3.8.0 - "Toggle map display", ranges wrong?

[EagleMountainDK]

In the above picture I have tried the 3.8.0 added feature to use "S Toggle map displays". So the window must be 93NM x 68NM. And since my TF is centered in the map window there should be about 93NM / 2 = 46NM from the edge to my TF icon. I then activated the "Toggle Rng/Bearing" to ON and clicked in the center of the window and at the rightmost edge and the range was 28NM.

Whats up with the ranges here?

[ClaudeJ]

hello Mark,

i may be wrong but did you confirmed the measure in unit display mode and by mesuring range from formation's flagship to the border of the window?

EDIT: you are right, there are big differences. I may be wrong but i suspect that it may be caused by the bad usage of the Miller Cylindrical (0,0) projection.


cheers,

Jan

[EagleMountainDK]

Here is another example from tutorial one (ANW DB):

[ClaudeJ]

the map distance only match with the measured distance when you are on the equator (in game off course), farther you are, bigger will be the differences.

cheers,

Jan

[EagleMountainDK]

Oh well, it really dosn't make any sense for me as a gamer. What about the range circles then? They can't be true circles, more eclipses then or ?

And whats the use of the new "S Toggle map displays" then if it not show the real truth?

[ClaudeJ]

ORIGINAL: Cougar_DK
(...)

And whats the use of the new "S Toggle map displays" then if it not show the real truth?

the truth is out there Scully

it shows the true distance along the equator. It give a rough indication and you have to keep in mind that, as you noticed it by yourself, that more closer you are to the poles, less reliable the measure is.

you can still use the manual measures by the way.

that said, did you tried others map projections?

[Bucks]

ORIGINAL: Cougar_DK

Oh well, it really dosn't make any sense for me as a gamer. What about the range circles then? They can't be true circles, more eclipses then or ?

And whats the use of the new "S Toggle map displays" then if it not show the real truth?

Cougar,

There's a discrepancy between how the game places units on the map and the actual map displayed. As Jan pointed out it will work perfectly at the equator. We have to consider how the game keeps track of units and reference points, and that's by noting their latitude and longitude.

If I'm standing at the equator and wish to traverse 1 degree of longitute I have to walk 60 nautical miles. If I do the same thing standing at the north pole, I simply turn my body 1 degree... I'll look into having the Dev team see if they can include a "latitude" correction factor for the "S" key function.

Cheers

Darren

[EagleMountainDK]

Hi Darren, that would be nice seen for a gamers perspective!

Cheers
Mark

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Bucks]

ORIGINAL: VCDH

I don't have my navigation books with me (they are still in my bags and I'm still unpacking) but IIRC the formula for determining the difference in latitude between the equator and your position is 60 x sine(position latitude).  I'll look it up in the next couple of days but I'm pretty sure that it's something close to that.

Later
D

I've just done a quick piece of research on this and have managed to track down the formula:

60 x cosine(position latitude), based on:

The distance represented by a degree of longitude varies upon where it is measured.

The length of a degree of longitude along a meridian is not constant because of polar flattening.

At the equator, the approximate length is determined by dividing the earth's circumference (24,900 miles) by 360 degrees: 111.05 kilometers (69 miles).

The meridians converge at the poles, and the distance represented by one degree decreases.

At 60N latitude, one degree of longitude is equal to about 55.52 kilometers (34.5 miles). - 50%

Note the above values are give in statute miles. I've changed Dale's formula based on the information I've gathered and the 60N example given. The sine of 60 is 0.86603, whereas the cosine value for 60 is .5 and that fits with the example. I'll get this posted on Mantis and keep our fingers crossed that Darrel can manage to work it into the game.

Cheers

Darren