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.

Scheme & Examples

File:WHCMapperConcepts.png

Basic concepts of the WHC mapping scheme. Systems are assigned a codename based on their position in a chain, and the chains which lead to that chain.

Basic Concepts

• System names. All systems (in k- or w-space) on the mapper has an assigned short, unique, code name. This name depends on their position in a chain.
• Chain. A chain is a list of systems each connected to the next by a wormhole. Only one wormhole out of each system in a chain continues the chain, any others start new chains. Each chain has a unique identifier (usually a single letter).
• Names get longer (and position numbers get higher) as you move away from Innuendo.

Rules

• Each system name has two parts: XY-Z3.

1. XY : The chain(s) which lead from Innuendo to the current (this part and the dash are omitted for chains connected directly to Innuendo).
2. F3 : The system's position in the current chain (appended with H/L/N fork-space systems).

• Chains continue through the first discovered (non-critical/non-EOL) wormhole. Statics get no special treatment, nor is incoming vs. outgoing important.
• K-space systems in the chain have the letter 'H', 'L' or 'N' appended to their name. Other than that they are treated no differently.
• The letters C, H, N and L are never used as chain names.
• Should there be no unused letters left for chains, start at the beginning of the alphabet but append an apostrophe (prime) symbol. So, for example, you might have a system: BDFA'-B'5. This should be a rare occurrence.

Notes

• Our home systems is named Innuendo, often shortened to "Innu".
• Our static C3 is always named Bacon and takes "B" as a short-handle.
• Our static highsec is always named Eggs and takes "E" as a short-handle.
• Eggs and Bacon are technically E1 and B1, but the number can be omitted.
• All other incoming or outgoing wormholes from Innuendo are assigned a unique letter to the map.

If the following explanation confuses you, fear not for there are many examples to help out below: 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. The wormhole discovered first increments the current system number by one, while all other wormholes get a letter unique to the map and are prefixed with the current systems letters the scanner is in. Additionally, 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 "-".

Here is a easier to read version of the decision making process. Note that it doesn't include the bookmarking scheme format.

1. Scan system
2. Ignore the wormhole that leads back
3. Warp to wormhole
4. Check where it leads to
   • IF it is the first wormhole you're checking;
     • Name it as <current system name>
     • AND <replace number with next>
     • IF it leads to K-Space add H, L or N for highsec, lowsec or nullsec respectively
     • RETURN TO POINT 3
   • ELSE
     • Get current system name
     • Pick next letter in alphabet, unless it's banned or has been used
     • Name it <current system name without number><picked letter>1
     • IF it leads to K-Space ADD H, L or N for highsec, lowsec or nullsec respectively
     • RETURN TO POINT 3

Examples

Assume you are scanning

File:WHCMapperExample1.png

A scanner has scanned the B system and added the connecting systems.

in a fresh system. You have entered the system from B1 (aka B or 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 B2L.
  • B: chain you are in
  • 2: because 2 comes after 1
  • L: because it leads to lowsec
• The second wormhole you find leads to "dangerous unkown space". You should name the system B-D1.
  • B: chain you are in
  • -: seperate previous chain(s) from the one you are creating
  • D: B2 is already taken, pick first unbanned letter from alphabet
  • 1: it's the first system in the new B-D chain
• The third wormhole you find leads to another C3. You should name the system B-F1.
  • B: chain you are in
  • -: seperate previous chain(s) from the one you are creating
  • F: E is taken for Eggs, so we pick the next letter
  • 1: it's the first system in the new F chain

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 last two 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.