This model was created using the excellent Rob Caswell illustrations in DGP's old "Starship Operator's Manual".  I scanned the inside front cover illustration, fixed the stretch (damn crappy scanner!!!), rotated, cropped, and mirrored (for dorsal view only), etc.  I then used that as a background template when I was modelling the ship in Lightwave.   Call this her shakedown cruise after purchase & refit (note that the turrets aren't installed yet and the ship is VERY clean :)

Updated Free Trader.  Hooray, it's finished!  The Free Trader now has it's turrets!  For the SJG G:T project, I also put a different logo on the side of her hull.  Fear not, Grendel's Daughter can be resurrected at a moments notice (or whim).

'Nother shot, darker lighting (I like 'em like this).

Yet another shot with the drives lit up pretty hard.  The compositional layout isn't all that great, but that's because the finished & cropped product that I'm submitting to SJG is just that, cropped quite a bit.

Highport traffic.  I owe a very large debt of gratitude (and a check once I get paid myself :) to Scott O'Brien for allowing me to use his station model in several scenes for the G:T "Far Trader Sourcebook".   Thanks Scott!!!!   You can check out his site at http://members.xoom.com/Zone5/tg_home.htm (site appears dead now unfortunately).  He's got some really nice Lightwave tutorials on how to make things go "BANG" as well as some nice models to play with.

Here's the Marava Class Far Trader, aka "Puking Dog" in the Bay 12 environment from my Scout ship picture.    See the IISS Scoutship next to the Marava?  Since no real "canon" hull line map exists (as compared to the Free Trader in Starship Operator's Manual) I had to guess, extrapolate from the above ref, and just plain make up most of it.  There are bits & pieces drawn from the G:T main sourcebook as well.

Here's the Marava in the starport / warehouse environment for SJG.

Friday night and Saturday (then Sunday after a partial system crash) is what it took to make the good ol' Subsidized Merchant.  I WAS going to have the wording on the side say "Rush Job", but I decided to be a good little boy (well, 32yr old man anyway) and have it read "Tukera Lines", which is what the logo is as well.

Probably my favorite of the 18 or so pics that I rendered that weekend.   It was my wallpaper for quite some time :)

A slightly over-exposed (whoops) test render for a SJG flyer.

Scout ship heading out to 100 diameters to jump.

Here's the same ol' Bay 12 pic of a Type S Scout Ship that's been on my regular site for awhile now, just with a new link for you.

A couple of people had expressed interest in the deckplans/images for a custom ship that I have that got mentioned during a TML thread.   Here she is.

Can you say "Hot re-entry"?   Texture settings from Scott as well.  Thanks again Scott!!!

This shot was also on my regular site for a long time.  This is a shot of an as-yet un-named & un-desined/built modular cargo hauler.  That whole rear section detaches for rapid turn-around providing there's an out-going container waiting to be shipped.

Donosev Progress

You've heard me talk about it and request scans of it, now you can see progress on it.  Here's the current state of the Donosev as of 2/22/99.  Just a little bit more detail modeling and finish work on the cutter and module.

Tender Progress

Here's some progress shots of the X-Boat Tender and of the X-Boat (it's really simple).  Had to use some artistic license, as only 1 shot exists of the ship in legacy illos AFAIK.

For the Scout fans out there, here's the Donosev with the cutter finished and departing for busines with a gas giant.

A full shot of the Tender loading up a pair of X-Boats.  A cropped version of this appears in G:T's "First In".

TML Survey - Sulieman Landing Gear

Survey is now over.

Please take a couple of minutes and let me know what you think.  Since Loren's graciously exteded the deadline a week I want as much input as possible.  There are two versions of the G:T correct Sulieman shown in these dirtside pictures.  One (labled #1) has the deck parallel with ground, making the front gear closer to the rear of the ship to keep it from getting too spindly.   The second ship (creatively marked #2 :) has the deck come nose-down at an angle to keep the struts shorter and to spread the weight footprint distribution more evenly front / rear.  Take a look and let me know what you think.  Parallel deck, nose-down, or should I say "F#@% it and do it like the (in-correct geometry) old style illustrations that couldn't POSSIBLY have three decks.  E-mail me at jdegraff@pacbell.net.  I'll wait a few days before I do anything with it.

What do I think Ditzie from the TML looks like???

Sometimes I have a real impulse control problem :)  Seeing's how Ditzie is a fictional character only living in the minds of her creator (?) and other members of the TML, and seeing's how the subject somehow wound itself into one of the threads, I just couldn't help myself and had to draw what I thought Ditzie looks like.  If you're not on the TML, this is going to be lost on you, SO JOIN THE TML ALREADY AND SEE ALL THE FUN YOU'VE BEEN MISSING!!!!!!

There's been a couple of new pics posted.

After a great turnout for the Sulieman Landing Gear survey, the general consensus was "go with CT type lines", so I did.  Here's the results.  Many thanks to Mark Cook for sharing his great graphics for the "Foremost" logo!!!

Another shot.

A Scout base on a gas giant moon.

Same background as one of the shots that will be in "First In", but different foreground.

Here's a "Starports" cover outtake.  Loren came back with some other ideas, so time to redo it.  S'okay though as I wasn't happy with the clouds or the lighting, but I'd gone with it 'cause of the deadline.

A pair of Aslan ships for (hopefully) inclusion in "Aslan & K'kree".

OK, here's the deal.  When I sent the above picture (clan transport & courier) to Andy Akins directly (for thanking him for his help :) he pointed out a couple of errors in the transport.  1)Only five petals.   2)The front pod is only supposed to be one deck thick.  So, I gleefully added the sixth pod, slimed down the front pod, and proceeded to render about FIVE shots with the model for "Aslan & K'kree".  That was several days ago (as I'm writing it's June 18th, 1999).  Earlier today, Andy again pointed out a major goof on my part which, unfortunately, will probably be printed in the book.  I have the pods arranged like this:

When they should be like this:

My sincerest apologies to Steve Jackson Games, Loren Wiseman of SJG, Andy Akins (the creator of the deckplans), and finally Andy Slack & Dave Thomas (the creators of the ship). I really blew it guys and I hope you can forgive me.  :(

So, if anyone notices this when you buy the book and say "Hey, the plans don't match the picture!" (like that's never happened before in the history of Traveller publishing) IT'S ALL MY FAULT!!!!!!!!! and shouldn't be held against the above-mentioned individuals or Steve Jackson Games.

BTW, someone else suggested that the variants I created could be prototypes, a very nice handwave in my opinion ;)

This is the single K'kree ship I did for "Aslan & K'kree" and doesn't necessarily reflect the deckplan design in the book.  I had to do something to spice it up a little bit.  A plain saucer is, well, so plain :)

This is just a simple "character shot" of the cargo 'bot that's been in some of my pictures since "Far Trader" got published.  No background or nothing, just shows the 'bot.  No stats exist for it, so if some of the gearheads out there want to give it a go, contact me at jdegraff@pacbell.net  so I can give you the reasoning behind the design.

A Donosev shot similiar to one that appears in "First In", only this one's not cropped vertically like the published version :)

Vanderbilt Progress

Progress on the Vanderbilt Class of Yacht for SJG G:T 2nd Edition.

OK, instead of showing more progress shots, I hope you don't mind if I just show you the finished product :)  Plain starfield background.

Same here.  Since it's done, I figured I might as well post it.

This is the current incarnation of the "Starports" cover.  I think the angle and subject are pretty much set at this time.  See my other comments when you go to the page.

This is my first Traveller warship!  The design of the ship is from GDW's "Fighting Ships of the Shattered Imperium", and the layout of this shot is such that it nearly matches the view shown in the book.   More shots when I have time.  I modelled this one for inclusion in a shot for GURPS:Space 3rd Edition.  When I get a chance (for G:T Navy I'm sure :) I'll get it textured a little bit better, with markings, stripes, etc.

Another shot of the ship, this time firing the spinal mount.  OK, may not be "realistic", but I had the shot set up for SJG already, so I modified it a bit to render another for here.

Since I got the concept wrong for the BITS cover, I'm posting the out-take for all to enjoy.

First pic from the "Pic-A-Day" series.  We'll see how long I can keep this up ;)

If you read the "News" section, you'll see that this is a taste of some of the work I'm doing for the "Starports" interior illustrations.

"Starports" back cover out-take.   Mis-comm btwn. me and the AD led to more work than I needed to do.  Luckily I didn't kill myself getting the shot done.

The Blakeway Class rescue ship.

The Fiery Class ship "Better Duck" above two planets.  The gas giant in the background is actually an image map of Jupiter, but it's been recolored to be more alien.

Another shot of the same ship, just lit brighter for those that prefer them that way.

My good ol' FT in front of a new nebula texture map.  I really like KPT5 :D

More fun with KPT5.

Must be some valuable cargo in that Type MT to warrant a Fiery escort...