[BFG] - Designing new ship types - 3d printing madness

[Malika]

On another note, I've been working on the ship again, and decided I really disliked the thrusters, so I removed them. However, this means I need new ones. Does anybody have suggestions? I'm very curious how the Chaos ships have their propulsion, but I haven't been able to find any decent pictures of the backs of those ships. But I also love the way the Dindrenzi ships from Firestorm Armada have their thrusters. Holy Emperor, those guys made some really beautiful ships! I hope to one day reach that quality as well!

[Malika]

I reworked the Distortion Engine a bit:

[Malika]

In the meantime...

[Malika]

Tried a few things with the propulsion, none of them worked. So I 'procrastinated' by working on the turrets.




I made them slightly chunkier, made the barrels longer and changed the shape somewhat. Primary reason is to make them more 'workable' at the scale we're dealing with (major details on that thing are 0.4mm). If stuff becomes too small you won't be able to see it.

[Malika]

A tiny update. I've hollowed out a lot of parts of the ship. I've kept the walls rather thick (at least 2.4mm) to keep the print throughout the entire model.

Also, I've cut the ship up in components. This will allow me to make variants of the prow and main weapon system:



Green = Distortion engine + back thrusters
Blue = Lance turrets
Red = Main weapon system (in this case launch bays)
Yellow = Prow

[Malika]

Been working on a variant of this ship. Since people were suggesting different prows, I thought I could take it to the next level. The ship is already divided into components, so the possibility of different weapons wasn't that far fetched.

So I started working on a lance turret component. It's still very WIP...

[Islacrusez]

Ooooh, shiny!

[Malika]

Today I've mostly been figuring out how to make models watertight for printing. Man oh man...it was such an annoying task, finding the right software, learning that the different programs aren't compatible and tend to contradict each other, e.g. a model that's fully tight/fixed according to Netfabb is considered to be full of holes/etc according to CADspan. Very frustrating. However, Netfabb offers a free fixing service, so I'm sticking with them at the moment. Shapeways apparently also work with these guys, so I'll trust them.

In the meanwhile I started working on the thrusters a bit. They are still very WIP:


After that it's going to be the prow that will be tweaked so it has several torpedo launchers. That would mean the first model is done, and I can start working on some other components. I've got the following in mind:

Prows:
-Torpedo prow (one I have now);
-Eagle head;
-Prow mounted superweapon (comes with the middle hull part I think);
-Prow with fighter launch bays;
-Neutral (no weapons).

Middle:
-Launch bays (one I have now);
-Lance turrets (WIP);
-Superweapon (see above, comes with prow);
-Cargo.

'Turrets':
-Lance turrets (one I have now);
-Torpedo launchers;
-Neutral (armor plating);
-Bridge (unofficial) I know the demand is high for this one since it fits a certain aesthetic. I might end up making a bridge part you could put instead of one of the turrets. Personally I won't really use them, but I know there are many players who like to have such a thing on the ship.

The back part (Distortion Engine + back thrusters) will remain the same. Don't have any plans to make variants for that one. The idea is that the ships are constantly retrofitted with different weaponry/equipment. I can imagine the same ship constantly changing form by getting different component whenever needed for that fitting situation. So lets say the ship 'Lucius' (very original name) might at one moment have been a carrier craft, but during the other campaign it could have been armed with giant turrets and yet another time it was a transporter.

I liked the idea that these ships first have a live human who every now and then 'plugs' into the ship to control certain aspects of it. But this is quite demanding on the body, meaning that eventually, part be part he becomes 'fused' with the ship. Thus the ship truly becoming an extension of his body. Kind of reminds me of that Doctor Who episode The Girl in the Fireplace.

[horizon]

I really like the ship as it is now. The eagle prow isn't something I opt for. Good you are doing a modular approach on this.

[Malika]

Here are three variants of the Legion Cruiser next to each other. The one on the left is armed with additional lance turrets, enabling it to take out enemy shields from a distance. The middle ship is a military transport ship. The size already enables it to transport entire regiments, including all sorts of support gear. I was first thinking of beefing the ship up some more, but didn't find it too fitting. I might at a later date make a battleship variant which is an even larger transport. But I would imagine normal transport ships (which are already larger) would be civilian ships, not military ones.

The ship on the right is the carrier I've been working on all this time. Not that much changed in it yet.

Note that all the components are still very WIP, the turret component still needs a lot of detailing. The transporter one needs something extra to make it stand out. The prow (single variant at the moment) will need further detailing and torpedo tubes. The engine and the rest of the components need a few thrusters and details before they're ready.

[Malika]

Tweaked the 'transport component' a bit, meaning it has become the assault barge component:



The launch bays are still quite big considering the scale, but instead of launching clouds and clouds of fighter craft and boarding pods, it unleashes dropships, drop pods, landing craft and so on.

The turrets it has can scare off raiders or some enemy ships, but it is rather vulnerable, meaning it would need other ships to support it, such as the carrier seen next to it.

[Malika]

Little teaser...

[marell le fou]

I really like the "train of freighter" aspect.

[Malika]

In the meantime I've started working on some ordnance:

[Cneo]

Awesome torpedoes!!!