Shorthand Notation for Systems

[BrotherAlien]

I'd recently been wondering on my travels if anyone had come up with a shorthand system for noting system make-ups. So between disconnects and failed scans, I put this together.

The notation is comma-seperated and the key is:

UpperCase - Scanned
LowerCase - Unscanned
S - Star [class]
M - High Metal planet
R/I/RI - Rocky/Icy/Rocky-Ice planet
An - Asteroid belt (num)
E - Earth-like
W - Water world
G - Gas planet [class, e.g G2=Class 2] (with life where noted, e.g. GW - gas with water based life)
. - rings
B - Black hole
? - unknown
x - orbit point
() - denotes orbits
[] - denotes satellites
{} - denotes contact stars
+ - Giant
/ - new 'row' (for want of a better term)

So, first off the bat is this, a simple distant binary:

This would be noted as (SM/s) - a scanned M-Class star and an unscanned star orbiting each other.

The next example is this:

which would be logged as (SK,M,(M,M),M,M,M/x,I/SM) and all are scanned.

A third example would be:

which is SK,A3,M,a10,GW.[R,R,R,R,R,I,I],(G2.[i,i,i,i],G1.[i,i]),G1.[r,i,i,i,i],I - Here, the outer satellites are unscanned, so the bodies marked in lowercase can only be assumed to be the noted type; that 'rocky' may well be another ice on closer inspection. Also note the ringed body notation.

and finally:

({SM/SL}/((SM[R]/SL)/SL)) - The thing to note here - apart from the nested orbits - being the 'curly braces' around the primary star and its close neighbour, indicating potential peril to any commanders visiting this system.

Not included are other combinations like Water Giants W+, but you get the idea.

Can anyone see any flaws in this system? It does seem rather inelegant to me and I've probably overlooked something. Maybe someone has already come up with something better?

As for its usefulness, I suppose these could be shared along with star co-ords etc as part of the ongoing community efforts. You could even generate system maps from them. How useful this is without distances is another matter though, and any attempt to include those would bloat it out of any usefulness I think.

Anyway, as I've now typed it up, I'm throwing it out there. Would be interested in any opinions - even if they are "well that's 2 hours of your life you're never getting back".

 

[Brieus]

And you are doing this, why?

If you just write down the system name, you can search for it in the galaxy map and look at it any time you want.

 

[Himilco]

If you just write down the system name, you can search for it in the galaxy map and look at it any time you want.

I write down each system name. I also write make a note of any types of life I find...terraformable worlds...and Earth-like worlds. I'm curious to see what the ratios will look like should I be fortunate enough to survive this trip to the Galactic perimeter and back.

 

[Murishani]

And you are doing this, why?

I keep shorthand notation in the system notes in SLopeys or EDDiscovery so that I can keep some track of what Ive been finding and reference back to it while still traveling. I only have to pull up my logs to see where Ive been and what was there.

I'd recently been wondering on my travels if anyone had come up with a shorthand system for noting system make-ups.

My system is similar to Himilco, I generally dont note anything that isn't of particular interest. I mark Water Worlds, Earthlikes, Ammonia worlds, Terraforming candidates, water giants, helium giants, and life bearing giants only.
My code looks like: A3-EL, A4-6TC, B2-WW, B6-GAL and that would be 3rd rock from the A star is an earthlike, 4th through 6th rocks around A star are terraforming candidates, 2nd rock around B star is a water world, 6th rock around B star is a Gas Giant with ammonia life. I also prepend the notation with dangerous entries in case I ever come back, something like: !!CB!! or !!NS!! for close binaries and neutron stars respectively.

I think your system is very nice for marking the WHOLE system though, mine is just for keeping track of the valuable spots.

 

[Engadine]

I keep shorthand notation in the system notes in SLopeys or EDDiscovery so that I can keep some track of what Ive been finding and reference back to it while still traveling. I only have to pull up my logs to see where Ive been and what was there.

I did ask for something similar to be considered within BPC, which I use to keep track of where I've been and some notes on what I find: -

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=76081&page=268&p=2287562&viewfull=1#post2287562

The reply was promising, as Slopey is currently out Exploring

 

[Whiterose]

I record the system name, star types, and anything of interest such as TC's, ELW's, H[SUB]2[/SUB]0, or NH[SUB]3[/SUB]. Otherwise it gets the NOI. Nowt of Interest.