Need a map, but not too easy!

[bamibal]

Hello, first of all I love the game already! I keep coming back hoping that the story mode will be there one day, can't wait!

Though I have some points of critique, most are already mentioned often (low camera, no jumping thus getting stuck in stupid places, breaking ankles on tiny ledges etc.). There is however one thing seriously bothering me: the lack of navigation. I NEED to use the user made maps on steam to get anywhere, but I don't like doing that because it feels a bit like cheating. Without those maps I end up running in circles and generally just don't get to find the cool stuff. Also, I know the principle of a base camp, but I don't dare to put all my stuff in a house and wander around because I'm afraid of getting lost, thus I'm always travelling over the weight limit.

I know it would be lame to just give a map at the start of the game, so I came up with this idea:

In a couple of fireplaces you can find a half burned, partly ruined base map. It's the map of the area you're in but it's missing some parts because, well, they burned away in the fireplace. I took this map by a Steam user named Sniper Bob as an example and did a quick and dirty Photoshop edit to demonstrate what I mean:

(only 1 part is burned away here, but imagine this for maybe 4 or 5 parts of the map)

Untitled-5b.jpg[/attachment]

The player will need to check out the fireplaces/fire barrels he runs into to complete his map. Especially in the larger areas I'm not thinking of one instance of everything per area, but a few of the same basemaps spread over the fireplaces in the area, and a few instances of every missing map piece too. This will make it possible to complete your map in a relatively short time.

Just something that popped into my mind, if it's a crap idea then that's ok too :lol:

[Cantaszor]

Awesome idea!

And perhaps if something like this were still too much, some paper to create our own in-game map manually would be neat; a crudely drawn map with markups of important locations would make sense.

[Eachna]

I know it would be lame to just give a map at the start of the game, so I came up with this idea:

There is a map at the start of the game. It's on the side of one of the counters in the Camp Office.

The map isn't interactive tho. I'm hoping it will be in story mode.

[nicko]

nice idea for maps +1

[Dirmagnos]

Id like to have a topographic map in one of the fixed logical areas in each location. Like Camp Office for Mystery Lake. Accompanied by a notebook, found randomly.

Map itself is initially blank, just basic topographic data. But as player explores area, he "adds" handwritten marks, like "Carter Dam" or "Logging Camp" or "Bunker"(simple appropriate icon that when hovered over shows what it is, to prevent map cluttering with long names). Once player finds notebook, amount of data added(not retroactive) increases, since now he can keep count of supplies found(and left or stored) in each location, locations of saplings, corpses, etc

[Patrick Carlson]

Cool suggestion! I like the idea of assembling knowledge of the world, kind of like we assemble our bows and wolfskin coats. Thanks for sharing.

--Patrick

[Nexus_V]

Like the topographic map thought+1

[justsomeguy]

I came expecting he same lame suggestion for a minimap, but this is by far the only solid idea for a map in his game (either than drawing one as you explore)

[EliasLeonard]

Great idea, I would like a map as wel.

Maybe even a map you can stick notes on.

Just some text you type and place on the map in a handwritten font so it looks like you wrote on top of it.

A compass would be useful to go along with the map.

[properlucked]

I like the idea of maps being on the wall inside the buildings that you can edit. Then you have to plan your trips. I would not like a map that shows my location at all times. Too easy.

[EliasLeonard]

I like the idea of maps being on the wall inside the buildings that you can edit. Then you have to plan your trips. I would not like a map that shows my location at all times. Too easy.

yeah definitely not a map that shows your location.

But it would be useful to maybe have a compass and a topographic map (where you can write notes on)

[thestranger]

I like the idea of maps being on the wall inside the buildings that you can edit. Then you have to plan your trips. I would not like a map that shows my location at all times. Too easy.

Love it. Interactive wall map at certain key location per region: camp office for ML. When examined will label discovered locations. Can't be taken down or consulted in the wild. Or multiple destroyed fragments with locations that can go outdoors, still won't show where you are automatically. Maybe discoverable compass for outdoor way finding but that's it.

[K63]

I like creating my own rough map.

[HavocFactory]

Id like to have a topographic map in one of the fixed logical areas in each location. Like Camp Office for Mystery Lake. Accompanied by a notebook, found randomly.

Map itself is initially blank, just basic topographic data. But as player explores area, he "adds" handwritten marks, like "Carter Dam" or "Logging Camp" or "Bunker"(simple appropriate icon that when hovered over shows what it is, to prevent map cluttering with long names). Once player finds notebook, amount of data added(not retroactive) increases, since now he can keep count of supplies found(and left or stored) in each location, locations of saplings, corpses, etc

This is a great start! Maybe public items/government stuff is already marked (e.g., Forestry Lookout, Carter Dam) but other items must be marked by the player? Re: the notebook, I think this functionality should simply be added to the journal, which suggests you already have a notebook to keep notes... just the ability to add your own section for the things you describe.

[Dirmagnos]

A bit more of the same.

Basically, player can find a topographic map of the area in one of the predetermined locations in each area. Locations should be logical, like Camp Office or Trapper Homestead or Dam on MS.

Player gets simple basic topographic map. Nothing more, nothing else. Elevations, shapes, major infrastructures(like railroad tracks or roads). As player travels around, he start making handwritten markings about points of interest, like writing "Unnamed Pond" in small letters. Or marking points of interest with various signs, liek small house icon. Marking are divided into 2 categories, automatic(when player finds one of predetermined named areas, like same Trappers Homestead) and manual, where player can mark locations on his own(like corpse that havent been yet skinned or gutted). All markings can be deleted if players feels the need(you do make markings with a pencil, youre not a complete idiot to do with with pen).

Somewhere on starting map there is also a compass spawning. Its just 1 item per game and only in starting area. It does what compass does, shows direction. Its an extremely simple and handy tool that pretty much any1 can learn to use with a bit of practice. Once found compass can be used on its own, to get directions or with map, where it goes into right lower corner. Also player can move when holding map(main idea is that player gets to rotate on one spot, to align that particular tree with that compass pointing north - spatial awareness is extremely important), allowing to get better bearings when using compass.

Notebook. I havent quite figured it out the best way to implement it. So far its a stretch - player find a partial notebook, that lasts for a limited amount of entries and must be resupplied with paper. I was thinking about papers and books as source, due to the fact that after 2-3 weeks those are probably the most useless items in the game, since player firemaking ability is if not 100, then close to it. Papers are only good for tinder, that is already plenty to go around and books with accelerant become completely pointless items. Anyways, player get an option to disassemble books and papers into additional pages for a notebook. There could even be paper -themed background to those, depending on from what pages were made. To some degree pages could be cleaned and recycled, but it would take time.

Purpose of the notebook is a more extensive record-keeping. Just having map means that player can make markers, allowing to pinpoint landmarks and other poi. But with notebook player gets another layer of information. Upon clicking on particular discovered poi a new window opens, that is, in turn, divided into two separate pages. First page lists all the stuff present at this particular location, with its status/condition at the point of latest visit(its not tracked in real time). On lower level of difficulty next to page header there could be also an asterisk present, if not all items at the location has been found(like some drawer havent been searched). Second page lists all the salvageable stuff in this location with its values, eg "2 metal shelves: 6 scraps of metal".

Notebooks information is not retroactive, meaning that if player found 5 areas, but notebook only now, then he would have to revisit previous areas to get a proper count of items there.

Also, notebooks would go to the left side of the map when map is opened. Player would see just a bit of it(mainly its spine), and its purpose is mainly to show player that he has a notebook and allow to keep track of notebook pages.

Player is not show in any way on the map. This is not a minimap, it doesn have GPS nor anybody casted a magic spell on it.

Id like to have all that stuff in game for a simple reason of comfort. Im already using maps, as inaccurate and incomplete they may be(right now i go with this project: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/f ... =530202531) and i have a separate .xml file for various stuff to keep in mind.