[Freeciv-Dev] Re: suggestion/idea

[Jules Bean <jmlb2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Mar 29, 2000 at 10:44:22AM +0200, Erik Sigra wrote:
> Idea/suggestion
> * Spherical world model
> 
> Description
> * The game is played on a map wiht the shape of a real planet. This makes it
> possible to move units around the world in any direction. The model must be
> a pattern of hexagons and pentagons to be approximatey spherical. The tiles
> should also have a height property (like in alpha centauri).
> 
> This also allows the implementation of somewhat realistic climate
> calculations in the map generator. One little problem would be to move units
> on the tiles, because on some tiles there are 6 possible directions and on
> others there are 5. But I'm sure someone will find a solution for that
> problem once there's a working model to play around with.

This has been suggested before.

It's actually possible to implement a sphere using squares at 45
degrees to straight (not a perfect sphere, but good enough), so the
whole word is like:

  /\
 /\/\
/\/\/\
\/\/\/
 \/\/
  \/

only a bit bigger ;-) and heading of the top-left brings you on on the 
top right, etc.

I think probably this is independent of the issues like climate calcs
and height fields, though.  SimEarth had pretty realistic climate
calcs and a height field on a cylindrical map.

Jules

-- 
Jules Bean                          |        Any sufficiently advanced 
jules@{debian.org,jellybean.co.uk}  |  technology is indistinguishable
jmlb2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx              |               from a perl script