Explorer Benefit

[Terrex]

It seems that successful exploration should have an additional benefit. For each objective found, always place that objective in the Fog of War mode (grayed out), not the unexplored mode (blacked out). Further, if the exploration quest has been completed for the wilderness area, then place the entire area in Fog of War mode.

[Silverwren]

I agree. Once you explore part or all of a wilderness area, it should be as though the character has committed it to memory. I really dislike switching to a different character for a little while and then returning to find that my entire map for the Sands (or other wilderness area) is blacked out.

[ProdigalGuru]

/support

Even though it is not optimal for games designed to keep you playing longer.

[Dragaer]

OR...actually have the explorer area in your memory; then you'll never need the map.

[varusso]

OR...actually have the explorer area in your memory; then you'll never need the map.

Funny I thought the whole POINT of a map was so you DONT have to memorize a place. And no, third party resources dont count.

[Ithaquah]

There is the benefit of quick transport to the zone if you get an airship navigator...


Navigator: Pawlo Mapmaker

Grants the ability to hire a navigator for a limited duration on an airship, who will allow transport to any public area for which you have completed the associated Explorer quest.


Navigator: Artleblart

Grants the ability to hire a navigator for a limited duration on an airship, who will allow transport to any public area for which you have started (or completed) the associated Explorer quest.

[Dragaer]

The point of a map is to lead you to where you don't know where to go. In this case it is usefull when you are in an area you've never been too before, and can look at the map and see how you got there.

Do you still use a map to get to your work, home, school etc??

[AcesWylde]

OR...actually have the explorer area in your memory; then you'll never need the map.

might work for some, but not for most

My guild leader seems to be able to memorize aver area/quest in the game after a single run...I on the other hand still get lost on the way to the bathroom in my own house ;>

the 2nd part is a slight exaggeration, unfortunately the 1st isn't

[varusso]

The point of a map is to lead you to where you don't know where to go. In this case it is usefull when you are in an area you've never been too before, and can look at the map and see how you got there.

Do you still use a map to get to your work, home, school etc??

The point of a map is to help you find your way BACK TO an area where you have already been, or to a place where someone ELSE has already been, that you have not. By definition, if you know an area, you dont need a map to it. Not everyone is capable of memorizing every single location in every single zone of the game. In fact, most people are NOT capable of doing so. At best, they have a 'general idea' of where something is, and use the map to zero in on it.

If you worked in 2-300 different places, which changed according to the whim of your co-workers, many of which you had never even been to before, yes you WOULD need a map to get there.

I used to deliver for a living, and I could tell you where just about any address that popped up was, just by looking at it, even if I had never been to that particular location, because i knew the area very well. But when I was loaned out to another store, I still needed their maps. If I left a particular area for a month or two, it started to fade, and I would then use MY book of maps to help refresh my memory. Same thing applies in-game.

I have several game maps saved on my comp with extensive notes, which I use as a reference whenever I go into a wilderness zone. I see no reason why we shouldnt be able to do that in game instead of using an outside source to accomplish the same thing.

[Dragaer]

If you look at it that way - be greatefull that they do not make us use pack space for maps and accept it for what it is.

[kratimas]

Do you still use a map to get to your work, home, school etc??

This is kind of a silly analogy.

I drive to work almost everyday of my life.

Running explorable areas, haha not so much.

My jobs pays the bills, keeps a roof over my families head and food in their bellies so, I want to remember how to get there.

Memorizing explorable areas, haha not so much.

Now if you have no job, family, or bills to pay and can sit in front of your grandsma's computer all day running these explorable areas to memorize then good for you.

Otherwise once I have ran them the FoW should be gone from the screen

Just my 1.99999 cents worth.

[eulogy098]

The reason for the map blacking out is a technical issue, not a design decision. The developers felt that saving such data for every players explorer on every map was not worth the resources and thus DDO only saves up to 3 maps worth.

There's really no debate to be had.

[varusso]

If you look at it that way - be greatefull that they do not make us use pack space for maps and accept it for what it is.

They dont make maps take up space because they know it would be stupid, just like making coins take up space. There are actually alot of other trappings in the game that shouldnt take up space (or should only take up one space) but the limitations of the engine force them to do so for now.

All of that aside, this is just a silly response. Of COURSE I am going to look at a map as being used as -- A MAP. Just like every other sane person in the world.

[varusso]

The reason for the map blacking out is a technical issue, not a design decision. The developers felt that saving such data for every players explorer on every map was not worth the resources and thus DDO only saves up to 3 maps worth.

There's really no debate to be had.

Which is why they could add the option to store it locally. Honestly, I dont think it would be pratical to add an interactive map without having it store locally (yes perhaps even allow the notes to be edited outside of the game -- though not the fog of war or the image itself, only be allowed to locally edit notes that have been entered in-game). If you want the benefit, you pay with your own resources instead of a server-side (or client) save. Also why the option should be there to then share the maps in order to reduce your own resource investment, not to mention benefiting from the player's effort on all toons. Its not like anyone is asking to pass epic gear from toon to toon here. Its just a map O.o

[Zenako]

I would offer that having the DDO maps available, is only a minor help. I don't think the desert map really helps people get to some of those locations. You really need to look at the geography and follow the paths (since the maps are all top down 2-d drawings with no real 3-d depth aspects to them and the numerous bridges and crossings in the desert confound most people just trying to follow the image. Most of the other zones are pretty much 2-d so the maps are more useful in those areas.

Think of the dungeon maps for the PIT and Coal Chamber...for something that helps but doesn't.

[varusso]

I would offer that having the DDO maps available, is only a minor help. I don't think the desert map really helps people get to some of those locations. You really need to look at the geography and follow the paths (since the maps are all top down 2-d drawings with no real 3-d depth aspects to them and the numerous bridges and crossings in the desert confound most people just trying to follow the image. Most of the other zones are pretty much 2-d so the maps are more useful in those areas.

If you could make notes on the map, you could add an 'interest point' thats says something like 'To get to Point B, go here' then add a series of interest points along convoluted/multi-tiered paths. Pro-tip: This is something I ALREADY do on my own maps, saved on my comp. The difference is that it requires me to go out of game and use an image editor, instead of being able to use my in-game map for this.

And even if it didnt help on every single map, it would still be beneficial on the vast majority. In the cases of the ones where it wouldnt -- those maps are almost useless anyway except as a vague reference, so the point is really moot. And even in THOSE cases, being able to place notations on the map would still be better than just a top-down "smooshed" visual of the zone.

[Zenako]

Now another way to approach this would be to think about creating a new reward for in game FAVOR. Explorers Guild Favor (semi random name). It could apply to character or to account on a server. Once you achieve that level of reward, Native Guides appear right inside the Zone entrance, and will only engage in dialog if your favor has met the requirement. They can port you directly to the spot outside any dungeon/quest entrance in that zone. (The same spot you appear in if you step out the quest entrance.)

It could be a single total favor benchmark (3000 for example) or pegged to areas and higher favor totals, or to having maxed out all of the categories in the zone. All Explorers, all Rares and topped off on Kills. You know the zone, perhaps too well. I know many times out in the vale, with characters who had topped it all off, (and before renown existed) many times the dash to the quest was run to avoid any delays or melee and loss of HP/SP along the way. The few trogs/spiders/bezhikra were all just considered nuisances along the run. Much like the person in GH who ports you nearer the three top quests, this could be a nice feature to work for and would really be more appealing as an account award, much like 32 point builds, etc.

[CalydorEstalon]

The reason for the map blacking out is a technical issue, not a design decision. The developers felt that saving such data for every players explorer on every map was not worth the resources and thus DDO only saves up to 3 maps worth.

There's really no debate to be had.

And a single line of code switching from blacked out to 100% shown but in FoW if you have all Explorer points discovered is not going to change the size of the data stored at all.

Think of it as a bunch of layers.

At the very bottom is the map in all its colored and bright glory.
On top of that is Unexplored, blacking everything out.
On top of that is Fog of War, giving you a faint peek through the black.
On top of that is Current, shining some light through the fog to reveal the map at the bottom properly.

The switch requested would simply remove the second layer. If anything it should cause a very, very small improvement in rendering the map.

[Musouka]

Ok... my suggestion. If you cannot remember which way to go, or whatever... go to DDOwiki.com/ print out the map of the explorer area you are having trouble with. Problem solved.

[varusso]

Ok... my suggestion. If you cannot remember which way to go, or whatever... go to DDOwiki.com/ print out the map of the explorer area you are having trouble with. Problem solved.

Once again, you should not have to go to a third party source for something that is already in-game and just needs to be tweaked to make it better.