This is the current method of generation of unwrapped maps.Comment in map_colatitude() for the code that looks like the cause of this behavior:
/* A FLAT (unwrapped) map
*
We assume this is a partial planetary map. A polar zone is placed
at the top and the equator is at the bottom. The user can specify
all-temperate to avoid this. */
I've no ability to code changes myself, and instead this is only a thread for brainstorming and discussion of ideas.
Thoughts on how this might be changed:
1) Allow the pole to be generated to the south
2) Allow the pole to be generated to the east or west.
3) Allow the pole to be generated like 'Earth', to the south and north.
4) Allow the pole to be generated like 'Uranus', to the east and west.
5) Allow each pole type for unwrapped maps to be selected, including some random options:
No pole (0)
North pole (N)
South pole (S)
East pole (E)
West pole (W)
North-South poles (NS)
East-West poles (EW)
One pole (N/S/E/W)
Two poles (NS/EW)
One/Two poles (N/S/E/W/NS/EW)
Zero/One pole (0/N/S/E/W)
Zero/Two poles (0/NS/EW)
Zero/One/Two poles (0/N/S/E/W/NS/EW)
6) Allow poles on every side, with the equator being the center tile (Much more difficult than the default, I would think. Bit of a pipe dream, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.)
As an extension of this:
1) Allow wrapping type to be selected individually or randomly: None, Earth, Uranus, Torus, Earth/Uranus, Any
2) Allow single-direction wrapped maps to be optionally generated with only one pole.
3) Allow Earth and Uranus wrapped maps to pick between pole types, including some random options:
Earth Wrap:
No pole (0)
First pole (N)
Second pole (S)
Both poles (NS)
1 pole (N/S)
0/1 pole (0/N/S)
0/2 poles (0/NS)
No/North/South/Both poles (0/N/S/NS)
Uranus Wrap:
No pole (0)
First pole (E)
Second pole (W)
Both poles (EW)
1 pole (E/W)
0/1 pole (0/E/W)
0/2 poles (0/EW)
0/1/2 poles (0/E/W/EW)