Starship Interiors

[Mithras]

OK, give us an indication of how you depict your starship interiors..... what inspiration do you draw from?

 

[atpollard]

They all look like the Gemini space capsule, lots of sheet aluminum, phillips head screws and exposed wire harnesses wrapped in electrical tape.

 

[tim_manley]

It depends. They're either modled off naval ships (WWI to modern), submarines or more tramp-steamer like.

 

[rust]

Outposts look and feel much like "Outland", military starships are similar to
modern real world navy ships, civilian starships likewise to modern civilian
ships.

 

[Supplement Four]

Alien. Outland. Bladerunner.

Gimme that dirty, gritty, "lived in" look. Functional. Industrial.

 

[Swiftbrook]

Star Wars, Babylon 5, Traveller Art ( -1995). Basic, fuctional interiors.

 

[Jame]

Just about everything. Depends on the starship, the TL and the builders.

 

[Mithras]

I ask because I've just 'illustrated' a Navy ship in my solo game (by pulling images off the web).

But I also just toured HMS Belfast, the WW2 battleship moored up in London, and as I poked around it, all I could think of was Traveller ship - and could not stop making mental notes of where the showers were, how big the sickbay was, what the space on the command centre was like, etc.The engine room was .. wow... pipe and dial heaven!!! THis is the errm, steering room. No windows - you get told where to point the thing.

 

[Mithras]

I tried to find some Outland interiors on the web with zero results, which is a pity, there are so many great sets in that movie; the rec room, cabin, corridor, hydroponics, airlock, EVA room, miner's quarters, plus the great exterior shots etc.

I need stills!

Any links appreciated.

 

[Beech]

There are some here (not many though)

http://www.heavymetalmagazinefanpage.com/moviesoutland.html

 

[Ishmael]

like alien or silent running

 

[mike wightman]

I voted Serenity/Firefly because that is the closest to Traveller TV/movie you'll ever get.

I almost voted other because Battlestar Galactica (new not old) is how I imagine the large ships.

 

[Psion]

Being ex-navy, I base a lot of my images of ship interiors on US Warship interiors.

 

[aramis]

For me...

Alien, Aliens, Outland, Op. Petticoat, OldBSG, Bab5, all depending upon TL and cultural issues.

 

[Imperial Planetologist]

Depending on the tech level and the culture, could be any of the above.

 

[BlackBat242]

But I also just toured HMS Belfast, the WW2 battleship moored up in London,

Sigh.

OK, I know a lot of people are not up on real-life ship classifications, but HMS Belfast was a Light Cruiser... not a Battleship.

HMS Belfast (light cruiser):
Commissioned 5 August 1939. Displacement: 11,553 tons; Length: 613 ft 6 in (187.0 m) overall; Beam: 69 ft (21 m); Draught: 19 ft 9 in (6.0 m);
Armament: Twelve (4 × 3) 6 inch guns; eight (4 × 2) 4 inch dual-purpose guns (anti-surface and anti-aircraft)

HMS King George V (battleship):
Commissioned: 11 December 1940; Displacement: 42,200 tons; Length: 745 ft (227 m); Beam: 103 ft (31 m); Draught: 32.6 ft (9.9 m);
Armament: Ten (2 x 4 & 1 x 2) 14-inch guns; sixteen (8 x 2) 5.25 inch DP guns

 

[Ganidirsii O'Flynn]

Bryan Gibson has a couple of great ship interiors (Type S with that 'lived-in look') and he did several for the center pages of DGP's Starship Operator's Manual that really do a great job of illustrating civilian craft interiors.

As for military, I have kind of a Space: Above and Beyond, BSG, Starship Trooper motif in my head. Another movie that did a good job of military ship interiors is Wing Commander.

I've toured an Iowa-class battleship back when the USS Missouri was stationed in Bremerton (Washington), and have toured 4 modern US Navy subs (along with the ex-Soviet Foxtrot in Seattle) so I have an idea of shipbuilder thinking when it comes to military ships. And trust me, you want to serve aboard a US sub... the Russian Foxtrot-class boat doesn't have the accomodations of a WWII U-Boat.

So, I imagine the interior of a military boat to have open duct and wiring, stencilled labels for everything, cramped quarters, excellant kitchens and so on.

 

[Hemdian]

For standard Imperial ships I take my cue from some of the DGP interiors (like the Bridge of a Donosev Scout Cruiser in WBH). But otherwise that would be Alien and BSG (old and new) with a touch of Star Trek Voyager (holo control panels). I also like Scarecrow's Florian interiors and his Suleiman class Scout exteriors + air/raft. Finally, a mention has to go to the art on the Traveller Reveival Commission.

For non-standard ships I take my inspiration from anywhere that seems appropriate (once had a ship that was a highport converted into slow cargo ship ... interior was a cross between Stargate SG-1 Goa'uld mothership and Star Trek DS9).

 

[Icosahedron]

My interiors are very much like the Florian and Andrew's corridor, BUT with more light - lots more light.

As I see it, living aboard a starship is more than enough to trigger claustrophobia and depression without adding S.A.D. to the mix, too. Particularly on a passenger ship, light - and plenty of it - would be an essential design feature.

Dismal, moody atmospheres are fine for the movies, but not for reality - not even for the military by the 53rd century or whenever Traveller is supposedly set. Light levels like the Trek Enterprise, I say, with holographic panels on at least the ceiling and one wall of every cabin.

 

[Mithras]

Yeah, I also call self propelled artillery guns 'tanks' - oh how you must hate me Seriously, I should have known better ...

Sigh.

OK, I know a lot of people are not up on real-life ship classifications, but HMS Belfast was a Light Cruiser... not a Battleship.