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C-quel — Chibi OS2 and RISC OS
by-nc-sa
Published: 2008-11-25 06:25:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 6762; Favourites: 12; Downloads: 135
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Description
This is a remaster of C-chan's third chibi set, taking full advantage of the SVG source file containing the complete artwork. Apart from fixing some earlier glaring defects (such as OS/2-tan's head position), updating her uniform to what would later become her established look (although her hair remains tied in this picture), and modernizing key features such as their eyes and mouths. A quick background was also added to break the monotony of his chibi sets and the Japanese labels imported into Inkscape.OS/2 Warp-tan's uniform is inspired from the Star Trek movies for very obvious reasons known surely to most OS/2 users. The phaser in her hand is also from the same reference. She was a happy member of the original IBM-Microsoft family, until the separation saw the disbursement of her original family members, and the targeting of her as an enemy from the new generation of Windows-tans. She has since developed a strong vendetta towards the Windows Family and still works to overthrow it despite being virtually abandoned by her remaining parent company IBM.
RISC OS-tan wears more cosmopolitan attire, and is holding a British-manufactured Webley Mk VI Revolver. She is actually an indestructible character, but being obsessively prim and proper in her attire often interferes with her physical invincibility. She often follows OS/2-tan more as a friend looking out for another, rather than as an ideological foe of Microsoft (whom she could really care less about).
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Comments: 49
Poor poor OS/2-Warp tan 
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fufu, that means you have good tastes. ^^b
OS/2 was indeed a great OS, but alas,... very horribly marketed. Too bad she'll never be made open source,... it's pretty impossible at this point. -.-
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Well impossible or not, it would require a lot of work to turn her into something useful for the common user :S
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Well if a system like OS/2 were open sourced, it would definitely take a while to get modernized, but a dedicated-enough hobbyist community could certainly make it possible. ^^
At least eComStation would benefit from being able to work directly with OS/2 kernel and not have to poke around and guess. ^^'
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eComStation does not works on OS/2 kernel?, how is that??
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Well it's built on top of an OS/2 platform, but it only communicates with it indirectly as it doesn't have much low-level access to the kernel (not sure why since the eComStation have regular contact with the IBM people, so guessing its either a contractual limitation, or there's no one left in IBM to know what to do, lol).
Think of like how the original Windows 95 only looked like a cool "modern" (at the time) OS, but in reality it was just a super-glorified DOS add-on. Although probably not the best example, cause at least Microsoft owned MS-DOS and knew how it worked, and could build on top of it however they wanted to.
eCS developers don't quite have that luxury, although their job isn't half-bad. [they're just very very slow at it, lol...]
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Are they still using it?, maybe an opensource OS/2 is not a bad idea after all.....
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Yeah, eCS is still in use and active development. In fact, it's the only way for companies with legacy OS/2 machines to continue support of those with modern machines, since eCS simply "modernizes" OS/2. ^___^
And an open source OS/2 is a great idea, but not gonna happen. IBM already said so two years ago:
[link]
The reasons are several:
1) They're old source notes are a mess, and a lot of the people who originally worked on it are gone.
2) Microsoft still owns some of the original code they built in the 80's, so there would be a huge mess over settling the copyrights for those.
3) Even if IBM were willing to invest the millions of dollars and hundreds of man-hours to get this succesfully open-sourced somehow, they'd spend all that money just to release a system that can compete with their own current offerings!
Remember, IBM now makes money selling Linux and their own z/OS mainframe systems, systems they have MUCH more control and expertise in, and also offer a way to "upsell" on existing OS/2 installs. So you can definitely understand if they're not too eager to shoot themselves in the foot, lol.
Maybe in about 30 years they'll do it, lol. ^_________^
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30 years is not funny :S
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lololol, oh it'll be here before you know it. ^^
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Dude i am having troubles realizing that i already have 25 years, and you want me to wait until i am 55? O_O
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Well IBM does, anyway. ^_____________^
Oh you can have plenty of fun with Linux and BSD in the meantime. ^.^
Or maybe this will get done sooner, lol: [link]
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Well there is still hope i guess...
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By the way, I just wanted to commend your perfect work on capturing both the Webley revolver and the Star Trek V and VI 'Assault Phaser.' As a military & military history enthusiast, I've begun to learn to identify various historic and modern weapons, and I knew that was a Webley before even reading the description.
And the Assault Phaser design is one of the most recognizable firearms ever to come out of Starfleet R&D, as well as one of the most famous in the collectibles market thanks to the debut of the Master Replicas high-end electronic prop.
There are two other bits of trivia most people don't know about it, though. First, like G1 Megatron and his inspiration, the U.N.C.L.E. Special P-38, it's possible to form a '
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Fufu. Thank you. ^^
Although I can't really take too much credit for either of them, since I worked very closely with actual pictures of the Webley + Phaser. Gradient vector shapes stick out like a sore thumb in large expansive areas, but work quite well when several small complex shapes piece together to form a simple component (in this case of RISC-chan, her Webley). ^.^
Speaking of which, I was actually wondering if you were interested in learning how to use Inkscape to create images such as these. You don't draw in Inkscape so much as "sculpt", and especially in images such as your YF-1R Valkyrie, you might appreciate the ability to lay down a bunch of shapes and then carefully rearrange and reshape each individual path or stroke as many times as you want to form the desired shape in the end. ^__^
Guess I'll say more about that later. -v-
That assault phaser is actually my favorite Federation firearm (don't like the ones in TOS or TNG), but in the spirit of grittiness I guess you could say I was always more of a Batleth kind of person.
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I'm happy to see that you looked at some of the other stuff that I did.
I drew those YF-1R sketches back in my senior year of high school. At the time, I had gone back to the very first major fictional concept that I ever created - a sort of 'Expanded Universe' Macross story set during the events of Super Dimensional Fortress Macross and culminating in the story of one of the early Megaroad expeditions.
I noticed, at the time, that because of the date and timing of the Macross plot, that if it had really happened, my high school classmates and I would have been 22 - just the right age to get out of military academy and join U.N. Spacy - when Space War I began. So I thought, what would life be like for us if we'd gotten caught up in it all?
And that's how the original version of that began. The revamp basically was done to tie my concepts into the established canon and to keep things low-key, gritty, and realistic. (I had rediscovered my love for realistic war dramas at the time.)
I began to design Valkyrie concepts for an entire fictional squadron - SVF-102 or Punisher Squadron. That YF-1R was going to be my plane; my callsign was to have been "Thundercracker," after the Decepticon Seeker jet from Transformers G1. In fact, the YF-1R's paint scheme was based on Thundercracker's paint job, as I do have a G1 Thundercracker toy that I used as reference. Unfortunately, the originals of those drawings have since been lost.
I've been hearing a little bit about Inkscape as I've begun talking more with other DA people. It's something I'll think about looking into when I'm not working or trying to get into graduate school.
(Goodness knows, I don't even have time to do my own doodling anymore! I have some more overhauling to do with my Star Trek ideas, and that includes reworking some of my ship designs, now that two of the 4 major alternate universes I created are going to be set in variations of the timeline from the J.J. Abrams movie.)
By the way, here are images for what I was talking about with the Assault Phaser earlier.
This is a photo of the modified "assault phaser" prop from Star Trek VI - note the Megatron-like attachments.
[link]
And this is the Master Replicas limited edition "assault phaser" electronic prop - at least, that's what it looks to be. This shows that you can take the 'slide' of the phaser apart and extract a Phaser Type-I from it!
[link]
BTW, I also just found out that the props for the assault phaser were actually developed from prop versions of the US Army's Beretta M92F or "M9 Pistol." That's why they look so military and realistic! 
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Bwahahaa! That's probably the only good thing that came out of Shatner's involvement in that movie(?). ^^'
All phasers that predate that particular assault phaser were indeed horrifically squirt gun-like (or maybe matchbox-like?), and while the militaresque look (which compliments the monster maroons wonderfully) was wasted on Star Trek V, at least it helped make VI all the better for it. ^____^
I see now what you mean about the removable phaser -- in essence, it makes it not unlike putting a Wii Remote inside the Wii Zapper, thus turning a particularly harmless-looking white wand into a particularly harmless-looking white crossbow... thingy. ^___^'
Hehe, I kid. ^^
I can definitely understand time constraints, but regardless if you ever want to give it a try, it is a free and open source program so you can download it for free, for any platform, and use it to your hearts content. ^^
It's own documentation is pretty good, but if you would like something more C-quelesque, you can also view the tutorial I [tried] to write for my old forum friends.
It's unfinished, but covers most of the basics:
[link]
Learning vector graphics is invaluable if you ever plan to do Clip Art (e.g., for office work), so it's at least a worthwhile endeavor. ^.^
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I saved a copy of the tutorial you gave me the link to. I found the time to skim through the beginning of it, but at the moment I'm very stretched for time.
I am either working at the grocery store, preparing for GRE exams, looking up graduate schools and admission procedures, or commuting from to and from UC Berkeley to volunteer at the lab, so I don't have too much spare time at the moment and a few obligations, some rather self-inflicted, for the time I do have, such as my attempts to redesign some of my ships. ^_^;
However, I expect to have more time available once my applications are prepared and filed because then I'll just be working and commuting with few other obligations, so I'll look at that stuff then, in a few months - in the meantime I'm going to keep saving and bookmarking everything you send me and whatever links I find myself, so I have a body of literature to read from when the time comes.
I'm glad to be able to tell you about those two options for the Assault Phaser. ^_^ You seem to like the weapon, and very few people know that the Assault Phaser had those extra characteristics. Besides, now that you know about them, you can give OS/2-tan's Assault Phaser those same characteristics.
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No problem, and yeah I'll have OS/2-sama sport her assault phaser in her character sheet. ^.^
Speaking of which, you definitely sound busy, so I'll make this update brief:
Despite an unusually busy weekend, I did spend a little time this evening working on the first character sheet (featuring C128-san). I finished her body, but naturally it's a bit... uh... indecent to post here yet. I'll wait till I can add her standard clothing layer (and perhaps a monster maroon layer) before I post the results for you to play with. ^.^
My goal was to make it a standard-issue character sheet featuring front, back side and accessory views for each character. But due to time constraints and also a desire to keep this as simple as possible (to make it easier to train in Inkscape), I'm going to instead just stick with the front pose. That way, I could simply focus on putting two or more characters on the same sheet. ^___^
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Time constraints are something that I definitely can sympathize with you about right now. >_< When I was at school, I thought I was always busy and having to do this or that, and I was looking forward to maybe actually getting a break when I got home.
But with all the things I've got to do between work, lab, and applications and with how hard my parents are always bugging me, it seems like I'm busier than ever. I still don't think I'm used to waking up at 6 or 7 in the morning. I haven't done that in 4 years!
I saw C128-san's finished character sheet. She looks amazing, and it's awesome that you know the canon Monster Maroon so well. We didn't see many Commodores in the movies - just a glimpse of one or two in IV and VI - and so I was quite impressed that you know what the proper pins and stripes looked like.
I know this would probably be answered in an Inkscape tutorial, but did you have to do that whole thing line by line?
In the meantime, I'm still trying to find a few minutes here and there to keep my pencil and ruler busy reimagining my starship. Once I finish defining her look, I'm thinking of maybe doing a simplier, more "cartoony" version that you could use to play with, although it'll likely still be pencil-on-paper.
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Wow, my DA inbox has accumulated with a TON of posts already, so it's taking me a while to get to all these.
In any event, I'll be replying to your Inkscape question over in the latest C128-tan's page, since I think the answer would be more useful and relevant there. Stand by. ^^
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Okay. Sorry, I guess we just keep talking to each other and things just pile up.
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BTW, I just noticed that your icon is Botan/Button from Clannad! ^_^ Nice choice. "Puhi, Puhi!"
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Thank you! Yep, that be me! Puhi puhi.... ^o^
BTW, have you seen me in After Story?
I kinda..... grew.... [link]
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I know! *pet pet* You're not a little baby boar anymore. And now that you're big, you can give Kyou's little students free rides around the school yard.
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I'm still surprised no one's ever considered the possibility that I may go wild and start,... you know... trampling, goring, eating, or sitting on them. Those parents sure must trust Kyou-san. ^___^;
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I think that if they didn't trust her, she'd have tossed a couple of dictionaries at their heads right now. She may be older, but some things never change!
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They look really nice! I should learn more about those operating systems - I don't know that much about computer stuff.
On another note, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of doing a violet or lavender version of the Star Trek movie uniform, only mine have been even more altered because they're from an evil Mirror Universe Starfleet.
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Hi hi! Thank you for the kind words. ^^
I didn't know much about Operating Systems either until I started drawing OS-tans. Now I can probably name you about 100 operating systems of all types, years and architectures straight from memory. ^.^'
Yeah, the lilac was actually due to some lavender colour schemes in the OS/2 screenshots I used as reference shots. I thought it complimented her overall look very well at the time, and I guess based on your comments I wasn't too far off-base. -v-
Ah yes, and I do remember those evil Mirror episodes from way back in the day.... -.-
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Oh, no problem. I loved your work and recognized the uniform so I couldn't help but leave some remarks.
What motivated you to begin drawing OS-tans? That lilac color looks surprisingly good on her, as I've never thought about those uniforms (also known as Monster Maroons) being anything other than red or black.
I've begun designing my own variants of them. My Mirror-Universe versions were made by taking the basic shape of the movie uniform and making them even more ornate, bizarre, brightly colored,and militaristic... but I haven't had time to put those up yet.
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Funny you should mention the original motivation. I took a few days to lurk and immerse myself in the OS-tan culture after I first read about it in Wikipedia some years ago. I was impressed and happy to see such "open" artwork with so much educational potential.
But while I originally intended to at least dabble in a little fanart of preexisting characters (like some of the Windows-tans or at least some Mac-tans), it was the absence of OS-tans for other systems that really got me interested in drawing for real.
At the time I knew at least of the existence of an "Amiga" computer at some point, so I found there was no "AmigaOS" so thought it would be a great idea to draw her.
Also figured it would be great to see a UNIX-tan first,... and while her sketch was completed first, she was too important a character to leave to my petty skills at the time, so I turned to starting off with Amiga-tan first.
I had a hard time at first since I knew I couldn't get the Anime look I wanted with Photoshop -- but eventually I discovered Inkscape and the rest is history . ^^
Oh, and do you think I am [or was] crazy to believe that those "Monster Maroons" were the best Star Trek Federation uniforms of all? They just seemed so nice and gritty,... by comparison, the original and TNG uniforms were almost pajama-like.
[probably also why I used to be a big fan of Enterprise B]
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I had never previously thought of the OS-tans as having 'educational' potential, but not many people know that much about computers, so I must say, I think you're right about that.
I do not think you're crazy to believe that the Monster Maroons were the best Starfleet uniforms ever. I am an old-school military fanboy and I have always liked uniforms that are based in Napoleonic dress codes, which they are. They share commonalities, because of this, with uniforms you find in places like Sailor Moon (the Shitennou uniforms have the same basic structure) or Shoujo Kakumei Utena. It looks very formal, professional, and military although keeping up with all of the pins needed must have been a pain, and although it's not as practical or comfortable as some of the other designs have been.
The original uniforms were very simple and utilitarian in appearance. They were very functional as uniforms in that they immediately allowed you to tell an officer's rank, department, and ship at a glance, but they didn't necessarily look all that military.
It's the TMP uniforms of the 2270s that really looked like pajamas, with their one-piece construction with shoes sewn into the pants and subdued colors and whatnot. I actually have never liked those, although I acknowledge that the philosophy behind them is more in line with the real world. I created my own concept to replace those. Instead, I took the TOS uniform and created a new interim/compromise design to show it 'evolving' into the Monster Maroon.
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Thank you. ^^
Although admittedly not all OS-tan artists share my zeal for education, which is why I guess it was memed to death after a while [probably from all the half-million Vista-tan variants]. OS-tan artwork isn't popular anymore, but I'm still part of the Old Guard. ^__^
Definitely agree with your observations as to why the "MM" uniforms hold such an astounding appeal to lovers of the vintage and the formal. Probably the reason why I particularly enjoyed drawing the Commodore OS-tans [although I've yet to draw them in their complete 1984 uniforms, which are obviously a little more decked out]. ^^
And yes, I do recall that the TMP uniforms had a nasty habit of making me want to pull my own eyeballs. They were a horrid sight -- and probably contributed to my over-appreciation of the "MM" style.
But funny you should interim designs.... if memory serves [and spotty memory at that as I didn't watch the full series], DS9 started with loose variants of the TNG design, but eventually transitioned to that gray style nearing the end of the series [when it apparently was nothing but war war war, left and right]. -v-
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About the DS9 uniforms, you're pretty much right. The uniforms that they and the Voyager crew used were new variations, but they in canon are described as variations of the TNG era uniforms, alternative outfits that became the standard.
This is because of a goof in Star Trek: Generations. In Generations, the uniforms were supposed to be completely redesigned. (The Playmates ST:G toys did feaure these uniforms.) However, the new designs never saw the light of day. Instead, they used a mixture of the TNG and DS9 uniforms. Because "anything you see on screen is canon," it means that we now have proof that those uniforms were used at the same time.
The gray and black Dominion War uniforms, which to me represent a more elegant, traditional, and militaristic version of the concept from the DS9 and Voyager uniforms, were first introduced by the TNG crew in First Contact (year 2373)and later were adopted by the DS9 cast. The story moved into the Dominion War storyline, so these are now forever known as the Dominion War uniforms - I own one myself and very much like it.
The TMP uniforms were actually described in a Star Trek novel as nothing but "fancy PJ's." The realism used there, I guess, had to do with the subdued colors, the way rank was displayed, and the number of variants available; however, I hated them as science fiction uniforms/costumes because they looked silly and there was nothing that stood out about them.
I'm glad some of the Old Guard are still around! I grew interested in OS-tans after first being indoctrinated to the whole personification movement through the M.S.-tans, particularly the Gundam Girls.
I like to refer to my custom-built PC as my "friend," and often say that it would have been nice if it had been a Persocom instead so that it could talk to me and keep me company while also being completely competent, obedient, and loyal. So the OS-tan concept was something I instantly came to like.
How do you mean, "a little more decked out?" Did you put them in more modern Navy dress uniforms (the more suit-like ones with sleeve stripes) or did you put them in something more Horatio Hornblower, so to speak? ^_^
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Sorry for taking a bit to reply -- have been busy.
Should be able to get to this tomorrow or so. ^^
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That's okay, take your time.
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"Anything you see on screen is canon,"? Oh LOL! I do hope they made an exception with Star Trek V -- even the TMP acid trip was a masterpiece compared to it (or at least offered infinitely better music).
The dominion war uniforms were pretty cool, I will admit. However, the uniforms also seem synonymous with the departure of the franchise as an exploratory series and one in what seemed to me at the time as 24/7 combat. Granted war made for far better ratings overall, but if I wanted non-stop battles I probably would have lobbied for an all-Klingon series instead.
Call me boring, but I think I would've enjoyed a series centered around the mellow exploits of the Enterprise B. ^^'
...
Fufu... so I see you're a Mecha Musume fan. Yeah, that genre of anthropomorphisms probably received the most attention of all, I imagine because the subject matter was ripe for one-off drawings. And I guess there's no harm in believing that machines have souls -- after all, they do run on the same thing we do (=energy). It would be a different kind of "soul", in much the same way as a plant and a quadruped would be different kind of "living things", but in the end it has quite a lot in common. ^^
Funny you should mention it, but since my OS-tan run I've named ALL my computers based on their respective "OS-tan" installed. Or I guess more specifically, I consider my machines as their houses/apartments.
An old friend wrote an old OS-tan fanfic that kinda confirmed I wasn't alone in the belief. ^____^
[link]
...
As for the "decked out" part, I would first warn that my concept is still pretty much a "concept". I've only actually drawn the girls in their current day wear, LONG after they've sold many of their uniform decorations to desperately try and stave off the company's demise in the early 90's (or lost some of them during the turbulence after their company's disbandment).
In fact, I may never draw them in their old uniforms at all at this point, just to let the viewers use their own imaginatino (or l33t drawing skills) to imagine how they would have looked in their full regalia.
All I can say though is that each Commodore-tan's uniform is centered around the chronological naval era they represent.
- PET-chan is of course pure 19th century pre-ironclad, with saber in hand and elaborate bicorne cap on her head.
- VIC20-chan would've been the most spartan of the sisters, preferring her WWI-style "dough boy" infantry gear (which at the time would've included trousers).
- Commodore 64-tan might have embellished a bit, but certainly would have centered around a WWII-era uniform.
- Commodore 128-tan would've actually been the most contemporary of all as far as professional military attire in the 1980's is concerned.
- Amiga-tan, having never gotten used to the strict military ethos of her step-sisters, would have been perpetually stuck in her cadet uniform. I still have to port that sketch I made of it from my old forum. ^^
I actually don't have a drawing featuring all the girls together [yet]. but Katt-chama was nice enough to draw one featuring their present-day selves. [even includes Amiga-sama pulling out her old cadet uniform just for the nostalgic reunion]:
[link]
[link]
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I'm so, so very sorry that I haven't commented sooner. I have been extremely busy over the last few weeks. My roommate had somewhat suddenly left for his hometown, leaving behind all of his furniture in a hurry for me to disassemble and deal with, just days before the nastiest final exam of my life.
Then, the day after the final and the next day, I had two graduation ceremonies; here at UC Berkeley, we have two commencements, one for your major, and one for the whole student body. I spent the next week hurriedly packing up to go home, where I resumed my part-time job while continuing to commute to the Cal campus to volunteer and preparing to search for graduate schools to apply to.
But all that aside, you never cease to amaze me with how deeply thought-out and how well-designed your OS-tans are. I read the OS-tan fanfiction that you gave me the link to, and I absolutely loved the little story. It was just the right length - like a little vignette, a depiction of a moment, yet it packed so much punch and it just makes you stop, and wonder what's really going on that tower case of yours. (I wonder how that would translate into the Chobits world...)
I was very fond of the Dominion War uniforms, but yes, it did take me a while to get used to them because they were so... muted in appearance. Starfleet uniforms have tended, by tradition, to be very brightly colored. I would know, I own examples from several different periods: a TOS one, a late TNG one, a Dominion War one, and a redesigned TOS one from the 2009 movie (which kind of looks and feels like a baseball jersey, sorry to say). As you can probably see from my gallery, I've played around with the designs of the TOS and TWOK-era costumes myself and I've often tried to keep the brightly colored tone. It's not very realistic for a spacegoing navy, but, hey, Starfleet, as I say, is the navy that loves to deny that it's a navy. XD
After exchanging comments with you, I've named my computer as well. I've chosen overall blue themes for a lot of my computer's appearance, from how I prefer my taskbars to the roll-up keyboard (made from translucent blue silicone) to the tower case and mouse. I am considering replacing the speakers with small blue ones someday. So, the first (and probably silliest) name that came to mind, and the one that stuck, was "Blue Betty." 
It was brilliant to use the changing nature of the girls' costumes to indicate a reference to the historical rise and fall of the Commodore company.
Actually, I had just gotten an idea that I was wondering about discussing with you. Like I mentioned earlier, I had come up with a massive Star Trek fanfic multiverse concept in high school that I had embellished, with my roommate's help, in college and I produced a bunch of modified costume concepts from this - designs for the various "alternate" Starfleets we encounter in the concept. However, I have no skill at all at drawing people or anything in 3D, and need other artists' help to see how those ideas would look on an actual character.
Would you like to consider asking your Commodore girls to help me out and "model" some of those designs sometime? ^_^ After all, I think the original Captain/Admiral Kirk, Bill Shatner, did a Commodore commercial back in the day.
And, yes, we need more love for Captain Harriman and the Enterprise-B, although if you read the novels, you'll learn her career was anything but mundane. She was involved in several dangerous and nasty Section XXXI operations including what the public knows as the "Tomed Incident" - an incident involving the Romulan warbird "Tomed" that supposedly caused the deaths of many Federation citizens and caused the Romulans to withdraw from interstellar politics again until the 2360s. It was actually instigated by Section XXXI, and the deaths were all people who had died in other Starfleet operations whose deaths had been covered up due to their sensitive natures.
The Enterprise-B was involved in the plot, as Harriman was forced to take a major part in the plan, and after this, feeling that he had Romulan blood on his hands, and disgusted at how he had compromised his ideals and helped soil the Romulans' reputation for the sake of "Federation security," Harriman resigned his commission in protest.
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Yo! Long time no see! Clearly you've been one busy bee (or Entrprise "B"?) as of late. ^^
I've been too lately with translation work -- others wouldn't have allowed my inbox to get this large.
Just one quick clarification -- that fanfiction wasn't written by me but from an old forum friend called "Grant_P". I just happened to be his greatest fan at the time, is all. ^.^
I do recall that nearly all those uniforms were indeed brightly colored, but "navy that denies it's a navy" couldn't sound more true. ^.^
In that respect, they should learn from the Klingons -- THEIR uniforms probably haven't changed from their utilitarian armor-cladding in centuries (and neither do their ships for that matter). Ahhhh, I miss that kind of grittiness..... ^______^
Actually, I could swear that "Blue Betty" was a nickname used by at least half a dozen bombers during that war. I have a whole family of netbooks myself, although those usually get a rather unceremonious name, attached with "-tan" for a little MOE factor. ^^'
The OS-tan phenomenon is not as prolific as you might think, so I'm less optimistic about anyone particularly jumping on the opportunity.
Besides, I want to aim to be less of an artist and more of a programming artist. I've vowed that, after I have learned to program games, I will create a simple OS-tan themed game that also serves as a kind of interactive encyclopedia. If it's addictive enough, then maybe THEN I'll get some nice people pumped into submitting artwork to plug a few holes. ^.^
Wish I would have gotten to this sooner, so I could have read your request. Since you've been great about writing some pretty nice feedback, i think I might be able to help you out with your "modeling". ^^
I think none other than the lovely but mature-looking C128-tan would be great for the job, as just about anything professional-level would look lovely on her. ^^
But more than likely I would draw it as a generic Character Model Sheet like this one:
[link]
[obviously in colour]
...so in theory, we'd be able to draw on different clothing designs with general ease.
And no, I admit I've never read a Star Trek novel before, but I'm sure they would have made the Entreprise B timeline rather,... shall I say,... "spicier" than some of the more generic descriptions of the Enterprise B I read in my youth. ^^
Then again, I'm always wary of novels as being only semi-canon (regardless of how deserving they are of being canon). It used to really unnerve me about the Star Wars series how the [original] movies were very explicit about there being no more Jedi, and yet in the novels/games/etc, it seemed like everyone and their dog was a Jedi. A convention of them, even during the Battle of Hoth era, would've been larger than Anime Expo.
Still, I'd much rather see that rampant creativity than the fierce control assumed over Star Wars content (regardless of how bad the official content turns out). I guess that's one reason why I eventually turned off from that world (that, and I was pissed off by how badly they ruined the XWing Alliance game just so that they could rush in some Phantom Menace games,... blaaah!). -.-
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Yep, I have been one busy little Work Bee, to add to the Star Trek references. (The Work Bee is a type of very short-range shuttlecraft used by Starfleet ships and bases for EVA activity, often seen, but rarely directly referenced in series and best recognized by its boxy cab and bright yellow-orange colors).
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to change for another couple of months, at least until I'm done with my graduate school applications. I had almost forgotten how involving and how busy the college admissions process is. I've signed up for tests again, and am slowly gleaning information and preparing apps and figuring out who to beg to write letters of recommendation, all while working 24-32 hours a week to save up money to pay back student loans and for union health insurance. ^_^
Thanks for the clarification about the fanfiction. Grant_P seems to be very good at writing stories like this - I absolutely enjoyed reading through his little vignette and he captures the OS-tans' personality and the idea of them "living" inside the tower cases and interacting with the users perfectly. It reminds me of the mantra I use when dealing with my computers now, to remind myself to be patient with them: "your computer is your friend, treat her with respect."
The phrase about Starfleet being a navy that denies it's a navy is probably one of the few truly clever things I've ever come up with. XD I think they go almost out of their way to present a clean, well-kept, antiseptically bright, professional and optimistic image.
With regard to grittiness, nobody beats the Klingons in that regard in the Star Trek world, and it fits; they are a spartan warrior culture. They don't care about something looking good. To them, all that matters is whether or not it's effective and efficient.
With regard to the ship, I suppose you are referring to that infamous gaffe from Star Trek: Enterprise where the production staff wanted to design a primitive Klingon battlecruiser, were far too exhausted to finish it in time, and substituted in the D-7 instead? Or the fact that for some odd reason, the old K'tinga-class design was still being used in the Dominion War era and beyond?
My goodness, that ship's got longer legs than the Federation Miranda-class, which was used continuously for at least 100 years and might be even older if fan theories that the Miranda was actually designed during the TOS era and refitted like the Constitution was is accepted as true!
I'm not sure about "Blue Betty" being a WWII bomber or fighter nickname, but we had so many planes manufactured that I'm certain it probably was! The one "blue" nickname that I do remember is that one particular squadron of P-51 Mustang fighters stationed in the British Isles called itself the "Blue-Nosed Bastards of Bodney" or the "Blue-Nosers" because of their planes' dramatic blue noses. ^_^
Your family of netbooks sounds impressive! Unfortunately, laptops seem to hate me. My first one, a Toshiba, was given to me soon after I entered college but only lasted a year before it was stolen from within my dorm building. My second - I forget what model it was - suffered a broken fan, but instead of letting me ship it to Houston for repairs my parents insisted on returning it to Costco and getting me a new one instead. That new one was a HP Pavilion dv6000 that served me valiantly through my last few years of college, going through two screen replacements and a battery change along the way.
Unfortunately, just before finals week, something damaged the connections between the battery and the computer (because the battery was fine, but the computer wouldn't run unless the cord was plugged in), and then the CD-ROM drive failed. Mom still doesn't want me to send it to HP to get fixed, so I'm now waiting on them to get yet another new one. I'll probably get a new laptop for my birthday next year before I go to graduate school. >__<;; (I'd rather just have my courageous old friend fixed!)
The problem with developing expanded universes is that when you're working all this stuff in, it's hard to prevent contradicting statements made in the originals that might seem very explicit! I am a Star Wars fan, but not a fanatic. However, I know enough to understand exactly how you feel about how they keep creating more and more Order 66 survivors. Holy Hannah, the Emperor suddenly seems less and less competent with each new surviving Jedi! Why the heck were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Grand Master Yoda so important, then?
It's just like all the One-Year War retcons they're making with Mobile Suit Gundam's expanded universe. Now that there are so many Gundams being introduced, what was so super-special about the original RX-78-2 model and the hero, Amuro Ray, then? On the one hand, it's cool and it helps to provide a more detailed world, but on the other hand, it's contradictory and even cheapening toward the original. There has to be a balance somewhere.
Thanks for your compliments about my comments! I like trying to make good conversation and making sure I refer back to everything you've mentioned in your responses, and since I am still learning when it comes to the wonderful world of computers and their history, you and Katt are sort of like combination History/CompSci teachers to me when you have the chance to explain things. I am starting to look up various models and companies on Wikipedia when I can find the time - there is so much out there to learn about that it's amazing. (BTW, ever considered creating a Skynet-tan? Ehehehehe.)
Thanks for being willing to help me out! ^_^ Again, I'm helpless at doing anything other than concepts, so I'd love to leave what I've put up in your hands and see what you do with them!
I've taken the time to browse through more of your OS-tan galleries and I definitely agree with you. I like almost all of the girls, but c128-tan is beautiful, mature and professional and of all her family members would probably do a Monster Maroon the most justice - and maybe even give OS2 a run for her money.
I've just started putting up the last of the doodles I was able to churn out before graduating from college and going home. While the originals have unfortunately been lost, the photos I took were of very high resolution,so if you click "download," you'll get a very big picture with lots of detail. I was drawing those costume concepts with hopes of possibly saving money to have one custom-tailored for me someday, so I made sure I covered the details all the way down to the pins and buckles. ^_^
The most recent ones I've been putting up are for a new version of the Terran Empire from the Mirror Universe, so you've got fresh outfits to use if you ever want to make an "evil" OS-tan!
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With regard to the ship, I suppose you are referring to that infamous gaffe from Star Trek: Enterprise where the production staff wanted to design a primitive Klingon battlecruiser, were far too exhausted to finish it in time, and substituted in the D-7 instead? Or the fact that for some odd reason, the old K'tinga-class design was still being used in the Dominion War era and beyond?
Ah, so THAT'S why that Klingon ship in Enterprise looked familiar. I actually stopped watching that thing after a few episodes (it was around this time that my ST fandom dissipated) -- not enough grit for my tastes. >v<
I imagine that the K'tinga Class battlecruisers were probably in use because they still had a ton of those mothballed somewhere. And considering the Dominion weaponry (or for that matter, DS9's defenses), tore up my beloved Vor'Cha cruisers like so much paper, they probably just needed some ships to act as filler. Old or not, all they really needed to do was spray and pray a few photon torpedoes before getting blown up.
[sigh,... the 24th century needed more prolonged Wrath of Kahn style battles.....] ;____;
Since we're talking about OLD technology, I used to think it was a shame that the Andromedans were never part of the official Star Trek canon (only the Star Fleet battles one). back when my brother and I used to play those board games, we thought they're technology and concept was pretty cool -- almost like the precursor to the Borg. Then again, both he and I were also very big about designing our OWN ships based on our own fictional race, so I guess even in those days I was a stickler for creative content. ^___^;
Unfortunately, just before finals week, something damaged the connections between the battery and the computer (because the battery was fine, but the computer wouldn't run unless the cord was plugged in), and then the CD-ROM drive failed. Mom still doesn't want me to send it to HP to get fixed, so I'm now waiting on them to get yet another new one. I'll probably get a new laptop for my birthday next year before I go to graduate school. >__<;; (I'd rather just have my courageous old friend fixed!)
Wow! You're right, it almost seems like misfortune follows you with your laptops. ^^'
The HP ZE1210 I bought for myself as a graduation present back in '01 is still here actually -- the oldest PC in my arsenal. I hardly use the old girl much except as a torrent seeder (she no longer has a battery so she can be plugged in), but she's gone through a lot of systems. Still running on Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex. Shocked to see her hard drive hasn't given in yet [although if it does, guess I'll replace it with an SSD drive] ^.^'
ARM based smartbooks are coming -- if they're anything like they promise here.... [link] ... they'll make for robust (and incredibly cheap) alternatives to the traditional laptop.
However, I know enough to understand exactly how you feel about how they keep creating more and more Order 66 survivors. Holy Hannah, the Emperor suddenly seems less and less competent with each new surviving Jedi! Why the heck were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Grand Master Yoda so important, then?
Precisely! And some of these are described as being able to defeat Emperor Palpatine with one hand tied behind their backs,... but they just don't feel like it.... >v<
Thanks for your compliments about my comments! I like trying to make good conversation and making sure I refer back to everything you've mentioned in your responses, and since I am still learning when it comes to the wonderful world of computers and their history, you and Katt are sort of like combination History/CompSci teachers to me when you have the chance to explain things.
Thank you, although feel free to cherry pick comments as I'm kinda doing here. Probably with responding to every single point is that posts get exponentially bigger over time.
(BTW, ever considered creating a Skynet-tan? Ehehehehe.)
Heck no, already have my hands full making real operating systems! ^v^;
Besides, BTRON-tan comes pretty damn close.
I've taken the time to browse through more of your OS-tan galleries and I definitely agree with you. I like almost all of the girls, but c128-tan is beautiful, mature and professional and of all her family members would probably do a Monster Maroon the most justice - and maybe even give OS2 a run for her money.
Fufu! And here I was about to offer OS/2-san as a more appropriate alternative. ^____^
Now you've hurt her feelings (which in OS/2-isms, translates to "now you better not be within 20 feet of her phaser"), but that's all good. In between you and me....
<___<
...
>___>
...
[whispering] I think C128-sama is better. ^___^
*gets shot by phaser and disintegrated*
In any event, I'll see what I can do this weekend. Just remind me, as there's another semi-commission I'll probably be breaking ground on too. ^__~
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*gets Q to snap you back into existence*
I don't have enough time to look for the link right now, but I found a nice little series of articles about the Klingon ship designs that appeared in Enterprise, including the Bird-of-Prey and the Raptor, and it mentioned that battlecruiser gaffe. That's how I know about it. ^_^
I haven't had time to watch nearly as much Trek as I should, but I keep up my knowledge by reading articles and Wikis. I'm a frequent reader at sites like Memory Alpha, Memory Beta, and TrekMovie.com.
You know about the Andromedans and the SFB universe? Holy cow, my respect for your Trek cred just went *WAY* up! SFB was probably the very first Star Trek AU ever known (because Amarillo Design Bureau had to design their game without all the licensing needed to make it based on the canon universe), and I am a die-hard player of the computer game derivative of SFB, Star Trek: Starfleet Command and SFCII:Empires at War.
I have both installed on my PC and play them whenever I get the chance, and I'm often amused when my friends watch me play (often yelling out orders while clicking the appropriate buttons) and marvel at my seeming ability to multitask - the very aspect that the fans love but that other gamers fear about SFC. I've even learned to "reprogram" the SFC games I have to change the ship models, add missions, or alter the background music.
In fact, the very Star Trek fan multiverse I created is loosely based on the Federation campaign of Starfleet Command I, where you learn that the Terran Empire from the Mirror Universe is attempting to subvert and invade the Federation. One mission involves you being blamed for several heinous crimes that were actually committed by your counterpart, resulting in you being sent to fight and capture your counterpart's ship. I had a nice little dream the night after playing that mission in which I was actually participating in the mission and that, along with a certain kitbashed Excelsior-class ship I found on Starship Modeler, was the inspiration of the whole thing - including all the costume designs we've been talking about. Since that night back in 2002, the concept has been dramatically overhauled and expanded, but at the core, everything from ship designations to the conflict with the Mirror Universe remains.
Your laptop seems like a real trooper since you've kept her up and running for no less than eight years! The new smartbooks are definitely interesting. I'll keep an eye out for those, especially since I no longer rely on my laptop as my main computer; my PC's taken on that role. However, I have to admit, I'm still very tempted to get my hands on one of those massive desktop replacement super-laptops someday. *grins* Something that can run both Starfleet Command games and Star Trek: Legacy, anyway!
As for OS/2... you're right, she is a very good alternative, especially since I just read up about her development history and the fondness her developers have for Star Trek. (Wasn't there a version of her dubbed "Ferengi?") She even had Captain Janeway attending as a special guest when she was launched and she's already wearing a Monster Maroon variant to begin with.
I guess we could always go with both of them. That way it could be possible to someday do uniform "photoshoots" with more than one girl. All the better for the Starfleet recruiting ads, right?
And don't worry about time... I didn't want to put any pressure on you or give you any deadlines, but I did want to let you know that if you ever want to use anything I've come up with, you've got my permission to go right ahead.
*sees OS/2 glaring at him*
Oh no, I think she's pointing her phaser at me now! Excuse me, but Starfleet security regulations state that no phasers set to kill are allowed onboard this ship. If you push the trigger, the computer will deactivate your weapon - oh, wait a second, she's still under construction. Her main computer hasn't even been installed yet! *gulp*
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Fufu... don't worry. I haven't been a Trekker myself in over 10 years, so by all means assume that you're a million times more knowledgeable than I. ^^
I guess now I would be able to watch the whole series rather speedily now that I'm equipped with a netbook,... unfortunately, aside from the passing interest, I also have an Anime backlog that could probably reach Orion if stacked up. I barely managed to watch all 5 seasons of Lost to make my friend happy.
In any event, hardly deserve much credibility, even if I do know about the Andromedans. After all, I only played those board games a bit as a kid -- and wasn't actually good at them or remember much about it anymore (although I think I have the books around here somewhere, or if not at least with my bro). Aside from the very unique weaponry, I also recall the guidebook linking them with the Tholians somehow (although perhaps only because they both originated from the same galaxy).
You sound pretty excited with the multiverse you've created, btw. ^^
When you said you modded the SFC games, does that mean you recreated elements from your ideas into the game? ^__^
If all you need is to run those relatively old games, then I think any laptop with a good GPU should suffice regardless of size (the Nvidia Ion is a good example). But I'm more of a portability freak, though, so may not appreciate the feeling of having a laptop large enough to use as a dinner table. ^__^
I carry around an ultraportable LED projector along with my netbook, in case I ever need to watch stuff "on the big screen". Sure it would also make games fun and cinematic, although Intel Integrated graphics cards (like the one my Aspire One has) are hardly known for their stellar frame rates. ^____^'
Ah, and you DID say to try both.
Very well, so say we all! (yes, actually did manage to pull off all of BattleStar Galactica too last year,... also on the netbook). ^___^
Oh no, I think she's pointing her phaser at me now! Excuse me, but Starfleet security regulations state that no phasers set to kill are allowed onboard this ship. If you push the trigger, the computer will deactivate your weapon - oh, wait a second, she's still under construction. Her main computer hasn't even been installed yet! *gulp*
Let me guess.... Tuesday? ^__________^
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The LED projector sounds awesome. XD No matter where you go, you'll always be able to project what you're watching onto the big screen as long as there's some sort of wall or pull-down screen nearby. I think some of our professors and lecturers should look into those. They look like they'd be pretty handy for the traveling presenter.
I wouldn't say a big desktop replacement's big enough to be a dinner table! Aside from the two Starfleet Command games, I also play Star Trek: Legacy. That was an XBox 360 game ported to the PC, so it eats computer resources like you wouldn't believe. I think my last laptop had an Nvidia GeForce Go (I forget which one, but I know it was above 6150, possibly 7600?) and that was barely able to run the game at its lowest resolution and with some of the fancier settings shut off.
I don't particularly remember much about the Andromedans either, as it has been a while since I've read about them, but yes, they are linked with the Tholians and they're both from the galaxy M31 Andromeda. Their ships possessed, among other things, one unique and very dangerous weapon - a sort of "tractor/repulsor beam" that could physically rip enemy ships to pieces.
I'd hardly call SFB a board game because of the paper-and-pencil work involved, but I've certainly read a lot about it. XD If the computer game version is considered tedious by most gamers (trust me, the ones who aren't into it usually are scared of it when they see the multitasking involved. I don't know why; it feels natural to me), then I bet they'd be really scared of the paper and pencil version.
As for my "reprogramming," I mainly did it to change the existing ship models in order to make each class of ship look visually distinct. Besides, the in-game models aren't very good and there are many people out there who've created better and more creative ones and uploaded them for others to use. (If I wanted, I could even change some shuttles to Valkyries or a capital ship to the SDF-1, as models for them do exist!)
However, I have tried to create stats for one or more particular vessels from my multiverse, particularly an Excelsior-class prototype called the USS Farrington NX-2010. This vessel has a rather interesting history even in real life.
---
Sometime in the year 2001, I was looking around at kitbash and original Star Trek ship models on the website Starship Modeler when I noticed an interesting Excelsior-class concept by a prominent model builder named April Welles. It looked like the NX-2000 but with the Enterprise-B's engines and green paint scheme and no 'neck,' Furthermore, the central pod that the warp nacelles connected to had been moved downward to the underside of the ship; in its old spot topside was now an odd pod-like thing.
Her backstory established that she was equipped with a revolutionary singularity generator - she could effectively create short-lived stable wormholes. Unfortunately, during her maiden flight the wormhole she traveled in intersected with an undiscovered naturally occurring one, sending her hurtling into the Andromeda galaxy. Her captain then resolved to explore Andromeda while looking for a way home.
I was so intrigued by this ship, especially since the Excelsior is my favorite ship class, that I took the backstory and concept of this vessel and made it a core tenet of what eventually became my Star Trek multiverse.
Of course, she, along with every other aspect of it, has been dramatically redeveloped, expanded, and revised, especially since I've now decided that the universe she comes from is going to be an alternate version of the timeline from J.J. Abrams' new movie, which necessitates redesigning her again because the Starfleet ships in that film were bigger and more advanced than what we saw in TOS at the same point in history.
I also redesignated her as the second of four revolutionary Excelsior-class prototype spaceframes designed to test bleeding-edge technologies reverse-engineered from what the good guys have learned about their MU enemies, instead of a standalone test ship.
I haven't gone into detail on the other three, but I affectionately refer to her and her 3 stablemates as the "Four Sisters," after the four villainesses-turned-allies from a segment of Sailor Moon. (I had a childhood friend who used to be obsessed with it, so the moniker got stuck in my head.)
So far, I've only established that the sisters are NX-2009 Centurion (command & control), NX-2010 Farrington (reactors & drive systems), NX-2011 Speedwell (engines & maneuvering systems), and NX-2012 Valkyrie (weapons & defenses).
---
*slides card key to San Francisco Yards office and the door opens*
---
It was USS Farrington I was referring to when talking about OS/2-tan pointing her phaser at me. >_<
Nope, the main computer will not be installed until at least next Tuesday.
*OS/2 pokes him in the back with phaser*
Oh, yikes. I think she's still a bit hurt. Aww, c'mon, no hard feelings, right? I'll tell you what, NX-2010's main computer core may have arrived, but she doesn't have an OS. How about I upload you in? You can get the chance to run a massive, state-of-the art ship with technology so advanced some people don't even know it exists yet.
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I think some of our professors and lecturers should look into those. They look like they'd be pretty handy for the traveling presenter.
Touche!
I actually managed to save the lives of some of my friends with it (as they had to do on-the-spot presentations for clients, and the usual projector was booked).
In case you're wondering which one I'm using:
[link]
It's never going to beat a real projector in terms of quality, but in portability it's absolutely peerless. [it can freakin' run on battery power!]. And in a pitch-black room, it's absolutely stunning for such a little thing. ^-^
I wouldn't say a big desktop replacement's big enough to be a dinner table!
Haha! Sorry, joking. ^^
Remember I'm the Netbook King, so any laptop with a screen bigger than 12" is gargantuan to me now.
Their ships possessed, among other things, one unique and very dangerous weapon - a sort of "tractor/repulsor beam" that could physically rip enemy ships to pieces.
Ah yes! That I remember! ^-^
[annoying feature that it was... I remember my brother and I crafting fictional defenses against those beams in our custom race]
If the computer game version is considered tedious by most gamers (trust me, the ones who aren't into it usually are scared of it when they see the multitasking involved. I don't know why; it feels natural to me), then I bet they'd be really scared of the paper and pencil version.
I imagine all that's stuff considered vintage nowadays, so hell yeah they'd be absolutely petrified, mullified, stupified and liquified by it. ^.^;
However, I have tried to create stats for one or more particular vessels from my multiverse, particularly an Excelsior-class prototype called the USS Farrington NX-2010. This vessel has a rather interesting history even in real life.
Fufufu! It shows I left this message hanging for a while, cause now I can pretty much recite all you've said about the Farrington since then. ^-^
Unfortunately, during her maiden flight the wormhole she traveled in intersected with an undiscovered naturally occurring one, sending her hurtling into the Andromeda galaxy. Her captain then resolved to explore Andromeda while looking for a way home.
Oh great, another Janeway type. Hopefully the Farrington's crew wasn't particularly large, or they'd be pretty ticked off that going home is only top priority in name only....
I was so intrigued by this ship, especially since the Excelsior is my favorite ship class, that I took the backstory and concept of this vessel and made it a core tenet of what eventually became my Star Trek multiverse.
Do you think you'll ever be able to communicate back with Ms. Welles about it? I'm sure [or these days, I hope] she'd be pleased that you've expanded so much upon the original model concept just by looking at it literally. ^^
....which necessitates redesigning her again because the Starfleet ships in that film were bigger and more advanced than what we saw in TOS at the same point in history.
Bleh! These directors keep depriving me of my much-loved grit. I want smaller, primitive, gritty,... you know, like how Enterprise SHOULD have been.... ><
I haven't gone into detail on the other three, but I affectionately refer to her and her 3 stablemates as the "Four Sisters," after the four villainesses-turned-allies from a segment of Sailor Moon. (I had a childhood friend who used to be obsessed with it, so the moniker got stuck in my head.)
Haha! That's unexpected. ^.^'
I only ever watched bits and pieces of the japanese-version of SM. It was repetitive as hell and stupid at times, but otherwise a surprisingly funny series. Too bad the English dubbing cleansed a lot of the comedy from it.
So far, I've only established that the sisters are NX-2009 Centurion (command & control), NX-2010 Farrington (reactors & drive systems), NX-2011 Speedwell (engines & maneuvering systems), and NX-2012 Valkyrie (weapons & defenses).
Love these names, especially the first. Tickles my inner Battlestar Galactica in me. ^___^
Now of course all of these you've already designated as Excelsior-class vessels, but have you considered making the other three based on alternate frames instead? Surely the Excelsior's size and warp nacelles make it best suited for the Farrington's role, but something like an Oberth class variant would make for a fine Speedwell, or a Federation Class variant a kick-arse Valkyrie. ^^
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Thanks for saying that my "four sisters" nickname was unexpected! The reason that the Four Sisters were Excelsior-class ships has to do with a need for cross-compatibility.
In the storyline, the advanced technology that was being tested in the sisters was incredibly radical because it had been obtained from "the enemy."
In a freak accident a while earlier in the plot line before the ships were designed, a Terran Empire vessel attacking another Federation in another universe (the Alphaverse) had used its dimension-tunneling drive in an uncontrolled fashion trying to escape, ending up in the Farrington's universe (Deltaverse), wrecked.
The Starfleet of the Deltaverse, horrified at what they observed, quickly began to dismantle the remains of the Terran Empire ship and reverse-engineer its technology.
Because they wanted to create redundancy (so as not to lose all their data from the loss of one ship), as well as develop different aspects of the technology separately before investigating integrating all of it into one ship, the tech was split off into multiple categories - the four categories I mentioned previously.
Because Starfleet still wanted, as an ultimate goal, to be able to cross-install and reintegrate the tech into a single ship after further development, it was decided that it would be easier to cross-reference data or swap parts for cross-testing if they used the same frame for each ship.
Starfleet then took four recently-completed Excelsior-class frames off the assembly line, and modified them in roughly similar fashions to become test platforms. Each test platform then got different tech mounted to her. Those four "platforms" became the Four Sisters.
---
I actually wanted to have my version of Farrington's adventures in Andromeda be as different as possible from what we got in Star Trek Voyager. I disliked it because... well, it felt like too much aggressiveness and action and not enough exploration, science, and optimism.
I was influenced by a lot of anime, particularly school shows, that made it clear that you can have optimistic, almost everyday situations that can still provide good drama, and by my scientific background in that I would like Farrington's adventures to be more science-based, even educational in a way.
I would like to depict an increasingly tight-knit crew, many of whose members were scientists and engineers more used to labwork than running ships, coming together and learning to become a family while at the same time helping those around them and building a reputation and good networks.
For example, among other things, I was going to have the ship stop a civil war between two rival cultures on a planet by helping to uncover those cultures' shared history. On another planet, Farrington's crew learns that the people there came from another world and terraformed their own, then helps those people discover and reactivate the long-lost machinery keeping the planet habitable (think Star Trek crossed with Myst). On another, she coordinates relief and evacuation efforts on a planet whose star will go supernova in two months, and renders humanitarian aid.
She even takes on a Doomsday Machine in an effort to protect the Kelvans (from the TOS episode, 'By Any Other Name'
It's that kind of optimism, that spirit of learning and helping others while coming together as a family ourselves to overcome adversity, that I admired most about Star Trek, especially when most science fiction tends to be so violent and pessimistic.
My own multiverse becomes, very much, a war story later, so I wanted this part of the storyline to be more "innocent," and to capture that sort of "we can do it, if we trust each other and believe" essence that I admire so much, and that is so prevalent in my favorite Star Trek novels and manga - but not in the series itself!
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Ah! I see now.
That explains why the Four Sisters MUST ALL be Excelsior-class starships. ^^
And is it only a small coincidence that the Deltaverse Starfleet is as particular about Redundancy as you are? Fufu... ^___^
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Agreed on Voyager -- in fact, I always assumed that all the war war war that was trickling into the mid-to-final seasons of DS9 slowly but surely bled its way into Voyager as well. Great for ratings, but not for the traditional Star Trek spirit. ^___^;
Which in hindsight its pretty sad -- after all, ratings are fleeting, but spirit is forever. ^.^
If I wanted tons of aggressiveness, action and only some token exploration/science/optmism... I would've just lobbied for a Klingon show. Heck, I think that would've been damn fun. ^________^
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Fufu... you would SO love open source, judging by your description of the kind of teamwork, cooperation, networking, charity and optimism that you describe in Farringtons adventures across Andromeda. And it would certainly be a quid-pro-quo, as the civilizations they help in turn would likely provide star charts, exotic and helpful new technology, and other goodies that would eventually help them get home with tons of knowledge to show for. ^^
Voyager tried to be like that I guess, but opted for a much healthier serving of ANGST. >v<
As a certain tribble hater once said: "Too much of anything, even love, is not necessarily a good thing." ^^
STVI I thought struck a great balance -- sure it had its climactic (and very beautifully choreographed) battle scene, but the entirety of the movie was slow-paced, realistic and professional, and the ending was great not because of that battle but because they managed to avert an entire regional war. ^__^
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And I'll have to leave it at that. -v-
My wrist has been hurting a bit the past few days and i don't want it to degrade into carpel tunnel, so I'll be taking it easy for a while. Probably will hold off on major drawings too. -_____-
But I guess that means I can finally catch up on some reading (Japanese language learning and game development programming). ^^
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I like the improvements-- though I ask your forgiveness for *still* not ever having drawn a fanart of OS/2 Warp-tan and her indestructible sidekick. ^^'
And now with the larger image we can finally see the detail on RISC OS-tan's revolver really well.
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Fufufu... quite surprised, since C-chan did have a full-sized image of the revolver on his old scrapart page. ^^
Thank you though.... I was worried all this digital remastering would turn me into some kind of G. Lucas-wannabe. But as long as I make revisions to things that actually make sense revising, I think I'm okay. ^__^
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