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Star Trek Discovery - official trailer in OP, 15 episodes ordered, premieres 9/24

I really don't get the mindset of you "That crap looks like Kelvinverse" people.

Being as I brought the shit up at the top of the last page, (and now the top of this one) I wanna reiterate: I don't think it looks bad at all. I like the designs, for the most part. I think they're very good in general. I believe I've said as much in this thread, for that matter. I like how things look! I certainly wouldn't describe it as "Crap," or suggest that it looking like Kelvinverse makes it "crappy." Because I think that design aesthetic is cool, too!

Like I said: the look isn't going to put me off the show. Once the show starts going, when and where it fits in any of the available (and completely fictional) timelines won't really matter much, so long as the stories are good, and executed well.

But it is a thing I keep tripping over. That's on me. I don't need the producers to change shit up. But I do notice it.

It's not really a criticism. It's just notable/remarkable.
 

AlStrong

Member
Maybe the only thing dumber than always putting the bridge within easy firing range on top of the saucer is making a small inner saucer that's only attached to the outer ring by a number of small struts. I mean, wtf is up with these design decisions?

Saucy separation?
 

Jackpot

Banned
I really don't get the mindset of you "That crap looks like Kelvinverse" people. Of course it does! Do you really think a bridge design like TNG would fly these days?

You can't really be intellectually lazy to think that "not looking like TNG" = "must look exactly like Kelvinverse". Do you think every modern sci-fi property looks exactly the same as Abram's films?

I'm fine with them updating the look, but their aesthetic is obviously that of the Kelvin movies.

TREK2.jpg
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
It's not even technically a new design, right? It's heavily based on production artwork Ralph McQuarrie did back in the 70s for Phase II, I thought.

I mean - yeah, it kinda looks like a small plate stuck to a clotheshanger, but I don't think it looks bad or anything.

It's no Miranda class, but it's not rough to look at either.

Not like Voyager, which is one of the ugliest starships in sci-fi.

That's the thing, it is ugly and rough to look at to me. My eyes are offended by its weird proportions and angles. It just rubs me the complete wrong way.
 

Sotha_Sil

Member
Is she Vulcan? That's really cool

I just watched Descent part 2 from TNG so I'm kind of in "bleh, Star Trek" mode right now

Just skip to Parallels, The Pegasus, Lower Decks, Preemptive Strike, and All Good Things to end TNG on a high note.

The ship looks hideous, but the rest of the art direction is good to me. Not a fan of more prequel storytelling, but if nothing else it's more Trek. And that's a good thing.
 
There are images of the phaser pistol floating around as well. Looks like a cross between the assault phaser in STVI and the laser pistol in The Cage.
 
Outside of an ill fated attempt to get into the MMO, I don't really have much connection with Star Trek, but was interested enough by the trailer to give this a shot. Is there any other lore or background knowledge I should know going in?
 

antonz

Member
Phase rifle and Communicator are proper blends of old look while modernizing. Phase Rifle also benefits greatly from Enterprise establishing a more modern look. Communicator is a perfect modern take on TOS.

I think that's where some of the disappointment comes from when it comes to design decision making etc. They are clearly going out of their way in some areas to be consistent as possible with the era while offering a modern tech vibe to the things. Then they radically depart in other areas.
 
And the Constitution Class is a disc on sticks.

The beauty is in the execution of the idea. Reliant is a great design. So is the refit!

I mean I don't hate it, I just have no feeling about it one way or the other. I remember buying the big kit that came out in like, 95 or 96. It was nice to have, I just couldn't find any angles that I liked. If it had a big dish like the Nebula I might have liked it more.
 
That's just a Comic Con poster. Not the official key art that they're going with. I believe this is the real key art.

star-trek-discovery-poster.jpg

At the edge of the universe? Surely they mean the alpha quadrant... right? This isn't another return home against impossible odds story like Voyager right...? Right!?
 

Fuchsdh

Member
You can't really be intellectually lazy to think that "not looking like TNG" = "must look exactly like Kelvinverse". Do you think every modern sci-fi property looks exactly the same as Abram's films?

I'm fine with them updating the look, but their aesthetic is obviously that of the Kelvin movies.

You know, in the year 2017 it seems kind of bizarre that no one stopped them when they said—"Hey, let's make the Klingons darker skinned! And give them reaaaallly wide noses. And huge lips!"
 
Outside of an ill fated attempt to get into the MMO, I don't really have much connection with Star Trek, but was interested enough by the trailer to give this a shot. Is there any other lore or background knowledge I should know going in?
Difficult to say without knowing the story but given the time-frame in which it's set I think you should be fine.
 
With only 15 episodes how are they going to go into all the side stuff that is super interesting like the trail about data's sentience, hologram shenanigans, etc.

I hope they fit in at least an episode or two like that in the 15.
 

DBT85

Member
Yeah. There's no beauty to the Discovery design. It's a baffling choice.

Now the other ship they've shown. That looks cool.

My thoughts too.

Not only that, for me it doesn't with all the other designs of ships we've seen over the years.

Still, if the show is good I'll deal with weird Klingons and an off beat ship. Though it does make you wonder about the people running the show and what else they might do.
 

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Some info on Saru and his alien race.

“Doug Jones character plays Lt. Saru,” says writer-producer Aaron Harberts, who is showrunner on the upcoming CBS All Access drama along with Gretchen J. Berg. “What we can tell you that adds the context to that clip where he says he can sense the coming of death is that he comes from a planet where he’s a ‘prey species.’ He’s the first of his kind to make it to Starfleet.”

On Saru’s planet, there’s a dominant predator species that constantly imperils another weaker species called Kelpiens. As part of the latter group, Saru has evolved with heightened survival instincts. Such prey species tend to have a cowardly reputation in the Federation, but Saru should not be underestimated.

Jones is an ideal casting choice as he’s had a long career playing creatures and aliens of all sorts and sizes — you’ve seen him on screen many more times than you probably realize. The lanky 6’3″ actor played Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, the Faun and the Pale Man in Pan’s Labyrinth, the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, as well as roles in many other films and TV shows. Jones is sort of like the Andy Serkis of practical makeup creatures.

“[Producers] said Saru is the Spock of the series, he’s the Data of the series — and those are beloved characters that I always connect with whenever I would watch the past incarnations of Star Trek,” said Jones, giving some details about his role for the first time. “On Falling Skies, I played an alien species who came to Earth to help the humans fight back the bad aliens who’d taken over, and I was intelligent, well-spoken, had a lot of answers and science-y smart. Saru is all of those things and then some.”
 
The concept is interesting, but I don't know how a space faring species in the federation could not have wiped out any threats to them, unless warp flight was given to them rather then developed.
 

Kevin

Member
Everything about this show looks really great. Absolutely love the updated modern look. I may be alone in my opinion but I for one am excited as ever to watch this show.
 

kmag

Member
Love the uniforms, phaser and communicator design, liked the other ship reveal not feeling the Discovery itself. It's a strange design which doesn't really fit.
 

antonz

Member
A full clear look at the Phaser from Johnathan Frakes on wtitter
Great blend of TOS and a modernized tweak. Just goes back to my complaint that they are seemingly so mixed up on design and direction. Lots of small things scream TOS era then you get a bunch of stuff that screams Kelvinverse.
 

antonz

Member
The uniforms are a fantastic evolution from the Flight Suit Style of Enterprise. Starfleet is now a fully functional Multi-World Organization and not just an Earth Fleet.
 

kmag

Member
sdcc17-dscgallery-sketches-19-768x512.jpg

sdcc17-dscgallery-sketches-01-768x512.jpg


Ship looks massive.

It just doesn't fit the era it's meant to fit. There's too many design elements which weren't NX and which didn't fit into subsequent designs. If you're making a point of making a show between two fixed points in time you really should pay attention to the preceding and subsequent points.


The NX was more rounded, and the original connie didn't have any real angular features. This has it's own aesthetic which seems to be a complete design cul de sac from what came before and after. The U.S.S. Shenzhou fits relatively well as an NX successor but the Discovery seems if it's from a whole other linage. The only thing which fits the NX and the Shenzhou linage is perhaps the neck going into the saucer, everything else is a new design.
 
Looks worse the more I see it.
I'll watch it, and truly hope I am wrong, but personally, looking more forward to Orville.

Edit: BTW, not a "Trekie" per say, but Star Trek as a whole is seriously my favorite TV series of all-time, and even the recent Kelvin Trilogy is one of my all-time favorite Trilogies of all-time, along with the Caesar Trilogy, so yeah, big fan of Trek.
 
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