www.ditl.org

Its general design did, yes.

So, even if that's not what it's CANNON name is, that silly looking thing is in fact part of history now.

Indeed it is. Though its capabilities are still ambiguous.

Once again, I really don't mind the Saladin or whatever it may be called in actual canon. It's just a little small and incomplete looking. what I do mind is the Hermes which is meant to be a fair bit weaker, looking absolutely identical.

Meh. Given the wildly varying sizes of Klingon ships that all look the same, I can buy one Fed vessel externaly resembling another.

The size of the hull, and lack of a secondary hull, mean it can't really be upgraded to a different role; but being downgraded to a more lightly armed role isn't a stretch for me.

The issue isn't so much two externally identical (or almost identical) ships having significantly different capabilities, but that the two ships are apparently the same age, or as near as makes no difference. If one had been significantly older then it could simply have been passed off as new technology using the same basic hull, as with the Spruances and the Ticos.

It does seem odd that an indentical size and configuration would be used contemporarily for dissimilar roles.

SuperSaiyaMan12 wrote:With all the hatred for it on this site, what ship classes are arguably just as bad or worse in Star Trek?

From a purley aesthetic point of view every other ship designed after the GCS. (with the possible exception of the d'deridex warbird if we also count non Federation ships)

Defiant - didn't look like a federation ship at all. With another paint job she would pass as an klingon, cardassian, or any other alien of the week ship. Sure you can only make so many saucer shapes but then what is wrong with it?

Intrepid - Altough she has smooth and elegant lines I just find her plain ugly. Granted she is nowhere near as fragile looking then previous starships but somehow that makes her look fat, ugly and cumbersome especially compared to an E-A. (Make a size comparision between Intrepid and Constitution on ditl and maybe you will understand what I mean)

NX - To be honest, if she wouln't be an Akira rip off I think with just a few touches to make her look more fitting into her timeframe the design wouldn't be all that bad but compared to a GCS? No chance.

Sovereign - They had a Cadillac with the GCS but wanted a Porsche and got the Sovereign. As with the respective cars, when asked I admit I find both beautiful but if I must choose between the two I prefer the mighty Space cadillac to the small sports-sovereign.

imho Star Trek ship design reached its height with Mr. Probert and most things after him are inferior.