[Freeciv-Dev] Re: suggestion/idea - the world is round

[Martin Christensen <factotum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>>>> "marc" == marc strous <m.strous@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
marc> Wouldn't it add some nice flavour to the game, if the map-object
marc> would construct a truly spherical world, that would be emulated
marc> for the clients as being a flat map.

This is not doable in a nice way. Take a walk around the Earth in a
circel parallel to equator, first very near equator and after that
near one of the poles. You'll notice that the latters is significantly
shorter. On a flat map that is not totally impractical we have to have
equally many surface tiles on every row, which is why we get the
cylindrical world or perhaps even a torusoidal one in, what, four or
five dimensions? Anyway, the geometry of a spherical world projected
on a two-dimensional map where all tiles are of an equal size is just
a pain, and while it may be more realistic it doesn't make the
gameplay any better.

Martin