T5 Product SectorMaker for the iPad

agorski · #1 September 17th, 2018, 02:11 PM

SectorMaker is a free iOS application for iPad only that facilitates the creation of sector star charts with subsector names, world details, political allegiances, labels, regions, borders, and trade and communication routes.

Sector, subsector, and world maps is made possible by the use of Joshua Bell’s POSTER API at the Traveller Map website. Note that an internet connection is required for mapping functionality. A big thank you to Joshua for providing this great resource for Traveller fans.

Data export lets you print maps using Traveller Map's Poster Maker.

SectorMaker star generation and world creation features follow the rules in the Charting the Stars chapter of the Traveller5 Core Rules and is fully compatible with the latest errata and T5 Second Survey conventions.

App Store Preview:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sect...435528047?mt=8

I've posted a few tutorial articles in my blog:
https://naasirka.weebly.com/news/category/sectormaker

This app replaces my old SectorMaker for the Mac app (circa 2014) which had ceased to function over the years. This version, besides working, is greatly improved and includes many more features and enhancements. I'm still just a "citizen developer" so fancy pants stuff like clicking on maps isn't gonna happen. Still, I hope you enjoy it and find it useful.

Timerover51 · #2 September 18th, 2018, 02:39 AM

Would it work with a sector where I already have laid out the sub-sectors and one sub-sector of planets? I also have names for some of the planets in other sub-sectors. This sector is out towards the Rim, so that stars are fewer and a bit farther apart. Can this be set in as well?

I have access to an iPad, but I have never tried to use any software like this. I will be feeling my way.

Kilgs · #3 September 18th, 2018, 11:35 AM

EDIT: Wrong app!

Quote:

Originally Posted by agorski

It's pretty clear you're not talking about my app.

Doh! I'm not. I'm talking about "Sector"... My bad!

agorski · #4 September 18th, 2018, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timerover51

Would it work with a sector where I already have laid out the sub-sectors and one sub-sector of planets? I also have names for some of the planets in other sub-sectors. This sector is out towards the Rim, so that stars are fewer and a bit farther apart. Can this be set in as well?

I have access to an iPad, but I have never tried to use any software like this. I will be feeling my way.

The app doesn't support data import because the standard SEC files don't contain all the data created/managed by this app and Traveller Map.

That said, you can certainly recreate the work you've done. It will randomly create a whole sectors worth of worlds with a press of a button, or in your case you can add them individually, name them, specify the hex location, and edit all the parameters. Same goes with naming the Sector and subsectors. It's tedious (like it would be doing it any other way) but easy to use. Look at the tutorials I posted (link in my first post) and give it a try.

agorski · #5 September 18th, 2018, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilgs

I've had it for awhile on my phone.

It's pretty clear you're not talking about my app.

Timerover51 · #6 September 18th, 2018, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agorski

The app doesn't support data import because the standard SEC files don't contain all the data created/managed by this app and Traveller Map.

That said, you can certainly recreate the work you've done. It will randomly create a whole sectors worth of worlds with a press of a button, or in your case you can add them individually, name them, specify the hex location, and edit all the parameters. Same goes with naming the Sector and subsectors. It's tedious (like it would be doing it any other way) but easy to use. Look at the tutorials I posted (link in my first post) and give it a try.

Thanks for the advice and help. I will give it a try and see how it goes. I have worked on computers for quite a long time, but this will be a first for me.

And I can sympathize with Kilgs on the fingers comment. I have a major problem trying to text on my phone keyboard. My daughter tells me that I have sausages for fingers.

Timerover51 · #7 October 1st, 2018, 04:48 AM

Greetings Art.

I downloaded your Sectormaker App, and it looks quite good. I will need to get the hang of working with a sector-wide hex numbering system, but I think that it will be useful in what I am doing. I may end up with 16 different sector maps to get each sub-sector map the way that I want it, but such is life.

Thank you very much for coding it and then posting it.

agorski · #8 October 1st, 2018, 01:31 PM

Your welcome. Each world displays its subsector letter and subsector hex location, so there's that.

If you do each subsector separately the routes that cross borders will be awkward to create and may not be exactly pointed in the right direction.

Remember that when you are done, you can export the data out and use TravellerMap's POSTER MAKER to create individual maps of each subsector.

Timerover51 · #9 October 1st, 2018, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agorski

Your welcome. Each world displays its subsector letter and subsector hex location, so there's that.

If you do each subsector separately the routes that cross borders will be awkward to create and may not be exactly pointed in the right direction.

Remember that when you are done, you can export the data out and use TravellerMap's POSTER MAKER to create individual maps of each subsector.

I will have to see how my learning curve goes. So far, so good.

Timerover51 · #10 November 10th, 2018, 06:38 PM

I keep working with your SectorMaker, and I think that if I were just randomly generating a sector, it would be great. As I already have one sort of laid out, I think that what I am going to do is play with the setting a bit, get more planets than I need per sub-sector, and then get rid of planets that I do not need, while moving the rest around as needed.

It is interesting to work with.