Talk:Compass/@comment-25411623-20140917001609

Reading comprehension above a grade school level may be required here The coordinate system of the compass is a polar coordinate system. It is most like a real compass with a single pole at the spawn point. Longitudinal lines converge at the pole and latitude lines are concentric circles around the pole. The pole is located at the spawn point. The spawn point is the magnetic north pole. The compass is one of six tools for navigation. The basic tool of navigation are landmarks. Mountains, groves of trees, lakes, rivers, and fields of flowers are natural landmarks. Signs and torches are manmade markers. Constructing tall towers, placing torches on top and instructions on  a sign at the bottom, is very useful. The gridded array of the blocks that construct the world define a Cartesian coordinate system with all lines parallel and perpendicular. This allows for easy travel on the same heading travel. There is no way to tell the difference between the four directions without a point of reference. The sky provides two tools. The movement of the celestial objects provide fixed reference points on the horizon. These are celestial north, south, east and west. The celestial object also provide a measure of time that can be used to measure distance. Keeping a constant speed makes a day's travel also a distance. The clock provides an additional tool for keeping time, and therefore, in measuring distance traveled. It has the advantage of being conveniently visible without stopping to view the position of the Sun or Moon. Direction and distance, alone, do not provide location. North is always north, regardless of position. It is easy to travel past a destination without ever finding it. This is called being lost. Once lost, there is no way of knowing which way to go. Lost means no landmarks. The sky, the grid and the clock do not solve this. The compass provides the missing information. It provides a reference point fixed on the grid, a magnetic pole. Regardless of location, the compass always point to magnetic north. Of all navigation tools, the compass is the "hands down" best. Lost in a forest with no visible landmarks or sky to be seen, the compass will get you home eventually.