Advice Fluff/Inspiration Props RPG Stargazer March 30, 2009 8 Comments

Starmap

Last week I started working on a SF campaign after my players told me that they wanted to play “something with space ships and laser guns”. We checked out the SF campaign settings I already own (including Star Wars, Babylon 5, etc.) and then decided that we wanted something original.

After throwing around several ideas in the back of my head I settled on a pretty hard SF campaign that focusses on the solar systems in close vicinity to our own sun. And in order to visualize the campaign area to the players I created a starmap. Using this map as basis I started by adding a nice backdrop photo and a hex grid. The suns and labels where created in Photoshop.

I have to admit that I am pretty content with how the map turned out. The grid is not very helpful as it is, but I gives the map this “Traveller sector map” look.

Stargazer

Michael Wolf is a German games designer and enthusiast best known for his English language role-playing games blog, Stargazer's World, and for creating the free rules-light medieval fantasy adventure game Warrior, Rogue & Mage. He has also worked as an English translator on the German-language Dungeonslayers role-playing game and was part of its editorial team. In addition to his work on Warrior, Rogue & Mage and Dungeonslayers, he has created several self-published games and also performed layout services and published other independent role-playing games such as A Wanderer's Romance, Badass, and the Wyrm System derivative Resolute, Adventurer & Genius, all released through his imprint Stargazer Games. Professionally, he works as a video technician and information technologies specialist. Stargazer's World was started by Michael in August 2008.

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8 comments

Mad Brew March 30, 2009 15:48

The map does look good.

But I have always pondered about making star maps because every map I have seen only deals in two dimensions, while objects in space are obviously positioned in 3 dimensions. Ever stumble across any solutions to that?

<abbr><abbr>Mad Brews last blog post..Designing Games with Class</abbr></abbr>

David March 30, 2009 21:19

You should consider checking out the maps from the Alternity Star*Drive products. Actually, it's not a bad system to check out in general..

<abbr><abbr>Davids last blog post..Ouch</abbr></abbr>

Stargazer March 30, 2009 21:37

@David: Thanks for the tip, but I already decided to use the d6 Space system. But I'll have a look at the maps.

@Mad Brew: There is a program called Astrosynthesis from NBOS that allows the creation of 3D star maps.

GameDaddy March 30, 2009 22:57

You can also generate 3d maps with a decent freeware software app for Windows called Celestia, available here:
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

GameDaddy March 30, 2009 22:58

Also runs on Linux and Mac PC's…

David March 31, 2009 15:10

I've never played d6, but I used to play WEG's Star Wars, which I believe is pretty much the same system, minus the Jedi. Your players should have a lot of fun!

<abbr><abbr>Davids last blog post..Ouch</abbr></abbr>

Oz March 31, 2009 23:14

Have you ever looked at the Traveller 2300 map? It's very interesting if you want the realistic feel, of course you need the guide book that gives each star's coordinates then you have to do the math to figure the distance between two stars, but if you want realism I recommend it.

Finding it may be tricky though.

<abbr><abbr>Ozs last blog post..Hero System 6th Edition</abbr></abbr>

Stargazer March 31, 2009 23:16

Thanks for the advice, Oz. But I think I will probably stick to my map.

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