Star Maps

Piestrio · June 05, 2012, 10:31:02 PM

Hey all,

I need a good way to make a starmap for my sci-fi setting.

A 2D "sector map" type deal is perfectly okay, the game is pretty loose and low in the realism dept.

So I need either a program I can use or just advice on making an attractive map the players can use.

Thanks!

Shawn Driscoll · June 06, 2012, 01:37:14 AM

I use SPI's Universe RPG to make my dice-generated worlds. See the UNIVERSE PLUS link (second in the download list) at http://members.iinet.net.au/~avalon11/Universe/Universe.htm

jeff37923 · June 06, 2012, 03:26:30 AM

One Random Subsector Generator.

Also, the Zhodani Base website really is a treat to cruise around in. Check it out, there is plenty in here to love. Here's a whole section on starmaps!

Kuroth · June 06, 2012, 09:38:22 AM

I should have posted Heaven & Earth in this thread. One may add descriptive text, as discussed in the other thread, to the worlds created with Heaven & Earth. They would end up similar to write-ups in the old space atlases for GURPS.

Heaven & Earth

Here is another world generator that is specific to GURPS 4th Space. This one is Excel or similar spreadsheet application based.

GURPS Star System Generator

Sigmund · June 06, 2012, 01:05:37 PM

To map your own, I'd recommend Hexographer. It has icons for mapping subsectors as well as the fantasy stuff.

eskatonic · June 06, 2012, 01:42:31 PM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;546443I use SPI's Universe RPG to make my dice-generated worlds. See the UNIVERSE PLUS link (second in the download list) at http://members.iinet.net.au/~avalon11/Universe/Universe.htm

To this day, I still think the Universe planet maps are the best!

Insufficient Metal · June 06, 2012, 02:56:03 PM

I use Inkscape, though I respect the learning curve may be steeper than you're looking for. I did this in about a day.

Spoiler

Sigmund · June 06, 2012, 03:43:17 PM

Quote from: Insufficient Metal;546594I use Inkscape, though I respect the learning curve may be steeper than you're looking for. I did this in about a day.

Spoiler

Beautiful IM

Hexographer is easier, but your work is definitely prettier

Insufficient Metal · June 06, 2012, 04:25:52 PM

Quote from: Sigmund;546616Beautiful IM Hexographer is easier, but your work is definitely prettier

Thanks very much! One of the players had this blown up to poster size and printed it out to put on the wall. Looked gorgeous.

eskatonic · June 06, 2012, 04:46:17 PM

Quote from: Insufficient Metal;546594I use Inkscape, though I respect the learning curve may be steeper than you're looking for. I did this in about a day.

Spoiler

That's gorgeous. May I ask which game it is for? Looks vaguely Traveller-esque.

Insufficient Metal · June 06, 2012, 05:09:26 PM

Quote from: eskatonic;546637That's gorgeous. May I ask which game it is for? Looks vaguely Traveller-esque.

Thank you. It's for Starblazer Adventures.

Kuroth · June 06, 2012, 08:23:10 PM

This is very cool Insufficient Metal! Well done

Dodger · June 06, 2012, 08:35:16 PM

I fucking hate 2D star maps. Star maps should be 3D, with gravitational data and, ideally, annotations for calculating positional variance due to galactic drift.

However, Insufficient Metal's map looks pretty sweet. For. 2D star map.

Kuroth · June 06, 2012, 08:47:50 PM

The Astrogator's Handbook is a useful star map in 3 dimensions. It covers a 50 light year cube with the Sun at the center. It is pretty well done, and it is not written with a specific system in mind. It was created for science fiction authors in general.

Direct Link to The Astrogator's Handbook

Drohem · June 07, 2012, 10:20:23 AM

Quote from: Kuroth;546717The Astrogator's Handbook is a useful star map in 3 dimensions. It covers a 50 light year cube with the Sun at the center. It is pretty well done, and it is not written with a specific system in mind. It was created for science fiction authors in general.

Direct Link to The Astrogator's Handbook

Cool stuff! Thanks for the link.