Is Trav map still 2D

[aprewett]

Not asking to start any controversy.
Back in the day, I layered my Spinward Marches with sectors above and below to try for a more 3D feel.
It did work, as a couple of times the players went up or down for the campaign.
I used a mash up of the Space Opera and other Sci Fi games that were around.

Personally it was the one part of the semi-hard setting that bugged me.

Are there currently any 3D campaign settings around?
Allan

 

[aramis]

Not asking to start any controversy.
Back in the day, I layered my Spinward Marches with sectors above and below to try for a more 3D feel.
It did work, as a couple of times the players went up or down for the campaign.
I used a mash up of the Space Opera and other Sci Fi games that were around.

Personally it was the one part of the semi-hard setting that bugged me.

Are there currently any 3D campaign settings around?
Allan

2300AD is 3d, but stutterwarp, not jump.

 

[aprewett]

Thanks.
Yes familiar with that setting.
I suppose I was hoping for a Traveller setting map but rendered in 3D.
Very probably a long shot.
My group is currently down to one player, and he cut his teeth on gaming with me as the Ref many years ago on The Traveller Adventre, at a gaming club.
I am hoping we can go back for a revisit.
But as he is a IT guru, I was thinking that the flat universe was going to break his suspension of disbelief.
Allan

 

[Ulsyus]

But it's only flat as seen on the map. Where there are dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that can represent a system that is simply too-far away from anything else to get to with J1-6 technology.

I used to play Space Opera and 2300AD as well, and found the 3d maps to be pretty easy to use. Trying to render the canon maps into 3d though could be a bridge too far though.

 

[rancke]

But it's only flat as seen on the map. Where there are dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that can represent a system that is simply too-far away from anything else to get to with J1-6 technology.

I used to play Space Opera and 2300AD as well, and found the 3d maps to be pretty easy to use. Trying to render the canon maps into 3d though could be a bridge too far though.

I once toyed with the idea of running a Traveller campaign on the Starforce map. It's about six parsecs from Earth in the center to the edge of the map. Room enough for J2 ships to move about.


Hans

 

[whulorigan]

Thanks.
Yes familiar with that setting.
I suppose I was hoping for a Traveller setting map but rendered in 3D.
Very probably a long shot.
My group is currently down to one player, and he cut his teeth on gaming with me as the Ref many years ago on The Traveller Adventre, at a gaming club.
I am hoping we can go back for a revisit.
But as he is a IT guru, I was thinking that the flat universe was going to break his suspension of disbelief.
Allan

I think it would be great to have the existing canon TravellerMap adjusted for 3D. The problem would be that you would then have to reassess all of the trade routes and X-Boat routes, and likewise probably have to retcon certain elements of the historical timeline to fit the new astrographic distances.

Here are some threads discussing the subject:
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showpost.php?p=502306&postcount=9
http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=32010


Personally, I like to use the "third dimension" for IMTU systems, and leave the canonical ones in the 2D representation. You can assign a height above/below the plane (note it in the hex as +/- 5pc, for example), and then use 3D distance calculation. (You can always use a "fudge factor" that you ignore the z-coordinate in relation to two canonical systems, so as to avoid having to recalculate trade and communications). Thus, you only (in practice) use the z-coordinate when you are moving between two of your own non-canonical systems, or between a canonical and a non-canonical system.

This leaves you plenty of expansion room as a GM (and lots of "useless/uninhabited" systems, if you so desire). Further, it allows you to place entire sectors above/below the primary, in multiple levels (and they will never be overwritten by canon ).

 

[Bloo]

Came across this stuff on Jeff Rients' blog the other day - though it is an old post. Worth checking out.

A couple of examples from it:

Jump Planes:

Curve Jump Space: