# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Sci-fi/Modern Mapping >  WIP Space Territory Map

## middernacht

Something I have been working on for my sci-fi stories. I haven't put in the planet names yet, as I'm still not a hundred percent certain on locations and I haven't found a font I like. This is the third version I've made thus far, and so far I'm happy with it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...wgalaxymap.jpg

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## Jaxilon

That's pretty. Are you going to create tiny planets that gleam for all those white dots or just name them? 

All these great space maps lately are making me want to go back and finish x3:reunion. Not that it has maps but I want to fly now! Oh the curse of growing up a gamer, how will I ever get my own maps done?

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## middernacht

Thankyou! ^___^

On this map I will probably just put the names of each system. For the important systems I think I will make separate solar system maps, as there are some that have more than one world or facility of importance.

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## middernacht

I've redone this, mainly because I was bored. 

I also thought it'd be neat to show just how this map has evolved, so I've uploaded each incarnation of it. Left to right, oldest to newest. I'm not to certain if the latest one is even showing up as a thumbnail. It's not on my computer. 

Currently trying to think of a better way to mark off routes between each system. I may have to stick with the hand-drawn dots, but I'd rather not...

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## mearrin69

First, I'll say that I really dig how you handled the stars on this map. Very cool! The stars on the final (no thumbnail version) are nice but, honestly, I kinda liked the less realistic, more dense starfield you had going in the first version. It was very stylistic. I get, however, that you seem to be moving the map in a more realistic direction so that's cool. One thing you might consider, though, is adding some color variation to them.

Next is trade routes. I don't so much have a problem with the dots but look around and see some straight routes and some windy or curvy routes and it makes me wonder about interstellar travel in your setting. Why aren't they all straight? Or curvy? If you have to weave around "warp obstacles", for instance" on some routes, why not all? Any answer is fine, of course, I just wanted to bring it up for your consideration in case you hadn't thought of it. On style, I'd say you should go with something thinner and more "techie" than the big white dots, which more stylistically match your first map.

The nebulae look awesome. Nuff said.  :Smile: 

I like the borders but wouldn't mind seeing them tightened up a wee bit. It's hard to put borders where there are no geographical features - like between islands and a mainland. In your first map you had a hex grid. Why'd you nix that? I'm old skool and am a sucker for a hex map whatever the subject - so take my advice with a grain of salt - but I really like that. If you added it back in it'd give you something to hang your borders on. Right now they feel a little "floaty" and vague. How are they determined? Negotiated boundaries? If so, maybe there'd be no gaps inbetween? Your mode of interstellar travel will also be a factor here...if you don't have to go through the intervening "real space" then who cares about borders? You only have to worry about where you can get to from where. If you have to cruise through space then you can have things like borders...and you can mass lots of ships on them preparing for invasions and so on. If that's the case, though, I wouldn't expect to see a lot of unclaimed territories between interstellar nations.

I like your font pretty well but it is a little "expected". There are a lot of sci-fi fonts out there and maybe you could try out a few others. Just a thought. If you really like this one or it's a requirement because you're using it elsewhere then it's a perfectly good font and no need to change.

That's all I can think of at the moment and my laptop's running out of juice!  :Smile:  Nice map so far. Looking forward to seeing where you take it.
M

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## nolgroth

Nice. I can see how I can do the stars in GIMP.  Great map.  I love the color composition a lot.

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## middernacht

> First, I'll say that I really dig how you handled the stars on this map. Very cool! The stars on the final (no thumbnail version) are nice but, honestly, I kinda liked the less realistic, more dense starfield you had going in the first version. It was very stylistic. I get, however, that you seem to be moving the map in a more realistic direction so that's cool. One thing you might consider, though, is adding some color variation to them.


Thank you. I am going for more realistic as far as the stars go. I like your suggestion on color variation, and may go and redo the starfield in the future. For now, I've placed a multicolored gradient over it at a low opacity.




> Next is trade routes. I don't so much have a problem with the dots but look around and see some straight routes and some windy or curvy routes and it makes me wonder about interstellar travel in your setting. Why aren't they all straight? Or curvy? If you have to weave around "warp obstacles", for instance" on some routes, why not all? Any answer is fine, of course, I just wanted to bring it up for your consideration in case you hadn't thought of it. On style, I'd say you should go with something thinner and more "techie" than the big white dots, which more stylistically match your first map.


The curvy lines were a result of me trying to avoid running into the planet names. XD

I'm going with straight lines at about half opacity for now. Interstellar travel in this case is the basic wormhole/tunnel through non-real space method. The only obstacles in the way would be gravity wells, mainly only stars but there are a few stellar phenomena that can disrupt routes as well. The plotted lines are the routes that have been thoroughly mapped and approved as safe for all travel. An idea just occurred to me, which I may try, to have the routes color coded for hazards. 

As for the borders, not to certain what to do about those yet. I kinda like them the way they are, though I can't think of any reason why.

Still looking for better fonts, though I do like Zero Hour. I've found a few that look promising though.

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## middernacht

Alright, only change in this one is the colors of the routes. Color coded for hazards. Green is safest, Yellow is mild hazard, Orange is moderate hazard, and Red is high hazard. Blue routes are territorial routes with hazard levels that change depending on the political climate. Purple routes are secret pirate routes and therefore do not have an official hazard rating.

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## AHawk

I enjoy your work

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## Phill Devil

*-*
looks awsome, specially The Rift
and I know how is it about the curve lines XD
anyways, I loved your maps, and now I'm curious about those stories.
I'd like very much to read it!

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## middernacht

So I thought I might revisit this project as it has been a while and all. Decided to start from scratch and take a slightly different approach to the backdrop of the map itself, to give it a more intergalactic feel. Not sure which of these I like better though. May mess around with it a bit more.

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## steelmccoy

I definitely prefer the one on the left. It looks a little less square to me.

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## middernacht

Decided to go with something other than those two that kinda falls back on the older maps a bit, but still has more of a galactic feel. 

I put in the big features as well - The Rift, the Abyss, the Auros Nebula.

Placing Systems now, might even get that done tonight.

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