Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pre-release)
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Re: Star Wars Episode VII
Enhanced frame grabs for your speculative pleasure.
Enhanced frame grabs for your speculative pleasure.
Riceball
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
And what's wrong with that? The only reason that the helmets are wonky and asymmetrical is because they were hand made before they CAD and other computer methods of design and manufacturing, in other words, they were the way they were because of limitations in technology and not by intentional design. You really think that a high-tech society like what we see in Star Wars would actually be hand carving and casting/vacforming their Stormtrooper's helmets? No, they'd be using their equivalent of CAD and cranking them out in factory so that everything would uniform, even, and symmetrical.
And what's wrong with that? The only reason that the helmets are wonky and asymmetrical is because they were hand made before they CAD and other computer methods of design and manufacturing, in other words, they were the way they were because of limitations in technology and not by intentional design. You really think that a high-tech society like what we see in Star Wars would actually be hand carving and casting/vacforming their Stormtrooper's helmets? No, they'd be using their equivalent of CAD and cranking them out in factory so that everything would uniform, even, and symmetrical.
JD
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I don't hate it - but I think folks are looking more at the weathering the greebly-type detail and less at the big picture. This just doesn't seem as functional as the original X-Wing and I think it appeals to basic instinct ("ooh, it looks a McQuarrie X-Wing"), but I'm not feeling it as much through the "big picture."
All that said, despite the big engines which just distract me way too much, a lot of this could be seen as an evolution from the OT X-Wing we all know and love. I'd still rather see some harder edges to it... and losing those engines.
You're entitled to disagree. But the overall sleekness of the main body of this design has a very prequel-feel to it (not that there's anything wrong with that overall) - reminds me of the Naboo ships. Yes, it has the greeblies and worn feeling of the OT and taken right from McQuarrie, but the OT stuff seemed a little more rigid and functional - this is much more sleek and the those huge engines just seem out of place and more hot roddish (which obviously George had a thing for) and less about function - which a (probable) military vehicle would be more geared toward.
I don't hate it - but I think folks are looking more at the weathering the greebly-type detail and less at the big picture. This just doesn't seem as functional as the original X-Wing and I think it appeals to basic instinct ("ooh, it looks a McQuarrie X-Wing"), but I'm not feeling it as much through the "big picture."
All that said, despite the big engines which just distract me way too much, a lot of this could be seen as an evolution from the OT X-Wing we all know and love. I'd still rather see some harder edges to it... and losing those engines.
Darth Lars
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
It doesn't look like the wings split into two as on the X-wing. Looking at the laser cannons, they could be splitting in another way, though, with there being a front part and a back part of each wing.
The pilot's costume looks interesting. The helmet looks like something in-between a McQuarrie ESB painting style for X-wing helmet and a A-wing helmet.
The vest looks like it splits open in the front, and it has an integrated padded collar, making it look more like a life-jacket than a compression vest.
The orange jumpsuit has slits behind the shoulders like the jumpsuits in the OT!
It doesn't look like the wings split into two as on the X-wing. Looking at the laser cannons, they could be splitting in another way, though, with there being a front part and a back part of each wing.
The pilot's costume looks interesting. The helmet looks like something in-between a McQuarrie ESB painting style for X-wing helmet and a A-wing helmet.
The vest looks like it splits open in the front, and it has an integrated padded collar, making it look more like a life-jacket than a compression vest.
The orange jumpsuit has slits behind the shoulders like the jumpsuits in the OT!
Riceball
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
Given that's it's been 30 years since the OT it would stand to reason that the X-Wing, if still in service, would have undergone some modifications and changes over the years esp. since we have no idea of how long the original X-Wing has been around by the time of the OT. So chances are that it's not the same X-Wing that we all know and love from the OT, it's probably an X-Wing Mk. II that was introduced into New Republic service a few years after Jedi once the New Republic established itself and has been serving ever since.
Given that's it's been 30 years since the OT it would stand to reason that the X-Wing, if still in service, would have undergone some modifications and changes over the years esp. since we have no idea of how long the original X-Wing has been around by the time of the OT. So chances are that it's not the same X-Wing that we all know and love from the OT, it's probably an X-Wing Mk. II that was introduced into New Republic service a few years after Jedi once the New Republic established itself and has been serving ever since.
OldKen
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I have a theory as to why we all loved the original design of say... Vader in the OT... The wonkiness gave it a human element that our eyes couldn't "see" but we just accepted it as real, symmetrical, and furthermore all black....
No human face is 100% symetrical.
The EP3 Vader looked like a toy helmet... The OT felt alive.
You and no one outside of the prop dept had any idea that the faces of TK's, Vader, and Boba were lopsided... Not in the 70's-early 80's anyway !!!
Even now... Do you watch the OT and say " Vaders helmet looks HORRIBLE!"
I bet none of you do.
The artists breathed life into these characters.
A perfect CAD version sucks that life out.
I grew up in art and music.
Music is the same way.
Hendrix or Zeppelin with their "sloppy" borderline live recordings will always have more heart and soul than protools'd out autotuned ANYTHING of today!
Notice people are buying records again? Well the same thing is happening with SOME bands using analog etc.
Bottom line: I own 2 cast from screen used Vader helmets and 5 trooper lids and a set of full armor.
I can see that they are "off " in person, but on screen they just look more "right".
The exeption would be that all the troop helmets were assembled differently so they do stand out from one another.
But I still hold to my belief that part of what made the OT and broke the PT was the sanatization of all the designs.
Again, just IMHO.
I have a theory as to why we all loved the original design of say... Vader in the OT... The wonkiness gave it a human element that our eyes couldn't "see" but we just accepted it as real, symmetrical, and furthermore all black....
No human face is 100% symetrical.
The EP3 Vader looked like a toy helmet... The OT felt alive.
You and no one outside of the prop dept had any idea that the faces of TK's, Vader, and Boba were lopsided... Not in the 70's-early 80's anyway !!!
Even now... Do you watch the OT and say " Vaders helmet looks HORRIBLE!"
I bet none of you do.
The artists breathed life into these characters.
A perfect CAD version sucks that life out.
I grew up in art and music.
Music is the same way.
Hendrix or Zeppelin with their "sloppy" borderline live recordings will always have more heart and soul than protools'd out autotuned ANYTHING of today!
Notice people are buying records again? Well the same thing is happening with SOME bands using analog etc.
Bottom line: I own 2 cast from screen used Vader helmets and 5 trooper lids and a set of full armor.
I can see that they are "off " in person, but on screen they just look more "right".
The exeption would be that all the troop helmets were assembled differently so they do stand out from one another.
But I still hold to my belief that part of what made the OT and broke the PT was the sanatization of all the designs.
Again, just IMHO.
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
HMM.. perhaps something like this, where the two big steel engine rings stay horizontal to the fuselage, but the back parts of the wings "rear up"... more menacing.
Not more phallic at all. :lol
Karl
HMM.. perhaps something like this, where the two big steel engine rings stay horizontal to the fuselage, but the back parts of the wings "rear up"... more menacing.
Not more phallic at all. :lol
Karl
Edwardowan
Sr Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
Brian Muir sculptor of New Hope Vader and Stormtrooper Armor was officially hired to work on Ep 7 so I think we are safe there. He is real close friends with the RSProps guys and he knows all too well the reasons we like and the details we pick out on the original sculpts (warts, bumps, scratches, asymmetric etc). So I doubt Brian will use autocad and 3D printers.
Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
Brian Muir sculptor of New Hope Vader and Stormtrooper Armor was officially hired to work on Ep 7 so I think we are safe there. He is real close friends with the RSProps guys and he knows all too well the reasons we like and the details we pick out on the original sculpts (warts, bumps, scratches, asymmetric etc). So I doubt Brian will use autocad and 3D printers.
Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
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Re: Star Wars Episode VII
i'm glad to see the rear landing gear coming out from the wings as opposed to the engines, that was always a huge design fault for me. I've got to say I think the new design is exactly what I hoped to see, a progression in development , beautifully weathered, absolutley feels like part of the SW universe.
i'm glad to see the rear landing gear coming out from the wings as opposed to the engines, that was always a huge design fault for me. I've got to say I think the new design is exactly what I hoped to see, a progression in development , beautifully weathered, absolutley feels like part of the SW universe.
Hammer3246
Sr Member
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Jaitea
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I see the new X-wing as the next logical step in the ships evolution,....RMcQ's designs are more sleek versions than what we ended up getting in the OT....thats the way a design evolves in our world,.....look at a Jaguar car today compared to 20years ago,.....the squared corners are now rounded
The Naboo designs are from a different culture,.....compare them to the Republic Cruiser in the same film.......much the same as the Mon Cal ships in ROTJ.....look how sleek they are in comparason to all other ships in that movie....(still as rusty though)
......Na I still think that the new X Wings show the natural evolution in style that fits in perfectly for the new films
.........BUT.....arent they using RMcQ's designs in the Rebels cartoon,.......that would be weird.....de-evolve......evolve
J
I see the new X-wing as the next logical step in the ships evolution,....RMcQ's designs are more sleek versions than what we ended up getting in the OT....thats the way a design evolves in our world,.....look at a Jaguar car today compared to 20years ago,.....the squared corners are now rounded
The Naboo designs are from a different culture,.....compare them to the Republic Cruiser in the same film.......much the same as the Mon Cal ships in ROTJ.....look how sleek they are in comparason to all other ships in that movie....(still as rusty though)
......Na I still think that the new X Wings show the natural evolution in style that fits in perfectly for the new films
.........BUT.....arent they using RMcQ's designs in the Rebels cartoon,.......that would be weird.....de-evolve......evolve
J
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I'm seeing it more as, the engines stay in one piece, the split is as you show in the photoshop illustration. But the rearward half-wings ride up along the smooth curved surface of the outside of the engines (note lack of greeblies there, and the way in which the smaller jet-engine part connects to the main engine)
I'm seeing it more as, the engines stay in one piece, the split is as you show in the photoshop illustration. But the rearward half-wings ride up along the smooth curved surface of the outside of the engines (note lack of greeblies there, and the way in which the smaller jet-engine part connects to the main engine)
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I might be wrong... But I dont think the air intake's split in half... I think the wings lock into position around the intake? Anybody? Either way - LOVE IT!
I might be wrong... But I dont think the air intake's split in half... I think the wings lock into position around the intake? Anybody? Either way - LOVE IT!
Riceball
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I agree, I don't think that the engine splits either, I can't see a seam in between the intakes that would suggest that the engine splits and if it does then the area where the split occurs gets awful thin then and wouldn't (in my opinion) look convincingly thick enough to support an engine.
I agree, I don't think that the engine splits either, I can't see a seam in between the intakes that would suggest that the engine splits and if it does then the area where the split occurs gets awful thin then and wouldn't (in my opinion) look convincingly thick enough to support an engine.
Riceball
Master Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I'd argue that the fans who know that the helmets were wonky and asymmetrical and like them that way are in the minority and I'd doubt that they'd deliberately make them that way this time simply because that's the way that they were back during the OT because they lacked the tech to make them perfect. I really don't see them not taking advantage of modern technology to make things easier and faster esp. since this a movie and not fine art where time is money. I'm sure that Brian Muhr will have a lot of input and maybe even scan the prototypes or even originals but I wouldn't be surprised if they then scanned them into CAD, cleaned them up before making them. The only thing that I'm fairly certain of is that the final suits probably won't be 3D printed, 3D printing is kind of on the pricey side right now and best for prototyping and for small objects, I'm not sure that 3D printing is up to the task of printing anything as large as any of the major components of a Stormtrooper helmet, much less the armor, and even if it can I'm not sure it can do it strong enough to stand the rigors of filming. The most likely scenario is that if they have access to a 3D printer capable of printing out pieces large enough they will only do so for making prototypes and masters for pulling molds off of and doing the production suits and helmets the old fashioned way.
I'd argue that the fans who know that the helmets were wonky and asymmetrical and like them that way are in the minority and I'd doubt that they'd deliberately make them that way this time simply because that's the way that they were back during the OT because they lacked the tech to make them perfect. I really don't see them not taking advantage of modern technology to make things easier and faster esp. since this a movie and not fine art where time is money. I'm sure that Brian Muhr will have a lot of input and maybe even scan the prototypes or even originals but I wouldn't be surprised if they then scanned them into CAD, cleaned them up before making them. The only thing that I'm fairly certain of is that the final suits probably won't be 3D printed, 3D printing is kind of on the pricey side right now and best for prototyping and for small objects, I'm not sure that 3D printing is up to the task of printing anything as large as any of the major components of a Stormtrooper helmet, much less the armor, and even if it can I'm not sure it can do it strong enough to stand the rigors of filming. The most likely scenario is that if they have access to a 3D printer capable of printing out pieces large enough they will only do so for making prototypes and masters for pulling molds off of and doing the production suits and helmets the old fashioned way.
RougeAvenger81
Well-Known Member
Re: Star Wars Episode VII
I for one, am not going to complain about a thing! This is awesome! Very OT feel, little bit of a new twist which is going to happen, and it gives me all the more confidence that JJ knows and loves Star Wars! That is an AWESOME X-WING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I for one, am not going to complain about a thing! This is awesome! Very OT feel, little bit of a new twist which is going to happen, and it gives me all the more confidence that JJ knows and loves Star Wars! That is an AWESOME X-WING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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