I believe that John P once shared a pic in the Cairo thread over at HT but I don't even know if that thread still exists.  Nice model though not quite the same as Cairo.

Tholian:  Apart from the customary endgame texturing the piece that holds the saucer and the nacelles together has zero detail to it.  Not even sure if that will be the final shape for that piece.  The nacelles themselves (apart from sucking in their own right) have to be devolved to Pike "era" details.

And after working on the Gilbert I'm flirting with the notion of inscreaing the gridline map influence.  I don't normally like heavy gridlines on my TOS ships but may jsut a little heavier than what we have now.  We'll see...

Yea, It is rough when the real world, gets in the way of modeling.

Now I'm not saying that this is the direction I want to take this in but I do want to pass it in front of a few sets of eyeballs:







Please note that there is almost no diffusion component to the Azteking you see above (set at 3%).  Apart from that one item it's all a function of light sources and angles.  Specularity, ray mirror, and all that Jazz.  Which is why the effect is so clearly noticible on the underside shot -- due to the engine glow.

Note also that there are 24 radial segments to the (slightly more visible) grid lines and only 16 for the aztecking.  This is due to the fact that I create the image map straight from a special render of the U.S.S. Gilbert.  If I we're to proceed with this I would of course map to 24 instead of 16.

I think the subtle Aztek looks fine.  But don't think I will have it on the Ship I make. LOL

I am lucky I will make it look good at all!

Well, I say I am better than Par, but not the greatest.  You place me next to Thomas, I am a Novice. Place me next to my Cat, I am a Master Modeler!!

Don't be modest, I've seen your 1/1000th TOS E builds and they look great.

I knew the Azteking might not be such a big hit but I'm going to keep it in one way or another.  I used the Gilbert's pattern because it was already handy but I'm going to do a custom one for the Cairo (different pattern/layout than the TMP version).  I did tone down the color effect so it mostly shows up now when you are really close or when a bright light hits it at the proper angle.  I also changed the base color a little bit and got some more mapping done.  So here are some new renders showing the state of the modeling from some new angles.  Enjoy, and if you have any comments or suggestions on the deflector housing/shuttle area please do not hessitate to say something.  When I get the chance (which I don't really have right now) I'm going to add some much needed details to the nacelles.  So here come the pics...

I like the changes to the asteck pattern. I still like the lights on the name and ship numbers. If they did it like that on STMP, then I would like the 1701A better.

I will wait and see what you come up with the hangar, and deflector. It is looking really beautiful.

Lloyd