thoughts on looking at designs

[shran]

how do we look at designs?

If we see a guy posting a class, will we look first at its specs and how feasible the design is within its parameters, or do we look at what the ship looks like?

Does form follow function, or something else?

i wonder how you guys think of this, both in making the USS Paladin and other designs in this forum.

[Sionnach Glic]

I look at the specs first, and see what it's role is and what its capabilities are. Then I look and see does the design work for that role.
For me, aesthetics should not come into the equation. It's all practicality.

[mwhittington]

Same here. Specs first, how well it fits the role for which it was intended, etc. If it looks good doing it, that's just a bonus.

[Graham Kennedy]

I look at the ship first, then check the stats and blurb to see if the ship makes sense.

One thing that's a personal turn off for me is when a ship is posted with no picture. I just can't visualise it; I generally don't pay a lot of attention to a ship that doesn't have at least some kind of doodle with it.

[Mikey]

I generally find myself drawn to whatever the originator highlights - if there is no picture, then I judge on backstory, sense of design, etc. If the post seems to be all about the image, then I judge on that basis.

Graham's Coalition uni ships, for example, have beautiful pics; but since they are designed (very well, I might add) to fit into a coherent design aesthetic, the primary criterion I use is how they fit into the milieu.