Guild Wars 2

1: Map Markers
2: Toggle-able Map Icons
3: Compass
4: Party Position Arrows
5: Timer

1: Map Markers
Map Markers are what you need. When your in the map view, there will be a button in the corner labeled Markers. In the markers window, there is a Get Coordinate button that gets the position of where your standing, you then have a section to give the marker a name and brief description.

You have the ability to select the nearest waypoint to that marker which will be highlighted when you hover your mouse over the marker. There will be a check box next to each marker in the list that will enable it to be seen on the map.(Requires markers to be checked in map legend menu)This would also have an added feature where you can link the marker in chat.(Can only link marker in Guild, Party, WvW, and Pm.)The last feature is you can type in an expiration time. When the marker time expires, it deletes itself from the marker list of the individual.(Expiration travels when linked)(Markers can only be created from your the position you are standing when its made.)

2: Toggle-able Map Icons
The Toggle-able Map Icon is the right answer to your problems. When you have the map in full screen, there would be a button in the corner labeled legend. When you press it, a Map Legend opens up with a few useful icons you can select or deselect to display. The Legend would list the Following:

Guild Members: Toggles the icon of each Representing guild members location is on the map.(Only shows Members who are BOTH Representing and have this checked)

Commander: Toggles the icon on the map for players with the commander tag.

Party: Toggles the icon of party members location.

Waypoint: Toggles the icons for the discovered waypoints.

Markers: Toggles the icon for your selected markers.

3: Compass
A compass will be wrapped around the mini-map on your screen. If your looking north, the compass North arrow points up, If you look to the east, the compass will rotate where east is now facing up.

4: Party Position Arrows
On each party members portrait, there is a check box enabling them to show up on your compass. If the box is checked, an arrow on the compass will appear pointing in the direction of the party member.(Only works if your in the same region as that party member)(This feature would require the compass to work to the best of its abilities)

5: Timer
A menu where you can set multiple timers that go off in game. They can be single time, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. They would have the ability to be linked in chat as well.(Only links in Guild, PM, WVW)

The drastic changes in the UI listed here either have a disable toggle or their own separate window. To more experienced gamer’s this will be several tools aiding in efficiency. To those less experienced gamer’s, this will just be an additional button or 2 plus discrete UI changes.

But we already have a compass in the game with rotation and indicators. And it’s officially called a compass, if you talk to the very first scout he will tell you to always keep an eye on your compass.

Don’t remember seeing one but ill belive ya if you say so.

Oh I’m pretty sure you saw it, the “minimap” in the lower right corner is actually the compass, on the right side of it you have additional options such as zooming in, out, and toggling rotation, try it out.

Doomguard is right.
I’m glad rotation isn’t on by default. I think it’s far more useful to always know that the top part of the mini-map is north..
Party members already show up on the map, on the world map as well.
If by tracking you mean it shows a line on the map of the path you need to take then no, there is a reason they will never put that in game. It exists for the personal story in major towns to help people out, but other than that you are meant to explore and find your own way.
There is a legend in the world map that lets you toggle things like waypoints.
You can ping locations and draw on the map for your party members to see already.
And I can’t imagine how a timer could possibly be useful?

1: Map Markers

Though limited, this already exists. Hold down ALT and click the map. This will place a star-shaped icon on the map. It appears white to you, blue to others in your party. To remove the marker, simply ALT-click it a second time. Unfortunately, you’re limited to placing one marker at a time; I agree it would be nice to be able to place a few more (3 to 5).

I do like your idea of allowing these markers to be linked in chat.

You can also draw on the map by holding down SHIFT and click-dragging. The lines you draw have a very short life-span before fading from view, though.

You can ping the map with a red bullseye by SHIFT-clicking the map.

2: Toggle-able Map Icons

There already exist map icon toggles for things such as merchants, world completion (PoIs, Vistas, Waypoints, etc.), etc.

I like your idea of being able to show guild members’ locations on the map (assuming their toggle is set to allow you to see them; I don’t want this abused by guild leaders spying on their members) as well as toggle on/off party member and commander icons.

3: Compass

Already addressed by others.

4: Party Position Arrows

Not sure this is really necessary. If a party member is outside the current area of the mini-map, their blue dot still appears at the edge of the mini-map to indicate where they are relative to you. Opening the world map will show their exact location as a blue dot.

5: Timer

I like this idea; I can see it having many uses. A few that come to mind:

- You check a website that tells you the time to the appearance of a world boss. You set the in-game timer to match the same countdown. This spares you from having to switch back and forth between the game and the timer on the external website.

- Timing an event or guild mission.

- Timing a dungeon run.

- Setting a timer to remind you when you have to leave the game (“I have to leave for work/school in X minutes.” or “I need to take a break to make dinner in X minutes.”).

- Setting a timer to remind you when a righteous indignation buff is about to wear off in WvWvW.

- Coordinating efforts with other players in WvWvW by synchronizing timers (“In X minutes, we assault the tower! Synchronize your timers, good luck, and I’ll see you on the other side.”)

The ability to choose whether the timer counts up or counts down would be nice. I’d also like an option for the timer to give an alert of some kind; a sound or visual alarm when it reaches zero, for example.