Maps1

[Klaa 4,872]

Being able to share details on maps would be nice, and I feel a cartography skill would still become necessary.

 

The main thing that bothers me though is how to handle the really massive terrain changes. Not to even get into Epic scenario events.

 

Granted such projects are few and far between; though, they have occurred, and are likely to occur again.

[Jakenheimer 63]

Is this just a stylized static map of how the servers used to look?  Massive amounts of deeds, roads, canals, lakes, islands, etc have been built over the years.  Other than a quick reference in-game I don't see any advantage to this.

[Kegan 3,926]

Well it might have started as a thing where they show you where you are with a dot or something then everyone through a fit so now like many other things it is going to be half of a good idea now, lol

[ReaverKane 363]

What Joe wants, we already have. The idea the devs have is fine, they want it to be easier for noobs to get around. They get lost, they pop open the map, look around (or ask around) for local landmarks, then compare their surroundings to the map. They'll have a rough idea of where they are.

 

What more is needed?

You want roads, deed locations etc. We have a community map for that.

You understand that without deeds, roads and actual landmark names on the map. There will be no points of reference on the map? Which means that without asking around (which is not always possible, you can cross a server and meet nobody on the way) you have no way to find yourself. So unless you are given at least a way to fill in your map with your own notations and POI/landamarks. Map will be just another pretty bauble, pretty but useless. There's been dozens of good suggestions on maps that would make them useful, appropriately hard to get, and add a new layer of options, activities and crafts for people to use. Instead we have a hotkey to a pretty jpg apparently.

Edited September 7, 2013 by ReaverKane

[Hordern 2,177]

You understand that without deeds, roads and actual landmark names on the map. There will be no points of reference on the map? Which means that ... you have no way to find yourself.

Coastlines, mountains, lakes, cliff orientation, resources (peat, tar, clay etc.) - I use all of these on a relatively regular basis.

 

 

 

Other than a quick reference in-game I don't see any advantage to this.

IMO that's all it should really be. Though being able to add some markers for yourself wouldn't hurt that.

[KunAlt 844]

I honestly think if you don´t make a better one that current community ones then no one will use it. I don´t want to be rude or malicious, so please don´t get me wrong, but either you make a better functional map than the community ones or focus the development time in something else.

 

Just my 2 coppers.

[Oreo 5,793]

I see no problem with this at all..

 

At least now we don't have to look up maps on the web now we can just press 'M' : D

[Protunia 735]

There ya go keep it simple and let players one day use a skill to develop and create their own maps to some degree possibly.

 

Looks good.

 

I wouldn't even mind a fog of war type of thing for places you have never been if these maps end up with any type of details.

 

You could show the map, but no details until players visit a place and/or have possibly some sort of skills in map making.

 

Maybe even reverse fog of war if you do not travel there frequently you lose some details.

 

I guess it all depends on how far you end up going with this thing, but its a nice start and works for me.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Protunia

[Torgrim 403]

Making notes and being able to share them with others would be nice. Maybe you could have different overlays to choose from, like an alliance or village could make their own overlay with roads and villages they know about. Overlays would be player drawn and shareble between players.

 

I know, not that easy to implement, but this would make the ingame map equal to what Community map projects are in terms of usefulness but at the same time would not be overpowered or dumb down the game.

[joedobo 1,187]

I think we would need to make sure insignificant or markers for highly contested objects (ore veins, lairs) are put on separate layers from villages and highways. This way those who don't want to see that have such an option.

 

highway overlay - road fits GM's rules for protected road.

village overlay - Be best if this is opt-in system or give everyone the power to remove thier own village. 

Official markers overlay - These are sites just about everyone agrees should be on the map like heritage sites.

 

optional custom overlay. This is would be whatever doesn't fit in the others markers for viens, lairs, random points. 

 

where things go should be moderated by the players similar to how we moderate the wiki.

[Sklo:D 2,210]

Great work!

[leaf 283]

+1

[MamaDarkness 880]

instead of "a" for the grid starting at the top of the map, i'd recommend it starting at the bottom.  So that the lowest part of each axis is from the same corner essentially.

[Keldun 335]

I wouldn't make it a simple button, it should require an item like the toolbelt or compass.

 

That way you could also limit the visible area (starting map gets area around the starting town) depending on the map item.

 

And you can also add the markers to the map item

[ckczk 24]

+1

[Klaa 4,872]

Personally I'll wait and see what shows up in testing before commenting.

 

At this stage, its all speculation and plans on paper... even for the Dev working on it. Although, nothing in the OP gives me cause for alarm.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Klaa

[Joanavon 553]

I like it and its definitely a step in the right direction in terms of trying to keep alot more of our new players longer then 5 or even 12 hours of game time. Wurm has a unique magic but you have to dig a bit below the surface to glimpse it. Hopefully this and the other improvements to the way people start Wurm will allow many more of them to become enticed.

[Radni 1,089]

Go wox! I like it. If anything, please add the ability to set markings on our maps/label them

[Miretta 1,415]

sharing specific village notes would be awesome tbh like one note at a time similar to showing traveler with a finger on the map: you have to go heeeeeere *makesa circle*

[ReaverKane 363]

Coastlines, mountains, lakes, cliff orientation, resources (peat, tar, clay etc.) - I use all of these on a relatively regular basis.

 

But you've been playing wurm for longer than i have, and you already know the maps. I can tell where i am from the trees in some places (which really makes it confusing when people cut them xp), but a new player, or new-ish, which will be the ones using the map more often don't know the details of the terrain that well, so seriously, and this is a huge problem with online gamers in a whole. I don't give a crap about your personal feats, i don't care if you can navigate the map blindfolded while humming the national anthem. On the purpose of this thread what i care about is that this "new feature" is actually something worth the download time.

Edited September 8, 2013 by ReaverKane

[joedobo 1,187]

The anti-map folks always try to say how easy it is to find your way around using landmarks. Well, If it was easy then there attempts at education would have been used and people would have stop asking for maps. The simple fact is people didn't stop asking, kept complaining, and where only satisfied by highly detailed maps. This is good evidences that such a statement is not as easy done nor is there majority support for their map related views.

 

in summary, don't listen to those trying to limit the usefulness of the ingame map. Strive to introduce a map that rivals current community map because after all history has proven that is is in fact what most Wurm players want!

[Hordern 2,177]

But you've been playing wurm for longer than i have, and you already know the maps. I can tell where i am from the trees in some places (which really makes it confusing when people cut them xp), but a new player, or new-ish, which will be the ones using the map more often don't know the details of the terrain that well, so seriously, and this is a huge problem with online gamers in a whole. I don't give a crap about your personal feats, i don't care if you can navigate the map blindfolded while humming the national anthem. On the purpose of this thread what i care about is that this "new feature" is actually something worth the download time.

You missunderstand, I use the map all the time, and I use it in conjunction with those features using standard orienteering skills to triangulate my position on said map.

[Roame 91]

I'd much rather hit a button to see the map than rely on my "craptop" to run more than one thing at a time. Can't wait!

[ReaverKane 363]

You missunderstand, I use the map all the time, and I use it in conjunction with those features using standard orienteering skills to triangulate my position on said map.

Again, this is not a "orienteering" game, so why should being able to read something that is more like a satellite or aerial image than a map be a required skill just to find our way through it?

 

Why must they have the work of coding a map, wasting man hours coding and doing artwork for the end result to be useless, and players still resorting to having to alt+tab to get proper bearings?

[fatboy 448]

I think it should show deed names also, and it should auto update every so often to disbands, creations. then ya match wat we have on the fourms. without doing that, maps usless, doesn't help the newplayers out much when they start as we will still here *where am I*,    * I am lost*.... *I am tierd of this, I quit*.    think the whole point to a map should be to help new players, should least show where u are on the map when ya move around. and Those that feel this breaks ur game, well don't use the map then, problem solved. I know this is WIP, but just a few ideas that actually help new players.