Easy To Read Detailed Maps

[Lone Walker]

When I first played The Long Dark in 2018 on the ps4 the region maps had lots of details and were easy to read then with the re-dux updates the maps where changed to what they are now. I was hoping would there be anyway to have the maps changed or to have the option to change them in the game settings.

I download the detailed maps to my phone and I look at those the most when I'm playing the game as they are easy to read and have lots of details.

The maps we have now

The maps I download to my phone which have more detail in the map and are easy to read.

[Kranium]

Yes, the mapping is horrible, IMO. IRL wouldn't draw anything remotely resembling the in-game map, the times I have made my own impromptu maps, the look more like the 2nd one posted above. Simple outlines, overhead view. Not whatever you want to call the in game monstrosity. It doesn't even match the art/feel, either, IMHO. (not that any of it matters once you have an area memorized, however)

[Leeanda]

I like them both in their own way . So why not have both.

[Ghurcb]

A agree that the maps in TLD stylized and inaccurate, but I don't see this as a problem. At first the game didn't have any sort of mapping system, you just had to remember the relative positions of all the different locations and how far away they are from each other. When the mapping system was introduced, it was made this way specifically so that players still had to familiarize themselves with the environment. You could make a simple depiction of your surroundings to know where they are relative to each other, but you couldn't find your way by just looking at the map, even when it's filled out.

Even after getting the faithful cartographer achievement (and using the more specific community maps to do it), I still wouldn't want for the style of TLD maps to change.

What I would like to see changed is the fact that the map only has two scales. It's either the whole region or super-close-up. I'd prefer for there to be a smooth zoom-in and zoom-out.

[conanjaguar]

I think the mapping system in TLD could use a bit more detail, perhaps a pair of orientation arrows in the corner for your facing relative to the compass positions?

But other than that, it’s pretty good as is…

[xanna]

Agree. I really like the vibe of the mapping system, I love what they're going for, but the implementation could really do with a polish. It's one of those few skills in the game where I feel I'd do so much better than the PC "Argh, why are you so bad at this?"

For me, some things that stick out are:
· Inconsistent level of detail - often not marking on something that you are very near to and have line of sight to, sometimes marking every container and limb in detail.
· How the maps update feels a bit wonky. I can harvest mushrooms and saplings and then map afterwards, and they show up on the map even though I took them all.
· I find the art style a bit hard to read and can't tell where barriers and paths are. A little more detail like clearer cliffs and all the buildings would help, too.
 

I like that we have only a basic map and that it doesn't come for free. Some version of what we have now but with more consistency and including more common sense things like paths and cliffs, would suit me fine.

[Kranium]

2 hours ago, xanna said:

I find art style a bit hard to read and can't tell where barriers and paths are.

This is the problem. Ash Canyon is a great example of that. It's nonsensical, honestly.

[mfuegemann]

The maps are no good for navigation, and at the beginning, I had to use a piece of coal every time, I wanted to show my position in survival mode.
But now I just use them no longer. At some point, You have the layout of the regions memorized.

[FlamingFuball]

Yeah, I don't bother mapping anymore because the in-game maps are actually misleading and do more harm than good. Only reason to map is for the achievement of mapping every location. 

[mountain-exile]

On 6/13/2023 at 2:24 PM, FlamingFuball said:

Yeah, I don't bother mapping anymore because the in-game maps are actually misleading and do more harm than good. Only reason to map is for the achievement of mapping every location. 

I'm the same way; I don't even pick up charcoal anymore. There should be a way to annotate a map (if you're DOING the map in charcoal, you should be able to update with your own NOTES in charcoal), which I THINK you used to be able to do before Ash Canyon or Bleak Inlet came out (I might be mistaken and remembering another game). The older maps were much, MUCH better at showing details; these new ones are, quite frankly, pretty messy, so I don't/can't use them.