Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sphere?

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

This is so incredibly true.

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

well if populous can make a plane appear as a sphere, then with the help of a shader it should be possible to make a sphere appear as a plane

for an idea of what i mean look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKw18P65A2s

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

I like spheres, but also like different things every now and again... So if you can't make the map flat make the world flat instead!

Alderson disk
Discworld
Bizarro World

... This should also be the easiest way to make a Mod.

Apart from the map projection problem with making a sphere flat there would also be a problem with rendering shadows, which given half of the planet is shadowed (in night) at a time could lead to a competitive advantage or disadvantage if any difference in gameplay between light and darkness is implemented (I hope there is). The only way around that would be to render the planet on a sphere and then remap the shadows onto a flat version which is heavily distorted, and that just would not be worth it.

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

I wish people knew enough topology to tell the difference between a torus and a sphere. It's probably an unreasonable desire.

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

We don't mind your preference of a 2D map. It is only the implementation of 2D elements in a 3D game. Such a feature would absolutely require either gaps in the map, the most reasonable method of conversion, or a distortion of the map. Even a map with gaps would have distortion because there isn't a way to make even a part of a spherical object flat to a reasonable point so there is little distortion. To do so would essentially shred the map.

I am afraid that, though a good idea, a 2D map simply is not possible with this game.

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

Yep sorry some of us are completely ignorant and just play games for fun.

Re: Viewing part of planet as a 2d plane instead of a 3d sph

How is playing on a peeled orange better than on a sphere ?

The only difference is that you don't get to see the other side, and a small mini-viewport of it should be enough already (e.g. you get radar echoes if you have a satellite launched in orbit over the planet).

If you're really uncomfortable with building your base on a sphere,
you can train in RL by planting pins on a basket ball or spotting countries on a globe.

Also, I've an idea for a mod:

Play on the inside of a hollowed-out planet. :mrgreen: