silburnl said:
Very nice, I like the 3D models as well - I'm not up at all up on the state of the art with modelling tools, is it possible to autogenerate a rough model from the deckplans these days?
It's kind of what I do... though in this instance I drew the plan in illustrator 1st.. I have and can do them in sketchup (the plans) and build the model from there...
silburnl said:
Firstly - I would have slimmed the staterooms down to four squares apiece in order to free up squares for a shared freshers/utility space (I really don't grok the obsession with personal sanitation units on designs for service vessels - I guess it's a Vilani ritualised hygiene thing) and a larger crew commons that could then be a bit more divided into task-themed areas (galley, ship's office, exercise area etc).
I admit I have it firmly ingrained in my design noodle, that all rooms have a head/Fresher/Loo... Though my 2300AD stuff does not follow this.
In this case I was restrained by the shape of the hull, its a design derby from Google+
4 squares would not fit well... 6 is good and it gives the crew some comfort on long voyages..
I also assume the common room can be multi purpose too.
silburnl said:
Secondly - if you are going to keep individual freshers then if you flip the layouts on alternating staterooms you will get freshers sharing a bulkhead, which simplifies utility pipe runs and such. It's a little touch, but it adds to the verisimilitude.
I like that idea, a simple touch.
silburnl said:
Thirdly - the dining table dominates the common room, but you have a nicely curved forrard bulkhead that is perfect for a banquette-style bench that would let you nudge the table half a square over, lose a couple of the dining chairs and open up a bit of circulation space for access to the mini-galley (which personally I would represent with a grey 'workspace surface' shape like in the bridge rather than a couple of random shapes).
Ah yes... it is a little huge... I envisioned something like the dining room in ALIEN...
Yep, definitely needs looking at.
silburnl said:
Fourthly - there's no head on the bridge deck. A ship running with only four crew is going to be rostered such that there is only one watch-stander on the bridge a lot of the time; having to leave the bridge when nature calls and drop down a deck to a stateroom isn't very practical (it is the IISS however, so I guess they are used to going in a baggie...).
Yeah.. the thin bridge is a little unwieldy...
I shall fit a loo and alter the rear section.
Thanks for the suggestions!