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Shimmering-Sword β The Protectorate Wars Map
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Published: 2017-12-16 18:48:45 +0000 UTC; Views: 34314; Favourites: 499; Downloads: 321
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Description
Here's something different for you guys, some of you may find it helpful in visualizing my setting.A map of all colonized space within my original scifi setting known as the Rangers Project or "The Protectorate Wars".
This was quite tricky to come up with, as several factions are based around popular constellations. However, pretty much all star maps are spherically shaped based on our perspective from earth, not a top down perspective of our galaxy. I did the best I could with some basic math and understanding, but I'm sure the locations are still off in places D:
I used a National Geographic milkyway map as reference for building my own, and after failing to commission this map from him directly, used Norsehound maps as style inspiration.
Shown are general faction borders, along with central world clusters and main trade/transit routes.
In depth details on each faction are within my art book (almost finished at this point).
You can get in a lot of territory without going too far in our galaxy
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Comments: 62
There's no way to miss the time, thought and energy spent on this splendid map work!
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so how did you make this map? I would love to know cause im also working on my own Sci-Fi setting
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Did it in photoshop, mostly using layers that have edge/line effects on them, so that I can just draw the shape of a territory and the outline is made for me.
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Nice! I love cool Space Maps like this
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Where's the cradle of humanity, where is Earth?
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Sol is there on the map.
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Nice map! Any plans for future maps in this series? Or some flags/coat of arms?
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They're not out of the question, but not as shiny as unit designs or battle scenes
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I know you haven't exactly gone into world building but here are my best guesses about the factions and you're welcome if this helps with your world building.
HPC: exactly what it says on the tin a huge corporate conglomerate that owns a sizable chunk of star systems, including earth unfortunately,Β Β with those who have had enough of the oppressive slavery like conditions either purchasing or hijacking the nearest star cruiser and hopping onto the hyperspace lanes towards free space, either squatting on unclaimed planets becoming space pirates, or sometimes setting up their own governments, with many dreaming of claiming sol, the symbolic capital of humanity for their own.
Crux Republic: born out of the free alliance of many refugee squatter colonies, the republic boasts a free liberal democracy and keeps a force just strong enough to keep the ambitions of other powers at bay.
Youshu Republic: Peoples republic of china in space
Udzima Wa Wazi: space africa, riddled by warlords and poverty.
Urvanian Territory: space india, caste sytem and all.
Prostor Domnion: old school space monarchy. like the name implies, most of the planets are part of it or can become part of it simply by recognizing the central monarch as their head of state. other than that, the planetary governments are rather autonomous but will unite against foreign invaders if the need arises.
Isles Protectorate: space mormons, living as far away from the other factions as possible to live in peace under a theocracy.
Antares Free Sector: space somalia, no real central government, great safe harbor for space pirates
Seijaku Confederation: space yakuza.
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This is a truly amazing visualization!
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Thank you.
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Getting some Sins of a Solar Empire vibes here!
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Haha, all those space lanes and planets.
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did you change the Protectorate logo? *squint eyes*
Edit: omfg you totally did, ahah
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β so you changed it... I wonder why
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Just wanted it to be a little more interesting
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U are most welcome
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Reminds me of good ol' Spore's space stage. Very well done and I'd love to see where this idea goes.
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Ah, I've never played spore myself so I haven't seen the space stuff.
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oh cool, I was just doing Lore Building for a new Sci-fi story today, sorta basing it off the Alpha Quadrant in Star Trek and comparing it to the actual stars. this is the sorta thing I have in mind, but I promise not to steal... mostly because my thing is purely textbased.
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I'd be totally open to people borrowing from my locational work on the stars... if I was more sure of their accuracy. Be inspired all you want, just know it's artistic interpretation already
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oh I know, and it's more fun to just make my own anyway. good job though!
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Who knew this side of the galactic rim would be such trouble.
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Considering that the galaxy is not just horizontal but there are star systems above and below you, there are probably millions of worlds and stars within this bit of space despite being in between two galactic arms.
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That is correct, though extremely hard to visualize, so I went with the flat map.
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Haha, a wasteland overall, with a few atmospherically sealed cities still running. Earth was made largely unlivable, spurring space colonization.
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What about mars and venus? Are all the major powers fighting one another? Who is the most advanced technologically the Isle Protectorate or someone else?
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If you master FTL travel, no reason to stop at the solar system
Not everyone is fighting each other, though there are small engagements and proxy wars. Udzima and Youshu are gearing up for something bigger, while the Protectorate are probing at almost everyone.
The Protectorate does have the original friction shields, which is a big advantage, but the others can quickly catch up there. Their limited industrial capacity among fewer planets limits how much of that advantage they can press.
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Why is the protectorate so far away from everyone else by the way? Do they have a similar story to Clanners in Battletech?
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Haha nope they didn't run away, a colony ship missjumped near a spatial anomaly. Flung them way out there.
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Prostor Dominion, that sounds Slavic. Did you draw any inspiration from there?
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I hired a writer to help flesh out the setting with my overview, so that's his work. And it does appear to be Slavic, "Space Dominion".
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Nice. As a Slavic person this pleases my eye
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This map is excellently detailed, what programs did you use to create it?
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Thank you.
Did it all in photoshop, it has outline tools so that I only had to make the border shapes overal, no time consuming edge highlighting.
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Itβs really impressive.
I wasnβt aware photoshop had those features, but sense then Iβve been applying them where I can.
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I have to say this is amazingly well done, to me anyway. I would love to see the faction details someday! if i can ever get the money to buy the artbook lol. anyway awesome work!
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I'll plug my art book more when I have it in a better state. It's practically finished now, but needs more text editing, and more full page art, to look prettier
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Ooo nice! cant wait to see!
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Interesting location, between the arms, is this actually an inter-arm war and the Protectorates are pawns in that struggle?Β The size of an empire is almost always determined by communication technology.Β Without FTL communication, that becomes the speed of your ships.Β So, 900 or 4000 ly is all relative.
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