USS Horizon development thread

[Caltern]

Getting around finally to working on the USS Horizon. Operating off discussion with Kheren and the Lotus Class Specs PDF file, this is the basic saucer shape I am thinking of going with. What do you guys think?

[Kheren]

Good start. Reminescent of a starbase shape so as to reflect the hugeness of the ship.

[Caltern]

Yeah. That left orthographic is really telling. It is at proper scale 16 decks tall at 4m per deck, not including the neck or the sensor dome. When the windows get cut in, it'll look absolutely massive. I had an idea of how big Horizon was before, but seeing that left view was something else.

[Caltern]

New images. Bottom of secondary hull is not complete in shaping, but enough was there that I figured now would be another good time for feedback. Nacelles are just capsules that I stretched. They'll be different. Placement should be about right though. Length too. Obviously the metal sheen texture will be gone when this is all done.

[AlexSomers]

oooh shiny

[Kheren]

Looking at the Excelsior, the ship conceived originally for transwarp drive, the nacelles were very long compared to other designs, allegedly the longest nacelle to hull ratio; which is probably relevant to the actual transwarp field which is like "warping the warp field".

So I would say the nacelles on the Horizon, the first successfull transwarp ship, should be even longer, maybe as much as twice as what is shown here if we are to follow the idea of the original proportions of the first transwarp ship to reflect that specific tech.

In our LF RP, it would be consistent with the fact that the only other ship we have with transwarp is the Lotus; and it can go only once, at best twice before risking burning out her assembly. And the Intrepid class has the shortest nacelle to hull ratio. So there seems to be some engineering logic\relation here.

I'm not fond of the "fat butt" look but with the Aquarius class docked inside aft, it does make sense. On my original collage, I used the secondary hull underbelly of the Intrepid under the Galaxy hull to represent that dock, considering the overall size of the ship. So I guess we can go either way to accomodate an escort class vessel back there.

Notice however that the Aquarius is found at the tappered end of the Odyssey class which is smaller than the Lotus class. So that would mean we may not have to bother with it and shape it any way we like

[Caltern]

Work progresses on the secondary hull and nacelles. The nacelles are exactly double length now.

[Kheren]

Seems right at first glance except sideways where the nacelles look exceedingly long. On an aesthetic point of view, they would look better if they would be the same length as the saucer's diameter. That would give the ship a balanced look and yet still elongated (as the anti-pollution warp field theory is supposed to have influenced the latest ship designs since Enterprise E).

In the same vein, having them spread out to match also the width of the saucer would also balance it topside I think... and reflect the encompassing larger transwarp field as influential in the ship design beyond it's standard warpship origin.

What do you think?

[Caltern]

I was also thinking the nacelles were too long. Constraining the length to a maximum of saucer shape seems like a really good idea. I'll toy with the spread of the nacelles...that one's tougher. I don't remember exactly why it didn't work the first time I laid it out. It might have had to do with the initial secondary hull shape.

Also, it was pointed out to me: Horizon's as big as an Imperial Star Destroyer.

[Kheren]

Almost; a star destroyer is 1,600m long and the Horizon is 1,300m long; A star destroyer is longer by 300m which is slightly over the lenght of a Constitution class (288m)! By comparison, a D'Dridex and an Odyssey classes are 1,000m long so the Horizon is this time the one longer by a Connie. A scimitar class is 850m long and 1350m wide and a Dominion battleship is 1200km long and 1000km wide (79 decks!).

Star Wars ships are mostly smaller than Star Trek ones with the exception of the big capital ships which are significantly larger. In Star Wars, it has nothing to do with realism or technical considerations or extrapolations. it is only about storytelling effect; the villain ships are bigger because they want them to feel ominious and threatening while the hero ships are small to make them the sympathetic underdog taking on the big bad bullying villain and winning against all odds (so don't tell them).

Our Lotus class is conceived as a capital ship serving the role of a fleet command ship (a fleet which would include large cruisers; 500m+ long starships) and a mobile starbase in far away areas where the Federation would be unreachable for support (i.e. the AH pocket universe); hence her size.