World Map Simpflication

[JohnOddity.7820]

I'm a newer player <a year in game, just about 5 months.

 

Before I begin expressing my suggestions and opinion's I'd like to express that GW2 is one of the absolute best experiences I have ever had in an MMO.

 

I'd like to suggest for myself and maybe for the benefit of other players who also feel my frustrations

that the gw2 devs implement a system into the world map that has some sort of search bar for those of us, who. are super confused trying to re-find older locations or trying to remember specific merchant locations and trying to traverse back.

It's often a one-off experience finding a particular merchant in the middle of nowhere and having to take pictures of the world map with my cellphone and still struggling to rediscover said locations.

 

I'd like to suggest while in world map, having the option of a potential dropdown box that outlines the Vanilla content and also the expansions. 

Implementing a system that has a visible outline of the different areas "Within zone" to help with adventuring to level up zone-specific masteries.  

 

I personally get lost super quickly as there is no guide in game to keep us up to speed with the zone, we need to stay in to achieve mastery progression for story progression.

 

Maybe just visible neon lines around each area that shows visible demarcation of each zone that is linked by code to the mastery said player is working on. 

Also similar visible neon lines that when said player hovers over a "drop box" option and hovers over an expansion shows exactly where said player need to stay for adventure.

 

Maybe in game hints where a player could go to collect profession materials of importance specific to one's own professions. 
Not specifics. Only hints. 

 

Or maybe am just an idiot but I just wanted to try my luck and see if there is potential for a system like I have suggested to be implemented.

 

To boil it down. I'm asking for each zone (Original content and expansions) to be given outlines on the world map that are obvious to help newer players like me distictivly help me understand what content i am exploring at that the time and where and what i'm currently exploring at any given time.

 

Thank you, as always for your dev's efforts, passion and talents that gave us the world of GW2. 

Much love. 
 

Edited September 19, 2022 by JohnOddity.7820
Better understanding of what i'm trying to articulate.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

In-game, you can type /wiki (topic of choice) into chat, and find anything/anyone that you might need.

 

[kitkat.2745]

gw2 has an amazing wiki but one thing I think it lacks is in-game direction. I tried to get my friend irl to play with me but he also kept getting lost and felt quite overwhelmed by just how much there was to do and not much direction on how/when/where to do it. I agree with you! but at least like the poster above me said, you can search the wiki from in game, so that helps at least 🙂 

[JohnOddity.7820]

I appreciate the suggestion!

 appreciate that the Wiki is there to help but I'd also like the option of not having to travel "Out of Game" to acquire said information 😄

[JohnOddity.7820]

8 minutes ago, kitkat.2745 said:

gw2 has an amazing wiki but one thing I think it lacks is in-game direction. I tried to get my friend irl to play with me but he also kept getting lost and felt quite overwhelmed by just how much there was to do and not much direction on how/when/where to do it. I agree with you! but at least like the poster above me said, you can search the wiki from in game, so that helps at least 🙂 

I Appreciate you reaching out! 
I have used the wiki to get my armorsmithing and weaponsmithing to 500.
I just wish there was more "In game" engagement that prevented us having to use "Out of game" sources. 
I totally love a respect the effort the Dev's have put in and this is totally just suggestion.

 

 

 

 

[Ausar.9542]

The wiki is poor when it comes to Achievements, because the team there refuses to add pages for the achievements to give details

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

1 hour ago, Ausar.9542 said:

The wiki is poor when it comes to Achievements, because the team there refuses to add pages for the achievements to give details

'The Team' is players just like you and me, no more, no less; if you feel the article in question is lacking, you are welcome to edit/add to it. 

[Zok.4956]

5 hours ago, kitkat.2745 said:

one thing I think it lacks is in-game direction. I tried to get my friend irl to play with me but he also kept getting lost and felt quite overwhelmed by just how much there was to do and not much direction on how/when/where to do it.

Lack of direction is called freedom. 😉 You can just decide how/when/where/what you want to do. Nothing is mandatory, everything is possible/optional. The only direction in the core game/maps is the main quest (the personal story) and even that is optional (you don't have to do it, if you don't like it). 

You don't have main quests and site quests that guide you and tell you how the world is, instead you just walk where you want and experience the world first hand. A little guidance are the hearts in core maps, theses are a form of "side quests".

This can sometimes be hard to grasp, especially if you come from games that set you on rails on what to do, but this is something where GW2 is different (better in my optinion) to other games.

6 hours ago, JohnOddity.7820 said:

I'd like to suggest while in world map, having the option of a potential dropdown box that outlines the Vanilla content and also the expansions. 

Implementing a system that has a visible outline of the different areas "Within zone" to help with adventuring to level up zone-specific masteries.  

You do have the direction keys in the bottom-right corner of the world map that moves the map to the big different areas Tyria, Crystal Desert, Maguuma and  Cantha. And if you click on the xp-bar at the bottom of your screen the mastery windows opens and you can see your actual zone and all zones (for mastery xp). There are only 5 zones regarding mastery xp: Central Tyria (Core game and season 1/2, Heart of Thorns (expansion including season 3),  Path of Fire (expansion including Season 4), Icebrood Saga (it's also called Season 5), and End of Dragons (expansion).

And there is a wiki page that can help players with understanding the world maps and the regions/zones/maps: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Zone and there is also a picture of the mastery regions: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Zone#/media/File:GW2-mastery-regions.jpg

 

[Lucy.3728]

That's what's the wiki is for apparently.

There's a reason why ppl make jokes about it, that playing Guild Wars also means playing the Wiki.

 

I liked the system in Aion. https://aion.fandom.com/wiki/Pathfinding

[Khisanth.2948]

I have nothing against such a system but I think your expectation of such a system might be overblown.

There are at most a handful of NPCs around that sells interesting items(but these are relatively niche such as CC items but these only work in open world anyway) in out of the way places. The majorities are  like master crafters and LS map currency vendors. Obvious locations and marked on the map.

Tyria's NPCs are not as interesting as you are imagining or implying ...

[JohnOddity.7820]

11 hours ago, Khisanth.2948 said:

I have nothing against such a system but I think your expectation of such a system might be overblown.

There are at most a handful of NPCs around that sells interesting items(but these are relatively niche such as CC items but these only work in open world anyway) in out of the way places. The majorities are  like master crafters and LS map currency vendors. Obvious locations and marked on the map.

Tyria's NPCs are not as interesting as you are imagining or implying ...

You have missed, entirely the point of this thread. Woooosh.

[sokeenoppa.5384]

You can use wiki to find vendor/location which you need, then from wiki you can copy the locations closest POI/waypoint chatcode, paste the code in chat and get placed in that location on your map.

 

Not really 100% what you asked tho

[Freya.9075]

Not sure if this is exactly what you want as it’s not exactly clear what you are requesting, but taco with tekkits all in one is a good way to find ingame stuff without having to use wiki. They also provide you with option to create own markers and lines to things you want to add. 
 

It shows most places with things like masteries, some achievements, map completion, guild bounties and trek, diving spots, ranger pets and more. It’s a good tool for players who want help finding things without having to wiki them or find things out yourself. 

[JohnOddity.7820]

3 hours ago, Freya.9075 said:

Not sure if this is exactly what you want as it’s not exactly clear what you are requesting, but taco with tekkits all in one is a good way to find ingame stuff without having to use wiki. They also provide you with option to create own markers and lines to things you want to add. 
 

It shows most places with things like masteries, some achievements, map completion, guild bounties and trek, diving spots, ranger pets and more. It’s a good tool for players who want help finding things without having to wiki them or find things out yourself. 

I just want outlined, demarcated areas that specifically and visually separates Tyria and HoT and PoT and EoD and has an option that, when having selected a specific mastery to work on (Exp bar at the bottom) that dictates where we need to be to achieve said Exp gain and highlights for us the difference in places on the world map that we can hover over areas with our cursors or a drop down box that makes each part of the world map more digestible for those of us who have no idea where to go or are super confused by an absolutely overwhelming world map. Some players have been in game since the inception of launch and others are brand new. For new players like myself it's basically impossible to keep track of map allocation and mastery achievement based on where in game we need to be to achieve said mastery.  

Edited September 19, 2022 by JohnOddity.7820

[casualkenny.9817]

Might depend on whether the map interface itself is easy for anet to alter. If it is, then adding such a function might take minimal effort and happen some day.

 

I wonder, though, if you might have better luck with asking the taco ppl to consider adding this in.

 

 

[Freya.9075]

5 minutes ago, JohnOddity.7820 said:

I just want outlined, demarcated areas that specifically and visually separates Tyria and HoT and PoT and EoD and has an option that, when having selected a specific mastery to work on (Exp bar at the bottom) that dictates where we need to be to achieve said Exp gain and highlights for us the difference in places on the world map that we can hover over areas with our cursors or a drop down box that makes each part of the world map more digestible for those of us who have no idea where to go or are super confused by an absolutely overwhelming map. Some players have been in game since the inception of launch and others are brand new. For new players like myself it's basically impossible to keep track of map allocation and mastery achievement based on where in game we need to be to achieve said mastery. 

It can be confusing at first. But I would not say impossible. I don't see myself as new player, but I am also not a veteran. I've been playing 2-3 years and I remember the struggle at first. I used taco and wiki for these reasons. It was enough to help me through it. Outlining the maps would be a good addition. Living world maps are quite scattered around. Using the expansion color to outline them might be helpful to many players.

 

[JohnOddity.7820]

Again. I'd like to emphasis that 

Just now, casualkenny.9817 said:

Might depend on whether the map interface itself is easy for anet to alter. If it is, then adding such a function might take minimal effort and happen some day.

 

I wonder, though, if you might have better luck with asking the taco ppl to consider adding this in.

 

 

I take this into consideration also! (I just happened to be reading the input of others when you posted thus the super quick reply!) 
I like to think the devs could take the current world map and that the code is already there that separates all of the content as they had to add content to the current world map as it was updated over the years. I just imagine the world maps, from a dev's perspective is 4 different layers conglomerated in to one and they would just need their Graphics team to add simple, bright outlines around each major area and link each mastery by code (which ever mastery is currently being worked on) to whatever is being worked on. 

[JohnOddity.7820]

1 minute ago, Freya.9075 said:

It can be confusing at first. But I would not say impossible. I don't see myself as new player, but I am also not a veteran. I've been playing 2-3 years and I remember the struggle at first. I used taco and wiki for these reasons. It was enough to help me through it. Outlining the maps would be a good addition. Living world maps are quite scattered around. Using the expansion color to outline them might be helpful to many players.

 

I appreciate you adding to this discussion! My ultimate wish is for not needing to have to use an "Out of Game" source to gain information for what could already in be in game. I have no problem looking at out of game sources for character builds and profession builds. I just think, personally, that world map simplification should be an "In game" asset. 

[JohnOddity.7820]

24 minutes ago, casualkenny.9817 said:

Might depend on whether the map interface itself is easy for anet to alter. If it is, then adding such a function might take minimal effort and happen some day.

 

I wonder, though, if you might have better luck with asking the taco ppl to consider adding this in.

 

 

I'm sorry but I genuinely have no idea what you mean by "taco people"?

[costepj.5120]

http://www.gw2taco.com/

[JohnOddity.7820]

Just now, costepj.5120 said:

http://www.gw2taco.com/

Again... still having to reach out of game for what could be already an in-game asset.

[The Boz.2038]

The wiki works, but this is a great suggestion.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

47 minutes ago, JohnOddity.7820 said:

Again... still having to reach out of game for what could be already an in-game asset.

It's not exactly 'out-of-game'; when used it shows all information 'in-game'.

It's likely the best you'll ever receive. 

There's also already an indicator 'in-game'; open your Inventory, look to the bottom:

If Karma shows, you are in Core areas

If Unbound Magic shows, you are in Heart of Thorns areas

If Volatile Magic shows, you are in Path of Fire areas

If Imperial Favor shows, you are in Cantha areas

Thus, easy to tell which Mastery XP is being used. 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Inculpatus cedo.9234
typo

[Urud.4925]

I suspect that ArenaNet doesn't want to add clear borders for the map because it would seem a smaller and more segregated world (many players don't like loading screens between zones, and they may have a bad impression at the very beginning, if they zoom out the map). But I think they may highlight a bit the passages to the other maps. Sometimes I see new players asking in chat "how can I reach the next map?"

 

About the search field to find NPCs and locations... I think it would be a good addon. I played some MMOs that have it, and sometimes I used it. Our wiki is extensive, but it's always appreciated when the game gives you all the tools within the game.

[casualkenny.9817]

we can kinda guess at what affects the chances of whether a suggestion is picked up by anet. from what i've seen:

 

1) is it beneficial (sufficiently)

2) % of player base benefitting

3) is it doable, how hard will it be, and will it therefore be worth the workhours needed

 

i think it would be a decent minor qol upgrade, so the question lies more with #3.

 

1) drawing borders on a map = should be easy to do. but any aesthetics change must pass muster with most of the player pop. this might be a significant upset if it can't be toggled on/off

2) drawing borders on a map that shows up (or is toggled) when prompted = unknown

3) with the other extra features = possibly a significant team project to overhaul, and if so, #2 might be a significant con. especially when it overlaps with existing approved add-on functionality with no monetization options to justify the potential labour cost.

 

(the map interface might or might not be a 10yr old thingy)

 

 

some other toggleable alternatives might be:

a) colour-code the map names with the matching colours (with alt option for players who have CB)

b) some stylised coloured border or background image behind the map names

c) the expansion icon next to the name or in a corner, or in the mouse-over text

d) editing the mouse-over textbox with colourcodes or whatever

 

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by casualkenny.9817