Subsector Graphics

[middenface]

Just a little experiment - and something I can use in the future..I don't just do starships you know... :wink:

Created with a combination of Inkscape and Illustrator.

 

[BP]

Looks good. Coloring the 'planet' icon based on water % would be nice.

I've used planets of different sizes and with a colored 'atmo' band indicating density and quality.

P.S. - curious why both Inkscape and Illustrator? Either should be able to pull it off, I would think. The SVG from Inkscape has the bonus of being hand editable (well, more readily) plus supports data tags - and easily copied for inclusion in a program.

 

[middenface]

Looks good. Coloring the 'planet' icon based on water % would be nice.

I've used planets of different sizes and with a colored 'atmo' band indicating density and quality.

P.S. - curious why both Inkscape and Illustrator? Either should be able to pull it off, I would think. The SVG from Inkscape has the bonus of being hand editable (well, more readily) plus supports data tags - and easily copied for inclusion in a program.

Thanks! Aye I intend some tinkering... so I'm stealing those ideas heh!

(maybe a deluxe version with stars in the background)

I know illustrator better than inkscape. But I found an 'extension' for Inkscape that did hex maps, alas I couldn't get it to do 0101 as the first hex, so I hand edited in AI. Data tags.. interesting I might look at Inkscape more. Cheers!

 

[middenface]

Deluxe Version..

 

[Richard]

Pretty! All you have to do now is the entire Marches so that I can empty the cartridges on my printer!

 

[middenface]

Pretty! All you have to do now is the entire Marches so that I can empty the cartridges on my printer!

Well I aim to keep the ink and printer industry going with my efforts...got shares you know.

Needs a printer friendly version - !

 

[Malakor]

very nice work. I was just looking at the stuff on your blog and I like it.

Do you mind if I ask what program you use to make your ship renderings?

 

[nats]

Very nice work you should have done the sub-sector graphics in the Spinward Marches book. The only thing I have added to those ones, and something you might want to consider, is colouring each water based planet blue and adding a boundary colour around each of the faction ownerships. (Imperial, Zhodani, Arden, etc).

 

[andyl]

Nice.

Lanth has a scout base too though (I assume you just overlooked this). It would also be nice to see "Lanth" in caps or a different colour or something to show that it is the capital.

 

[Jak Nazryth]

I love all the random stars and gas you added to the background.
Great work!

 

[andrew boulton]

Nice! I'd increase the size of the planets, name, and starport, and maybe change RZs to outlines.

 

[middenface]

Thanks for the comments... just tweaking.. then smoke came out of the washing machine.. back soon with the pretty versiona Mk2

 

[middenface]

very nice work. I was just looking at the stuff on your blog and I like it.

Do you mind if I ask what program you use to make your ship renderings?

Cheers! Its sketchup I use.. though some of the renders might be an external package.

 

[middenface]

 

[Jak Nazryth]

Lots of red zones!

 

[IanBruntlett]

While the current images look very cool... would it be difficult to have two versions? A black background for PDFs and a white background for printing?

As for software for helping out with Traveller, I've recently learned how to use FreeMind (for some ideas in the GameMastering book). I'd like to learn how to use Inkscape and Scribus. Which resources would you recommend to learn Inkscape?

 

[AndrewW]

While the current images look very cool... would it be difficult to have two versions? A black background for PDFs and a white background for printing?

Background color is easy to change, though would also have to change a bit more from the white. Shouldn't be too bad though may be pretty easy depending on how the map is setup.

As for software for helping out with Traveller, I've recently learned how to use FreeMind (for some ideas in the GameMastering book). I'd like to learn how to use Inkscape and Scribus. Which resources would you recommend to learn Inkscape?

Try the tutorials that come with Inkscape they can give you a good overview of some of the features.

For some video tutorials try:

http://screencasters.heathenx.org/

 

[middenface]

While the current images look very cool... would it be difficult to have two versions? A black background for PDFs and a white background for printing?

Very easy, in fact thats the plan. 'IF' was doing a subsector book/thing I'd do two version of the map.
Each part of the map is a layer. So backdrop, hex, coordinate, planets, names etc each on a different layer.

Just done a black and white one for something else...

 

[middenface]

Hmmm

 

[BP]

Sweet!

RE: the prior images (lost a post)

Actually liked the original red zone disks over the circles (transparency (i.e. darker) and a radial gradient might look slick). The trick is to keep the starport code visible (3D offset)

The zone circles also look like an orbit path for the gas giant symbol and sort of wash it out.

Also, preferred the original thinner route lines (I've used glows with them as well). Makes them stand out less - though I've also used thickness and brightness (with glow) to indicate the J-x nature.

@IanBruntlett - the tutorials can be found under the Help menu in Inkscape.