WHC System Naming Scheme
The Wormhole Campus uses a set of rules and guidelines to generate logical names for the many Wormhole Space systems it might be connected to. The original names of the systems (aka J-Sig) are difficult to convey over comms and chat. These rules are collectively referred to as our mapping scheme and bookmarking scheme.
- Reference: WHC Mapper
Scheme & Examples
Basic Concepts
- System names
- All systems (in K- or W-space) on the mapper have assigned short, unique, code names.
- Their name depends on their position in a chain.
- Our home system is named Innuendo (often shortened to Innu).
- Our static C3 is always named Bacon and takes B as a root name.
- Our static Highsec is always named Eggs and takes E as a root name.
- Chain
- A chain is a list of systems each connected to the next by a wormhole.
- Each chain has a unique identifier (usually a single letter, chosen in reverse alphabetical order).
- Eggs and Bacon are technically 1 E1 and 1 B1, but the numbers can be omitted.
- All other incoming or outgoing wormholes from Innuendo are assigned a unique letter to the map.
- Position numbers get higher as you move further away from Innuendo.
Rules
- Every bookmark is made in the form: D RW(S)
- D : The Depth of the chain - the number of jumps away from Innuendo.
- R : The Root of the chain - selected only for connections to Innuendo. (B is reserved for Bacon, and E is reserved for Eggs, all other letters are selcted in reverse alphabetical order)
- W : The Width of the chain - representative of number of subchains / connections within a system.
- S : The Security Status of the system - this is only relevant for K-space systems [(H)ighsec, (L)owsec, (N)ullsec]
- Certain letters are reserved or are not used for chain names.
- B - This is reserved for Bacon, and while it is used in our naming scheme, it is to only be used for Bacon and the Bacon chain.
- C - "C" is the prefix for the class of wormhole, and should not be used for a chain.
- E - This is reserved for Eggs, and while it is used in our naming scheme, it is to only be used for Eggs and the Eggs chain.
- H - "H" is reserved for indicating a system is a highsec system.
- L - "L" is reserved for indicating a system is a lowsec system.
- N - "N" is reserved for indicating a system is a nullsec system.
- X - "X" sounds too similar to "Eggs" on voice comms.
- J - "J" is already the embedded Eve name for a Wormhole system.
- We give names to ALL Connections, even if its a gated connection! (this included EOL connections)
Each W-Space system is named as a derivative of the previously discovered adjacent system. Wormholes are bookmarked in order of discovery or the scanners preference. Every connection away from Innuendo increments the D number by one. Each wormhole discovered in a system increments the W number by one. K-Space systems and wormholes are suffixed with H (for highsec), L (for lowsec), N (for nullsec). If the chain has more than one defining letter, separate the last chain defining letter from the rest with "/" (forward slash).
Here is a easier to read version of the decision making process. Note that it doesn't include the bookmarking scheme format.
- Scan system
- Ignore the wormhole that leads back
- Warp to wormhole
- Check where it leads to
- Name it as <current system name>, except:
- Increment the D value by one
- If the name you now have is already used, keep incrementing the W value by one until it no longer is
- Remember to set H/L/N for highsec/lowsec/nullsec respectively if the destination is known space
- Go back to point 3
Examples
Assume you are scanning
in a fresh system. You have entered the system from 1 B1 (aka Bacon). You find 3 unscouted wormholes and the 4th is your way back. You ignore the one that goes back towards Innuendo;
- The first wormhole you find leads to lowsec. You should name the system behind it 2 B1L.
- 2: because 2 comes after 1 (1+1=2)
- B: because you are in the B chain
- 1: because it is the first (1st) system you're naming
- L: because it leads to lowsec
- The second wormhole you find leads to "dangerous unknown space". You should name the system 2 B2.
- 2: because 2 comes after 1 (1+1=2)
- B: because you are in the B chain
- 2: because it is the second (2nd) system you're naming
- The third wormhole you find leads to another C3. You should name the system 2B3.
- 2: because 2 comes after 1 (1+1=2)
- B: because you are in the B chain
- 3: because it is the third (3st) system you're naming
Pros & Cons
Unsurprisingly, any mapping structure has certain trade-offs in readability, standalone performance, ease of naming as well as quite a few other considerations. Here's a list of the advantages and disadvantages to our mapping scheme.
Advantages
- Maneuverable without a mapper: If the mapper were to crash we could still call out system names and expect people to end up there with relative ease.
- Compact: Compared to other schemes with the aforementioned quality, this scheme generates relatively compact names.
- Unique System Names: Each W-Space system can be called out with its characters without fear of leading campers to the wrong system. K-Space systems are unique with their last 3 characters.
Disadvantages
- Difficult to Learn: Compared to mapping schemes where each chain isn't differentiated, our scheme takes more time to learn.
- Prone to Mistakes: Due to its longer decision making requirements, scanners are more likely to make mistakes while naming systems. However, practice makes perfect so this isn't an issue in the mid-long run.
- 26 Letter Alphabet: If WHC were to get connections with 22 splits generating new chains we would run out of letters to use. However, this is an extremely rare occurence.
Advantages over the old system
- Easier to understand bookmarking system
- Faster when generating new bookmarks
- Greater similarity to Tripwire's default bookmarking scheme (futureproof)
Disadvantages over the old system
- Depends more on having the map in front of you
- Slightly longer names
