Please help me understand "the map"

[Manic Meeple]

Either something is wrong with this chase, or else my brain just can't compute this concept somehow. I can play the game just based on:

Bigger Numbers For Me = Good,
Bigger Numbers For Opponent = Bad

But it would be nice if it could all click. Because I don't get it. How can two people be chasing each other while going the same direction in a circle? Which one is the pursuer, and which one is the pursued? Do they turn around and trade roles each turn depending on who is choosing the cards? SOMETHING is fishy here, dangit!

Thanks in advance =)

[Meeplelowda]

How can two people be chasing each other while going the same direction in a circle?

You are having trouble understanding how someone can catch someone else by running faster around a circle than the other person? You are simply trying to catch the other player by approaching them from behind. They are trying to do the same. You start out equally far behind each other. On every turn, either 1) you maintain the same distance as at the end of the previous turn, 2) you get closer to their back and they get farther away from your back, or 3) you get farther away from their back, and they get closer to your back.

[Manic Meeple]

How can two people be chasing each other while going the same direction in a circle?

You are having trouble understanding how someone can catch someone else by running faster around a circle than the other person? You are simply trying to catch the other player by approaching them from behind. They are trying to do the same. You start out equally far behind each other. On every turn, either 1) you maintain the same distance as at the end of the previous turn, 2) you get closer to their back and they get farther away from your back, or 3) you get farther away from their back, and they get closer to your back.

Yes I am. Maybe it's just about how ridiculous a method this would really be for two people chasing each other IRL, and I'm just hung up on the "artistic license" of it. Why don't they ever back up and/or turn around and say AHA! Also, both of the backs involved will always be the same distance apart as each other. There's a lot that's silly about this so I don't think I deserve the condescending tone for that, but I'll admit maybe my brain is being too literal, and your post did help. It does make a lot more sense if I imagine them FORCED to travel in this manner, like Disney World go karts bound to their rails, or something like that... Thanks for your help!

[Meeplelowda]

Also, both of the backs involved will always be the same distance apart as each other.

You say you don't deserve a condescending tone, but then you write something like this. I feel like I'm being trolled, because I can't think of a way to respond to something like this that won't sound condescending to someone who truly believes it. It cannot possibly be that you really don't get the concept that two people can run at different speeds and therefore their separation won't "always be the same distance." All you have to do is ask yourself: if I place two runners separated by 1/2 a lap on a race track and start them running in the same direction around the track, one at 9 meters per second and one at 3 meters per second, what will eventually happen? What eventually happens has nothing to do with how silly you think the scenario is.

[Jellby]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_pursuit

[Manic Meeple]

Also, both of the backs involved will always be the same distance apart as each other.

You say you don't deserve a condescending tone, but then you write something like this. I feel like I'm being trolled, because I can't think of a way to respond to something like this that won't sound condescending to someone who truly believes it. It cannot possibly be that you really don't get the concept that two people can run at different speeds and therefore their separation won't "always be the same distance." All you have to do is ask yourself: if I place two runners separated by 1/2 a lap on a race track and start them running in the same direction around the track, one at 9 meters per second and one at 3 meters per second, what will eventually happen? What eventually happens has nothing to do with how silly you think the scenario is.

That was kinda how I felt reading you say this

you get closer to their back and they get farther away from your back

You aren't helpful anymore. Have a nice day.

[LeLion92]

When he said "closer" and "farther", he was measuring it along the circular track in the running direction only, not the reverse direction.

Imagine that you are on a circular track but are forbidden to move backward. If you have someone just behind you, your only chance to catch them is to run faster and cover a full round more than them.

[Manic Meeple]

Yes! That, combined with that last post from Jellby about "individual pursuit" cracked it all open finally. I never heard about anything like that before. The game would make sense if you are already familiar with that concept. Thanks to both