Civ IV will have a 3D map! A discussion of possibilities

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by CyberShy
it should be completely random

Random would be good if they where using a province system, but I don't think they are.

[FrostyBoy]

Originally posted by General Ludd


Yeah, whatever.

For starters, how about explaining why a spherical 3D map would require anything more than a flat 3D map?

Easy. In order for something to appear flat on a spherical world, the sphere would have to be huge.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sn00py



Easy. In order for something to appear flat on a spherical world, the sphere would have to be huge.

I adressed that further down in the post you quoted.

[vulture]

If anyone is interested, below is an example of what sort of world shape you end up if you go down the football route - lots of hexagons and 12 pentagons. This was generated with a simple terrain generating algorithm, so it isn't too hot, but is probably the simplest way of getting a 'spherical' world.

[Bkeela]

As if Firaxis will bother with a World map anyway.

[Leland]

Originally posted by General Ludd
There's no point in going 3D unless it provides a spherical map.

Two words: continuous zoom.

[PresidentMarcos]

Hmm...how about a Fuller projection for the world map? On the globe, that is.

[sabrewolf]

vulture:
interesting shot! they all look like hexagons except the corner pieces. and that's where the problem would lie: no matter how big it is, as soon as you put in pentagons in, the angle changes by a certain amount. a football (soccer for north americans ) gives a nearly round shape because there's only 1 "layer" of hexes between each pentagon... in your screenshot you can see how cornered a big world would get. in fact... it looks like an icosahedron to me (20 triangles).

so, distortion would be needed anyway...

[FrostyBoy]

So why a spherical map anyway? Do you want to zoom out to space and see the earth from afar? Is that how you want to move around the world?

If that's what you want, then the release date can be 2006 December.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by General Ludd
Yeah, whatever.

For starters, how about explaining why a spherical 3D map would require anything more than a flat 3D map?

It has to be big enough so that the curvature is not blatantly apparent.

EDIT: already mentioned

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sn00py
So why a spherical map anyway?

1. Playing on a globe is preferable to playing on a cylinder.


2. It's the only practical application of 3D graphics in such a game.

[FrostyBoy]

Why did you mention cylinder?


Why is it the only practical application of 3D graphics in such a game?

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Sn00py
Why did you mention cylinder?

Because that's what a flat map represents.


And don't you even suggest a doughnut shape.

Why is it the only practical application of 3D graphics in such a game?

Making a two dimensional map with 3d graphics is pointless, and I'm willing to bet will end up looking pretty bad, especially when compaired to it's 2D counter parts.

3D for the sake of 3D is bad. It has to add somethign to the game, and in this case I think a spherical map is the only thing that it can add.

[Robert]

I think it'll be a mix of 3D and 2D.
For an overview-game like civ it makes no sence to go 3D all the way. 3D only works if you want to zoom in on a small part of your kingdom.

Not if you want to see a big overview.

[Tassadar500]

Originally posted by General Ludd


Because that's what a flat map represents.


And don't you even suggest a doughnut shape.

What about a doughnut shape?