Galactic Atlas of the Known Worlds

[Qbista]

Ok.
It have been a while since my last visit here (ow, that damned job ) - but I hope, that I'm back already for longer than just couple of days.

After doing some map's linked with my 'The planet whish has stopped' project, I'm getting into something completely new for me.

I'm starting with a huge Galactic Atlas project - something maybe like the map known from Fading Suns RPG (looks in the attached pictures) - but bigger, more developed, more detailed, and - this is the key part of my project - done completely interactive.

I'm planning, that whole map will be done in Photoshop, and then animated in Flash (or something similar - I still don't got flash - but maybe after getting my next month salary i will **** off my fiance buying another one from those 'silly and completely needles computer game/programs - whatever' ).

It won't be a fast project - according to my current amount of job, I think, that it will take me a bunch of months, but I hope, that it will be worth all my work.

My plans for next weeks are -

• Create about 50-100 Astronomical objects - stars, gas giant, colonizeable planets, planetoids etc.
• Link above into at least 30 solar systems
• Create the map background - I hope - looking like all those galactic 'pictures' from NASA, on which I'll will put my solar systems
• Animate all those in Flash - after getting mouse above Solar System thumbnail You will get it zoomed, after mouse-clicking - You will see solar systems detail.
• Invent and write all needed specification.
• After all - get myself cured from insomnia and Photoshop Addictness

To end this (or just to think about ending this), I will need Youre big help - especially in inventing all those kinds of planet (I dont want to make it monotonous). For now, I don't any special idea how to name, how to draw (i mean - how should they look like) and how to finish all those object, so You can feel free inventing.

If You want to see Your world 'inside' my map - describe it here, it'll be a great help for me.

I look forward to Your help, ideas, comments, and (later) criticism,
Qbista.

Inspirations (first dose):

[NeonKnight]

Cool Ideas!

[Steel General]

Neat stuff Qbista - I have a arid/desert world that I've used as a basis for several of my challenge maps if you want to include it. Let me know and I'll direct you to the appropriate post.

[Nomadic]

I have about 20-30 worlds if you are interested in using any of them. My primary world is called Aaltag. It's an arid world with a massive underground complex.

[guyanonymous]

This fits in with my dream of a website setup for documentation of a fictional universe that can be used by authors...all sketched out, and nobody to program

I look forward to what you come up with.

[nolgroth]

Mine (dream that is) too. I have been experimenting with various tools to see what sort of planets I like and don't like. I have had some luck with a Wilbur, Gimp, Photoshop Elements 2 combination that started out as me following Torq's tutorial and veered off from there. I'm just not in to fantasy right now.

[Qbista]

Ok, I'm happy to hear Your voice of support.
To be honest, I don't have much time today, but tomorrow, or at Monday, I think that I'll be able to upload here a short 'template' showing what kind of information I'll need to describe the planet. After that, I think, we will be able to put it further.

Of course - I accept all of Your help!

Steel General - sure thing! I'd appreciate if you could direct me to direct me to Your project.

[Steel General]

Steel General - sure thing! I'd appreciate if you could direct me to direct me to Your project.

OK, here's a link to the final version, hopefully it is of some use to you.

[Redrobes]

We should have a CUBP as well then where our CWBP would be but one world within it...

[Qbista]

Ok, sorry for delay, but I'm extremely busy right now. Ok, I found a nice example of 'statistics' that I'll want to put inside mine/our atlas. To be honest - those are just some scanned pictures from one of the Fading Suns universe Corebook's, but those fit perfectly to style i would prefer.

Of course, there are some statistics, that are completely non useful, and not needed for us (like Agora, Garnison, Cathedral; also Adjacent worlds will be added when we will get whole list of systems that will be used in Atlas). The whole thing is that - it perfectly shows, kind of information that I want - described shortly, without getting into unnecessary details, informations. Also the 'main planet' map, is made coyly, but sufficiently - we need to remember, that the main idea is to create solar map, not detailed map of planet themselves.

Also the map of all planet in the solar system (look above the planet map on 1.jpg) is, IMHO, done perfectly - on one axis it shows - also sufficiently - size of all the planets inside the solar system, and the distance between them.

I want to hear Your opinion about going in somehow similar style to this (of course - not exactly the same), and Your first ideas about the "Worlds" (I mean - Solar Systems).

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Steel General - I really like Your planet map and description. I think, that Your work should be another example for us, it's really stunning. Especially the 'interface' is very similar to my first imaginations about the Atlas look. But, I think that before we will stop at the moment, when we will need to think about the interface, We got plenty job to do.

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As always -
Thanks for help,
Qbista