Labelling
Labelling norms have given me some headaches however I have developed a system
which works over the years. I try quite hard to avoid putting labels inside
the ship itself, instead using small wedge arrows attached to the labels to
identify items. Basically each arrow points at more or less the centre of
the feature it represents. Each wedge arrow is placed as close to the edge
of the 'live' deck as possible. Sometimes there isn't enough space to give
each arrow a very clear line to the item, in which case the wedge is usually
set back a little from the edge. In the example below I've drawn in the spotting
lines, to demonstrate this.
The 'Ventral Hatch' label is very close to the 'Command Cabin' label, and due to space restrictions it has to point 'through' the Command Cabin itself, therefore the 'Ventral Hatch' label is aligned with the very middle of the round feature, and is also set slightly further back from the black and grey wall. Both of these signs serve to indicate that the 'Ventral Hatch' wedge is indicating the round feature rather than the cabin.
The text of a label is placed as close as possible to the arrow which 'owns' it. This can occasionally force the arrow even further away from the edge of the 'live' deck in order to accommodate two or more text labels with sufficient room that their ownership is clear. In the example below I've again drawn the spotting lines to demonstrate this.
This shows a situation
where the location of the 'Triple Bunks' label has been located in the normal
fashion. The placement of this label has, however, occupied the space needed
to place the 'Primary Systems Board' label in its correct place since if the
'Primary Systems Board' were flush with the 'live' deck the two labels would
overlap. To over come this the 'Primary Systems Board' has been brought further
out allowing it to sit over the other label. Note that the 'Triple Bunks' label
could not have been moved up since it would have then had to point through the
'Primary Systems Board' label.