Map auto-completion when a threshold is reached.

[ajb1978]

So even with the improved mapping mechanics and addition of vistas, some maps continue to have huge swaths of black blobs all over the place. Ash Canyon REALLY made it stand out, as even the finished map looks like someone shot it full of holes. And of course other maps like Hushed River Valley, Mountain Town, and Broken Railroad don't make use of the full square space, and end up with massive chunks cut out of the corners.  Quite frankly it's an eyesore, especially to a completionist who likes to collect every possible thing.

So I would ask that if a map reaches a certain percentage of being revealed, it just automatically finishes it off.  Clear up any black blobs, give nice clean edges, etc. Someplace like Mystery Lake or Forlorn Muskeg, maybe require that 90% of the map be revealed, because that's a very attainable goal.  Once you hit 90%, boom, all the extraneous little gaps get filled in.  Someplace like Broken Railroad, maybe only 75% is needed, since a lot of that map is dead space. 

[Fuarian]

100% agreed. Most of the artwork put into the outer sides of the maps go completely unused in game.

[Kranium]

I agree.

 

Prerequisite being a certain % completed, maybe in conjunction with all named places mapped as well.

 

(I also wish the map design was better - it's very hard to understand what you're looking at in some areas - Ash Canyon being a prime example.)

[Ragwort]

I'd love to see this - among other things it would make completing a region map into a definite goal with a tangible reward. And it makes sense that at some point the player knows the region well enough to be able to fill in the blanks.

Also agree with Kranium that mapping all named places should be a prerequisite (as well as the % completion).

[past caring]

Agreed.

But I agree even more with @Kranium - the current map system is next to useless for actual navigation. 

The single biggest improvements I can think of to the game would be a properly contoured map and the ability for players to make their own annotations to the map.

[ajb1978]

On 12/13/2020 at 10:31 PM, Kranium said:

Prerequisite being a certain % completed, maybe in conjunction with all named places mapped as well.

Good call, having a mostly filled in map that doesn't auto-complete would be a way for the game to go "Psst...you missed something." Preferably in conjunction WITH overall map completion, and not in lieu of.  Otherwise someone could just grab the vista and any named locations that weren't included, and boom.  Probably be in and out in a day, and that's no fun. Mapping a whole region should still be an undertaking, something you plan on taking several days accomplishing, otherwise it loses that sense of satisfaction.

5 hours ago, past caring said:

The single biggest improvements I can think of to the game would be a properly contoured map and the ability for players to make their own annotations to the map.

Oh absolutely, this has been a major ask for a long time now. I think the spray paint was meant to kind of address that, and it does to an extent, but the fact that I can't mark down something on my map at night is a little silly.  Let the player mark a building as searched on their own map, or draw an arrow or something. If they mark the wrong location or put the arrow in the wrong direction, hey that's on them. It'd be on me if I did that to my hand-drawn map.

[StillNomad]

I am in agreement with all the suggestions mentioned above. Completion of map after all named areas are mapped, adding annotations to your own map and better map readability in terms of depth (although I know there's a limit to what a cold survivor can achieve with a thick piece of charcoal). I'm glad @ajb1978 mentioned Broken Railroad. That map has so many black holes and bad corners, it drives me nuts.

On annotations, the spray paint does have its advantages. But it is missing an important icon and that is "Shelter". For eg, I could use this icon to mark so many nooks and crannies in Ash Canyon to denote places that provide shelter to some degree. Presently, I use some other icon dedicatedly to denote shelters in the map. 

Another addition to mapping could be the ability to rotate maps to align with the region. This will help in mentally aligning yourself with the compass bearings (if that makes sense)

[Booch]

This is a great idea. Fully endorse this.

[past caring]

On 12/15/2020 at 3:16 PM, StillNomad said:

On annotations, the spray paint does have its advantages. But it is missing an important icon and that is "Shelter". For eg, I could use this icon to mark so many nooks and crannies in Ash Canyon to denote places that provide shelter to some degree. Presently, I use some other icon dedicatedly to denote shelters in the map.

Even without a complete overhaul, the current system could be improved considerably - e.g. if a 'searched' or 'storage' icon can appear on your map when you've marked a building, why can't directional arrows similarly appear when you've marked a way point on a tree or rock?

[mfuegemann]

I would love the topo map too. Maybe You can find some pieces of a military map, that are scattered around. The hand drawn map could be replaced, once You have found all the pieces. Until then You can look at a single piece like reading a note.

For me the arrow, representing the player position and direction makes things too easy. A dot would challenge our navigation skills a bit more. I would love to see the map blurred during a snow storm or darkened during night time, unless You have a lantern lit.

Or maybe a hard mode without a hint on the actual position on the map...

[Kranium]

Don't even need topo. Any kind of simple straight-down aerial view would suffice. Nobody in their right mind would be making the kind of "angled perspective view" map you see in this game, especially using just a piece of charcoal. I swear the player would spend 90% of their map-drawing time shading in the mountains on them! (which also tend to block the view of important routes & places behind them!!)

 

Simple lines, bird's eye view. All you need.  Imagine a charcoal-ed &  somewhat less accurate version of this map (minus all the spoilers, OFC). [Mystery Lake] That's all anybody would be doing.