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Whill
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Leniad
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Joined: 30 Sep 2022
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Location: Vienna
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 Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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This is so cute! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Would love to draw a dozen planets up when I was 12.
Thats's what I think it is for: first time, teenage GMs.
All others probably just wrote a line/a handful of keywords:
e.g. wood-planet with primitive teddybears.
and called it a day.
Where this planet sheet fails is the map. Too small to be useful. Was this sheet expected to be shown directly to the players, or just describe information - on a need to know basis - when asked? |
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Leniad wrote: | This is so cute! Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Would love to draw a dozen planets up when I was 12.
Thats's what I think it is for: first time, teenage GMs.
All others probably just wrote a line/a handful of keywords:
e.g. wood-planet with primitive teddybears.
and called it a day.
...Was this sheet expected to be shown directly to the players, or just describe information - on a need to know basis - when asked? |
All of the above. See below for an example of the information.
I started running this game as a highschool student in the late-80s, and 35 years later I'd like to think that I am still somewhat in touch with that inner-teenage-GM. Regardless, I am now a middle-aged-GM who still thinks the information on the planet log can be valuable, for GMs and players, including as an in-universe reference for PCs, which is what the forms in The Star Wars Planet Collections and Gamemaster Screen, Revised were presented as functioning for.
I appreciate that GMs of this game are of many different styles, and it does not bother me in the slightest if you or anyone else has no use for something like this for your/their game. Do whatever works for you. I happen to feel some different things present in our hobby are childish, like powergaming. But characterizing it as 'childish' in one way or another only comes across as an insult to adult powergamers.
I am 100% certain you do not believe I am 12 or a teenager, so your categorical description of something I am asking for being for 12 year-olds and teenage GMs could be taken as an insult. It is my educated impression that most people here are somewhere in the "middle aged" category, so I would definitely suggest being more careful. Many of us are die hard nerds for a game that many adults would consider to be for children, so I'm sure you can understand. The fact that you are here strongly suggest you are one of us, and I really think it is best that we generally avoid categorizing or otherwise describing each other in ways that could be taken as "childish." Thanks.
| Quote: | Planet Name: Mareh
Type: Terrestrial (standard garden world)
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type II (breath mask suggested), Type III near active volcanoes (breath mask required)
Hydrosphere: Moist (91% water)
Gravity: Standard (1.11g)
Terrain: Ocean, floating jungle, floating polar ice caps, islands
Length of Day: 23.5 standard hours
Length of Year: 460.5 local days
Sapient Species: Mareens (N), others
Starport: Stellar class
Population: 750 million [Aquatic: 675 million (Mareens), Surface: 75 million (Mareens + aliens 50/50)]
Planet Function: Homeworld, Trade, Manufacturing (High Tech, Low Tech), Luxury Goods
Government: Representative Democracy (school system)
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: High tech (aquatic and air vehicles, gravity-altering technologies components, droids, software, computer components, security system components, tools), low tech (furniture) luxury goods (furniture, art)
Major Imports: High tech (vehicle components, droid components), luxury goods (art), medicinal goods, minerals
_______________________
System Name: Sumareh
Star Name: Sumareh (white)
ORBITAL BODIES | Code: | NAME PLANET TYPE MOONS
Sumareh I small rock planet 0
Sumareh II standard chthonian planet 0
Sumareh III small rock planet 0
Sumareh IV standard greenhouse planet 0
Mareh standard garden world 2
Iceberg Circle asteroid belt (50% water ice)
Sumareh VI large gas giant 12
Sumareh VII small gas giant 15
Sumareh VIII medium gas giant 15
Sumareh IX medium gas giant 20
Sumareh X small gas giant 10 |
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I can see this type of basic info about planets and their star systems being in navicomputers. It's probably what Han and Leia were cycling through on the Falcon when they were searching for a nearby safe port to travel to in TESB. Actually, I can see much more detailed data being available with a level of detail greater than most player groups of this game would probably ever concern themselves with.
For this particular planet/system, which is the homeworld of an alien species I am adapting from D6 Space for use in Star Wars, I actually have much more scientific data, which I wasn't going to bother to share here. To design star systems for my game, I use an algorithm created by science nerds using the worldbuilding system in GURPs Space 4e as a basis. It would be very difficult for those without at least a fundamental background in cosmology and an aptitude in mathematics to use successfully. It is a bit beyond most teenagers, and sadly, many adults (even most game nerds). It is certainly not required to play this game. I do it because I enjoy both the process (I am a math and science nerd) and the outcome (original planetary systems in my game that are more scientifically plausible than most space opera writers ever worry about).
| Leniad wrote: | ...All others probably just wrote a line/a handful of keywords:
e.g. wood-planet with primitive teddybears.
and called it a day. |
What you describe as what "all others probably" do happens to be what I did as a teenager, and I was older than 19 before I began using a planet log. I am the opposite of what you describe, but it is very possible that I am not typical. Of course the first version of the "planet log" form did not exist until Planets of the Galaxy, Volume One (December 1991), when I was already in college. However, I admit I am quite certain I would have used a planet log form for my homebrewed planets if I had had it in my teenage years. I also might have tried to use GURPS Space to create planet/systems if I had even heard of it the 1e book (1988) back then.
| Leniad wrote: | | Where this planet sheet fails is the map. Too small to be useful. |
I disagree. The scope of the planet map is meant to be basic-informational as far as general terrain and continent size/layout, and also be just enough to activate the mind's eye in seeing the planet from space from the PCs' pov when their ship is approaching it for the first time. It's not really intended to show cities and stuff like that, but of course GMs are welcome to make a bigger, more detailed map for that.
Where I found that the planet form map to be less than useful is for graphically-challenged users, such as myself. In my 90s campaigns, I would usually skip the terrain on those maps and just show the continents. And even then I would always provide an embarrassed disclaimer like, "This is approximate. You get the idea."
With the use of computers in this century, it is much easier to find an image to represent your planet, even if it takes a little photoshopping. But I still do sometimes rely on purely textual descriptions and theater of the players' minds for planetary imaging of my original planets.
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Leniad
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Joined: 30 Sep 2022
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Location: Vienna
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| Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2022 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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It's always hard to convey intentions through text only, and there are a lot of jerks out there. I'm sorry if I offended you. I love the childishness of the game. I'm currently reading through 1e rulebook and it was very clear to me that WEG had a very young target audience in mind when the wrote the book. This was what I'm referring to.
There is nothing wrong in being childish and having fun - regardless of your age, the world out there is grey enough.
And thank god, we live in a world where nerds are cool. Be proud of it.
I'm proud being [sometimes] childish [collecting Lego, listening to K-pop, watching Tokusatsu, playing J-RPGs, ...] |
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Inquisitor1138
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Joined: 28 Nov 2021
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Location: Hoth. Or Ilum...
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| Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 6:47 pm Post subject: Location Templates |
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Like a pdf form with drop-down menus to select options from? That would be great!
If my hp craputer weren't such a junk heap i might have made such a sheet by now...
hehe...
Honestly surprised it hadn't been done yet, or for that matter even a sticky for Location Templates... I think i'll at least do Location Templates here, for Sector, System & Planet, and maybe a mini-template for key areas on world/station.
PDFs will have to wait until i get a new pc (NOT hp!). |
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 10435
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA, Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way Galaxy
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| Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2022 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Inquisitor1138 wrote: | | Like a pdf form with drop-down menus to select options from? That would be great! |
I wasn't even thinking of drop-downs. Just a form that had open text fields that we could fill in and save (and share). I don't know how to make pdf forms, but others have made some very nice forms for use in our game. I just wanted something that I could use to make and share a planet log that looked like in the WEG books, just for that extra nostalgia flavor. But drop-downs and open text fields would be very nice!
| Quote: | | Honestly surprised it hadn't been done yet, or for that matter even a sticky for Location Templates... I think i'll at least do Location Templates here, for Sector, System & Planet, and maybe a mini-template for key areas on world/station. |
Please do! I was going to share my forum post templates for planetary systems (and species in an applicable place), but the more the merrier. Thank you. Location forms sounds cool.
| Quote: | If my hp craputer weren't such a junk heap i might have made such a sheet by now...
PDFs will have to wait until i get a new pc (NOT hp!). |
I feel your plain. I think my first three computers (desk) were all hp, and after the third one in a row crashed I finally got fed up and crossed over to Mac side.
I still have my first Mac laptop but that had tea spilled in it and got refurbished-it still works but it was never quite the same, so I eventually got a newer Macbook Pro which is my primary computer I type most all of my Rancor Pit posts on. My first laptop is where my musical library is stored, well over 11,000 songs I bought and own.
For some reason, when I replaced my last printer I stupidly bought an hp. Just after the warranty expired, it stopped working. I swear I will never buy another hp product again. Crap.
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Inquisitor1138
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| Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 1:54 am Post subject: |
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In the '80s & early '90s hp was a good brand; i did most of my essays on my aunt Jackie's hp, but sometime after that new management took over & started making garbage, milking the brand. Ironically, the other laptop i am alternating workloads with is an older hp Pavilion laptop a friend rebuilt; heavy AF, but it's a tank with Windows Vista, works better than the hp Envy ever did!
Lesson: Never by a product named for any of the SEVEN DEADLY SINS.
Getting back to the topic, Adobe Acrobat (free version) does allow for creation of editable documents, i just hadn't gotten around to playing with it.
As for a Planet Template, i have combined what you posted with my Ships template, then i was going through the 3 Planets volumes which i have as pdfs, for any details in layout that may have changed (none/not much so far)
***PLANET TEMPLATE WIP***
[img]{image url}[/img]
Planet Name: {planet}
Type:
Temperature:
Affiliation:
Era:
Source:
Atmosphere:
Hydrosphere:
Gravity:
Terrain:
Length of Day:
Length of Year:
Sapient Species: x
Starport:
Population:
Planet Function: x
Government(s): x
Tech Level:
Major Exports:
Major Imports:
_______________________
System Name: {system}
Star Name: {star} ({color})
ORBITAL BODIES | Code: | NAME PLANET TYPE MOONS
{planet}[color=white]__[/color]small rock planet[color=white]__[/color]#
{planet} standard chthonian planet #
{planet} small rock planet #
{planet} standard greenhouse planet #
{planet} standard garden world #
{planet} asteroid belt (50% water ice)
{planet} large gas giant #
{planet} small gas giant #
{planet} medium gas giant #
{planet} medium gas giant #
{planet} small gas giant # |
[/quote]
| Code: | ***PLANET TEMPLATE WIP***
[img]{image url}[/img]
[b][color=darkred][size=18]Planet Name: {planet}[/size][/b][/color]
[b]Type:[/b]
[b]Temperature:[/b]
[b]Affiliation:[/b]
[b]Era:[/b]
[b]Source:[/b]
[b]Atmosphere:[/b]
[b]Hydrosphere:[/b]
[b]Gravity:[/b]
[b]Terrain:[/b]
[b]Length of Day:[/b]
[b]Length of Year:[/b]
[b]Sapient Species:[/b] x
[b]Starport:[/b]
[b]Population:[/b]
[b]Planet Function:[/b] x
[b]Government(s):[/b] x
[b]Tech Level:[/b]
[b]Major Exports:[/b]
[b]Major Imports:[/b]
_______________________
[b]System Name:[/b] {system}
[b]Star Name:[/b] {star} ({color})
[color=green]ORBITAL BODIES[/color][code]NAME PLANET TYPE MOONS
{planet}[color=white]__[/color]small rock planet[color=white]__[/color]#
{planet} standard chthonian planet #
{planet} small rock planet #
{planet} standard greenhouse planet #
{planet} standard garden world #
{planet} asteroid belt (50% water ice)
{planet} large gas giant #
{planet} small gas giant #
{planet} medium gas giant #
{planet} medium gas giant #
{planet} small gas giant #[/code][/quote] |
Feedback is appreciated! |
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Sutehp
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| Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Has anything happened with this yet? It looks good to me and would be really awesome in PDF form with fillable fields.
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
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Posts: 10435
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA, Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way Galaxy
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| Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Sutehp wrote: | | Has anything happened with this yet? It looks good to me and would be really awesome in PDF form with fillable fields. |
I'm not sure what you are expecting to happen as no one declared any intentions of making a fillable PDF form of the Planet Log. It's beyond my capabilities, and I do not have the bandwidth to teach myself, if I even have the right software (I have no idea). So I was asking if anyone had one so I could share a planet here, but no one did so I just resigned to making the BB code form.
I can assure you that if I chance upon one or anyone ever presents one to me, I will be sure to share it here. And you're the one with the Mr. Gone connection. Any chance you could give him the form I mentioned in the OP and request another fillable PDF form? 
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Sutehp
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Whill wrote: | | And you're the one with the Mr. Gone connection. Any chance you could give him the form I mentioned in the OP and request another fillable PDF form? |
I can ask, sure. I know he's really busy at the moment with a bunch of other projects, including one or two of mine for Star Trek Adventures, so it might be a while. And by "a while," I mean it could be weeks or months until he has time to get back to my requests. But I can ask.
Alternatively, I just got my new computer and I MIGHT be able to learn how to use and manipulate pdf files, assuming I have (or can obtain) the correct software. But as I have no idea what I'm doing, I can make no promises. 
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Only some of it is for D6 Star Wars.
Just repurchased the X-Wing and Tie Fighter flight sim games. I forgot how much I missed them. |
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KageRyu
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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The only software I am 100% sure can make fillable PDF is Acrobat pro, which is prohibitively priced. Apache open office can handle som Acrobat features, and there may or may not be a plugin for Fillable PDF. Mine is an older version, and this machine can not upgrade any further, so I can not test myself.
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Inquisitor1138
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Sutehp wrote: | | Whill wrote: | | And you're the one with the Mr. Gone connection. Any chance you could give him the form I mentioned in the OP and request another fillable PDF form? |
I can ask, sure. I know he's really busy at the moment with a bunch of other projects, including one or two of mine for Star Trek Adventures, so it might be a while. And by "a while," I mean it could be weeks or months until he has time to get back to my requests. But I can ask.
Alternatively, I just got my new computer and I MIGHT be able to learn how to use and manipulate pdf files, assuming I have (or can obtain) the correct software. But as I have no idea what I'm doing, I can make no promises. |
Adobe Acrobat Reader FREE VERSION, should let you create pdf docs; idk what the limits are bc i never got to play with it despite having it on my hp, as my ms OS is evil poodoo....
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KageRyu
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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The Free version of Adobe Acrobat does not let you create free documents, or at least it did not as far as the last versions I downloaded (2018). It will let you fill in fillible documents, but not save the results (as of the 2018 version). This has been it's design since it's creation. Adobe has always required the Pro version to create and save PDFs.
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pdf-reader.html
Worst of all is Acrobat Pro is now subscription only, and ultimately costs more per year than it did as a permanent license.
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KageRyu
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| Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it looks like fillable PDFs can be made with Open Office, and I found a quick tutorial. So- I will try to take a crack at this in the next few days/week since I can not do any work on any of my graphics or other things (still can't find my D6 notes and my graphics workstatio HD died taking all of my content with it).
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Inquisitor1138
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| Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 12:29 am Post subject: |
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| KageRyu wrote: | | Well, it looks like fillable PDFs can be made with Open Office, and I found a quick tutorial. So- I will try to take a crack at this in the next few days/week since I can not do any work on any of my graphics or other things (still can't find my D6 notes and my graphics workstatio HD died taking all of my content with it). |
Good luck, and my condolences...
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