Brikar

But a special effect is about aesthetic, not about "realism", no matter what people say about how they want their effects to be "photo-realistic". It's there to look good and to entertain us, and nowhere does anyone make a claim about it being a quality representative of the real world.

And it's something so ingrained in us now that it would be difficult to get away from it. If the Enterprise HAD come to this Klingon ship, which was upside down, or moving at an odd angle from the Enterprise, the viewer immediately assumes that the Klingon ship is drifting. This would most certainly cause confusion when Gorkon hails the Enterprise, and nothing is wrong. And people would think it "odd" or "silly" and some might even laugh.

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Deslok

The only reason I can think of why a ship would align itself like this would be for the purposes of battle. In battle, a ship must protect it's flank and aim it's weapons while not becoming disabled.

2001:ASO had ships that didn't align themselves as such, nor did the ships make any swooshing sounds as they flew through space, and that film was AWESOME!

But for the purposes of Star Trek, it is a visual thing. It looks more orderly, and I'm sure Gene Roddenberry had this debate with his people at some point in the development of Star Trek.

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Cymro

It wouldn't nececarily be a bad thing if they didn't put sound effects in or have the ships in alignment, but I prefer it the way it is, it's like that to fit with human perception.

Besides, how do I know a torpedo's been fired when I'm only listening to the telly while doing something else?

I know, but I was saying it would look shit if it weren't unrealistic.

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