Google maps is now a sphere

Posted by gefh on Thursday August 02, 2018 @06:21PM
from the maps.google.com dept.

Https://maps.google.com/maps?force=webgl

( 6 comments | 11 points | on HN )

Re:Google maps is now a sphere by eboyjr on Thursday August 02, 2018 @06:40PM (#17676066)

With WebGL disabled, it is still Mercator projection as expected.

This is good news for the problem of map projection distortion for students learning about the globe. It is great use of technology to make displaying data more accurate to reality.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Google maps is now a sphere by gefh on Friday August 03, 2018 @01:10AM (#17677420)

Unfortunately there's no performant way to do this without webgl. Ideally we'd never show distorted maps, but Mercator is deeply embedded in a lot of code.

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Re:Google maps is now a sphere by gefh on Thursday August 02, 2018 @06:25PM (#17675991)

Zoom out a fair bit, say to here: https://www.google.com/maps/@31.8984942,-93.1091234,3.41z

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Re:Google maps is now a sphere by perilunar on Thursday August 02, 2018 @09:17PM (#17676688)

Good to see that 3D now works in Safari too.

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Re:Google maps is now a sphere by gefh on Friday August 03, 2018 @01:10AM (#17677430)

Should work in any browser with webgl. Let me know if it doesn't.

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Re:Google maps is now a sphere by capitalisthakr on Friday August 03, 2018 @09:10AM (#17679498)

A subtle response to the flat Earthers?

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