# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Sci-fi/Modern Mapping >  Starship Sections Maps (Part 1)

## Kihmbar

Here are the first three maps of my Starship Sections project.  My goal is to have 5-10 "section" maps which make up a larger starship.  To keep the maps continuous the doors are all located in the same location on each map, so you can lay the maps side-to-side or end-to-end.  They were made for Star Wars RPG, but feel free to use them in whatever universe you want.  I wanted to share these for comments and critiques while I continue with the rest of the project.

Medical Bay:

The medical bay has (from left to right) a bacta ward, a surgical suite, several rooms for patients, a patient monitoring room, two storage areas and physician's offices.

Barracks:

The barracks has crew's quarters on the left and officer's quarters on the right.  The center area is a common mess/recreation hall.  Top middle is storage area and bottom middle is an armory.

Engineering:

The engineering section has (from left to right) tractor beam power cells and a mechanic's workshop, a control room and a droid workshop, hyperdrives and power reactors.  The hyperdrives and power reactors are in a recessed area (with catwalks overhead) with a drain running to behind the control room.

Another part of the project will include overlays for these maps.  I envision these overlays as replacing ~1/6 of the map in order to keep the doors in the same locations.  These overlays will allow a GM to replace one area of the map with something different - allowing the GM to customize the map to their taste.  [I'll try to have a few examples up in the next few days to illustrate their use.]  

Since these overlays are only a few rooms in the map, I would like some advise as to what would make a good overlay and what would be silly.  I have currently thought of or had recommended to me:  Armory, Barracks, Control Room, Detention Block, Cargo/Storage Area, Hanger (Vehicle or Starfighter), Garbage Compactor/Incinerator, Generators/Reactors, Hyperdrive, Mess Hall/Galley, Pit, Officer's Quarters, Mechanical Workshop, Droid Workshop, Security Station, Conference Room, Medical, Weapons' Control, Weapon (Turbolaser or Laser Cannon), Cantina, Firing Range/Practice Range, Greenhouse.

I'm building for the Star Wars universe, but I don't mind making something generic.  Let me know what you think.

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## Hoel

It's not the most efficient use of space there, but they sure look nice
I think you have a good list of overlays there, can't think of anything off the top of my head...

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## Kihmbar

As promised, here is an example of how I envision the overlays working.  [I took the sections I have already mapped and cut them down into overlays.  Future overlays will be more original.]  I used the Engineering section (see above) as the base map and added the armory, the bacta ward, and crew's quarters.

The resulting map looks like:


I can already see some improvements I need to make: 1) scale each overlay so that they can drop on top of the appropriate section; 2) remove the walls from the overlays so that the overlays can be arranged is any order; 3) provide each overlay with the same basic flooring pattern so that it is less obvious what is an overlay and what is part of the original map.

As usual, I am open to any comments or criticisms.

Hoel:  I agree that these maps don't demonstrate an efficient use of space.  What do you recommend to improve this?  Should I close up the hallways more?  Should I put more objects on the map?  Thanks.

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## Hoel

Close up the hallways. Even if it's star wars or any other high tech sf, you would like to minimize the amount of wasted space.
I don't know how you plan to tile the maps, but if you're going with 2 exits along each lon side and 1 on each short side, it will be alot of corridors.
Have you thought about doing just the overlays and corridors separately so you can put them down as needed?
That means breaking up the main map into more overlays, so you're left with just room tiles and corridor tiles. I'd make just 9 square long corridors and 4way intersections with 1square sticking out... Or maybe do 3, 6 and 9 sq long corridors and some corner corridors for even more cusomizability

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## number7

Kihmbar, I really like your maps. I think that Hoel has a very good idea about breaking up the room tiles and the corridor tiles into seperate interlocking pieces. This is just the sort of thing I've been looking to build for my Star Wars tabletop group but haven't had the time.

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## Kihmbar

If I follow correctly, we're looking at 3/6/9 square tiles for corridors plus some turns and junctions.  Then put the overlays next to them and generate a map with just overlays and corridors?  This is a different line of thinking that I originally intended, but is easy enough to do.  [My GM wants whole maps with overlays.  But if I'm making whole maps and overlays, I might as well break them up and add some corridors.]

Is this generally what you are looking for?

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## Hoel

That's the stuff. Should be more moddable than 24x24 suqares or what you're doing... Why does your GM want big maps?

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## Kihmbar

> Why does your GM want big maps?


He likes to have a fully made maps "ready to go" in case the players go somewhere he doesn't expect (which players typically do).  With the larger maps, he can just pull it up and change a few things about it instead of having to generate a new map piece by piece.  This keeps the flow of the game going - instead of breaking gameplay to lay out a new map.  

I like the idea ya'll are proposing - generate smaller overlays/tiles and piece them together.  That does seem easier to build a map.  Since it isn't what my gaming group needs right now, it'll make a good side-project.  Besides, by making the larger maps I now have something to cut up into smaller overlays/tiles.  Also, once I get a good set of overlays/tiles collected - I can then piece them together and make the GM his bigger maps.

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## Hoel

Have I mentioned Battlestations?

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## Kihmbar

> Have I mentioned Battlestations?


Yeah, I've got the basic set and a couple of the expansions.  The scale is too small to use with SW minis, but I guess I could "blow them up" to the appropriate size.

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## Hoel

It's a great game.
I don't have it myself and the guy who GMd got bores a while back...

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## Kihmbar

Here are some additional overlays.  I've given them a standard background tile so that they will connect with the corridors smoothly.  They should be the same scale as the starship sections.  They are 12x12 overlays and should fit in any of the corners of the starship section maps.
A cargo storage area:


A vehicle bay (with speeder bikes, AT-STs, and a halftrack modified to be Imperial):

The walls are a little difficult to make out because they are gray against the gray flooring.  

A narrow corridor (ideal for choke points):


I'm working on some additional overlays for March.  As always, comments and criticisms are welcome.  

Hoel:  Is the spacing on these more what you were expecting?

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## Hoel

Yup. This is what I was after! 
I'll keep stealing your maps since I plan to GM some star wars in the future.
Thanks!

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## Xyll

These are great. Keep them coming  :Smile:  

Sci-fi stuff is hard to find.

Where did you find the At St & Speeder Bike?

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## Kihmbar

I've had a bit of free time to work on this.  Here are some more overlays.  First a 12x12 weapons emplacement:

Each weapon has it's own fire control stations.  The bottom right is a small power room to power the weapons.

Next, I went with some smaller 6x6 overlays.  I intend on using these for the "Modular Base" that our group has acquired [found on pg77 of the Bases and Strongholds sourcebook].  They don't fit together as neatly as the 12x12, but if you place a corridor between them it won't matter.  I've included a 2x1 corridor if you want to line them up normally.

A command module overlay:

The command module has four stations:  communications, sensors, command, and systems.  Feel free to designate them as you see fit.

A barracks module overlay:

Room for 16 bunks to house the crew.  I added a few personal effects to break up the monotony.  

A "blank" module overlay:

In case you want to make up your own or just have an empty one.

And the 2x1 corridor:


I trust that will help out some of your sci-fi games.  I'll post additional overlays in batches as I get finished.  If you have any suggestions of what you would like to see, please let me know.  As always, comments and criticism is welcome.

Xyll:  I'm not sure where I got them, but I think it was the Holocron.  There's a "101 Mapmaking Objects" download that has a lot of SW stuff.  Also, there is RPGMapShare.  I think this is where I got the AT-STs.  If not there, then it may have been on the WotC forum.

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## Hoel

A Few different loading docks and maybe an airlock or passenger entry area...
Thanks a bunch

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## Kihmbar

> A Few different loading docks and maybe an airlock or passenger entry area...
> Thanks a bunch


I already did an airlock as part of the modular base, so here's my take on a "passenger entry area" for the Star Wars universe:

Passengers enter up the ramp in the bottom center and can go from there to wherever they need.  I included both stairs and turbolifts for multiple-level access.  There are plenty of computer terminals for information.  And the troopers have a break room nearby in case trouble starts.

And what would a starship be without a detention block:

The bottom left is a room for the guards with a small armory behind it (give the PCs somewhere to rearm themselves).  The bottom right is intended to be an officer's office with a small living quarters behind it.  The "side" exits are intended to lead to maintenance areas (or trash compactors), not for primary traffic flow.  

A few more overlays to customize a starship interior.  I'm looking at doing a fighter bay or hanger next.  Something that the players can land a ship in so that they have access to the larger starship.  As always, comments and criticisms are welcome.

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## Ascension

These look good but I can't help but want to add a stroke around the objects or maybe a shadow to help them not blend into the floor.  Keep up the nice work, though, they look good.

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## Kihmbar

I've been GMing a Star Wars campaign and needed some more of these sections.  The players are going to visit a gas refinery, so I generated the following sections.  

First, the refinery map:

The long section at the top is the docking bay.  It runs off the edge of the map as to accommodate any size starship.  (The GM is cheating because he doesn't know which ship the players will be using.)  The smaller platforms are 12x12 - most of the starship section overlays should fit into these.  I was going to drop the crew's quarters, the officer's quarters, the control room, and the following 12x12 overlays onto the map (two at a time, of course).  This way I can use the same layout with different sections of the facility.  There are closed walkways connecting each platform.  [I designed it like this in case the players want to go EVA to infiltrate the facility.]

Engineering:

Has some engine looking stuff and computers.  

Gas Storage:

Has a big tank for holding whatever needs to be held.

Gas Refinery:

Has several smaller vessels to collect the nebula gas.

I've added drop shadows to help keep things from blending into the background.  As always - comments and criticisms are welcome.

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## icosahedron

Kihmbar, these look great.

If the objects are your own work, would you be willing to produce a folder of them separately, as Torstan did with his dungeon elements?

If they're not, could you link your source?

I'm planning to do some scifi interiors in Viewingdale, and If I could import these objects (consoles, weapons, pipes, etc) rather than making my own, it would save a lot of work.

Cheers.  :Smile:

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## Kihmbar

> Kihmbar, these look great.
> 
> If the objects are your own work, would you be willing to produce a folder of them separately, as Torstan did with his dungeon elements?
> 
> If they're not, could you link your source?
> 
> I'm planning to do some scifi interiors in Viewingdale, and If I could import these objects (consoles, weapons, pipes, etc) rather than making my own, it would save a lot of work.
> 
> Cheers.


My sources are:  
The Holocron - Under Downloads --> Tiles there is a download called 101 Map-Making Objects.  These are all for the Star Wars universe (but I'm sure you could apply them to other Sci-fi settings).  I use the computers and chairs from this object pack quite frequently.
RPG MapShare - Their gallery has Sci-fi objects (vehicles, spacecraft, creatures, structures, weapons, etc.).  I believe the tanks from the gas refinery overlay came from the "Modern" objects section of RPG MapShare.  
Wizards of the Coast SWMinis Forum - There is one thread in particular (Maps and Elements) which has a lot of good objects for the Star Wars universe.
Dundjinni Modern/Sci-fi Forums - I've found some good stuff from these forums, but sometimes you get things that are specifically designed for the Dundjinni software.  
NASA Picture of the Day - I use this site for background images.  They usually have a Hubble picture two or three times a week.


I have made my own objects.  Right now it is just a few, the reactor and the generator.  I'll start up a new thread in "Mapping Elements" for those.  I usually try to find it somewhere first (there isn't any reason to re-invent the wheel) and if I don't find what I'm looking for, I'll make it.  So far, the objects I have created are based on fan art of new modules for the Battlestations game.  I wanted objects which were present in the Battlestations tiles and couldn't find something close - so I made my own.

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## icosahedron

Thanks Kihmbar, a couple of those are new to me.  :Smile: 




> I usually try to find it somewhere first (there isn't any reason to re-invent the wheel) and if I don't find what I'm looking for, I'll make it.


Likewise, but with my art skills, I really prefer to find something.  :Wink:

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## Sigurd

I like your corridors. They make a good border  :Smile: .

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## Kihmbar

This month I've been working on a starship hangar bay.  I don't think I'll finish it by the end of the month as I had desired.  Here is what I have so far:

In clockwise order:  top left is the pilot quarters; top middle is a conference room; top right is a cargo storage area; middle right is a small medical station; bottom right is another (smaller) cargo storage area; bottom left is the pilot ready room; and the center is the hanger area.  Within the hanger area, the top left will be a mechanics station, the top middle is the control room, and the top right will be a cargo staging area.  The exit (to space) is the bottom of the hanger area.  

As always comments and criticisms are welcome.  I am considering what ships I want to put in the hanger (if any) - I've seen some nice layouts of the Millennium Falcon or possible an array of starfighters.  During most adventures the hanger bay was the location where the player characters' ship landed, so I have also considered leaving the hanger open.  


As a side note, the thing that has kept me from completing the hanger bay has been a map for an adventure.  The player characters will be liberating a methane gas facility from a group of pirates.  I originally wanted to play this adventure live (instead of online) and just draw the map on my 2'x3' dry-erase hexgrid based on:

The tanks are methane storage tanks.  The top and bottom middle sections are hanger bays.  The middle is the control facilities.  However, since we are playing online shortly I made up a quick map for online play.  I will use the latest edition of the hanger bay for the hangers and this for the control facilities:

(I just added wall fill into two of the areas where I couldn't think of anything else to put.)  I've included openings where the players can exit to the methane storage tank areas.  The methane storage tanks are just flips and rotations of these two sections:
 (top left - flip for top right, rotate 180° for bottom right, flip and rotate 180° for bottom left) 
 (middle left - flip for middle right)
They should be fairly easy to piece together online.  (The overall map would be entirely too big to play with.)  This is just a quick map concept for me.  But still any comments or criticisms would be welcome.

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## someguy

> Barracks:
> Attachment 9759
> The barracks has crew's quarters on the left and officer's quarters on the right.  The center area is a common mess/recreation hall.  Top middle is storage area and bottom middle is an armory.


Its Star Wars Clue!

Sorry for the sarcasm, but thats what popped into my head when i saw this one.

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## Kihmbar

I haven't posted in a while because my computer crashed and I am just now getting it back up.  I'll try to get back more regularly to add more sections and overlays.  

I guess you could use this as a Star Wars variant for Clue.  My guess is that Mr. Vader did it in the Throne Room with the Force Lightning.   :Smile: 

I wanted to have different sections of the map so that overlays could be used.  This gives the GM the ability to replace a maintenance shop with a barracks.  Or, as I've been working on some starfighter bay overlays, a starfighter bay.  One for the Empire (bad guys), one for the Alliance (good guys), and one for those of you who want to insert your own ships (empty bay):  
  

My intention is to allow the GM to customize maps by using overlays to generate a map of a starship interior or starbase (or planetside base).  Theoretically, a GM could take a blank map and piece overlays together to build what they want.  I don't know how reasonable the map would be, but it would be possible.  Use them however you see fit - replace the rooms of your Clue board with Star Wars variants.  For those of you playing a non-Star Wars science fiction game, use the empty bays and put your own shuttlecraft or whatever on it.  I have trouble finding science fiction maps on a tactical scale, so I hope these maps and overlays help fill in the gaps.  

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  I also am open to suggestions for other sections (larger maps) or overlays (smaller sub-sections).  [I'm currently working on a hanger bay, command deck, and detention level for the larger section maps.]

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## Rythal

heh I love the B wing (my favorite SW ship)

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## Farseer Wraith

Ok I have to ask, are you actually useing a mapping program, or something like Photoshop?

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## Kihmbar

> Ok I have to ask, are you actually useing a mapping program, or something like Photoshop?


I'm using Gimp.  I tile the floors and then add objects, walls, grunge, etc as layers.

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## Vard5

Excellent series.  I'll be using some of these (or bits of) for an encounter in a pbp game I'll be running.  Thanks for sharing.

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## Kihmbar

Sorry to be out of it again.  I've been busy at work and haven't had much time for cartography until recently.  I'm into a new campaign and have a new use for the modules posted previously - a modular space transport.  


From top to bottom:  The bridge, gun positions (on each flank), captain's quarters (green floor), refreshers (brown floor), crew common area (red floor), airlock, crew's quarters (green floor), three modular areas, top turret access (circular room), brig (with red bar to indicate locked door), engineer's quarters (white floor), and engineering, gray floor.  I haven't put the "furniture" in the rooms yet, but given my current cartography  pace I thought it would be more useful empty than not at all.

Also, I have some additional modules to go in the ship (or in the modular base, or in a starship, or whatever).  If I've done my math correctly, they should all fit together on the same scale as the other modules and the ship.
An airlock (for getting outside without depressurizing the ship):


A cargo hold with cargo:


A conference room (perfect for the smuggler who wants to call a meeting):


A hallway/cross-way with equipment (I call it life support, but it could be anything):


And what ship would be complete without a big laser cannon turret:


A medical lab (for those aspiring doctors):


And lastly, a vehicle bay:

Sorry I couldn't fit an AT-ST in it.

As with all of these, I originally designed them for the Star Wars universe but they could easily be used for any Sci-Fi setting.  Please feel free to comment and/or criticize.  And I am always open to suggestions for new modules.  One of my players suggested a cloaking device module and we then discussed if you would be able to see the module....

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## mearrin69

Pretty cool stuff! Sorry if you've said earlier, but how are you making the objects? Drawn? Rendered? A combination?
M

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## Kihmbar

> Pretty cool stuff! Sorry if you've said earlier, but how are you making the objects? Drawn? Rendered? A combination?
> M


I don't make many of the objects.  I try to find them and then just put them together in the desired manner.

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## Ginsengsei

> I don't make many of the objects.  I try to find them and then just put them together in the desired manner.


Hey Kihmbar,

thanks to your nice work i managed to setup a quick battlemap for one of my starwars saga forum games. I just cut out some object and merged some tiles..in the end i lost my patience (because gimp got stuck and i lost 80% of my work - now i have the autosave plugin) so the lower tiles are not arranged well.. but for a quick battle at the bridge it will be sufficient i hope!



Best regards and thanks again for your inspiration and work!

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## MightyMatt

Hi.
I think that the download 101 Mapmaking Objects from The Holocron is not there anymore...
Are there other sites where I can download it?

Or can someone send me the file by e-mail or something?
Thanks!

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