Keeping Maps?

[JerseyFresh609]

Sorry if this has been posted before but I couldn't find anything on it...

If we have uncovered a map, either in a quest or an open zone we should be able to keep it, instead the map resets to being blacked out after a little time has passed. This makes no sense to me. If you've already been to an area why wouldn't your map stay? It certainly wouldn't be a game breaker in anyway and would only make things a little more convenient for the players. We shouldn't have to memorize every zone.

[Teech]

sorry If This Has Been Posted Before But I Couldn't Find Anything On It...

If We Have Uncovered A Map, Either In A Quest Or An Open Zone We Should Be Able To Keep It, Instead The Map Resets To Being Blacked Out After A Little Time Has Passed. This Makes No Sense To Me. If You've Already Been To An Area Why Wouldn't Your Map Stay? It Certainly Wouldn't Be A Game Breaker In Anyway And Would Only Make Things A Little More Convenient For The Players. We Shouldn't Have To Memorize Every Zone.

Yes! Pls!

[sacredguyver]

The game already does this, but not in the way players would like.

As it stands, the game saves 4 explored maps whether they be from quests or wilderness areas. Once you enter instance #5, then the map you cleared for instance #1 is deleted, the list is bumped up, and #5 becomes the new #4. It is not based on time.

Of course, it could be more or less than 4, I'm not sure. I recall hearing the number "4" last time this was brought up, though it may have been about something else. ^^;

[fuzzy1guy]

It keeps clear the last 5 areas you've been in.

Anymore and you're looking at using a resource somewhere.

Client side memory usage.. A place we already have alot of problems.
Server side memory usage. i can hear a large 'screw that' from turbines hardware.

Client side disk usage. Not bad. We all have plenty. But then you're adding more overhead with load time and also bumping up memory usage just to keep track of it. Not so great.

Server side disk usage. Again. screw that. lol


Given the number of areas in the game to be 'revealed'. You're looking at ALOT of resource usage. I just don't see it happening given the current pc infrastructure limitations we have.

[JerseyFresh609]

Simple answer then would to just have all maps revealed always. The info is already there, just blacked out, yes? I'd much prefer this anyway. It really doesn't "break" anything and other games already do this. You could still use the existing system to tell where you've already been using different shades just like it is now when you a repeat a quest with the map still saved.

[varusso]

Add an option in graphics, which would default to OFF. "Save maps to local directory". When set to OFF (default) the game behaves as it does now. When set to ON, the game will store map info on your hard drive. Then ANY toon that enters the area (from your account/computer) would have access to whatever you opened, and would continue the exploration, with the revealed areas being greyed instead of black as now. After all, YOU didnt forget that YOU explored an area just because you swapped toons, right? Once youve seen it, youve seen it.

The only real problem with this is that it will make it slightly harder for players to determine which parts of an area/dungeon they have and have not explored with a specific toon (since all toons would share the map). In which case you can go back to the default if you dont like it (unless you have alot of extra space on your comp you really dont want it tracking every single map for every single toon on your account individually).

[JerseyFresh609]

Add an option in graphics, which would default to OFF. "Save maps to local directory". When set to OFF (default) the game behaves as it does now. When set to ON, the game will store map info on your hard drive. Then ANY toon that enters the area (from your account/computer) would have access to whatever you opened, and would continue the exploration, with the revealed areas being greyed instead of black as now. After all, YOU didnt forget that YOU explored an area just because you swapped toons, right? Once youve seen it, youve seen it.

The only real problem with this is that it will make it slightly harder for players to determine which parts of an area/dungeon they have and have not explored with a specific toon (since all toons would share the map). In which case you can go back to the default if you dont like it (unless you have alot of extra space on your comp you really dont want it tracking every single map for every single toon on your account individually).

That's another good idea.

[AZgreentea]

I like it getting blacked out. Sometimes its hard to tell from the fog if I have revisited a place on the map. Most of the quests I run frequently I have the maps memorized. I only look up in that corner if I cant immediately recall where I was supposed to be going, or where I have been.

I really dont like all maps being revealed from the start. I havent run or memorized all quests, so when I go in the first time, I would get lost looking at a fully revealed map. This isnt a RTS game, seeing the whole map dosent help you find resources to harvest. If you want to see the whole map, do what I do. Have the DDO Game Guide or the Wiki open and compare. Thats how I prevent myself from getting lost on a new map.

[CalydorEstalon]

Obviously the whole map is already there somewhere, likely on our computers - it's a lot of graphics to constantly transfer, after all.

On top of the map they put a black layer. They edit this layer to show faded or highlighted areas of the map, depending on what has been explored before or recently.

So obviously we don't automatically know what a place looks like, a lot of the fun for a first time run somewhere is finding your way around.

A solution I'd like to see is to 'unlock' the map. Complete a quest once, or maybe even three times - the map will now be unlocked and show completely as 'previously explored', even if you missed a side path. Explorer areas, map unlocks when you've found all explorer points and your ship navigator can take you there anyway.

There won't (or at least shouldn't) be any change in the amount of data saved on our hard drives - logic dictates that we already have the map graphics packaged somewhere.

[HellsChaos]

I also agree with the idea of taking away fog of war on maps that already have been fully explored. If they stay greyed and dungeon entrance icons etc removed after 5 other dungeons, fine. But at least keep the basic floor map for paths etc.

[Bodic]

The point of it all is based in the fact your character has about the same memory as you do.

I know I forget myself which way to go to certain places like, Chains of Flame, I so dont go there often (1x per life), and just to get Flaged for ADQ/DQ.

Do I like the way that it is not so much, but its better than it was before.
Do I understand the need for it, Yes.

[varusso]

The point of it all is based in the fact your character has about the same memory as you do.

I know I forget myself which way to go to certain places like, Chains of Flame, I so dont go there often (1x per life), and just to get Flaged for ADQ/DQ.

Do I like the way that it is not so much, but its better than it was before.
Do I understand the need for it, Yes.

The idea is to improve performance and reduce on-load data storage, as well as to help with immersion via roleplay (of a sort) and make it feel more like 'exploring'. Which is all fine if you like the feel of it all. But once you have done your 50 or 60th run through the entirety of gianthold, its pretty stupid to have it black out again because you 'explored' too many other dungeons/wilderness areas. Solution is to give us an option. If you want to RP/save space, then use the default. If you want to keep your maps (greyed out when you enter a 'fresh' instance) then use an alternate method for us to do that. Both sides are happy.

My roots are firmly in tabletop RPGs, and i LIKE drawing out the maps for pnp games, or for console games. But in an MMO? Whole different type of action, and not really what I want. First time through? sure thing. After that, let me see the maps that i 'drew' the first time through--even if it was on another toon, *I* have alrdy been there.

I mean come one, they are all on DDOWiki anyway. Save us the inconvenience of flipping back and forth, not to mention havig o go outside the game in the first place -- which definitely ruins immersion.

[somenewnoob]

I don't mind the quest maps being reset, but the explorer area maps are what bugs me. I try to always do every slayer/rare encounter/explorer in each one and sometimes it's a while before I get back to a zone and then have to remember my way around, which areas I've already been to etc.

[Dulcimerist]

I wish that after all Explorer points were completed, the wilderness areas would simply start loading completely explored maps from my clientside files. That would put less strain on serverside stuff, while still being able to provide fully explored wilderness maps.