Conversation with Picard and whoever is interested.

[Robert]

I'm starting this thread in order to share this with whoever wants to know.

A new member here, Chris (aka Picard) has been asking me a few questions and I though I would post them in a more general matter that way I can answer his question or any other from our members.

To get you up to speed, here's a recap:
P.S. Please respect Chris's english, he is from Germany and this isn't his native language.

How long is this forum online and how long does it take to make a LCARS graphic?

The forum as been online for quite sometimes. We have posts here that date back to 2007. So 4 years, although back then, it was called explorermedia.net

Making LCARS graphics can take a few minutes or months depending on references available and the complexity of what you are trying to create.

Since lately I have my own LCARS forum. There I also present LCARS projects. But my aim in this forum is to show the proffesionell LCARS panel assembly (with the same graphics, plex, illumination they used in the series)

Presenting your own work here would not only be fun but greatly enjoyed by our members. If you want, and I feel like the interests is here, I could add a "props" forum to the site.

I have seen your board and hope you are successful in starting up your community. I know how hard it is.

Have you ever tried to build your own LCARS panel?

As for me, never did try making a physical LCARS prop (it's on the list though). I eventually want to make some and being able to give them out to my members as gifts or contest prizes. We'll see how it goes.

[Robert]

Here's some more questions from Picard:

2007 that ist quite a long time this forum exists. Why is the forum called explorermedia.net? I think this forum only is for LCARS or what is it for? The old name doesn´t tell anything about that.

The website was know as explorermedia.net because when I first started, the work was concentrate on art and general. Yes Star Trek and LCARS were a big part of it, but not the only focus. Explorer is my alias and it just made a lot of sense.

How did you learn the professionell LCARS design?

I'm a self-learner, as probably a lot of us here. I've always been a big fan of LCARS, I remember making them back in the 90's on some old programs like Paint and eventually Macromedia Director (sort of a precursor of Flash). I would never consider myself a professional because I do this for fun. I learned a lot over the years but I can honestly say that with the help of the great members here, I am getting better.

I would present my own work here because it is very nice to get feedback. But when you create a forum named PROPS I will lose potential members for my forum. I hope that some people also find the way to my forum that would be nice. I also like to treat a well working forum... I started my forum before I know of this LCARS community. I think my forum now is dispensable although my forum is more about the practical arrangement of all this LCARS stuff...

Do you allow me the question how long it takes to get your own community because you wrote that you know how hard it is.

I would highly suggest you post more work here, not for me but actually for you. People here are nice, friendly and will give you constructive criticism. We can always improve ourselves.

As I've said before, posting props here would be my pleasure. Anything related to LCARS, UI designs from anything even 3d renders of sci-fi or none sci-fi is truely appreciate.

For your community, you have to know what type of "world" you want to create. I've been members of many communities, and when I get to a forum where admins and moderators are impolite, un-constructive and shoots down new ideas... I feel like leaving. When I create this little place, my only rule was: "Do it for the members, not for yourself". And so far, it's been going great. I will admit that I wish it was a little more popular from time to time, but I love all the members here and they really make this place fun and smart.

Do you do all this only because it is your hobby?

Yes it's started as a Hobby. My first passion has always been making games. Especially Star Trek games. But with the limited knowledge I had, I went into modding. I've been modding games since Duke Nukem 3D.






Yes, I know the graphics are terrible. But that's how it was back then.

Eventually has time passed, I modded for many other games: Quake2, Half-Life, Quake3, Elite-Force and finally, Elite Force 2.






But during my last year in Elite Force 2, I started making LCARS for the sets being created, and that's when I got hooked on LCARS again. Now I'm back working on another project known as Excalibur. Most of all the LCARS sets I've posted in the past 2 years are to be used for that game.

To find out more about ST: Excalibur visit the website:
http://www.stexcalibur.com/

[Picard]

Hi Robert,

thank you for lots of answers to lots of questions ;) That is cool that you opened a own thread for all this. I think everybody was interested in the beginning. I´m wondering that nobody ansked you this before. You were involved in the official game Star Trek Elite Force? That is really cool. What do you mean with "I started making LCARS for the sets being created" What sets do you mean?

regards Chris