How to Map an O'Neill Cylinder?

[wormspeaker]

@Seldon. I don't have a problem with changing the perspective of the map to give an area more room for detail, such as a wedge, but I don't know if it solves the basic problem.

[selden]

Can you rephrase what you see as the basic problem?
Sometimes explaining a problem in detail can produce ideas for its solution.

[selden]

fwiw, here's what I was thinking of -- more of a 3D representation.

In this case, the map images themselves are actually flat, but have been projected into a cylinder using a 3D visualization program to improve the presentation.

[töff]

That's what I was thinking of too, a very simple effect.

I think he wants to know how best to display the mapped entirety of the living surface as a flat map.

[wormspeaker]

From my perspective, the basic problem is displaying a flat map (i.e. one that is useful for navigation or indicating points of interest) in such a way that it lets the viewer really feel the impact of the unique geography of the location. (i.e. that they are on the inside of a huge cylinder)

Simply unrolling the cylinder (as in image 2) gives a precise map that is useful for navigation but it lacks the gut-level impact that I hope can be communicated.

The same goes for image 3 which is a more artistic presentation of image 2.

One solution would be to present the map much as image 2 or 3, but provide a context image with the map (the maps projected onto a cylinder as you did) to let the viewer get the context of the flat maps presented.

I was just hoping to find something that could simultaneously present the map in a relatively flat way that lends itself to use for navigation at the same time presents those flat maps in such a way as to retain the impact of the unique organization of the geography. (i.e. That you can see the other "continents" floating in the sky above you.)

[RobA]

How about a kind of an inverse sinusoidal mapping?

cyl.png

-Rob A>

[selden]

Don't forget that someone living in a real space habitat probably wouldn't be using a flat map on paper. Realtime 3D navigation with a PDA, cell phone or equivalent seems more likely to me. That can be done now, if you want to invest the time in learning the tools. You can get free software to do it or spend lots of money.

If 2D artwork for this Forum is what you want to create, how about showing a partial map as it might be seen on a future display screen, maybe with a 3D navigation icon showing where it is in the cylinder?

[torstan]

Well a 2D rectangular map is accurate so that's the best option, other plans are going to be less clear. However having that as a pull-out from a 3D cylinder will give a much better gut feeling for the size and scope of the world and where the local area is in it.

[wormspeaker]

That's a very interesting map RobA. It probably foreshortens the landmasses too much for use with a cylinder, but that would be perfect for a Bernal sphere. (Which is essentially and O'Neill cylinder except it's a sphere.) It would probably work out even better if the Bernal sphere had water around it's equator so that you didn't have to mentally stitch the edges together.

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Maybe something like below might be more appropriate for a cylinder, again assuming 3 land masses instead of 4. It's the same idea, but instead of stretching the landmasses, the window area is cut out.

[töff]

From my perspective, the basic problem is displaying a flat map ... that it lets the viewer really feel the impact of the unique geography of the location.

Read Edward Tufte, "Escaping Flatland."