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| Zodiac Explorer (V1.0) - File Description |
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Description:
This vessel is a Mid TNG Explorer class equiped with standard armament inline with most TNG ships of the day such as the Springfield and New Orleans. It has a large comamnd bridge deck compared to the saucer good for spacious analysis meetings and idea for long range explorer missions. Despite the kitbash using old p81 nebula parts, blackrook did an excelent job matching the newer LC Niagara textures with a texture upgrade on the pylons. The vessel has fair speed at impulse, decent manuverability, and has been given a spread of 4 photons on each end. The one odd design feature of this vessel is the sideways nacelles.
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| | | Zodiac Explorer (V1.0) - Screenshots | | Screenshots:
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| Zodiac Explorer (V1.0) - File Download Options |
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Primary Download Locations:
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Location:
Provided by:
| Worldwide Mirror by FileFront
 USA Central
FileFront.com
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| | | Zodiac Explorer (V1.0) - Readme | | Readme File:
====Starforce Productions Zodiac====
Credits:
Model and texture: LC and P81
Kitbashed: Scottish Andy
Minor retextures: Scottish Andy
Modified textures (p81 only): Blackrook32 for color scheme matching
Models & Textures used: LC Amaral’s New Orleans class, LC Amaral’s Niagara class, Rick Knox’ (a.k.a. Pnuemonic81 or p81) Nebula class
Regs updated to match Scottish Andy's history: Blackrook32
Hardpoints: Starforce2
Photons: Dkealt I believe
scottishandy@rogers.com
Clyde Fleet Shipyards
USS Yorktown NCC-61137
Ship Stats
Dimensions:
Length: 375m
Beam: 310m
Height: 76.5m
Crew: 250
History and stats:
Owner/Operator: United Federation of Planets/Starfleet.
Type: General purpose cruiser.
Availability: Widespread. In service from 2347
Production Run: 2347-2367
The Zodiac-class can trace its design lineage all the way back to the Baton Rouge-class ships of the 2220s, through the Belknap class of the 2270s, and the Renaissance class of the 2300s. Her design replacement in the stables of Starfleet has already been introduced in the form of the Intrepid-class light cruiser of the 2370s, enshrining the viability of this design lineage and securing its place in t he annals of Starfleet history.
The Zodiac-class cruiser was developed in parallel with the New Orleans-class heavy frigate, with both classes entering service beside one another in 2347. While the New Orleans was a frigate built into a cruiser hullform and as such proved itself to be a very capable and somewhat versatile long-range escort vessel, the Zodiac class was imagined from the outset to be a general purpose cruiser and as such she was to include cargo bays, VIP quarters, vastly expanded (over the New Orleans class) scientific facilities, more comfortable crew quarters and recreational facilities, and other such equipment that would not be found in the design for the tactically-oriented New Orleans class.
From the outset it was decided to link the two projects together in the same manner as the Avenger-class heavy frigate and the Miranda-class light cruiser of the 2270s, and to simplify hull construction many of the same elements were used in both classes. The planned engineering hull and warp engines of the New Orleans was deemed entirely suitable for the proposed Zodiac class, but the small saucer section planned for the New Orleans class was obviously too small for the extensive facilities that the Zodiac class’ fleet role necessitated. It was decided to utilise the same main section design as was used for the failed Niagara class of large exploratory cruisers, as the vastly greater internal volume of that ship’s saucer section provided plenty of space for the scope of the Zodiac-class’ missions, as well as room for any foreseen future upgrades in equipment. It was also decided not to upgrade the Niagara class saucer design with full arc phaser strips as the Zodiac class’ role was not as primarily defensive as the New Orleans was. The time and resources this saved in reworking the saucer section allowed the rapid progress from design to prototyping stage and allowed the class to enter production a full year earlier than projected.
With this greater mass and the vastly different warpfield profile that the larger saucer resulted in, simulations showed that the most efficient position for the nacelles would be located more centrally to the ship’s centre of balance. The optimal position was decided as close in and level with the engineering hull, and the shortened nacelle pylons rendered the Zodiac class every bit as manoeuvrable as her smaller companion.
With this positioning of the warp nacelles, the phaser strips on the lower aft saucer surface were removed as the engines blocked off the majority of their arc. An array was fitted amidships to the underside of the engineering hull, larger than on the New Orleans class, to compensate.
This class has proven so successful that it enjoyed a twenty-year production run, unbroken in only two shipyards but when the need for a reliable cruiser design to fill out Fleet support roles was needed, as many as ten shipyards were involved in construction of this class. Over one hundred of these solidly-performing cruisers were built, and notable ships include the USS Leo NCC-59583 and USS Emerald NCC-61274, both lost at the Battle of Wolf 359, the USS Capricorn NCC-59617 and USS Gemini NCC-61051, both lost in the unsuccessful attempt to hold Starbase 310 against superior Dominion forces in January 2374, and the USS Yorktown NCC-61137.
Disclaimer: Since this kitbash already recieved it's blessing via scottish andy for release permissions, and the only parts that have been modified are those under free use by p81, this is the same model, thus no additional permissions needed. Additionaly, the upgrades and regs will be amde available to the SFC community via Scottishandy. | |
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| Zodiac Explorer (V1.0) - User Comments |
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The following comments are owned by the user that posted them. BC Files is not responsible for their content.
Total comments: 11 | Last comment: 11-20-2008 at 12:17
Nebula
From:  (Michigan)
Joined: August 12th, 2002
Posts: 472 | nice use of my pics  |
starfox1701
From: (newberry S.C.)
Joined: December 12th, 2007
Posts: 523 | This is probably the best Zodiac concept I've seen in my years tracking fan designes of the TNG unseen fleet I like the bacckground too. Good storys to complete the design are a rare thing |
BLasToFF
Joined: August 21st, 2007
Posts: 435 | I like the design. Almost looks like the Galaxy Class and Nebula Class got squished,
remolded, at the last second a hint of Ambassador class was thrown in, this is what
the result would be.
Makes me wish I had BC installed to give her a test run. |
borgannex
From: (Indianapolis,Ind)
Joined: October 27th, 2003
Posts: 207 | Nice work...Cool design,(Don't suppose the Intrepid Class Inspired this beauty did it?) |
Mystery_of_Darkness
From: 
Joined: February 13th, 2008
Posts: 361 | I see some texture mistakes.
The lower aft saucer has the red brachings but no phaser strip in it. Same goes for the forward area of the secondary hull, rught after the defelctor. There are the brackings but no phaser.
And frankly, the brackings of the aft lower secondary hull phaser are misplaced. |
Starforce_2
From: (st paul mn)
Joined: December 29th, 2006
Posts: 70 | Andy may have removed some phasers when he made the ship (honestly it seems to have enough) and forgotten the textures. |
afcZman
From:
Joined: January 6th, 2006
Posts: 212 | Considering that this ship was around before Wolf 359 I'd say it beeing the other way around would be the accurate statement. |
Scottish_Andy
From: 
Joined: October 11th, 2008
Posts: 1 | First of all, what the hell are "brachings"? You can have "bracings" or "brackets", and personally I think brackets is what was meant, but no brachings. Sounds like it has something to do with the lungs.
Yes, I did remove some phaser strips from the saucer; specifically, the ones that would be blocked by the new engine positions. Also, I removed the existing New Orleans belly phaser strip and added in a slightly bigger belly phaser strip in a slightly different position. Can't quite remember the reasoning for that now, but I know I had one. The SFC version I'm flying has the phaser brackets corrected, so I don't know what the problem is with the BC version. Maybe I have an older version for DL still up on my site that Starforce used for the port to BC.
Thanks to all for their kind comments, does a newbie kitbasher's heart good, as this was my first major high quality attempt, including basic structure modifications, retexturing, and new SFC hardpoints.
Someone on the SFC boards suggested that it was Intrepid-inspired, but for me, it wasn't. This was based on someone else's design in Galaxy-class components that ModelsPlease kitbashed and called the Surak. It looked like a slightly rearranged Nebula, which I thought was a waste. So, took that layout and designed a lost TNG era ship with Wolf 359 ships to make the Zodiac class cruiser.  |
majormagna
From:  (York)
Joined: November 11th, 2005
Posts: 139 | It's a great ship! I love it.
One tiny gripe though, the phaser strips look a tinybit too blocky, if you know what I mean, not as smooth as on other ships...
But if that's a first attempt... Jeyzus that's good! I wish i could model/texture/hardpoint that well! |
CaptainFeisty
From: (Baltimore, MD)
Joined: June 28th, 2008
Posts: 52 | This is a nifty little ship... it's strangely pleasing. Also, I give mad props for giving us a choice between ship registry - definitely a nice touch 
Keep up the good work  |
JernejL
Joined: November 20th, 2008
Posts: 1 | Scottish Andy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your contact email @rogers does not work, please update it with a working address so i can contact you, i would like to use your ship for this project:
http://bc-central.com/forums/index.php/topic,4712.0.html
* Moderator's Note: If your going to leave a link. it must be a "url". Now corrected. You will also have better luck contacting Scottish_Andy in the SFC/Taldren Forums. -BR32 |
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