Ok. I had wanted from day one to add a Farscape-like Leviathan but realized there really wasn't much purpose for one in Sins so I had to rethink how to bring in an organic ship.
Being a big Cthulhu fan, I thought I'd go for a sinister tentacled ship but Ishkatumesk had already made somethings along this line (not to mention B-5's Vorlon ships). I did create one--the Hiver--and it was ok but not quite what I wanted.
I always liked arthropod-crab-spider type insect designs like the Lexx but the Vasari ships already have quite an insectoid influence in them and I didn't want to look copy-ish ...and, of course, there are the Shadow vessels in B-5 already.
So that left few spooky-looking natural concepts that wouldn't be laughable, ridiculous or implausible and decided on a leviathan-s-zed inter-dimensional virus.
These ships I showed here and there as the Virii (the name I still like) and the simple structure of the virus let me leave a machine look in with the organic. Still, I just didn't like the sum of the parts.
I finally decided to turn back to as much "organic" as I could and have come up with the design I really like. Changing the name to the Yggdrasil--even though a lot of Norse names are al through SciFi. It wasn't my intent but darn if it didn't come out tree-like--complete with a built in Jormungander (Midguard Serpent).
I am of course destroyed by Manshooter's organic designs and exquisite textures (which also eliminated some of my considered organic ship options--grrr). He has owned the genre I think but here is my own design created for a single ship faction. Other ship classes will be the equivalent of accompanying fry (fish babies) and will use a single strike craft sized model.
A phasic drill that is able to phase between dimensional spaces injects and removes "matter" and "energy" from either universe , Feeding with it and using it as propulsion and even a power supply for a fierce main weapon--the dimensional bloom. Like some lizards, the bloom phases from other-space into normal space and generates an intense gravitic pull.
Though rendering the Ygddrasil immobile when used, it serves as a huge forward shield and disintegrates and draws energy and matter from vessels it destroys as they contact the bloom. The dimensional bloom is intended to be a spinning particle effect and is actually a real-life hypnodisc--which gives an optic illusion of spiraling in towards the center when observed from head-on.
The phasic drill with it's entwined gravitic coil (the "serpent") also rotates giving an illusion of forward movement. So there are two potential optical optical illusions in this single model. The Yggdrasil's gravitic coil converts interdimensional energy to proulsions, shields, etc. as well as helping to "digest" food --destroyed ships, worlds and resopurce asteroids.
Six weapon points are intended with a possibility of a particle effect generated main weapon generated by the sensor eye and antennae spikes at the forward part of the vessel.
The Yggdrasil is equivalent to Vasari-Advent hybrid technology and has many similar abilities found in each of these races. It messes both with the mind and with matter. Sort of a true supernatural entity in the real world. in-game, it's intended to be roughly the size of a starbase.
I don't plan on creating model-centered mods--I don't have the time or expertise but this would be a fourth race to be added to any mod (it would be free to use by anyone who wants).
While I am looking into Thoumsin's files for creating particle effects with rotations as done in the B-5 mod, it's not likely I am going to be able to replicate it myself. Most of the model tools don't work properly on my PC. I am very good with graphics (given time) but have no real texturing experience--though (given time) I could learn it. The tools I currently have so far don't create proper Sins, textures so that's another hurdle for me and after seeing Manshooter's textures I feel silly even trying as far as ships go. Lastly, particle effects. Darn if Manshooter didn't make the one I wanted already but Particle Forge is yet another non-functioning tool on my pc.
All that said, I like my model, can do the abilities and rest of the mod and here's the pic just to show it off and let it be seen--taken from Milkshape with which I am familiar. FYI--if anyone ever wants a raw model (i.e., not converted to XSI or meshed (both tools broken on my pc--sorry) I would be happy to work on one now and then just for the fun of it (not an entire mod, please).
The model totals 17 groups, 5 materials, 7804 vertices and 8177 triangles...large for a Sins ship but considering it's the capital ship and only ship (aside from a low poly strike craft) it's actually pretty minimal. A non-game crashing Sins fourth race candidate that could be added to many different mods.
