Some nice new features - Thank you!

1) In-game real-time, scrolling SOTAmap.com - Yay!



2. Moons around planets in the sky! And a planet with a big red spot (like Jupiter). I am sure there must some significance to these.

 

I kind of liked not having the in game map. It made things feel more adventurous. With the map, I'm not sure I'll have the willpower not to use it, heh.

Oh well, times are changing. I'd rather the game change with it and succeed.

 

I guess its a question of what breaks immersion more -having the map in game, or having to tab out completely to look at the map. Speaking as someone who gets lost if I go more than 10 meters from m house, I am happy for this feature.

 

fancy new outfits on the owl's head guard!

 

finally a map ingame!

 

That's the beauty of it... one doesn't have to use the map. It's all about options. It's like Ghost Recon: Wildlands... people were complaining about map either showing everything or nothing at all. They listened to the players, and now one can select what is shown and what is not. If someone doesn't want to use the "blue quest markers", that's fine. Turn it off. If one doesn't want the map to show where they are in relation to the world, again, we have the option not to use it. I am all about it. Options can capture the casual and the hardcore, and everybody in between.

 

I'm not sure where this specific debate is coming from myself. The discussion above seems to be about no maps at all vs. a link to the SotA Map site.

We have carry-able maps of the towns, so I was expecting us to have similarly carry-able maps of the overland. And that would be no different from the maps we've had in every Ultima game since Ultima VII. And it could be broken down so we could have one big Novia map, and then also regional maps. The whole map management system would also benefit from the game being able to bring up the map we needed at the moment, so it would do the same for when we entered towns or adventure scenes, for the scene-specific maps.

Personally, I would like to see this eventually, and would find this much better and much more of an ideal solution for a lot of reasons. I'm hoping the link to SotA Map is just a temporary solution.

 

I agree... hoping it's a place holder myself. Or... keep it as an option, but still work on the in-game map system. I love choices.

 

Don't agree. There would be no reason to use the in-game map system if you just had a link to SotA Map in game. However, on the other hand, if the in-game map system were well developed, there wouldn't really be much of a need to launch a browser for SotA Map, either... because even though there's an extra step (like carrying a map in inventory), its not so difficult to justify launching a browser.

I think the devs need to choose.

 

Much as like @kaeshiva I too can pretty much get lost in my own shoes, the level on the sotamap in game seems far far too much, down to the player houses, nodes for harvesting etc.. Like @redfish I find myself a little torn, I kinda liked the in game maps, you had to buy the ones you needed, but having the whole thing handed on a plate, just, doesnt feel right.. there should be a bit of "oh s***, I this doesnt look right" get lost, die cos you wandered into territory above your capability and run around panicking and not finding the way out.

the sotamap is an exceedinly awesome thing.. however, for me, it just seems like making things too easy.. it wouldnt be so bad if you had to uncover the map to use it..

 

Regarding the map: I think in game map is a great option for many players. SOTA map allows you to turn on and off various points of interest, so you can select the level of detail that you want SOTA map to reveal.
I would prefer an option to show only areas that you have explored, like the Ultima underworld map. But until I get my wish, having any type of mapping system in game is a nice option to have.

 

Buckminster Fuller:

“The function of what I call design science is to solve problems by introducing into the environment new artifacts, the availability of which will induce their spontaneous employment by humans and thus, coincidentally, cause humans to abandon their previous problem-producing behaviors and devices. For example, when humans have a vital need to cross the roaring rapids of a river, as a design scientist I would design them a bridge, causing them, I am sure, to abandon spontaneously and forever the risking of their lives by trying to swim to the other shore.”

The corollary being, "If a bridge exists, most people will Alt Tab out to it and use it, rather than swim the river. Might as well bring it in game and stop fighting an war."

 

Whatever makes the game grow in population.

Having an in game mapping system in an MMO has been a standard feature for the past decade. I'd wager far more people would leave an MMO without a map than would leave with a map in game.

Thanks for adding a great feature!

 

the rope and post fencing is somewhat forgiving of flat surfaces, which means it can also be used as safety rails!