A ship wishlist, you might have a look at this old thread for more ideas http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/topic/146-if-you-could-have-any-space-ship-what-would-it-be/

As for me, I will stick with my Sidewinder from FE2 and (Gernot modded) Pioneer <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//girl_crazy.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Hey thanks Geraldine 🙂

Edit I have started a link section, see above.

Some early Buck Rogers era spacecraft designs:

( re-upped after fixing some paperfold graphical errors in Captain Proton's spaceship pic)

 

 

...and then there is this classic, I thought I would photoshop it into a more appropo background. Wonder how many here will know what they are looking at?

Okay, I just had to see what it might look like, so a bit-o-photoshop work and..., let's see if Uncle Martin can park THIS in his garage

It's Uncle Martin! I always wanted one of those in my garage. I did some drawings of larger ships based on that shape a few years back. If I can dig them up I'll post them.

And the winner is.... Marcel! I thought it might throw some peeps off if it wasn't in the garage context

It does make one wonder how it might look as a larger ship (even a mothership) Sure would too like to see those pics if you can find them.

Edit: see above new pic

Okay,

Time for another CLASSIC Found two images to do this beauty justice - and even then, it still can't beat the actual film footage.

No points for guessing this one - it's too easy

C-57D Starcruiser from Forbidden Planet - (you can barely see Robby in the bottom pic (*tiny*)

edit: some new 🙂

Model of the United Planets Starcruiser C-57-D from the Classic Film Forbidden Planet.

Includes Original Blender 2.49b file and OBJ file.

<a href=""" http://www.scifi-mes...?do=file&id=269

Plus an olde favorite I should add to be complete:

The saucer from "This Island Earth" with Exeter the friendly Metalunan.

(Had the first use of a 'tractor beam' in a movie methinks.)

More saucer classics

The original Jupiter 2 (even had it's own built in auxilary LEM type lander)

Excellent cutaway showing interior detail:

Link to a great model of the current 'Lost In Space' movie saucer: <a href=""" http://www.starshipm...her/cd_jup2.htm

Another great link for the classic version: http://www.iann.net/lis/

Hmmm.. can't really do saucers without doing the Ray Harryhausen hommage from Mars Attacks!

I'd put the originals RH's up - but the MA versions have cooler landing gear .

edit: what the hey..

The 'Mars Attacks' equivalent view

The Invaders

Love those saucer pix! The Jupiter 2 was always a particular favorite of mine. It shared one attribute with the Tardis. It was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_biggrin.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' /> I found some drawings. They're from a long time ago and a galaxy far far away. I scanned this from Supernova, a newsletter from a play by mail game called Starmaster. I have a few more that I can scan if anyone wants to see them.

[attachment=1472:BC cruiser01.jpg]

If we're talking about art and spaceships then three names come to my mind because they illustrated almost all of the sci-fi novels I read growing up <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Chris Foss, Peter Elson, and Chris Moore

Bonus Chris Foss link <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Damn forgot! John Berkey!

Marcel, I know what you mean about the Tardis effect of the Jupiter2 (even as a kid I used to kringe at how the Robinsons could pack SO much stuff into that relatively small saucer. (astonishing <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//shok.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':O' /> )

Fluffyfreak, There's some nice work in those links, I'll have to take the time to peruse through all those more critically, looks like great art.

Well since we're on the topic of "Art", here's a curvy little number to spice things up <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

"Nell" from "Battle Beyond the Stars"

An XLNT model link showing "Nell" from multiple angles:

http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=33528

I always liked The USS Cygnus from the Disney movie, must have took ages to create it

I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier!! <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_biggrin.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

The Planet Express Ship!!!

What?

Geraldine: Dr Hans Reinhardt I presume.. 🙂 It is on my list of fav ships - Nice pic - I only saw the one - is there more? (I have a few but none in good res) They achieved a quite impressive 3D looking Black Hole vortex effect using several layers of glass and painting on each. (old school)

Dreadful movie 🙁 - Had quite a soft spot for Maximillian tho - such a coolbot :}

Planet Express! - G1 - Have to wonder if there are any polished metal 'hyper-realistic' versions of the 'Express' out there. Might make for a interesting alternative.

Why I like Thunderbird 2

Well it's curvy - and it has modular written all over it. Here's a shot of it deploying "the Mole" and then a shot of it near the conveyor at Thunderbirds HQ, loading up on another cargo pod.

More interesting views here: <a href=""" http://thunderbirds.sfdaydreams.com/toys/tb2dx.htm

tiny mod:

Just for fun I thought I would make "The Mole" into a mining machinery icon - you can try it out (included also is my new computers icon) res 80x56 (updatedv1.1)

<a href=""" http://www.mediafire...d26yzc5q8x0eq7d

Edit: Another older file maybe of interest.

Coolammo's 2006 Frontier Elite 2 Intro Remake converted into a Pioneer compatible music ogg file

<a href=""" http://www.mediafire...xavle6qlux1mx7o

YouTube vid here: (if you haven't seen/heard this oldy but goody)

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This somehow seemed appropo:

Blake 7's Starfield Liberator

Edit: A great Movie poster for 'First Spaceship On Venus' very Frontier-esque.

Nice Pic of Thunderbird 3!

B5 Excaliber

Back to 'toontown for a beautiful render of one of my favs <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

More cartoon inspired ships: The Valkyrie from Titan A.E.

One of the funniest lines in that movie was:

Gune: "Do you know what it is...? Neither do I. I made it last night in my sleep. Apparently I used gintogak. Highly

unstable. I put a button on it. I wish to press it ...but I'm not sure what will happen if I do....hmmm"

An actual model with a more rounded feel to it's overall shape, more faithful to the film, IMO.

Titan A.E. Valkyrie Flight Utube vid

A little nostalgia from when the first super powerful telescope was built. Mount Palomar Observatory called "The Giant Eye of the World" it enlightened us to the discovery that our galaxy was not the entire universe, but only one of billions populating the cosmos.

Such a wake up call - made mankind truely wonder and question his place in the void.

1948 Depiction of a rocket being built. lol

I think it's amusing that there's nothing inside that rocket. Here's another of my old drawings showing one of my ships under construction. this one is larger than the 'My Favorite Martian' inspired ship. Unfortunately this one didn't last very long in the game.

[attachment=1480:BC battleship01.jpg]

I always loved the designs from Chris Foss. They used to be on book covers back in the day, and had a book or two with his artwork in, one was like a guide to the future with descriptions of the ships and the history surrounding them.

Loved the styles, and that they were so chunky, usually with big engines.

Edit: Funny that it almost looks like the rocket is made of plywood <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Hey that drawing's not half bad, looks pretty big judging from the hanger.

Edit2: I think some might like this stuff.

These are 2 utube links I stumbled upon with some of the old circa 30-40's Amazing stories & sci-fi pulp covers. Entertaining certainly <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//nyam.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

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Awesome ships - that one is almost dirigible like. Such a great variety in spacecraft styles out there. I have a bit more retro stuff I put together that's kind of interesting, will post.

Edit: Here's a pic of a lighter than air craft that has an amazing resemblance to a spacecraft.

(depending on how Pioneer deals with atmospheric pressures, buoyancy, there may be a place for such interesting vehicles) - Even if not supported by the physics, they could make great vehicles for billboards - game story & local news, info ect.

Edit: Just a place to cram more rocket pics <img src="' http://spacesimcentral.com/forum/public/style_emoticons//icon_e_smile.gi f"' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

More Destination Moon Luna info:

http://davidszondy.com/future/space/destinationmoon.htm

Another painting depicting what was probably current thinking at the time, on realistic methods of space travel.

Apart from the influences of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, Jules Verne, H.G.Wells, engineers and scientists like Robert Goddard, Hermann Oberth, Wernher von Braun and probably some other notables I am remiss in mentioning, there was no effort to consolidate all the diverse ideas on space travel. It took visonary artists such as Chesley Bonestell, Walt Disney, and George Pal to bring many of the abstract ideas of practical rocket travel into a realm of public awareness and understanding through paintings and film.

Their revelations that such fantastical inventions were not merely science fiction, but potentially in the realms of possibility, created a modernistic furry in the design industry. Cars with fins (as if they were to lift-off at any moment) became all the rage - not only that! - but technology would solve ANY challenge - and that we should all prepare ourselves to be driving hover cars and rocketships in a decade or two!

Space tourism captures the public imagination:

One of the first notable hollywood films that took on the challenge of representing space travel in some 'realistic' a manner was producer/animater George Pal's "When Worlds Collide (1951). Pal's later production of "The Conquest of Space" (1954) further showcased renowned artist Chesley Bonestell's painted visions of space travel and it's myraid of possible rocket propelled vehicles.

This was quickly followed up by a film heralded (in retrospect) as the '2001 Space Odyssey' of that decade, "Destination Moon" (1955). Pal also is said to have worked with Chesley Bonestell on much of the production sets and design.

Around that same period Chesley Bonestell, Disney and Von Braun had all been trying to generate more public facination and interest in space travel. The following pictures are what ensued and was probably considered at that time to be fringe technology and at the cutting edge in any realistic portrayal of what space travel might ultimately look like.

NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory

Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).

Pics from When Worlds Collide

When Worlds Collide 2 min trailer

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0657162/

Pics from The Conquest of Space

Pics from Destination Moon

More pics of Chesley Bonestell and video links

More of Chesley Bonestell images here:

http://daily-lazy.bl...-bonestell.html

Chesley Bonestell / Collier's Tribute - A 1952 Orbiter Film by Timm Humphrey

http://timmhumphreys...e98cee50abe.flv

Chesley Bonestell inspired animated space scene

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VON BRAUN, Trip Around the Moon, DISNEY,1955

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Wernher von Braun's RM-1 returns to Earth.

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Von Braun 3 stage Rocket interior view.

Von Braun's 3 stage rocket showing scale (via scale models). Included is another blueprint style drawing.

Some nice compositing work

Fantastic stuff! Thanks for posting this!

I hesitate to put my stuff in the same thread, but here's a drawing of a shuttlecraft approaching a battlestation. It was inspired by the chrome front wheel of a long-haul truck.

[attachment=1481:BC station.jpg]

No worries it's all one thread anyways. 😀

In case it's not clear, this thread is ALSO a forum on various art styles - specific more to spacecraft, that might be considered as inspiration for original Pioneer artwork and ship design directions.

Assuming there are at least 5 factions, that could easily represent 5 distinct styles. There may be more. Tech levels alone between various civilizations could create huge disparity in scales/styles between any face to face vessels.

Other factors that could have an influence on design may be purely environmental. Gravity and radiation affect engine size and shielding (they may or may not be visually as apparent depending again on civ tech level).

Any modders that want to introduce 'CLASSIC' ships into the game, in the form of mods, is of course, highly encouraged.

Marcel: Nice saucer, I like your little shuttle craft too and the detail on all the thrusters .

A link to avsim site showing some 3d models of an X-1 & X-15 and further historical context.
http://www.avsim.com/pages/0603/fs2002_tribute/1947-70/tribute_part4.html
http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/FEATURE-X15-interview.html
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/aircraft/Bell-X1.htm http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/aircraft/North-American-X15.html
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/the-x-15-the-first-step-american-manned-space-flight-97883869/115881.html

  Some additional Chesley Bonestell rocket montages ending with one of his most famous paintings that has singularly had a profound influence on the development of spaceflight and space art.

Stop motion maestro Ray Harryhausen's rocket ship from the 1957 movie 20 Million Miles to Earth.jpg

Disney and Von Braun

Paintings by John Polgreen

Hey what's that on the horizon...?

'Mars, our mysterious and ominously silent neighbor. For so many years the potential home of fantastical multi limbed creatures with mind control abilities, that would some day view earthlings as tools to be used to do their evil bidding.'

I must confess some small relief with my disappointment when the Mars Viking lander touched down and was not greeted by the Martian Ambassador and a welcoming committee ;}