Tips on Greebly Bits?

[mindlord0013]

Does anyone have any tips or video tutorials on greebling a ship? Is there any way that people do it now (like a pattern) that people find works well?

 

[WolfChild]

I'm not very good at it personally, but when I find a boring section of a ship I think needs to be spiced up, I search up Spaceship Concepts on google and take certain specifics and replicate them on my ship. Not the best way, but it can be good.

 

[Iskandar]

What will work will really depend on both the size and shape of your ship, as well as the "look and feel" you're aiming for... I'd suggest checking out some of the more detailed builds here (both in the Shipyard forums as well as in the Community Content) for ships that are about the same size as yours. That should give you a few good ideas on the approach that would work best for your design

 

[Viridis00]

Depending on the style and size, I think about what kinds of things would be on a space ship or any other kind of vehicle. Common elements are short concentric cylinders, panel lining (look at some actual planes, you'll see what I mean), vents, raised plating (nested if possible), piping, and my absolute favorite, heat sinks.

Greebling is best used on open areas. Symmetry among the entire hull is not always important. If you're really serious about aesthetically pleasing shapes, the golden ratio can be used to size your different elements accordingly.

Another thing is be diverse in the colors you use. That's not a requirement per say, but I find for starmade it works better to allow the greebles to stand out rather than be the same color as the main hull. Grey greeble on Black hull is something I always do for my original craft.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

... and my absolute favorite, heat sinks.

You do know conventional heat sinks don't work in vacuums right?

 

[Viridis00]

You do know conventional heat sinks don't work in vacuums right?

I've always liked the idea of ejecting disposable heat sinks in space to take a little of the load off of components. I don't exactly know if it is actually feasible to work but it's at least been used in some sci-fi. Mass Effect, Gundam F-91, and Kakumeiki Valvrave come to mind. Let's be honest though, Star Made itself doesn't quite follow real world rules anyway. AMCs should be insanely powerful no matter which way you spin it (launching anti-matter or being powered by matter/antimatter reactions) compared to what we see, space friction, etc.

Plus, this is all about aesthetics anyway. The more complicated and mechanical something looks, the better.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

I've always liked the idea of ejecting disposable heat sinks in space to take a little of the load off of components. I don't exactly know if it is actually feasible to work but it's at least been used in some sci-fi. Mass Effect, Gundam F-91, and Kakumeiki Valvrave come to mind. Let's be honest though, Star Made itself doesn't quite follow real world rules anyway. AMCs should be insanely powerful no matter which way you spin it (launching anti-matter or being powered by matter/antimatter reactions) compared to what we see, space friction, etc.

Plus, this is all about aesthetics anyway. The more complicated and mechanical something looks, the better.

Ejecting the heatsinks may be effective but you'd only be able to do it once. As for AMCs it was probably an arbitrarily assigned name and not actually thought through. I think it may even get a rename in the upcoming patch because it's referred to as "simple projectile" in the weapon teaser.

As for the original post I can't offer any advice as I don't really use greebles. I rely on hull shape and markings to keep my designs from being bland. Also because my ships feature full interiors I am able to have functioning windows. I know complex structure can be great but don't overlook the simplified structures. I've seen far to many ships look bad because they go too far when trying to not be plain. There is such a thing as too much detail and too much noise.

 

[JimmyJamba]

I'm not very good at it personally, but when I find a boring section of a ship I think needs to be spiced up, I search up Spaceship Concepts on google and take certain specifics and replicate them on my ship. Not the best way, but it can be good.

I find this site http://conceptships.blogspot.com/ particularly useful when it comes to all aspects of design. Whether I'm looking for ideas for a new ship or looking for some sort of detail I can replicate on my ship.

 

[WolfChild]

I find this site http://conceptships.blogspot.com/ particularly useful when it comes to all aspects of design. Whether I'm looking for ideas for a new ship or looking for some sort of detail I can replicate on my ship.

Same site that I use :D

 

[Lt_Duckweed]

You do know conventional heat sinks don't work in vacuums right?

Actually Sven, heat sinks would work in space, but by radiation (giving off electromagnetic radiation) instead of convection or conduction like they do on earth. Another method sometimes used is to let some sort of fluid, water perhaps, evaporate off of the ship and take excess heat with it.

Sources; I'm a physics major.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

Actually Sven, heat sinks would work in space, but by radiation (giving off electromagnetic radiation) instead of convection or conduction like they do on earth. Another method sometimes used is to let some sort of fluid, water perhaps, evaporate off of the ship and take excess heat with it.

Sources; I'm a physics major.

I did say "conventional". Do radiant heat sinks have a similar appearance as convection and conduction versions such as big metal fins?

 

[Yaodin]

I did say "conventional". Do radiant heat sinks have a similar appearance as convection and conduction versions such as big metal fins?

Kinda, they tend to be very thin, kinda like a foil since surface area plays the biggest role. You'll also notice they're kept at 90 degrees to the solar panels (not facing the sun) to reduce absorbed radiation.

Here's a good picture.
http://claudelafleur.qc.ca/images/iss028e005676.jpg
Little thicker than what I thought but I suppose that is just piping running between the panels.

 

[Lt_Duckweed]

Kinda, they tend to be very thin, kinda like a foil since surface area plays the biggest role. You'll also notice they're kept at 90 degrees to the solar panels (not facing the sun) to reduce absorbed radiation.

Here's a good picture.
http://claudelafleur.qc.ca/images/iss028e005676.jpg
Little thicker than what I thought but I suppose that is just piping running between the panels.

This man speaks truth.

 

[mindlord0013]

So from this we can gather that heat sinks are a must if you're doing greebly bits? :P

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

So from this we can gather that heat sinks are a must if you're doing greebly bits? :p

I'd say not unless you really want to, I could see them being more of a feature of a steampunk style ship but most ships shouldn't need them. The things that can easily be identified as heat sinks such as those found in computers are not what is used in space but it's still a game and if you want them, go ahead.

 

[Iskandar]

Honestly, I wouldn't say that anything is a "must" on any ship. In the end, always just do what you think looks good -- after all, it's your build, an expression of your own imagination and creativity!

If it echoes what others are building, that's fine -- and if it takes a left turn at Albuquerque and goes off on its own direction, that's just as fine! If it doesn't look "normal" to others you can always just say it's due to alien tech or alternate dimensions or biotech or steamtech or magic or whatever else feels right to you. Because at the heart of it all, it doesn't matter if others love it or hate it -- or even if no one but you will ever even see it -- as long as you are pleased with what you create, that's all that really matters and all that's really "required." :D

 

[JimmyJamba]

Honestly, I wouldn't say that anything is a "must" on any ship. In the end, always just do what you think looks good -- after all, it's your build, an expression of your own imagination and creativity!

If it echoes what others are building, that's fine -- and if it takes a left turn at Albuquerque and goes off on its own direction, that's just as fine! If it doesn't look "normal" to others you can always just say it's due to alien tech or alternate dimensions or biotech or steamtech or magic or whatever else feels right to you. Because at the heart of it all, it doesn't matter if others love it or hate it -- or even if no one but you will ever even see it -- as long as you are pleased with what you create, that's all that really matters and all that's really "required." :D

Well said..... isn't this game the best?

 

[mindlord0013]

I have finally learnt how to greeble. This is of a ship I'm currently working on, but you tell which part is greebled.

 

[DekkerDave]

I don't like greebles to be honest. I prefer to keep some sense and purpose to each block I build.

 

[QuantumAnomaly]

Biggest and most intense greebling? The death star (imho). So many different types of greebling on that thing.