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The biggest challenge in designing a starship is not picking out a nice looking design but more a problem in working with a mix of curved and angular surfaces, then trying to get a hull material to map to the hull without serious distortion problems. Until this point in my work, the only spacecraft I had created lay in the numerous revisions of the Chase Skiff. The Avalon class takes into account what I've learned in using Max since then.

USS Avalon NX-73490 - Exterior View

Camera 1

Two design features came into play when I began work on the Avalon. The first was that this ship was to have a short cross-section to reduce its targeting profile. This design choice is similar to those that drove the design of the Defiant and Sovereign class starships. The second design feature is its large footprint; unlike the Sovereign class starship, the Avalon is wider, giving more interior floor space to make up for the lack of numerous decks.

Camera 2

There is a map on the saucer, though its shield grid lines are too light to be seen; the engineering hull map lines were drawn darker as a result. The Avalon's nacelles are canted at a 22.5 degree angle, putting them parallel with the nacelle struts. The dome under the saucer, unlike most starships, is a combination ventral sensor array and torpedo launcher; the aft launcher can be spotted as a black protrusion from the ventral surface aft.

Camera 3

A look at the front of the engineering hull and neck; the deflector dish is pretty wide and I'm debating about scrapping it for something more similar to a Defiant or Sovereign's dish, putting this ship more firmly in that timeframe. The neck of the ship actually consists of two 'cores' on either side of 'shelves' similar to that of what is seen on the Excelsior class necks. This design feature will likely be upgraded to make the necks thinner in order to add a third neck for the warp core; the resulting port-aft neck would probably house four single or double shuttlecraft bays and maintenance facilities.

Camera 4

From this vantage point you can see the 'shelves and necks' arrangement. The impulse engine lies at the base of the neck approximately halfway back on the engineering hull. The cut into the hull at the extreme rear is likely either a mess hall. The 'tailfins' on the nacelles will likely be part of the thruster assemblies.

Camera 5

"They're comin' right at us!" The Avalon class is captured in a shot reminiscent of the old Galaxy class starships.

Camera 6

Another 'classic' starship pose, applied to the Avalon class. Note that I haven't installed phasers or the forward torpedo launcher yet.

Video Post Sample

I don't often bother with video post lens glow effects. (That said, I'm considering using it on the Coronado bridge) This time though, the scene looks much nicer with a .5 glow applied to the nacelle grill, ramscoop, and deflector dish materials.

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Last Updated: November 19, 2002

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Not-Quite Render Gallery
	The biggest challenge in designing a starship is not picking out a nice looking design but more a problem in working with a mix of curved and angular surfaces, then trying to get a hull material to map to the hull without serious distortion problems. Until this point in my work, the only spacecraft I had created lay in the numerous revisions of the Chase Skiff. The Avalon class takes into account what I've learned in using Max since then.
USS Avalon NX-73490 - Exterior View
Camera 1
Two design features came into play when I began work on the Avalon. The first was that this ship was to have a short cross-section to reduce its targeting profile. This design choice is similar to those that drove the design of the Defiant and Sovereign class starships. The second design feature is its large footprint; unlike the Sovereign class starship, the Avalon is wider, giving more interior floor space to make up for the lack of numerous decks.
Camera 2
There is a map on the saucer, though its shield grid lines are too light to be seen; the engineering hull map lines were drawn darker as a result. The Avalon's nacelles are canted at a 22.5 degree angle, putting them parallel with the nacelle struts. The dome under the saucer, unlike most starships, is a combination ventral sensor array and torpedo launcher; the aft launcher can be spotted as a black protrusion from the ventral surface aft.
Camera 3
A look at the front of the engineering hull and neck; the deflector dish is pretty wide and I'm debating about scrapping it for something more similar to a Defiant or Sovereign's dish, putting this ship more firmly in that timeframe. The neck of the ship actually consists of two 'cores' on either side of 'shelves' similar to that of what is seen on the Excelsior class necks. This design feature will likely be upgraded to make the necks thinner in order to add a third neck for the warp core; the resulting port-aft neck would probably house four single or double shuttlecraft bays and maintenance facilities.
Camera 4
From this vantage point you can see the 'shelves and necks' arrangement. The impulse engine lies at the base of the neck approximately halfway back on the engineering hull. The cut into the hull at the extreme rear is likely either a mess hall. The 'tailfins' on the nacelles will likely be part of the thruster assemblies.
Camera 5
"They're comin' right at us!" The Avalon class is captured in a shot reminiscent of the old Galaxy class starships.
Camera 6
Another 'classic' starship pose, applied to the Avalon class. Note that I haven't installed phasers or the forward torpedo launcher yet.
Video Post Sample
I don't often bother with video post lens glow effects. (That said, I'm considering using it on the Coronado bridge) This time though, the scene looks much nicer with a .5 glow applied to the nacelle grill, ramscoop, and deflector dish materials.
	Return to Not-Quite Render Gallery Menu
	Clicking this link will return you to the Surprise Gallery Menu, where you can select other Surprise galleries to view.
Last Updated: November 19, 2002