Oolite Bulletins

I haven't fixed the few remaining overlaps as I spent last night writing one of the longest emails I have ever written which I sent to ClymAngus describing how to use the scripts I created and now to modify the data file. I will try to do it tonight instead.

Whilst ClymAngus gets up to speed with the tool I created there is nothing to stop us discussing Galaxy 6.

Any ideas on why the industrial worlds and agricultural worlds are so clumped together? Any routes anyone?

Phantor Gorth

Ideas on G6

Unlike many other Galactic Charts - Chart6 shows that a large number of systems can pull together for the good of a common cluster.

Many low tech argricultural worlds with small populations converted almost all their available land-masses over to the production of basic cereal-like crops, plus fruit and vegetables. Some of these products are traded for minimal profit to nearby industrial-cluster worlds but much more is traded or bartered internally allowing these agri-clusters to produce value-added products for the hungry consumers of the hard-working employees of the massive intersystem-production facilities found in the industrial clusters. More ready-meals are sold in Chart6 than the rest of galactic charts put together*.

Within the industrial based clusters a similar process occurs. Poorer industrial worlds - are often mined en masse to feed the power houses of higher tech neighbours. Large industrial complexes have sprung up on some industrial worlds to produce ever more complex agricultural machinery to ease and increase productivity on the worlds of their allied agricultural neighbours.

There are several key worlds in Chart 6: Ismaarbe, Erisriin, Arvelele, Esbileat, Azara** where the non-indigenous human population have maintained a near balance between agri-industry (although the low fidelity designation system simply classifies them as mainly Industrial/Agricultural - making somewhat of a mockery of their underlying complex structure). These key worlds have good trade links to both industrial and agricultural worlds and are often used for "common ground" trade meetings between representatives between the various cluster-types. Not too much greenery to scare the industrialists, not too many big cities or hyper-ways to spook the agriculturalists. These worlds are often used as test bed system for new farming/machining techniques as they have the industrial infrastructure to support maintenance and limited fabrication and the spare furtile land to practice the new farming methods out on.

Much of the trade in Chart 6 is hidden from the traditionalist approach of F3LaC (Food/Fur For Luxuries and Computers) - there is actually a huge flow of people travelling from the industrial clusters to the agricultural clusters for holidays and weekend breaks and equally many agriculturalists are drawn to the bright lights and technological wonders found in the worlds of the industrial clusters and return with gadgets galore.

Some think Chart6 is rather polarised but it doesn't take much investigation to reveal that Chart6 is actually one of the most complex and well-structured of the Charts for those prepared to think outside the box when it comes to trading opportunities.

Journeyman mechanics and engineers should do well for themselves as well as couriers and passenger-carriers.

* As Galcop do not collect data on this - this claim is insubstantiated
** Also a SECOM system

Nice! After all the recent dystopias, it's good to see the Co-operative's ideals pulling out a few positive results now and then.

PhantorGorth wrote:

Here is are some ideas for Galaxy 6. Even if everyone doesn't like them you have admit that it shows some of the interesting features of Galaxy 6:

Phantor's Ideas on Galaxy 6

Also I notice that two very closely neighbouring Human Colonial worlds in the top left of the map. (at the top my Western Industrial Belt) These are Gearge and Geargeat. Gearge is a tech-level 11 Multi-Government world and Geargeat is a tech-level 8 Dictatorship. With such similar names there has to a story behind that.

Phantor Gorth

Well that's a very encompassing spread. We still need a gal-centre thought. It is important for us to remember the areas and routes are but minor embellishment the real reason (and that which should be the clearest) is the showing of system stats.

<Gets back to his code monkeying.>

ClymAngus wrote:

PhantorGorth wrote:

Here is are some ideas for Galaxy 6. Even if everyone doesn't like them you have admit that it shows some of the interesting features of Galaxy 6:

Phantor's Ideas on Galaxy 6

Also I notice that two very closely neighbouring Human Colonial worlds in the top left of the map. (at the top my Western Industrial Belt) These are Gearge and Geargeat. Gearge is a tech-level 11 Multi-Government world and Geargeat is a tech-level 8 Dictatorship. With such similar names there has to a story behind that.

Phantor Gorth

Well that's a very encompassing spread. We still need a gal-centre thought. It is important for us to remember the areas and routes are but minor embellishment the real reason (and that which should be the clearest) is the showing of system stats.

<Gets back to his code monkeying.>

I think this excellent body of work has moved way beyond "...showing of system stats."

I don't write (or offer thoughts on) system stats - but a living, breathing, complex Ooniverse - that's worth contributing to!

DaddyHoggy wrote:

I think this excellent body of work has moved way beyond "...showing of system stats."

I don't write (or offer thoughts on) system stats - but a living, breathing, complex Ooniverse - that's worth contributing to!

Quite probably, that said if you've got a day glow explosion going on (which we only just managed to keep control over in g4 and g5) then yeah, you've got lots of cool areas but no one can stomach looking at the damn thing.

I've got nothing against regions or routes, I just feel that there is a happy symmetric balance between practicality, beauty and grace. That is easily destroyed if the extras aren't used with a (reasonably) sparing hand. I'd hope this map isn't going to go all Piñata. ;D

We shall see.

ClymAngus wrote:

Quite probably, that said if you've got a day glow explosion going on (which we only just managed to keep control over in g4 and g5) then yeah, you've got lots of cool areas but no one can stomach looking at the damn thing.

I've got nothing against regions or routes, I just feel that there is a happy symmetric balance between practicality, beauty and grace. That is easily destroyed if the extras aren't used with a (reasonably) sparing hand. I'd hope this map isn't going to go all Piñata. ;D

I actually agree with ClymAngus here. I only put that version of the map to show what I had found or had ideas about, not as a draft for a final version. It would certainly need to be toned down somewhat.

Phantor Gorth

Other than the great Brain in a Jar - any comments on my own ideas based on your own observations about GC6 - good, bad - don't mind - anything but indifference - a writer hates indifference!

Personally I have no problems with PGs regionalised GC6 - although I fully understand the dangers of an LSD based mapping system and CAs worries in that area.

@DaddyHoggy no need to worry on that score. I actually find your take on my finds very interesting. I am not sure now it would have come about in this galaxy but not in others, i.e. what was the pressure to form such alliances/organisations, but I will think on that. But I will say that such large scale activities would imply large scale plans. (e.g. this galaxy is the major production zone for producing military hardware for the war against the Thargoids.)

Phantor Gorth

it's friday afternoon, so my contribution is deeply superficial...

comparing the OVGs for galaxies 1 - 5 with OVG G6, I note a subtle difference in style, with G6 a little more appealing to my eye. I put it down to two things - the bounded areas being shaded, and the boundary lines being interlocked over a lot of the map, creating frontiers.

PhantorGorth wrote:

@DaddyHoggy no need to worry on that score. I actually find your take on my finds very interesting. I am not sure now it would have come about in this galaxy but not in others, i.e. what was the pressure to form such alliances/organisations, but I will think on that. But I will say that such large scale activities would imply large scale plans. (e.g. this galaxy is the major production zone for producing military hardware for the war against the Thargoids.)

Phantor Gorth

Hmmm...

That would be good as a concept - a stable collective out of necessity!

I plant the seeds, others nuture the growth...

Wow! This stuff is programming hop scotch isn't it? 2 heffing huge bits of code (admittedly you don't tamper with one because that's all your style sheet template things) but the other 1billion and one ways so screw up!

I can see this is going to be a weekend read.


as for the map sections. There's no reason why you couldn't have interlocking sections. A properly balanced and harmonised map for a change. Might be fun. Anyway I've still got to sort out some "too close for comfort systems here using a 3 part 2 programme system so. Baby steps.

Oh out of interest Phara, is it easy to import vector objects? I tend to be a much better drawer than I am programmer when it comes to regions. If I could export a vector object (or just get the code for it up) It might help the look of those free hand bits. It looks like we're going to have very few ovals and a lot of wibbly lines here. What do you think?

lfnfan wrote:

it's friday afternoon, so my contribution is deeply superficial...

comparing the OVGs for galaxies 1 - 5 with OVG G6, I note a subtle difference in style, with G6 a little more appealing to my eye. I put it down to two things - the bounded areas being shaded, and the boundary lines being interlocked over a lot of the map, creating frontiers.

That's because I did the regions graphics as it was my concepts I was throwing out to people to look at where as the other maps were done by ClymAngus.

Clym's regions are shaded too but with much darker colours.

Phantor Gorth

PhantorGorth wrote:

lfnfan wrote:

it's friday afternoon, so my contribution is deeply superficial...

comparing the OVGs for galaxies 1 - 5 with OVG G6, I note a subtle difference in style, with G6 a little more appealing to my eye. I put it down to two things - the bounded areas being shaded, and the boundary lines being interlocked over a lot of the map, creating frontiers.

That's because I did the regions graphics as it was my concepts I was throwing out to people to look at where as the other maps were done by ClymAngus.

Clym's regions are shaded too but with much darker colours.

Phantor Gorth

But it doesn't matter! Because when we're done with a quick change of code you can make every single area on every single map shocking pink! or insane puce! Power to the people! Booya!

PhantorGorth wrote:

@DaddyHoggy no need to worry on that score. I actually find your take on my finds very interesting. I am not sure now it would have come about in this galaxy but not in others, i.e. what was the pressure to form such alliances/organisations, but I will think on that. But I will say that such large scale activities would imply large scale plans. (e.g. this galaxy is the major production zone for producing military hardware for the war against the Thargoids.)

Phantor Gorth

How about an outbreak of sanity and co-operation in the face of a steady flow of refugees from the more hectic sectors upstream?