Starcraft – Why is the Starcraft 2 Minimap not a rectangle

starcraft-2

  1. Why is the minimap in Starcraft 2 shaped like a Trapezoid.
  2. Why does it change shape as it moves, with one side becoming elongated, etc.
  3. On what game mechanics / mathematics is the shape and state based?

Best Answer

It's not rectangular, because you don't see the game straight from above. You see a bit into the horizon too. At the bottom of the view frame, you don't see as much as you do at the top of the view frame, because it's further away.

If you carved out a frame, held at at an angle at your floor, you'd realize the area on the floor you can see through the frame isn't rectangular either.