OpenGeofiction (abbreviated OGF) is an online

collaborative mapping Collaborative mapping, also known as citizen mapping, is the aggregation of Web mapping and user-generated content, from a group of individuals or entities, and can take several distinct forms. With the growth of technology for storing and sharing ...

project focused on fantasy cartography and

worldbuilding Worldbuilding is the process of constructing an imaginary world or setting (narrative), setting, sometimes associated with a fictional universe. Developing the world with coherent qualities such as a history, geography, culture and ecology is a k ...

of a world analogous to Earth. It uses

OpenStreetMap OpenStreetMap (abbreviated OSM) is a free, Open Database License, open geographic database, map database updated and maintained by a community of volunteers via open collaboration. Contributors collect data from surveying, surveys, trace from Ae ...

software and processes in a separate environment, providing an outlet for artistic expression that avoids interfering with OpenStreetMap's mapping of the real world and potentially mitigates the risk of vandalism there.

History

OpenGeofiction was founded in September 2013 by the German software developer Thilo Stapff and urban planner Johannes Bouchain.

Content

OpenGeofiction portrays a verisimilar world based on modern technology but fictitious geography and culture. Both the natural and built environment are represented. The map tiles produced by the project are in

Web Mercator projection Web Mercator, Google Web Mercator, Spherical Mercator, WGS 84 Web Mercator or WGS 84/Pseudo-Mercator is a variant of the Mercator map projection and is the de facto standard for Web mapping applications. It rose to prominence when Google Maps ad ...

Participation

OpenGeofiction allows anyone with a free account to contribute directly to the map through an editor such as the iD Web application or the

JOSM JOSM () ''(Java OpenStreetMap editor)'' is a free software desktop editing tool for OpenStreetMap geodata created in Java (programming language), Java, originally developed by Immanuel Scholz and currently maintained by Dirk Stöcker. The editing ...

desktop application. Contributors can focus on various aspects of worldbuilding, including

urban design Urban design is an approach to the design of buildings and the spaces between them that focuses on specific design processes and outcomes based on geographical location. In addition to designing and shaping the physical features of towns, city, ...

and transportation. Because the project maintains a single integrated fictional world, contributors must harmonize their fictional territories with neighboring territories. Thousands of users have contributed to the project.

Uses

Places can be mapped in OpenGeofiction to illustrate stories or establish scenes for

role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...

s. OpenGeofiction map tiles can be loaded into applications such as

gvSIG gvSIG, geographic information system (GIS), is a desktop application designed for capturing, storing, handling, analyzing and deploying any kind of referenced geographic information in order to solve complex management and planning problems. gv ...

for geospatial analysis. In 2018, OpenGeofiction data was used to model urban population movements in a hypothetical emergency evacuation using

argument technology Argument technology is a sub-field of collective intelligence and artificial intelligence that focuses on applying computational techniques to the creation, identification, analysis, navigation, evaluation and visualisation of arguments and debate ...

References

External links

*
OpenGeofiction Wiki
contributor guides and documentation of fictional mapped places {{Volunteered geographic information OpenStreetMap Internet properties established in 2013 2013 establishments in Germany Fictional atlases Worldbuilding Wikis about geography