Author Topic: Star Fleet Universe (Read 131263 times)

Nerroth · « **Reply #540 on:** 18 July 2017, 23:33:39 »

The next wave of Shapeways minis was posted recently, including the first official* miniatures to be done for the Omega Octant: a heavy cruiser and a destroyer for the Mæsron Alliance, and a heavy cruiser and a frigate for the Trobrin Empire. All four are available in 3788 scale.

*Technically speaking, there are a number of Alpha Octant minis which can be used to represent certain ships in the Federal Republic of Aurora; while Andromedan minis are good for use in a number of settings, as they invaded both the Alpha and Omega Octants from their foothold in the Lesser Magellanic Cloud.

Nerroth · « **Reply #541 on:** 01 August 2017, 15:38:08 »

The latest batch of miniatures is now on the Shapeways storefront, including a third Omega Octant empire, the Koligahr Solidarity.

This wave also includes a sprue of Federation Thunderbolt gunboats (or fast patrol ships). While the Feds never deployed PFs in the "historical" timeline, they did field them in the "dark future" timeline encountered/created by the wayward survey ship Darwin. (The "dark future" was first featured in a scenario from SFB Module X1, and expanded upon somewhat in SFB Module C3A.)

Nerroth · « **Reply #542 on:** 13 August 2017, 12:16:44 »

A few days ago, Episode 440 of the Star Fleet Universe On Call podcast included guests from ADB, as well as a number of the sculptors involved in the ongoing Shapeways project.

mdauben · « **Reply #543 on:** 22 August 2017, 17:02:11 »

Quote from: Nerroth on 22 June 2017, 12:47:05

ADB have posted their first batch of ship models to Shapeways. Some of these ships are in "3788" (Starline 2400) scale; others are in "3125" (Starline 2500) scale; while others are in "Onmi" (works with both) scale.

The first batch includes stalwarts like the Federation CA and Klingon D7, a number of units which had not been done in "3125" scale before now (such as the Romulan Vulture and the Seltorian CA), plus a handful of designs which had not been done in any scale before (to include the Romulan DemonHawk and the Frax CA).

I got a batch of these ships a couple weeks ago. In FUD they turned out really nice. One of the more expensive options, but worth it IMO. I've seen pics of some of them in the cheapest WSF material, and I would not recommend it. Very coarse surface and poor fine detail. I've got them primed but they are still waiting to be painted (was busy getting ready for simultaneous Team Yankee and Flames of War campaigns with my local gaming group). Hope to get some done this week.

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #544 on:** 22 August 2017, 21:34:25 »

Did they ever come out with Lyrans for Star Fleet: A Call to Arms? I know they put out the Kzinti.

Nerroth · « **Reply #545 on:** 25 August 2017, 11:17:53 »

The Lyrans have not been published for ACtA:SF just yet, though they seem set to go alongside the Hydrans into book 3.

Nerroth · « **Reply #546 on:** 03 September 2017, 21:21:06 »

Wave 4 of the ongoing Shapeways project was posted recently, with units such as Star Fleet's Byrd-class galactic survey cruiser, a heavy cruiser for Omega's Probr Revolution, the Space Manta (a "deep space life form" first introduced in the cover story for Captain's Log #40), and the (in)famous Klingon B10 battleship making the cut this time around.

mdauben · « **Reply #547 on:** 05 September 2017, 11:46:38 »

Quote from: Top Sergeant on 22 August 2017, 21:34:25

Did they ever come out with Lyrans for Star Fleet: A Call to Arms? I know they put out the Kzinti.

Lyrans and Hydrans are indeed scheduled for the next ACATSF book (#3) which is currently being playtested. I know the guy that is in charge of writing the books (now that Mongoose isn't) and I can confirm that much.

Quote from: Nerroth on 03 September 2017, 21:21:06

Wave 4 of the ongoing Shapeways project was posted recently, with units such as Star Fleet's Byrd-class galactic survey cruiser, a heavy cruiser for Omega's Probr Revolution, the Space Manta (a "deep space life form" first introduced in the cover story for Captain's Log #40), and the (in)famous Klingon B10 battleship making the cut this time around.

I think it was actually Wave 3 (July = Wave 1, August = Wave 2 and September = Wave 3). I've ordered another large batch of ships, even though I still haven't finished painting the Wave 1 ships I ordered! :-[

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #548 on:** 10 September 2017, 19:51:59 »

Very glad to hear there will be a Book 3!

Nerroth · « **Reply #549 on:** 04 October 2017, 12:14:58 »

The October batch is now up, which includes the Saladin-class destroyer (the first "Franz Joseph" design to be added to the Shapeways storefront), as well as the infamous Planet Killer.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #550 on:** 04 October 2017, 15:56:05 »

Can anyone point me to a good form to discuss SFB? I can't stand the official one (too archaic and I gave up after constantly getting posts deleted because they were "off topic", though I think that was more mods wanting to keep conversation between them in their buddies, granted that was years ago and hopefully the mods have gotten better).

mdauben · « **Reply #551 on:** 06 October 2017, 14:27:52 »

Quote from: YingJanshi on 04 October 2017, 15:56:05

Can anyone point me to a good form to discuss SFB?

I never cared for the old "BBS" forum, it is rather clunky.

They have a more modern web forum dedicated to the Federation Commander game (http://www.starfleetgames.com/federation/phpbb2/) although they do have subsections of the forums for SFB, ACTASF and the miniatures lines. Not super active, but you can usually get questions answered in a day or less.

ADB also has a number of Facebook pages, for ADB, for SFB, for F&E, for FC, and one for miniatures and painting. The face book pages are relatively active, particularly the miniatures page with the recent releases of all the new miniatures on Shapeways.

HobbesHurlbut · « **Reply #552 on:** 06 October 2017, 14:38:52 »

Kinda on topic; does anyone know of good mods for Starfleet COmmand? The other day I learned of it being offered on Steam so I nabbed it. The only problem is the ships are stuck with TMP era look.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #553 on:** 07 October 2017, 01:12:45 »

Quote from: mdauben on 06 October 2017, 14:27:52

I never cared for the old "BBS" forum, it is rather clunky.

They have a more modern web forum dedicated to the Federation Commander game (http://www.starfleetgames.com/federation/phpbb2/) although they do have subsections of the forums for SFB, ACTASF and the miniatures lines. Not super active, but you can usually get questions answered in a day or less.

ADB also has a number of Facebook pages, for ADB, for SFB, for F&E, for FC, and one for miniatures and painting. The face book pages are relatively active, particularly the miniatures page with the recent releases of all the new miniatures on Shapeways.

I'll give that one a shot I guess then. Didn't really have any questions, just looking for a community of players. Can't get anyone in my BT group interested in giving it a go (either they find it looks to complicated, or can't stand Star Trek :/).

And I walked off FB last year. Can't say I miss it at all.

Quote from: HobbesHurlbut on 06 October 2017, 14:38:52

Kinda on topic; does anyone know of good mods for Starfleet COmmand? The other day I learned of it being offered on Steam so I nabbed it. The only problem is the ships are stuck with TMP era look.

Man, I wish that game would work on Win10. Got it at GoG as soon as it became available, but it CtD as soon as the first couple of logos play. Oh well, was only $5. Can still play 25th Anniversary and Judgement Rites (JR is one of the best Star Trek games I've ever played).

HobbesHurlbut · « **Reply #554 on:** 07 October 2017, 06:52:12 »

Quote from: YingJanshi on 07 October 2017, 01:12:45

Man, I wish that game would work on Win10. Got it at GoG as soon as it became available, but it CtD as soon as the first couple of logos play. Oh well, was only $5. Can still play 25th Anniversary and Judgement Rites (JR is one of the best Star Trek games I've ever played).

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=837445398
Do this. For me (this is under Additional Fixes in that link), the game could get to the faction selection window but crash when I select one faction and tried to launch. The fix for that was LegacyComponents' DirectPlay. I also changed the config settings for the window compatibility as suggested by the guide.

Nerroth · « **Reply #555 on:** 12 October 2017, 12:34:37 »

My first batch of Shapeways minis arrived yesterday!

I got a Federation Byrd-class Galactic Survey Cruiser, a Mæsron Heavy Cruiser, and a Mæsron Light Cruiser, all in 3125 scale.

YingJanshi · « **Reply #556 on:** 23 October 2017, 22:35:56 »

Quote from: HobbesHurlbut on 07 October 2017, 06:52:12

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=837445398
Do this. For me (this is under Additional Fixes in that link), the game could get to the faction selection window but crash when I select one faction and tried to launch. The fix for that was LegacyComponents' DirectPlay. I also changed the config settings for the window compatibility as suggested by the guide.

Thanks. Finally works. Except only in 800x600 resolution. On my 1360x760 monitor. XD

Nerroth · « **Reply #557 on:** 03 November 2017, 11:36:13 »

Yet another batch of Shapeways releases are up, including more Federation fighters (the F-14, F-15, A-10 and A-20), the Hermes-class scout (in both ADB and "Franz Joseph" incarnations), and the first pair of warships for the Omega Octant's robotic Drex Unity.

Weirdo · « **Reply #558 on:** 03 November 2017, 12:49:32 »

A lot of SFB scouts look just fine to me, but Federation ones just look too damned goofy with those dishes pointed every which way. I'm gonna stick to the FJ look, where the only difference between a Saladin and a Hermes is wether or not you can see the dorsal phasers.

(It helps that picking up a plastic bits bag a long time back gave me the parts to build a LOT of Saladin/Hermes.)

Garrand · « **Reply #559 on:** 03 November 2017, 14:27:14 »

I picked up my first Shapeways SFB ship, a Saladin-class DD. I got it in FUD, & it was a little more rough than I expected. Keep in mind this is only my SECOND Shapeways product (first was the engine deck for a 1/35 T-55 model kit), which was pretty smooth, so not sure what to expect. What materials are people getting theirs in? I though FUD was the best in regards to detail & cost (IIRC it was only $14 printed, about what you would spend on a metal one)...

Damon.

Weirdo · « **Reply #560 on:** 03 November 2017, 15:27:15 »

For me it's FUD or nothing. Until printing resolutions get smaller than our senses of touch or sight can detect, any surface that isn't flat horizontal is going to have some roughness and stepping, the tactile equivalent of images pixelating when you zoom in close enough. FUD have may some issues, but trust me, just about anything else(ESPECIALLY White Strong Flexible) is going to be noticeably worse.

FUD is also easier to paint. It's more or less a solid plastic, while WSF is still kinda granular deep down. As a result, that stuff will soak up paint like a sponge, requiring more than you're used to in order to coat the surface.

Weirdo · « **Reply #561 on:** 06 November 2017, 09:54:10 »

Last weekend, I got ahold of a Gorn BDX mini. I need to clean it up, but it can be hard to tell flash nubbins and phaser blisters apart sometimes. Can anyone tell me the weapons locations, to avoid cleaning that which should not be cleaned?

Alexander Knight · « **Reply #562 on:** 06 November 2017, 13:37:14 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 06 November 2017, 09:54:10

Last weekend, I got ahold of a Gorn BDX mini. I need to clean it up, but it can be hard to tell flash nubbins and phaser blisters apart sometimes. Can anyone tell me the weapons locations, to avoid cleaning that which should not be cleaned?

Two phasers in each of the following locations:
Forward bubble, Aft bubble, Port wing, Starboard wing.
Type-L (small) plasma torpedo launchers: One each, Port and Starboard wing
Type-S (large) plasma torpedo launcher: Main hull, behind the forward bubble.

Weirdo · « **Reply #563 on:** 06 November 2017, 13:51:18 »

Cool, thanks!

Nerroth · « **Reply #564 on:** 07 November 2017, 09:36:27 »

As a follow-up to the pic attached to my second-to-last post, this is a size comparison showing the Shapeways Mæsron CA and CL (3125 scale) alongside an Auroran CL, two Auroran FFs, and the Auroran CR Throne of Ozymondas (all from the Starline 2500 range).

Of the current crop of Mæsron minis on Shapeways, the frigate, destroyer, light cruiser, and heavy cruiser can be used both as Auroran allies and as adversaries; the Aurorans allied with the Tazol-Wallimi "New Alliance" faction against the Vulpa faction in the final years of the Mæsron Civil War. The Mæsron dreadnought was built by the "New Alliance" after the Civil War was already over. Also, the "post-Mæsron" Vulpa insurgents have their blockade runner, a threat to both the FRA and Mæsrons, listed on Shapeways; it's not yet clear whether or not the Insurgency (or the later Vulpa Confederacy) used any "legacy" Mæsron ships, or stuck exclusively to their own (re-)designs.

Weirdo · « **Reply #565 on:** 07 November 2017, 10:26:13 »

Odd that they're releasing so much for everyone else, but nothing so far for the Gorn...vagaries of production schedules, I guess.

Nerroth · « **Reply #566 on:** 07 November 2017, 12:05:11 »

Bear in mind that Shapeways was originally intended to act only as an adjunct to the various metal miniature lines, as a means of producing certain minis which, for various reasons, proved non-viable to work up for either Starline 2500 or 2450 (i.e. 2400-scale metal to 2500 design standards). Only later did it develop the momentum towards becoming a full-fledged product line for ADB in its own right.

At least the Gorns do have a decent range of ships for both 2400 and 2500 to make use of for the time being. In the long term, I'm hoping to see more "2400-only" fleets (such as the ISC) make the jump to 3125 scale, as well as more "never-done-before" empires (in Omega and elsewhere) making the cut as things move forward.

mdauben · « **Reply #567 on:** 07 November 2017, 12:30:20 »

Quote from: Weirdo on 07 November 2017, 10:26:13

Odd that they're releasing so much for everyone else, but nothing so far for the Gorn...vagaries of production schedules, I guess.

I think its also due to the fact that their "sculptors" are independent contractors and to an extent are allowed to work on what they want to work on first. The Gorn are definitely coming, though.

mdauben · « **Reply #568 on:** 07 November 2017, 12:37:05 »

Quote from: mdauben on 07 November 2017, 12:30:20

I think its also due to the fact that their "sculptors" are independent contractors and to an extent are allowed to work on what they want to work on first. The Gorn are definitely coming, though.

Quote from: Nerroth on 07 November 2017, 12:05:11

At least the Gorns do have a decent range of ships for both 2400 and 2500 to make use of for the time being. In the long term, I'm hoping to see more "2400-only" fleets (such as the ISC) make the jump to 3125 scale, as well as more "never-done-before" empires (in Omega and elsewhere) making the cut as things move forward.

This. I've got a pretty complete Gorn fleet in the metal 2500 line, so I'm not sure I'll be buying a lot of new Shapeways Gorn ships, anyway. Unless they release some variant designs (like the Romulan Skyhawk Destroyer Leader, or the Klingon D6S Scout). They did post some concept art for a Gorn Tug on one of the FB pages which I would buy, just because it was so odd looking (Gorn cargo pods are the same shape of their disk shaped main hull).

On the other hand, I've been buying never before done in 2500 ships like the Lyrans, Hydrans and Seltorians hand over fist. Its put a gigantic dent in my hobby budget the last few months! ;)

Nerroth · « **Reply #569 on:** 27 November 2017, 14:39:53 »

Many of the ships originally due for release on the 1st of December went up early this morning, in time for Shapeways' Cyber Monday promotion. This includes both the Federation Kearsarge-class new light cruiser and Prometheus-class strike cruiser, "classic" (no saucer lines) versions of the other Fed ships on Shapeways, a set of new hulls and mission variants for the Omega Octant, plus a pair of "monster" warships from the extra-galactic Juggernaut Empire.