[Freeciv] Re: world as a globe

[Jens Egon Nyborg <jensegon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Reinier Post wrote:

>>Such a "globe" can spin but there are only six representable views
>>along each of the three spin axes.
>>
>>One might do better with a duodecahedron model (12-fold symmetry).
> 
> 
> Even better is an icosahedron model.  Whatever you do, you are going
> to end up with a manifold with tiled, flat sides.  As I said when this
> whole discussion on extended topologies started, the topology of a sphere
> cannot be arbitrarily approximated in this way.  In order to do that
> you have to drop the manifold model and take a different approach; for
> example, drop an arbitrary number of points on the surface of a sphere,
> distribute them as evenly as possible with a spring layout algorithm,

Or you might use multiple maps. On earth for example: One map of Europe, 
   one of Africa etc.

You could then have multiple mapwindows or a globe were you chose which 
map to open.