Game Feature Suggestion - Cartography

[Helix]

The Problem:
The lack of the map makes the world significantly harder for players to navigate and coordinate (intentional most likely). From a "preserving the mystery and wonder of the world" this is fine, but from a user experience, especially a new user experience, this might seem un-intuitive and frustrating.

Suggestion:
I think a cartography skill that lets players chart the places they've been and create a temporary map (an actual item) with limited number of uses (based on your skill level) would be an alright middle ground with a few caveats. Here's how I imagine such a skill would work:

• Player would need a certain amount of cartography skill before he can start drawing the map.
• Player would need certain requirements (like the ink and some parchment to draw on).
• Cartography skill level would determine what can and cannot be displayed on the map.
• As the player moves through the world and has the required mats in the inventory the map will be "drawn" (Think of it as a fog of war on the map).
• The cartographer has to have the ingredients in this backpack at all times for the map to be "drawn" meaning that getting killed and losing the map will suck but that's risk and reward for you.
• Cartography skill will determine how many times you can actually "view" a map. Cartographers will actually be sought after since they'll both be able to create maps and view them more times than a non-cartography player.

The system is sorta similar to UO with treasure maps, etc. Cartographers would be highly sought after, and their maps would (potentially) be highly valuable. Now there are some real down sides and plenty of "gotchems". Once players get a fully fleshed out map the odds are they (or someone else) will just upload the map and ruin the "mystery" of the game. Even if the map is just bare minimal and not highly detailed some will most likely create an interactive map.

What do players think of having some kind of world map in the game?

 

[Valoran]

Not having an easily accessible map has a significant effect on the feeling of inhabiting the world.

If everyone could have a map to refer to whenever they get lost, they would never actually get lost. Being able to get lost in a game world is a wonderful thing in my opinion and forces the player to learn their environment while also making the world feel much larger.


I'm not totally opposed to map making in some form however, especially if it's as simple as a player drawing one himself and publishing it like a book in the library.

 

[Helix]

Not having an easily accessible map has a significant effect on the feeling of inhabiting the world.

If everyone could have a map to refer to whenever they get lost, they would never actually get lost. Being able to get lost in a game world is a wonderful thing in my opinion and forces the player to learn their environment while also making the world feel much larger.


I'm not totally opposed to map making in some form however, especially if it's as simple as a player drawing one himself and publishing it like a book in the library.

I can see the benefits of not having a map from the perspective of the "wonder" of the game, but I think after the first few times you get lost that feeling of wonder will turn into frustration. While MO2 is a supposed to be "hard core", I don't necessarily think hard core needs to translate to frustrating. Wondering around aimlessly in the woods does get old after awhile and might be detrimental to the health of the game in the long term if it causes players to drop the game, but I guess we'll see. I'm okay with not having a map, but I think having the option of one, even a primitive one would be a decent quality of life feature that the game could benefit from.

 

[DrChaoz]

I agree to Valoran. In my opinion it is a more "realistic" gameplay if you are not able to purchase a published book or look at a screenshot of a map, drawn by an other Player. Also you can remember traveled ways easier than by following a map.

Sooner or later there will surely be a map somewhere, made from players. But until that happens it's better without it

 

[Valoran]

I can see the benefits of not having a map from the perspective of the "wonder" of the game, but I think after the first few times you get lost that feeling of wonder will turn into frustration. While MO2 is a supposed to be "hard core", I don't necessarily think hard core needs to translate to frustrating. Wondering around aimlessly in the woods does get old after awhile and might be detrimental to the health of the game in the long term if it causes players to drop the game, but I guess we'll see. I'm okay with not having a map, but I think having the option of one, even a primitive one would be a decent quality of life feature that the game could benefit from.

Although I understand where you're coming from, the argument that hardcore does not equate to frustrating can be made for any game feature that one doesn't like.

Some may say not having fast travel is more on the side of frustrating, even though not having it serves very specific beneficial purposes.

If a player is getting lost all the time and becomes frustrated, that should be a sign that they need to put more effort into their navigation methods without simply running around blindly and not expecting to run into problems.

Provided there are enough distinct landmarks scattered throughout the world, navigation should remain relatively easy with a rather smooth learning curve.

 

[Speznat]

No map. an ingame map is waste of time, feeling lost is actually good.ingame map is waste of development time.

 

[ThaBadMan]

Well a map ofc depending on ingame skill with accuracy that does not show where you are is not the worst idea, and a feature that has been discussed since before MO testing began.
It has always also been a planned feature, but a map featuring where you are I am totally against.

 

[Nenju]

thats what i loved about MO the most no map and no general chat, but like its beeing said a map which doesnt reveal to much (like your location) should be fine for new players.

 

[Chalice]

As someone with the memory of a goldfish, I can sympathize with the difficulty of navigating vast lands. However, as long as the world contains enough distinctive landmarks, remembering layouts shouldn't be a problem.

I think that having an ingame map, or a map built via a skill is a much less fun and immersive way to experience navigation than through landmarks. I value roleplay and immersion a lot in these games, and being able to interact with others solely in game through landmarks instead of just getting sent a map through discord is right up my alley. Seeing players make more personalized maps based on the landmarks that personally pop out to them would be very interesting as well.
All StarVault needs to do is add many more distinctively shaped trees, rocks, mountains, ponds, lakes, etc and mapping layouts will be easy peasy.

a: "How do I get to x, I think I'm lost!" "Just keep running north until you bump into two red trees that are right next to each other, and then turn left until you see an oddly shaped rock, you can't miss it."

b: "How do I get to x, I think I'm lost!" "I'm sending you the world map on discord."

 

[ThaBadMan]

But a map featuring another players location could work for bounty hunting tho.

Anyone seen Legend of the seeker ?

 

[Neftan]

I like the idea, of an idea. I'm not sure I agree with yours, though. Some form of navigational suppliment (outside of a compass) should be supplied, especially now that the world is much larger, with hopes for a wider audience.

 

[Helix]

As someone with the memory of a goldfish, I can sympathize with the difficulty of navigating vast lands. However, as long as the world contains enough distinctive landmarks, remembering layouts shouldn't be a problem.

I think that having an ingame map, or a map built via a skill is a much less fun and immersive way to experience navigation than through landmarks. I value roleplay and immersion a lot in these games, and being able to interact with others solely in game through landmarks instead of just getting sent a map through discord is right up my alley. Seeing players make more personalized maps based on the landmarks that personally pop out to them would be very interesting as well.
All StarVault needs to do is add many more distinctively shaped trees, rocks, mountains, ponds, lakes, etc and mapping layouts will be easy peasy.

a: "How do I get to x, I think I'm lost!" "Just keep running north until you bump into two red trees that are right next to each other, and then turn left until you see an oddly shaped rock, you can't miss it."

b: "How do I get to x, I think I'm lost!" "I'm sending you the world map on discord."

I guess it's a question of if you knew not having a map might cause your player base to be noticable less than if you had the map, would you be okay with it? I'm not sure not having a world map would be the singular reason for people not sticking around, but it might be compounded when you take into consideration all the other aspects of the game (full loot, etc). Will not having a map be the difference between 30 thousand players or a few thousand players? Probably not. I can theorize that telling moving a large segment of players every day by telling them to look for landmarks could be a lot of busy work that might get tiring after awhile. It's just a matter of how much inconvenience your average player is willing to tolerate. Henrik did say they're making MO2 for the masses this time around, so it should be interesting to see what happens in this regard.

 

[Xunila]

I remember a guild mate many years ago on MO1 who got lost in the jungle of Myrland and needed a full week, means some hours per evening, to find his way out of the jungle. Has been fun for the guild to try to help him, explain the way or even to find him.

Knowing the world is a very important part of this game. A detailed map in the game with display of current location would break every advantage of players who are better in visual orientation. The game is skill based (or at least should be skill based). And the skill to orientate in the world is a deep personal player skill.

 

[PatWins]

Love this idea man was thinking of a similar suggestion.

The player has to travel the map to create new ones. The higher the cartography skill the clearer the maps are drawn each time. Maybe high skill level also allows for additional maps to be drawn simultaneously within reason.

 

[MyrmexThraxvágr]

Make it so players can actually draw and make their own maps! So you'll have to buy one extra expensive hehe, so no one gets one at start but later you'll get the reward. Everyone would take something out of it, cause if you're dead and someone takes your map ... well you're lost anyway ha!
The map goes back to business.

 

[Speznat]

I remember a guild mate many years ago on MO1 who got lost in the jungle of Myrland and needed a full week, means some hours per evening, to find his way out of the jungle. Has been fun for the guild to try to help him, explain the way or even to find him.

Knowing the world is a very important part of this game. A detailed map in the game with display of current location would break every advantage of players who are better in visual orientation. The game is skill based (or at least should be skill based). And the skill to orientate in the world is a deep personal player skill.

totally agree, i was also lost a countless hours in the myrland jungle, that makes the game unique, i would even say remove the compass please.
No map and no compass. the game before the compass were introduced was cool. it was immersive. maybe thay could add ingame item compass but not a compass you always have thats shit.

 

[Dastardly]

If books simply have the ability to draw on the pages as well as text problem solved. It also opens the world up to many more aspects of play. Attracting a variety of player types. A variety of player types is crucial to the long term health of any sandbox game. Including making in game guides to adventure etc.

Just make sure printing of a book is like anything else in MO difficult and rewarding.

So having a map is something rare and expensive. If you loose it really hurts your pocket. Much like the ancient times in our own world.
Converting the book system from MO should be a couple days of development time considering it should be a compatible language to the new engine.

This means players have a choice... Wander around by memory or earn enough to pay some other player for their knowledge.

We all know someone will create a 3rd party map at some point hosted outside of the game.
This system would at least make a cool way In game to obtain a map.

A player would have to A research the area for the map. B figure out how to produce a blank book C. Draw the map

 

[ThaBadMan]

The means to successfully navigate and navigate the map smart is a staple of being a veteran in MO. the smarter your group could navigate compared to others coupled with skill in combat made you a insane amount higher level of dangerous.

It was often what was needed to live or die or win or defeat against bigger groups.

 

[Dastardly]

Yes but it's no different than drawing a map on your own and referencing it IRL. Just a cool mechanic that gives a map of sorts. it shouldn't mark where you are or any indicators just a raw hand drawn map. But this is merely suggestions and I am sure the dev team will do what they feel is best.

 

[PatWins]

Don't forget - A skill like this would encourage players to be actively roaming the map. Thanks to the new system those cartographers will likely be able to defend themselves. Could be a good money making option for fighters who just want to roam the map and bang. I'm all in favor of anything that encourages more pvp.