Constellation generator/maker?

[Zeitgeist]

I've dug around some but with little luck. Hoping for a web based application that'll generate a made-up constellation, complete with a starry background and a place to inscribe its name. Ideally it would export as a GIF/JPG/PNG.

Ideas?

[Oniya]

http://www.softpile.com/Multimedia/Image_Editors/Review_04867_index.html  ?

[Vekseid]

Well, I can make a randomized starmap and inspiring backgrounds, but actually picking out a sensible picture would be tough. Could use a library I suppose.

[Oniya]

Picking out the shape is more of a subjective thing, best achieved like the ancient Greeks/Chinese/etc. did, by looking at the star-field and letting the mind drift.

[Zeitgeist]

Thanks for the link Oniya.

What brought about the need is my wish to develop further a sense of mythology surrounding my home brew world I call the Vicenary. Each of the original founders (20) will have a constellation named after them. The details of which I'm still working out in my head.

[Oniya]

One thing you might consider is looking up simple line drawings of what you want the constellation to represent.  Invert them to make white lines on a black background.  Mark key points with larger white dots (aka, bright 'stars') and then erase the original lines.  Then, add these onto a generated star field that is set to be 'dimmer' than the constellation stars.

[Haibane]

When I was writing a story that had a night-sky based mythology I didn't bother with the actual visuals, I just described the sky in vague terms through the mind and words of one of my characters and let the actual god(ess) behind the constellation be the important factor.

Sometimes the completely abstract works equally well.

[Zeitgeist]

Well I have a website were I am documenting the world and as much detail as I can. I like the idea of having them defined. All a part of developing the mythology.

I could do them by hand in Paint Shop Pro, but that'll be a pretty tedious task indeed, for something that looks only half-assed.

[Lithos]

This page is not complete answer to your problem, but it does have generator for constellations. Unfortunately it only creates textual descriptions. It has also tons of other roleplaying / fantasy related generators, some of which have been very useful to me.

http://www.chaoticshiny.com/

If you are ok with starting from just text descriptions, that might or might not help.

[HairyHeretic]

I'm not sure if this is quite what you need

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=3746&it=1

but it does look interesting.

[Zeitgeist]

Thanks all for the suggestions and links.