New X-ship

By Shawn Hantke (Shantke) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:05 pm: Edit

Could the strakes be 25% shorter? I can't tell if the are too tall or if it is an optical illusion that they are larger than the other stakes because of the three colors. I like them, and I like the ship overall, but maybe if the strakes protruded a little less I would be happier.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:17 pm: Edit

I have left the design/height of the strakes up to each artist. After all, somebody said that they should show creativity by being different.

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 05:21 pm: Edit

I like this Romulan KE-X, shorter strakes would probably lose that (looks Romulan) detail.

By Mark Hutton (Trynda1701) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 06:42 pm: Edit

Ok, I'm not feeling this placement of the strakes. They feel just tacked onto the Eagle hull.

I know the MSSB shows them there, but could they be elsewhere? My reasoning I mentioned on the Fed CX thread, the MSSB graphic is a placeholder, not necessarily an accurate representation of the real vessel (no disrespect to SVC).

In real-life, think of the sign on restroom doors, we know the stick figures mean 'Mens' and 'Ladies' toilets, but the symbols aren't realistically human.

I feel the graphics might be limiting the 3D sculptors.

Not sure what to suggest. Could they be at the rear of the hull, actually protruding over the edge of the concave rear?

Another suggestion, move the strakes to the front edge of the pylons.

Plus, what about adding an outer grille on the nacelles, like the green ones inboard?

By AW Cookson (Awcookson) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 07:36 pm: Edit

I'll join the 'shorter' contingency. About like the Fed would work, I think.
Also, is it possible to move the aft pair of strakes inboard and aft, about 1/2 the length of the strack as shown? This may not work because of the scallop on the fantail.

By A David Merritt (Adm) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 07:38 pm: Edit

Given the age, and sheer number of upgrades over that time for these ships, larger strakes makes a lot of sense.

By AW Cookson (Awcookson) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 09:22 pm: Edit

Dang, you're right. That would make sense.
Strike my request to shorten them, but could you play with moving them back, still, please?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 10:08 pm: Edit

The strakes have to be somewhere and the MSSB placement is as good as any and better than most. I see no real reason to move them. "I think they would be better over there" doesn't seem to be a reason.

By AW Cookson (Awcookson) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 10:25 pm: Edit

Esthetics, it sorta breaks up the blocky lay out. It's nothing I see worth campaigning on, just a suggestion.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Monday, February 17, 2020 - 10:47 pm: Edit

Maybe slope the strakes low in the front and higher in the aft, and then notch / undercut the aft end to make them look like fins from a '59 Caddy.....

In other words, make them like little versions of the main center fin.


Garth L. Getgen

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 01:09 am: Edit

Which is pretty much the shape and form they have now, Garth.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 01:28 am: Edit

At the back edge is structurally weak. All strakes are midbody, it's just a design element. I see nothing gained and a violation of engineering principles to put them elsewhere.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 03:13 am: Edit

SVC: I didn't mean move them, just accent them a bit.

Will: I didn't realize the black part was part of the fin. It looked like a shadow until I zoomed in 250%. I stand (sit) corrected.


Garth L. Getgen

By Mark Hutton (Trynda1701) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 06:08 am: Edit

I hadn't noticed that they look like mini versions of the fin!

Wish they could go aft like Garth and I suggested, but that doesn't seem to be gaining traction.

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 06:21 am: Edit

The strakes are in the best place, a very nice looking KEX.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 08:40 am: Edit

Mark, I wasn't asking to MOVE them. They're fine where they are.


Garth L. Getgen

By Mike West (Mjwest) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 09:46 am: Edit

The strakes on the Federation CX were stated as needing to be opposing. (I.e. one on the opposite side of the hull as the other.) This has all four strakes on the top of the hull. Shouldn't there be two on top and two on bottom, opposing each other in pairs? (Like on the CX saucer.) This seems to be changing the rules of the strakes.

EDIT: Yes, I know that there is landing gear on the bottom. Even so, with only two strakes on top and two on bottom, it should be pretty easy to find *somewhere* on the bottom that can accommodate the strakes without interfering with the landing gear.

By Matthew Lawson (Mglawson) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 10:56 am: Edit

Sorry, I wasn't on my PC yesterday, but to answer some questions:

The strakes do look large because of the black fin like addition to them, other than that they're about right on with Will's design.

As SVC mentioned, where they are placed now is really the best place structurally. Moving them back causes problems because of the tapering concave portion of the ship, the back of them would look really high and you'd lose half the design on one side and front of each strake. I can probably lower them into the hull a bit more.

I accidently had the bottom 4 strakes hidden when I rendered the image, so they are there just not in that first image...and over-site on my part. Their location doesn't interfere with the landing gear.

By Mark Hutton (Trynda1701) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 10:59 am: Edit

Gotcha, Garth. My mistake.

By Will McCammon (Djdood) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 11:44 am: Edit

Regarding the strakes upper/lower being in opposition on the Fed CX, that was a unique situation on that ship only.

The shield grid on the models is identical top/bottom in those areas and the placement of the strakes was carefully managed to minimize grid crossings (keep them in a "box"). Grid crossings have caused numerous nightmares and corrupted models over the last 2 years, so I avoid them wherever possible now.

No grid on the Romulans (and different software), so most-likely no need for them to line up top/bottom in pairs unless it looks better that way.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 01:54 pm: Edit

I wasn't the one who said the top/bottom opposition was required. Personally I'm not invested in bottom strakes or the lack thereof.

By Charles E. Leiserson, Jr. (Locutus) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 04:35 pm: Edit

Okay, I absolutely love the curved wings. I didn't think I would, but I do.

That said, I'm torn a bit on the strakes. They're really spiffy on the Tholian and Lyran X-ships posted, but I agree with Mark that they seem tacked on. I wonder if they'd look better on the outside of the nacelles?

Like this:

....../
=====O
......\

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 04:54 pm: Edit

but I agree with Mark that they seem tacked on.

Isn't that what they are.....

By wayne douglas power (Wayne) on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 - 07:17 pm: Edit

Strakes have been noted that they will not go on Nacelles.