Worst ship design in sci-fi?

Bryan Moore · Post by **Bryan Moore** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:31 am

Okay, Death Star?! Have we ever thought of the whole gravity issue of this? Do we have gravity plating? Okay, great. But must be awkward to get to any outward facing gun turretts, towers, etc. You're essentially walking into an M.C. Escher painting! Oh and the exhaust port.

Monroe · Post by **Monroe** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:13 am

The gravity thing is a big problem with the falcon. Crawling into those gun turrents would really flip a stomach.

But I really don't see the big problem with the thermal exhaust port. Sure it was a design overlap but it wasn't that bad considering some real life errors.

Post by **Mikey** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:41 am

Actually the Millenium Falcon would've been one of my nominees for this thread - I mean, the bridge placement is almost as ridiculous as a Federation starship - but I'll let it slide because its supposed to look like nothing much.

Post by **Captain Seafort** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:00 am

Actually, they mentioned the problems with the Falcon's cockpit placement in "Tyrant's Test" - the last of the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy. They also installed some kind of after-market modification to solve it so an extent involving sensors on the port docking port.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:18 pm

I like the Falcon overall because it is unique. However, I always wondered why there was so little cargo space if it was supposed to be designed as a cargo ship? Even if you convert the lounge, there is still very litte room.

Blackstar the Chakat · Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:12 pm

Well, the YT-1300's(the Falcon) were meant for small shipments, or a few passengers depending on the configuration. The Falcon was more for smuggling small(but high priced) shipments.

As for the Death Star, the outer levels near the surface were oriented like a planet's surface, rather then just the turret's gravity. I think that would solve some of the gravity issues.

Post by **Mikey** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:18 pm

Yeah, I thought the spherical design for the DS was actually an idea brilliant in its simplicity in order to maximize internal volume. The issue I had with it was the incredible vulnerability built-in; the exhaust port (and the hole leading right to the reactor in the DSII,) the tractor beam control left in teh middle of nowhere rather than in a fortified CCC bunker, the accessability of garbage chutes from corridors on the cell block...

Monroe · Post by **Monroe** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:43 pm

The YT-2000 is a better design than the 1400 imo. Its the ship that you fly in X-Wing Alliance. Makes me wonder what ever happened to Ace Azzamine.

Azrael · Post by **Azrael** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:57 pm

The Serenity (from firefly) looked ugly as hell to me.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:06 pm

Azrael wrote:The Serenity (from firefly) looked ugly as hell to me.

It looked ugly, but was actually rather well done from a untilitarian standpoint.

Post by **Mikey** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:24 pm

I thought the Firefly-type looked exactly like what it was supposed to be; somewhat antiquated design, not entirely reliable, breaks a lot - sort of a "space jalopy," if you will.

Bryan Moore · Post by **Bryan Moore** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:35 pm

Azrael wrote:The Serenity (from firefly) looked ugly as hell to me.

Ugly?!

I am surprised, however, that the thing didn't have at least some sort of d efensive weapon. Yeah, illegal, whatever. It's a smuggling ship, you'd think it had some sort of hidden mod to it.

Post by **Tsukiyumi** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:49 pm

That's why the last quarter of Serenity kicked ass. Didn't see that coming did ya', bastards. Anyone who's seen the film will hopefully know which surprise scenes I'm talking about.

Sionnach Glic · Post by **Sionnach Glic** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:29 pm

I believe I do.

sunnyside · Post by **sunnyside** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:11 pm

The TIE fighter. I actually like the look of the thing, just from an artistic point of view. But what the heck were those wings about? Just making yourself a bigger target?

Usually I give Sci fi ships a fair bit of credit because I don't know their technology. But I think all I've heard for the wings on a TIE is solar panels, which makes no sense at all.