How would a Flat World work, visually?

[cignus_pfaccari]

I just want to put in too... Is there a core to this flat-world? Would there even be mountains?

Since mountains are formed either by the shifting of the tectonic plates, which suggest that below the crust/mantle there is the under layer (forgot the name) has to move the mantle. So if both of these exist... How deep does it go, till a core?

Also if there is no core. Mountains formed from volcanoes wouldn't exist.

Also if there is a core, then something has to form around it from the other end. Soo... Is there another world on the other side? If so, what about around the edge of the world?

As Crothian pointed out, a flat world is horrendously unscientific.

Of course, the local forge god can and does open up shop in his volcanic home, moving between him as is his wont.

Alternately, it could go all the way down. ALL THE WAY DOWN. Not even turtles.

Brad

 

[LordVyreth]

Oh, neat stuff. I didn't even consider some of these questions.

The world is actually linear; it has a seemingly endless north and south, but the east and west end in cliffs to nowhere. The "sun" traverses from north to south, and technically there is a new sun every day. The seasons are actually based on parabolic variance of the suns over a period of time conveniently close to an Earth year. I never even considered a core; I guess it has to have one. It wasn't actually made by the gods; it was created as an interplanar accident involving leaking matter from another plane ending up at the epicenter of the sources of perfect Order and Chaos, and it sort of spread to connect those two points. The gods only showed up to capitalize on it after the place stabilized enough to support worshippers.

 

[drothgery]

As Crothian pointed out, a flat world is horrendously unscientific.

Depends. Could be on a ringworld, or on a what was supposed to be a temporary structure while you were building a Dyson Sphere.

 

[LordVyreth]

Depends. Could be on a ringworld, or on a what was supposed to be a temporary structure while you were building a Dyson Sphere.

How is a ringworld flat, though?

 

[trancejeremy]

How is a ringworld flat, though?

Because it's so big you really wouldn't notice the curvature.

Or I guess if it was sideways, that is, still a ring but instead of living on the inner bit, they lived on the top. The surface would be flat, but the edges of the world would curve.

 

[Plane Sailing]

How is a ringworld flat, though?

Think of the scale of a ringworld... the radius would be so great that to all intents and purposes it would be perfectly "flat" at any place you decided to plonk yourself.

 

[trancejeremy]

As Crothian pointed out, a flat world is horrendously unscientific.

Not necesarily, though. People tend to think of science as universal across all universes, but it's really only applicable to our universe.

A better comparison (I think) would be to how worlds are developed in computer games. Some of them use say, precedural generation) and in those, everything does follow simple laws (since that's how it's generated). Elite is a good example of that, as well as a lot of Roguelikes (Dwarf Fortress would be the best of a world being generated that way) and the early Elder Scrolls games.

OTOH, some computer games use worlds that is largely made by designers. These often feature flat worlds. The newer Elder Scrolls games, for instance, or the Sims, or Grand Theft Auto. Most D&D worlds would probably fall under this category.

And then some use both, like say , Spore

 

[el-remmen]

Aquerra is a kind of convex ovoid, with the concave "under" portion being the equivalent of the Underdark.

 

[hong]

Draw distance will be a problem, so make sure you have your fog settings correct.

 

[Woas]

I like the idea of a ringworld style flat world - which means you have 'the arch' visible in the sky, which is nice.

How about a Möbius Strip style flat world?