navigation on the overworld map

A quick thought from my experience last night playing R16. Suppose you've just left a scene and are now on the overworld map. You want to go to Owl's Head (for example), but you have no idea where that is relative to where you are now.

The overworld map shows names of locations as you get close to them. But this makes it hard to really survey the whole world map to figure out which way to go without walking through the entire map.

It might be nice to be able to pan around the overworld map (without moving your char) to at least see location names. Then you'd have a chance of being able to find another location and know which way you need to go.

Another idea would be a simple 2D world map which could be displayed and show your current position and the names of all the locations.

Either way it seems like there needs to be a better way to figure out which way to go if you want to go to a specific named area. In my case, I noticed there was a player run event scheduled in some named cemetery (IIRC) but I had absolutely no idea how to get there from where I was


NOTE: I asked in chat and was linked to a nice map online. That works but it didn't appear to be complete. It would be nice to have some sort of better world map in game I think.

 

I agree we do need to know where we are. I have not had too much problems with the navigation but I've been here a while to see the terrain grow. So one thing I mention is, if we are getting a system that says if an area is not discovered we don't know where it is yet. I am not sure that is the plan, but if it is, that would need to be worked around. I have played games where you can drag the map see other portions of it and that does help so you know what direction to point yourself to.

 

Have to agree with coder. I've played a few days to get used to it but still I find it difficult to remain oriented. A bit frustrating.

 

Agree.

 

I'd love to see a fog for areas you haven't visited, but the ability to nudge the map up just a little bit more would make a HUGE difference in usability of the overland map.

 

When on the overworld map i often wish i could press a key and see a world map with a spot where i are.

What is more unsure about is how detailed that map should be, should you see the contours of the continent and only show places you found or not?

 

Not sure if I agree with the world map thing. You can move the camera around, and I frequently do that (hold down right mouse button and move mouse).

There are maps in game currently, and I'm sure eventually a world map will be produced that we can purchase or create. If you pledge navigator+ you get a world map decoration, I'd expect double clicking that will open a world map as well.

 

have to agree. Simply being able to pull back your view would be nice. Fog the areas I haven't been to yet but for gods sake let me see the big picture.

 

I have to agree with the OP 100% Describes my experience perfectly (I only just pledged; been in-game three times). I'd like a world map that shows the relation among zones (e.g. Hidden Vale, the new area) with some indication of how to transit from one zone to the next; as well as a pan-able zone map that shows what I've discovered.

 

Agree with OP. I can imagine something simple like...you can zoom further out and pan around the entire map, however, location names are not unlocked until you've discovered that individual location.

 

I ran into this again last night. I thought I would go from the starter town (just south of Solace Bridge) over to Solania. The innkeeper dialog seemed to imply that was a good place to go to for quests so I thought that might be the natural next step.

I wandered around for awhile and never found it. According to the map I found (see here) it should be west on a lake.

I tried direct west, going around to the south, going around to the north, but never found it. Many times I would just run into invisible walls and be unable to proceed. Or roads that dead-ended going to nowhere. At one point I came across the spectral mines entrance which I recalled another NPC saying was north of Solania, but then there was no way to go directly south from there.

And its magnified by the very limited view. So you have no concept of how to get there from here. And you just randomly wander and keep coming to dead-ends where you can't go further, or where it looks like you could go further but there's an invisible wall.

I still have not figured out how to get to Solania The current over world map navigation seems to me more frustrating that exploring.

 

Agree with the OP.

 

Well in the todays hangout they discuss this very thing. If you have not had a chance to watch it, check it out.

 

Solania is in the swamp.
Start from Solace Bridge, head South-South-East, follow the road and take a right turn as soon as it divides. Hug the mountain on your right and head into the swamp.
Change the camera to view directly from above, move from island to island still trying to hug the mtn as much as possible.
Continue until you hit Solania.

 

Yes, I was there and heard that. I asked if we could get a 2D world map which showed our position and the position of major landmarks. When FireLotus passed it on she did it as a more general question of navigation help. My impression of the response was that they're aware of it and its something which will be worked on and continue to be improved. But I'm still curious if we'll see the sort of 2D world map I was asking about. That might make things easier.

 

Thanks! Someone actually took me there so I know where it is now.

 

I explored, that's how I found locations. It was time consuming. I felt that it was as intended. That exploration is an adventure itself. Once roaming encounters enter the picture this will be an even bigger part of the game. It seems like the mentality of gamers these days is they want everything now and they want information and knowledge of how/where to do everything. I want it to be a mystery we have to explore and solve.

 

I totally agree with you Mishri, I like the I have to find out information, by asking people about any quests, and then traveling around to find it. I liked having to map the dungeons in the first Wizardry games.

 

They should make a sextant that let you got the coordinates of where you are.

 

It's in the game already, /loc I expect in the future that command will be replaced with an item (such as a sextant). That is typical in a pre-alpha game to have commands that serve the purpose items/npcs/locations in the future will provide.