Projections
Added 2020-07-27 16:00:09 +0000 UTCClick here to return to the course index
If you decide to take a truly deep dive into world building/cartography and want to learn about projections, here's a few links to help with that. However, before I do, let's take a minute and talk about projects and why there's more than one.
First, a "projection" is the concept of taking a three-dimensional object (in this case, a planet) and mapping it out onto a flat, two-dimensional surface. Currently there is no way to do this without distortion of some kind to the 3D object.
Second, because of this distortion, organizations who commissioned maps would often want that distortion made in a very specific way to emphasize or diminish something. This purposeful distortion has been made to suit various groups both religious and political. This can make for some interesting versions of your map from region to region depending on who commissioned the projection and what they wanted to achieve from it.
Third, projections aren't necessary unless you're using them for navigation. A map's main purpose in gaming is to show regional relationships, where one area is to another. In story telling, it's to give a sense of distance & relation as well as give a sense of immersion. Projections get VERY crunchy and if you find that it's a bit overwhelming, just remember it's not vital to your story. You can use regional maps to show smaller areas with less distortion that provide accurate scale/distance for navigational purposes.
Click here to read about the most widely used, accepted, and/or praised projects for our own planet.
What is a map projection - GIS Lounge article
