OpenGeofiction (abbreviated OGF) is an online collaborative mapping project focused on fantasy cartography and worldbuilding of a world analogous to Earth. It uses OpenStreetMap software and processes in a separate environment, providing an outlet for artistic expression that avoids interfering with OpenStreetMap's mapping of the real world and potentially mitigates the risk of vandalism there.[2][3]
History
OpenGeofiction was founded in September 2013 by the German software developer Thilo Stapff and urban planner Johannes Bouchain.[4][5]
Content
OpenGeofiction portrays a verisimilar world based on modern technology but fictitious geography and culture. Both the natural and built environment are represented. The map tiles produced by the project are in Web Mercator projection.[6]
Participation
OpenGeofiction allows anyone with a free account to contribute directly to the map through an editor such as the iD Web application or the JOSM desktop application. Contributors can focus on various aspects of worldbuilding, including urban design and transportation. Because the project maintains a single integrated fictional world, contributors must harmonize their fictional territories with neighboring territories.[7][8] Thousands of users have contributed to the project.[9]
Uses
Places can be mapped in OpenGeofiction to illustrate stories or establish scenes for role-playing games.[10] OpenGeofiction map tiles can be loaded into applications such as gvSIG for geospatial analysis.[6] In 2018, OpenGeofiction data was used to model urban population movements in a hypothetical emergency evacuation using argument technology.[11]
