Each layer from the top down has 9 positions.
This would give you 27 units, 9x3.
The center point is the origin, leaving 26 positions that surrounded it.
Then I decided that was a little too much figurins.
So it's mapped out on a flat plane to make it easy on me.
35 systems in a line, which proceed roughly along the classic topology path of systems.
Early game comprises the first 10 points, mid game is the next 14 and the late game the last 11.
Each point along the path is a grid level, each point has several tiers above and below- grid level is like X coordinate, tier level is like Y coordinate.
The early game has 4 tiers, so each grid level has 9 systems. Early game comprises 90 potential systems.
The mid game section has 7 tiers, so each grid level has 15 systems. 210 systems are potential for the mid game zone.
The late game section has 20 tiers, so each grid level has 21 systems. 231 potential systems.
531 total systems.
You can make it fit on a regular sheet of graph paper, for some odd reason.
All the uniquely named nodes of the classic topology are located on the center or Core path.
Although I have converted them to use the original node ID designation in order to keep the game close to the original, all the system have an unique numeric value, plotted off the grid.
The grid is actually 31 x 35. since 35 was the horizontal, 31 is the vertical.
The center or core path is located at point 16, then just plus 31 up the chain 35 times: Node16 ( = SE ), Node47, node78, Node109, Node140, Node171 ( = BA), and so on.
So- plotted out like this:
20 51 82 113 144 175 <-- Upper tier border
19 50 81 112 143 174
18 49 80 111 142 173
17 48 79 110 141 172
16 47 78 109 140 171 <-- Core Path
15 46 77 108 139 170
14 45 76 107 138 169
13 44 75 106 137 168
12 43 74 105 136 167 <-- Lower tier border
Then I used a symmetrical group of points to figure the links.
Origin point is 109, this shows the systems that 109 links to:
-------112
49 80 111 142 173
48 79 110 141 172
47 78(109)140 171
46 77 108 139 170
35 76 107 138 168
-------106
26 gates there from 109 as an origin in the pattern on the grid.
Gate1 = 78 , Gate2 = 140, Gate3 = 110, Gate4 = 108. Each gate has a linked pair to use: [1 to 2, 2 to 1] [3 to 4, 4 to 3]
So if 109 has gate 1 activated to 78, 78 has gate 2 to 109.
If 109 has gate 3 to 110, 110 has gate 4 to 109.
I am putting together a graphic representation of the grid with NodeID and other info in it to be able to pass out with the mod and hopefully this image will provide you with all the answers- it will show the grid and the gate pattern in a big bold colorful easy to read fashion.
I will also release the gate pattern calculations so that you can just take a NodeID and calculate it's links.
Addit- I was just tinkering with ways to quickly build maps, and it seems that the Full Topology viewer in the game is even easier than calculating or plotting on the grid (although it helps to plot the grid to see where you are!)
I got a 24 system static map noted down with all the correct links in about 5 minutes and then exited the game and transferred the links to a user map list in another few minutes, and then tested it in the game- took me about a grand total of 1/2 hour to create, set up and start playing a new map that I used the Full Viewer and a piece of paper to design.
And now I have another sample map to pass around to anyone else using System26.
I decided to build the map device, map data and map data vendors with a few added features I like to call real life simulations. This means simply that Murphy's Law is in effect, your map can break or be broken, your map data can be incorrect or suffer from corruption and map vendors are highly suspect of making things up just to stick a larger price tag on them.
