Aug/Sept '18 Lite Challenge: Crisis at Crater Base Eldron 4

[aeshnidae]

Originally I was going to map a village inside of a crater, but then I got a sci-fi image lodged in my brain that just had to come out. This is my 2nd sci-fi map/HUD and I tried to make it quite a bit different from my 1st (which was for the "Map Guildworld" challenge a few months back).

For this map, I wanted a gritty feel, closer to a run-down BSG Viper or a junky ship from the Firefly 'verse. That means an almost monochromatic color scheme and nothing too fancy - no touchscreens here! My challenge entry is the view screen from the SS Prospector, a fairly decrepit lightweight civilian spacecraft. It picked up the emergency broadcast from Crater Base Eldron 4, changed course to render assistance, and realized that something is terribly wrong at the base.

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Crater Base v2 (sm).jpg

[aeshnidae]

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Crater Base v3 (sm).jpg

[bkh1914]

I'm glad to see that you again have enough free time to enter a challenge.

I must say that your choice of helium mining is curious...
- Mostly because helium is usually a gas. (boiling and freezing points near absolute zero)
- And it's very abundant in space. (second most abundant element in the universe)

Looking forward to further developments...

[Bogie]

I must say that your choice of helium mining is curious...
- Mostly because helium is usually a gas. (boiling and freezing points near absolute zero)
- And it's very abundant in space. (second most abundant element in the universe)
Looking forward to further developments...

It's because they discovered a rare form of crystalline helium that is radioactive and can generate immense quantities of energy. It is safe as long as it doesn't come into contact with liquid oxygen.

Welcome to the challenge aeshnidae, very interesting concept.

[MistyBeee]

Yey, I love your sci-fi maps !
I just... don't want to be there right now... I can feel the stress and fear just by looking those red touches

[aeshnidae]

I'm glad to see that you again have enough free time to enter a challenge.

I must say that your choice of helium mining is curious...
- Mostly because helium is usually a gas. (boiling and freezing points near absolute zero)
- And it's very abundant in space. (second most abundant element in the universe)

Looking forward to further developments...

I chose helium for two reasons: (1) We were binging Parks & Rec while I was working on the map, and it happened to be the episode where Ron Swanson says, "Stop wasting that helium; it is intended for welding and filling airships!" and (2) Just before the holiday weekend I had to deal with an issue that revolved around the current helium shortage here on Earth.

At the moment, federal holidays are basically the only time that work doesn't interfere with everything. I'm glad I was able to put this together over the holiday weekend! Hopefully I'll have time to make some tweaks here and there.

It's because they discovered a rare form of crystalline helium that is radioactive and can generate immense quantities of energy. It is safe as long as it doesn't come into contact with liquid oxygen.

Welcome to the challenge aeshnidae, very interesting concept.

Or what Bogie said!

Yey, I love your sci-fi maps !
I just... don't want to be there right now... I can feel the stress and fear just by looking those red touches

Thanks, MistyBeee! And yes, it's a bad day at Crater Base Eldron 4. I haven't figured out what went wrong, or what happened to the 2,313 people who live there (assuming that 1 life form is a crater base resident and not the cause of the problem).

[jshoer]

Great idea! I see SpaceX and the Russian Soyuz vehicles have made it pretty far out there...