ST:The Next Generation Remastered On the Way?

[Mike DiCenso]

At San Diego Comic-Con a few weeks back, during the panel for the Original Series Remastered, it was revealed that tests had been done for a remastered TNG:


http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7762


I know previously people on the this forum expressed some doubt over the possibility of the modern Trek series being remastered, but now it looks like there is some serious thought being put into this by CBS/Paramount. If the FX is also redone, this could have an impact on the Versus debate, especially if DS9's "The Die is Cast" is remastered with improved (corrected?) Founder's Planet bombardment FX.
-Mike

[GStone]

What if the effects are made bigger?

[Cpl Kendall]

If they do it, I hope they throw in some more Ambassador class ships to replace the large numbers of Excelsior we saw. Never thought we saw enough of them.

[Mr. Oragahn]

At San Diego Comic-Con a few weeks back, during the panel for the Original Series Remastered, it was revealed that tests had been done for a remastered TNG:


http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=7762


I know previously people on the this forum expressed some doubt over the possibility of the modern Trek series being remastered, but now it looks like there is some serious thought being put into this by CBS/Paramount. If the FX is also redone, this could have an impact on the Versus debate, especially if DS9's "The Die is Cast" is remastered with improved (corrected?) Founder's Planet bombardment FX.
-Mike

Well, those from DS9 and VOY are fairly decent, but there are many shots from TNG which really look horribly outdated.

It would have been absolutely perfect, but impossibly expensive, to make the corridors and props of the TOS Enterprise more sophisticated.

[Mike DiCenso]

What you say is true, at least for most of Voyager, and some of the later DS9 fx. But much of the early, motion control fx for DS9's first 3-4 seasons could be replaced or touched up considerably since, like with TNG, it is "horribly outdated" in appearence.
-Mike

[Socar]

I'm definitely interested to see what they do here. I know people can think of a whole list of things that could be improved upon, such as Mike's comment about TDiC.

If they do it, I hope they throw in some more Ambassador class ships to replace the large numbers of Excelsior we saw. Never thought we saw enough of them.

I wholeheartedly agree. I think the Ambassador-class has to be one of my favorite post-TOS/Movie era starships, and yet I think the only times we saw one was in Yesterday's Enterprise, the flash back to Wolf 359 in Emissary, and maybe in some of the DS9 Dominion War fleet battles (though I can't remember a single one off hand in particular).

[Mike DiCenso]

The Ambassador class has had actually a number of appearences starting with "Yesterday's Enterprise" (The E-C, obviously). Other appearances are as follows:



* "Data's Day" [TNG]: The U.S.S. Zhukov is the ship which delivers Ambassador T'Pel to the E-D.

* "Redemption, Parts I and II" [TNG]: The U.S.S. Excalibur is briefly seen at times as one of 20 some-odd ships taking part in the tachyon net blockade of the Klingon/Romulan border.

* "Emissary" [DS9]: The U.S.S. Yamaguchi takes part in the ill-fated Battle of Wolf 359.

There are also mentions of starships that are supposed to be Ambassador class:

* "Conspiracy" [TNG]: The U.S.S. Horatio, though not shown, is mentioned as being Ambassador class.

* "You are Cordially Invited" [DS9]: The U.S.S. Exeter, a starship assigned to the 9th fleet, is mentioned in this episode.

-Mike

[Socar]

Huh. Guess I wasn't paying enough attention.

[Mike DiCenso]

I suppose the lack of seeing more Ambassador class starships in TNG and DS9 comes from a lack of the extensive library of footage made. The E-C footage cannot be used all that often since it depicts a very obviously heavily damaged starship, even in the long distance shots (not good when you're trying to depict the Starfleet-Vessel-of-the-Week). So there wouldn't be as much use from the Ambassador E-C as was the case with the E-D/Excelsior class rendezous footage shot for "Encounter at Farpoint", which was the staple choice of FX footage to use when the E-D had to meet up with another Federation starship close up.

As for why a CGI model was never created for the Ambassadors, I have no idea. Certainly the model was available at the time for reference, and contrary to popular misconception, the model was never seriously damaged, much less destroyed (it was sold last year at the Christie's Star Trek auction).
-Mike