[rhettro]

Four years ago Vertigo 7 started making an Assault Gunboat and then he vanished.

Two years ago TomShak, decided that he would take a shot at the Assault Gunboat and then he went away.

So now I figure that I might as well take a stab at it as well. Hopefully I won't disappear as well.

I've started to block out TomShaks final design as a starting point as seen below.


 I know Tom took several clues from the Lambda Shuttle to make it look more like a product of Cygnus Spaceworks.  I would like to push it even further into Lambda territory. One of the criticisms of the design from the Tie Fighter series was the missile pods on the sides was just tacked on and not integrated into the design as a whole. Looking at the Lamda, the main body has a rolled plate that travels completely across the mid section. I think a similar approach could help the overall look of the Gunboat.  I've attached several brief sketches below illustrating this. Thoughts?

[swashmebuckle]

Nice! I like the top design on the second page the best--it looks deadly but hefty (side-by-side two seater?), feels quite unlike the rebel fighter designs, and seems like it wouldn't compete directly with TIEs at all. Following the suggestion made by Brand in the old thread, I think it would be cool to see the cockpit canopy wrapped around like on the Lambda rather than having the little side windows, but that's a pretty minor detail to be worried about at this stage. Really cool stuff!

[FekLeyrTarg]

My favourites are the top design on the first page and the top design on the second one. The others look more like the Missile Boat to me.
I'm looking forward to see how your variant with the integrated launchers will look like.

Also, have you considered to let your Starwing have foldable wings like in the hangar scene of TIE Fighter?
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:GUNhanger.jpg

[StarSlayer]

This was my take:

[CountBuggula]

Awesome!  I also agree that the first page and the top design on the second page look the best to me.  And I'll second the motion for more wrap-around viewscreen instead of the side port windows.

Honestly, I love that you're taking this in your own direction and I say run with it.

Also, Starslayer's drawing has a great feel to it.  I'd like to see some of that in the final model.

[bobbtmann]

I like the very first concept sketch. It felt very much like the lambda shuttle, but had the necessary differences. One suggestion: could the cockpit be coming out from under an armoured body? Maybe it might give it an an armoured, more combat worthy form.

[rhettro]

Okay, update time. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to this thread, especially when everyone has given me great incite. I appreciate it. I have a good reason for the delay though. A day after I made this thread I got an email about a new job opportunity and subsequently had a phone interview, then a face to face interview, then a follow up interview where an offer was made, which I accepted. Then I had to let my current office of 9 years know I was leaving. An emotional roller-coaster of a week. Anyway, back to the Assault Gunboat.

Based on your input I have agreed to do the following.

Configuration: Side by side 2-seater with wrap around canopy ala Lambda. It is going to have folding wings.I like the detailing of the front part of StarSlayer's sketch. I also agree with bobbtmann that it needs a "tougher" overall appearance, which means to me that it will have a more bulky appearance overall compared to the Lambda.

Of my sketches I submitted I'm partial to the first one on the top of the page. I thought that the crew compartment was a little small compared to the rest of the ship, which lead me to the top design on the second page. I like that one too, but I think it lacks bulk and doesn't look like it could take a direct hit. For the next phase, I'll do some more 3d models, just basic ones to get the massing right.  Thanks again for everyone's comments.

[bobbtmann]

I think the reason why the revamped one doesn't look like it could take a hit is because the neck between cockpit and the fuselage is very long. I suspect that if you shortened it, that would solve the bulkiness issue.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

p.s. I like your angled missile pods. They make the ship feel more alive.

[CountBuggula]

Congrats on the new job, and a huge thumbs up on your selected configuration.  Sounds perfect, looking forward to what you're going to make with it.

[rhettro]

Thanks Count, my first day can't get here  fast enough.


I used Sketchup to do a quick mock up of my current ideas. Remember this is a sketch only, once I settle on a solid direction I'll start building it in Silo with a much higher attention to detail. But Sketchup is a fast way to play with ideas.



I like this version, but it may be a little too "Lambda". I'll be changing the cockpit to a little more rounded appearance and make the fins a little more integrated.

[bobbtmann]

Your new model does have a lot more strength to it. If feels more solid, though still agile.

One note though, would it be possible to adjust the angle of the two side fins? You could make them flow from one side of the hull to the other, which might make a nice echo of the wings. Here's what I mean:

[Deathsnake]

This was my take:

Top! With that details of the guns and missiles - make it!

[CountBuggula]

Your new model does have a lot more strength to it. If feels more solid, though still agile.

One note though, would it be possible to adjust the angle of the two side fins? You could make them flow from one side of the hull to the other, which might make a nice echo of the wings. Here's what I mean:

Agreed.  Middle fins should be more 45 degrees I think.  That might work better by mounting them on the missile pods instead of main fuselage.

Also, I'm not sure if I'm entirely sold on the neck connecting the body with the cockpit.  I agree that it might just be TOO "Lambda".  Could you make a mockup with a more solid one-piece design so we can compare and see what we like better?  Maybe just try and model the front section of StarSlayer's design?

[rhettro]

bobbtmann, Nice sketch. I did consider moving the side fins as you have shown and I'll do a mockup showing that configuration. I feel that they should be variable, as shown in StarSlayer's sketch. To me showing the fins as an extension, rather than a separate piece. off the missile pod has a more anime feel to me than classic Star Wars. I like your more rounded cockpit design, which still invokes the Lamda without directly copying it.

Count: The main design feature I want to bring to the AG is the wrap around plating at the main body. I extended the neck under that just as in the Lambda. I'm wondering if cutting the plate back and allowing the neck to extend above the plate might be a more unique look. As bobbtmann suggested earlier, the neck could probably use some type of armored plating. I'd appreciate any sketches or other examples people have. I'll fire up Silo this weekend and start making the initial model and we can go from there.

[swashmebuckle]

Have you checked to see how it looks if the middle fins emerge from the centers of their respective missile/engine pods? With the tilt of the pods, it kinda seems like you have a triple-fuselage idea going, so it might be neat to have the smaller tilted fins mirror the way the central fin is mounted.

[rhettro]

Have you checked to see how it looks if the middle fins emerge from the centers of their respective missile/engine pods?

I haven't, but I think that would place the fins too far apart to look right. If the main wings fold up, then visually having the fins more to the outside would look like they might conflict when the main wings were raised. On the other hand if the fins and the wings are variable then there isn't an issue.  I'll have to play with it some more. I'll have another round of models for everyone to look at and give opinions.

[rhettro]

A small update. I've made adjustments per some of the comments and moved the model over to Blender. While I like Silo a lot, modeling seems to go a little smoother in Blender so in the interest of time I think I'm going to stay there. Right now I'm considering the engine design and the second level of articulation.

[CountBuggula]

Cool!  Glad you're still working on this.  Any chance we could get a view of it in a couple other angles so we can get a sense for the perspective?

[rhettro]

No problem. This model is still in the early stages, plenty of tweaks and clean up to do yet.

[bobbtmann]

What renderer are you using? Those look really nice. The model is looking good, too. If you shortened the neck, it might look a bit more solid.