to line the ship up head on with the enimy and fire phasers as normal and the pulse weaponds fire instead. Still not the case with me. I even did a dead stop 20km away and blasted away perfictly lined up and not a thing, but i still love the phasers.

dEjavU: DO you think you could shair your new torpedo script? And i also checked out the engineering bug, glad to say i don't have that problem.

LR: I don't have your problem either. When i went back in to test the pulse i also checked out your bugs as well. I mvam i think 5 times during 4 sepret engagements and everything worked to a T.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: JimmyB76 on December 29, 2009, 07:29:57 AM
as far as the missing text in Engineering goes, check the number of repair teams in the hp and see if there are more than 10...
also, i think BCS:TB (which is part of KM) comes with a fix for that...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Shadowknight1 on December 29, 2009, 01:32:38 PM
Hmm, well when I use MVAM on either this ship or, just sometimes, the Athena, the cinematic sequence only shows one section of the ship and crashes immediately to desktop, no warning, no error message, nothing in the console.  Maybe I should reinstall MVAM?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: Nebula on December 29, 2009, 02:19:22 PM
install KM problem solved lol
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: dEjavU on December 29, 2009, 03:21:02 PM
..do you think you could shair your new torpedo script? And i also checked out the engineering bug, glad to say i don't have that problem....



Sure thing, keep in mind though I made some heavy modifications to the weapons. You'll need torpedoes named PhotonTorpedo3 and CanonQuantum in your scripts\tactical\projectiles folder(if you don't already have them).  ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 29, 2009, 03:47:41 PM
Hey, right on, thanks.  :dance
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: LordReserei on December 30, 2009, 12:37:24 AM
The engineering bug went away for me, can't replicate it...odd. O.o
Title: Re: Eclipse Class IN BETA
Post by: JamesTiberiusKirk on December 30, 2009, 05:59:36 AM
..do you think you could shair your new torpedo script? And i also checked out the engineering bug, glad to say i don't have that problem....



Sure thing, keep in mind though I made some heavy modifications to the weapons. You'll need torpedoes named PhotonTorpedo3 and CanonQuantum in your scripts\tactical\projectiles folder(if you don't already have them).  ;)

im not even sure dj would approve that. after all its a modification to his files. that would be better if you send this stuff over the PM system
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 30, 2009, 06:48:15 AM
Your right, i thought about that after. Funny thing is i haven't even put it in file yet and i didn't think befor i asked, should have PM'ed him first. Hey DJ, i'm sorry man, i didn't mean no disrespect.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Darkthunder on December 30, 2009, 08:33:37 AM
Your right, i thought about that after. Funny thing is i haven't even put it in file yet and i didn't think befor i asked, should have PM'ed him first. Hey DJ, i'm sorry man, i didn't mean no disrespect.

"Eclipse Class RELEASED" ... where?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: bankruptstudios on December 30, 2009, 08:50:47 AM
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/DJ_Eclipse_1701G;108349
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: dEjavU on December 30, 2009, 11:42:22 AM
I too am very, vey sorry DJ. I didn't realize what I've actually done 'til it was too late to do something about it(at the very least should've been more discrete)again DJ my deepest apologies.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: cordanilus on December 31, 2009, 07:10:38 PM
Very Nice DJ. :D

I've got some pics for you my chum.  I'm just trying to find out exactly what the error was, I had reconfigured most of the NiNode Heirarchy before the problem was corrected.  I do have an idea to exactly what it was.  It wasn't the texture, wasn't exactly a NiNode error since it was doing exactly what it was supposed to do.  Will update on that later.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lionus on December 31, 2009, 07:16:54 PM


that's all I can say about that.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: vgdude999 on December 31, 2009, 08:22:32 PM
What's next???? I'm thirsty for more! :funny
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: DJ Curtis on December 31, 2009, 09:23:05 PM
Cord, if you want to just release that as an optional patch, go for it man. :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Adonis on December 31, 2009, 11:08:37 PM
Coord, reverse the buzzard's texture's alpha channel colors. That should clear it up.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: KrrKs on January 01, 2010, 10:19:13 AM
 :eek :dance That turned out even better than i imagined!
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: cordanilus on January 01, 2010, 09:42:37 PM
Hope you don't mind that I borrow your thread DJ, I've redone the bussard texture...somewhat better.  I'm gonna try a few other things, but it's not too shabby right now.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: DJ Curtis on January 01, 2010, 10:08:19 PM
That looks great Cord.  No porb about the thread, this is the best place to do it.  As I said, just release it when its ready, no need to go through me.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: moed on January 01, 2010, 10:21:44 PM
Cord, I have to tell you that those textures make the ship look..... real.

Real nice.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: cordanilus on January 01, 2010, 11:29:25 PM
Update:

Edited the bussard casing again.  I think it looks good.  I'll pass you the final nifs and textures DJ.  Let you try them out before packing them up.  Unless ppl have more suggestions.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: DJ Curtis on January 02, 2010, 12:09:58 AM
Srsly Cord, they look great.  Just release it straight to BCFiles and I'll DL it from there man. :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lord Tribble on January 04, 2010, 03:53:56 PM
I'm getting this when i try to re-intergrate as the drive section :((see image). Works fine as the other two parts.
 :'(
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lionus on January 04, 2010, 04:42:38 PM
This one should probably go to the techincal section..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lord Tribble on January 05, 2010, 08:59:43 AM
Ok, I got it working. Had another problem of it crashing when all enemy ships were killed, But that and the re-intergration bug went away after i deleted everything about ablative armor and NFX from the ship files (f*** knows why nfx should have effected anything like that). It still crashes after trying to re-intergrate a second time in a single quick battle session, but once is good enough for me ;)


Beautiful ship DJ :D
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Aeries on January 07, 2010, 01:57:06 PM
Girr! I go away for a little while, and look at what I miss! xD
Great work, DJ, she's looking fantastic. When I've got more time, I'll check her out; definitely on the top of my "super duper wanting list". :P
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lionus on January 07, 2010, 04:10:39 PM
Be careful. After you've witnessed her broadside  "OMGIMMAFIRINGMAHPHAZORS!", there's no going back.. Heck, KM Beta's Warbirds are vaporized by that thing. Only The Borg Cube and Species 8472 can hurt her badly..
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: moed on January 14, 2010, 07:12:20 PM
Truly beautiful ship.

So, I've noticed several things regarding MVAM with this mod:

1. I can separate no problem with each of the 3 different components.

2. I can reintegrate correctly with each of those 3 components only after the very first separation... if I arbitrarily decide to separate a 2nd time during the same game play session, I can only reintegrate correctly if I'm using the Thunderbird but not with the other 2 parts of the ship. When I attempt to do so I just hear the sound of the reintegrate button but nothing happens. Interestingly, when I'm playing with the drive section and I try to reintegrate a 2nd time around, the drive section lines up with the saucer but then does nothing else... it just sits there, right behind the saucer but no reintegration. BTW, none of these issues ever quit out of BC and send me back to the desktop.

3. I don't have the problem with the engineering name plates not showing up.

4. All my torp pulse weapons worked perfectly from the get go.

5. I noticed that my tractor beams didn't have any sound, I then discovered that the reason for this is because DJ misspelled the name of the tractor beam sound in the HP. He had "Tractor beam" but it's supposed to be "Tractor Beam" with the "B" capitalized in Beam.... Python is very particular in that way.

It's interesting just how many different variations of the above problems many of us are having... but the problems seem to be specifically localized regarding the reintegration of either the drive, or the saucer sections of the ship. I don't use KM so I don't know how these issues are specifically behaving for those of you that do have KM. But MVAM should be pretty straight forward for any correctly installed and upgraded BC installs.

Hopefully, someone with quite a bit more coding experience than me can maybe come up with a fix for the MVAM issues of this mod in the future...

Lastly, I wish that the programing in MVAM wasn't limited in that I'd love to be able to separate the Thunderbird all by itself but... not that big of a deal. 
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: antagonist on January 19, 2010, 03:54:58 PM
Wow.

DJ, even though you seem to maintain you're shite at designing nacelles, those are the part of the ship I like most, closely followed by the main deflector array.

The only area I have trouble warming up to are the cutouts on each side of the saucer. They seem...bland to me, as if there's nothing else but aztecing on there. It's entirely possible I'm only a victim of perspective, though.

Overall, I wish the STO devs had taken some inspiration from this design of yours and that Voyager-A you posted about a year ago or thereabouts - can't remember its class offhand. Some of the higher grade nacelles in that game look atrocious. >.<

EDIT: Haha, and I just noticed while skimming through the thread, there still are no RCS thrusters near the stardrive section's bow. I wonder how it will be able to maneuver in any sensible manner without them... ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Mustang on February 07, 2010, 10:58:20 PM
Spent the last hour and a half reading from the beginnings of the Eclipse up to the release. I must say, amazing work, DJ. I made short work of two Warbirds with this baby. Amazing, amazing work.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lionus on February 08, 2010, 01:12:52 AM
Only two? I have dealt with five with no sweat.. but that was in KM 1.0. That feat is a lot harder in KM Beta.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Adonis on February 08, 2010, 09:49:43 AM
I'm getting this when i try to re-intergrate as the drive section :((see image). Works fine as the other two parts.
 :'(


Rename the "Fed Ablative Armour" in each of the 3 plugins (Thunderbirds one doesn't have it) in custom/ships to "Ablative Armour". That should fix that.

There is no tech called Fed Ablative Armour, DJ made a mistake there. That's what that console rep says.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: cordanilus on February 25, 2010, 10:36:29 AM
Finally got around to uploading that bussard file.  Man, been busy lately...almost no time for anything.  :D

http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Eclipse_Class_New_Bussards;111065 (http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Eclipse_Class_New_Bussards;111065)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: JimmyB76 on February 25, 2010, 12:23:26 PM
There is no tech called Fed Ablative Armour, DJ made a mistake there.[/color]
actually, there is a tech called that but it is only in KM (i think) and acts a little bit differently that regular ablative armor...
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Lionus on February 26, 2010, 02:25:23 AM
let me guess, it feeds off from main battery?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: hobbs on February 26, 2010, 12:50:24 PM
let me guess, it feeds off from main battery?

if that is true then i'm confused lol...

i thought ablative armour (like on the defiant) was just armour, why would it need power.
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Shadowknight1 on February 26, 2010, 01:50:38 PM
let me guess, it feeds off from main battery?

if that is true then i'm confused lol...

i thought ablative armour (like on the defiant) was just armour, why would it need power.

Ablative armor as on the Defiant wouldn't require power, all it is is a coating that bleeds away weapon fire.  Ablative armor like on Voyager in Endgame, yeah, that would require power. ;)
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: Psyco Diver on February 26, 2010, 03:19:21 PM
I thought it was like the polorized hull plating like in ENT? I remember them saying the armor failing in precentages like when the Defiant was hit with the Breen weapon, so I would think it takes energy to enable it?
Title: Re: Eclipse Class RELEASED
Post by: majormagna on February 26, 2010, 04:14:35 PM
No, ablative armour is a thick skin of uh... armour...

The % is probably overall for the section of the ship mentioned, ala "Ventral ablative armour is at 50%" meaning that either only 50% of the bottom armour is left, OR it's at 50% thickness.

If Starfleet perfected nanobot tech then they could work together AS (or to move) the armour to make it a level thickness accross the board. And nanobots make their own energy in Trek.