How many star systems can the Adventurers explore?

Even games with a single star system or planet setting can benefit from understanding how the planet or star system fits into the grander background universe, especially in relation to Sol/Earth if such exists in the setting.

Creating star maps can be as simple or complex as you like.

For an an easy and straight-forward two-dimensional (2D) map of the local group of star systems, take a blank sheet of hex graph paper and roll dice or flip a coin to see if a star system exists in each hex.

Sparsely populated areas of space may only place a star system on a 1-in-6 chance.

More densely packed areas of space may place a start system on a 2-in-6 or 3-in-6 chance (or flip of a coin.)

Use different sizes of dice for finer control over probability if desired.

Assign any starting and ending number scale for the X and Y axes of the map as desired.

Multiple pages may be consecutively numbered to build larger scale maps.

Distance between two star coordinates on a 2D map equals the square root of the squared difference in X and Y coordinates:
Distance = Square Root of ( (EndingX - StartingX)^2 + (EndingY - StartingY)^2 )

To enable more realistic star system placement in simulated three-dimensional (3D) space and distance calculations, roll a die the size of your map's maximum dimension, subtract one-half the size of the map dimension, and use that as a third dimension or “Z” coordinate.

For example, if the chosen map size is 20 x 10, roll a 20-sided die, subtract 10, and use the resulting +10 to -10 value as the Z-height of the system above or below the plane of the map.

Calculate 3D distance using the square root of the squared difference in X, Y, and Z coordinates:
Distance = Square Root of ( (EndingX - StartingX)^2 + (EndingY - StartingY)^2 + (EndingZ - StartingZ)^2 )

10 x 10 hex map (PostScript)
20 x 10 hex map (PostScript)
44 x 24 hex map (PostScript)

Blank map templates created with mkhexgrid example specification files.

◢ Salvage Space: Star Maps

NBOS Software created the AstroSynthesis application specifically for writers and Guides to create and manage 2D and 3D star maps with GM notes, stellar empires, trade routes, and much more.

Winchell Chung created the freely available Project Rho HabHYG data sets specifically to help writers and Guides bring more realistic near star system mapping into settings.

Project Rho also covers a number of 3-D Starmap Software packages.

Astrosynthesis generated the image of the Star Maps by plotting trade routes with HabHYG near stars data.

Astrosynthesis also generated the layout of the Niecti star system and content details based on the HabHYG stellar data for star system chosen as the main setting.

The tool and data sets make generating complex and evocative science-fiction star systems from realistic starting points extremely fast, easy, and (most importantly) fun.

Realistic Science-Fiction Starmaps:
https://campaign-community.com/index.php?threads/realistic-science-fiction-rpg-star-maps.1131/

▲ Chronology :: ◢ References: Locations