Guild Wars 2

Currently in the game the distance to objects which are horizontall to the player are displayed in some unit which gives you an idea of how far away the object is.
But for objects which are vertical relative to the player all you get is above or below, but not how far.
No big deal for the original world where its mostly flat, but a bigger problem in the HOT zones where there is a significant vertical component to the maps, but in Bloodstone Fen where the map is more vertical than horizontal the lack of distance info in the vertical plane makes navigating to something really problematic.
Can a measurement unit be added so that instead of just above or below , you get a numeric value as well?

If you’re trying to find the location of something and want to estimate the vertical distance, try to get close to the icon on the minimap, then the distance displayed basically is the vertical distance. Alternatively, you can get the exact distance using the API, or you can manually estimate it, in short, by measuring the pixels on the map.

As for what the units are, distance is measured in… inches.

The units are meaningless, since we have no scale with which to compare them. The only thing that would address the OP’s concern is to show two numbers (or possibly three) and there are several possible combinations:

• Horizontal distance (x,y combined) + vertical distance (z only, without considering x,y), i.e. if we moved the horizontal distance, how far up (or down) would we have to go.
• Horizontal distance + angle, e.g. it would be a number + 0% (same plane), 90% (overhead), or 45% (just as high up as it is far).

Plus a variety of various other combinations that would offer more complex nuances. I suspect most people would be happy with the first one.

Doesn’t it already tell you how far it is away vertically? If, for instance, standing on the airship at Soulkeeper’s Airship Waypoint, the distance to Scholar Rakka – Unbound Magic Collector on the ground is 10,417 units. If you take your character to that very spot (directly below the Waypoint) at ground level, the distance to Scolar Rakka – Unbound Magic Collector on the ground is 2,660 units. Thus, approximately 8,000 units vertical distance between the two points (ground level and Waypoint).

Regardless, the map shows you how far (in units) one must travel to get from a point on one level to a point on another level of the map.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

Doesn’t it already tell you how far it is away vertically? If, for instance, standing on the airship at Soulkeeper’s Airship Waypoint, the distance to Scholar Rakka – Unbound Magic Collector on the ground is 10,417 units. If you take your character to that very spot (directly below the Waypoint) at ground level, the distance to Scolar Rakka – Unbound Magic Collector on the ground is 2,660 units. Thus, approximately 8,000 units vertical distance between the two points (ground level and Waypoint).

Regardless, the map shows you how far (in units) one must travel to get from a point on one level to a point on another level of the map.

I understood the OP to asking for separating vertical and horizontal distance, so that it’s easier to tell that the POI you want is 10,000 units above you (requiring updraft travel) versus 500 units below (drop and cover), regardless of how far from you as measured on the flat map.

But perhaps I’m projecting, since that is something I’ve wanted.

But, the map does say whether it is above or below, and how far.

But, as you say, maybe it’s something else that is being asked for. /shrug

Based on the no apparent maximum range behavior of the ‘homing rocks’ in Bloodstone Fen, I would say the current engine has no way (or hasn’t been set up) to measure vertical distances between objects.