Traveller - The Model

[Spinward Scout]

So, this thread and Andrew Boulton's and other's art has inspired me.

I bought some foam core posterboard and I'm going to make a Scout/Courier. Now, my first problem is Dimensions. I'm thinking of making a template to print out on 8 1/2 x 14 paper giving me a mockup of no longer than 1 foot (I'll tackle a larger one if I actually get this to work). I figure there's only 5 basic geometric shapes that make up the outer hull. Port Dorsal, Starboard Dorsal, Port Ventral, Starboard Ventral, and Aft. With the two Dorsal and two Ventral shapes being mirrored of each other. The two Dorsal shapes having openings for the Cockpit and Turret. The Aft having openings for Engines (with the two doors and vehicle garage probably just draw/painted and not movable). And possibly Landing Struts on the Ventral with the Ventral being bent on the outer part.

Sounds easy, right?

It's probably the easiest of any of the Traveller ships. I'll see what I can come up with and post it here in .pdf or .jpg. In the meantime, does anyone have any (or know of any) schematics that shows the dimensions for the Scout?

 

[aramis]

Supplement 7, p. 17 gives maximum dimensions of 37.5x24x7.5

Since it is shown as vertically symmetrical save for the turret, B=24x7/2=84m².
Gives a volume of V=84*37.5/3=84=1050m³... 77 tons. Nope...

37.5*24x7.5/(2*3)=1125m³=83T
Again, nope.

Expanding the height to 9m... 37.5x24x9/6=1350m³=100Td (short) possibly... but it doesn't match the deckplans nor notes.


Deckplan is 19 squares wide, x1.5m, = 28.5m, and 25 squares long =37.5m, which is only allowing 7.8m tall with long Td (14m³)... so presuming typo 7.5 long Td... (13.5m³ ea)


Given this, and a symmetric profile, length from nose vertex to side vertex is √(37.5²+ 14.25²)= 40.1m; Nose vertex to vertical vertex is √ (37.5²+ 3.75²) =37.7m. base sides are √(14.25²+ 3.75²)=14.7m

There are your side lengths, therefore, you can draw them out. 4 identical sides, and then a dimond 7.5x28.5m

And now I have to break ANOTHER errata to Don...

 

[Spinward Scout]

Given this, and a symmetric profile, length from nose vertex to side vertex is √(37.5²+ 14.25²)= 40.1m; Nose vertex to vertical vertex is √ (37.5²+ 3.75²) =37.7m. base sides are √(14.25²+ 3.75²)=14.7m

There are your side lengths, therefore, you can draw them out. 4 identical sides, and then a dimond 7.5x28.5m

Very cool. I'll toss these numbers into AutoCAD and see if I can come up with some printable templates.

 

[aramis]

Just be warned... the deck plans are impossible if the type S uses 3m decks. They're barely possible at 2m decks. (At 3m, the fore end of the non-main decks are outside the hull shell...

 

[Spinward Scout]

I'm not ready to tackle the interior yet. I'd probably have to fudge it - at least for AutoCAD.

But I just figured out I could be going at this wrong. Why don't I just use a scale of 1 meter = 1/2 inch? All of the dimensions are already there for me then - just a matter of dividing by 2. I'm not building it to use with miniatures so it doesn't have to be to that scale or whatever, right? It would give me an 18.85 inch long model. I don't know, maybe I'll just have AutoCAD do it all and just print to scale.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Just be warned... the deck plans are impossible if the type S uses 3m decks. They're barely possible at 2m decks. (At 3m, the fore end of the non-main decks are outside the hull shell...

You know, I just thought about it and you're right. Better that I make the adjustments now than have to go back later and redo everything.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Mine's 10m high.

Here's a template:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Gallery/index.php?n=1061

 

[Gray Lensman]

did this once...

just a hint, give up on the standard deck plans, unless you have serious midgets to access the so called upper and lower decks.

I actually ended up with to decks toward the rear and one towards the front. actually had the two bridge crew bending over for a couple of meters before they could get in the seats.

I'll have to look around and see if I still have those plans although I doubt it, iot was years ago and they were hand drawn.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Mine's 10m high.

Here's a template:

http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Gallery/index.php?n=1061

Cool, going to print that out tomorrow. My AutoCAD skills are so rusty (haven't touched it in about 10 years) that I'm struggling to start this. Maybe I can take a class in the spring.

just a hint, give up on the standard deck plans, unless you have serious midgets to access the so called upper and lower decks.

I've been wondering. I think I'm just going to go for the exterior mockup. Otherwise I'm tackling too much at once.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Site for Printing On Demand Models

Found a link to this over on the star-rangers.com site. This is wicked. Just look through the dice they've created (under the 'Games' category).

http://www.shapeways.com

About Shapeways

Have you ever wanted to turn your 3D designs into reality? Enter Shapeways! Just upload your design, we print it and ship it to you - it's easy. Within ten working days you'll hold your own design in your hands.

It would be pretty inexpensive to print up a Scout ship or just about any other Traveller miniature if you have a digital 3D model of it. Only around 10 dollars for this 2 inch long model.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/135657/rylos_class_corvette.html?gid=mgarray

At that rate, possibly only $30 for a 6 inch long model?!?

I'll buy some if anyone is interested in throwing up their 3D Traveller models (hint, hint, Andrew).

 

[aramis]

Two things, Scout, that make minis doable but impractical via shapeways:

1) you pay by the cubic centimeter of material used (or trapped). A good, solid hunk of plastic is a bad (read: expensive) shapeways model.

2) the detail level possible would fail horribly to render much of the detail on Andrew's stuff; details don't scale well in minis manufacture, and their detail level is about 0.2 to 0.5mm, material dependent.

 

[Spinward Scout]

What's the smallest size you think they could do with pretty good detail?

 

[HG_B]

What's the smallest size you think they could do with pretty good detail?

This is an example: http://www.shapeways.com/model/63430/belter_battlewagon_v2.html?gid=mgarrayspaceship

 

[aramis]

This is an example: http://www.shapeways.com/model/63430/belter_battlewagon_v2.html?gid=mgarrayspaceship

If you look at the model pic, and not the render, you'll note the detail level is in fact lower than the render implies.

Also: note the price, which implies the model is in fact solid.

 

[HG_B]

If you look at the model pic, and not the render, you'll note the detail level is in fact lower than the render implies.

Also: note the price, which implies the model is in fact solid.

The "render" can't "imply" anything. It is what it is.

Unless, I'm not looking at what they produce...

 

[aramis]

The "render" can't "imply" anything. It is what it is.

Unless, I'm not looking at what they produce...

you aren't.

The upper of the two pictures is a computer rendering of the source file, not an actual picture of the finished product.

The lower picture, which you must click on to see in detail, shows lower levels of detail than the computer image.

 

[Spinward Scout]

The lower picture, which you must click on to see in detail, shows lower levels of detail than the computer image.

That could just be the lighting, Aramis. I think if you put a coat of paint on that finished model, it would show quite a bit of detail. If that's only a 2 inch model, I'll bet a 4 inch model would be very detailed.

I think we should try this. I'm up for paying for a test drive. I can post pictures when I get it in the mail. Who's got a 3D render of a Scout they want to try?

EDIT: Here's another model with unpainted and painted pics.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/102611/gdh_d102_delta_series_frigate.html?gid=mgarray

 

[aramis]

EDIT: Here's another model with unpainted and painted pics.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/102611/gdh_d102_delta_series_frigate.html?gid=mgarray

Notice how sharp the edges are on the render (the top of the three), and how much less sharp they are on both the unpainted and painted products. (it's just shy of an inch long.)

I've been looking at the details, thinking about putting together a scout. Minimum resolution is 0.1mm; that's the bead diameter of the extruder.

While I can make the initial mesh in sketchup, I can't run the other programs to check it before submission.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I can't run the other programs to check it before submission.

Which other programs would be needed?

 

[HG_B]

you aren't.

The upper of the two pictures is a computer rendering of the source file, not an actual picture of the finished product.

The lower picture, which you must click on to see in detail, shows lower levels of detail than the computer image.

Thanks. I copied over and blew them up. The level of detail is comparable. The material color and lighting (shadowing) makes the actual piece look like less detail. In reality (the model I looked at) the detail is extremely close to the render.