One of the brilliant things about games like this, is that
anything goes.
Basically, anything You personally like, can probably be adapted into a vehicle of some sort.
Take My crap as an example:
I like mechanical / real-ish ships. I like fancy, futuristic ships that still need You to grab a stick and throttle. I imagine the cockpits of My ships with metal toggle switches with red flight covers, large, 80s hifi-looking analog knobs, 80s hifi-looking led meters, etc. I imagine My ships having Reaction Control Thruster outlets all over them for guidance control.
None of that cool blue glowy stuff for the propulsion systems, Mt ships have obvious large thrust cones, that (I imagine) spew out a explosion of light and force, 80s /90s video game style.
I was never much of a fan of the Star trek style of things; Touch panels to control everything, service hatches that just pop off, no screws or nuts anywhere, being able to solve
any problem just by altering power to/from the deflector, Ect.
I also have a hardon for WWII-era fighters and vehicle design, and as it turns out I'm not alone. I found an art style referred to as "Dieselpunk":
So you can guess how a lot of My stuff looks:
Are those tuned headers, like what You'd find on an oxygen-breathing car? Well, They're
styled after tuned headers, but now They're "The external linear magnetic induction rails, for the beefy Royce-anderson Ganymede 3500 Photomagnetic Impact Drive"... Nerdy, ain't I?
And since I grew up in front of a Sega Genesis, a lot of My fighters (Both built and planned) have a 80s/90s shmup feel to them:
Pewpew,
Motherfucker. As long as I have
one more continue, and get the powerup...
But that's just My crap.
Point is, anything You like, You can make happen.
As for the design and realization side of things, I tend to sketch ideas out on paper first, then build a mostly-scale version in MS paint (Pre windows seven MS paint, the new one is shite), so I can figure out core placement and whatnot, then build
that in game out of what I think the primary color is so I've got a rough form, then "sculpt" it from there; shave down any odd sections, add angled pieces, do a rough equipment loadout to see if anything needs to be expanded. Once I've got the hull, most of the physical details, and basic equipment done, I do a color pass, swapping out blocks here and there for different color ones for markings, details, Etc.
For curved surfaces, I build the whole structure first, then, starting at the leading edge of the structure, work My way to the back, placing angled pieces as necessary. And By necessary I mean "Should I be placing an angled part
on top of the pre-existing block structure, or should I
remove and replace a block with an angled piece? This is a big deal, and can really effect the smoothness of Your ship.
For detail work, again, refer to whatever Your inspiration is. For My dieselpunk stuff, there is a theme:
Obvious engine exhaust points or output, the engines themselves being the center of attention.
Control surfaces, like wings and fins.
substructures, small cylinders or shapes attached to other parts, like exposed parts of the engines or weapons systems.
An obvious cockpit, even if it's not very practical in it's location (I tend to switch to a hidden camera or the core itself in a fight, better field of vision).
An overall streamlined look. It's gotta be sleek like it's flying through atmosphere, and damned sexy at the same time.
Some details are
physical; that is, they are
built from blocks, like the above mentioned.
some details are
visual: that is, they
are achieved from a simple color change. A couple of black blocks in a grey surface can denote an engine vent, or exhaust port, or sensor panel. A light block can be a light, or an energy release of some sort. It's like the skin that is applied to a polygon model in games, the detail isn't
physically there, but it's "painted" on.
I also find it helpful to create and think about a lore, or storyline for the universe said ship is in.
For Me, It's a mixture of all the nerd crap I grew up with: For the most part, My universe has a wild west, frontier feel to it, ala an old cartoon I grew up watching called
The Adventures Of The Galaxy Rangers. Space is exciting, and people are digging exploring it, and setting wonderful new colonies to live on, with farms to feed everyone.
But it's dangerous and rough, filled with unknown things, and a breeding ground for ne're-do-wells like claim jumpers, pirates, punks, Etc. Not to mention political in-fighting;
You're invading OUR claim! This is our asteroid field! Bullshit You bunch of sidewinders! We were here first, we've got right too!
There's also a small dose of cyberpunk in some areas as well; A massive jump in technology, along side a decay in social order and a big difference between the haves and have-nots, ala Max headroom, William Gibson novels, Blade Runner, Robocop, Etc. A good way of explaining the high-tech side of seemingly old looking ships, and allows My universe to have other gimmicks / sides to it.
Sounds like a good place to be a lone cowboy with a starfighter, a desperado, a brave explorer, a patriotic commander of a battleship, a trader, Etc.
All of this dorky sounding crap really helps You build, as now You have a culture to help define
why the ship exists in the first place. The lore you create doesn't even have to be a major part of gameplay if You don't want it to be, but its a great jump start to the design process. once You start looking at it this way, the details and shapes practically design themselves. You just need to build and tweek it.
I suggest nerding-out hardcore for a week with Your favorite fiction, embracing the yummy goodness, then sit back and think:
what parts of this do I think is awesome? It doesn't even have to be science fiction.
