Minimum Boat Crew, One

[formerly known as hf]

but, like Anthony was saying, how do you know there isn't even more water in Cantr - hence more possibilities of going round and round...

I still think the Cantr world is flat - it must be - no Cantrian has developed astronomics yet (as far as I know...)

[Nick]

but, like Anthony was saying, how do you know there isn't even more water in Cantr - hence more possibilities of going round and round...

I still think the Cantr world is flat - it must be - no Cantrian has developed astronomics yet (as far as I know...)

Well considering how hard it would be to program a globe, I'm nearly positive Cantr is a square map file, where if you reach the end of the map, you pop up on the other end.
A globe map is too hard to program, and an infinite world is just impossible, considering the map has to be on a file.
With this, it would be impossible to go without hitting land unless you were going due North, East, South, or West.
Even then, it would be highly improbable. Have you ever sailed in Cantr, or what?

[swymir]

I was always under the assumption tha the cantr land masses were allready there and locaton names were only given to the lands when a boat reached them.

[Nick]

I was always under the assumption tha the cantr land masses were allready there and locaton names were only given to the lands when a boat reached them.

I don't see any comments that state otherwise...

[formerly known as hf]

A globe map is too hard to program, and an infinite world is just impossible, considering the map has to be on a file.

Is it really a file? I'm not sure how the database works - but maybe the map is simply a collection of co-ordinates that list the boundaries of the land masses, town locations and boat locations, etc.. That'd mean, if you head away from land, the co-ordinates of your boat would keep changing, until you could be at something like +32987462387 x, -1274632846 y, and keep going... Unless there's a limit to the coordinates...

[Nick]

Even if that were true, the coordinates would have to be stored on a variable.
Which can only be so high of a value.

[The Industriallist]

...yes, but that's not saying much. In fact, if they really wanted to they could make them unlimited-length, so you could keep sailing until you crashed the thing by making your coordinates too big for memory.

I don't think it works that way, though. The map images suggest that there's actually a big image file someplace.

[Nick]

I don't think it works that way, though. The map images suggest that there's actually a big image file someplace.

There's more things to suggest this. I agree.

[formerly known as hf]

Of course there's a big image file someplace - but there has to be some way of recording the location of boats - how else would it be able to produce a map of where you are? I assume the easiest way to do that is to record co-ordinates, and relate to coordinates on the image file, and produce a small aquare of it... The possible coordinates are probably limited to the size of the image file, but they may not be, you might be able to sail of the edge - and you'll get an evil red cross for the location (or more likely a mySQL error...).

[Nick]

Of course there's a big image file someplace - but there has to be some way of recording the location of boats - how else would it be able to produce a map of where you are? I assume the easiest way to do that is to record co-ordinates, and relate to coordinates on the image file, and produce a small aquare of it... The possible coordinates are probably limited to the size of the image file, but they may not be, you might be able to sail of the edge - and you'll get an evil red cross for the location (or more likely a mySQL error...).

I'm sure Jos would have forseen this. Which is why I'm almost absolutely sure that when you go to the edge of one side, you come up on the other.

[formerly known as hf]

I'm sure Jos would have forseen this.

I'm pretty sure too, and it probably does appear on the other side. But stop spoiling my fun. I like to think of some wide unknown, deep reaches of the database that boats can sail too...

[Anthony Roberts]

Off topic, guys?

[kroner]

Off topic, guys?

hush. this is an imporant discussion.

it the map does wrap, as seems most probable at this point, then Nick is right that most boats would hit land eventually. in fact, as long as the direction the boat is traveling doesn't have rational or undefined slope (since we use integer angles measured in degrees, that would be every allowed direction except the multiples of 45 degrees), the boat is guranteed to hit land eventually, as long as there is some land in existence.

[Revanael]

Explain that, Kroner?

If I was to head due East and there was nothing to either the East or West, how would I hit anything?

[kroner]

that would of course be a direction with a rational or undefined slope, and a multiple of 45 degrees. it's one of the exceptions i mentioned.