Scaling Map to actual dimensions

[Micha]

Greetings!

Not sure whether this is the right forum to do so, but I have a question to ask:

Are there any sources telling us about the scales of one abstracted "tile" in SMAC (depending on map size)?

I have done a forum search, but had to stop on page 5 of the results list , so I´m trying here...

Meanwhile I have done my own calculations, leading me to some nice result:
First of all I have to form the axiom "Alpha Centauri has about the size of earth". That is for two purposes:
1) It offers a nice method to compare and calculate.
2) It´s logical, for the game doesn´t mention different gravity or giant deviations from earth years (correct me if I´m wrong, haven´t read much of the fiction that is around )

So I can start with my map (89*90 = 8010 tiles) and the exact dimensional figures of earth.
- I am assuming the overall area of earth with 510,000,000 km²
- I substract the "circles" spanned by 10 degrees of latitude around each pole
- This gives me a remaining area of 502,350,000 km² (rounded)
- So the area per tile is about 62,500 km² (again rounded)
- Which makes up for a beautiful 250km*250km size of a single tile

Now that sounds much for a single tile, but when playing the earth map in SMAC it is resembled quite good and in accordance with abovementioned figures.

What is your opinion? Do I have a major flaw in my accountings?
(I need that figure for a tourist guide project in /SMAC/Alpha Centauri Democracy Game)

Thx for any feedback,
- Micha

[livid imp]

The numbers look roughly correct to me. I managed to dig up this old thread: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...41#post3132241

It somehow got onto how big the fungus beds were. Someone in the thread then did some calculations to figure out the size of a tile.

Check it out, see if it helps any

[Micha]

Thanks!

Although the numbers given there by jtsisyoda (who happens to be my teammate in the ACDG ) are three times higher than mine. That surely comes from the strange effect of using a grid square for describing a sphere´s surface...

Taht´s why I used the area as critical figure, while he concentrated on circumference... My approach is good when wanting to know how large of an area your faction covers, while jt´s approach is good for calculating distances (only for equatorial places).

Again, thanks!
- Micha

[Googlie]

Go in to your firaxis/sid meiers alpha centauri folder and open Planets.txt

There's a tabular comparison of Alpha A vs Sun, Earth vs Chiron, moon vs Nessus and Pholus, etc

here's a screenie of the Earth vs Chiron comparison: