Digital Trade Map Generator

[MasterGwydion]

Having spent the last several days trying to map out the trade routes in one subsector of space, I have come to a conclusion that some kind of digital tool is needed to accomplish this. Just enter the UWP Codes, and Hex Locations. Then the program spits out a map of all of the trade routes and their BTNs. Other than the Travellermap and the Core Books (CRB, RH, CSC, HG, and VH), this would be the single greatest bit of help for worldbuilding. It currently takes Me a week of work doing math and drawing on a paper map by hand to see where routes overlap, and then increasing the BTNs where 3 or more routes of the next lowest level where those overlaps occur.
This would turn a week of grinding into 20 minutes of data entry.

I would love to see a product along these lines.

Edit: I would also love to see rules for intra-system trade, as well as for extra-polity trade.

 

[Terry Mixon]

A decade ago, I wrote a script to at least work out the raw details. I no longer have it and I was an amateur anyway. It's doable, though.

 

[Nelphine]

Yeah this is one reason why i mostly focus on pop 8+ worlds when doing trade routes. (I often don't bother making the trade routes for lower population worlds, even though technically they add up)

 

[MasterGwydion]

A decade ago, I wrote a script to at least work out the raw details. I no longer have it and I was an amateur anyway. It's doable, though.

It is doable, but My computer knowledge is about 30 years out of date. I know that it is possible, but have no idea how to make it happen.

 

[Terry Mixon]

It is doable, but My computer knowledge is about 30 years out of date. I know that it is possible, but have no idea how to make it happen.

Hire a developer.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Hire a developer.

lol

 

[Nelphine]

I think the purpose of the thread is a wishlist item for mongoose. I happen to agree, I think a lot of people would appreciate such a tool, and I think mongoose has the resources where any of us are not likely to.

So it's a wishlist request, knowing that it's not likely ever to come to fruition.

 

[MasterGwydion]

lol

I would have to find one online. I live on a small island with only 2,000 people on it and sketchy utilities. No cars, no roads, no public water or sewer, electricity only functions about half of the time, no police, no hospital, no fire department, etc...lol

 

[MasterGwydion]

I think the purpose of the thread is a wishlist item for mongoose. I happen to agree, I think a lot of people would appreciate such a tool, and I think mongoose has the resources where any of us are not likely to.

So it's a wishlist request, knowing that it's not likely ever to come to fruition.

Not likely. I agree, but it would be nifty!

 

[Terry Mixon]

I think the purpose of the thread is a wishlist item for mongoose. I happen to agree, I think a lot of people would appreciate such a tool, and I think mongoose has the resources where any of us are not likely to.

So it's a wishlist request, knowing that it's not likely ever to come to fruition.

I know. Just being a smartass.

 

[Nelphine]

I'm not great at reading smart-ass! Thanks for clarifying

 

[Arkathan]

My Excel trade sheet takes the UWP's and generates the Trade Codes based upon the trade rules for the current MgT2 ruleset.
It spits out a fake hex map about 5 parsecs wide.
Nothing would stop a person from taking that code and idea and making a larger map with whatever extra info you want. Or from piecing subsector screenshots together until you have a sector map.

 

[MasterGwydion]

My Excel trade sheet takes the UWP's and generates the Trade Codes based upon the trade rules for the current MgT2 ruleset.
It spits out a fake hex map about 5 parsecs wide.
Nothing would stop a person from taking that code and idea and making a larger map with whatever extra info you want. Or from piecing subsector screenshots together until you have a sector map.

That is pretty cool! It is definitely better than what I am using currently, but it doesn't actually map the trade routes on to the map and that is required for accuracy. (If you use the rule that for every 3 trade routes of the same size that pas between systems, you increase that section of the route by one BTN to illustrate how busy the traffic is between those two, 1 jump range planets.) I am aware of no program that takes into account combining the traffic from multiple trade routes into one.

 

[Arkathan]

That is pretty cool! It is definitely better than what I am using currently, but it doesn't actually map the trade routes on to the map and that is required for accuracy. (If you use the rule that for every 3 trade routes of the same size that pas between systems, you increase that section of the route by one BTN to illustrate how busy the traffic is between those two, 1 jump range planets.) I am aware of no program that takes into account combining the traffic from multiple trade routes into one.

Yeah it doesn't do that. I was doing good to type in the first sector by hand from Behind the Claw and get it to spit out the codes based on the book. I made it to speed up my group's speculative trade, and put it out in case anyone else wanted to use it.
Without it, my group would not have the patience to spec trade, even though it tends to pay most of the bills on its own.

 

[Terry Mixon]

That is pretty cool! It is definitely better than what I am using currently, but it doesn't actually map the trade routes on to the map and that is required for accuracy. (If you use the rule that for every 3 trade routes of the same size that pas between systems, you increase that section of the route by one BTN to illustrate how busy the traffic is between those two, 1 jump range planets.) I am aware of no program that takes into account combining the traffic from multiple trade routes into one.

You should see list of changes ungrateful me requested. I feel bad. Not really, though I am grateful.

 

[MasterGwydion]

You should see list of changes ungrateful me requested. I feel bad. Not really, though I am grateful.

I am horrible like that as well. It is one of the reasons I choose to not live near other people. lol I get an idea in My head, and I cannot leave it alone until it makes sense.

 

[ottarrus]

It might be good to look at The Traveller Adventure for examples on how goods flow in the Third Imperium.
I would caution that these routes were designed with the plot of the campaign in mind rather than sheer Keynesian economics, but it's still a good example.

 

[MasterGwydion]

It might be good to look at The Traveller Adventure for examples on how goods flow in the Third Imperium.
I would caution that these routes were designed with the plot of the campaign in mind rather than sheer Keynesian economics, but it's still a good example.

Most of the trade in Traveller were designed only with campaign plot in mind. Fine for adventuring, sad for worldbuilding.

 

[ottarrus]

Most of the trade in Traveller were designed only with campaign plot in mind. Fine for adventuring, sad for worldbuilding.

Well the only riposte to that is, 'isn't everything about adventuring?'
But yeah, Traveller grogs have this desperate inborn need for the math to work out

 

[agentwigggles]

Not sure if intra system trade would be that engaging to read. It'd be all contract shipping. Might be something interesting you can do with indy truckers, bidding on jobs.
But intra system travel is so cheap, I am not sure how a bidding system would work with that.