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My Ship's Master Systems Display

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited December 2011 in Ten Forward
Hey everyone! I've made a Master Systems Display for my ship, the USS Bajor. I think it's pretty cool, and I'd like to share it with you all. Here's a link to an album with the MSD, as well as a few screenshots of the ship itself: http://img607.imageshack.us/g/screenshot2010030420413.jpg/. Here's a link to the MSD itself, should work out better than Imageshack:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/5684484/img/5684484.png
and without the LCARS:http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/5684502/img/5684502.png
WARNING: the images of the MSD itself are HUGE. No, seriously, they are BIG files. You've been warned.

Anyways, let me know what you think! Thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, etc.

Here are some questions I've already answered:

How did you determine the size?
Before ESD got Q'd, I lined my ship up with some canon ships in dry dock, and took a screenshot with the camera moved to the very bottom. I made sure I went to Memory Alpha & Ex Astris Scientia to find some that had consistent, verified sizes (i.e., NOT the Defiant). I used a Sovereign and an Intrepid class, scaled the screenshots out so that they were sized correctly, and measured my own. I had a screenie with an Excelsior waiting in the wings, but the difference of size between the 2 shots was so small it didn't really matter. There was about a 10 foot difference, and on a half mile long ship I figured that didn't matter. So I think I averaged the size, or picked one about that length that I liked or something, and ran with it.

Upside down people? Double size decks? What the heck is going on?
Lower Saucer Decks
First, let's look at a Galaxy class starship's saucer. That thing is pretty flat, so to prevent people from standing on the windows, they are indented on the bottom half. Now, I don't know if you've seen a Star Cruiser saucer, but those things make a Galaxy class saucer look like a flippin' skyscraper! Seriously, they are flat as a pancake. Unfortunately, the windows are not indented. While I was figuring out the decks, I realized that Starfleet had all kinds of variable gravity technology, and decided to use it. So, instead of turning my ship into a literal glass-bottom-boat, I turned the people upside down. Plus, it gives me a pseudo-realistic reason to use the NX designation in game, other than "it looks so cool!"

Decks in General
Oh boy. I'm honestly not sure I want to talk about this, it was pretty traumatic. As much as possible, I used the shape and textures of the ship itself to determine the interior structure. I spent hours trying to figure out what the heck was going on with the windows on my ship in game (Nerdy, pointless, possibly obsessive? This is a post about a fan-made Star Trek MSD, what do you expect?). Anyways, the textures are a complete MESS. You've got windows that don't line up with other windows, extra rows that pop up randomly... and this isn't even caused by some sort of hull/saucer mix up. On the hull itself, there are three different angles of window! I was actually considering putting in "The Hill," an area in the middle of the ship that had angled decks. Finally, after trying to reconcile the mess that was the in game windows, I just said "forget it," and counted how many decks there ought to be, and drew that many straight lines. It worked out so much better for me and my still-not-bald head.

Is that a horizontal warp core? That is SO 23rd century.
Well, like I said, I tried to use the exterior to determine the interior's workings. While I was looking at my ship, I decided to see if the designers had put in a warp core ejection hatch (they hadn't - not surprising given the general state of its textures). But, I did find a little triangular section on the upper back half of the hull, formed when they took the texture they'd done on one half of the ship, flipped it, and stuck it on the other half. I decided that it would be the warp core ejection hatch. Not only that, but that whole area of the ship really looks like the "spine" of the ship; a literal backbone. A horizontal warp core fit perfectly there, and since there is only one row of windows, it made sense to put in as many labs or supplies and random shape junk as I could, and fill the windowed areas with crew quarters and stuff.

Speaking of warp related items, those are some funky looking warp coils.
Maybe, but take a look at this in game MSD: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/msdingame1.jpg/. Not so funky now, eh? Besides, I figured that this is the 25th century; warp coils have made advancements by now, and they have to light up like giant white christmas trees before you go to transwarp. Plus, they look pretty cool, which is really the point of the whole thing.

That shuttlebay looks pretty big. How many shuttles are in there?
36 type 18 pods, 10 sphinx work craft, 12 type 8 shuttles, 8 Enterprise E/Type 11, 1 Delta class, and 1 Danube class runabout.

Holy TRIBBLE, that is a lot of shuttles! Why so many?
Because they fit. I started looking for the shuttlebay, but where it normally is on a Starfleet vessel was taken up by a big fat impulse engine. Luckily, there exists these indented door type areas that are obviously the place that the shuttle bay doors are. Based on the size of those, plus a bit of room to each side, I came up with this diagram: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/841/shuttlebay.png/ (That diagram was made before I put in the maintenance areas and cargo lifts. The cargo lifts were put in before I remembered for a second time that anti-gravity means cargo lifts don't need pistons). And if you'll look at the Enterprise D's shuttle complement, it's not all that far fetched.

Speaking of small craft, let's talk about escape pods. Just for fun.
Just in case you were wondering, the amount of escape pods does indeed match that of the ship in game. They're all there (although one is behind sickbay, so you can't see it. Oops?) The placement is as close as I could get it, although given the debacle that is exterior details, a few pods off by a deck aren't a big deal. There are 88 pods on each side, for a total of 176. Assuming each pod fits 6 people, you can evacuate 1,056 people on them. I figure that plenty of people will escape via the shuttles, which means there is plenty of space on small craft to evacuate all 1,000 crew, as well as any visitors/prisoners/hitch hiking aliens/what have you.

In the plaque, I put some shout outs to people whose MSD designs or websites helped me make my MSD: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/bajorplaquejpg510.jpg/
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Nice job, my man. That certainly inspires me to follow suit.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Very, very nice. Well done. Still working on mine, but getting there. Glad to know it's not just me that's had issues in realizing the exterior textures of these ships weren't really designed with any consideration of interior placement. My friend and I have had a massive headache trying to get things to line up properly.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    That is very cool.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Very fun MSD!! :) I doubt I could do that kind of thing. :o

    Out of Curiosity, would you be up for doing an MSD of my Vigilant-Class Tactical Escort Retrofit, the U.S.S. Raging Tempest?

    If so, here are a few items I want included in the MSD:

    • Cloaking Device
    • Quantum Slipstream Drive
    • Omega Drive (Overdrive System I came up with, triples the ship's performance for 10 minutes)

    I also wouldn't mind a Dedication Plaque, if you can make it. The quote on the bottom of the plaque should be as follows: "In the Game of War, there are no real Rules you can follow." - Andrew Waltfeld

    So, do you think you'd be up for doing all that? :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Allerka wrote: »
    Very, very nice. Well done. Still working on mine, but getting there. Glad to know it's not just me that's had issues in realizing the exterior textures of these ships weren't really designed with any consideration of interior placement. My friend and I have had a massive headache trying to get things to line up properly.

    Glad you like it. My advice is to just drop it - count the rows of windows, and make that many flat lines for your decks. It'll probably save your sanity.
    KiraYamato wrote:
    Very fun MSD!! :) I doubt I could do that kind of thing. :o

    Out of Curiosity, would you be up for doing an MSD of my Vigilant-Class Tactical Escort Retrofit, the U.S.S. Raging Tempest?
    ...
    So, do you think you'd be up for doing all that? :D:cool:

    I'm glad you like it enough to ask! Right now, probably not. Although it will take a lot less time than mine, since I now have all the shapes created, it would most likely be a pretty time consuming process, and I have other things on my free time plate. I will certainly keep you (and other people who ask) in mind when I get some time, though.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Nice work; I'm tempted to make my own, but I really don't have the artistic talent to pull off such a thing. :o

    One thing I will say is that, for whatever reason, ImageShack will not let me zoom in on any details of the ship, at least on this window; it fits the image to the window and that's it (unless it's user error).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Archanubis wrote:
    One thing I will say is that, for whatever reason, ImageShack will not let me zoom in on any details of the ship, at least on this window; it fits the image to the window and that's it (unless it's user error).

    Yeah.... that's... an issue. You could always download it to your computer, I suppose. I'll see what I can do, but I'm at work right now.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    I'm glad you like it enough to ask! Right now, probably not. Although it will take a lot less time than mine, since I now have all the shapes created, it would most likely be a pretty time consuming process, and I have other things on my free time plate. I will certainly keep you (and other people who ask) in mind when I get some time, though.

    Thank you very much. :)

    I look forward to seeing you get the free time to work on it, and I look forward to seeing it when it's done. :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Here's a link that should work: I've updated the OP with it: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/5684484/img/5684484.png

    Edit: here's just the ship, no LCARS: http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/5684502/img/5684502.png
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    That is a biggun; you need a large peice of paper (and one heck of a printer) to print that out and still be legible! :eek:

    Love the dedication plaque as well.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Archanubis wrote:
    That is a biggun; you need a large peice of paper (and one heck of a printer) to print that out and still be legible! :eek:

    Love the dedication plaque as well.

    Luckily I happen to work at a sign shop... Glad you like the plaque. It was fun to make.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    Glad you like it. My advice is to just drop it - count the rows of windows, and make that many flat lines for your decks. It'll probably save your sanity.
    Yep. Comparing it to similar ships (i.e. Voyager and Prometheus), I reasoned my ship should have 16 decks, though we had to adjust it to 18 due to the scale of the model. Still, we got a realistic scale figured out and we're filling in the details nicely.

    Of course, it doesn't help when Crpytic keeps changing my ship's model for the stupid multi-vector assault mode changes, nevermind mine is a non-MVAM version of the advanced escort, nor do I have the console installed. Now my ship's model has a giant gaping hole in my deck 1, right where my bridge is supposed to be. :(
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    I couldn't find a bathroom...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Allerka wrote: »
    right where my bridge is supposed to be. :(

    That is where it was in the show, I'm assuming the bridge was in the front most part of the module (it was a small bridge in the episode) or lower then a normal bridge.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    Glad you like it. My advice is to just drop it - count the rows of windows, and make that many flat lines for your decks. It'll probably save your sanity.



    I'm glad you like it enough to ask! Right now, probably not. Although it will take a lot less time than mine, since I now have all the shapes created, it would most likely be a pretty time consuming process, and I have other things on my free time plate. I will certainly keep you (and other people who ask) in mind when I get some time, though.
    Tuskin wrote:
    That is where it was in the show, I'm assuming the bridge was in the front most part of the module (it was a small bridge in the episode) or lower then a normal bridge.
    My primary hull (and secondary for that matter) is the Hepheastus class one, so there's no obvious bridge bubble like on most other ships. We actually wound up sticking the bridge a little further back and down a little, basically protecting it from enemy fire, since it's primarily designed for combat (and is also why it has redundant EVERYTHING). But now the ship model shows a giant hole there for a non-existent warp nacelle. Bleh. I'll just have to be extra careful when filming my machinima.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Aevn wrote:
    I couldn't find a bathroom...

    There's a turbolift that's on a regular 4 day rotation that has one in it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    KiraYamato wrote:
    Out of Curiosity, would you be up for doing an MSD of my Vigilant-Class Tactical Escort Retrofit, the U.S.S. Raging Tempest?
    ...
    So, do you think you'd be up for doing all that? :D:cool:

    There's a forum of a website called "LCARS Community" that makes general LCARS stuff, they have a request section: http://www.lcarsc.com/forum.php (that link is to the general forums, not the request section specifically). You could try asking there.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    There's a forum of a website called "LCARS Community" that makes general LCARS stuff, they have a request section: http://www.lcarsc.com/forum.php (that link is to the general forums, not the request section specifically). You could try asking there.

    I'll check it out--I just hope that I can post as a Guest, without having to Sign In or anything. :cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    KiraYamato wrote:
    I'll check it out--I just hope that I can post as a Guest, without having to Sign In or anything. :cool:

    Doubtful, but it's not a big deal. Just need a username and password, and an email.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    There's a forum of a website called "LCARS Community" that makes general LCARS stuff, they have a request section: http://www.lcarsc.com/forum.php (that link is to the general forums, not the request section specifically). You could try asking there.

    I went to sign up there, and it turns out I have an account from 2007! haha
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    There's a forum of a website called "LCARS Community" that makes general LCARS stuff, they have a request section: http://www.lcarsc.com/forum.php (that link is to the general forums, not the request section specifically). You could try asking there.

    lol, just checked it out. Very first post I looked into was your's.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Very very nice Feld!

    I doubt I would ever have the patience to do something like that. :o
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Stromgold wrote: »
    Very very nice Feld!

    I doubt I would ever have the patience to do something like that. :o

    Thanks, glad you like it! Hope you check out the plaque, too ;) As for patience, I worked on it a couple nights a week since November. I think it was worth it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Hey, Felderburg!! I took your advice and went to that site, and not only did I get an MSD for my ship, I also managed to get a Dedication Plaque for it!!!! :)

    So, what do you think? :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    KiraYamato wrote:
    So, what do you think? :D:cool:

    I think it looks awesome! Glad they could help you out - and a lot quicker than I would have been able to, too!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    I think it looks awesome! Glad they could help you out - and a lot quicker than I would have been able to, too!

    Thank you very much. :)

    I'll probably go to them for help a lot in the future, and I'll try and post any finished products in this thread.

    Later!! :D:cool:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited June 2011
    O... M... G... I have got to do this myself. My main's ship is thrown together from four different nacelles, the saucer from a Dakota, the Beta section from a Prometheus (maybe Phoenix) and Gamma section from a Haephestus. An MSD would be a NIGHTMARE.

    I MUST make one. :D
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited June 2011
    Blayyde wrote:
    O... M... G... I have got to do this myself. My main's ship is thrown together from four different nacelles, the saucer from a Dakota, the Beta section from a Prometheus (maybe Phoenix) and Gamma section from a Haephestus. An MSD would be a NIGHTMARE.

    I MUST make one. :D

    It probably wouldn't be that bad. Just get a good side shot of it... unless it's a completely fictional ship, which may be the case, since Dakota is tier 3 cruiser, and Prometheus is tier 5 escort...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited June 2011
    Felderburg wrote: »
    It probably wouldn't be that bad. Just get a good side shot of it... unless it's a completely fictional ship, which may be the case, since Dakota is tier 3 cruiser, and Prometheus is tier 5 escort...

    It's definately fictional, but dimensions aren't really a problem since I've put together a chart of the various ships in relation to each other. The T3 Cruiser, though, and the T5 Advanced Escort, are remarkably close to the same size. The saucer actually fits remarkably well. I would probably only have to cut a portion away from the Prometheus MSD and fake the Haphestus section.

    OTOH, the Advanced Escort saucers are all designed with flat bottoms, to perfectly mate to the Gamma section, while the Dakota saucer has a little gap all the way around. So that would show up on the MSD. In fact, it might be neat to separate the three sections on the MSD...

    Here and here are some edited screenshots. (In game I just play her as two different ships :D)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited June 2011
    That's actually kind of cool looking, but... why the 4 nacelles?
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