Jump Space Theory

[cheeb2002]

I've been thinking some about how the hex-grid universe of Traveller games can be justified through some nifty Jump Space Theory:

First, one has to start at the beginning. Jumpspace is a reality parallel to but separate from our own. However, jumpspace can be entered by penetrating the barrier between our reality and jumpspace in a similar fashion to how a needle can penetrates a person's skin.

Jumpspace is two-dimensional. When a three-dimensional object enters jumpspace, however, it creates a "bulge" in jumpspace, thus causing jump masking.

The galactic plane of the Milky Way causes a subspatial effect that causes any jumpspace travel to be aligned with the galactic plane. Thus, jumpspace travel maps can be made two-dimensionally.

 

[TKalbfus]

Jensen said,

I've been thinking some about how the hex-grid universe of Traveller games can be justified through some nifty Jump Space Theory:

First, one has to start at the beginning. Jumpspace is a reality parallel to but separate from our own. However, jumpspace can be entered by penetrating the barrier between our reality and jumpspace in a similar fashion to how a needle can penetrates a person's skin.
Jumpspace is two-dimensional. When a three-dimensional object enters jumpspace, however, it creates a "bulge" in jumpspace, thus causing jump masking.

The galactic plane of the Milky Way causes a subspatial effect that causes any jumpspace travel to be aligned with the galactic plane. Thus, jumpspace travel maps can be made two-dimensionally.

The only problem is that the hex map is a map of real space not jump space. In reality there are 6 cardinal directions in galactic mapping: there is coreward, rimward, spinward, antispinward, Galactic North, and Galactic South. Traveller maps are missing these last two directions. one way around this problem is to do what I suggested in another thread, assume that each hex represents a different parallel universe. The parallel universes are arrayed in a 2-dimensional space that makes it easy to map on a sheet of paper. These hexes have nothing to do with any of the stars seen in the night sky from any of the planets. Another way is simply to draw a 3 dimensional map, listing the 3-d coordinates of each star in parsec units. A subsector map would then be 8-parsecs-by-10-parsecs-by-10-parsecs. Each hex would then become a hexagonal column 1 parsec in diameter and 1 parsec deep Each of these hex column segments would be stacked on top of each other in a column made of 10 such segments or hex-column spaces. There would then be a total of 800 hex-column spaces instead of 80 hexes in a subsector map. role a 1d6 for each space to determine where or not their is a star in each one. There should be about 400 stars in a single subsector. A sector instead of containing 16 subsectors would contain 64 3-dimensional subsectors. The entire sector would contain 25,600 star systems, more than the Imperium is said to have. The entire Official Traveller Universe could fit within this one sector, no other sector maps would be needed. This sector would be 32-parsecs-by-40-parsecs-by-40-parsecs. The capital of the Imperium would be located in the center of this 3-d sector. Any point in this sector is just 4 weeks away by jump-5 express boat. This improves communication and travel considerably.

 

[greytraveller]

A very interesting topic. I wonder if I can interject a thought here.
The true distance between 2 points (star systems) can be accurately measured using the same method to determine the length of the third side of a right angle triangle.
Each planet could have 3 sets of coordinate - X axis (coreward to rimward), y axis (spineard to antispinward /trailward and Z axis (above or below the galactic plane).
(Example Star System Daibei 23/34/+12. Daibei is located 12 lightyears above (+) the galactic plane. Mandlebrunn coordinates are 33/49/-30 (30 light years below the galactic plane).)
To get the true distance btween Daibei and Mandlebrunn determine the absolute value of x (eg 33-23 =10). Then obtain the accurate distance of Y (Eg. 49-34=15) And the get the Z distance (-30-+30 = [-42) = 42).
The true distance equals the square root of Z. Z = the square root of x squared + y squared. (eg. 10 squared + 15 squared (100 + 225) = 325. The square root of 325 = 18.0277. Daibe and Mandlebrunn are separated by 18.0277 light years.