Navigating Draconis Mons

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Posted by: Valandil Dragonhart.2371

Valandil Dragonhart.2371

What a nightmare.

In 3 words, that could sum up the whole experience. I don’t mind a challenge, but this ventures into ‘frustrating’ territory. Take nothing away from the layout of the map (ie. features, details, etc.) it’s beautifully put together… but why so much verticality?

I’m rather tempted to say… no I WILL say that this map is on par with Tangled Depths for directionality and ease of use to get to objectives. There’s just nothing simple about it. And now, not only do we have to fly places but also use the oakheart essence to get to even further out of the way areas. For me this presents a rather large issue, because it means I can’t just use my arrow keys for directionality anymore. I gotta switch to the mouse (not so difficult for you all that use it already) but I can’t adapt to that method of play as easily.

Further to this, there’s points of interest that are just not viewable on the map. Burial Chamber and Zeta Vault are two such PoI’s. In fact, Zeta Vault and Druid’s Grotto fall in between two layers of the map, so that’s not really fighting fair, Anet.

You had a good thing going before gliding was introduced, now you somehow feel the need to exploit it to the N’th degree. So no, I don’t agree with the way the map is designed, and the sheer verticality of it all.

Here’s a suggestion – if I want to get from A to B, and travel between 3 layers of map, may I suggest that you make a 3D map reference? 2D in this game with gliding having been introduced I feel just doesn’t cut it. This would give the map designers a fair challenge while alleviating stress on many frustrated players like myself who are over the up’s and down’s of navigating maps that are 3D in design, but only represented by a 2D map.

The old-school Arrow-Key warrior.
“Obtaining a legendary should be done through legendary feats…
Not luck and credit cards.”

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Posted by: Faaris.8013

Faaris.8013

I agree with your first comments, but I realize it’s just me that sucks at orientation. It was always one of my weaknesses, in real live as well as games. Without help, I would never have got to the last druid to proceed in the story, and I already have all gliding masteries, can use thermal tubes and got the new mastery.

I’ll wait for people to upload videos on Youtube with walk/fly/grapple throughs to the locations I haven’t reached yet.

The map is fine as it is, great job ArenaNet.

Herleve – Ruins of Surmia

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Posted by: Ashantara.8731

Ashantara.8731

[…]

Further to this, there’s points of interest that are just not viewable on the map. Burial Chamber and Zeta Vault are two such PoI’s. In fact, Zeta Vault and Druid’s Grotto fall in between two layers of the map, so that’s not really fighting fair, Anet.

You had a good thing going before gliding was introduced, now you somehow feel the need to exploit it to the N’th degree. […]

I made the same complaint just the other day. While I enjoy the new means of travel (gliding, ley-lines, mushrooms, tubes, oakheart), I don’t find it particularly appealing nor impressive to make any of those the main means of travel while walking seems to have become the exception (even story missions now require gliding).

It has grown to a point where I would say this has become a major annoyance for old school players; “old” by the means of GW play time and players’ age, as IMO only youngsters can enjoy seeing a classic RPG being turned into a platformer (hint: this is still Guild Wars, not Donkey Kong).

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

It gets much easier when you get mastery and learn the map. The following below could help expedite this.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/692kaf/draconis_mons_dynamic_events_and_thermal_tube_map/

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Posted by: Illconceived Was Na.9781

Illconceived Was Na.9781

I think the OP needs to give it more time. It gets easier the more you move around.

I’m directional challenged in games in the best of circumstances, due to mirror-image and rotational dyslexia (that is, I have trouble distinguishing left from right, east from west on a map, and so on). My first visit to the map was horribly confusing. I couldn’t figure out how to get up and right or down and under or any of a variety obvious transportation issues.

It often doesn’t help me to follow someone, either. Oh sure, I get from A to B for that one occasion, but I can’t replicate the experience when I want to move from “near A” to “probably near B.”

And of course, the limitations of the mapping UI only makes this worse.

However, by accepting that it’s going to be confusing and just moving around, I find that I’m able to navigate more quickly more often than when I first arrived. I have a couple of go-to techniques that seem to be helping, but mostly it’s just getting familiar with the zone — it is, for me, a lot easier than TD.

Here are the most important tricks I’ve learned:

  • The map is mostly built on a spiral/healix form: if you just follow the ‘obvious’ path up, you can go up and around from bottom to top (and vice versa).
  • Lava Tubes are your friend, much more so than updrafts.
  • The new “spiderman” skill is fantastic for going up or over — you can grapple to otherwise unreachable spots and then glide, allowing you to go up a cliffside.
  • Sometimes the easiest way ‘below’ is to go up and glide down. Similarly, the quickly way up sometimes involves going down to grab a lava tube, mushroom, updraft, or better angle to use the Oakheart’s Reach.

tl;dr map is challenging; experience makes it a lot easier than TD for someone like me, who has trouble navigating simple maps, especially when you start learning a few tricks

John Smith: “you should kill monsters, because killing monsters is awesome.”

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Posted by: Aerinndis.2730

Aerinndis.2730

When I first encountered the map I really hated it because it was confusing and even doing the story I could not remember what was where afterwards when trying to finish mapping. The map is very confusing as there are layers you cannot see on the main map and the mini map. I am not sure of a solution but I found the main map and mini map nearly useless when trying to figure out what was beneath or above and how far it might be. The layers are not adequate to show things. I had great difficulty finding the Waypoints on the map and clicking from layer to layer was awful. The waypoints should be reasonably visible on all layers of the map so you can orient yourself better.

On a second run through with another character I found using Heathen’s Hold Waypoint as the central most way to get around to things. The nearby lava tube takes you to Titan’s Throat and the lava tube there will get you over the inquest camp via the tube and gliding. Jumping off the edge of Heathen’s Hold and flying down will take you below but you can go below that first ledge and get yourself down to another not so obvious ledge where the flax farm is. It takes a bit of figuring but using the Heathen’s Hold Waypoint it was a lot easier for me to get to most of the points on the map. Definitely check out the lava tubes as they proved very handy. If you have enough mastery points make sure you get the new mastery. I do love the Oakheart’s Essence. It made getting around a lot more interesting and saved my life more than once from mobs!

I do think another waypoint on Savage Rise or near its edge would have helped with being able to find things a bit better and would have made the map feel more cohesive.

I like the map a bit better than the first time I encountered it but it is definitely challenging to navigate.

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Posted by: Purgatori.3645

Purgatori.3645

I have had no trouble with this map whatsoever, and have map completion already, although I have a lot of events/AP to still do and some personal story. Its on par with all of HOT as far as I can see so going vertical was expected.

Sorry you’re having trouble Lots of Commanders/Mentors in map though to help out should you need it. Just get your bearings and have fun! ^.^

When life knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars.

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Posted by: Hesacon.8735

Hesacon.8735

I got quite lost, but I was able to complete both the map and the story.

We have 2-3 months between episodes, 1 map per episode, and this game is about exploring. Having a map that’s not a Queensdale is fine. It adds to our growing spectrum of maps to enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, play on a different one.

I happen to find this one way less frustrating than Ember Bay.

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Posted by: Xstein.2187

Xstein.2187

Ya, I love these types of maps and really hope people who don’t like navigating them realize that the best solution is map variety. However, I also agree that the mini map could be improved. Right now they have it so you can still see points, vistas, etc. on all three levels but if it is on a different level than it is grayed out. The same is true for the green “story” stars. However, I could not tell at all from the mini map what level the green “story” circles where located. I think this needs to be changed. Additionally, I think it would be better if instead of graying them out, they just made it so you could only see one level, period. Either that or they just grayed them out a lot more to make the difference a lot more noticeable.

There are a lot of helpful navigation tips here already. However, I will give a few more for the new mastery and navigation.
1. You can shoot the vine to a higher area and then glide or glide back down to a lower area or area that was between you and where you shot the vine that you couldn’t reach. So, in many cases its alway best to aim as high as it will let you.
2. You can shoot the vine while gliding, This makes it possible to shoot the vine high and glide (no need to land), and then shoot the vine again to go even higher.
3. You can use the vine just as a speed boost to skip trash mobs by just shooting yourself straight ahead. This may be useful if you have a hard time with combat or just want to get places faster.

Lägertha Lothbrök: PvE Mesmer
Schrödingers Clone: PvP Mesmer

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Posted by: Chadramar.8156

Chadramar.8156

Yes, the minimap is painfully inadequate for multi-level zones. This is no Tangled Depths, thank goodness, and the new mastery is really fun at least, but I think this will be my least visited map of the new bunch if I ever just want some karma/magic or a way to kill a free hour.

Movement and orientation challenges can be fun once in a while (I actually loved the Labyrinthine Cliffs as a cool change of pace) but in terms of everyday gameplay I want quick and easy movement as a basic QoL issue. Compared to Bloodstone Fen, which I really enjoy as an example of “verticality done right”, this feels like a much bigger hassle to navigate.

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Posted by: ProtoGunner.4953

ProtoGunner.4953

Imo it’s a map issue. You can’t see where the event/quest mark is at first – I mean on which level. The map is small but I usually found most things within 10-15 minutes. And you get used to it and know where the stuff is. Take your time and stay cool…

I play a lot of metroidvania games though, maybe that’s why I find myself rather comfortable within such environments.

‘would have/would’ve been’ —> correct
‘would of been’ —> wrong

(edited by ProtoGunner.4953)

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Posted by: Rasimir.6239

Rasimir.6239

I made the same complaint just the other day. While I enjoy the new means of travel (gliding, ley-lines, mushrooms, tubes, oakheart), I don’t find it particularly appealing nor impressive to make any of those the main means of travel while walking seems to have become the exception (even story missions now require gliding).

You can reach all of the story locations on foot, without any of those “new-fangled” movement skills. I did this just yesterday simply to get a better feel for the map and it’s layout. It takes a while, and there is a lot of aggressive wildlife crossing your path, but it’s perfectly doable (and helped me a ton to finding my way around with movement skills afterwards ).

It has grown to a point where I would say this has become a major annoyance for old school players; “old” by the means of GW play time and players’ age, as IMO only youngsters can enjoy seeing a classic RPG being turned into a platformer (hint: this is still Guild Wars, not Donkey Kong).

At almost 50 years on earth, 4.5 years in Tyria, and with poor reflexes and coordination to begin with, I guess I do qualify under your definition of “old”, but still I love that after the (to me) boring flat maps of the previous episodes we finally get a vertical one again. I’m having a blast exploring the map and trying to find my way around. It does remind me of the computer rpgs I loved to play back in the 80s and 90s where you had to explore and map everything yourself (or wait for your game magazine of choice to print spoiler maps … but most of the time I had my games mapped way before spoiler maps were available).

Anyway, we’ve had a good many mostly horizontal maps lately. If you don’t like vertical maps that’s fine, but please allow those of us who enjoy this kind of map (with and without the travel perks) to have one of them occasionally, too.

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Posted by: Ardid.7203

Ardid.7203

It has grown to a point where I would say this has become a major annoyance for old school players; “old” by the means of GW play time and players’ age, as IMO only youngsters can enjoy seeing a classic RPG being turned into a platformer (hint: this is still Guild Wars, not Donkey Kong).

At almost 50 years on earth, 4.5 years in Tyria, and with poor reflexes and coordination to begin with, I guess I do qualify under your definition of “old”, but still I love that after the (to me) boring flat maps of the previous episodes we finally get a vertical one again. I’m having a blast exploring the map and trying to find my way around. It does remind me of the computer rpgs I loved to play back in the 80s and 90s where you had to explore and map everything yourself (or wait for your game magazine of choice to print spoiler maps … but most of the time I had my games mapped way before spoiler maps were available)….

Fully agree with you, Rasimir. Draconis Mons is a map that requires you to truly explore and move around, not a flat sheet with some places painted over, and that is a good thing.

I haven’t completed it yet, but I did explored most of it yesterday in just a couple of hours, and I don’t even have the spidey mastery yet. The Burial Chamber was one of the first PoI I found, simply by walking around, searching caves and avoiding devourers, even before I had the 3 WPs maped. Later I died amost twelve times doing the diving googles, and ended flying around into quite a few new places, all the while finding the druid spirit guys, completing hearts and fighting champions.

I haven’t had so much fun since entering Verdant Brink for the first time!

For the record, I’m almost 40 years old, and I don’t like Donkey Kong. I do love GW2 “platforms”, though: for me they are simply amazingly fun, hundred of times better than any boring “classic” rpg. Maybe its because I just play around, completing objectives as they appear, instead of trying to get everything solved instantly?

“Only problem with the Engineer is
that it makes every other class in the game boring to play.”
Hawks

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Posted by: Amaimon.7823

Amaimon.7823

one word, thermal launchers
I too was getting lost constantly, didn’t know where to go, I couldn’t for the love of my life figure out how to get to Rata Arcanum, but then I discovered that the thermal tubes were actually placed pretty well. You can get to the topmost layer of the map in a few seconds if you start at the submarine

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Posted by: Moonyeti.3296

Moonyeti.3296

The waypoint near the merc base is your best friend for getting around this map. It is the highest one up the volcano, so you have easy access to everything below just by gliding down. There are 2 thermal tubes nearby that lead to 2 other high traffic areas on different sides of the map. Until I unlocked the new mastery this WP hub was my map transit hub (and pretty much still is after I got it).

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Posted by: Spook.5847

Spook.5847

Indeed – an annoying map in a game full of snares, slows, immobilizes and too many MOBs…

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Posted by: Amaimon.7823

Amaimon.7823

Indeed – an annoying map in a game full of snares, slows, immobilizes and too many MOBs…

You haven’t spend a lot of time in the Bitterfrost Frontier have you?
compared to the infinite hail of Chill, it feels like the bandits are actually giving speed-boosts

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Posted by: Danikat.8537

Danikat.8537

What helps me a lot with any map, and especially with this one, is to take my time to explore it and learn landmarks and where things actually are in relation to each other rather than where they appear to be on the mini-map.

When people in my guild were “complaining”/bragging that they’d finished the whole story on the first night I was still just 1/2 way up the slope, poking into corners and learning where things are in relation to each other.

But on the 2nd day when they were trying to do achievements and complaining that places were impossible to reach I was finding it fairly easy to get around because I remembered the layout. (I have no sense of direction but a good visual memory, which is weird, but means I can find my way to places I’ve been before, but not navigate to new places and I can’t give directions to anyone else.)

For example the transition from the lowest level to the middle level is a ramp with destroyers on it. I can’t see it on the map and I’m not sure exactly where it is other than somewhere in the bottom right corner, but I know what it looks like so when I get near it I can find it easily.

Overall the map is a spiral, it just keeps going up and right. You can actually walk all the way up without ever using lava vents or updrafts or the oakheart skill. You need those things to get to some specific spots, including some where achievement-related items are. But you can do the whole story and get at least close to most places just by walking there.

And as someone else said I often find it easiest to go up to the top (start from the waypoint by the mercenary camp and go up to the top of the volcano/start of the jumping puzzle) and then glide to wherever I’m going. That way you can go in more of a straight line.

Danielle Aurorel, Dear Dragon We Got Your Cookies [Nom], Desolation (EU).

“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”

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Posted by: Ookamikun.6472

Ookamikun.6472

How do you get to the tombs btw? I got mine via Teleport to Friend so I have no idea how to reach it lol

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Posted by: Amaimon.7823

Amaimon.7823

How do you get to the tombs btw? I got mine via Teleport to Friend so I have no idea how to reach it lol

you can enter via a dug-out cave in the Inquest Camp, (Rata Arcanum)
or you can go to the southern heart, then get up the cliffside, and scale the outer ring, there’s a route going from south to west along the wall (it’s a boring long walk, but the spiderman mastery makes it a bit faster)

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Posted by: Silmar Alech.4305

Silmar Alech.4305

My main problem with this kind of map is if the entrance to an area is on a different level than the point of interest of this area shown on the map. If you design a map and provide a minimap, but the map has full 3d geography and the minimap is only plain 2d, you provide an incomplete guide to the map. In this case, no minimap would be better for me than a minimap that leads me the wrong path.

This seems an engine limitation from the start and applies to the whole game. For rare events, we get arrows pointing the way we should go to progress the event. But to be able to navigate a map like Draconis Mons or Tangled Depths, we need many more arrows on the minimap, if the minimap should help instead of confuse.

Better would be a 3d-minimap. The last game I played with such a 3d-minimap was Doom 2016. It’s probably not as beautiful as a paper map-like appearance like now, but certainly more helpful.

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

My main problem with this kind of map is if the entrance to an area is on a different level than the point of interest of this area shown on the map. If you design a map and provide a minimap, but the map has full 3d geography and the minimap is only plain 2d, you provide an incomplete guide to the map. In this case, no minimap would be better for me than a minimap that leads me the wrong path.

This seems an engine limitation from the start and applies to the whole game. For rare events, we get arrows pointing the way we should go to progress the event. But to be able to navigate a map like Draconis Mons or Tangled Depths, we need many more arrows on the minimap, if the minimap should help instead of confuse.

Better would be a 3d-minimap. The last game I played with such a 3d-minimap was Doom 2016. It’s probably not as beautiful as a paper map-like appearance like now, but certainly more helpful.

The map allows you to switch between “floors”.

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Posted by: Inculpatus cedo.9234

Inculpatus cedo.9234

How do you get to the tombs btw? I got mine via Teleport to Friend so I have no idea how to reach it lol

I just Glide and turn around to go under the level of the map over it. Seems pretty short and easy that way.

Good luck.

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Posted by: Donari.5237

Donari.5237

How do you get to the tombs btw? I got mine via Teleport to Friend so I have no idea how to reach it lol

you can enter via a dug-out cave in the Inquest Camp, (Rata Arcanum)
or you can go to the southern heart, then get up the cliffside, and scale the outer ring, there’s a route going from south to west along the wall (it’s a boring long walk, but the spiderman mastery makes it a bit faster)

The walk can be shortened a ton if you vine up from the submarine beach and glide around to the giant updraft over the water. That takes you up to the windrider ledge; run to the far end and vine up to the second butte, then hop the ley line up to the druid spirit. Now you just have to run from the spirit to the cliffs, vine up, hang a right, and you’re almost at the cave entrance.

But yeah, the fastest way to the tomb itself, with far fewer devourers in the way, is to take the thermal tube from the Heathen WP up to the volcano entrance, hop across the lava, take the next tube, glide as soon as you can and bank left. If you aren’t sure where the cave entrance you want is, land at the vista. Look left and down a little from where you face out over the vista, you’ll see a ledge with some unbound magic scattered along it and some creature mobs at the left end where there is a cave. Go in that cave to the back end; it has an oakheart essence right there. Use that to hop over the gap at the back of the cave (it is possible to jump-hop your way over without the vine, but with mobs chewing on you the vine is quicker). You’ll be right next to the entrance to the tomb poi.

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Posted by: Silmar Alech.4305

Silmar Alech.4305

The map allows you to switch between “floors”.

Sure, but this doesn’t help. You still doesn’t see paths and ways to a point of interest, if the entrance is on a different level than the point of interest. It’s even worse: the map changes as you walk. Underground areas are uncovered in part while you walk through them, but you only see your current height uncovered. If you walk down, the upper area behind you is covered again and the next lower part in front of you is uncovered. You never see the whole way, the whole level. Especially for added semi-levels that lay between the switchable floors of the map. Draconis Mons has tons of these semi-levels.

It’s as you have printed 3 big paper maps of Draconis Mons on your desk and about 100 independent small scrap pieces of paper where the semi-levels between the big paper maps are scribbled. Totally chaotic.

(edited by Silmar Alech.4305)

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

The map allows you to switch between “floors”.

Sure, but this doesn’t help. You still doesn’t see paths and ways to a point of interest, if the entrance is on a different level than the point of interest. It’s even worse: the map changes as you walk. Underground areas are uncovered in part while you walk through them, but you only see your current height uncovered. If you walk down, the upper area behind you is covered again and the next lower part in front of you is uncovered. You never see the whole way, the whole level. Especially for added semi-levels that lay between the switchable floors of the map. Draconis Mons has tons of these semi-levels.

It’s as you have printed 3 big paper maps of Draconis Mons on your desk and about 100 independent small scrap pieces of paper where the semi-levels between the big paper maps are scribbled. Totally chaotic.

Actually, you kind of do see paths.

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Posted by: Rasimir.6239

Rasimir.6239

The map allows you to switch between “floors”.

Sure, but this doesn’t help. You still doesn’t see paths and ways to a point of interest, if the entrance is on a different level than the point of interest. It’s even worse: the map changes as you walk. Underground areas are uncovered in part while you walk through them, but you only see your current height uncovered. If you walk down, the upper area behind you is covered again and the next lower part in front of you is uncovered. You never see the whole way, the whole level. Especially for added semi-levels that lay between the switchable floors of the map. Draconis Mons has tons of these semi-levels.

It’s as you have printed 3 big paper maps of Draconis Mons on your desk and about 100 independent small scrap pieces of paper where the semi-levels between the big paper maps are scribbled. Totally chaotic.

I found with both Tangled Depths and Draconis Mons that the map made a lot of sense once I had a rough idea of the layout of the map. It is indeed useless if you’ve never been there and have no idea where to go, but once you have been around the map a bit you’ll discover the paths and landmarks on the map and will be able to piece it all together.

Or at least that was my experience with both of these maps . Personal experience may vary.

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Posted by: Menadena.7482

Menadena.7482

I did not think much about the mouse since I rarely go to that map now but yeah. I navigate via keyboard and HATE when I have to use my mouse to move. I gave up on a potential game after I bought it and found out I would be using a mouse to move all the time.

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Posted by: Egrimm Van Horstmann.7921

Egrimm Van Horstmann.7921

The map can be fun, but you’re definitely right about the mini map’s poor compadibility with the vertical movement. For instance certain parts of the zone cause the map to use the top floor so vegetation, trees, and ore are difficult to find since they aren’t considered on your level. This could be solved by allowing us to view objects by opening the map in full screen (nodes are not visible in this view) add the elevation up or down of a point of interest can not be determined in this view from your point on the map. It’s super easy to get disoriented when terrain starts looking the same. We actually need an vertical and horizontal distance for each object to fully grasp the way of travel to a node or point of interest.

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Posted by: Menadena.7482

Menadena.7482

Yes, telling us an object is x meters from us does no good if we do not know the y component.

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

Attachments:

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Posted by: Amaimon.7823

Amaimon.7823

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

hm.. asuran hologaphic 3D maps, while they would look fancy, I think it’s a huge waste of time for what little resources anet has to spend on the game
I say.. just learn how to read maps, they’re not that difficult

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

hm.. asuran hologaphic 3D maps, while they would look fancy, I think it’s a huge waste of time for what little resources anet has to spend on the game
I say.. just learn how to read maps, they’re not that difficult

Yeah. That’s my take on the whole thing too as I haven’t had issues using the existing maps to navigate.

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Posted by: Menadena.7482

Menadena.7482

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

hm.. asuran hologaphic 3D maps, while they would look fancy, I think it’s a huge waste of time for what little resources anet has to spend on the game
I say.. just learn how to read maps, they’re not that difficult

Yeah. That’s my take on the whole thing too as I haven’t had issues using the existing maps to navigate.

????

There are a LOT of things that show up on multiple layers of the map. On multi-layered regions I actually find the map more of a hindrance than a help.

“Run down here and take a left to the HP and …. oops, that path that intersects it is actually at a different level and the map did not show me that to get to the intersection I need to be able to move up and over the boulder that is in the way. Yup, this map sure is a help!”

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Posted by: Rauderi.8706

Rauderi.8706

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

hm.. asuran hologaphic 3D maps, while they would look fancy, I think it’s a huge waste of time for what little resources anet has to spend on the game
I say.. just learn how to read maps, they’re not that difficult

Yeah. That’s my take on the whole thing too as I haven’t had issues using the existing maps to navigate.

????

There are a LOT of things that show up on multiple layers of the map. On multi-layered regions I actually find the map more of a hindrance than a help.

“Run down here and take a left to the HP and …. oops, that path that intersects it is actually at a different level and the map did not show me that to get to the intersection I need to be able to move up and over the boulder that is in the way. Yup, this map sure is a help!”

Exactly. Nevermind that most of the maps are blurs of green and brown that barely or occasionally give a sense of the actual topography. That map itself isn’t so useful, and the only reason for not being confused with them is rote memory.

Many alts; handle it!
“I’m finding companies should sell access to forums,
it seems many like them better than the games they comment on.” -Horrorscope.7632

Navigating Draconis Mons

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

hm.. asuran hologaphic 3D maps, while they would look fancy, I think it’s a huge waste of time for what little resources anet has to spend on the game
I say.. just learn how to read maps, they’re not that difficult

Yeah. That’s my take on the whole thing too as I haven’t had issues using the existing maps to navigate.

????

There are a LOT of things that show up on multiple layers of the map. On multi-layered regions I actually find the map more of a hindrance than a help.

“Run down here and take a left to the HP and …. oops, that path that intersects it is actually at a different level and the map did not show me that to get to the intersection I need to be able to move up and over the boulder that is in the way. Yup, this map sure is a help!”

Then don’t use a map if you find none could help you. Players have asked for 3D maps because they feel that it would help them. Others can do just fine with the existing 2D maps.

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Posted by: jctkatch.4078

jctkatch.4078

I can relate with the frustration – I move rather poorly in this game myself and it took until about the 4th or 5th character that I ran through the map before I started feeling comfortable with it. I was even getting motion sick the first run through, especially inside that disorienting volcano. However, I got used to it, and while I’m still not in love with the map, I’m okay with it now,

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Posted by: Rauderi.8706

Rauderi.8706

I can relate with the frustration – I move rather poorly in this game myself and it took until about the 4th or 5th character that I ran through the map before I started feeling comfortable with it. I was even getting motion sick the first run through, especially inside that disorienting volcano. However, I got used to it, and while I’m still not in love with the map, I’m okay with it now,

That’s kind of how I felt about it. The big hole in the middle does make it much easier to navigate, and the thermal tubes definitely help, but I wouldn’t have called the experience “fun”. I don’t even go back to the map for dailies, since those are inconsistent. At least Bitterfrost has berries.

Many alts; handle it!
“I’m finding companies should sell access to forums,
it seems many like them better than the games they comment on.” -Horrorscope.7632

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

Draconis Mons is fairly easy to navigate. I mean, it is literally a spiral with two platforms.

The PoI being unclear what level they are on is a fundamental issue that is seen throughout the game – and not just on vertical maps. This is something ArenaNet really needs to work on (hero challenges are the same).

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Menadena.7482

Menadena.7482

Draconis Mons is fairly easy to navigate. I mean, it is literally a spiral with two platforms.

The PoI being unclear what level they are on is a fundamental issue that is seen throughout the game – and not just on vertical maps. This is something ArenaNet really needs to work on (hero challenges are the same).

Where they are dark on the correct map level and light on the levels next to it is a step in the right direction. Not perfect, but at least it helps you a bit because you know it is not on your level. It is when things on the map/minimap do not do that that the icon is more of a hindrance than a help.

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Posted by: Yumiko Ishida.3769

Yumiko Ishida.3769

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

Zelda’s 3-d were horrible! I could not make out anything in that blue mess! If anything,
they should use the Metroid Prime series ones.

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/z2g663smz5io6dqtqbhn.png

Yumiko Emi Ishida 80 Ele, Hikari Kyoko Ishida 80 Guard TC-NA. Active RPer of NA megaserver.

(edited by Yumiko Ishida.3769)

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Posted by: Ayrilana.1396

Ayrilana.1396

Breath of Wild has a 3D map for a few sections of the game. While this exact one probably wouldn’t mesh well with GW2, it’s a good start in a direction that they could go for those that prefer 3D maps for vertical maps.

Zelda’s 3-d were horrible! I could not make out anything in that blue mess! If anything,
they should use the Metroid Prime series ones.

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_original/z2g663smz5io6dqtqbhn.png

The map made sense once you understood what was going on. When you were inside, the map was similar to your metroid one.