Determine Open Playa Location

Learning Goal: I can determine my position in Open Playa when missing information.

Intro

In Inner, Outer, and Deep Playa, we do not have the grid to help communicate our location. Instead, we rely on estimated distance and radials (aka angles) off of major structures.

Distance

Rangers should estimate distance in yards. Using this agreed-upon unit keeps communication with clear and consistent. Yards are also easier to work with than feet over longer distances. And because a yard is close to a meter, Rangers who think in metric can estimate in meters and just report that same number in yards.

Whenever you have looked at the Man while standing on Esplanade, you have looked at something that is a little over 800 yards away. Midway between Temple and Fence Point 3 is about 1000 yards. Learning how to do rough estimates with a 50–400 yard range will prepare you for the most common distances you might experience outside of the city.

Below is a GPS-enabled practice tool that will help you learn the distances of 50, 100, 200, and 400 yards in your own neighborhood. If you live near a football field, golf course, or some other measured distance, that can also be used to practice distance estimation.

Radials: The Man

As the Man is the center of the Burn and is what the Radial clock numbers are based on, we can use this to communicate what angle we are in relation to the Man.

The only radials to the Man that aren't aligned with city roads are 11:00, 12:00, and 1:00; see images below. Since the path between the Man and Temple is 12:00 (aka where the only Temple-touching promenade is), 11:00 and 1:00 are easily determined as just in between the edges of the city and that 12:00 promenade path.

This means a specific location in Inner Playa would be described as "100 yards from the Man at 2 o'clock." If the location is a lot closer to Esplanade than the Man, it is easier to describe (and find) this by referencing the Radial road instead — "200 yards from the 2 o'clock Radial" is easier than "600 yards from the Man at 2 o'clock."

Radials: Temple

For Open and Deep Playa, radials off Temple are usually better to use, as this is often the largest and closest permanent structure. This is described in the same way the Man's radials would work, e.g., "200 yards from Temple at Temple's 1 o'clock radial."

If you stand between the Man and Temple (aka where the only Temple-touching promenade is), you are standing at Temple's 6:00 radial. If Temple is directly between you and the Man, you are on Temple's 12:00.

Temple's 9:00 and 3:00 radials can be found using 90-degree right angles. If you are looking at Temple, the Man is to your right, and there's a right angle between the three of you, you are at Temple's 9:00 radial.

If you are looking at Temple, the Man is to your left, and there's a right angle between the three of you, you are at Temple's 3:00 radial.

If you've learned the four angles above, you now have Temple's 3:00, 6:00, 9:00, and 12:00 radials. This means determining a radial in between, such as 2:00, is now just chunking ⅓ of the way between your known Temple 3:00 and 12:00 radials.

Landmarks

Identify useful landmarks early in the event to help for when it becomes hard to orient yourself, such as when the Man is gone, it's dusty, or it's night time. Advanced Rangers often note that this is what keeps them from getting lost in Open Playa.

Pick multiple structures that are:

• Immobile!
• Large
• Distinctive from far away at night (shape, lighting design or color, etc.)

Make sure to confirm that a structure you pick is actually immobile, i.e., bolted to the ground, as accidentally relying on a large art car becomes a problem the moment they decide to drive away. And even then it's best to learn multiple landmarks, just in case (one year someone actually moved Thunderdome as a prank).

It's useful to find distinctive camps near important roads ahead of time, especially for the 2:00 and 10:00 corners of the city. For example, maybe there happens to be a big neon dome for Reverbia at 9:59 and Esplanade, so you can now easily get directly to that corner of the city from Deep Playa at night. This helps avoid mistaking the edge of the city for Esplanade. Or perhaps a large light tower set up next to the 5:00 and Esplanade Radial opening would be good to memorize, helping you find the specific midway points between promenades at night.

Large immobile art structures may be used as a reference point by other Rangers as well, if distinctive and large enough that everyone knows about it. If close to one of these, you may use directions using radials in reference to them instead, e.g., "30 yards from the Troll art piece, at the Troll's 11 o'clock."

When You're Missing Information

While distance and radials help resources travel to your location, it can be difficult to use distance to find yourself on the map. Sometimes you may also not be able to see the Man or Temple to determine one of their radials.

Start with the information you do have. Look for other landmarks you recognize and ask what each one tells you about your position. One landmark might tell you roughly what radial you are on. A second landmark or known angle might narrow that down further. This is why learning several good landmarks ahead of time can help keep you from getting lost.

In Inner Playa, this likely means using the Man and promenades to narrow down which quadrant you are in. Center Camp, Temple, and any landmarks you've memorized can help as well.

In Outer and Deep Playa, Temple and Fence Point 3 are likely your first clues. The Man, large art pieces, and any landmarks you've memorized can help as well.

For example, if I believe I am on Temple's 1:00 radial and about halfway between Temple and Fence Point 3, I'm likely where the gray X is on the image below. If my goal was to get to Ranger Outpost Tokyo, I roughly need to go straight past Temple to get there.

Or maybe I found a medical emergency in Outer Playa, but it's too dark and dusty to use the Man to figure out which Temple radial I am on. Fortunately, I can see the bright camp structure I know at 10:00 and A, and it forms a 90-degree angle with me and Temple. I'm probably where the gray X is on the image below, at Temple's 11:00 radial. I'll do my best to estimate distance as well, but at least they will be driving in the right direction.

A lot of this comes down to practice at the Burn and learning to judge angles in Open Playa. What will help a lot is learning here how to determine the radials of the Man and Temple, and memorizing several good landmarks once you get there.

Test Yourself