bridge draft

[Ergi]

I am currently working on deckplans of a relatively small non-canon Starfleet vessel. Don't ask me, when they'll be finished, I really have no idea, but I'd be surprised if I should be able to do it in less than a year.
I'd like to know what you think of my bridge layout, especially with respect to the era the ship was designed in, which is about 20 years pre-TNG.

Thoughts?

Oh, I forgot. Should I switch Tactical with Ops?

[Phoenix]

Ok, you have Opps and Helm up front, right. I think they just don't quite mesh with the round shape of everything else on the bridge. Curve them a little something like a ")".
Now the unfinished wall to the left, looks like there should be something there also. A rarely used stand-up console or two, maybe something like a data trunk, or (duh Phoenix) Science station why didn't I think of that first. Don't really know however. Beyond that looks good for a small ship of unknown catagory.

[Evan van Eyk]

Looks very nice. I would, however, include an engineering and misc- station, not necessarily with seats, but the left wall could carry them I think. And I would add a Jeffris-Tube access as well in case the Turbolift fails. And maybe something like a Conference room access. Other than that it looks nice.

[Ergi]

Thanks for your opinions.

I haven't really thought about curving the two forward consoles. They were supposed to be unifying element, connecting the design to the bridges that came before and after. (All Enterprise versions have those two square consoles in the front, so I'll leave it the way it is.
There will be a conference room close to the bridge, as well as stairs leading down to deck two. The conference room will be located in front of the bridge, on the other side of the main viewer. The stairs will be accessible from the lower right corridor/room and will curve down around the turbo-lift tube.
Regarding the lower left wall: There will definitely be another door and maybe one or two additional embedded consoles (so they don't interfere with movement and the round shape of the bridge). The consoles won't be dedicated towards any department or specific function, instead they will be (re-)configured as required by the situation. (A pity we never saw that on TNG, after all, that's the whole point in using a touch-screen, isn't it?)

[Tobian]

Hmm yes Sulu used to have a helm/tactical station at the front, which they largelly later ditched for the rear one, because tactical got merged with security so he has a lot more to do and there is (on the TNG bridge) space for another person if needed.

I'm not sure if it should be there, as it kind of breaks continuity, which is your reason for putting it there?

You could probably safelly move the XO and CO seats to that line, and put another station behind them, either rear facing or forward, as the D's is.

I think that yes the left hand wall should be non specific configurable consoles which don't need to look at the main screen, much as the rear-facing one's on the TNG set did.

Otherwise it looks pretty neat.

[Ergi]

Hmm yes Sulu used to have a helm/tactical station at the front, which they largelly later ditched for the rear one, because tactical got merged with security so he has a lot more to do and there is (on the TNG bridge) space for another person if needed.

You are right. It makes more sense the other way.

You could probably safelly move the XO and CO seats to that line, and put another station behind them, either rear facing or forward, as the D's is.

No, that won't happen. I'm pretty happy with the way everything looks right now.
My bridge is very small compared to the D's, only 6m in diameter. This limits my options. Another element I wanted was an elevated command chair, but at the same time I wanted to avoid putting too many (utterly useless) steps on the bridge. Take a look at the Excelsior bridge, for example, that place is a death trap. I mean, falling off your chair due to an explosion shaking the ship is bad enough, even without the possibility of falling down another 20cm or banging your head on the step's edge.

[Tobian]

The excelsior Bridge is also extremelly classy: Glad they ditched stupid legislation about disabilities on that bridge! It could use a few hand rails though, I admit

I do somehow feel you need to add a more dedicated Security station on the bridge, though I do feel that Operations warrants the extra space, as it stands, which robs Security of some!

Having a small bridge is not that bad; The Defiant and Delta Flyer both have small and extremelly functional bridges, without sacrificing 'style' and still have unique designs! Sometimes the ordinary bridges seem over-large - Voyagers bridge is insanelly huge for the size of the ship, but to be fair this has to do with.. fitting TV cameras in there! You don't have that limitation! So long as it flows.. Which in part is why the Co's chair should be moved forward, because otherwise people are going to have to keep walking in front of them to get to Ops!

[Ergi]

Here's deck 1. I'm probably going to add one or two details, but what you see is pretty much final.

There will be no more previews, until I've finished all decks, which, as I've already said, will take a lot of time.

[Tobian]

Ouch, you're nearly as mad as me there!

That looks pretty good actually, but the only thing I noticed: The ergonomics of the meeting room aren't too good: they way the chairs are laid out will obscure lots of people's views...?

I'm guessing that's a chair storage room, next to the meeting room, otherwise it'd be a bit uncomfortable in there

[Ergi]

Ouch, you're nearly as mad as me there!

I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks.

That looks pretty good actually, but the only thing I noticed: The ergonomics of the meeting room aren't too good: they way the chairs are laid out will obscure lots of people's views...?

Yes, that's a little bit of a problem, but since I suppose that usually there won't be more than maybe seven people in that room, it's okay.

I'm guessing that's a chair storage room, next to the meeting room, otherwise it'd be a bit uncomfortable in there

I wouldn't call it a "room", but apart from that you're right.

[Tobian]

You're welcome and yes it was a complement it was more the view of the display panel i was worried about than the window... Maybe a slight rearangement, or lose the 'head' chair and make the table less triangular?

[Eric R.]

OK think about a closet in the captains office place to store things (hide) etc. . . I assume the chairs could be replaced with a couch, Love seat/Chair, or bed depending on the captain's choice right.

The Briefing room is decent though the three sided table does seem out of whack with the basic shape of the room. A few chairs around the room would make decent eye candy for the drawing and wheres the wall monitor going to be?

The bridge . . . I really like the layout though I would have a single consule unit for the conn and tactic station instead of two (To much of a TOS traditionalist there).

I would try to find a place for a security station outside the bridge a place for an officer or officers to stand watch but not be on the actucal bridge yet be ready to respond if needed.

[Phoenix]

With the Table and the briefing room, rotate the table 180, and move it slightly towards the center. the three chairs next to the display would be for the operators of the same display, hence no need for overt neck twisting or people being in the way. I've added an attachment to illustrate, But over all it's you baby I'm just giving my opinion.

[Ergi]

Here's what I was talking about.
As you can see on image number one, it isn't much of a problem for seven people to have a good view of the screen. Briefings involving more people, or making heavy use a view screen will be held in a larger briefing room on one of the lower decks.

The second image shows the constraints I'm working with. Moving the table closer to the centre will put a lot of people at risk of banging their head against the ceiling, and lowering the floor any further isn't possible. For the same reason, adding anything more functional than plants into the outer corners doesn't make much sense.

OK think about a closet in the captains office place to store things (hide) etc. . . I assume the chairs could be replaced with a couch, Love seat/Chair, or bed depending on the captain's choice right.

As I've said, more details will be added, but definitely not a love couch. I doubt Starfleet appreciates full body first contact sports.

Concerning all the other points, I like the way things are right now, so it's unlikely I will make any fundamental changes.

Thank you all for your comments.

[Tobian]

That looks much better, and well thought out

I'm not a big fan of tables with only one leg, they can be a bit unstable, but I am sure with 23rd/4th technology it can be strong (mentally imagines leaning on the table, and the admirals tea sliding into his lap )