City 17, here we come.

(Half Life 2 reference for those who don't know)

dead_red_eyes

combine the above statement with the fact that electromagnetic anti-gravity engines are round along with pointy tops and bottoms (read. VERY UFO-like) and it IS a very efficient and purposeful shape

Kevin

@jrghoull: Well, you need to design a vehicle that hovers. OK, so it needs a propeller. Now it needs a tail rotor. Well, we want it to go into tight spaces, so we can't have a tail rotor. OK, lets use counter spinning rotors. Since we want it to go into tight spaces, we can't have an exposed rotor, so lets put guards around it. And since having a rotor on top isn't preferable when entering spaces, lets move it to the center. So we now have a craft surrounding a center mounted rotor. We need a shape for the total craft which utilizes the most surface area for the smallest shape, is aerodynamic, and eliminates corners or other things sticking out of it. I think we come up with a circular craft. I think this vehicle is just natural progression, not inspired by people's UFO fantasies which were spawned from sightings of test aircraft.

Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity

@e-friend: Quite

hatboysam

That is so sweet its a hovering dinner plate

Dice

you know i swear to god we wouldnt have a fraction of these stupid looking "round planes" if it weren't for the whole ufo phenomenon. Why did the first plane have the wings they way they were and the propeller designed the way it was? because it HAD to be that way. everything made sense and everything was designed to do what it did...it was not made up to be something it wasnt.

if the basic UFO designs ever turn out in the to be real, and that spaceships in the way way future take on a similar design, then it will be because it makes the most sense to, it wont be because they are trying to make it look like something it's not.

this is a good example. its not a futuristic spaceship, its a helicopter designed to sorta move around and look like a spaceship. it should look like a helicopter, but instead it looks like something out of a grainy film that gets sent to sightings. why? because people are silly.

moral of the story; design things based on how they should be, not on what you wish they were.

jrghoull

@Purple Dave: Actually, for battle, they are going to attach a full-length ball gown covered in sequins. The idea is to blind your opponent with luxury.

Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity

This reminds me of the CYPHERS in Metal Gear Solid 2..

I kinda wanna shoot at one with my SOCOM.. if I had one..

Mith

How about white noise generators?

Git Em SteveDave displays attention-grabbing vanity

oops, guess i'm not very brit after all. :P spelling fixed. I smrt I sware!

Elaine Chow

Can I get that at Hobbytown USA?

seamustry

The lack of video is disappointing.

e-friend

Brit, Britir, Britist?

Anyways, I hope the yellow color is just for the prototyping phase, as that'll be all kinds of conspicuous in a real wartime situation.

Purple Dave

No, I am. Cheerio!

SlinkyDink

No, I'm Britest!

Collins1

WHOA...Metal Gear Sentinels!

jcrockerman

@jcrockerman: That was my first thought.

Desmondia

@dead_red_eyes: I got it.

Desmondia

Maybe it's friendly, like in Flubber with Robin Williams.

burningsensation

@jrghoull:
I thought that bit was explained by the whole "The external blade-less shape allows the machine to enter buildings through windows or doors" bit. You know, because it prevents the blades from smacking into door frames, or cutting down loverly flower arrangements (just because they're there to kill you doesn't mean they have to be _monsters_).

Purple Dave

@jrghoull:

Are you smoking crack? I suppose you think a jet fighter should be designed like a bi-plane or something?

The reason things are designed the way they are is due to the current technology available. Spaceships come from beings who are far advanced in technology that we haven't even dreamt of yet. The reason they are circular is probably due to the need to create an artificial gravity.

What should a spy drone look like? Should a house look like a cracker box with a pitched roof or can it look like the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright? Does a car have to look like a Model-T or can it look like a Ferrari?

Designs can be asthetically pleasing as well as funtional although some things are pretty much locked into a particular shape. For example, a baseball bat that looks like a spatula probably wouldn't be very functional.

cowboyshootist

@jrghoull: Everybody knows that real ufos are pyramid shaped.

Gann

I wonder where the camera is located on the device. If it's on the underside, they can't park it and let it spy. If it is on the side, they can't get images from a fly-by. Hmmm ...

MattTheRogue