POLL: Ship Designs

[MawhrinSkel]

So while the prototype is being assembled and tweaked and the visual effects are being constructed, we are also researching into the creation of the custom made fleet to replace the low poly models that we are currently using once the funds start rolling in. Below you'll see five ship sketches depicting various styles of ship, any one of them could be used as a baseline to design the human fleet. Which do you prefer? If you have any comments, suggestions or maybe even sketches or screenshots of your own that you feel would help, we would very much like to see them. 

[Chip5541]

I'm going with 5. Reminds me of an aircraft carrier which naval craft would be a natural progression for military ships IMO.

[MawhrinSkel]

I'm going with 5. Reminds me of an aircraft carrier which naval craft would be a natural progression for military ships IMO. Lol also the ugliest one of the lot!

[Thargoid]

Sketches 1- 3 are a bit common looking in my eyes. Shallowspace isn't a common game. Number 4 fits the bill in my opinion.

[MawhrinSkel]

Sketches 1- 3 are a bit common looking in my eyes. Shallowspace isn't a common game. Number 4 fits the bill in my opinion. Find me a game where the ships look like number #2, the more I look t it the more I like it...

[DocDarkstar]

I just saw your last video. Thank god we are building a game for mobile and not having to compete with you! Your game looks awesome!

[MawhrinSkel]

I just saw your last video. Thank god we are building a game for mobile and not having to compete with you! Your game looks awesome!Cheers! Yeah looks like that latest vid tickled the fleshy underbelly somewhat, there's people eeeeverywhere.Looks like I'm somehow going to have to turn this thing into cash so I can take time off work and really roll my sleeves up...

[Chip5541]

Well, here is my money and my left arm and right leg

[Gazz]

(5)because it looks like it was built to perform a certain function. #1, for instance is just for looking pretty. With fins for... better steering? And my, what a conclusive poll we have here. That's gotta be helpful. =)

[Guest]

(5)because it looks like it was built to perform a certain function. This

[Gazz]

#4 would be my second choice but it looks too cluttered and patched-together like it doesn't know what it wants to be. IMO a shiptype does one thing and does it well.A variant of a ship type should still largely stay within it's operating parameters.For instance, a battleship could have a long range bombardment version, giving up 2 turrets each for one long range turret that have maybe 70% of the combined firepower of 2 regular turrets.It's still working in a battleship-ey way and anti-battleship tactics still work against it... but it's different. That is relevant to the design insofar that the shape of a ship type would at least appear to be relevant to it's function.

[MawhrinSkel]

Cheers guys, all points noted.

[Khaleg]

Heya !!!... I'm new here guys. Just giving my two cents. For me, the sketches 1 & 2 are the best ones. Having ships that denote a function is a good thing, of course, but ships having a good look is important too, I know, in space, aerodynamics aren't important, but I don't like flying bricks neither. And as stated before, the design number 1 would work as gunboat, for example, being able to do atmospheric flight. As a side note, the ship of the sketch 4 is awful, it would work as weapon in a FPS. You will need make the player feel bonded to his fleet too. Sincerely, if my ship were this of the 4th design, I might be willing that a torpedo would sink the thing as soon as possible just to never seeing this again , but this is my personal appreciation. So, at the end is a mix between functionality, plausibility and good looks. You would try with some vertical design too. These are not very common. Cheers.

[MawhrinSkel]

For me, the sketches 1 & 2 are the best ones. Having ships that denote a function is a good thing, of course, but ships having a good look is important too, I know, in space, aerodynamics aren't important, but I don't like flying bricks neither. And as stated before, the design number 1 would work as gunboat, for example, being able to do atmospheric flight. Totally agree with this. As a side note, the ship of the sketch 4 is awful, it would work as weapon in a FPS. You will need make the player feel bonded to his fleet too. Sincerely, if my ship were this of the 4th design, I might be willing that a torpedo would sink the thing as soon as possible just to never seeing this again , but this is my personal appreciation. So, at the end is a mix between functionality, plausibility and good looks. Totally agree with this also, however: We dictate the functionality and can change to suit, 'plausible space ships' are too subjective for me to even be bothered with and good looking things generate the most interest. I'm not at all concerned with creating a game that seeks to offer 'realistic' ship designs. All that will do is get people squabbling over what I view to be insignificant detail for a game of this type. I had it on some facebook page, a guy was going crazy saying they all looked shit and they did not denote a function. If form was to follow function they would effectively be floating breeze blocks and guess what? The game wouldn't sell. So basically, we are going for the coolest looking ships and the majority will thank us for it.

[Arparso]

I really like number 1. Looks like some kind of atmospheric-flight capable freighter or shuttle or something I'd really like to fly in a privateer-type game. Aaaaand I like fins and a few curves on my ships.

[ThymineC]

I like designs 2 and 3 the most.

[NeighborKid]

1 and 3.. but none in my real opinion.. look like military ships.. To me.. atleast IMO.. a human ship would still be along the lines of.. having a very distinct bridge structure that protrudes out with if in space.. massive main gun turrets to the front and rear. Kind something like this.. http://th[/url]

[TheDrgnRbrn]

I never understood that bridge obsession which obviously comes from contemporary naval vessels.You gotta be honest, the stupidest thing you could do with a combat vessel is putting the whole command structure up and out where anybody can hit it comfortably.If I designed such a thing I'd put the "bridge" in the centre of the belly.I mean it looks "cool" and all but its just not very intelligent.Of course in the end what it comes down to is a decision for a certain look of the game and if the guys would take me too seriously the ships would look like cylinders and cones or even like cubes.My rant is my try to make the design no. 3 more popular because i really think it is well done and looks efficient and menacing enough to be deemed military.PeaceBen That command tower would not be where combat was directed from. In a large ship like that, you would have a battle bridge inside the ship, surrounded by armor. Any design that would locate it anywhere else is just asking for it. I always assume that ships are built around that design principle, so it never bothers me. That particular design hits the right feel for me, big, dense, and a fairly logical gun layout. I would not complain if the ships looked like that. Out of the sketches, I feel like 2 and 3 are good. Both have good designs for gun layout, and both have a good feel of weight. Of those, I like 2 a little more, but it would look better with angles instead of curves I think. 4 and 5 I just have issues picturing guns on them, and they look like big targets from the sides.

[tuklap]

Voted 1, 2 and 3 ^_^