Aleus Stygian
   |
Posted - 2009.05.07 12:11:00 -
[1]
Where to start? Considering that we're dealing with space friction and odd tastes, it's logical that some odd designs should crop up. It also seems rather typical that battleships end up the most dreadfully looking of ships in all races' lineups, probably because they have to be such great big lumps. Still, it really depends on your taste which you find most horrible, but that's where it's so convenient that people are all more or less of a somewhat similar disposition when it comes to aesthetic appreciation.
The Caldari find many somewhat appearance-disadvantaged ships in their lineup, any artistry but function not being their foremost priority. On the whole though, for overall ugliest ship it's a tight competition between the Bantam, the Osprey and the Raven, all of them lumpy and spiky and disfigured in their own little ways.
While the Gallente could be said to have the most idealistic ideas of design around in New Eden, we all know that they are the sort of people who (pretend to) appreciate postmodern art, hence their ship designs. It's hard to find a more impressive ball of space snot than the Celestis or a more massive and deadly potato than a Dominix. Some military strategists argue that the odd and disturbing designs of Gallente ships are meant to confuse attackers and to discourage them from firing at actually vital ship components. Others speculate that to compensate for theirs currently being the apparently underpowered selection of ships, the Gallente are developing and gradually testing the tactic of making a ship so hideous to look at that enemies will flee or be so disgusted as to be unable to fight merely by looking at it.
As the Amarr are very big on predetermined criteria and standards, and have their iconography and ideas of an idealized world, theirs is the naturally most straight-edged design philosophy. It does not produce any astoundingly beautiful designs that can only come from free thinking and accidental brilliance, such as the Merlin or the Maelstrom, but performs generally far more decently across the board. The more notable examples of Amarr ugliness would likely be the Coercer and the Prophecy.
And where to start with the Minmatar? They have the most mixed lineup of ships of all the races, and this even goes so far as to include their aesthetics. Outstanding examples of brilliance can be noted, but as that is not the subject of this thread, the much maligned examples of rusty haphazardness will be instead. The Rupture is regular and symmetrical and no less hideous for that, and the Typhoon has been compared to an old vacuum cleaner.
_________________________________________________________
|