Heliopause Setting.

[inrepose]

If you have purchased the Gruntz rules, you are able to download the super-large zoom of the Heliopause map.

You may notice that I have named most of the main systems, there are also the real names of systems as per current star maps (which tend to be a string of codes).

I would like to start to populate the systems with planets and would like to offer this out to players to suggest ideas within the systems listed. If you have some ideas please can you reply here.

I actually want to go very big with the map. So for example you would be able to view the outline but then zoom to the systems and zoom again to see the planets and sun in each system (each system is essentially 1 sun which has the potential have a possible H-CONGRUOUS planet as per our current contemporary real-life research). Next to the system and planets would be further details, background info etc.

The kind of help I need is a combination of background and information on the planets that follows some sort of set pattern of data e.g.

Planet Name
Size
Population
Major Cities
Governing Body: Coroporate ownership: East Hyadum Trade Company
Trade Relationships
General Overview: A green jungle planet with heavy precipitation, dangerous dinosaur like fauna and deadly planet fauna creating a semi-noxiuous atmosphere.
Tek Level: (1 through 5) - 5 being super advanced possibly sublimed level (thought transferred to computer or either biological construct)
4: High tek - super advanced grav/tansporter/space faring.
Down to tek level 1 which is primitive - tek level 2 (gunpowder and tentative space faring). level3 (most human types with modern sci-fi weapons and space fairing/wormhold tek).
Recent Battles : List
Military services: Perhaps a couple of named divisions or famous armies/companies.
Houses: Significant families, waring factions, government individuals. It would be great to get key names here like generals, captains and other famous individuals relating to the planet.

In addition to the information I would like to get some procedurally or hand generated (photoshop) vector based sun and planet images. Which would be compatible with Illustrator with transparency in the image, so I can drop them into the big map and zoom them, so that it would be possible to zoom into just the systems you are interested in

Please note this image is out of date (it has the old faction logos etc).


Fjodin helped me with some initial ideas which would be good to expand on. I don't think I have seen Fjodin on the site for a while. Here is his layout which is a great start but I would like to get this sort of design into the master Illustrator file.

I think it is a good opportunity for people to take ownership of specific planets and systems and start to fill out their own backgrounds. It would make it an interesting living/breathing document and map. With battles and factions being listed by system. There are thousands of options for planetary factions/houses or divisions within existing organisations as listed in the rules. You get an opportunity to get something into the canon for the Heliopause setting which may even feature in the next set of story background which I plan to have written later this year.

Anyone interested?

Attachments:

[Mr. Harold]

That sounds like a lot of fun, count me in. Just let me know what I need to do

[blooddave]

donjon.bin.sh/scifi/tsg/

Random system generator , intended for Traveller.

[Mr. Harold]

That's funny you mentioned that blooddave, I was just about to do the same!

EDIT:

Ok, how about something like this:

System: GC – Px9117

Description: A cataloged, but not formally charted, system that was at one-time the focus of a now-defunct mining startup. Once the company went into insolvency the pirate/mercenary faction known as the Crimson Hegemony took up residence at the mining space station, turning it into a trading post that operates outside the jurisdiction of local law.

System Locations:

Omega Space Station
Mining Station Nbx110
Com-Relay Sub-Station
Asteroid Belt Habitats – Vicon and Syentar
_____________

Station Name: Omega

Size: Space Station

Population: Varies wildly, averages around 10,000 of all different species.

Governing Body: Mercenary/Pirate ownership: Crimson Hegemony
Trade Relationships: Weapons and illegal substances, along with almost anything else (and some of it even isn’t stolen!) are available for purchase here to whomever has the money.

General Overview: A large, held-together-with-duct-tape space station that was once an advanced mining research station. Complete with laboratories, corporate offices, and a large habitat section (including everything that comes along with that, including bars and bazaars) Omega station was once a gleaming example of what could be funded with Venture Capital. Unfortunately those days are long gone, and many sections have been vented to space, or closed off. Other sections have been re-purposed as gunnery ranges or for the pleasures of the more depraved denzins of the galaxy.

Tek Level: (1 through 5) – 4

Military services: The Crimson Hegemony is a mercenary/pirate organization lead by the enigmatic leader known only as “The Arbiter”. Their main recruiting is done on Omega. While the Crimson Hegemony often avoids direct retaliation due to the inhospitable location of Omega, often times their most recent “victim” is their next customer. In this way, Omega avoids large scale military attack although it often has to fend off small raiding parties from other mercenary/pirate groups and even from “upset” ex-clients.

Notable Units: The Red Menace is the “elite” military arm of the Crimson Hegemony. “The Arbiter” himself will often accompany this unit which often embarks on the most dangerous and high-profile missions. While their success rate is one of the highest of any military unit, the cost of hiring this unit can bankrupt a small planet easily. “The Arbiter” often uses this unit as his personal guard and raiding party.

_____________

Mining Station Nbx110

A small derelict mining station, often used as a gunnery target for passing pirate ships. There are some orbiting structures that house people that would rather not be bothered. A good place to hide.
_____________

Com-Relay Sub-Station

An automated relay station that contains a small crew for maintenance. Also used to detect system traffic and can operate as an early warning system. Can also jam communication systems in-system.
_____________

Asteroid Belt Habitats – Vicon and Syentar

Mostly used as salvage yards, since there was no profitable mining to be had here. There are several communities on the larger asteroids of approx.. 5000 people. They dismantle and salvage any ships left to them, either recycling raw materials, or selling used parts. They don’t care where the ships come from and you better hope not to be adrift near them.

[blooddave]

It's good for the "fill in" systems, but I really like the idea of having living, breathing sectors, where actual games and AARs fill out the history.

I play Full Thrust, and I am also awaiting the new Traveller 5 rulebook from the kickstarter. I hope to incorporate Gruntz, Full Thrust and Traveller all into the same universe. That's my grand plan anyway.

If I actually do it, setting it in the Heliopause and having it matter, in some small way, to someone else beside me and my gaming group. would be pretty cool.

[Mr. Harold]

I agree with what blooddave said... and it got me thinking, would it be possible to "partner" up with a space-combat rule set to provide both ground and space battles? Or even a Gruntz Space battle game (which would be awesome )

[inrepose]

I like the idea of that Generator. It would be great for rapid filling in of information when you don't want to bother with every detail.

[Mr. Harold]

Here is my first Asteroid Habitat:


I've attached the one with the Transparent Background.



Black Background:



And my Crimson Hegemony Logo:

Attachments:

[Mr. Harold]

And the second one!

Attachments:

[inrepose]

Those are coming on well. Perhaps I need to look at a plugin to make planets in Adobe.

These chaps have a tutorial and they look perfect: thegreystudios.com/blog/?p=93

[Mr. Harold]

Oh, wow, that's a great link!

Works perfectly for me... i'll have to make a bunch of planets now...

I actually found another tutorial I really like:

gallery.artofgregmartin.com/tuts_arts/making_a_planet.html

I used it to create these:

[inrepose]

Not sure your images are working in the link.

[Mr. Harold]

Hmm... all the images seem to come up on my end, which ones aren't coming through?

[GJD]

Since I'm a cheapskate, I use GIMP instead of photoshop. Excellent tutorial on creating planets here:

mygimptutorial.com/the-ultimate-gimp-planet-tutorial

Resulted in this:

[inrepose]

Nice work indeed!