I think the Nighthawk as a unit is a good concept. However, I think the model is aesthetically too similar to a Protoss ship. It has radial symmetry and does barrel rolls. Note that many protoss ships are either perfectly radially symmetric or close to it. EG: > Observer > Arbiter > Phase Prism > Mothership (although it's radially symmetric on the vertical axis and not the horizontal one) Please Blizzard, rework the Nighhawk to look more Terran and less Protoss. I realize that I don't work for you, but as an Industrial Designer I understand the concept of holistic branding and design language on the same level your designers and artists do. -Thanks
I can see where you're coming from with this, but I don't wholly agree. If it was blue and gold, with the red hilights being glowy blue/see-thru, maybe. However, it has multiple 'Terran' aspects to it: Clear area for a cockpit Satellite Dish/Communications Antenna Human guns (fires bullets) Industrial themed In fact, in my opinion, the way to change it would be to make it look less like a bug.
IMO it should look more primitive, less advanced, not to the bent around crane level of the nomad but to be more low tech, industrial style.
I like the way it looks to be honest. Sure it's a science vessel replacement but it belongs on the front lines so I think it's looks are good the way they are.
Four ships across two games that are 'close to' being radially symmetrical really doesn't give them a monopoly on such designs, especially when it's used so liberally to include such ships as the Warp Prism. If anything, their design monopoly is on ships which do not display the usual vertical axis of symmetry, such as the Mothership and Observer, and arguably the Void Ray due to its constant state of movement and Warp Prism in its ability to deploy in which it becomes not too dissimilar to the Mothership or stationary Observer. Basically, the Protoss' design is based strongly around keeping their ships in constant motion, present in all those mentioned above, and not on the 'X' style of structural design of the Arbiter, with the Arbiter being the only Protoss ship to exhibit that characteristic. Therefore the Nighthawk's similar structural design would be more appropriately likened to that of the Viking or Battlecruiser, and arguably that of the Medivac as well, while not forgetting that of the scrapped Predator. In short, the only similarity that the Nighthawk really shares with the design of the Protoss is its strong resemblance to the old Arbiter, and with the Arbiter not returning to StarCraft2 as well as several design elements of the Nighthawk having been shifted strongly in Terran's favour, including the points Fenix listed earlier, despite being thought of as being 'sleeker' than previously seen Terran flyers, is that really enough for it to deserve a new model? Model's are often very hit-and-miss, as we've seen throughout the development of the game, so is it really worth throwing away a more than decent design due to these few loose similarities shared with the old Arbiter?
I think it looks terran enough. It's black and very angular. It would have to be much curvier to be protoss I think.
About symmetry, the BC, Wraith, Predator, Banshee, were and are all bilaterally symmetrical, so is the nighthawk(the lower "wings" are shorter than the upper and the cockpit curves up like an overturned bowl like the Arbiter). Also the Science vessel was radially symmetric. Also the Arbiter was not , for the reason mentioned in the above parenthesis. Finally the overall design seems terrain to me, too many angles, not as sleek as protoss craft, and the color scheme is very off as that protoss(even the dark protoss) tend to chose a blue/gold color setup. The ship's design is pyramidal, which is associated with terran aircraft, the battle cruiser, banshee, viking, and wraith all have an overall design that fits in a square based pyramid...actually the BC is rectangular pyramid but its close enough. meanwhile most(the arbiter being an exception its conical) protoss aircraft have a cylindrical design. just my 2 cents.
I love the look of the nighthawk and it seems more matrixy then protossy. Remember terrans are technologically advanced too just not in the way the protoss are.
