Author Topic: Retconned Viper VII and Raider  (Read 19884 times)

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Offline IceFire

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Retconned Viper VII and Raider
I'm interested to know what people think about the retconned versions of the Viper VII and Raider that have recently come to my attention.  Initially I didn't notice the change at all but articles at Battlestar Wiki have got a few details showing off the differences.  Have a look:

http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Viper_Mark_VII

http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Raider_(RDM)

So it seems that the VII changed sometime around Maelstrom and the Raider changed in Razor and that with at least the Viper VII both versions have been sighted together.

It just seems weird to do an art update that is so significant.  I know the visual effects team changed...but did the timing of that coincide with these changes?  I thought the changes with the VFX team were made for the start of Season 3.
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Offline Lt.Cannonfodder

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
There have been major changes in other ships too, biggest one probably being the Basestar.

The general consensus of the team is that the original versions tend to look better and we'll make them first, but we might make the retconned versions in the future if using them as new ship variants is plausible enough.

EDIT: As for the VFX team changes and such, yes, the changes done to the ships and look of the show is due to the inhouse team taking over late S2/ early S3.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2008, 10:20:26 pm by Lt.Cannonfodder »

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Well, if Exodus Part 2 was their work, they live up to the standard set in Resurrection Ship.

 

Offline Ace

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
What makes things really confusing though is when looking at Razor and the use of the original Zoic MKVII alongside the in-house MKVII.
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Offline MR_T3D

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
possible excuse:?
raider COULD be just a more advanced model, and the vipers are rebuilt ones/space dirty/??

 

Offline karajorma

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
The cylon changes can be explained as different models as I can easily see the Cylons building a different model as they learned the mistakes they made with the original. We know that Pegasus had a viper factory so changes to the MK VII could be explained that way.

The Viper II however is harder to get away with. Why the hell would anyone build a new Viper II?
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Offline IceFire

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Was even the Viper II retconned in any big way?
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Offline newman

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
I like how battlestar wiki just calles the basestar that the inhouse team modded "basestar mark II".
A bit like Imperial I and Imperial II class star destroyers.. similar yet different.
A mark II basestar could feature minor improvements. Gives the Cylons at least some
capship variety.
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Offline Striker

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Though in this mod, mission variety is going to have to trump ship variety. As long as they don't make extra ships just for the sake of claiming variety, I'll be happy.

Then again it's BSG in FS2. That enough makes me happy.  :D
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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
The Viper II however is harder to get away with. Why the hell would anyone build a new Viper II?

well for stories sake, it could be said they retrofitted viper II's because of a lack of material for building new vipers. making what you already got better.
Frak.

 

Offline Striker

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Taking that a step farther, they'd probably cannibalize parts from other, unusable fighters and even make an amalgam (sp?) of the mark 2's an 7's. That might be interesting to see.
...lurk

 

Offline Vidmaster

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Just look at the Shadow Battlecrabs in the B5 tv show. To increase the dramatic effect, they have different sizes during the course of the show. But there should still be only one Battlecrab in any B5 Mod.

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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Really? I thought there were just battlecrabs of different sizes. Doesn't TBP have small, medium and large battlecrabs?

 

Offline Turnsky

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Could be merely an update of the existing model, (like we have F-16A, B, & C models, for example).
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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
I don't think Galactica (or Pegasus) really have R&D facilities aboard to design a whole new model.

A kitbashed Mk VII makes a lot of sense, though. And it would explain its presence alongside the original Zoic Mk. VIIs.

 

Offline Striker

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Chief designed and built the Blackbird from scratch. It's not a stretch to say that they could make modifications to an already existing design, especially when Pegasus could create new fighters.
...lurk

 

Offline IceFire

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Just look at the Shadow Battlecrabs in the B5 tv show. To increase the dramatic effect, they have different sizes during the course of the show. But there should still be only one Battlecrab in any B5 Mod.
I'm not sure if this was a fan thing or from the shows produced but with the Battlecrabs the feeling was that since they were grown anyways...that Battlecrabs could logically vary in size. Some would be smaller and some larger.  But its true they used that to dramatic effect when they created the CGI.  Ship sizes weren't really nailed down until somewhere around the middle of Season 4 and into Season 5 and Crusade.  Even then there are some inconsistencies.

Still doesn't explain the Vipers in BSG...the changes were very subtle so it can't have been for dramatic effect.
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Offline Mobius

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Please forgive me, but...do you have any pics showing the most important differences between the versions you're talking about?
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Offline Scotchy

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Team consensus is that the originals look better, at least in the case of the Basestar. However, I've been building the Pegasus with most of the Razor modifications included. That was just a personal choice; I think the newer and more detailed model looked better.

 

Offline karajorma

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Re: Retconned Viper VII and Raider
Chief designed and built the Blackbird from scratch. It's not a stretch to say that they could make modifications to an already existing design, especially when Pegasus could create new fighters.

It is however a fair assumption that the Blackbird was inferior to the Stealthstar seeing as how the latter was built not by a bunch of mechanics in their spare time but by a proper R&D team.
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