Original Starship Design Thread

[Alx]

shows the reliability of the CGI people

indeed very sensible of you KM green for that!

and also id like to add this IT DOESNT matter what scale something is aslong as it looks correct.

[Alx]

One of aspects of cinematography is what they call best fit. When using a CGI, they will determine how the structure will fit the scene and the viewers perspective on screen. So it's all in the mixture of combining green screen views with on camera views and set takes. A CGI that is perhaps scaled at say 300 metres or so, will at times appear to be bigger or smaller, depending on how they wish it to fit in the directors vizytube (the little telescope thing he uses to get the "feel" of the shot) They don't see the CGI in the filming until after the green screen shots are mixed by the CGI people, and then size is entirely up to the director, whether it looks right or not. So when scaling of screen shots, it's extremely adhoc, you will never get the actual size

agreed and seconded!

[puddlejumperOZ]

agreed and seconded!

I cheated I asked my boss's daughter, she works at Fox Studios here in Sydney in the Graphic Arts dept, which oversees all the CGI and greensceen blending.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

It's all about the proportions of the ship. Getting the scaling right in terms of the height, length and width of the ship. When I made my Puddle jumper I used hundreds of screen shots to make sure the design was right. I didn't even attempt to work out the actual size of the ship because for a CG model it really doesn't matter. As long as the ratios between the height, length and width are correct then the ship will look right. Scaling the ship only matters if the designs are going to be used as plans for building real ships or if they're going to be used in situations where they need to remain a constant size compared to a real world landmark or person.. which in this case they're not.

Stargate ships change scale for dramatic reasons to show the power of the ships.. or simply for framing. There's no point building a really cool ship if it isn't going to fit on the screen. And this is the reason everyone is getting different results for the scales of the ships.. they really are a different scale depending on the scene the dimensions were taken from.

[puddlejumperOZ]

It's all about the proportions of the ship. Getting the scaling right in terms of the height, length and width of the ship. When I made my Puddle jumper I used hundreds of screen shots to make sure the design was right. I didn't even attempt to work out the actual size of the ship because for a CG model it really doesn't matter. As long as the ratios between the height, length and width are correct then the ship will look right. Scaling the ship only matters if the designs are going to be used as plans for building real ships or if they're going to be used in situations where they need to remain a constant size compared to a real world landmark or person.. which in this case they're not.

Stargate ships change scale for dramatic reasons to show the power of the ships.. or simply for framing. There's no point building a really cool ship if it isn't going to fir on the screen. And this is the reason everyone is getting different results for the scales of the ships.. they really are a different scale depending on the scene the dimensions were taken from.

That is a most brilliant post my child, green for you

[Alx]

anyway..... on topic

here is my current wip.
felt inspired after watching and helping setsuna build his jumper si i decided to try my hands at a jumper for a second time and this time there will be a full interior aswell

Pudljmpr 2.0

more renders including interior shots are avaliable over at CASF.

[Merlin1701]

We have no reason to squable, the only reason we debate this issue so much is that we usually compare our new ships against the 304. If we set the 304 at an agreed level for comparisons...I will always scale the 304 to 600m.

We need a poll or something to agree to a standard size for each ship, allowing new designs to be consistant.

[boberth2o]

One of aspects of cinematography is what they call best fit. When using a CGI, they will determine how the structure will fit the scene and the viewers perspective on screen. So it's all in the mixture of combining green screen views with on camera views and set takes. A CGI that is perhaps scaled at say 300 metres or so, will at times appear to be bigger or smaller, depending on how they wish it to fit in the directors vizytube (the little telescope thing he uses to get the "feel" of the shot) They don't see the CGI in the filming until after the green screen shots are mixed by the CGI people, and then size is entirely up to the director, whether it looks right or not. So when scaling of screen shots, it's extremely adhoc, you will never get the actual size

Then taking the average of different scales should supply a somewhat realistic number no?

[puddlejumperOZ]

We have no reason to squable, the only reason we debate this issue so much is that we usually compare our new ships against the 304. If we set the 304 at an agreed level for comparisons...I will always scale the 304 to 600m.

We need a poll or something to agree to a standard size for each ship, allowing new designs to be consistant.

Very well a compromise, say we set a median size for a 304 styled ship, or similar at 420 mtrs. This is in between both camps, and is not too uber size wise, yet still quite large in itself. Then it would be quite reasonable to assume a larger class such as the BB310, would be around 700 mtrs or so, without being ridiculous

[boberth2o]

Prometheus Scale (from actual people)

The Work

Spoiler:

Image 1

Spoiler:

Image 2

Spoiler:

Image 3

Spoiler:

[puddlejumperOZ]

So the length is a little over 170mtrs, yes?

[boberth2o]

Very well a compromise, say we set a median size for a 304 styled ship, or similar at 420 mtrs. This is in between both camps, and is not too uber size wise, yet still quite large in itself. Then it would be quite reasonable to assume a larger class such as the BB310, would be around 700 mtrs or so, without being ridiculous

Here is something that will change your mind, This is my Rainmaker Animations email.

Hello There Robert!
Please forgive me for the long delay in my reply.
Wow! I checked out your link . . . and that's a lot of figuring. As I am not at liberty to disclose the exact measurements of the ships (please remember, we are a visual effects vendor to the series and not the studio), I can say you are close as far as proportions (relative length, width and height). That said, you are still smaller than the "real world" measurements of our Daedalus class ships.
Kindest Regards,
Bruce

From: Censored
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 19:56
To: RNK Info
Subject: stargate sg-1 ships
I am curious to the size of the ships on stargate, I have done some scalings of my own on gateworld. Can you please tell me if I am close or if I am correct? here is the URL <http://forum.gateworld.net/showpost.php?p=6169053&postcount=1> Thanks.
--------------------------------------
Bruce G. Woloshyn
Visual Effects Supervisor
Rainmaker Animation & Visual Effects
Tel (604) 874-8700
Fax (604) 872-2106
[email protected]
www.rainmaker.com

I have it scaled at 500 plus meters in the link I sent him

[boberth2o]

So the length is a little over 170mtrs, yes?

Yes that is what I got.

[Alx]

interior pudljmper 2.0

just added the DHD

[puddlejumperOZ]

Here is something that will change your mind, This is my Rainmaker Animations email.



I have it scaled at 500 plus meters in the link I sent him

Maybe so, but there are still too many variables to be consistent. That being said, they are artists, not engineers, all my reasoning is in perspective of what appears to be real and what is not, 500 mtrs plus, is awfully big, look down a long straight road and you'll get my meaning. I still have doubts, even from Rainmaker, they made it as PH said, to fit the dynamics of the show, and not what would be realistically possible. With over 4000 employees at Newport News shipyards, it takes 7 years to build a CVN, how long would it take to build a vessel another 200 mtrs longer?