Now for something different: Sexy, Sexy Starfighters

[Ninjamedic]

The following OP is sposored by no one, so if you're looking for a usergroup link, you're going to be sorely disappointed.


Now then, I've been on a bit of a Star Wars binge as of late (Rogue Squadron to be exact, bit of the ol' nostalgia), and while Rebel Strike wasn't well, good, I always loved the design of the TIE Hunter:

Spoiler

(Stupid obscurity and no bigger pictures from the game.

Just look at it, it's a hybrid of an X-Wing and a TIE Interceptor. It just looks sexy.

So then I thought "This may be worth discussing eh? I should make a thread."

SO THEN I WENT TO MY BROWSER AND...

....Procrastinated on it for a week or two. But now I've posted it! So then non-gender specific gentlemen of this wretched hive and scum and villainy, what starfighters do you sind to be just damn good looking?

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Tie Avenger is much sexier than the Hunter. It stays sleek while not looking flimsy.

Spoiler

And also the Cygnus Spaceworks Assault Gunboat: the Empire's answer to the Y-Wing.

Spoiler

 

[Muspelheim]

Hmm. It's not exactly a starfighter, but it can go extra-atmospheric for deployment and transport. Eh. Feck it.

The Thunderbolt Heavy Fighter.

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120316001612/warhammer40k/images/e/ef/Thunderbolt05.png

It's a sturdy, simple machine for blasting the Xenos from the skies. It doesn't need much staff cuddling with it, don't need a hangar all to itself, all it need is fuel, batteries and one madman to steer it.

Fly low, hit hard and blast back up to the mothership for beer and Lho-sticks.

 

[Zak757]

The real Starfighter is my favorite Starfighter.

 

[BubbleBurst]

I'll be honest, I'm mostly a traditionalist with my Star Wars fighters. Give me a good old X-Wing (or B-Wing) or some variation thereon, any day.

That being said... For anything else it may have done, good or bad, I'll always appreciate how Episode I introduced the Naboo N-1 starfighter. Part of that is nostalgia to the N64 Rogue Squadron, part is because I think it fits the aesthetic of "form over function" before everything went pear-shaped in the galaxy, and part is because it's just a cool looking spacecraft.

Spoiler

 

[Euryalus]

The Tie hunter's wings look like they'd break off if someone sneezed on them

>.>

<.<

...

OT: I'm taking star fighter to just mean fighters and not cruisers and other "exotic" navy-like designs for starships yeah? Well in that case the Seraph fighter from Halo. I just like how alien and insect-like it looks.

And yes, the front is the round aerodynamic end, not the fancy pointed end...

 

[Neverhoodian]

Tie Avenger is much sexier than the Hunter. It stays sleek while not looking flimsy.

Spoiler

And also the Cygnus Spaceworks Assault Gunboat: the Empire's answer to the Y-Wing.

Spoiler

Ah, now those are real beauts. Everyone went crazy for the Tie Defender, but I prefer the Avenger's aesthetics. The Avenger looks predatory and lethal, whereas the Defender comes across as janky and awkward with too much visual "noise."

Truth be told, my favorite starfighter is probably the Y-Wing.

Spoiler

Yes, I know it's a slow pig and all that, but that's part of the appeal. Bear with me here...

One of the original trilogy's many draws for me was its "lived in" feel, and the Y-Wing exemplifies this. One glance and you KNOW these things have been through hell and back. The laser burns, the chipped paint, the jumbled nightmare of exposed components, etc. It also helps illustrate the desperate "scrappy underdog" role of the Rebels. The mechanics and technicians probably pulled their hair out trying to keep the damn things spaceworthy, but they had no other choice. Yet in spite of all this there is a sense that these machines are endearing in a way, much like an old dilapidated muscle car that a teenager tinkers with in the garage.

 

[Ninjamedic]

Tie Avenger is much sexier than the Hunter. It stays sleek while not looking flimsy.

My problem with The Avenger is that it looks a bit too ugly/cobbled to me, it feels like they strapped the panels of two Interceptors onto Vader's Advanced. I get the idea though, it just doesn't look as elegant as I think it would.

I just love the hybrid concept of the Hunter myself.

Though I do love the design of the Assault Gunboat, it's those missle pods.

Yes, I know it's a slow pig and all that, but that's part of the appeal. Bear with me here...

One of the original trilogy's many draws for me was its "lived in" feel, and the Y-Wing exemplifies this. One glance and you KNOW these things have been through hell and back. The laser burns, the chipped paint, the jumbled nightmare of exposed components, etc. It also helps illustrate the desperate "scrappy underdog" role of the Rebels. The mechanics and technicians probably pulled their hair out trying to keep the damn things spaceworthy, but they had no other choice. Yet in spite of all this there is a sense that these machines are endearing in a way, much like an old dilapidated muscle car that a teenager tinkers with in the garage.

Completely agree with you, and I'll go a little further. I adore the lack of consistentcy between the larger ship designs, it reinforces the notion that the Alliance isn't a properly supported military. No two capital ships looking the same, the radical differences between the types of frigates it all just works for me.

Now I really want to watch Jedi now.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

The old Incoming game had a pile of great looking small fighters. I could never find detailed screenshots of them though (hopefully it's not just my nostalgic imagination thinking they were slicker than they were - the game was from the 90s so they must have had a fairly low polygon count and texture res.)

I'll see if I can dig it out of my old gaming shelf and post some screenshots...

EDIT 1: Found Incoming! will post pics shortly...

EDIT 2: I can't reduce my screen resolution enough to play it! Oh well #firstworldproblems.

So here's a Jedi Interceptor instead:

 

[BubbleBurst]

One of the original trilogy's many draws for me was its "lived in" feel, and the Y-Wing exemplifies this. One glance and you KNOW these things have been through hell and back. The laser burns, the chipped paint, the jumbled nightmare of exposed components, etc. It also helps illustrate the desperate "scrappy underdog" role of the Rebels. The mechanics and technicians probably pulled their hair out trying to keep the damn things spaceworthy, but they had no other choice. Yet in spite of all this there is a sense that these machines are endearing in a way, much like an old dilapidated muscle car that a teenager tinkers with in the garage.

I entirely agree, I think that's one of the consistencies I really like about the design in the "prequel" trilogy. Particularly in comparison to the utilitarian Imperial fighters and the frankly beat-up Rebel fighters, most of the fighters in the first two prequels look like they were designed for something other than, well, fighting. They're a little too shiny, a little too smooth, not enough angles. Like if all national air forces on Eart started looking like the Blue Angels after two centuries of worldwide peace.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Part of that is nostalgia to the N64 Rogue Squadron,

Let's be honest, it's entirely because it could outrun those stupid horrible Surface to Air Missiles that peppered every level when you held down the boost.

I think I would have snapped my controller, N64 and TV in half if it wasn't for the N1.

 

[WindKnight]

a little bit of a cheat given it transforms, but I still love the VF-1 valkyrie, both unadorned and withthe strike/super add-on packs

Spoiler: doesnt hurt its inspired by the f-14

Whilst not as well known as battlestar galactica's colonial vipers, always loved Buck Rogers fighters.

Spoiler: (hums the theme tune)

babylon 5's starfuries

Spoiler: the atmospheric fighter/bomber variants were sweet too

the hercules from the freespace games.

Spoiler: lovely chunk of fighter that always put me in mind of a super valkyrie

 

[BubbleBurst]

Part of that is nostalgia to the N64 Rogue Squadron,

Let's be honest, it's entirely because it could outrun those stupid horrible Surface to Air Missiles that peppered every level when you held down the boost.

I think I would have snapped my controller, N64 and TV in half if it wasn't for the N1.

You know, you may well be onto something there. That game caused more than enough controller casualties in my house without rage-breaking everything because of those missiles.

 

[fix-the-spade]

The various fighters (and larger ships, because nuts to the rules) from Colony Wars, sure they borrowed a bit from Babylon 5 and Homeworld, but all the same.
<spoiler=FIRE ALL THE GUNS>
http://pics.mobygames.com/images/covers/large/1089667194-00.jpg
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fOuBNi0SAZs/0.jpg
https://a2-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/76/826f38b05562c33ae53aa6ccc6b576e3/300x300.jpg


While I'm at it the Venom and Havoc from G-Police for having that squat violent look about them.

<spoiler=totally for upholding the law>
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/058/0/6/G_Police_Venom_Gunship_by_AvalanchJML.jpg
http://members.socket.net/~marauder3050/INTA-3192.jpg

 

[Seanchaidh]

Here's a pretty fun starfighter:

Spoiler: A spooky, spooky...

Wraith!

 

[Candidus]

Spoiler

I trust anime is welcome.

If it isn't, then we simply can't post the best fighters.

 

[Nimzabaat]

One of my favs was the Gunstar.

Spoiler

Not really because it was pretty, but because in space it makes much more sense to use a turret as opposed to trying to align the whole fighter with your target.

Otherwise, for looks I liked the Dralthi. I blew so many of them up, but it's a sexy fighter.

Spoiler

 

[Laughing Man]

Spoiler

Has to be Spikes Swordfish from Cowboy Bebop

Or failing that the Puddle Jumpers from Stargate Atlantis

Spoiler

 

[Ygrez]

Always had a soft-spot for the Z-95 Headhunter

Spoiler

No idea why, but I've always played better with one of these than with x-wings in Star Wars games.