Better distribution around the globe

app/Http/Controllers/World/HomeController.php

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use App\Models\ExternalGroup;
 use App\Models\Group;
+use Illuminate\Support\Collection;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 
 class HomeController
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ public function __invoke()
 			'points' => Cache::remember(
 				key: 'homepage-points', 
 				ttl: now()->addDay(), 
-				callback: fn() => $this->points()->shuffle(), // $this->maximizeDistance($this->points())
+				callback: fn() => $this->maximizeDistance($this->points()),
 			),
 		]);
 	}
@@ -56,16 +57,22 @@ protected function distance($point1, $point2)
 		return $earth * $c;
 	}
 
-	function maximizeDistance($points)
+	function maximizeDistance(Collection $points)
 	{
 		$result = collect([$points->first()]);
 		$remaining = $points->slice(1);
 
 		while ($remaining->isNotEmpty()) {
-			$lastPoint = $result->last();
-
-			// Find the point that's furthest from the last added point
-			$furthest = $remaining->sortByDesc(fn($point) => $this->distance($lastPoint, $point))->first();
+			$furthest = $remaining->sortByDesc(function($point) use ($result) {
+				$targets = $result->take(-2);
+
+				$distance = $this->distance($targets->pop(), $point);
+				if ($targets->isNotEmpty()) {
+					$distance += $this->distance($targets->pop(), $point);
+				}
+
+				return $distance;
+			})->first();
 
 			$result->push($furthest);
 			$remaining = $remaining->filter(fn($point) => $point !== $furthest);

resources/js/globe.js

@@ -68,9 +68,16 @@ function ease(k) {
 }
 
 function interpolate(from, to, tick, ticks) {
+	let diff = to - from;
+
+	if (Math.abs(diff) > 180) {
+		diff = diff > 0 ? diff - 360 : diff + 360;
+	}
+
 	const k = Math.max(0, Math.min(1, tick / (ticks - 1)));
 	const easing = ease(k);
-	return from + (to - from) * easing;
+
+	return from + diff * easing;
 }
 
 const SECONDS_BETWEEN_POINTS = 4;