Creating SSDs for Star Fleet Battles
The Templates.
Making SSDs for Star Fleet Battle can be a tedious endeavor, and in trying to make it as easy as possible, I have come up with a few templates to help.
My most basic template is graph paper. This keeps all the boxes lined up evenly and makes it easy to produce an SSD that looks professional. I have several sizes that I use, depending on the size of the ship I am designing.
Graph paper template.
8 1/2 by 11 in graph paper template.
Extra large graph paper template.
Half-sheet graph paper template.
Quarter-sheet graph paper template.
Eighth-sheet graph paper template.
My next template is the box template. This contains boxes of all the various types used in official SSDs plus some unofficial ones I have collected from other designers on the web. It also contains all the labels needed for an SSD, and since all of these were cut from official SSDs on the Star Fleet Battles website, they are the proper size and font.
Boxes and labels template.
I also have a Titles and a Subtitles template for such things as the name of the Empire and the ship name as well. Again, these were cut from official SSDs so the font and size are correct and, like the labels in the above template, individual letters, numbers and symbols can be cut and pasted to create anything not yet covered.
Titles template.
Subtitles template.
I also have various templates, such as circles (used for Federation and Gorn Ships) and ellipses (use for ISC), as well as various ship sections (booms, engines, rear hull etc). If there is enough interest in them, and it doesn't violate copyrights I may post these in the future.
The Process
The programs I use to create my SSDs are Paint (free with my computer) and Paint.NET . I have experimented with other programs, but I have found that they were far more complex than necessary, and learning them ate up any possible time they might have saved me in making an SSD. Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone, so use whatever software you prefer.
Now I open my templates in separate windows and cut and paste the various elements until I have my design complete. At this point I have been working in JPG format. Once I am satisfied with the completed design, I then save it in monochrome bitmap, which makes the graph paper and various guidelines I have used (always done in colours other than black) to disappear.
At this point I usually stop. You can continue, adding the various charts to create a commanders style SSD If you wish, but I prefer not having my SSDs so cluttered, unless I plan on submitting it for evaluation.
Practice, Practice, Practice.
As with any skill, there is no substitute for practice. This applies to creating SSDs as well, and the best way I can think of to get that practice is this: Take an official SSD book, and using the process above, recreate the SSDs. Start with the basic ships of an Empire. Now you will have gained a bit of skill and experience, have electronic copies of the SSDs, and you will now have the basic stock for recreating the official variants. More importantly, you now have the basic stock for that one super-cool variant you just have to submit for the Steves consideration.
Just remember to use the official guidelines when creating your SSDs, and have fun.
Survive and succeed.
Jim.
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Email: jimp.sfb@gmail.com
