Comments on: ECS Horizon – Updated!

By: John N. Ritter

John N. Ritter — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:32:24 +0000

Studing the pictures of this ship, it is quite small. Take a look at the in episode picutres. You will find that it isn’t must bigger than a present day tug. That is no room to strech ones legs.

So to enhance the amount of room, the ‘barge’ section must contain the needed room.

So one suggestion about the fore part with its warp drive would be an escape unit. The thinking (within universe)that the ship as whole didn’t need much in the way of weapons because it could seperate, and escape…

But to be a true interstellar ship, it needs that barge section.

By: Brandon MacDougall

Brandon MacDougall — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Hi Doug,

What a fantastic job on rendering the ECS Horizon! I think john designed a little explosive mine with legs 2 for the show..

Thank you for the images +1000!

Brandon MacDougall 3D artist.

By: The DC

The DC — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:02:49 +0000

I agree whole heartedly with your suggestion. ironically, it might have satisfied the producers desire to be different enough and satisfied the continuity nuts like me as well. A few seasons struggling to learn the technology, encountering phenomena that are ignored in later periods, since its so common, and getting the know the characters under the pressures of confinement and isolation would have been new and potent. It would have allow human stories and a launching board for a number of morality tales.

I always thought the use of warp was a bit too smooth. The show could have solved some inconsistencies in the Trek timeline [as the appreciated entry explaining Klingon forehead changes] with a less predictable warp drive that sometimes launches the crew a few meters, then the reaction might be so uncontrolled as to send them well beyond where planned. It would have explained the Valient, Columbia, etc. It would have been interesting to see characters depending upon a volatile transportation system that required intense management, similar to our chemical rockets today. A real love-fear perspective.

Such a series would mirror our efforts today with the promise of what reward would come with perseverance and commitment…not just ‘faith of the heart’. I would have enjoyed that considerably.

In any case, thanks much for the techgasm!

The DC

By: frederick

frederick — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:48:51 +0000

I agree, that scenario is much more in line with what I think should have been. Sphere-hulled ships of the Horizon-type,, NO transporters, LASERS and nuke missles…

But what we got was a show that is more suited to MAYBE 25 years before Pike’s time.

By: Mark Gill

Mark Gill — Mon, 25 May 2009 22:06:31 +0000

Heck, where are my manners! Why not write this story yourself Doug?

By: Mark Gill

Mark Gill — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:25:20 +0000

Thanks for the fabulous images, Doug!

Great Enterprise premise too, I enjoyed seasons one and two, but your concept would have made perfect sense and wonderful suspense as the rumours increased (shades of the Shadows from Babylon 5 perhaps?) – and there’s already a great medium tailor-made for this story: the ‘Myriad Universes’ series of short stories from Pocket Books.

Christopher L. Bennett drops by here doesn’t he? Christopher, if you’re reading this, you did a wonderful alternative take on Voyager in a recent volume, how about taking Doug’s Enterprise pitch for a spin in a future compilation?

If so you’ve already got some pre-orders lined up here by the looks of it!

By: Matt Boardman

Matt Boardman — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:12:42 +0000

Another fantastic design and model! As others have already said, I’d loved to have seen that concept for Enterprise! With the Vulcans there, it really didn’t feel so much like we were setting out on our own, kind of like after geting your driver’s permit, you still have to have your parents or a guardian with you at all times when you are driving. Not so much fun! It would have been nice to have had to search for the Vulcans as you wrote.

By: Bernd Schneider

Bernd Schneider — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:36:50 +0000

I agree that the Enterprise didn’t quite live up to its premise when the ship went out to make the first steps of exploration, and was suddenly caught in a maze of multilateral interstellar intrigues just like in TNG and VOY and ultimately in a war just like in DS9. Perhaps for the premise to work as (probably) intended, with aliens remaining a mystery, the series would have to be set still some 50 years earlier though.

BTW, can you tell how big the Horizon is? Is 230m length correct? At least, that was indicated on one diagram in the episode.

By: Tim Utton

Tim Utton — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:26:01 +0000

Doug, great concept for a series…too bad it was never used. The biggest problem with Enterprise was that nothing was “new” or “unknown”, and whenever they did try that approach, we got the Temporal cold war and the Xindii. Ah…the heartbreak of missed opportunities.

Keep up the eye candy…I’m liking the merchant marine theme!

By: Mark A-C

Mark A-C — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:28:57 +0000

I’d like to second that and reserve my seating into the Drexlerverse too… a window seat please, and I’ll have the vegatarian option. Engage!