How would you divide the planets into continents?

[Holo]

The question is self-explanatory, just propose how you would divide planets into about 4 - 7 continents

To start things off, here is my view of the Kerbin continents:

Edited April 24, 2014 by Holo

[Rhyunix]

Normally, natural features give way to deciding what is one continent and what is another- I think the red continent is a bit too big; I think some mountains are in that area, I'd use those to split it up a bit

[Holo]

This version is split according to the river and the mountains to the east of that river.

[Brun]

A while back someone made a map of Kerbin with detailed (fictional) country borders. Ah, found it - it's here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/71685-Most-Detailed-Kerbal-Border-Map-in-History.

[razark]

I just divide it up along the borders on the map screen.

[NecroBones]

http://i.imgur.com/vMZeBqo.png

This version is split according to the river and the mountains to the east of that river.

I like this second version a lot better. Nice!

[xcorps]

I would use a very large cake knife.

[Javster]

I would use a very large cake knife.

*laser cutter

[Holo]

I just divide it up along the borders on the map screen.

You mean like these mountains:

And this ocean?

Borders can be natural as well as artificial

[razark]

You mean like these mountains:

And this ocean?

Nope, I use all the artificial borders on the map, and nothing else.

[Holo]

Nope, I use all the artificial borders on the map, and nothing else.

But there are no borders...

[razark]

But there are no borders...

I see that you get my point.

[Epthelyn]

I see that you get my point.

So your answer is "I don't"?

[razark]

"From space I saw Earth -- indescribably beautiful and with the scars of national boundaries gone." -Muhammad Faris

"National boundaries are as invisible as meridians of longitude, or the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The boundaries are arbitrary. The planet is real." -Carl Sagan

"When you're finally up at the moon looking back on earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you're going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can't we learn to live together like decent people." -Frank Borman

"I really believe that if the political leaders of the world could see their planet from a distance of 100,000 miles their outlook could be fundamentally changed. That all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument silenced. The tiny globe would continue to turn, serenely ignoring its subdivisions..." -Michael Collins

"The first day or so we all pointed to our countries. The third or fourth day we were pointing to our continents. By the fifth day, we were aware of only one Earth." -Sultan bin Salman Al-Saud

I just don't feel the need to divide the planet up. There's too many divisions in the real world, why bother adding it in a game that has nothing to do with it?

[Osprey]

http://i.imgur.com/vMZeBqo.png

This version is split according to the river and the mountains to the east of that river.

I hate to be a pedant, but rivers do not denote continental divides, that's what trenches and mountain ranges do.

Also, I'm not sure it works for other planets. Earth has continents because it's geologically active. Mars does not and is not.

[Holo]

Unless they're Indian, in which case they can keep their nationalism in space:

I just don't feel the need to divide the planet up. There's too many divisions in the real world, why bother adding it in a game that has nothing to do with it?

For fun, and because I'm working on this awesome board game which relies on Kerbin to be subdivided further than the planet level, and as a resource to future KSP players who may or may not want borders in their game (e.g. AAR makers).

In other words, a game of Risk played on a magical unified utopian world is boring. An a game of Risk for Kerbin is essential.

EDIT

There were a few stray pixels on the map. It is fixed.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Holo

[Osprey]

I've adapted your approach a little, trying to break it up into what could be argued as continental plates, though it's had to identify any areas of subduction in the topography at ocean and land mass edges, and no topography is visible under the ice sadly. I haven't sat down and worked out an argument for the movement direction of each plate, nor have I identified the oceanic plates that exist in their own right without land masses, but then, this is only a game and the terrain hasn't been modelled using geological software from what I can see.

If you want to just divide the land into traditional continents, as we do geographically, this is really an outdated concept. When you look at Earth's tectonic plates you'll see the deliniations are not neat, and that Europe and Asia are, for the most part, a single mass (the Ural mountains mean squat). (Earth's Tectonics)

Edited April 27, 2014 by Osprey

[wasmic]

http://i.imgur.com/vMZeBqo.png

This version is split according to the river and the mountains to the east of that river.

I like this one better. But how about making the south polar cap a part of the light blue continent? I think that would make more sense. Also, the north polar cap should be part of the red continent.

[Holo]

I like this one better. But how about making the south polar cap a part of the light blue continent? I think that would make more sense. Also, the north polar cap should be part of the red continent.

Like this?

[Osprey]

I like this one better. But how about making the south polar cap a part of the light blue continent? I think that would make more sense. Also, the north polar cap should be part of the red continent.

That seems a bit wierd unless it's clear that the ice on each sits on top of a landmass. That's be like saying the Arctic Ocean should be part of the North American continent. There are some bits that look like land covered with ice, but I'd suggest the smooth caps simply cover an ocean.

[Holo]

In this new map, the ice sheets are greyed out since they aren't actually real continents. This lowers the continent count to six, which is a nice number.

[SuperBigD60]

What about that lonely island just above the south pole on the right side?

If you're playing risk, that could be your australia.

[lajoswinkler]

Normally, natural features give way to deciding what is one continent and what is another- I think the red continent is a bit too big; I think some mountains are in that area, I'd use those to split it up a bit

No, it's not big. It's stretched in this projection, just like Antarctica and Asia.

[Curiosity55]

I believe this topic is fantasy.

[Holo]

I believe this topic is fantasy.

Well, so's the rest of KSP, so I'm fine.