I had a few suggestions as to how to improve the map. Changing the size of the system symbol to give a more 3D effect, changing lines for the different jump routes and what drawing package I used. I will answer the last question first. I used a freeware package called PAINT.net. It is a souped up MS Paint that allows the use of layers. In the maps below there are different layers for the background, the grid, systems, system names and jump route.
So, here is the Map Mk11. First off, a map with no Jump Routes shown.
The next map shows Jump 1 routes. There are three clusters of systems that are Jump1 apart – mini-Mains as it were.
When the Jump 2 routes are added every system in the Sector is reachable. While typing I noticed two more J2 links I missed. No wonder the Vilani forbade the secret of the Jump2 drive from subject races.
When you add the Jump3 (and higher) Routes, the speed of communication and travel opens the Subsector up.
I hope you like these changes and perhaps can see a use for them if you give 3D mapping a go for your own Traveller games.
The Woolshed Wargamer 
Interesting – it seems almost…heretical, and yet, when I ran an early Star Trek Dawn of the Federation Campaign, I used 3D mapping.
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It works, which is the main thing. A little harder to generate the big picture map of Known Space, but not insurmountably so 🙂
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I know this quite an old post, but I’m curious how you would handle travel between sectors? I suppose you could display routes to stars in neighboring sectors as normal but have them terminate with an arrow or some other icon indicating the path leads off screen. But I imagine that could get quite cluttered since those extra routes wouldn’t just be at the edge of the page but scattered all throughout due to routes to stars above and below. Perhaps separate maps for intrasector and intersector routes?
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Hey there – thanks for commenting. That is something I have pondered for some time. Frankly – it all became too hard. If I did move the game from one sector to another I might so it more along the lines of “after eight weeks of travel you have reached “Blah Sector”.
In Space Opera (old FGU game) star sectors are 200LY cubes with a marker star at the centre (more or less) and inter-sector travel is travel to the marker star, then plot course to marker star in new sector. I had thought of doing something similar but with Jump Drive it is just too hard. I went back to 2D Traveller maps for my Traveller games and 3D maps (as described above) for my Savage Worlds Space Opera game.
Hope you had a good New Year mate and have a good one.
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Mr Smaller.
FWIW, I’ve always envisaged the Traveller 2D maps as being somewhat like the old SPI board game, wherein the 2D location was augmented by a 3rd D of depth either above or below the plane of the 2D map.
Anyhows, whichever way you look at it, Traveller is still a classy game … even after all these years.
Smilies.
Keef M (of the 82 Russell St crew !)
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Hello Keith. I gave up on 3D for Traveller. Too hard for my brain. I use Astrosynthesis and GURPS/Space Opera style 3D with “warp drives” now for the most part if I want 3D space. Sticking to the old hex maps for my Traveller game.
Good to see you are still vertical.
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