An immersive map concept

[Venusgate]

I like playing without the map, mostly because with it turned on, it feels more like a metagame than an immersive one.

But to pretend maps only existed after we invented GPS is also not immersive.

So:

- Using the current map system, add an immersive map option (no map, immersive map, coordinate tracking map)

- Immersive "[Material] Map" is a craftable, wieldable item made from parchment, leather, or pelt that has a capacity for pigment. (parchment = colored map, leather = medieval map, pelt = waypoint-only map)

- As you move through the world, each 64x64 generated consumes pigment until the pigment is gone. It will not generate more map while you are out of pigment.

- You can view what has been generated by "using" the map item in the hotbar, and that will open the worldmap, but it is only centered on where you consumed your first pigment - it never autocenters on the player, or shows the player pin.

- Adding waypoints consumes pigment.

- Use with a compass  - I use Compass2 mod without maps at the moment, and that would basically be the full functionality required.

-Map only generates when there is nothing between the player's head or the sky.

-Map only overwrites if kept in off-hand.

-Map copy by placing map and using a second map on placed map, for as long as pigment remains (making this purposefully slow should be just as well a matter of optimized generation)

 

- Extensions of this:

--Sextants to determine coordinates.

--Advanced mapmaker tools item that gives a draggable prop overlay of protractors to the map overlay for more exact waypoint placing.

--Resizeable waypoints to make larger or smaller notations based on importance.

[Streetwind]

This suggestion is probably far too development-heavy to be considered, but let me add two comments anyway:

(1) You wouldn't need to make the immersive map a world option. Since it's a craftable item, anyone who has the global map turned on would just not use the craftable map since the global map is so much easier, and anyone who has the global map turned off would probably appreciate the option to have a craftable ingame tool available. I see no reason for a world config that bans all maps - nevermind that worldconfigs can be changed at will during gameplay, and then what do you think would happen if someone sets a server to "no map" after several players have used the map items extensively? Do they just get deleted? Too big a can of worms. If someone doesn't want any map, they can just... not craft a map. No need to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

(2) Ingame chunks are 32x32, not 64x64.

[Venusgate]

Re:(1) That's a fair matter of opinion on feature creep. I mention it in that format because even this concept could be taken more immersive, and some might find it more purist to not have it. As a matter of immersiveness "just don't do the thing you are allowed to do" is not immersive, so I never really consider it a solution. If it shows up when you search parchment recipes, it reminds you that you are putting yourself through hell for nothing, and I need my illusion of self inflicted pain to be complete, damnit! And taking that to servers - I would hold the server staff to the standard of knowing what changing the config does to their guests.

Re:(2) Thank you. I threw out chunk, but it might as well be whatever units the map squares are revealed in, if they aren't chunks. It doesn't really matter which units - whichever is easiest to program for.