"The World is Square"

[crono_logical]

I don't think a spherical world map would be hard to implement if you approximated it to a icosahedron then subdivided each triangular face into 3 smaller ones and repeat until you get the desired resolution you need for it to appear spherical enough when flying over, then map over that new structure Whether that can be done on a SNES, I don't know (probably not), but they had no excuse to not try that on the PSX


Back to the phrase though, does anyone know what it says in the Japanese version, or am I going to have to play that far? I've only just arrived on the Veldt so still got quite a way to go if I'm to check for myself

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Didn't FFVIII have a global map?

[crono_logical]

I don't think I've seen any RPG with a world map that acts like a globe properly, even if they render it slightly round to give the illusion.

I think the biggest problem would be having a miniature flat on-screen representation of the map that doesn't rotate and isn't confusing to the average player at the same time (let's face it, most of them are dumb ) - I'm sure you've all seen what happens if you 'peel' a globe and lay it flat and get the orange peel slice type effect.

[nova]

here the world is obviously spherical. i think square was showing off.

[crono_logical]

No, the world in that picture is spherical. When you get to fly on the world map in the game though and physically see what it is, it acts like a torus as previously said.

Besides, it only shows part of that 3D object, it might be a torus off screen and/or in the shadow

[Doomgaze]

There IS a problem with a spherical world, actually. It would be too small - for it to work properly, you'd need a HUGE world. Otherwise the worlds would look like the ones in Kingdom Hearts (the way they do from space, i mean)

[Zifnab]

Originally posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi
Didn't FFVIII have a global map?

Good point, it had a sphere map and a flat map. I don't know how that'd work out though.

[Miles_the_11]

Using my logic mind that I have I see it this way

FF6 world map shows that once you rerach the top then you appear at the bottom. Maybe the center of the map is the furthest north but that does not prove it to be a sphere shape. the center top, center bottom, center left and center right should represent the south but those points dont join. It can not be defined with 3 dimentions so there must be a 4th dimention.

FF8 does have a rotating world map but that still doesnt show that everything is repeated on the same part of the planet :mog:

try making a sphere shape out of paper (paper being the shape of the world map)

[The Man]

Originally posted by Doomgaze
There IS a problem with a spherical world, actually. It would be too small - for it to work properly, you'd need a HUGE world.

yes, unfortunately.

I'm waiting for the RPG that has a world map large enough for something like this to happen.

[Doomgaze]

No, it works fine in 3d, Miles.

[Sephectja]

There is a way to get the north and south points on the map. Get half the width of the sqare and divide by two. You then make sure both parts are the same distance apart and you will get some sorta valid north-south points. Another small comment:

It is possable to make a flat piece of paper into a sphere.... Only you have to crunch it up into a paper ball :P. Plus, how'd you know they diddnt use "The world is square" as a random comment :P

[DocFrance]

OK, listen up. Here's the deal. If the worlds in FF were really globes (including FF8 with it's "spherical" map), then this would be possible:

1. Go to the north pole.
2. Walk south five steps.
3. Walk east five steps.
4. Walk north five steps.
5. Where do you end up? The north pole.

If you do the same thing on a torus, you would not end up in the same place you started. Try this in any FF. That alone prove that the FF worlds are toruses (tori?).

[Edgar]

True

The East and West meet but the North and South should not meet, so yes, it's a torus.

[Wetflame]

O_O

The Torus thing hurts my head! Someone please show me a pic of a Torus cause last time I checked a Torus was a ring or a complex 4 dimenisional shape respresented somehwat like a Mobius loop in 3D.

AAAARGH MY HEAD IS BEING WARPED BY THE OVERLY COMPLEX GEOMETRY!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[matt_in_the_hat]

Originally posted by Doomgaze
No, it works fine in 3d, Miles.

This is a torus. Not complex at all, just a donut.