Map System that Encourages Trade & Exploration

[AlexTaldren]

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.

[blake378]

awesome idea i love it

[Shaggy]

+999 internets for this idea

I know Jooky has said we will get some sort of cartography system, but I'm hoping what ends up getting implemented is something very close to this idea. It sounds perfect. Great idea =)

[trenixdecease]

Very good idea, it's like a MMORPG map that needs to be occasionally updated and it could also be used as a craft. Wonder who gets the ability to craft the map though, I'm guessing the architect? Would definitely balance the game out, being that architects rarely scout. I'm also hoping that maps wouldn't take inventory space, maybe having it be part of the GUI or after using a crafted map your GUI map gets updated and the map disappears? That way, everyone will be able to update their map by scouting, but only architects could share their maps since they're the only ones that could craft them. Hope that makes sense...

[Vadio]

imagine map use several slots in your invetory , but i like

[trenixdecease]

imagine map use several slots in your invetory , but i like

Wurm Online had annoying items in a player's inventory, like deeds and keys. Thank god Xsyon at least has their keys in a specific area. A game needs to be organized in order to have a high rating.

[AlexTaldren]

Very good idea, it's like a MMORPG map that needs to be occasionally updated and it could also be used as a craft. Wonder who gets the ability to craft the map though, I'm guessing the architect? Would definitely balance the game out, being that architects rarely scout. I'm also hoping that maps wouldn't take inventory space, maybe having it be part of the GUI or after using a crafted map your GUI map gets updated and the map disappears? That way, everyone will be able to update their map by scouting, but only architects could share their maps since they're the only ones that could craft them. Hope that makes sense...

I like the idea, but frankly, I think everyone should be able to craft a map. Otherwise, loner players or small tribes may not be able to do it, and everyone should be able to craft one. Now, when it comes to placing specific types of markers based on a "Cartography" level, I love that idea. Of course, how you gain levels in something like Cartography, I'm not sure and I'm not sure if it's even necessary. The map system I'm suggesting is meant to be a simple craftable, tradeable, and updateable guide. It isn't really meant to be a full-fledged profession or craft.

Thanks for the feedback though everyone. I'm sure this could be refined and perfected, but I really do think the navigation and mapping should be done like this, as it complements the game's design much more than a simplistic GUI map that is already filled in or just gets filled in once.

[trenixdecease]

I like the idea, but frankly, I think everyone should be able to craft a map. Otherwise, loner players or small tribes may not be able to do it, and everyone should be able to craft one. Now, when it comes to placing specific types of markers based on a "Cartography" level, I love that idea. Of course, how you gain levels in something like Cartography, I'm not sure and I'm not sure if it's even necessary. The map system I'm suggesting is meant to be a simple craftable, tradeable, and updateable guide. It isn't really meant to be a full-fledged profession or craft.

I guess you're right, making a map doesn't take a expert. Map making based on landmarks, is actually a survival technique. By doing so, you can hand over a map to a group of people and have them get to a location and back without wasting time explaining, discovering, or memorizing the place before they continue with the task. For example, where to get berries, where to get water, where to fish, and even where to hunt. For a game such as this, it is even more valuable to do so being that your scouts might not always be logged on.

[savageasf]

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.

I love this idea but the one thing I would add would be to only have the map cover 4 tiles and no more. if you think about it eventually down the road through trading people would have the whole of the continent mapped out in months. I think it would be much better to keep the maps localized and that would encourage people to re chart the land based on the changes happening in their own area

[Zarin]

/sign

An excellent idea! Love the detail of it and customization! Would be a neat interface as well if done right and really useful. I wouldn't mind seeing the world divided into 4 maps, north/southern east/west ect. And Maybe a new slot could be devoted to just maps, a player with cartography could explore the area and draw out the maps to gain skill and trade them with others.