Pike Class
Deep Space Patrol Escort
Length (approx) 400m
Crew 200
In the wake of the solanae dyson sphere's discovery and the likelihood of forgotten Iconian relics left scattered throughout space, a joint project between Vulcan and Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards set out to produce one of the most advanced Federation Escorts of it's age. The USS Recalcitrant, a Deep Space Patrol Escort was designed to operate alone, seeking out and securing Iconian gateways, installations and technology scattered throughout the distant, dark corners of gamma and delta quadrant.
So this was the end result of my 3DS MAX to C4D modeling conversion session. 1 week turned into 3, things were learnt, remembered, reconfigured. Although I haven't (and probably won't) texture this thing, I've figured out UV Unwrapping too... As always, when I try to figure things out, I usually set out on a personal project - in this case, I wanted to make a starship for Star Trek Online, a Federation ship that meshed with my own quirky design sensibilities...
With the goal established, then I ask for help, suggestions, spend a lot of time on youtube, pull my hair out, and try again.... as you can see here:
www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/sh
forums.12th-fleet.com/viewtopi
I may texture it some day - but I have to move on to a personal project I've been working on, thinking on, dreaming on, for far too long.
Comments
I love the design. That is awesome. Thought it was more of a Cruiser or Science ship based on the aesthetic, not an Escort. Though I suppose the Boff stations you listed would make it a cruiser, technically.
DELTA PRICE RISING
Do it!
I've seen some people spend epic amounts of time recreating every detail within the various enterprises.
Great Job.
I have not modelled since modding startrek armada 1 & 2 so it has been a while , just tried to install it on windows 7 x64 and it said my licence is not valid lol . last time I used it was on win xp
DELTA PRICE RISING
In fact, even Cryptic can take some learning points about Starfleet design from this example. You created something new, something that clearly has the Vulcan design influence and yet is so reckognizably Starfleet. Great job!
I also dig the classification (Pike).
Some questions because I'm curious ...
1- Why were the Vulcans tapped to help design an escort?
2- Any backstory to the name, recalcitrant? Why that name?
3- Dyson Spheres always kind of give me that dwarfed feeling you know? Like these are HUGE structures. So what's the thought process behind sending 200 man ships out to the darkest corners of space to find these monster structures? Like are those 200 specialists in dyson spheres? How focused is the ship on that part of the mission versus say, the combat problems it may face delving into unexplored space?
Again, great work. Sorry for all the questions. I guess that shows how good the work was if you got me that interested in the story of the ship.
A vulcan carrier would probably sell like crazy too.
Good questions and I may not have great answers for all of them.
1) From an aesthetic POV, during the design process I was coming up with various types configurations for the nacelles, I wanted something that would be a departure from the regular body plan and one of the designs was vulcan-ish almost by accident - that then influenced the RP.
From an RP POV - well, what are the Vulcans doing right now? They're probably intensely fascinated by the possibilities and problems caused by the resurgence of the Iconians, painting them back into the picture somehow with some sort of active role seemed fitting, given Tuvoks return.
2) The name represents the role and ship as well as starfleets mood towards the Iconians. Other names floating around for this vessel (or possibly sister vessels) included USS Boxer, USS Wage, USS Eccentric and USS Vagrant. This ship was designed to operate in deepspace, beyond the reach of subspace relays, in some way outside the sphere of the federation its self. But unlike deep space exploration missions, it's remit is pretty clear ...
3) Think of this class as a first responder, find the assets, secure the assets, wait for reinforcements. Given all recent Iconian contact has been of a hostile nature, the ship unfortunately assumes a more aggressive stance than you would expect from a pure exploration team. Although a few experts are on board, given the vastness of iconian relics, these personnel are probably too valuable to be risked en masse on the first phase of contact.
Been watching your work over at scifi-meshes... well done!
CM
From a distance it looks like you went hog wild on a White Star.
And the warp nacelles/pylon system seems a little structurally unsound.
Otherwise, not ugly.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Some of the escape pods seem to be causing odd shading here and there where they intersect the ship. But overall I like it and can't wait to see where you take it from here!
33.33% of the STO Ship Art team.
100% of the new guys on the STO Ship Art team.
Thanks!
Almost every pylon-nacelle system from the constitution class up is structurally unsound imo, this just continues that fine tradition
So when do you get hired by the STO team, make this ship, and let me fly it? Eh? Eh??
:P
Mine Trap Supporter
Instead... I am now going: "Daaaaymn, that's actually pretty good. Cryptic probably should look into an interview if this person dropped in an application."
Kuddos!
I think there's a problem with the symmetry modifier as it's only affecting the pods on one side, when I ever get back to it, i'll try a few things to fix it - hopefully with the light bleeding through intersections sorted out too.
I think theres a marker sketch somewhere with 3 deflectors and defiant-like nacelles, it was awesome, but, perhaps too much for the fan base right now.
As for critical feedback:
The nacelles should probably be lifted a bit so they fully clear the saucer section on a frontal view. Although, truth be told, I am kind of curious what the ship would look like if you flipped the nacelle and pylons upside-down for an under-mounted design(obviously, the pylons would have to be restructured). It might help counter-balance the very low drooping deflector section and give it a more aggressive profile.
I also find the secondary navigational deflector a bit curious on an 'escort', but I see it is mentioned as a long-range vessel.
Otherwise, I really like the attention to detail, from the torpedo modules to the fore and aft Phaser strips to the thruster ports to the bridge and escape pod distribution. I can see a lot of love and thought went into it.
Make it happen.
I like the idea of Starfleet ships w/ some other species flavor/esthetics vs full-on alien ships in Starfleet.
There are many fan made ships that look better than some of the ones that are in-game. It'd be nice if Cryptic bought some to use. One idea would be to use them as ship skins to sell in the C-store. Cryptic used to sell ship skins back when they cared about STO as something other than a money maker.
I remember back before F2P how Cryptic swore that C-store items were never going to effect gameplay (aka p2w). How times have changed.
So this? [][][][] [][][] [][][] [] []
On top tier ships I really dislike ensign stations. I'd make the 2 Ensign Scis a Lt. Sci. Boff seating probably a bit OP, but like the Fleet BoP, it might lose some HP to make up for it.
i recall back before the game went live they said it be used only for vanity item's hek here is a video of of the sto that should have been
system Lord Baal is dead
If it were possible, I would definitely love to see the Pike class in game at some point!
For the bridge officer seating, if the current setup doesn't work, one of these might be able to:
However, the secondary deflector array made me think that it would have some kind of science capabilities.
Star Trek Battles member. Want to roll with a good group of people regardless of fleets and not have to worry about DPS while doing STFs? Come join the channel and join in the fun!
http://forum.arcgames.com/startrekonline/discussion/1145998/star-trek-battles-channel-got-canon/p1
But we know Cryptic made it clear they aren't going to add fanmade designs. Not even the other winners of the DTNE got their ships into the game.