[Freeciv-Dev] Re: maps/projections

[Jules Bean <jules@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, Jul 21, 2000 at 04:34:35PM +0200, Marc Strous wrote:
> 
> Jules>Now consider the grid squares 1,2,3,4. You will note that 1 is in fact 
> 3, if you approach it from 2.  But it is 2 if you approach it from 
> 3.Paradox.
> >Of the squares labelled (1,2,3,4) only three of them are genuinely
> >distinct squares. (2,3,4) . Worse still, which square '1' represents
> >depends which direction you approach from.
> 
> you're right. i'll try to come up with something better

It's not going to be possible to fake out a sphere-shape without an
irregularity of some kind.  (You can prove this with the Euler
characteristic, if you wish.)

> 
> Martin>This is all very well, but how does it make the game better? I see it 
> as nothing but an unnecessary pain.
> 
> Well, when you're sitting near one of the poles, it would make a big 
> difference, compared to the current blunt edge of the map. Also, when you 
> think about the direction CivCTP has taken with orbital space layered on top 
> of the map, it could make an even more imporant difference. Now I'm not 
> particularly fond of the way space has been implemented in CTP. Once freeciv 
> is up to that, i'd think a 3D view would be much better, but than, that 
> depends on the existence of a 3D world. 

> And somebody made a very simple 
> suggestion to do just that (flipping the map 45 degrees and connecting the 
> two lower and two upper sides) and it would be easy to implement as an 
> option. 

This works, but has some non-pretty asymettries.

> How do you propose to make the game better?
> 
> >Eliminating tiles altogether as proposed would enrich gameplay
> >wildly and push the game further from payciv.
> 
> Agree, but that would seem to be lots of work? can the labor be divided into 
> discrete portions that could be done by different people and in different 
> stages?

I think it would be not too hard, and worth the effort.

That said, I'm not going to volunteer ;)

Jules