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Best rpg resources for detailed "real" solar systems?

Started by Planet Algol, October 02, 2014, 06:59:40 PM

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Planet Algol

October 02, 2014, 06:59:40 PM
Looking for RPG stuff that has detailed setting information for real life star systems. Stuff like Traveller 2300 ad and the Traveller map's systems that correspond with real stars.

Stuff where I could look up Barnard's star, for example, and there's a detailed planet, or even better, detailed solar system.
Yeah, but who gives a fuck? You? Jibba?

Well congrats. No one else gives a shit, so your arguments are a waste of breath.

BarefootGaijin

#1
October 02, 2014, 07:39:43 PM
Nothing RPG related pops into my head, but I have these on my tablet and they provide solar system and exoplanet data. Might be useable.

Solar Explorer

Exoplanet Explorer
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soltakss

#2
October 03, 2014, 06:17:27 AM
I managed to track down a CSV file that had tens of thousands of star positions. I recalculated them in terms of a 3D parsec grid and outputted them into an Excel spreadsheet, with each tab being a separate layer, centered on Sol (out star).

It worked quite well, but would probably be absolutely useless from a publishable point of view.
Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism  since 1982.

http://www.soltakss.com/index.html
Merrie England (Medieval RPG): http://merrieengland.soltakss.com/index.html
Alternate Earth: http://alternateearthrq.soltakss.com/index.html

Will

#3
October 03, 2014, 10:04:50 AM
Not quite what you're asking for, but GURPS Space is the single best resource (gaming or otherwise) I've found for laying out how a solar system might be constructed, and has loads of information for detailing systems.
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dragoner

#4
October 03, 2014, 12:08:26 PM
Quote from: Planet Algol;789793Looking for RPG stuff that has detailed setting information for real life star systems. Stuff like Traveller 2300 ad and the Traveller map's systems that correspond with real stars.

Stuff where I could look up Barnard's star, for example, and there's a detailed planet, or even better, detailed solar system.

I still use Heaven and Earth. Various stuff might look cool, but the reality is that we don't know that much about planetary systems. For example, Bode's Law, most game systems use it, even though it is proven wrong. Though the reality of how systems develop is way more complicated.
The most beautiful peonies I ever saw ... were grown in almost pure cat excrement.
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Planet Algol

#5
October 04, 2014, 04:19:55 PM
Honestly I'm just looking for books where someone has already done the work of generating and describing solar systems that correspond with real stars in the neighborhood of our sun to cherry pick from. Stuff like. 2300ad.

What other rpgs have detailed the nearby solar systems like 2300ad?
Yeah, but who gives a fuck? You? Jibba?

Well congrats. No one else gives a shit, so your arguments are a waste of breath.

dragoner

#6
October 04, 2014, 04:58:32 PM
2300 is the only one I know of.
The most beautiful peonies I ever saw ... were grown in almost pure cat excrement.
-Vonnegut

Planet Algol

#7
October 07, 2014, 11:22:19 PM
So far, in the category of sci fi rpg resources that use a fair amount of real stars in Sol's neighbourhood, I have:
2300ad/Traveller 2300
Traveller - Solomani Rim
Space Opera - Terran Sector
Yeah, but who gives a fuck? You? Jibba?

Well congrats. No one else gives a shit, so your arguments are a waste of breath.

GameDaddy

#8
October 08, 2014, 09:33:16 PM
I second Heaven & Earth as a great solar system generator, you just have to find a computer  (Win 9x or XP) old enough to run it. It won't run on the newer PCs.

Using just a book though and dice, I'd go with GURPS:Space. Probably one of the best RPG Sci-fi supplements out there, with an uber-detailed solar system generator.
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~ Dave Arneson

dragoner

#9
October 08, 2014, 10:00:43 PM
H&E runs on my win 7 machine, it gives a warning that a file doesn't work correctly but if you click past it, everything is fine. It is the best I have found, has some issues, but it gives you maps of the entire system at least.
The most beautiful peonies I ever saw ... were grown in almost pure cat excrement.
-Vonnegut

Xavier Onassiss

#10
October 09, 2014, 11:31:24 PM
I use this web page:

http://www.solstation.com/stars.htm

Every listed star system has its own page; new data on exoplanets is added frequently. I'm currently updating the next edition of my setting based on the most recent findings. Of course, it'll be outdated about a week after it gets published....
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