Where the heck are all the maps??

[Dr. Thunderbeard]

I'm still in one of the first areas, and I've spent literally hours searching around for the maps of Delan, the Grotto, etc. There doesn't seem to be a single guide out there about where to find maps. For an open world game, locking the world map away behind strange and mysterious puzzles seems especially cruel and unusual.

[KhanX]

I have found that I usually have the entire area explored before I find the map for that area unless they are vendor sold.

[Dr. Thunderbeard]

Originally posted by KhanX:

I have found that I usually have the entire area explored before I find the map for that area unless they are vendor sold.

This is... a huge shame, and easily my biggest issue with the game in this case, since it's a mechanic that adds nothing except extra time as you backtrack trying to remember where y've been

[Mr Smiley]

Originally posted by KhanX:

I have found that I usually have the entire area explored before I find the map for that area unless they are vendor sold.

This. And I hate it. My only real complaint about the game. I get so turned around without a map (the desert drove me crazy). I find I have no issue with exploration and progression if I'm able to get a map relatively early for an area.

[Zanaki]

I think it's intended, as the game tries to push an exploration vs objective based view. It frustrated me at points too, but honestly it was also fun to go back and finish my maps, find new areas etc. so I didn't mind overall.

[Dr. Thunderbeard]

Originally posted by Zanaki:

I think it's intended, as the game tries to push an exploration vs objective based view. It frustrated me at points too, but honestly it was also fun to go back and finish my maps, find new areas etc. so I didn't mind overall.

But the choice to hide maps is anti-exploration. You're punished for exploring, unless you're willing to manually draw maps by hand (or memorize the terrain), because otherwise you just have to explore the same area over and over again once you come back with a map.

[Sombrero]

Some maps are a bit obscure to find I had the same issue very early on especially with Delende (funnily enough I just found it today way after ""finishing"" that area).

It's really annoying at first but you get used to it rather quickly and I kinda like it now ?

I think it's not perfect and I would prefer if the system was streamlined and the method of acquisition of the map was always the same (such as finding a special monument or something the area). Vendor sold maps in particular can be frustrating if you find the vendor fairly late.

Like I realized pretty late that there was a cartographer in Sequoia selling a bunch of maps of areas I was traversing.

With all that being said most areas are easy to navigate without a map. Again I think the issue is mostly with the first few areas which can feel frustrating (Delende in particular).

[MrJane]

Ugh, no map is the worst! It's very frustrating. What's the point of getting the map at the end when I've already explored the area? So dumb.

[Celonte]

Personally I'm okay with the map system, I really enjoyed exploring everywhere though it did help that my brain works in that kinda way that I very rarely get lost in these games even without the map, I know it's not the same for everyone though.

Hmmmm... here's a thought, what if the dev added an assist option that gives the player one of every map in the game? It wouldn't automatically fill everything out or tell you where things are ofc, but it would mean you'd always be filling out your map and minimap anywhere you went from the go.

[iosefe]

as far as going without a map, it's very much in the spirit of exploration, so says the Nan who gives you your first map. to see what you might find unguided

Originally posted by Celonte:

but it would mean you'd always be filling out your map and minimap anywhere you went from the go.

unless you mean due to instant map access seeing what you fill in, this is in the game already. When you do eventually get a map, any area you've been to will already be filled in, so you don't necessarily need to go back to a location unless you wish to get the full map completion, and maybe find to different paths

[Celonte]

Originally posted by iosefe:

unless you mean due to instant map access seeing what you fill in, this is in the game already. When you do eventually get a map, any area you've been to will already be filled in, so you don't necessarily need to go back to a location unless you wish to get the full map completion, and maybe find to different paths

Yeah ik, I meant like that when you go to a new area you normally wouldn't have the map to, rather than the minimap fading away and leaving you to explore without it until you get the map and can see where you've been, with every map you'd always have the minimap and always have that information available to you, no matter where you travel.

I'd personally be okay without it but it seems like it could be useful to others, though I do realise it would mean there would need to be something else in those locations that would normally contain the maps and map pieces... Stores would be fine since they would just tell you you own it already, maybe chests could just give an equivalent amount of money to the listed store price for said map? Though then again, as an assist option I don't know if it would even be possible to swap chest items like that during a run.

[iosefe]

Originally posted by Celonte:

I'm not sure if it's something you've looked, there is a beta branch for the game which includes challenge options, New Game+ and a randomizer.

currently, in order to have a game start with map it's either you doing NG+ and importing your cleared save's map and archive data, or using the randomizer, which just got an option for it.

Specifically, when you choose to Randomize Items, you can choose to have specific items granted to you at the start, and one is "All Maps." this is done at the instant of save creation though, and i haven't used the option myself, yet so i don't know how it handles maps in the field, but i can guess from the Delende map that if you got it from the man in the south, you can't buy the one at the hut. the maps are considered "limited" and I wager the maps are just where they would be, just not purchasable since you have it.

i don't know that i would recommended a randomized run for a first timer, but there are scaling options for items and enemies to keep things at a relatively stable difficulty curve similar to the current critical path.

[zeratulcraft]

You don't have to randomize a single thing to use the beta branch to grant you All Maps, even the Treasure Finder so you can identify where chests are on the minimap.
If that's all that's stopping you from enjoying the game, hop into the beta for sure!

[Celonte]

Originally posted by iosefe:

Specifically, when you choose to Randomize Items, you can choose to have specific items granted to you at the start, and one is "All Maps."

Ah yeah there is :o Funny, I've started a number of randomizer runs in the beta with the most recent being less than a week ago and those options weren't there then so that must be pretty brand new, that's awesome ^^ Welp, my suggestion can be ignored then!

Originally posted by zeratulcraft:

You don't have to randomize a single thing to use the beta branch to grant you All Maps, even the Treasure Finder so you can identify where chests are on the minimap.
If that's all that's stopping you from enjoying the game, hop into the beta for sure!

When I quickly looked the options are greyed out until you randomize items. I did note that if you randomize items, turn on the granting maps/TF etc and then turn off randomizing items that those options stay apparently on even though greyed out again, though when you go back from the menu they get turned off so it doesn't look like you can get them with having the randomized items.

[renzsweet]

This is terrible. I came here to buy the game,but this map system is giving me real pause. I will have to watch some videos and see how much this triggers my frustration. I really like maps,even in real life.

[Stovastove]

I don't seem to have the option for new game+ that I see people talking about. I beat the game some months back and it doesn't seem to be an option. Am I missing something?