Well, you've got the systems mapped already.
And, for each system, you have created a UWP already.
So you have locations, populations, tech and governments with legal systems.
"Now" they question you have is "Why?"
Why are the people and governments there?
The first answers should come from standing back and looking at the patterns you "accidentally" created.
Are there any large Mains, which work their way across the sector in varied directions?
Those would be how the region was first explored and settled. Largely explored by J-1 and J-2 ships and settled the same way.
Later, J-3 and perhaps J-4 liners would bring in bulk settlers if there is a larger polity (Like the Imperium or Consulate) to further settle places with resources delivering minders, workers, etc...
Are there worlds strung out across empty spaces like the Lanth passage from the Equus cluster to the Regina cluster?
If so, those systems are transit based systems serving more modern J-3, J-4 + ships that started serving the new, growing or established regional economy which grew after settlement was well in progress or established.
And those new way points, like D'ganzio to Lanth to Ghandi to Dinomn to Regina support mega-freighters while cutting the legs from the J-1/J-2 smaller traders who used to use the main from Celepina to Regina.
Why?
Because the massive J-3 and J-4 freighters can bring higher tech and better quality goods to Regina and then Jewell faster and in massive quantities. So, the old Jump-1 / Jump-2 routes start dying. Just like the Eisenhower Highway systems killed off much of the Route 66 local highway system and the businesses and towns along the way. This also happened when the railroads came west and killed off caravans and the towns they supported.
So, next, you have to ask yourself.....why did they make large ports on worlds separated by J-4 gulfs???
One answer is a story the game designers very obviously created: D'Ganzio
They said, "This will be the HQ for InstellArms in the Spinward Marches."
They looked at the map and said to themselves, "Self! The corporations are gonna come here and want chunks of rock where they can write the rules." So, they asked "What corporations first?" and the answer was "Guns and ships". So, they looked for where InstellArms would want to be?
Out in the middle of nowhere but close to everywhere.
So, they spent huge cash to buy the D'Ganzio system, build a port supporting mega-Freighters and ADVERTISED "Visit Here!!!"
So, now you see how the story starts to form.
This is what informs you on how the region you're building will grow stories.
A key prompt you should be seeing in what I've posted is to investigate history.
Look for places where societies formed, from modern (IE: the growth of the US West to classic histories like "Where did the original Egyptians come from and how did Pharaonic Egypt come to be?" You don't have to have worked with Dr. Hawass like I did. All this is now on the internet.
So, you have to explain why each population is there?
Is there a massive population at the end of a line of transit worlds because there "are" resources and they are miners, refiners, etc???
Or "was there" mining that played out and are the people there simply stranded and unable to get out of the system? Do they not have the money to get anywhere else or is there no where else that wanted them or would let them in?
Is there a world with almost no population and a high tech because they came and settled with high-tech machines to create and maintain robotics? Or, is this a recent settlement where some corporation expects a boom town to spring up around this sudden addition of a high-tech port?
What stories can you then create to support the numbers in the UWP?
How then can you connect the dots once you start creating the local stories with the systems next door?
What systems - which have no water or air - will HAVE TO create trade lines to places with excess food and water?
What high tech worlds will be forced to forge trade links with lower tech worlds which will need their products?
Again, all of this is part of the history of Terra.
It's all there for you on the internet
