Hmm... well, if I remember correctly, your timeline says the UP War began shortly after the end of the standard scenario in EVN. After all, it was rumored Jerry O'Donnell committed suicide after learning his probe was the cause of the war. If he lived long enough for that rumor to be possible, the war had to have started and ended relatively soon after the 'end' of EVN.

Anyway, if that is the case, Polaris technology wouldn't have had much time to evolve very far from where it was before the rift appeared during the war. If the Polaris could already escape the way they did, they would've done it long ago in order to secure their privacy and save countless Nil'Kemorya due to the Aurorans and Wraith not attacking their borders again. I don't think they could have done this on their own, someone else had to have helped them.

Perhaps the Anz'kalarads did something they never revealed they had done which caused the rift. Maybe the Polaris developed a WMD that detonated by accident near the border, creating the rift.

Another thing: you mentioned a pirate base deep in the rift. Does this mean one can travel 'through' the rift to explore systems on the other side, or something else entirely? You were kinda vague on that part (probably intentionally).

QUOTE (darthkev @ Apr 18 2010, 12:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<snip>
Another thing: you mentioned a pirate base deep in the rift. Does this mean one can travel 'through' the rift to explore systems on the other side, or something else entirely? You were kinda vague on that part (probably intentionally).

Yes, you can travel "through" the Rift. There's not much there though, apart from psychedelic lights, gravatic anomalies, insane sensor interference (I'll be writing a NEBU resource for the Rift), a few pirates, and the occasional civilian captain with courage enough to dare the Rift to get to Marathon Sector (the Milky Way's easternmost Galactic region, bordering Balcrusian space) rather than take the lengthy, but safer route around to the south through Baticlearan and Orizian space.

** Status Report:**
I've finished the basic map of the Milky Way, whose major governments include the southern half of the UGF, the Wraith, the Varellavites, and the Balcrusians. Its minor governments are four Galactic member governments (the Orion League, the Anz'kalarad Principalities, the Balcrusian Federal Republic, and the Corunian Planetary Alliance), the Orizio Union, and the Kyrzakagalan nomads, in addition to the Gryphon's Children and Balcrusian Popular Front rebel groups. Next up is the Andromeda Galaxy, which is composed of the northern half of the UGF, as well as the Ganbar Empire, Klavar Republic, Axe-tail Star Empire, and Churgos Revolutionary Front (Ganba rebels). The Milky Way map will later be expanded, because the Balcrusian government changes during the UGF string.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 19 April 2010 - 08:07 AM

So the rift, when looked at it through EVNEW, is basically your standard star systems except weird background colors, empty space for parsecs around, and sensor interference you could cut with a knife. Whereas when seen through EVN, it's empty space where the Polaris used to be, but is now mysteriously vacant. Got it. At first I thought you meant all the systems bordering Polaris space were there, but there was no way to get any further than that because the hyperspace routes weren't there and the systems that were Polaris space were no longer accessible. Sorry for my confusion.

Keep up the good work, StarSword! This really is an interesting TC. I can only hope HOTS will compare with it.

Thanks for the support, dk.

Found a clever way to develop alien system names, particularly for the Andromeda Galaxy. I take two or three random words and use a web translator to convert them into Czech, Swahili, Malay, or something like that. Maybe as an Easter egg, I'll put a clue to the names' translations into a planet DESC. One example: the Cumpara o Băutură System (don't ask me how to pronounce that; I have no idea :laugh: ), located on the Galactic-Klatuan border. It actually means "buy a drink" in Romanian.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 19 April 2010 - 08:49 PM

Some people have wondered if there are a few systems in Wraith space like that. I can't remember any off-hand, but there was a thread a while back discussing it... ah! Here it is! Shortly after my birthday, too.

QUOTE (darthkev @ Apr 19 2010, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So the rift, when looked at it through EVNEW, is basically your standard star systems except weird background colors, empty space for parsecs around, and sensor interference you could cut with a knife. Whereas when seen through EVN, it's empty space where the Polaris used to be, but is now mysteriously vacant. Got it. At first I thought you meant all the systems bordering Polaris space were there, but there was no way to get any further than that because the hyperspace routes weren't there and the systems that were Polaris space were no longer accessible. Sorry for my confusion.

One minor point: the actual Polaris systems aren't there. What you have instead is a dozen or so oddly colored, practically unnavigable (from a sensor standpoint) systems labeled "R-001," "R-002," and so on, all ringed by Galactic space stations labeled Rift Station Alpha through Zulu.

Oh, and happy belated birthday.

Finally, one last note: in the latest version of the timeline (don't remember if it's the one I posted here or not), I said that the UGF has colonies in the Magellanic Cloud galaxies. However, as I'm already at over a thousand SYSTs without having added the other Andromedan governments, I may not be physically able to include those in the final release (I believe Nova has a limit of 2048 SYSTs and SPOBs).

This post has been edited by StarSword : 20 April 2010 - 08:59 AM

Okay, I have a serious problem here. I was adding systems in the Ganbar Empire when I ran into a wall. EVN Cartographer won't let me add systems past 1126. Anybody know how to get ahold of Artanis?

EDIT: I hope the Artanis I just sent an e-mail to from the board is the right one.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 21 April 2010 - 10:25 AM

QUOTE (StarSword @ Apr 21 2010, 11:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, I have a serious problem here. I was adding systems in the Ganbar Empire when I ran into a wall. EVN Cartographer won't let me add systems past 1126. Anybody know how to get ahold of Artanis?

EDIT: I hope the Artanis I just sent an e-mail to from the board is the right one.

Never mind; I found a workaround. I converted the TXT back to REZ, added blank SYSTs in EVNEW, and then turned it back into a TXT and reopened it in Cartographer. It's still a pain, though.

QUOTE (StarSword @ Apr 19 2010, 06:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, and happy belated birthday.

That's a REALLY belated birthday wish. My birthday is September 22, that topic was started shortly after that date. I didn't mean my post was shortly after my birthday. Thanks anyway! ^_^

Regarding EVN Cartographer's buggy performance, the only suggestion I have is find a way to run Mac OSX of some sort. Even Mac Classic would do. The point of this is to run Mission Computer. I know this makes me sound like a spokesman for Apple products, but believe me, my suggestion is only because Mission Computer is just that much better and less buggy.

Too bad David's already said there's little chance of him porting it over to Windows.

QUOTE (darthkev @ Apr 17 2010, 11:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After all, it was rumored Jerry O'Donnell committed suicide after learning his probe was the cause of the war. If he lived long enough for that rumor to be possible, the war had to have started and ended relatively soon after the 'end' of EVN.

Not really. The Polaris can live to see their fourth century (according to one of EV Nova's Polaris planet descriptions). If Jerry O'Donnell had the lifestyle and medical services of the Polaris, it would still be possible for him to commit suicide.

Jerry O'Donnell was from the Federation. No way did he have the medical services of the Polaris. At any rate, go read the timeline. You'll see the war ended 57 years after Jerry's team launched the probe. The Polaris, in my opinion, couldn't have devised a way of creating that rift on their own in that time-span, especially since you can still travel through that space. The stars, planets, and people are just gone, as if moved out of phase with the rest of the universe, or perhaps transported somewhere/when else.

This post has been edited by darthkev : 22 April 2010 - 08:13 PM

QUOTE (darthkev @ Apr 22 2010, 09:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jerry O'Donnell was from the Federation. No way did he have the medical services of the Polaris. At any rate, go read the timeline. You'll see the war ended 57 years after Jerry's team launched the probe. The Polaris, in my opinion, couldn't have devised a way of creating that rift on their own in that time-span, especially since you can still travel through that space. The stars, planets, and people are just gone, as if moved out of phase with the rest of the universe, or perhaps transported somewhere/when else.

That is correct, darth. For those of you who haven't read the timeline, a brief history lesson. Dr. Jerry O'Donnell of the University of Misfire was the leader of the team that hired the EV Nova PC to launch a probe from the Kontik system. (Well, all right: I remember that he introduced himself as "O'Donnell", but I don't remember if Jerry was his first name or not. I'll have to check on that.) As stated in the timeline, the probe was discovered by an Anz'kalarad Principalities border patrol and summarily destroyed. Then, thinking that the probe was a precursor to invasion by a previously unknown non-Anz'kalarad race (the Anz'kalarads weren't well-liked because of their custom that those who lose are slaves to the victors), they launched a massive preemptive strike in -11 GSD (1225 NC), which, purely by chance, encountered the Tekel House first. This was the start of the United Powers War of -11-0 GSD, which cost billions of lives before an alliance of the Federation, the Auroran Empire, and the Anz'kalarads' own Orion slaves defeated the invaders. The four governments (including the Orion League) then merged to form the United Powers League. One of the League's first acts was to redesign timekeeping methods, marking the end of the New Calendar and the beginning of Galactic Standard Date.

QUOTE (Capt. Radio Willy @ Apr 22 2010, 09:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not really. The Polaris can live to see their fourth century (according to one of EV Nova's Polaris planet descriptions). If Jerry O'Donnell had the lifestyle and medical services of the Polaris, it would still be possible for him to commit suicide.

Technically the rumor was that he had drunk himself to death, but it was just a rumor: he had died of old age about seven years earlier.

In other news, I've got a major bummer to report. The USB drive I was carrying my work between home and school has vanished, along with the work I did on the Ganba, Axe-tails, Klavarese, Turadoc, and Klatuan regions of space. Thankfully I back it up on my home computer every day, so the entire TC wasn't lost (or even the entire Andromeda Galaxy), but I'm back to square one as far as the non-Galactic Andromeda Galaxy is concerned.

The other problem is, I've got semester finals and a major project coming up in a couple of weeks,

This post has been edited by StarSword : 24 April 2010 - 10:45 AM

His name is indeed Jerry, I just checked.

Too bad about your flash drive. I hope you find it. Such reasons are part of why I got my laptop, so I can simply take it with me wherever I go.

Status:

I've rebuilt the maps of the Ganbar Empire and the Turadoc Consortium (neutral merchant government) from memory, and am almost done with the Axe-tails. Then I have to do the Klavar Republic, and then the Klatuans, and then I'll have finished the basic map (sans control bit modifications).

Don't be surprised if there are certain systems that you can't pronounce. Like Duklad Hgarrntgga in the Varellavite Imperium. ( I have no idea how that's pronounced in Varellan. :D: )

This post has been edited by StarSword : 25 April 2010 - 08:01 PM

QUOTE (StarSword @ Apr 25 2010, 08:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Status:

I've rebuilt the maps of the Ganbar Empire and the Turadoc Consortium (neutral merchant government) from memory, and am almost done with the Axe-tails. Then I have to do the Klavar Republic, and then the Klatuans, and then I'll have finished the basic map (sans control bit modifications).

Don't be surprised if there are certain systems that you can't pronounce. Like Duklad Hgarrntgga in the Varellavite Imperium. ( I have no idea how that's pronounced in Varellan. :D: )

late update: map is finished; going to bed :hector_bird:

EDIT: OK, not just yet. It says on ZP's Plug-in Distribution Guide that Mac users have to rename "Nova Music.mp3" as "Nova Music". Is this true? (Also, does the mp3 file have to be actually named "Nova Music.mp3"?) I ask this purely for Readme purposes.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 25 April 2010 - 08:52 PM

Wrong. In fact, if the theme file is named anything other than 'Nova Music.mp3' the music will not play at all on a Mac. I don't know how it works on a Windows machine, though.

Same, but Windows typically hides file extensions. It simply has to be an .mp3 named Nova Music, and must be in the Nova Files folder.

**Governments, Part I:

The United Galactic Federation**

The UGF is by far the largest government in EVN:UGF, and comprises nearly 983 trillion citizens in parts of three galaxies. Its military might is nearly unsurpassed, but the UGF considers it a point of pride not to go to war unless forced.

At the highest level, the UGF is ruled by a popularly elected president who serves up to two five-year terms; a Senate where each sector gets three senators; and a judicial branch headed by the Supreme Court. There is also a High Council which can, at the formal request of any two of the three branches, exercise absolute power for up to a month at a time. The High Council is composed of professional diplomats from 25 different sectors, and rotates once every five years. In the storyline, the player becomes part of the United Galactic Navy's Intelligence Department, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. The UGF also includes several member governments which have their own lines of starships.

**Governments, Part II

The Varellavite Imperium**

The UGF's Milky Way neighbors to the west, past the former Vell-os territory and Delphi Sector, the Varellavites are aquatic humanoids of over 2.5 meters in height. They are not as technologically advanced as the UGF. Though the Varellavites are the most numerous species, the Imperium also includes the Obralans, the Katagans, and the Vhusaeds.

Theoretically the Varellavite Imperium is led by a parliament and constitutional monarchy. In practice, however, much of the Imperium's power is in the hands of the Masterminds, a cabal of scheming tacticians, politicians, and scientists. In the storyline, the player first joins the Varellavite Imperial Navy, then becomes a Shadowfighter (a Varellan commando). He or she can then choose whether to join and eventually lead the Masterminds, or serve Emperor Ulus Korrist and help to "remove" them.

_ Status:_
Having finished mapping the SYSTs in EVN Cartographer, I am now working on the in-depth resource design with EVNEW.

**Governments, Part III:

The Ganbar Empire**

The UGF's neighbors to the west in the Andromeda Galaxy, the Ganba are a rodent species approximately 1.3 meters in height. They have technological and numerical parity with the UGF, though their most powerful warships, the Ganbar Command Cruisers, can't take on UGN command ships one-on-one and expect to win. (They'll do a good bit of damage before they go down, however.)

Only eleven years before the start of the game in 1002 GSD, relations between the Empire and the UGF were quite friendly. However, after a religious uprising in Ganba space (the so-called "Kobor Insurrection"), things changed: the UGF granted political asylum to the Kobor leader (who really had nothing to do with the rebellion), and Emperor Tazzo responded by breaking off relations. Now the UGF and the Ganbar Empire are enemies. The player becomes a Ganba intelligence agent.

** Status:**
I'm removing extra SPOBs from the "Nova Data" file that I used as the baseline for EVN:UGF's starmap, and adjusting the others to the new GOVTs.

Since Sigma Shipyards went bankrupt during the Depression about seventy years back, the hypergate system has been administered by a Galactic government corporation (kind of like Amtrak) called the United Galactic Hypergate Authority. The UGHGA maintains the entire system, even in other governments' territory. Because of their necessity, not even the enemies of the UGF attack UGHGA ships (though pirates will). Every standard hypergate, though you can use them by default, charges 100 credits to help defray maintenance costs. The six "long-jump" hypergates (not yet implemented), which let you travel between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, charge 500 credits.

This post has been edited by StarSword : 06 May 2010 - 08:14 AM