Originally Posted by
raybo
It is one thing to convert distances from miles to kilometers. I do it every time I ride in a country that measures distance in kilometers. But, I think in miles. I have no idea how many feet are in a kilometer, but I know that the conversion from miles to kilometers is to multiply by 1.6.
Suggesting that "Miles are becoming almost as obscure as furlongs" is a bit over the top, I'm afraid. No one in the US uses kilometers. We also use English here. Should I offer a French or Spanish version for all those young people who see English as "obscure," as well? And, what about using dollars as a currency? Shouldn't I also allow people to convert them to their own monetary units?
Whatever units I pick, there will be someone who finds them inconvenient.
If I did the conversions as you suggest, the numbers would not match between the 2 versions. For instance, 2 points a mile becomes 1.24 points per kilometer. If I do everything in kilometers, then 2 points per kilometer becomes 3.2 points per mile. I could round-off these numbers, but than the two versions of the game wouldn't be equal. What's more, how careful do I need to be in my conversions? Do I need to estimate it to one decimal place? Two? It will quickly get far more complicated than it needs to be.
As always, I value your opinion, but I don't see how to implement this conversion in a simple way.
Well that's OK if your market is the US.
But you might be surprised how the imperial system is viewed in most other countries. I'm quite serious when I say that, over here, you might as well be talking furlongs as miles. Pretty much no one thinks in miles ... or imperial in general. I know I haven't thought in miles since sometime in the early 1980s, and I'm Canadian where we have a vague memory of miles.
How do you handle the money situation? Personally, I'd use something "monopoly money" style ... not a real currency.
Regarding language, I think there are translation "apps" you can use ... i think you can provide a link that translates the page.
And as for your conversion dilemma ... rather than points per kilometer or mile, why not points per time? An hour into a stiff headwind would be -20 points. An hour climbing an 8% grade hill would be -60 points.
Oh, and ... there are no feet in a kilometer.
