map improvements

[Reahs]

I think that a nice adition to the map that came with the latest update is that if you are on an high altitude like an high hill or an mountain top the area that you paint on to your map with charcoal shuld get bigger because you can see more from that point.

so you could add special lookout points like the outlook towers or specific hills/mountain tops where you can use maybe 2-5 charcoal at once to really fill in that map.

this is kinda like how you scout the map in assasins creed and the hunter call of the wild so let me think if you would like this in the game or if im just stupid and this is already in the game.

 

[Starving_Deluxe]

Yes, filling the map is some kind of demanding atm. For me, there are various reasons. First: the small radius. Second: for using the mapping function I have to switch in a submenu. Third: charcoal is a really heavy resource if you carry enough to cartograph a wide area with you. Fourth: I'm using whiteberry's fabulous maps by habit.

I appreciate the implementation of a mapping function, since it provides the chance to get rid of my annoying paperwork this way - but to become a useful function for me, it needs to be improved. And your suggestion would be a step to functionality.

[JAFO]

Quite a few people (including one who has more than the usual influence with Hinterland) have requested this feature.. so who knows? It might just happen.

[Mroz4k]

Honestly not that much in love with this idea. Devs were hesitant with giving the map at all, and I actually rather like the current mapping system. I think the map is intended to be used more as a tool rather than for navigation - I find it very helpful in a way that it marks down things like rose bushes which are different for each game, so instead of going round and round trying to fill out the entire map, I like to mark down the locations of things of interest - so I can come back again for them later. If there is one thing I thoroughly dislike about the current system of mapping, it's the weight of charcoal lumps, which makes mapping quests very difficult. They should weight at least half of the current weight.

As for the "whole map mapping" I think it's good that it's very difficult, it surely gives the players who are in the late-stage of the game something to do. 

However, it would be nice if there was a "lookout" point on each map, being the highest point of the each region, and once you had like 80% of the map already revealed, you could visit said lookout point, and you would have an option to "fill out the blanks" - this would help a lot with the tedious re-painting when you missed a small spot in between two locations.

What you suggest would make mapping incredibly easy, and I think that would be a shame.

[Starving_Deluxe]

8 minutes ago, Mroz4k said:

 I find it very helpful in a way that it marks down things like rose bushes which are different for each game, so instead of going round and round trying to fill out the entire map, I like to mark down the locations of things of interest - so I can come back again for them later.

Interesting concept.

[NardoLoopa]

While a larger field of view = more map uncovered would be welcomed (kinda silly in CA to only map a Fishing Hut when several more are obviously in view across the shore), I do really enjoy the limited aspect of the map as it is.  Not too detailed.  No "you are here" icon.  No "you're facing this way".  These are all great limitations, to my mind.

One thing I've longed for is an ability to annotate the map.  I guess this can be done with the journal, and is probably more realistic -- who annotates a hiking map?  So it's not something I really want the devs to put in the game.  But it is something I've had the itch to do: "Bear seen around here".

 

[Piers Arkan]

On one hand, I definitely like the idea of being able to fill in greater portions of the map from higher up. Really. it makes the trek up to those areas worth it. Sometimes I also think it should be based on flatter areas, as the coastal highway area should be much simpler to map out due to the flat terrain out on the coast.

On the other hand, The map specifically to me is used for the marking of resources which may be too small to spot from the higher elevations. Can't see the fir/cedar limbs or saplings through the trees.

What I think could be useful is if the player gets access to items like binoculars or some kind of coastal spyglass for seeing at great distances, and using this in conjunction with charcoal for seeing things from a distance. I think that either this, or a system for making larger, broader, inaccurate sketches on a map would be nice. 

[Thrasador]

The weight and amount of charcoal necessary to map is a bit much. The weight should be lowered, or each piece should be able to be used 5 to 10 times like using fishing tackle to repair clothes...

Fishing tackle weighs next to nothing and gives you 10 uses to fix clothes.

You need a fist sized piece of charcoal to map a 50 foot circle around you.

How about turning one piece of charcoal into two chalk sized pieces that each weigh .01 to .02 kilos and each can be used 5 times to map...

Also like others said, higher altitude areas should allow a bigger mapping radius at the cost of more uses of the charcoal chalk I suggested....

[JAFO]

8 minutes ago, Thrasador said:

The weight and amount of charcoal necessary to map is a bit much. The weight should be lowered, or each piece should be able to be used 5 to 10 times like using fishing tackle to repair clothes...

Heck yes.. the current weights and usage rates are ridiculous.

[Reahs]

7 hours ago, Thrasador said:

How about turning one piece of charcoal into two chalk sized pieces that each weigh .01 to .02 kilos and each can be used 5 times to map...

I think its a great idea becuase the weight and how much charcoal you use just to map a tiny area is ridiculous so this + you can map more on the map if you are on flat or high terain

[Mroz4k]

I am not that in love with that idea of "bigger mapping radiuses", I think the current radius is rather fine considering how much it also takes to "draw" it.
 

On 26. 7. 2017 at 6:15 PM, NardoLoopa said:

While a larger field of view = more map uncovered would be welcomed (kinda silly in CA to only map a Fishing Hut when several more are obviously in view across the shore), I do really enjoy the limited aspect of the map as it is.  Not too detailed.  No "you are here" icon.  No "you're facing this way".  These are all great limitations, to my mind.

 

That may sound fair, but look at it from this point of view: While you might be able to see them far in the distance, you would not be able to judge that distance unless you got closer to them - so if you were to be mapping them from distance, you would likely make some serious mistakes, judging distances between yourself and between the other huts. The further away something is, the more difficult it is to precisely pinpoint its location compared to other points of interest.
 

On 26. 7. 2017 at 6:15 PM, NardoLoopa said:

One thing I've longed for is an ability to annotate the map.  I guess this can be done with the journal, and is probably more realistic -- who annotates a hiking map?  So it's not something I really want the devs to put in the game.  But it is something I've had the itch to do: "Bear seen around here".

2

I like that idea. What I think would be best, however, is if players could make some small changes to the map themselves. Say "pin" a couple of colourful points on the map, to signify their own "additions" to the map. For example, I can imagine myself marking Bear locations with red dot, wolf locations with yellow dots, deer locations with a green dot, and "potential shelter locations" with a blue dot. And like a pure white dot for "locations of interest", for example, if I didn't loot the location thoughtfully or left behind something valuable there.  

12 hours ago, Piers Arkan said:

What I think could be useful is if the player gets access to items like binoculars or some kind of coastal spyglass for seeing at great distances, and using this in conjunction with charcoal for seeing things from a distance. I think that either this, or a system for making larger, broader, inaccurate sketches on a map would be nice. 

1

I would like binoculars or a spyglass, or a gun scope (even if it could not be attached to the rifle), but the same problem persists. You would not be able to properly judge the distance between these things, meaning you would likely create a faulty map.

11 hours ago, Thrasador said:

How about turning one piece of charcoal into two chalk sized pieces that each weigh .01 to .02 kilos and each can be used 5 times to map...

 

0,03 sounds more fair, tbh. We don't want to make carrying it too easy. But the current 0,1kg is just ridiculous. I would be probably okay with 0,05 as well but 0,03 sounds about the best. 0,02 might be a little bit too little, you said it yourself, that's the weight of a Fishing tackle. 

[Thrasador]

2 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I am not that in love with that idea of "bigger mapping radiuses", I think the current radius is rather fine considering how much it also takes to "draw" it.
 

That may sound fair, but look at it from this point of view: While you might be able to see them far in the distance, you would not be able to judge that distance unless you got closer to them - so if you were to be mapping them from distance, you would likely make some serious mistakes, judging distances between yourself and between the other huts. The further away something is, the more difficult it is to precisely pinpoint its location compared to other points of interest.
 

I like that idea. What I think would be best, however, is if players could make some small changes to the map themselves. Say "pin" a couple of colourful points on the map, to signify their own "additions" to the map. For example, I can imagine myself marking Bear locations with red dot, wolf locations with yellow dots, deer locations with a green dot, and "potential shelter locations" with a blue dot. And like a pure white dot for "locations of interest", for example, if I didn't loot the location thoughtfully or left behind something valuable there.  

I would like binoculars or a spyglass, or a gun scope (even if it could not be attached to the rifle), but the same problem persists. You would not be able to properly judge the distance between these things, meaning you would likely create a faulty map.

0,03 sounds more fair, tbh. We don't want to make carrying it too easy. But the current 0,1kg is just ridiculous. I would be probably okay with 0,05 as well but 0,03 sounds about the best. 0,02 might be a little bit too little, you said it yourself, that's the weight of a Fishing tackle. 

Well I said .02 per piece, two pieces per chunk. You have to decide if a porous piece of charcoal chalk weighs more or less than a metal rifle cartridge that also weighs .02 kilograms....

[Mroz4k]

Try painting with a charcoal   it's not that easy and you run out charcoal pretty fast, so I am not sure I'd make those chalks, I would use the lumps and at most I would cut them down with a knife to get a bit "sharper" profile on them. Big lump of charcoal would weight more than a bullet, but you are correct that the charcoal is not a particularly heavy material since it is porous.

And finally, I am all for realism, but part of what makes the game so awesome is fact that it's very challenging, so we shouldn't make it too easy else it becomes boring.

[JAFO]

3 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I would like binoculars or a spyglass, or a gun scope (even if it could not be attached to the rifle), but the same problem persists. You would not be able to properly judge the distance between these things, meaning you would likely create a faulty map.

Due to the exaggerated foreshortening effect such devices cause, it would actually make it harder to get distances correct.

[Mroz4k]

38 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Due to the exaggerated foreshortening effect such devices cause, it would actually make it harder to get distances correct.

Yea, that's exactly what I said. Still would be useful to have them in-game, for glassing (scanning the distance for animals to hunt).