Spin the Globe
Jan. 29th, 2012 04:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snousleWhen I was a kid, we would sometimes play a game called "spin the globe" where you would, as the name suggests, spin the thing. Then, while averting your eyes, you would wave your arms around dramatically and jab your finger into the globe, stopping its progress. You would then discuss the spot your finger was touching. The randomization is important, so as to get a sense of the world as it actually is, rather than just the spots we think about.
What a tremendous improvement this game has undergone with Google Earth. OMG. This is almost like a spiritual experience now; as a habit, it instills a continual sense of awe. The most important additions have been the layer of Panoramio photos and direct links to Wikipedia sites. They do tend to cluster around concentrations of Western and Asian tourists, but that means just about everywhere these days. It's just mind blowing how much you can learn in minutes about totally random places.
For advanced players: There is reasonable philosophical argument to be had about the handling of islands. If you want to get extra-super good randomization, you have to spin at least two times and alternate the direction in which you flick the virtual globe. Then wherever your mouse clicks, you have to zoom into exactly that spot without deviating towards anything interesting. Don't change the orientation so that north is upwards; the goal is to experience the place completely anew, without the biases of conventional geography. Taking this rule seriously involves spending a lot of time hitting the ocean, tantalizingly close to spots that look really interesting but which you are rule-bound to ignore. You hardly ever land on small islands. If, on the other hand, you allow a bit of cheating, whereby if you land in the ocean, you can navigate to any reasonably nearby nearby point of land, you end up spending a huge amount your time on little islands. Which is fine; I love islands. ISLANDS ARE VERY CALMING. And the fact that most of the planet has, as its nearest neighbor, those lovely little refuges gives you a visceral sense of why they're so important. There is no "right" way to play but the two methods make for very different ways of experiencing the planet.
It's really addictive.
What a tremendous improvement this game has undergone with Google Earth. OMG. This is almost like a spiritual experience now; as a habit, it instills a continual sense of awe. The most important additions have been the layer of Panoramio photos and direct links to Wikipedia sites. They do tend to cluster around concentrations of Western and Asian tourists, but that means just about everywhere these days. It's just mind blowing how much you can learn in minutes about totally random places.
For advanced players: There is reasonable philosophical argument to be had about the handling of islands. If you want to get extra-super good randomization, you have to spin at least two times and alternate the direction in which you flick the virtual globe. Then wherever your mouse clicks, you have to zoom into exactly that spot without deviating towards anything interesting. Don't change the orientation so that north is upwards; the goal is to experience the place completely anew, without the biases of conventional geography. Taking this rule seriously involves spending a lot of time hitting the ocean, tantalizingly close to spots that look really interesting but which you are rule-bound to ignore. You hardly ever land on small islands. If, on the other hand, you allow a bit of cheating, whereby if you land in the ocean, you can navigate to any reasonably nearby nearby point of land, you end up spending a huge amount your time on little islands. Which is fine; I love islands. ISLANDS ARE VERY CALMING. And the fact that most of the planet has, as its nearest neighbor, those lovely little refuges gives you a visceral sense of why they're so important. There is no "right" way to play but the two methods make for very different ways of experiencing the planet.
It's really addictive.
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 02:25 pm (UTC)Which is why I don't play.
One of my cousins told me about it too. It sounds very interesting and fun.