Call me un-coordinated, but...

Bugzapper

Vaughner81's idea for a transponder-based navigation system, as posted in the thread 'True to Life and Science Suggestion' is an absolute corker.

I strongly recommend that everyone reads it. You really don't want to let that particular idea slip by unheeded.

Meanwhile, back in EA Land...

Subnautica desperately needs some sort of usable navigation system.

The full-blown 3D sonar mapping system can always wait, at least until The Devs have breathed a sigh of relief after implementing all of that other shiny stuff we want.

As a temporary measure, I would like to suggest that the player's HUD readout includes current XYZ coordinates to assist in accurately locating oneself within the game environment.
Yes, I realize that the Console pane displays this information, but the text is far too small to read without pressing my nose up against the monitor. I'm old, okay?
Also, there is that *tiny* issue of having to keep the console pane open when one is trying to 'chase the numbers' to find a particular location.

Not at all helpful when you're in an ocean full of hungry critters.

On the other hand, having those XYZ coordinates sitting right in front of you would be more than helpful. Being able to plot the precise location of bases, resource fields and other areas of interest is absolutely vital in a game like Subnautica.

The_Shark

Navigation. Want. I mean, existing ships have GPS and crap, but that's thanks to satellites... maybe have the option to add advanced scanner arrays to any vehicles. The scanners would show direction of movement, a permanent model of walls and terrain in the surrounding area (rather than pulsing like the Seamoth sonar), temperature of the surrounding water, ore deposits in the area... maybe even creatures. Now, I don't mean show exactly what creatures are where. I mean, what if you had a readout that said that within, say 100 meters, there are 32 small creatures (able to be caught), 17 medium creatures (anything you can't catch, up to the size of a Stalker), 3 large creatures (up to the size of... I dunno, a young Reefback), and 1 Gigantic creature (anything bigger than a juvenile Reefback). With an advanced scanner array system, you could always know exactly what you're dealing with.

smackumz

I was thinking, we have sonar bouys in today's technology, maybe we can have something similar. Implement a map feature that requires a central computer seabase module. This module gives you access to a map of the area. You can then explore to fill it in and make notes on it, but you still don't know exactly where you are yet. This can further be upgraded with the sonar bouys as a new deployable. These uncover an area and gives you useful data such as your location in that area, depth of the area, or any anomalies.

Another follow along would be a way to tag and track creatures using a net of these things. Maybe we could tag the leviathans and steer clear of them. Perhaps there could be some scientific advancement unlock by tracking different creatures?

Just some thoughts here, but the bottom line is there needs to be a map function of sorts in the game. I find myself using rough jpeg maps to figure out my location. All the alt tabbing breaks immersion for me.