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  1. #1

    Lightbulb Idea: Mapping System that Encourages Exploration

    People have been discussing how we should handle a mapping system. Should we all just have maps we create in Photoshop? Should we not have coordinates in the game at all? Should we have a traditional map like in most MMOs that just reveals things as we walk around?

    My idea is a combination of these things, but it goes the next step in an effort to encourage crafting maps, trading maps, scouting, and exploration.

    • Any player can craft a map.
    • As the player explores the area, the map gets filled in with terrain details and tribe territory borders, as if the player was sketching them.
    • However, once those areas have been sketched, the only way to get them to update is to walk back over them again. For example, if a tribe territory is in a spot when you pass by, it gets added to the map. And, the map will reflect that until you go back to that area, at which point it will be updated to reflect any territory or terrain changes. This forces players to constantly scout the outlying areas and explore to see how the world is changing around them, instead of doing it once and forgetting about it.
    • While the terrain gets automatically added to the map, everything else needs to be added manually by appending "Note" locations.
    • Types of "Note" locations that can be added each have icons so they can be easily recognized. For example, a player could place a bear icon on the map to mark a possible bear hunting area. Or they could place a resource icon with a label to mark a good limestone gathering area.
    • Once a map has been crafted, it can be DUPLICATED and then provided or traded to others. So, for example, people could update their map, duplicate it, and then trade it with others. This would allow tribes to update maps easily and provide them to their members without having to craft a new one and redo it everytime it needs updated.
    • Duplicating a map requires the same materials it took to craft the original. Which means you'd have to find the necessary items to create a duplicate of the current map. This keep people from crafting one map and just being able to create an infinite amount of copies without needing resources to do so.
    • Players can combine maps together so that if two maps have different regions explored, they can be combined to the same map. This would come in handy if for example, you went to another region of the game, and traded with someone there for their map.
    • When viewing a map, it will show your current location, but not the location of nearby players or NPCs. This will make it so it cannot be used as a minimap or a way of tracking the movement of others. For example, you shouldn't be able to find someone who is hiding by looking at their dot on your map.


    This system would make things very interesting because it would make scouting and mapping very useful while increasing player interdependence. Tribes could have players who specialize in scouting the world and bringing back updated maps so that they can monitor the evolution of other tribes and the terrain.

    Players who prefer the small tribe or solitary type of lifestyle can always visit a trade hub and purchase an updated map if they don't want to do large-scale scouting and exploring.

  2. #2
    I like this idea. Sticks with the current feel of the game while adding a bit more to the economy. Unlike maps in other games this would allow you to find places not people, which is what you really need. If you need to find a person you can always ask them in game.

  3. #3
    i think it could me amazing if devs implement something like this.

  4. #4
    I like it. Can't really think of any major flaws or additions I would suggest. Nice idea.

  5. #5
    Xsyon Citizen Shodan's Avatar
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    Problem would be that there will be an increasing database of player inputs, as in 2 players not seeing the bear or the tribe settlements or whatever else in the same place, that resulting in maps of one area with different record entries(the notes) at the same time.
    So the map system should have some limitations to player added records in order to not overwhelm the database. Otherwise trading maps should be fun, i vote for it too.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Shodan View Post
    Problem would be that there will be an increasing database of player inputs, as in 2 players not seeing the bear or the tribe settlements or whatever else in the same place, that resulting in maps of one area with different record entries(the notes) at the same time.
    So the map system should have some limitations to player added records in order to not overwhelm the database. Otherwise trading maps should be fun, i vote for it too.

    Good point.

    To avoid having too many entries for essentially the same thing when combining maps the points would have to have a fairly large radius and any ponts that overlap will be replaced by whichever of them is the newest.

    You could also limit the number of waypoints on a map so people would need to have different maps for different purposes instead of one best map. 1 map may have a huge area and show all major settlements (and maybe a few important dangers), while another map may be much smaller scale but point out good hunting/fishing/gathering spots in great detail, etc.

    Adding waypoints is kind of a hassle too though, so maybe people won't really go too overboard with it. I know I am pretty lazy about that kind of thing in games I have played that had player-mapping systems.

    Still it's a good thing to keep in mind when designing the map system, as it may indeed result in some limitations in design.

  7. #7
    Great idea, this is the best map system I have heard of and would definitely promote player mapping/trading.

  8. #8
    Great idea OP...

  9. #9

  10. #10

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