Anyone good some good recommendations for a logical ssytsem to organise this galactic map? There’s loads of interconnects from different sides of the map and I’m struggling with visualising how I want to lay it out more logically.
Detonate supernovae until there are no more ugly crossings. ![]()
Voltair’s nightmare
The problem is often going outwards as you are “expanding”. In reality, I found out that only the long loops should be outside and then you have to move inside like a Matrioska.
You may be able to have an outletbut soon that would to close at some point.
in your case, for instance, having the corridor Romulus Basil Siesomething outside on the right and then the corridor Zeta T Pilchard Golan on the other and let the rest fill itself inbetween may already solve a lot of issues as The corridor Crosscut Cyclone may end up in the centre uninterrupted.
Back on topic: How do you deal with it?
I have house rules. Everytime a connection is made between 2 empty systems, such system gets a void classification, fully grav surveyed with SM and all JP cancelled.
If I run out of connection (rarely, I think only once) I create 4 random connections to outer systems.
Somehow this allowed me to have organic universes. You can test with SM on a new game and just explore following the methodology and see how it goes.
Firstly, you need to organise as you expand. It becomes more difficult the longer you leave it. Secondly, I tend to start spacing out my core systems as the map grows, so it becomes easier to create loops, rather than trying to crowd systems together. Here are maps from my last couple of major campaigns.
Your systems are markedly well organized into lines/distances and on a regular grid, is there some hidden way of keeping that upkeep or are you just eyeballing it? I know of the grid box above but that’s difficult to gauge as it seems to have its own mind.
I like the aesthetic you get from force directed graphing algorithms which tends to reveal practical relative distances and positions. Also makes it look like a real map of star positions.
I use the line up to grid option on the galactic map. Sometimes it has a tendency to snap one way rather than the other, but I just make sure to place the systems so they will snap in the direction I want them to.
That’s gorgeous, looks like an actual highway or rail map
Is it possible to implement the algorithm demonstrated by Isotoxal as a default (optional) 2D map display builder? It looks gorgeously natural indeed.
There is at least one 3rd party app that can generate map positions like the one I posted but the links to those apps didn’t carry over here from the old forum. That might be intentional given the 3.0 modding concerns.
The trick I use is to line up a correctly placed on grid system with the edge of the box on the left or edge of the screen with its center dot. Then get the moved system as close to the edge as I can before using the snap to grid button. If the center dots line up I know I am good on that axis, then repeat on the other axis.
Thank you all. ![]()
How do you edit the galactic map? I didn’t find such an option.
Left click and drag on a system.
I feel silly.
Ctrl+left click on systems, to select one-by-one multiple systems; then you can move them by clicking on a free zone of the map and dragging; to deselect: select a system, or refresh the map.
OR, shift+left click+drag to draw a red box that select the systems; moving and deselecting are the same.



