Here is a link to a couple of pictures from the mirror universe episode:

http://www.trektoday.com/news/150305_02.shtml

Huzz

I know everybody bitches about this show but come on! Can't they even get the original uniforms right?! Trek geeks have been doing at least that well for 30 years!

These guys really are hopeless.

Blalock does look smashing in her well-taylored inaccurate uniform. Worth watching just for that, if nothing else.

It'd be amusing if the mirror universe version of Mayweather never shuts up :lol:

It'd be amusing if the mirror universe version of Mayweather never shuts up :lol:


That was good John.

"The Defiant, which has slipped through a rift between the universes. "

So it's a time travel episode!!! OH joy.

I'm really interested in how they depict a TOS era Consititution ship. Unlike the miniature built for that DS9 episode, the Defiant will probably be a CG image. I wonder if they'll "enhance" it's hull with hull pannelling effects, etc.

Rob Bonchune (sp?), one of the CGI Guys who's done work with Foundation Imaging (or whoever it is that does the Trek CGI these days) was posting over at the Polar Lights forums at one point not too long ago, tho I don't know if he's still there or not, as I don't frequent those forums any longer. He's been posting under the name "NX-01Rob" or something along those lines. Anyhow, he mentioned that the Defiant for "In A Mirror Darkly" is all CGI. However, those guys are all doing their best to be true to TOS and he said that would mean they were including the the deflector grid, tho as subtly as it was in TOS.

Hmm. Interesting pics, although I agree that the detailing is off. Mind you they are able to make use of different fabrics than what was available forty years ago. Although the detail and cut may be off (the neckline of Blalock's costume isn't at all right) it does show that conceptually the TOS designs still work and can look good.

I just might peek into this episode just to see what they do visually. I'm sure they'll get a lot of things wrong, but I am curious enough to see just how effectively Matt Jeffries' and Bill Theiss' designs come across with contemporary materials.

When I look at the TOS dvd sets, particularly the first season, I'm impressed how good it still looks and how well the concepts and designs hold up. If that were to be done today for a full-up feature film or even a tv series then I think it would require but the barest of tweaking to still work.

The Defiant is a new CG model from Eden FX. They utilized info from Gary Kerr, who created very accurate blueprints from measurements off the original at the Smithsonian, and Petri Blomqvist who used Gary's plans to create the most accurate CG Enterprise to date. I have high hopes that with the knowledge base here, the ship will look right.

The TOS references alone will have me tuning in. Yeah the story might be bantha poo doo, but hey, that's a Constitution class ship on TV again!!

I'm really interested in how they depict a TOS era Consititution ship. Unlike the miniature built for that DS9 episode, the Defiant will probably be a CG image. I wonder if they'll "enhance" it's hull with hull pannelling effects, etc.


Hi!

There is some subtle "aztec" paneling and some slightly heavier weathering. We also do have subtle deflector grids on the ship. Some of these additions were requested by the producers. We also have an enormous time crunch, so if it ain't perfect, trust me, we know....The CG ship was wholly and ENTIRELY built from scratch by Koji Kuramura, Nacelle effect by me with reference help from Thom Sasser as well as just looking (over and over and over and over....ad nauseum) at clips from the Orig show. Any ship dimensional reference material we needed was provided by Doug Drexler as well as Koji's own research. I know Doug is good friends with Gary Kerr, so I am sure that made it's way to us through him. As for the Petri help, Koji used his shape for the back end of the nacelle cap as a reference piece. We needed it built differently.

As of now, she is pretty faithful to the original considering. I know some people will be happy with the subtle additions, some will not. The producers have not see it yet in it's final form. Remember, as Scotty once said: "Producers love to change things..." We shall see how it ends up. ;)

Just now we are busting our asses working long hours on this show, why? None of us can figure it out considering it is canned!!!!


Maybe we care?...nawwwwww....

Well, I for one want to say that your hard work on Enterprise is very much appreciated by me at least!! The effects are wicked!

And I also want to point out that the ship being depicted in this upcoming episode is not the TOS Enterprise but in fact a different ship of the same class. In our fictional Trek world, it may have been built at a different time and have slightly different equipment some of which may have come from different sub-contractors and suppliers. I'm sure that modern day naval frigates of the same class can be distinguished from each other by those officers familar with each ship by little nuances such as the placement of an antenna array or the particular vintage of radar or some similar little distinguishing characteristic.

So, realistically speaking, subtle differences between the TOS Enterprise and Defiant are quite reasonable.

Huzz

Hey, I've always said, no matter how bad I think the writing, directing and producing are on the show (specifically V'ger and Ent), I give credit to the art teams. The show always LOOKS great, even when the episode sucks :).

Hey, I've always said, no matter how bad I think the writing, directing and producing are on the show (specifically V'ger and Ent), I give credit to the art teams. The show always LOOKS great, even when the episode sucks :).
I can agree with that. Even though I can't stand the show itself its production standards are decent. If I were ever able to play God with Trek my scorched earth policy in regards to the executive and writing staff could well overlook the production staff as I feel that all they really need is good direction.

I can agree with that. Even though I can't stand the show itself its production standards are decent. If I were ever able to play God with Trek my scorched earth policy in regards to the executive and writing staff could well overlook the production staff as I feel that all they really need is good direction.

What do you mean "if"?

I have to ask, though, why the uniforms look like the TOS variety. Supposedly the Defiant not only traveled through universes but also through time, right? And the episode is from the mirror universe but still taking place during Archer's time, right? So wouldn't stand to reason that the mirror universe uniforms shouldn't be like TOS' uniforms but closer to the ENT uniforms?


Just asking.

José

SPOILER ALERT!!!

From what I understand (highlight to read)

The mirror universe's NX-01 away team arrive on the Defiant while wearing space suits and are unable to return to the NX-01. So, they decide to scrounge for uniforms from the Defiant instead of clunking around in space suits all day. That's why the uniforms look like TOS era uniforms..

Huzz

Huzz,

Thanks for the quick reply. They better have a Defiant logo on their tunics then :)
José

El Gato, they do indeed. :)

José

You're welcome!! :jest:

LOL!!

Huzz

Inisible ink!?

Inisible?

Inisible, with liberty and justice for all! :lol:

José

Inisible ink makes it hard to spell because you can't see what you wrote!

Qapla'

SSB

This is getting insensible.

I have to ask, though, why the uniforms look like the TOS variety. Supposedly the Defiant not only traveled through universes but also through time, right? And the episode is from the mirror universe but still taking place during Archer's time, right? So wouldn't stand to reason that the mirror universe uniforms shouldn't be like TOS' uniforms but closer to the ENT uniforms?


Just asking.

José
Actually as I understand it the Defiant is supposedly from the original TOS timeline and crosses over into the mirror universe during the ENT era. Consequently the TOS era uniforms are adapted to the mirror universe. What really shows how dumb this is that the Defiant's presence is intruducing advanced tech to a supposedly more primitive era and so the mirror universe will be altered and not resemble anything what it was during Kirk's time.

I'm curious to know just how they plan to segue from the regular ENT universe into the mirror one. But frankly this just convinces even more so that Many Coto in a previous vocation was known as Wile E. Coyote: Super Genius...and we all know how that always worked out. :lol:

The "V" in "invisible" was invisible :freak:

My understanding is that the entire episode will take place within the Mirror Universe. Apparently they'll even change the opening credits.

Who ever heard of invisible letters? Maybe there IS something to this. I think there are some invisible decimal places in my tax refund! :jest:

And Warped, not that my following comment is a spoiler, its just my speculation, but perhaps the Defiant gets destroyed before its technology can be copied on a wholesale basis by the denizens of the mirror universe, thus not impacting Trek continuity...........

And as far as it goes, most folks I know dream of seeing the show where the Coyote finally gets that cursed Road Runner and roasts him on a spit!

Huzz

perhaps the Defiant gets destroyed before its technology can be copied on a wholesale basis by the denizens of the mirror universe, thus not impacting Trek continuity...........
That's what I've been thinking, more or less.

Qapla'

SSB

My understanding is that the entire episode will take place within the Mirror Universe. Apparently they'll even change the opening credits.
Such is the story I've heard, and from official sources (available to all). Except there are two episodes.

Qapla'

SSB

Change the opening credits? I guess soft rock doesn't go with heartless conquerors.

It's been a long time,
since we wupped some butt...
and I've got the feeeeeling
that I'll never get enough.
cuz the other races are weaker
and they all deserve to DIIEEEE...

Hi!

There is some subtle "aztec" paneling and some slightly heavier weathering. We also do have subtle deflector grids on the ship. Some of these additions were requested by the producers. We also have an enormous time crunch, so if it ain't perfect, trust me, we know....The CG ship was wholly and ENTIRELY built from scratch by Koji Kuramura, Nacelle effect by me with reference help from Thom Sasser as well as just looking (over and over and over and over....ad nauseum) at clips from the Orig show. Any ship dimensional reference material we needed was provided by Doug Drexler as well as Koji's own research. I know Doug is good friends with Gary Kerr, so I am sure that made it's way to us through him. As for the Petri help, Koji used his shape for the back end of the nacelle cap as a reference piece. We needed it built differently.

As of now, she is pretty faithful to the original considering. I know some people will be happy with the subtle additions, some will not. The producers have not see it yet in it's final form. Remember, as Scotty once said: "Producers love to change things..." We shall see how it ends up. ;)

Just now we are busting our asses working long hours on this show, why? None of us can figure it out considering it is canned!!!!


Maybe we care?...nawwwwww....

Thanks Rob,

I really am looking forward to seeing this episode.
Will the inboard grills glow blue or not? (hope so).

As a physical modeler I originally (years ago) dreaded the approach of CG.
I comforted myself in seeing that the CG models didn't hold up to the real ones. As I've discovered CG modeling myself, I've come to appreciate what you can do with it.

Last year I worked with some of the Motion Control guys from Image G who came to Detroit to work on a Northwest Airlines spot. A couple of them were bashing the Enterprise CG stuff. Jeolousy? don't know, but what I've seen on Enterprise has been some of the best looking stuff I've seen for a Trek series.

Good job. Sorry the show is canceled.

As of now, she is pretty faithful to the original considering. I know some people will be happy with the subtle additions, some will not.

I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how the additions work on-screen, having gone through something similar but much more limited for "Exeter". Counting down the days...

What's with that nasty looking Ent uniform crop-top that the woman behind T'pol is wearing:freak: ?


Mike

Well, as the whole episode takes place in the mirror universe during Archer's time...

...and that unform bares (pun intended) a passing resemblance to the midriff-exposing number worn by Uhura in the TOS episode...

...draw your own conclusions.

I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how the additions work on-screen, having gone through something similar but much more limited for "Exeter". Counting down the days...

Dennis,

really like the stuff that you've been doing for 'Exeter'.
I especially like the the 'Dark' clip of Exeter in a low orbit. If only the series looked that good.
Its reminiscant of the shot of the Refit in TMP leaving earth orbit
Whats the software your using?

I also like the more 'realistic' shots that you're doing for them.

I do have to admit, I'm not really a fan of the stuff that copies TOS shots TOO CLOSLEY.
Mainly shots where its evident that the ship is flying 'off axis' .

Thanks. I hope there won't be much flying off-axis. The shots will look a lot more like TOS than that "dark orbit" clip did, but I'm glad that you liked that -- I did too. It was based on the TMP "leaving orbit" scene.

Just don't hit us with any snap-rolls and "bee-WOOP"s off-screen like the New Voyages does, M'kay?

Well, everyone has their own interpretation of these things. It'll be interesting to be have at least three somewhat variant versions of the TOS milieu -- Exeter, "New Voyages" and "Star Trek: Enterprise" -- in one year. I'm just continually amazed at how close the quality of the fan efforts at set construction, costuming and models are to that of the professionals, and I'm gratified to be able to participate in one of the productions.

If I were doing this entirely for my own satisfaction rather than as part of a team, I think I'd favor Nova Design's approach to lighting and texturing over anything else I've seen so far. I don't think I'd add the blue nacelle glow to the TOS Constitution, though.

And I also want to point out that the ship being depicted in this upcoming episode is not the TOS Enterprise but in fact a different ship of the same class. In our fictional Trek world, it may have been built at a different time and have slightly different equipment some of which may have come from different sub-contractors and suppliers. I'm sure that modern day naval frigates of the same class can be distinguished from each other by those officers familar with each ship by little nuances such as the placement of an antenna array or the particular vintage of radar or some similar little distinguishing characteristic.

So, realistically speaking, subtle differences between the TOS Enterprise and Defiant are quite reasonable.

You're exactly right. Modern navy fast frigates (FFGs) all of the same class have visible differences due to upgrades to the flight deck and towed sensor array. I also immediately spotted the difference between an American FFG and an identical one sold to Germany: different R2D2 unit.