With the countdown to the October 2 premiere of Stargate Universe officially underway, consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi has been given the green light to share lots of concept art and behind-the-scenes photos at his blog. This week, he’s shown off some concept art that is sure to get the tech geeks in Stargate fandom talking.
Two pieces of concept art include written descriptions of how the new Stargate dials a 7, 8 or 9-chevron address. Photos of the Destiny Stargate show that it differs from the SG-1 and Atlantis gate systems in some significant ways. First, it doesn’t have star constellations on an inner track — and it doesn’t have a free-spinning inner track at all.
The Destiny gate also has a large white ball connected directly above it (pictured below), and a chevron in the floor right in front (image). So just how do these elements of the system function?
One memo indicates that the 36 symbols on the Stargate are not graphic representations of star constellations at all, but are words in an ancient script — the Ancient names of the stars. (How this functions in identifying a destination within three-dimensional space, as the ship moves from one galaxy to the next, is not known and probably won’t be fully explained.)
As shown in the recent SGU teaser trailer “Survive,” the entire gate spins while dialing (not just an inner track). As each symbol in the address “locks,” the white ball above the Stargate will momentarily illuminate. The symbol itself then stays illuminated as the gate reverses directions. Once all seven, eight or nine symbols have been dialed, the chevron on the floor locks and the wormhole “kawooshes.”
While the Stargate is active, all of the chevrons are illuminated.
The Stargate’s connecting and disconnecting is also accompanied by a slightly delayed blast of steam from the vents at the gate’s base, giving the system a “steampunk” feel.
One document indicates the presence of a flatscreen display in the floor of the Gate Room, which would show each symbol of the address as it is dialed. This doesn’t seem to be how the set was actually constructed, and was probably replaced by the ball.
It is believed that both the Destiny and this Stargate design predate the Milky Way and Pegasus Galaxy Stargate designs, helping to fill in the span of Ancient / Alteran history after the race that built the gates left their home galaxy with a design in mind (Stargate: The Ark of Truth) and when they set up the familiar SG-1 gate network in our own galaxy.
The timeline established for the franchise’s mythology so far allows that span of time to be hundreds, thousands, or potentially even millions of years.
Check out the original production images at Joseph Mallozzi’s Blog! Stargate Universe premieres October 2 on Syfy.
Differently different… but in a cool way.
I do love steam punk, not enough to make me like the show but a least it put one fear to rest.
not sure the whole “ball” idea was a good one, just seems a bit too dumb for the gate builders
The whole thing spins lol. I dont have high hopes for this BSG wannabe and its most random setup of actors
Lou Diamond Phillips and Ming-Na as random . . .
you gotta be kiddin’ me.
Some of the others, I will admit, I have never heard of, but in fairness, with the exception of RDA (who at the time was a washed up actor) I had never heard of any actors in SG-1, and none from Atlantis unless they appeared in SG-1 first.
works for me, for the people who have doubts, just take a look at an old rotary phone, our tech had to come from somewhere!
Hey I agree with joshed. And I was never a fan of atlantis at first, but it grew on me and now I love it.
I have to agree with the above mentioned comment about the ball. Not sure that was a good idea. Sorry… I think its really cheesy :(
The first time I saw the Atlantis gate (not even in action) I loved it. Liked it much better than the spinning wheel gate of SG1 (please don’t throw tomatoes at me! ;) ) but this.. yeah. no. I *guess* if its “old” tech/first generation gates, it could be somewhat feasible, but I’m just not really sold on it. *shrugs*
I think they are trying very hard to get a steampunk vibe going in this show, as it seems to be a trendy thing this year (Warehouse 13) on SciFi. The gate and other design elements seem to be part of that.
ack, Syfy, sheesh…
The white ball looks like a bare lightbulb – at least from the pic – just connect a string and *click* darkness ;P
But that’s just me not being a fan of steampunk.
Regarding the “the spinning gate doesn’t make sense” comments. Actually it makes perfect sense, follow this link:
http://josephmallozzi.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/dsc03420x.jpg
This will show you a picture of how the gate works. I think the whole gate spins and the light bulb on top of the gate is the “thing” that chooses what symbol/symbols to light up. And MUCH later in SG1 and Atlantis, the atlanteans have more advanced gates that don’t need the light bulb thing, it’s incorporated in the gate, and therefore with the “new” technology it isn’t necessary for the whole gate to spin.
I like it, the bulb its different but its consistent that this gate is the predececssor of the MW gates. The steam that releases after activation of the gate is nice, like a release valve for the work done by the nachine that spins the gate.
Of, this a stupid idea, it´s Stargate Universe, the show for the MTV generation, and the show with hasbeens like Lou Diamond Philips and Ming-Na (come on). I hope this show is a major flop and will get cancelled wihtin the first year. Bring back Stargate Atlantis!!!
Oh ye who loved the wonder of The Gate, morn it’s lose for naught shall ever be the same again.
Goodbye my love, my Atlantis, goodbye…*cries*
Are the Ancients still the gate builders here? Because the ancient designs are sure not like what we have seen before. Looks like a cross between goa’uld, Wraith and Ascard Tech. And a little style from the Alteran sceens from Ark of Truth. Looks pretty cool. Though I need to know if this is still Ancient/Alteran tech we’re talking about.
It bugs me though that the top chevron is not at the 12 o’clock position. Did they not have watches 10,000 years ago?
I’m sure they had watches millions of years ago, but who says they separated their days into two 12 hours segments? Or that they measured time in any way similar to ours?
After seeing the explanation as to the nature of the globe, I understand and accept it. But I still don’t like it. I am reserving final judgment on the show until I have seen the first season.
Yeah, the lightbulb and the gas vents will sure look cool, only… Do you really think a race that can build a wormhole generator needs lightbulbs to flicker and steam vents to make their machinery work? Ok, so the lightbulb could be a design thing – a chevron lock indicator, if you like. But the venting? I really don’t see what that could be good for. If it were steam coming, say, from a cold-fusion reactor powering the gate in the energy spike during activation, why not lead it away through a pipeline? Also, steampunk doesn’t have to mean steam-driven.… Read more »
Yeah, one more thing – the symbols NOT meaning constellations is in direct conflict with canon established in the first (1994) Stargate movie. True, if they were stars, the coordinate system would give more sense (a constellation does not look like a constellation from a different place in space, the stars may in fact be VERY far apart). And the naming thing was a very slick move when used for, say, ProClaRush TaONas. But I was always kinda sour about the frequent inconsistencies in SG canon and do not really like such a fundamental piece being tampered with.
As for how the coordinates work, I beg to differ in that this has been explained – again in the very first movie. Six points in space, when their order matters, can be used to create three lines, and three lines have exactly one intercept, as long as none are parallel. That’s six. Seven, point of origin. Useful when you move a gate, so that it can reconnect to the network. Eight, network prefix (one network per galaxy). Nine, who knows what. If it leads only to the Destiny, then it’s the ship’s unique call sign, allowing it to be… Read more »
I had really hoped the 9th chevron would allow them to connect the Stargate to other TV shows. I was looking forward to O’Niell helping Cory Matthews through some coming-of-age problem on Boy Meets World.
As for the new gate design itself… let’s see how the show sells it. Might be really cool *shrugs*
@toxteth:
You seem to be lacking logic and common sense. A show flop won’t mean the return of Atlantis (and considering it is the same people who are creating SGU as did with Atlantis, your post only seems less coherent and more of a unstable rant. Why would you hate a show that is made by the same people who created Atlantis, a show that brought you joy…)
Anyways, I suggest to anyone who is still not sure about some things with the new Universe gate, I suggest simply watch the show. I am sure many things will be answered.