Map projection
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 4:15 pm
Obviously too late for this iteration but has any thought been given to using a different map projection for future games?
For a truly global game Mercator (where the world is projected onto a rectangle) isn't the best option because of the distortion you get between high latitudes and those near the equator.
If you're not sure what I mean have a look at the actual size of Indonesia which is near the equator superimposed over Europe https://external-preview.redd.it/0tSR8R9YIvXOurYaZpOPMOmmTc7R9kZNya5VV80QDE8.jpg?auto=webp&s=32209c67992f05247c7d07f8d808a53642cec860.
Another way to see this is to compare the distance from Brazil to West Africa which is about 2,900 kms, to the distance between Iceland and Scotland which is just over 800 kms - but both look similar on the map projection used in this game http://www.matrixgames.com/files/games/777/20180928053530.jpg?height=1200&width=1600
A 3D globe with a hex grid overlay would be one way of doing it. You wouldn't get that one big overview and you'd probably have to keep rotating it slightly to move units which could end up being a pain - but at least relative distances would be the same all over.
For a truly global game Mercator (where the world is projected onto a rectangle) isn't the best option because of the distortion you get between high latitudes and those near the equator.
If you're not sure what I mean have a look at the actual size of Indonesia which is near the equator superimposed over Europe https://external-preview.redd.it/0tSR8R9YIvXOurYaZpOPMOmmTc7R9kZNya5VV80QDE8.jpg?auto=webp&s=32209c67992f05247c7d07f8d808a53642cec860.
Another way to see this is to compare the distance from Brazil to West Africa which is about 2,900 kms, to the distance between Iceland and Scotland which is just over 800 kms - but both look similar on the map projection used in this game http://www.matrixgames.com/files/games/777/20180928053530.jpg?height=1200&width=1600
A 3D globe with a hex grid overlay would be one way of doing it. You wouldn't get that one big overview and you'd probably have to keep rotating it slightly to move units which could end up being a pain - but at least relative distances would be the same all over.