Oolite Bulletins

Here, on our two-dimensional Earth, we assign four cardinal directions in our environment - North, South, East & West - and, for those who believe in the three-dimensional space theory, the hypothetical hyper-dimensions, "up" and "down". (In your heart, you know it's flat.)

What are the conventional terms for the six directions an object in freefall in three-dimensional "outer space" might move toward? Seriously, I baulk at writing x-wise, y-wise or z-wise - they are just tragic - there must exist real words for these phenomena?

Also, does the witchpoint-to-planet line define the x or y direction? If one plays the game conventionally (arriving at the witchpoint and moving toward the planet), does x increase while y and z remain zero?

Also:
- Ostracize land-lubbers, it's "ahead" and "abaft", not "ahead" and "behind us".
- Reinstate widdershins to its rightful place in our vocabulary, eschew "anti-clockwise" and its bastard brother, "counter-clockwise".

Wildeblood wrote: ↑Sun Mar 15, 2026 4:05 am

Also, does the witchpoint-to-planet line define the x or y direction?

The witchpoint to planet line is on the z-axis.

phkb wrote: ↑Sun Mar 15, 2026 4:37 am

Wildeblood wrote: ↑Sun Mar 15, 2026 4:05 am

Also, does the witchpoint-to-planet line define the x or y direction?

The witchpoint to planet line is on the z-axis.

So, when the emergency displacement in Vortex kicks in and moves the ship two scanner ranges z+, it's actually moving closer to the planet!? I had always assumed it was moving to somewhere off-axis. That just seems like cheating now. I'm glad I asked. Ta.