True but:
1. it's almost 80 years between Excelsior and Galaxy. *
2. The Galaxy looks much more futuristic/advanced, while the Sovereign looks like it where more from kirks era or at least a step backwards from the fluid GCS design.
*Don't get me wrong if they had designed the -D similar like the Sovereign in the first place, the Galaxy could easily have been a ship from the 26th century.
I believe that I hadmentioned the 80 years seperation. I respect that you have an opinion. My opinion is that I do not believe that the Galaxy looks futuristic, it just looks different. I would go as far as to say organic.
it was decision form paramount to have a "flashy new hot rod" as the enterpise it had nothing to do with how easy or hard the model was to deal with. also braga hated the galaxy class and said if he had to use it again he would destroy it in the first 5 minutes of the movie just to not use it for the remainder
ironicly he is the one that gave us the challenger (a galaxy) and the final episode of enterpise which was basicly an episode of TNG and took place on the D and had some great exterior shots
The Challenger was probably an easier to use model. As far as he last Enterprise episode, it was the last Enterprise episode and they wasnt a comittment to use the Galaxy in any more filming, as that had the Sovy for any future films for TNG. Did he reference why he "hated the Galaxy"? If he said he hated it, maybe for the way it looked, thats one thing. It could have very well be because it was such a PITA to film with, and if I could do something to make production of my work more effective, while having quality, I would certainly make a change.
The Challenger was probably an easier to use model. As far as he last Enterprise episode, it was the last Enterprise episode and they wasnt a comittment to use the Galaxy in any more filming, as that had the Sovy for any future films for TNG. Did he reference why he "hated the Galaxy"? If he said he hated it, maybe for the way it looked, thats one thing. It could have very well be because it was such a PITA to film with, and if I could do something to make production of my work more effective, while having quality, I would certainly make a change.
The Challenger was likely Digital Muse's CGI model from DS9, so something they already had on hand. The last episode of Enterprise needed a new CGI model because it was shot in HD and they were past using physical models at that point (the last time the 6 foot model was used was in Generations, the 4 foot was likely still being restored from it's time at Planet Hollywood).
They had a thing about not using the Sovereign in any of the TV shows because they didn't want it to seem common. Which is why you never see one in all the dig DS9 battles, but you do get to see the Galaxy kicking TRIBBLE.
Personally I like both. The Galaxy does have a softer organic look, while the Sovereign has a sleek, meaner look. Which you prefer is up to you.
The Challenger was likely Digital Muse's CGI model from DS9, so something they already had on hand. The last episode of Enterprise needed a new CGI model because it was shot in HD and they were past using physical models at that point (the last time the 6 foot model was used was in Generations, the 4 foot was likely still being restored from it's time at Planet Hollywood).
They had a thing about not using the Sovereign in any of the TV shows because they didn't want it to seem common. Which is why you never see one in all the dig DS9 battles, but you do get to see the Galaxy kicking TRIBBLE.
Personally I like both. The Galaxy does have a softer organic look, while the Sovereign has a sleek, meaner look. Which you prefer is up to you.
Exactly, and there is always the option to like both. Its not really a zero sum situation.
The Challenger was probably an easier to use model. As far as he last Enterprise episode, it was the last Enterprise episode and they wasnt a comittment to use the Galaxy in any more filming, as that had the Sovy for any future films for TNG. Did he reference why he "hated the Galaxy"? If he said he hated it, maybe for the way it looked, thats one thing. It could have very well be because it was such a PITA to film with, and if I could do something to make production of my work more effective, while having quality, I would certainly make a change.
he said it never had any good angels you could film it at. which i disagree i think all the angels the sov was filmed at would of looked just as good on the galaxy. especially the defiant fly over
Neither ship looks great in certain rear angle shots. The Galaxy's problem is the saucer, the Sovereign's problem is the nacelles. Personal opinion. This is also true of the Intrepid class.
Most of the shots where either looks good looks good on the other as well.
he said it never had any good angels you could film it at. which i disagree i think all the angels the sov was filmed at would of looked just as good on the galaxy. especially the defiant fly over
Might just me being a Galaxy fanatic - but I think the 'flyover scene' with the Defiant would have looked amazing with a Galaxy class...
Don't get me wrong, I like the Sovereign. Except STO's model for her - but she just isn't as majestic as the Galaxy in my eyes.
Reading up more on the last episode of Enterprise, it was suppose to be a "valentine to all of Star Trek". Unfortunately it ended up coming off as awkward.
Reading up more on the last episode of Enterprise, it was suppose to be a "valentine to all of Star Trek". Unfortunately it ended up coming off as awkward.
Random, but it would explain the Enterprise D.
So maybe the writer was the guy who got terrets when he asked a girl out?
he said it never had any good angels you could film it at. which i disagree i think all the angels the sov was filmed at would of looked just as good on the galaxy. especially the defiant fly over
I don't know about that, I think the Sovy' looked better doing the roll at the end of Insurrection than the Galaxy ever wouldve hoped for. Albeit the ramming scene with the Schimitar would have been much more profound with a Galaxy class. Either way, the Galaxy had her fair share of time in the limelight. I am glad they introduced the Sovy', she works parallel with the Intrepid, Promethius and Nova.
i was mainly referring to first contact as in insurrection it was all CGI no physical model was used but yes that roll scene would not have worked as nicely with the galaxy.
also i might be not wording this completely correct but i also liked the sov as well it was a nice sleek looking ship it was just more of a fast attack heavy cruiser compared to the galaxy which was a slow moving battle ship/siege weapon. i always saw the sov as an updated excelsior
i was mainly referring to first contact as in insurrection it was all CGI no physical model was used but yes that roll scene would not have worked as nicely with the galaxy.
also i might be not wording this completely correct but i also liked the sov as well it was a nice sleek looking ship it was just more of a fast attack heavy cruiser compared to the galaxy which was a slow moving battle ship/siege weapon. i always saw the sov as an updated excelsior
Yeah it's definitely not meant to replace the Galaxy. The Galaxy is too new for that.
also i might be not wording this completely correct but i also liked the sov as well it was a nice sleek looking ship it was just more of a fast attack heavy cruiser compared to the galaxy which was a slow moving battle ship/siege weapon. i always saw the sov as an updated excelsior
And that's precisely what it is. People keep wondering why the Sovereign's configuration is so different from the Galaxy's, but (as has been said many times on this thread) the Sovereign was not built to replace the Galaxy, it was simply the next Enterprise.
Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved 800 lives, including your mother's, and yours.
it was decision form paramount to have a "flashy new hot rod" as the enterpise it had nothing to do with how easy or hard the model was to deal with. also braga hated the galaxy class and said if he had to use it again he would destroy it in the first 5 minutes of the movie just to not use it for the remainder
ironicly he is the one that gave us the challenger (a galaxy) and the final episode of enterpise which was basicly an episode of TNG and took place on the D and had some great exterior shots
Alright seriously, the six foot was notoriously difficult to deal with that's documented.
Second, I already can't stand Braga, that just makes me hate him more. Caveat: He seems like a perfectly nice fellow and I've enjoyed his other projects, but he really shouldn't be allowed near Star Trek ever again.
And pretty much every use of a Galaxy class or any other ship after Call to Arms and Insurrection was a CGI model except for some stock shots, including the shots from Enterprise. I forget when they made the Transition during Voyager.
I've always found it interesting how Babylon 5 went full in on CGI but Star Trek didn't use it until what? Five years later? And when Star Trek did do it, you couldn't distinguish between the physical models and the digital ones. Star Trek always did go for cutting edge visuals.
True but:
1. it's almost 80 years between Excelsior and Galaxy. *
2. The Galaxy looks much more futuristic/advanced, while the Sovereign looks like it where more from kirks era or at least a step backwards from the fluid GCS design.
*Don't get me wrong if they had designed the -D similar like the Sovereign in the first place, the Galaxy could easily have been a ship from the 26th century.
I respectfully disagree, the Sovereign does not look less advanced than the Galaxy.
They look like ships designed for two different purposes.
Reading up more on the last episode of Enterprise, it was suppose to be a "valentine to all of Star Trek". Unfortunately it ended up coming off as awkward.
Random, but it would explain the Enterprise D.
Well the randomness is explained, since they knew it would be the last Star Trek television for maybe a whole generation. The TNG angle basically was the shaft to the entire Enterprise team.
That love letter could've been easily accomplished by sticking that stinger at the end of Terra Prime and never producing These Are the Voyages, no matter how beautiful that would make a title for the last episode of any show with an Enterprise.
On a more inquisitive note, I wonder if they're going to try and match visuals from The Pegasus with the shots used in These are the Voyages when that's remastered (if it hasn't been already).
"Rise like Lions after slumber, In unvanquishable number, Shake your chains to earth like dew, Which in sleep had fallen on you-Ye are many they are few"
All of TNG has been remastered. I haven't seen it, but I doubt that the two match up since the remaster is more about using what footage can be upgraded to HD and using CGI to get as close as possible when they can't. I don't think Enterprise will be remastered because it was already shot in HD.
Voyager went full CGI in Season 4 (I think). Star Trek waited to go for full CGI until CGI was high enough quality to match the models (and then the CGI models increased in detail the more they were used). Babylon 5 broke ground with the technology.
And that's precisely what it is. People keep wondering why the Sovereign's configuration is so different from the Galaxy's, but (as has been said many times on this thread) the Sovereign was not built to replace the Galaxy, it was simply the next Enterprise.
That's obvious for sure.
But the thing is why the producers chose a almost retro looking design for a 24th century top of the line ship.
Especially while there where much more smoother looking designs already been established.
Sure in retrospect for some it doesn't seem so noticeable, but before ST:8 the trend was going to smaller/bulkier nacelles and more heavy saucer/engineering hull starship designs.
(Ambassador, Nebula, Galaxy, Intrepid, even Defiant)
But ST:8 introduced a lot of new designs that totally broke with this pattern with some almost looking alien Starfleet ships (steamrunner for ex.).
I don't say they look bad per se, but the transition came out of nowhere.
The same could be said about the new introduced uniforms then, everything felt totally different imo.
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
the thing i never really liked is the sov is almost half the size of the galaxy by volume. it's just odd to go smaller when every other enterpise at that point kept getting bigger
the thing i never really liked is the sov is almost half the size of the galaxy by volume. it's just odd to go smaller when every other enterpise at that point kept getting bigger
That was just timeing, the sovereign wasn't designed with inheriting the name enterprise in mind, in universe at least, it totally was out of universe lol. the D was supposed to last like 50 years, the duration of how long the galaxy class would likly remain the heaviest and most powerful class. The sovereign would have been designed to split the difference and fill the gap between the enourmouse galaxys and nebulas, and the largest cruisers, like the akira and new orlienes. wile also probably directly replacing the ambasidor class, that by now only carried weapons comparable to a ship 1\3 it's size. Its probably not a coincidence that the ambasidor and sovereign are both almost exactly the same volume.
Becase to many hacks worked on star trek, the D was killed off, oh boo boo it's so hard to shoot with the 6 foot, and we ruined the 4 foot when we glued all that hideous TRIBBLE on it for the finally! But, you're in the middle of a total cgi Change over. No it's just to hard, make something low, fast, and too cool for school.
In universe, at the eve of the launch of a brand new, very advanced cruiser, the iconic enterprise was 'destroyed', with no loss of life. The sovereign class itself, being so impressive for what it was, must have seemed entirely worthy of having one named enterprise. Pretty much that simple. the enterprise doesn't necessarily need to be a member of the most powerful class, they didn't rename the excelcior, they made the enterprise another connie.
That was just timeing, the sovereign wasn't designed with inheriting the name enterprise in mind, in universe at least, it totally was out of universe lol. the D was supposed to last like 50 years, the duration of how long the galaxy class would likly remain the heaviest and most powerful class. The sovereign would have been designed to split the difference and fill the gap between the enourmouse galaxys and nebulas, and the largest cruisers, like the akira and new orlienes. wile also probably directly replacing the ambasidor class, that by now only carried weapons comparable to a ship 1\3 it's size. Its probably not a coincidence that the ambasidor and sovereign are both almost exactly the same volume.
Becase to many hacks worked on star trek, the D was killed off, oh boo boo it's so hard to shoot with the 6 foot, and we ruined the 4 foot when we glued all that hideous TRIBBLE on it for the finally! But, you're in the middle of a total cgi Change over. No it's just to hard, make something low, fast, and too cool for school.
In universe, at the eve of the launch of a brand new, very advanced cruiser, the iconic enterprise was 'destroyed', with no loss of life. The sovereign class itself, being so impressive for what it was, must have seemed entirely worthy of having one named enterprise. Pretty much that simple. the enterprise doesn't necessarily need to be a member of the most powerful class, they didn't rename the excelcior, they made the enterprise another connie.
This, 100x this!
Production wise its too many cooks spoil the broth.
(i hope that phrase fits, but you get what i mean i hope)
Sadly this is only one of many ocasions where trek producers politics/opinions contradict each other. That's Star Treks faith i suppose.
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
the thing i never really liked is the sov is almost half the size of the galaxy by volume. it's just odd to go smaller when every other enterpise at that point kept getting bigger
The Sovereigns strike me as being easier to build then a Galaxy. And for the same materials you can get two (perhaps 3) Sovereigns for the cost of a single Galaxy class.
As to where the Sovereigns were during the Dominion War - I always heard it was a licensing issue. While Paramount had the rights to use the CBS owned designs - it wasn't a two way street. So Paramount could use a Galaxy or Nebula, but CBS couldn't use a Sovereign or a Steamrunner. The 'soft canon' explanation is that the Sovereigns were too new to risk on a front line fight when proven and tested ships like the Galaxy and Defiants were holding the front just fine. So the Sovereigns were held back for home defense fleets and field testing while the Galaxy's did the heavy lifting.
This is why in Insurrection - when the Dominion war was still going strong - the Enterprise was at home 'waving the flag' for a minor species joining the Federation.
The point that we all seem to be dancing around is - the Galaxy and Sovereign aren't designed for the same purpose. They aren't a replacement for each other. And no matter what anyone says - the Enterprise E is never referred to as the 'Flagship of the fleet'. The closest it ever comes is Picard taking command of the fleet at Sol during the second Borg incursion.
So while a Sovereign is newer - it might be faster (though this is NEVER proven on screen - the fastest stated warp factor we ever hear of her going is warp 8), and her systems are more advanced. That's a lot like comparing a brand new top of the line guided missile frigate to the Nimitz class aircraft carrier. The frigate might be newer, her tech is top of the line - but she isn't replacing the aircraft carrier.
With all this talk about the Sovereign it reminded me of something. When the latter part of DS9 was on-air and First Contact, Insurrection hit theaters, it hit me when I was catching up on DS9 that no Sovereign-class ships were ever shown in the Dominion War. We have all kinds of ships showing up even a whole squadron of Galaxy-class vessels. Yet not 1 Sovereign-class has been shown despite the move to CGI already.
With all this talk about the Sovereign it reminded me of something. When the latter part of DS9 was on-air and First Contact, Insurrection hit theaters, it hit me when I was catching up on DS9 that no Sovereign-class ships were ever shown in the Dominion War. We have all kinds of ships showing up even a whole squadron of Galaxy-class vessels. Yet not 1 Sovereign-class has been shown despite the move to CGI already.
What stofsk said, it was a production decision. We have the in-universe nod, however, that the Enterprise had minor assignments during the Dominion war at the beginning of FC (which is where the "Explorers" line comes from - it doesn't mean we're all badass battleship jocks now, it means that the Enterprise got minor assignments (on purpose) which started to get to the crew and pciard).
^ Memory Alpha.org is not canon. It's a open wiki with arbitrary rules. Only what can be cited from an episode is. ^
"No. Men do not roar. Women roar. Then they hurl heavy objects... and claw at you." -Worf, son of Mogh
"A filthy, mangy beast, but in its bony breast beat the heart of a warrior" - "faithful" (...) "but ever-ready to follow the call of the wild." - Martok, about a Targ
"That pig smelled horrid. A sweet-sour, extremely pungent odor. I showered and showered, and it took me a week to get rid of it!" - Robert Justman, appreciating Emmy-Lou
As far as I'm aware the lack of a Sovereign class in DS9 was down to licencing between Paramount and CBS since they needed a licence to use movie ships on the show and vice versa, I gather the Enterprise was too iconic to be left as fluff ship in the space scenes.
As far as I'm aware the lack of a Sovereign class in DS9 was down to licencing between Paramount and CBS since they needed a licence to use movie ships on the show and vice versa, I gather the Enterprise was too iconic to be left as fluff ship in the space scenes.
CBS didn't get the licence until the mid-2000s. Prior to that it was Paramount.
What happened was Rick Berman made a Bermanesque decision. I don't hate the guy but man did he have some dumb ideas. There was almost certainly a bit of office politics going on too, DS9 was more or less Ira Steven Behr's show, Berman was EP but he didn't really do much day-to-day running of it. At one point in First Contact's development they were going to destroy the Defiant in the opening battle, Behr wasn't too happy with that. Berman also wasn't keen on the whole Dominion War storyline and wanted the six-part opening to S6 to wrap it up. Behr basically just ignored him.
I'd imagine with that kind of working relationship, even if one side wanted to have the Enterprise cameo in an episode of DS9 it just wouldn't happen. Even an offhand reference by Worf or Sisko about how the Enterprise lead a fleet in the Way-Over-There Sector would have been enough. The most we got instead are LCARS references in DS9 episodes.
That was just timeing, the sovereign wasn't designed with inheriting the name enterprise in mind, in universe at least, it totally was out of universe lol. the D was supposed to last like 50 years, the duration of how long the galaxy class would likly remain the heaviest and most powerful class. The sovereign would have been designed to split the difference and fill the gap between the enourmouse galaxys and nebulas, and the largest cruisers, like the akira and new orlienes. wile also probably directly replacing the ambasidor class, that by now only carried weapons comparable to a ship 1\3 it's size. Its probably not a coincidence that the ambasidor and sovereign are both almost exactly the same volume.
Becase to many hacks worked on star trek, the D was killed off, oh boo boo it's so hard to shoot with the 6 foot, and we ruined the 4 foot when we glued all that hideous TRIBBLE on it for the finally! But, you're in the middle of a total cgi Change over. No it's just to hard, make something low, fast, and too cool for school.
In universe, at the eve of the launch of a brand new, very advanced cruiser, the iconic enterprise was 'destroyed', with no loss of life. The sovereign class itself, being so impressive for what it was, must have seemed entirely worthy of having one named enterprise. Pretty much that simple. the enterprise doesn't necessarily need to be a member of the most powerful class, they didn't rename the excelcior, they made the enterprise another connie.
If I remeber correctly, Excelsior was still experimental (NX registry still) and was playing testbed. It seemed that it was a one off design at the time.
As far asthe Galaxy being the most powerful class, why would the design the most powerful weapon on the ship to be seperated from the Stardive section when the Battle Bridge (suggesting that the stardrive was supposed to do actual fightng , seperate from the saucer) was in use? The Star Driver appears to only have 1/3 of the ships total weapons itself, but was supposed to do fighting without loss of combat capabilty? Seems silly to gimp that section of the ship as a delaying tool, while the non-warp drive saucer tries to sneak away. Dont you think?
The volume difference between Galaxy and Sovereign/Ambassador was that the later wasnt designed to wander so far away from the Federation without resupply, the Galaxy was a borderline generation ship.
As far as switching to the Sovereign, they wanted a different vibe for the hero ship and the previous ship was hard to film. They were in the process of switching to CGI, but they wanted a fresh start as well. Sometimes a rose is just a rose.
in the manual saucer separation was only to be used as a way to get civilians out of a combat zone if things got too serious acting as a large life boat wile the star drive would hold them off so the saucer could escape on impulse.... yeah not really fully thoughts out on that one lol
pretty much it was suppose to be a last ditch maneuver. gene was the only one that thought it should be done in every fight and is the one that called it the battle bridge and battle section. name stuck
also on screen worf is the only person to refer to the star drive as a "warship" with increased tactical abilities... wile he was talking to klingons on a ship tour in the first season
CBS didn't get the licence until the mid-2000s. Prior to that it was Paramount.
What happened was Rick Berman made a Bermanesque decision. I don't hate the guy but man did he have some dumb ideas. There was almost certainly a bit of office politics going on too, DS9 was more or less Ira Steven Behr's show, Berman was EP but he didn't really do much day-to-day running of it. At one point in First Contact's development they were going to destroy the Defiant in the opening battle, Behr wasn't too happy with that. Berman also wasn't keen on the whole Dominion War storyline and wanted the six-part opening to S6 to wrap it up. Behr basically just ignored him.
I'd imagine with that kind of working relationship, even if one side wanted to have the Enterprise cameo in an episode of DS9 it just wouldn't happen. Even an offhand reference by Worf or Sisko about how the Enterprise lead a fleet in the Way-Over-There Sector would have been enough. The most we got instead are LCARS references in DS9 episodes.
What a waste of opportunities...
I have read (can't remember where) that they didn't want to have a Sovereign in DS9 because people would be too easily "confused", whatever that means.
On the other hand they managed to have a Intrepid class in one DS9 episode. Again i think these conflicts between the various producers didn't help making their shows better.
...
also on screen worf is the only person to refer to the star drive as a "warship" with increased tactical abilities... wile he was talking to klingons on a ship tour in the first season
I think this is similar like ST:3 when one of Kruges officers described the Enterprise as "battleship" (sorry i only know the German sub.)
Klingons just seem to like thinking in military terms.
"...'With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied--chains us all irrevocably.' ... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged. I fear that today--"
- (TNG) Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie
Comments
i honestly think he is a bit bipolar do to him baiscly taking a 180* stance on the ship during enterpise.
he is a strange strange man
I believe that I hadmentioned the 80 years seperation. I respect that you have an opinion. My opinion is that I do not believe that the Galaxy looks futuristic, it just looks different. I would go as far as to say organic.
The Challenger was probably an easier to use model. As far as he last Enterprise episode, it was the last Enterprise episode and they wasnt a comittment to use the Galaxy in any more filming, as that had the Sovy for any future films for TNG. Did he reference why he "hated the Galaxy"? If he said he hated it, maybe for the way it looked, thats one thing. It could have very well be because it was such a PITA to film with, and if I could do something to make production of my work more effective, while having quality, I would certainly make a change.
They had a thing about not using the Sovereign in any of the TV shows because they didn't want it to seem common. Which is why you never see one in all the dig DS9 battles, but you do get to see the Galaxy kicking TRIBBLE.
Personally I like both. The Galaxy does have a softer organic look, while the Sovereign has a sleek, meaner look. Which you prefer is up to you.
Exactly, and there is always the option to like both. Its not really a zero sum situation.
he said it never had any good angels you could film it at. which i disagree i think all the angels the sov was filmed at would of looked just as good on the galaxy. especially the defiant fly over
Most of the shots where either looks good looks good on the other as well.
Might just me being a Galaxy fanatic - but I think the 'flyover scene' with the Defiant would have looked amazing with a Galaxy class...
Don't get me wrong, I like the Sovereign. Except STO's model for her - but she just isn't as majestic as the Galaxy in my eyes.
Random, but it would explain the Enterprise D.
So maybe the writer was the guy who got terrets when he asked a girl out?
I don't know about that, I think the Sovy' looked better doing the roll at the end of Insurrection than the Galaxy ever wouldve hoped for. Albeit the ramming scene with the Schimitar would have been much more profound with a Galaxy class. Either way, the Galaxy had her fair share of time in the limelight. I am glad they introduced the Sovy', she works parallel with the Intrepid, Promethius and Nova.
also i might be not wording this completely correct but i also liked the sov as well it was a nice sleek looking ship it was just more of a fast attack heavy cruiser compared to the galaxy which was a slow moving battle ship/siege weapon. i always saw the sov as an updated excelsior
And that's precisely what it is. People keep wondering why the Sovereign's configuration is so different from the Galaxy's, but (as has been said many times on this thread) the Sovereign was not built to replace the Galaxy, it was simply the next Enterprise.
Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved 800 lives, including your mother's, and yours.
I dare you to do better.
Second, I already can't stand Braga, that just makes me hate him more. Caveat: He seems like a perfectly nice fellow and I've enjoyed his other projects, but he really shouldn't be allowed near Star Trek ever again.
And pretty much every use of a Galaxy class or any other ship after Call to Arms and Insurrection was a CGI model except for some stock shots, including the shots from Enterprise. I forget when they made the Transition during Voyager.
I've always found it interesting how Babylon 5 went full in on CGI but Star Trek didn't use it until what? Five years later? And when Star Trek did do it, you couldn't distinguish between the physical models and the digital ones. Star Trek always did go for cutting edge visuals. I respectfully disagree, the Sovereign does not look less advanced than the Galaxy.
They look like ships designed for two different purposes.
Well the randomness is explained, since they knew it would be the last Star Trek television for maybe a whole generation. The TNG angle basically was the shaft to the entire Enterprise team.
That love letter could've been easily accomplished by sticking that stinger at the end of Terra Prime and never producing These Are the Voyages, no matter how beautiful that would make a title for the last episode of any show with an Enterprise.
On a more inquisitive note, I wonder if they're going to try and match visuals from The Pegasus with the shots used in These are the Voyages when that's remastered (if it hasn't been already).
Voyager went full CGI in Season 4 (I think). Star Trek waited to go for full CGI until CGI was high enough quality to match the models (and then the CGI models increased in detail the more they were used). Babylon 5 broke ground with the technology.
But the thing is why the producers chose a almost retro looking design for a 24th century top of the line ship.
Especially while there where much more smoother looking designs already been established.
Sure in retrospect for some it doesn't seem so noticeable, but before ST:8 the trend was going to smaller/bulkier nacelles and more heavy saucer/engineering hull starship designs.
(Ambassador, Nebula, Galaxy, Intrepid, even Defiant)
But ST:8 introduced a lot of new designs that totally broke with this pattern with some almost looking alien Starfleet ships (steamrunner for ex.).
I don't say they look bad per se, but the transition came out of nowhere.
The same could be said about the new introduced uniforms then, everything felt totally different imo.
That was just timeing, the sovereign wasn't designed with inheriting the name enterprise in mind, in universe at least, it totally was out of universe lol. the D was supposed to last like 50 years, the duration of how long the galaxy class would likly remain the heaviest and most powerful class. The sovereign would have been designed to split the difference and fill the gap between the enourmouse galaxys and nebulas, and the largest cruisers, like the akira and new orlienes. wile also probably directly replacing the ambasidor class, that by now only carried weapons comparable to a ship 1\3 it's size. Its probably not a coincidence that the ambasidor and sovereign are both almost exactly the same volume.
Becase to many hacks worked on star trek, the D was killed off, oh boo boo it's so hard to shoot with the 6 foot, and we ruined the 4 foot when we glued all that hideous TRIBBLE on it for the finally! But, you're in the middle of a total cgi Change over. No it's just to hard, make something low, fast, and too cool for school.
In universe, at the eve of the launch of a brand new, very advanced cruiser, the iconic enterprise was 'destroyed', with no loss of life. The sovereign class itself, being so impressive for what it was, must have seemed entirely worthy of having one named enterprise. Pretty much that simple. the enterprise doesn't necessarily need to be a member of the most powerful class, they didn't rename the excelcior, they made the enterprise another connie.
Production wise its too many cooks spoil the broth.
(i hope that phrase fits, but you get what i mean i hope)
Sadly this is only one of many ocasions where trek producers politics/opinions contradict each other. That's Star Treks faith i suppose.
The Sovereigns strike me as being easier to build then a Galaxy. And for the same materials you can get two (perhaps 3) Sovereigns for the cost of a single Galaxy class.
As to where the Sovereigns were during the Dominion War - I always heard it was a licensing issue. While Paramount had the rights to use the CBS owned designs - it wasn't a two way street. So Paramount could use a Galaxy or Nebula, but CBS couldn't use a Sovereign or a Steamrunner. The 'soft canon' explanation is that the Sovereigns were too new to risk on a front line fight when proven and tested ships like the Galaxy and Defiants were holding the front just fine. So the Sovereigns were held back for home defense fleets and field testing while the Galaxy's did the heavy lifting.
This is why in Insurrection - when the Dominion war was still going strong - the Enterprise was at home 'waving the flag' for a minor species joining the Federation.
The point that we all seem to be dancing around is - the Galaxy and Sovereign aren't designed for the same purpose. They aren't a replacement for each other. And no matter what anyone says - the Enterprise E is never referred to as the 'Flagship of the fleet'. The closest it ever comes is Picard taking command of the fleet at Sol during the second Borg incursion.
So while a Sovereign is newer - it might be faster (though this is NEVER proven on screen - the fastest stated warp factor we ever hear of her going is warp 8), and her systems are more advanced. That's a lot like comparing a brand new top of the line guided missile frigate to the Nimitz class aircraft carrier. The frigate might be newer, her tech is top of the line - but she isn't replacing the aircraft carrier.
What stofsk said, it was a production decision. We have the in-universe nod, however, that the Enterprise had minor assignments during the Dominion war at the beginning of FC (which is where the "Explorers" line comes from - it doesn't mean we're all badass battleship jocks now, it means that the Enterprise got minor assignments (on purpose) which started to get to the crew and pciard).
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What happened was Rick Berman made a Bermanesque decision. I don't hate the guy but man did he have some dumb ideas. There was almost certainly a bit of office politics going on too, DS9 was more or less Ira Steven Behr's show, Berman was EP but he didn't really do much day-to-day running of it. At one point in First Contact's development they were going to destroy the Defiant in the opening battle, Behr wasn't too happy with that. Berman also wasn't keen on the whole Dominion War storyline and wanted the six-part opening to S6 to wrap it up. Behr basically just ignored him.
I'd imagine with that kind of working relationship, even if one side wanted to have the Enterprise cameo in an episode of DS9 it just wouldn't happen. Even an offhand reference by Worf or Sisko about how the Enterprise lead a fleet in the Way-Over-There Sector would have been enough. The most we got instead are LCARS references in DS9 episodes.
If I remeber correctly, Excelsior was still experimental (NX registry still) and was playing testbed. It seemed that it was a one off design at the time.
As far asthe Galaxy being the most powerful class, why would the design the most powerful weapon on the ship to be seperated from the Stardive section when the Battle Bridge (suggesting that the stardrive was supposed to do actual fightng , seperate from the saucer) was in use? The Star Driver appears to only have 1/3 of the ships total weapons itself, but was supposed to do fighting without loss of combat capabilty? Seems silly to gimp that section of the ship as a delaying tool, while the non-warp drive saucer tries to sneak away. Dont you think?
The volume difference between Galaxy and Sovereign/Ambassador was that the later wasnt designed to wander so far away from the Federation without resupply, the Galaxy was a borderline generation ship.
As far as switching to the Sovereign, they wanted a different vibe for the hero ship and the previous ship was hard to film. They were in the process of switching to CGI, but they wanted a fresh start as well. Sometimes a rose is just a rose.
pretty much it was suppose to be a last ditch maneuver. gene was the only one that thought it should be done in every fight and is the one that called it the battle bridge and battle section. name stuck
also on screen worf is the only person to refer to the star drive as a "warship" with increased tactical abilities... wile he was talking to klingons on a ship tour in the first season
The other problem was the only Enterprise D model that could separate was the 6 foot one they stopped using in Season 3.
What a waste of opportunities...
I have read (can't remember where) that they didn't want to have a Sovereign in DS9 because people would be too easily "confused", whatever that means.
On the other hand they managed to have a Intrepid class in one DS9 episode. Again i think these conflicts between the various producers didn't help making their shows better.
EDIT: I think this is similar like ST:3 when one of Kruges officers described the Enterprise as "battleship" (sorry i only know the German sub.)
Klingons just seem to like thinking in military terms.