A Different Approach to Galactic Mapping

[bbzwbbzw]

This is a continuation of my Vir Inter Astrum project I've been working on for the past year or so. I got burned out on the hard science setting and have been on hiatus for a while. I've just gotten back into it, but have moved the setting forward 5000 years to make it more operatic and wide open.

So here is my idea for a galactic map. As I'm going with the conceit that FTL travel has become instantaneous and 99.9% error free, I think the idea of geographical distance loses all importance so I'm laying out this map so it's based on the time a political group came into being and the relationships between each of them. As you can see, its very much in the early stages and I'd really love some feedback on it.

I'll also attach some of the ships I'm conceptualizing just to get a handle on the different houses.

[Ascension]

Pretty cool, man. Not my area of expertise but I think it looks darn good.

[Eathanu]

That's a very pretty beginning. If I may ask, what exactly is the main large oval representing, if anything? The more finished-looking objects follow the contour of the edge, but there appears to be other items outside the oval, so I'm curious to know some context.

[bbzwbbzw]

Thanks for the comments. The big oval is going to be purely decorative, I just have a pretty rough idea of what the finished product will hopefully look like and I'm just adding elements as I go.

[bbzwbbzw]

Got the crests done and still playing around with the map layout.

[jerriecan]

Lovely style. Really like the crests of the houses so far. Is this going to be a practical map (showing trade routes and such) or mainly a political map? Either way, it's looking great so far!

[bbzwbbzw]

Thanks jerriecan. It's going to be just a political map, although I'm still debating on if I should show alliances and such using connecting lines. It's already starting to look quite busy and I still have a lot of details to put on it. I'm happy with the overall layout though.

[Ascension]

Typo on Thr Houses Mercantile, otherwise, still lookin good.

[arsheesh]

This is looking great so far!

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[bbzwbbzw]

Thanks much! And double thanks for catching the typo, my spelling goes to pot sometimes. Here is the last update, and probably the last until it's done.