I have to add tons of disclaimers: I know nothing about Star Trek, don't know your story line, can't tell what different features of the maps might mean for game play, etc.
But I like aspects of each.
Map one is more interesting visually and seems to be better laid out in detail. The system layout of Federation and Klingon space is interesting with the elongated outline of federation borders and the two horns of Klingon space. It suggests plot features and political variety. On a level of smaller detail it also has variety, for instance in Cardassian space which in map 1 seems to have two regions, one densely clustered and inhabited, the other more sparsely laid out and less populated. There are some questions that come to mind. SW Federation space, for example, is only a couple of systems wide. Knowing nothing about Star Trek I don't know if the Tholians are hostile, but if they are that border seems difficult to sustain. It seems a bit arbitrary in any case, but then, borders are arbitrary, even when they're justified historically. So this map suggests things about history and political boundaries.
Map 2 is less interesting visually, more similar to the shape of other maps for EVX that we've seen before. However I like the sense that some places don't directly abut each other. The Breen, Children of Tama, and the Son'a take a little bit of traveling to reach, and that creates a sense of inaccessibility and detachment that's suggestive. It gives me the sense of a galaxy that isn't fully colonized and in which some areas remain to explore. The disconnected systems in Breen space are also intriguing. Also the way that the Gorn and Tholian borders interpenetrate the Federation border suggests something as well, either conflict or great trust or something else. Some history, anyway. And the Typhon expanse seems to be going somewhere. It looks as if you might enter it and continue to another area entirely.
But in my opinion you and your team have to talk it over and decide which of the aspects of your galaxy suggested by these two maps you want to incorporate in your game. Really, you're trying to take an easy way out by asking us. We don't know anything about what you're planning.
And of course, you shouldn't try to design two versions of the game with two different maps.
But then again, you don't know me at all, so there's no reason for you trust my judgment...
Bubbles
This post has been edited by Bubbles : 25 March 2006 - 09:37 PM
