2012-10-03

Base Codes

Hey folks, I need your help.

Base codes need some work. Here are some of the issues:

  • Droyne base codes P and Q don't have unique symbols
  • Solomani Naval bases (code F per David Pulver's updated Solomani Rim data) should have a red star to match Supplement 10
  • Generic naval base (classic code J) doesn't have a unique symbol
  • Generic scout base (classic code V) doesn't have a unique symbol
I put together a spreadsheet of base codes and symbols showing what the map uses today, what it should use, and what needs to be sorted out, as well as precedent from previous publications. Can you help suggest additions or corrections? Additional symbols can be used, although I'd prefer to mix/match the existing orthography and normal/highlight colors (i.e. white/red for poster style). Nothing crazy.

The "Pattern" column may merit some explanation. It is used to match Xx.B where Xx is the allegiance code and B is the base code. Symbols * and ? are wildcards (matching anything or one character, respectively), so A? is "any Aslan", V? is "any Vargr", and * is "anything". A suffix of >CD means that code B decomposes into two additional codes, for example code A in classic files is handled by the pattern Im.A>NS meaning "if allegiance is Imperial and code is A, that's really an Imperial Naval Base and Imperial Scout Base". Newer files may encode this as NS directly, so this is only needed in parsing older files.


Anyway... suggestions/corrections appreciated.

Ω

27 comments:

77topaz said...

Shouldn't a generic military base (M) be a fourstar/cross?

BeRKA said...

Suggestions:
Solomani Naval Base - Sun-cross
Zhodani Relay - Cyan Diamond
Zhodani Depot - Cyan Square

Joshua Bell said...

Re: Sun-cross - cute (and easy) but I'm trying to match the Classic Traveller symbology.

Re: Cyan - also cute (bases matching border colors), but still trying to match the CT look.

Maybe an option for "fancy bases", someday.

77topaz said...

Okay, here are my proposals for the Droyne bases (both colour/shape combinations are not taken yet)

P - Naval base - red dot
Q - Military garrision - red 4star

(as M military bases have white 4stars, it would fit)

77topaz said...

Solomani Naval could just have the same symbol as Imperial Naval, or maybe the star upside down.

77topaz said...

Hmm... I see a problem with the V* and the A*: this would record, for example, the Vegans as Vargr and the Amderstuns as Aslan.

Joshua Bell said...

*sigh* - you're right.

It will probably end up having to be sector-specific, just as allegiance codes themselves are. Fortunately, there's not MUCH re-use of base codes yet, so I may be able to get away with a global set for a while.

Do checkout the spreadsheet, as I've started to fill in suggestions, trying to adhere as much as possible to CT conventions e.g. non-Imperial naval bases are red stars, etc.

The interesting ones:

* Vargr Corsair base: ٭٭ - to match DGP's The Flaming Eye maps
* Hiver Embassy: ✻ - duh!
* K'kree Naval Outpost - ???
* Aslan Clan Base - ???
* Aslan Tlauku Base - ???

77topaz said...

Hmm... for the Aslan bases, one could have upside-down triangles, with one of them (Clan or Tlaukhu) white and the other red.

Joshua Bell said...

Oooh, precedent!

The Third Imperium Fanzine maps at http://travellermap.com/thirdimperium/issues/Third%20Imperium%20-%20Trojan%20Reaches.pdf have symbols for Clan and Tlaukhu bases:

Clan: ٭٭
Tlaukhu: ★

(On the map in question, there are no Imperial Naval bases)

I wish I had my MegaTraveller Journal #1 handy, as it also has maps of the Trojan Reaches.

77topaz said...

Is there a precedent for the Droyne bases?

My ideas for them are above.

77topaz said...

Also, if a Tlaukhu base is one star and a clan base two, what would a combination of them (clan + tlaukhu code) be? Three stars?

Joshua Bell said...

I haven't found a precedent for Droyne bases yet, but I haven't specifically looked. Where have you found them in the data, so I can check sources?

The double-stars for Vargr and Aslan bases are two small adjacent 5-pointed stars in the lower left. Another base in the same hex would be rendered upper left, potentially as a large 5-pointed star.

77topaz said...

The Droyne bases are listed at http://travellermap.com/formats.htm

Joshua Bell said...

I meant, what are some worlds with base codes P and Q so we can look for precedent in publishes materials.

(*does some searching*)

Auitawry (Trojan Reach 3140) is the best candidate for P. Zamoran (Reft 2108) is the best candidate for Q. Both would have been mapped in MT Journal #1.

Anyone have it handy?

77topaz said...

Maybe you should ask on CotI, I think that's more frequently visited than the comment threads here.

77topaz said...

"F" bases are rendering as dots.

77topaz said...

Also, I think that, in the patterns, Kk should be changed to K*, since, now, in K'kree outposts (KO) and client states (KC, Kc, K1, K2, K3, K4), K'kree bases aren't rendered.

Joshua Bell said...

Re: F bases as dots

Fixed. I had a Hv specific pattern in place for "F" still, oops!

Re: K*

Agreed - fixed.

Joshua Bell said...

Re: F bases as dots

Fixed. I had a Hv specific pattern in place for "F" still, oops!

Re: K*

Agreed - fixed.

77topaz said...

"NS" as base code doesn't produce anything - you said some files had NS in place of A or 2.

Joshua Bell said...

Only tab delimited files, which can't be uploaded yet. They're generated from spreadsheets used for the T5 data cleanup. The format isn't stable enough though.

Right now, base codes need to be in SEC format which is a single digit - the data lines need to be:

name? uwp base? remarks? zone? pbg allegiance stellar?

77topaz said...

Is there any function on the map which actually uses the stellar data, yet?

77topaz said...

Also, in Legend Sector, numerous bases are listed incorrectly.

Joshua Bell said...

Re: stellar data

No - only validating/round tripping it for SEC.aspx

Re: Legend sector

Yowza, not sure where those codes came from. I should dig into the history - maybe there are some uses of those? Anyway, I'll update it when I have a chance.

77topaz said...

I believe BerKA suggested this before, but a "stellar map" function could be interesting.

77topaz said...

Also, subsector names now render over top of borders.

Joshua Bell said...

"subsector names now render over top of borders"

That's always been the case, actually. But let me start a new post...