7th Doctor Comic Adventures Inspired Console Room

Started by d33j r093r5, Jul 28, 2019, 11:41 am

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d33j r093r5

Jul 28, 2019, 11:41 am Last Edit: Aug 11, 2019, 12:02 pm by d33j r093r5
013_Custom 7th Doctor Console Complete Sub-Assembly_190808.JPG


Quite a while ago, I came across an image of a model console that somebody else had made that I was very impressed with, and saved for my viewing pleasure at a later date. I don't remember when this was exactly.... yeeeeeeeears ago. Long before I was 3D modelling TARDISes, and even longer before  I was 3D printing them.

I don't even recall if it was on this forum that I originally saw it, but this was the image:




ebay1709.jpg




... some time later, I found this one...




McCoy1.jpg




... and added it to the collection of console images I had amassed.

Also, if the owners of these images are on the forum, please let me know so I can give them the shout-out they deserve? These are beautiful pieces of work and deserve acknowledgement, not least for which I am drawing inspiration.  ;D

And then, again some time later, after I had completed a few console rooms of my own (see this forum), I started thinking I'd like to do something a bit different. I wanted to make another console room, but maybe something a little more unique, not seen on TV, and while looking for inspiration, I found those 2 images in my collection. And, based on that, I modelled this:




7th Doctor Comic book Console_003.jpg




... back in mid-2016. And, then did nothing else with it... until now...

So, a couple of weeks back I got that old bug again, and decided to revisit this console. Actually, the bug hasn't actually left me, I've just been busy with other things, school, work, etc, AND a couple of other DW related modelling projects, but I'll talk about those in their respective posts.

I was also going through a bout of anxiety driven insomnia at the time, and focusing on creative and productive endeavours (ie something that can effectively distract me) is a good way of dealing with it!  ::)  ;D

I did a bit more investigating, and realised that there were a number of iterations of this console floating about, based largely on the creators interpretation of it. Because it turns out this particular console (or something like it) is the version used in the 7th Doctor Comic Adventures (I'm not certain if it comes from the DWM; I collected them a bit when I was a kid back in the 80's (still have them somewhere I think!  ;D ), but they were few and far between (this is Perth, Western Australia after all), and pretty much all of them feature the 6th Doctor, along with Peri and Frobisher).

I found these images while doing a search:





Metamorphosis_DWY93_4_TARDIS.jpg





ChameleonFactor.jpg




... and a few other inspiring images besides...




dd9luvz-0529a899-42b9-42f4-8539-e257ae06fae2.jpg




enhanced-buzz-6819-1382375793-8.jpg




image0000_002.jpg




... and armed with these in hand, thought I could probably do a fair representation of what the Console Room from the comic may have been like.  :)

I bosched out the main console room design in a couple of days, then spent another 6 or 7 days adding and changing details. tweaking design parameters, and adding little features that "make" a console room. While making it, it came to my attention that this version had lots of elements that seemed to tie the New Series with the Classic. I've opted more for the classic look, but feel there are enough "hints" in this new version that link it rather nicely with the new versions of the console room that we've seen.

So, here are a few renders of the console room I have modelled:




003_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_03.jpg




005_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_05.jpg




006_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_06.jpg




007_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_07.jpg




008_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_08.jpg




009_Custom Console Room Complete_190725_09.jpg




... this is the stage I am currently up to. The plan from here on out is to turn this into another realised model using my wonderful 3D printers. I hope you enjoy this build as much as I intend to! ;)  ;D

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

warmcanofcoke

Jul 28, 2019, 08:44 pm #1 Last Edit: Jul 29, 2019, 03:40 am by warmcanofcoke
There are more reference images here http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=7911.0

And one of those builds is here http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=566.0
and here the Console Gallery http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1413

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=2040.0
Quote from: rob49152 on Feb 04, 2012, 05:55 am
Hmmm I really have no idea on the size of the hallways...

I guess there would be 'thin' flat walled ones that lead into the main console room along the sides but at some point (probably at the corners of the hexagon shape) turn into wider ones. I did a few play renders a while back
image0000_002.jpg
image0000_004.jpg


Like what you're doing, looking forward to reading more.  ;)
why doesn't the Guide mention them? - Oh, it's not very accurate.
Oh? - I'm researching the new edition.

davidnagel

This is stunning! Keep going!

But... the console design itself, doesn't lend well to actually standing at it. Feet naturally sit under a standing structure like this, but given the angle the base comes out... I'd keep kicking the bottom!
Regards
David

d33j r093r5

Jul 29, 2019, 09:20 am #3 Last Edit: Jul 29, 2019, 09:28 am by rassilonsrod
Thanks for those warmcanofcoke...

:o :o :o :o

... holy craw some of those are AMAZING! I'm talking about the individual builds in the http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=2040.0 post. Actually, it's interesting to see how along similar lines people seem to be envisaging this iteration of the console  and console room, albeit with different people's aesthetic interpretations.

Also, thanks for the links to http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1413 and http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=566.0 . I think I can see now where I got those 2 original images from!  ;D ;)

So, on that note, shout-outs and acknowledgements to morethanatimelord and rob49152 for your amazing work / posts, and everyone therein that posted an image / model / creation of their own. I am, once again, working off the backs of giants who have come before me.

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

d33j r093r5

Jul 29, 2019, 09:24 am #4 Last Edit: Jul 29, 2019, 10:14 am by d33j r093r5
Quote from: davidnagel on Jul 29, 2019, 09:11 am
This is stunning! Keep going!

But... the console design itself, doesn't lend well to actually standing at it. Feet naturally sit under a standing structure like this, but given the angle the base comes out... I'd keep kicking the bottom!


... thanks for the kind words... :)

... you're right, of course. I pretty much copied this console verbatim from one of those original images I posted above (I would really love to know who created it), but I was so enamoured of the design that I didn't really want to change it. But it will mean that if I display it with any 5" figures, they will have to stand proud of the console. I'll give it some thought, but aesthetically I like it the way it is. Thanks davidnagel...

D.

EDIT: I did some checking on my model (it's been a couple of years since I made the console, don't remember what I was thinking or what decisions I made with regard to how it was going to work in the future); I left a gap of about 5" between the console edge and the base edge...




001_7th Doctor Comic book Console_190723_01.JPG




... now, if we assume that a standard male foot is... well... about a foot (mine is!)... half that will be what goes under the console (about 6") allow an inch more for room... so about 7" ...? I made the adjustment on the console and... it's actually not too bad, I thought it would drastically alter the overall aesthetic, but it might be ok. What do you think?




The 5" Gap version:

002_7th Doctor Comic book Console_190723_02.JPG

003_7th Doctor Comic book Console_190723_03.JPG




The 7" Gap Version

001_7th Doctor Comic book Console_190729_01.JPG

002_7th Doctor Comic book Console_190729_02.JPG




... Livable difference, right? I also started wondering if it's worth it though. It's not going to be a full size console, just a 1/13th scale model when finished. Does it really matter? I'm an Aussie, so we generally work in metric. 5" is 127mm. If we scale that down to 1/13th size, it's a shade under 10mm. At 7", that becomes a bit over 13.5mm; you really couldn't tell at that scale! And, 1/13th scale Sylvester McCoy's boot length is about 18mm. Which means, 9mm should fit comfortably under the console the way it is.

Thought's and opinions please... :)  ;D  :)

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

davidnagel

Ha, I can't tell the difference in edge/base gap so whatever works! :D
Regards
David

Cardinal Hordriss

I've never been all that keen on the idea of a touch screen console. I like lots of different types of controls. Having seen your render of the full console room though I think I'm changing my mind...
I speak to you from the final days of Gallifrey. I am the past you have forgotten. You are the future I will not live to see...

d33j r093r5

Jul 31, 2019, 03:44 pm #7 Last Edit: Jul 31, 2019, 03:48 pm by d33j r093r5
... ok... unwanted opinion coming up  :D ;D :P ::). Gonna try and give an explanation as to why this console appeals to me. Now, I know that's not what anyone has asked of me; I was just struck by your comment Cardinal Hordriss about liking lots of controls, and never being too keen on a touch-screen. Which is fine; I too like lots of controls, but with some caveats...

Classic consoles were typically widget / gadget heavy, but they were always fairly minimalist; that is, there was never anything ridiculous or over the top about them. That's not to say that the props department didn't use whatever they had to hand, and a keen, mature observer (not a young kid, enthralled with the show might necessarily pick up on) could point out that a particular control / item looks exactly like a vegetable strainer, but the idea was to make it look "futuristic" and, more importantly, functional. I sometimes feel the New Series has got carried away with some of the TARDIS console controls, taking WAAAAAY too literally the idea that a console was made up of just any old rubbish. Not that they weren't beautiful creations in their own right, but something other than just a functioning time machine. Personally, I like the minimalist look. Not divorced from knobs and switches and gauges and dials, but something that actually looks like it was purpose-built to task. And they were always designed (more or less) with the current level of available technology to mind, even the wood console!

The Kelt console was an interesting departure away from the traditional Brachaki and Sharp type consoles in that it was more computerised. It was fantastic for a few reasons: we'd never seen a console like that before (and it was perfectly in keeping with the era we were entering), and it screamed Time-Space ship. Pain in the a*** to try and model those controls for printing as they're so tiny (believe me, I know!), but a wonderfully complex contraption, while still being purpose-built to function in appearance...

... and that was as far as we ever got in screen-realised consoles. The TV movie took a step in the direction of a more H.G. Wellsian type time machine, and then the New Series did whatever the hell it liked! The closest we came to getting something more in keeping with the era and giving the feeling of being purpose-built was the Smith / Capaldi console room (which, at some point, I have to attempt  ;D ). The beautiful thing about this particular console room, is that the console touch panels are not necessarily fixed by design. A touch screen means that a whole array of complex functions could flow across the screens at any given point, it has fluidity and is dynamic, without losing function to form. And, it doesn't look out of place as the heart of a complex time-space vehicle, while still having lots of controls...

... anyway, I could probably wax lyrical all night given half the chance, but it's late here at my end of the world, and another busy day awaits. I will attempt to post another update in the next day or so; I've done some work, scaling the parts down to size for printing, but now the really tricky part (and also the most rewarding, in some ways the most creative part of the endeavour) starts: subdividing up the components to actually print them!  ;D ;D ;D

D.

P.S.: I hope I haven't changed your mind back again Cardinal Hordriss...  ;)  ;D
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

d33j r093r5

Aug 02, 2019, 05:27 pm #8 Last Edit: Aug 02, 2019, 05:28 pm by d33j r093r5
Ok, just a short post before I hit the hay. The basic sub-divisions are done! They are by no means perfect, but the model is now in manageable, printable bits!. Probably, tomorrow, when I'm fresher, I'll think of some better way to hide the seam lines than currently, but for now this is as good as it gets...




002_Test Assembly 1_190801_02.jpg




... I still need to add all the join points (as per usual, I will be doing these with 32mm x Ø6mm wood dowels), but that's also another job for tomorrow.

And, I will put up individual pictures of the subdivided parts :)

Toodle-pip!

Cheers,

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

Cardinal Hordriss

Quote from: d33j r093r5 on Jul 31, 2019, 03:44 pm

P.S.: I hope I haven't changed your mind back again Cardinal Hordriss...  ;)  ;D


No you haven't. I think the only other problem I have with it is something you touched on which is the variety of functions a touchscreen could have. Then why have six panels? You could have one and swipe between them. Of course that wouldn't look as good lol.
I speak to you from the final days of Gallifrey. I am the past you have forgotten. You are the future I will not live to see...

d33j r093r5

Quote from: Cardinal Hordriss on Aug 03, 2019, 09:58 am
... Then why have six panels? You could have one and swipe between them...


Why have 2 large computer monitors on your desk, when 1 small one will do? That's easy: Available real estate! It's easier to work and switch between functions the more screen space you currently have to switch between ;)

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

d33j r093r5

Aug 03, 2019, 02:35 pm #11 Last Edit: Aug 03, 2019, 03:33 pm by d33j r093r5
Ok, as promised, here are some sub-division shots; these are essentially the pieces that are going to be printed and fitted together.

It's more going to be a rough summary than the long-winded, rambling exposition that I'm prone to give. Don't get me wrong, I would prefer to rabbit on for a while. I just don't have quite the same amount of time to do that as I have previously!  ;D  ;)

I started with the Main Door Alcove. I separated it from the main body along the planes of the main body to keep that back face intact. It means that these pieces (actually, most pieces will all have some odd angles on them, given the design of this TARDIS) have some funky angles and slightly disjoint bodies. But, when printed on the flat section, it will not cause any problems...




01_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Main Doorway_Left_5 inch_190801.jpg     02_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Main Doorway_Left_5 inch_190801.jpg     03_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Main Doorway_Left_5 inch_190801.jpg




04_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Main Doorway Sub-Assembly_5 inch_190801.jpg




... the last image is the two halves combined. I wish I could have made the joint less obvious. I can take a bit of comfort from the fact that it's not going to be seen from underneath, where it would be the most obvious. And, I have just realised that I'm falling into the old habit of prattling on. So... cracking on...




18_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Offside Alcove Sub-Assembly_5 inch_190802.jpg




19_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Offside Alcove Sub-Assembly_5 inch_190802.jpg




20_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room Offside Alcove Sub-Assembly_5 inch_190802.jpg




This is the Rear Alcove. Rather than show you ALL the individual pieces of this (there are quite a few) as it will take a fair while, hopefully you can see most of the joins in these images. The rear alcove is a fairly complicated piece, speaking from the perspective of 3D printing it; lots of weird angles, plenty of over-hangs, very few flat surfaces, and the overall sizes of it means that it doesn't necessarily sub-divide nicely! Anyway, when we get to the printing stage of this process, I can show you better what I mean by that...

After dealing with the alcoves, I moved onto the main wall sections...

*deep breaths*

... I started this project for fun, and didn't really think the logistics through, something that I'm usually fairly careful about. Other TARDIS consoles were relatively easy; everything's FLAT. Wall sections are in manageable sizes. PEOPLE HAVE BUILT THEM BEFORE!!! i tend to be a very lazy model builder; I look for easy projects with easy solutions, that is going to look mint when it's finished. I got distracted by how pretty the console room is, and by how much I wanted it as part of the collection, that I didn't think how on earth I was going to make this... printable / workable. I'm rambling again. Suffice to say, I think I did succeed in making workable parts. Again, I'm not 100% happy with the joins. At the moment I can't see another way of sub-dividing it that will work as effectively, or at all. We'll see how we go...




05_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

Main Alcove / Doorway Top section

06_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

... you can see why it's divided in this way; the rear is a nice flat section, so that goes on the print-bed. The wall is trimmed to just wide enough to fit the dimensions of the bed, and there will be no overhangs...

07_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg




08_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

... all the main wall sections are trimmed in this manner...

09_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Bottoms_5 inch_190801.jpg

... as are the bottom sections of the walls...

The pillars are done separately because a) the geometry of the pillars would make it bloody awkward, and b) there just isn't enough space on the print bed to allow for them. Hence, the weird sub-divisions...

10_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg     11_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg     12_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

... the far left and right pillars are slightly different, being as they are on the ends...

13_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg     14_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

15_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Tops_5 inch_190801.jpg

... and the same thing again with the bottom sections...

16_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Bottoms_5 inch_190801.jpg

17_Custom 7th Doctor Console Room_Wall 2 Pillar Bottoms_5 inch_190801.jpg

... next thing to do is add the dowel-holes in locations where these separate pieces will join together. This is relatively simple now that the sub-divisions are done. If I find a better way to sub-divide in the meantime, I will post an update. Til then...

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

tony farrell

Aug 04, 2019, 10:37 am #12 Last Edit: Aug 04, 2019, 10:39 am by Tony Farrell
I've been thinking about my 'idealised' Tardis interior on & off for years now....

Like you Dan, I like the idea of having at least some sloping wall sections (though as I've said to you before, I like roundels arranged in the Brachacki-style honeycomb pattern). But I've struggled in my mind's eye to visualise how you'd keep the Brachacki 'zig-zag' main doors and have sloping walls with the 'honeycomb' roundel layout at the same time.

I think the way you've incorporated the zig-zag doors is a really clever solution that I am unashamedly going to 'steal'.  :)

Thank you.

T

d33j r093r5

Aug 04, 2019, 11:27 am #13 Last Edit: Aug 04, 2019, 11:30 am by d33j r093r5
... well, I can't take credit for the zig-zag doors (obviously), or the sloped wall sections either. I can't even take credit for using them together! What I can do is help with the realisation of them in a real world solution, because there are some mechanical logistics there that I had to solve, that I didn't steal from anywhere! Namely, the opening of those very bulky doors inside an alcove, and that alcove in turn having sloped walls.  ;D

One of the things Solidworks allows you to do is create mate references. These can be simple, ie making sure surfaces / points / edges are parallel / perpendicular / coincident etc, curved surfaces / edges are concentric / coradial / tangential etc; or they can be advanced or fully mechanical, giving parts freedom of movement with some constraints inside an assembly, ie from slots, angles, symmetries etc all the way through to cams, gears, screws, hinges, etc. Using these, I can make my doors open and close inside the assembly. Which means, you can see what issues there could be inside your model before you actually build it. Engineers love Solidworks!...

... tell you what Tony, this actually was something that I did spend a bit of time correcting on the model to allow the doors to open properly. I'll post an update in a little while going over the issue and what I did to fix it.

Cheers,

D.
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?

d33j r093r5

Aug 05, 2019, 05:28 pm #14 Last Edit: Aug 05, 2019, 05:33 pm by d33j r093r5
Ok... after some opinions...

I've modelled this in copper-coloured tones, because that's how I modelled the console originally. I modelled the console in those colours because of the inspiration I drew from another model of this console (see the 2nd image I posted above). I really do like the look of the copper console room... at least, on the screen I do. Printed, it COULD look like... well... something proverbial, and probably unmentionable!  ;)  ;D

The traditional beige / light grey or cream tones would not look amiss for this console room; many modellers have opted for that in the past. It's in keeping with the tones of a classic console room, and will probably work, but it feels a little too familiar, and I suppose a BIT safe. Copper tones would add a new element to an updated classic, and would tie in nicely with some of the tones of more recent console rooms (Eccleston / Tennant console room and Smith's first iteration). It is a little mono-tonal the way it is though, and may overwhelm the room. I'm worried that it may be a little too garish / gaudy. Mind you, that never stopped the Goa'uld...  :P . And, technically, it would not be out of place for a Time Lord either...

To give you an idea of what I mean, this would be the sort of filament I might choose to use for this console room...




s-l1600.jpg




... so, I'm looking for opinions. Bear in mind, wall segments can be done in ONE COLOUR ONLY. I can't mix colours in a particular print. And, just to preempt those who may inevitably suggest to me to "paint" ((*shudders*), I'm not going down that road. Lots of reasons why. Whatever colours I choose to print with will be the final colours of the build...  ;D I'm certain that, given the right preparation, time taken, care and craftsmanship and attention to detail, a painted model WOULD look absolutely amazing. However, that's not me. Sorry to disappoint.

The console will also be in the same filament colour, save for the decals and screens in black. I was also thinking, for the console screens, I would print them on glass to get a nice reflective sheen, giving them a real touch-screen look and feel, and then print some transparent stickers for the tops of them.

Let me know...  :)

D.



NOTE: I just showed my son the filament I was thinking of using (the copper), and at first he nodded with an "ok, I see what you're going for there" kind of look. I then dropped the Goa'uld comment on him, and he turned to me and said "you know, it's cool enough having a space-ship without it looking like some gangster's come in and pimped it out. You don't want to overdo it with the bronze/gold and have it be all blingy. It's meant to look sophisticated, not like someone is going to come in and paint w**d all over the walls!"   :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D ... he's 16 by the way; it shows...

... and then on his way out the door he's saying "where's the kush bruh?" "It's in me TARDIS, mate!"... I almost couldn't finish the post I was laughing so hard...
ERROR READING DRIVE C: (A)BORT, (R)ETRY, (F)AIL (I)GNORE?