4 ms·
This is a very interesting way of explaining the 4th dimension by relating it to the difference between the 2nd and 3rd dimensions. However, I think what would
by biot 12y ago
This is a very interesting way of explaining the 4th dimension by relating it to the difference between the 2nd and 3rd dimensions. However, I think what would really solidify my understanding is to see the 4D level editor.
I'm not sure how truly 4D this world is, but it appears to let you switch between a fixed set of different 4 dimensional positions, each of which has a different 3D representation. Just as a plane in a 3D environment is a 2D slice, a plane in a 4D environment is a 3D slice. You could effectively fake this by imagining a triangular prism (like a cylinder, but triangular instead of round). Each face of the prism contains a fully defined 3D world. Switching to the alternate face of the prism is effectively doing the swap to the other 4th dimension, where you can walk along the alternate 3D environment to avoid the obstacle, then switch back to the original 3D environment.
- sp332 12y agoThat's not quite what a 4th dimension is like. In your example, the faces are completely separate from one another. But really they would be connected, in a continuous line. You'd be able to push something a little bit along the dimension, or run a long distance. You could rotate an object in 4D so that parts of it ware poking a little bit into each dimension at the same time.
- biot 12y ago> That's not quite what a 4th dimension is like. Of course not. You'll notice that I questioned how truly 4D the game was and said the game appears to have fixed sets of 4D positions (ie: not a continuous range). I also said that my example was fake 4D. If the developer were to show the level editor, I suspect that we'd see it's not really 4D at all, but my fake approximation of 4D via a fixed number of 3D environments that the player can transition between.