Overhead "MAP"

After reading post after post about people getting lost on the overhead "map", I have realized that it is not a map after all. We use maps to help us when we are lost. The exact opposite happens when one find themselves in the "map" in SOTA. The fist thing to do, and what everyone recommends is to refer to a real map posting that someone else has made to help you find things.

So what, you say? Well if you you are in Jaanaford and want to go to Adoris overworld, I challenge anyone who has not done it many times to make the treck. A map should direct you and help you in every way to get to your destination. The first thing that would help immensely is the zoom. If we could see all four quadrants, at least we know what general direction to go. Zooming out to see if you should cross all three rivers ahead, and whether to turn left or right at intersections is absolutely necessary. That is my main suggestion at this point. I think that discussion about directional signs, glowing paths, magic compass, and etc is appropriate at this point. New players will be completely frustrated if we do not provide a map like resource for traveling. I personally am a multi GM, have been all over the lands many times, but had to refer offline to get back to Adoris today and that is just ridiculous.

 

Directional sings could be the best! some signals on the map on road junctions that points you where to go if you want to go somewhere in particular. The NPCs could also be provided with directions to certain locations... they could at the very least point you to the next town, then you could ask again there. Things like "follow the east road until it heads north, cross the bridge and pass through the control point" that way you at least know where to head.

I've read things about mini maps... don't know if they plan to do one for the overland map. And even if they do, it will be post wipe.

Please, no glowing paths... we already have a magic compass that stores point of interest, once you visit a town it could be stored as well.

Oh, i forgot to say... the issue is undeniable I think i know my way around Novia... but everytime i want to travel far away i use SotaMap. It could be nice to have a resource in game that facilitates travel.

 

That is a good idea! Maybe apply markers and such when you zoom out to indicate roads and paths. Maybe even into an orthographic view. Or as when you are in a city, you can get icons for places you find that get added that may not be there from the start. Nav points or path marking may be too much like other MMOs for Portalarium. Not having sparkling paths to guide to was something that was touted. But I know it's not always easy to see that you can't access a certain area then need to backtrack and go all the way around, so any improvement to the overhead would be nice. It will be interesting to see what sorts of improvements they have planned, that are already on the schedule.

 

Oh, is it not working for you? Submit a bug report. Your magical compass should now remember points of interest on the overworld map.

 

Oh my magical compass worked fine last time i checked If you don't take in consideration that sometimes it seems to "forget" i already visited some scenes and start recording it all over again...

i was talking about adding that functionality in the overworld map... if i'm not mistaken, it doesn't work in it, and if it doesn't it could be a great way to remember where to go. (if i am mistaken i should pay more attention )

 

Read my post again. It should work on the overworld map now.

 

Sorry that's what you get for answering in a rush U^^. I haven't noticed it because I'm staying away from the game for now because i have RL duties (though i end up goofing around too much time here) so i haven't been online yet so the only source of new stuff i have is the R26 thread. Thanks for taking the time to make me stand corrected! The more i read about this Release the more awesome it sounds.

 

I for one hate the "magical compass", as well as the huge, badly cut paper rolls floating above cities and other points of interest.

Wooden signs at crossroads and at the borders of scenes would be a way, way, way, way better solution.

 

What also could be done is on top of the screen is an input box, you type the destination and if you press a certain key then the path highlights in golden hue, there can also be a option so that when you release the button is turns off so its only on press that it shows the golden hue ( As this would be an aid only and would not break immersion as much ) .

Just a though..

 

With a map, you can lay it on the table or computer screen, pinpoint your location and actually see your destination. With our system all you can see is a small local area. If you are dropped onto this "map" a compass will not help because you haven't a clue as to where your destination is. The compass we have is useless because it does not record locations until you discover them. I mean that is the point, isn't it? You don't know where the destination is and the compass stays blank until you get there. Our system needs to be tweaked to give you direction to the destination, be it signs or other means if it is going to function as a map like tool. All the other neat stuff (encounters and such) should just be frosting on the cake.

As an aside the compass we have now is only really useful at finding something when you ask the town crier for the lot list and are able to highlight a particular lot on the compass. In this case it is really helpful to find a location. In the case where you enter an instance, get into a fight and need to run for the exit, the compass won't help because you have not traveled to all the exits yet. Even if you do map out the instance on it, if you leave and return everything you "learned" is gone and the compass is blank again.

 

There is a map in this game?

 

Please, do not design to new players. We're all new for a little while. We're veterans for much longer. Do not saddle veteran players with newbie fluff. Finding one's way about is only difficult the first few times. Excessive signage and pointers last forever.

 

Unless of course, there is a toggle to turn it on and off.

 

One big problem I have with starting a new game is that there is no in-game world map.

The old Ultimas came with cloth maps, or you could use magic gems, or you could find a world map in-game. In SotA you're stuck using sotamaps.com. Pretty annoying.

 

We should have a in-game paper map for the overland just like we have in-game paper maps for towns. They could also then do things like regional maps, also.

Overland travel isn't really a map in the real sense and shouldn't be treated that way IMO. We're going to see things like roving encounters, other players, its going to get dark when its night, and we'll be able to look up in the sky to see weather and constellations. Our vision should be mostly limited by what we could expect to see off in the horizon.

But, add in an in-game paper map and that's all you need to help players.

 

i can't agree with the OP..well part of it.. the overland map works perfectly well as a method of fast travel. - granted it is kinda slow for my personal preferences from time to time, and i really do hate "random" encounters. but i'll get over it.

after my first week on the novia map, i could find my way fairly easily, after my first two months when it was only hidden vale, i started to stop getting lost. for me, it was simply a matter of matching the scale in my head, to the scale in the game, and it finally kinda....clicked. - granted i don't tend to plot courses like on a road trip, as i usually already have a destination in mind before i get on there.

i'm not saying it can't get better...and this is where i agree with the OP. having the ability to zoom all the way out, and have it do a true top-down viewpoint would be really cool, to actually use it as a map (google earth style zooming, i'm future proofing with this thought process). i can't even begin to tell you how many hours i've used google earth just to look at satellite maps of places i havn't been yet, and some i have already been to. just think by the time we get another continent, we can zoom out to beyond the globe, and explore the shattered moon, and other constellations. that would be frickin neat.

 

one thing i miss from my MUD days is plotting maps myself. i knwo the zones will have maps we can use - some already do, and some we can make ourselves...but what about maps on the overland too?

 

I've never thought of the overland "map" as a map... But as just another scene to traverse and explore. Limited signage at intersections would be appropriate but GPS like functions in my opinion would ruin it. But there should be a mini-map just other scenes... And for now I use some of the external maps (my own PDF for example) to help find where I'm going and to plan my route.

 

Maybe we could zoom out further and then the overland view changes to a real map.

You can see what I mean in this video at about minute 35:23.

 

+100... that ... and I'd like to zoom in more to really feel like I was in the scene more (I'm a glutton for punishment and getting lost...)