Death to the mini-map?!

[AlexSledge]

Note: I am not looking to have any features added or removed from the game, nor am I trying to convince you of my opinion. I know there is a toggle for this feature. With that out of the way...

Understanding that this game leans hard toward realism, there has always been a question about the inclusion of a mini-map at all.

Clearly when I'm walking around in the real world I don't have this small map floating in my field of vision for easy reference. The closest approximation would be my iPhone, which is both a bit of a clunkier implementation of the in-game mini-map and very out of place in 1993. Even now that I do have a smart phone, my attention is equally consumed staring at it looking at Maps as it would be with a paper map, so there is that angle too.

If you have information on a non-idiotic method of getting a mini map of the real world floating in my vision, please share! As an example of what I'm not looking for is a contraption which mounts on my shoulders and dangles a phone in front of me.

Anyway, back on topic, the mini-map is a crutch at best.

The mini-map helps you avoid situational/environmental dangers which would otherwise cause you to weigh the risks of opening your full screen map and the choice of direction you travel.

Do you use it, or not, and why? Do you think it fits the game?

FWIW, I also don't think the full screen map should display the whole world and everywhere you have explored, it should only cover the areas for which you found in-game maps. And only one in-game map at a time, so you have to read each individually each time you want to look at them.

[Hjv]

I prefer to play without the mini-map and the world map as they break my own immersion with the game. You can find maps in-game anyways.

Some people probably love it. Atleast you can turn it off or on.

[westrud]

I don't use it, I think the game is more fun and more immersive without it. I am very thankful that the dev's added it because it got rid of the endless whining on the forums. I do think it's sad that people seem to have no ability to navigate without a little map showing their exact position, especially in a game where directions never change. Navigating by landmarks seems to be a skill that is disappearing fast.

[Western Civilization]

The world map is very cool and fits well with the tone of the game, everyone was already using a website to see the map. Including a world map in a stylized way that encourages exploration and mimics a real map with hand written notes and symbols was a good choice that creates immersion. The mini map is a nice crutch for people who can't grasp the isometric dimensions, although it does clash a bit with the hands-off simulation style. I don't use the mini map but I think if the iso perspective is a barrier to entry for some people, hopefully the mini map encourages them to stick with it until they figure it out.

[Kostriktor]

got this game 2 months ago and about to reach 300 hours ingame.
i also thought about map and mostly agree with you;
minimap is too easy

i found myself renaming "muldraugh map" to "my muldraugh map" and signing things with pencil etc.

if this "mechanic" was easier to use; would be great and i could turn off minimap
maybe let me equip my muldraugh map in primary or secondary, only then id had the map on the side or something

[Is.Betrayal]

Subhuman
[[this is a joke]]

[Retro]

Originally posted by westrud:

I do think it's sad that people seem to have no ability to navigate without a little map showing their exact position

That's not why I use the map. I use it to mark locations of stashes or things to heavy for me to carry at the time. That's something I would do in real life.
Out of hundreds of buildings, I'm not going to remember dozens of stash locations, especially a specific room.
I don't care if people want to use it, not the way you chastise them for...like who cares?

[AlexSledge]

Putting markers on the maps is certainly a feature to use, as you say we'd all scribble notes on things if we had a red, green, blue, or black pen, or maybe a pencil IRL.

But I wouldn't have a map of Trenton opened the same time I have a map of Dallas opened. Unless they were laid out on a big table or something.

[Snarbles]

i like the map and the mini map. i like that its an option.

[fluxtorrent]

I don't use the minimap but im fine with the world map

[grogcito]

Last time I checked your point of view wasn't a drone following you, whose altitude could be varied and also using an Advanced A.I. to transform the 3D view into an isometric view in real time.

[Brother Frederick]

Originally posted by AlexSledge:

Do you use it, or not, and why?

I don't use minimap because I don't need it at all.

Originally posted by AlexSledge:

Do you think it fits the game?

It's a metaphore of something called awareness and in times of iphones and other stuff that removes thinking from everyday life it'll surely be helpful to some people.

[Mr. Fujiwara]

I don't use the mini map, but I feel the full size map is very relevant.

The most important reason I think it is, is that in real life YOU KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE IN YOUR TOWN lol, if you leave the town you start out in then sure, you probably don't know what's in that town, but I often spend all of my time in the one town I start in or just outside of it so I like to be able to see/picture things as I would in the town I live in.

[AlexSledge]

Originally posted by Mr. Fujiwara:

The most important reason I think it is, is that in real life YOU KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE IN YOUR TOWN

I agree 100% that you know your own town (at least somewhat), and was thinking about this earlier today. My thinking lead me to imagine more scenarios where you wouldn't know the surrounding area, how could it be explained away?

• Travelling for some sort of work conference/meeting from far away.
  
• Travelling to another place for a sporting event or concert.
  
• Stopping for the night on a cross country trip.
  
• Kidnapped and hauled halfway across the country by a serial killer until zombies got them.
  
• ...

After thinking about it more, I think there should be some sort of option to have your character be a "local" or a "tourist". Positive & negative traits maybe? Start with the map of the town you spawn in?

[Chad1776]

Personally I would like a version that didn’t show the buildings just the roads, highways, town names and major bodies of water like the river.
Also have it as a lootable item you would need to find.

[Shenji]

Never mini-map, almost forgot it until you mentioned.
I even missed the old time when you have to find a piece of map then recognize the field around you from the map. Sometimes you have to draw your own map on a notebook.