Alternative Ship Models

I agree with your choices (although the drone ship model is impressive...it just doesn't scream "carrier")

The Kodiak is the biggest offender, it looks like it was, in concept, a tank, then a dropship, then a cruiser.

Actually, most of the "human" ships could use a remodel. They seem to lack a specific art direction, instead looking like a hodgepodge of different ideas.

Although, for me, all would be forgiven if they would just animate the turrets...Homeworld 1 did it, and that was about 8 years ago.

Thats 2 factions your talking about there when you say human(plus you HAVE to remember the TEC converts civy ships into military on a regular basis).

I'm pretty sure that they did that on purpose...

Don't bother with that argument. It's been stated and refuted (in my opinion) too many times to mention.

TEC ships are perfect.

They look like actuall warships, not fancy bits of metal and lights.

They look like they where ment to give out a beating, and then take one.

Most TEC ships are either converted civilian trade ships(like all their cap-ships minus Kol and Sova) or desperate designs based around civilian ships, built to somehow stop the Vasari(like Kol, Kodiak and Garda). Only their Gauss Turrets, Sova Carriers, Javelis LRM Frigates, Hoshiko Robotics Cruisers, Fighters, and Bombers look like purpose-built military machines without any civilian background.

Most Advent designs look like they are purposely trying to make you look at them, hence being gaudy and over-curvaceous(like the Progenitor, Guardian, Illuminator, Disciple, and Defense Vessel). The others(like the Radiance, Crusader, Aeria, Fighter Drones and Bomber Drones) look like they were more focussed around the engineering, with looks being a secondary but still important consideration.

The Vasari are aliens and there is no point telling why their ships look as they do. Some things, like the Enforcer's large Wave cannon and the Transporter's hangar bay stand out, but the rest is completely random.

Already pointed out.



But that randomness may make sense to them.

Actually, I think the underlying motive for your post has got some real merit to it. Some of the designs are ugly when you ignore that they're supposed to fit in the game's lore. What if ships changed appearance if they were upgraded? Ok, so you click once to get the ship model and now you can start building it. What if there was a second extremely-expensive level to that research where the actual ship model itself got upgraded? Otherwise, what if after doing several/all of the weapons upgrades, the ship changed appearance to look upgraded?

Just a thought...

All TEC ships, excluding caps, need a more 'Naval' look. Yes, i know that they were supposed to be trader ships hastely converted, but even modern tankers and cargo ships have that naval look. For a start, focus more on length, less on width. That way you get something that looks like a ship, rather than a tank. Next, make all of the weapons strategicly placed. eg, kodiak has a dorsal gun. instead of creating a 'bulge' where it protrudes, make it come out much more like the beam gun on the Kol. I could go on, but im tired and dinners served.

In short, more Navy, less tank. You can take it from there.

I think it is okay that spaceships do not look like things built to move in water but
in vacuum Some of the models might be improved with a few more details or structures, but overall I think they are doing fine

Its not that, its just ships dont look like ships unless they're long and naval like. Because theyre in a vacuum, its shape wont have any practical use, its just there for looks. Go for mini-cap ships. the caps are what im talking about. minature versions of those...

Yall have a good point but aestheticlly pleasing a few my cramp some1 else. It would be cool to make them look leaner and less blocky. But i expect those types of changes to come in the Xpac with a single player IN-DEPTH campaign

The Kodiak Heavy Cruiser is just missing wheels.

Or more accurately, Treads   

I like the Garda...

I have to agree with the OP. Being an artist and designer myself, if I was the art director on this project I would not have allowed some of the designs they have currently to pass through to final. Some of them are really really bad (but not as bad as the designs from the beta's and alphas). Some of them are really good. The KOL is fantastic for example.

It's not easy to come up with good designs that are aesthetically pleasing yet also have identifiable silhouettes in comparison to all the other units. I wonder if they did silhouette tests before moving forward with a design.

Aegis Drone Ship while highly identifiable is quite fugly. I can only see it as the flying metalic space snail.

I think the Aegis Drone ship looks rather nice.

i dont like it.....yes space snail.

I like all the ship designs. In a whole the TEC has that 'It's an ugly ass floating brick, but it's an ugly ass floating brick that will kick your ass' look, which I love.

The Advent however have that 'Our ships are weakly armored, but look sexy as hell, and our super tech and shields more then make up for it all.' look, which is nice and suits them well methinks.

And the Vasari have that 'We're scary and mean and love to fight and so we'll just steamroll you no matter what' look, which again fits their stylings.

So overall, individual ships may look off, but when compared to others of their kind they look PERFECT. Sure the Kodiak looks like a tank, but it's an affective design. Compact and relativly small, means it can be heavily armored and able to withstand a beating. So yeah, just remember that these ships are made to fit their civilizations, not your personal likes and dislikes.

How about a remodel on the Kodiak's main gun turret? The big one on the top? That thing looks ridiculous. It looks like a big turret, but it isn't! It is a fixed gun! I think a longer, fixed weapon, along the whole dorsal region of the ship would look cooler. Kinda like a shoulder mounted cannon instead of a WWII German Tank turret.

I worked on the weekend on this- quick photoshop editing, and found that many of the ships design can be retained, just tweaked. For example, the Kodiak's main turret I moved to the underside of the ships, thus minimizing the tank look. The garda I have flipped upside down, and mounted auto cannons on the topside. it now doesn't look like a rowboat.

Simple tweaks is what I'm going to aim for. I'm not going to invest too much time doing complete redesigns that wouldn't likely get used anyways.

I'll post links to images once I'm finished.

stay tuned....

I'd have to say that the overall most 'Military' looking TEC ship is the Sova Carrier. Damn thing is just so sexy.

Colt556, I don't think people have a problem with the thematic aspects of the designs. They just think some of the particulars of a few designs are poor and should be altered to have better appeal to them. They would still retain their thematic elements though. What your mentioning isn't so much design but thematic concept that you are approving of. I certainly would not want an advent feel to the tec but I also don't want to think space snail and WWII sherman space tank.

I think Kodiak looks like a tank because that's what it suppose to be - a tank in space. It suppose to make you feel like you're looking at something that's hard to damage and packs a very big punch. Making it longer and "leaner" would remove that feeling... there is a reason why tanks don't look like they do.

While I am not a fan of the Kodiak I seriously doubt the models will be changed anytime soon.

The TEC are about strapping guns to yachts, liners, and cargo ships. Deal with it.