What kind of maps would you like to see in Subnautica?

gamer1000kgamer1000k Join Date: 2017-04-29 Member: 230121Members
On Trello, the devs have mentioned possibly adding some sort of mapping feature to Subnautica after 1.0. How would you like to see maps implemented in Subnautica?

In all cases, I'm assuming that the maps start out blank and need to be filled in by exploring or building a scanner room.

Please use the last option sparingly and try to choose one that most closely matches what you think, and use a post to describe any small differences.

Edit: Note that option 5 (upgradeable maps) is intended to allow the player to have both 2D and 3D maps and to switch between them at will. Same with full 3D maps all the time.

Comments

  • gamer1000kgamer1000k Join Date: 2017-04-29 Member: 230121Members
    edited May 2017
    As you can see, my vote is for upgradeable maps. The 2D maps should be available from the start and show biomes and POIs. Contour lines should be on the maps to give a rough idea of the underwater terrain and relative depth. The map should fill in once the player gets within a certain distance of the ocean floor to avoid exploits of just zipping along the surface everywhere to reveal the map.

    3D maps would be an upgrade to assist with navigating through the cave systems. In terms of game progression, it should be available about the time the player is ready to tackle the Deep Grand Reef or Lost River. I would think that it should be craftable at the Scanner Room fabricator.

    Either option would invalidate the compass upgrade, which is fine with me. The player should have a compass from the start anyways and not have it hogging an upgrade slot.

    Additionally, I would like to see a waypoint system on the map. This would also largely invalidate beacons (which is fine, I end up building too many of those things anyways), however they could still be useful in caves and to mark the entrance to wrecks/precursor bases.
  • RezcaRezca United States Join Date: 2016-04-28 Member: 216078Members
    Similar to your vote.

    It'd be neat to see, "relatively" early on, a basic map that you can fill out as you travel through the world. A surface-level map that's rendered more accurately the closer to the seafloor you are - so simply skimming across the safe surface won't map out everything very clearly.

    The next upgrade up would be a more detailed version of the above, being able to render out more detail and perhaps even things like wrecks, place 'pins' on the map to serve as Notes (Not actual beacons, just pins on the map itself), and maybe even being able to zoom in/out.

    Level after that would be more Scanner-Room'ish, able to view it in full 3D and even map out cavern systems. This would be a fairly late-game version and you'd possibly need to bring a Sonar-equipped Seamoth or Cyclops to map out cavern systems for it.


    Finally, each would be able to save image outputs into your PDA, so you can hang them on Picture Frames ^^
  • gamer1000kgamer1000k Join Date: 2017-04-29 Member: 230121Members
    Rezca wrote: »
    Finally, each would be able to save image outputs into your PDA, so you can hang them on Picture Frames ^^

    I forgot to mention it, but with taking screenshots of the scanner room maps, I found that I can view all of those images in my PDA on that save now. They're totally static images, but it's a crude workaround in the current version of the game that kind of gives you a simple map already.
  • GreendwellerGreendweller Holland Join Date: 2016-04-19 Member: 215980Members
    edited May 2017
    I would like to have a combination of 2d AND 3d maps.

    Basicly option 5 (Upgradeable maps. Start with 2D, upgrade to 3D with a HUD upgrade.)
    With no maps from the start and you have to craft one yourself and explore the map yourself.
    And with a posibility to switch between 2D and 3D.
    2D to navigate to the general biomes quickly and 3D for cave areas.
  • gamer1000kgamer1000k Join Date: 2017-04-29 Member: 230121Members
    I would like to have a combination of 2d AND 3d maps.

    Basicly option 5 (Upgradeable maps. Start with 2D, upgrade to 3D with a HUD upgrade.)
    but with a posibility to switch between 2D and 3D.
    2D to navigate to the general biomes quickly and 3D for cave areas.

    I suppose that's what I had in mind when I put that poll option up there. I'll see if I can edit the description to reflect this.
  • RainstormRainstorm Montreal (Quebec) Join Date: 2015-12-15 Member: 210003Members
    Sounds like a great Mod material right there ! *cough* /pokes @nesrak1 *cough* :smiley::wink:
  • SkopeSkope Wouldn't you like to know ;) Join Date: 2016-06-07 Member: 218212Members
    Honestly, I think a map would be a little detrimental to the game.

    With how they've broken apart the exploration aspect of this game, giving access to a map would all but destroy this.

    I'm fine with the Scanner Room, as it is limited, but can still be useful if used correctly.

    Now, a map of a specific biome that could only be accessed after a considerable amount of exploration in that biome would be cool. It definitely could add a use to exploration besides finding resources and fragments.
  • pie1055pie1055 Join Date: 2016-12-05 Member: 224603Members
    Making a good map system in Subnautica is tricky due to how much verticality the terrain has and how it plays with vertical spaces. Due to these reasons I fail to see the need for a 2D map. You would want details on cave systems from the very start due to the need to find crashfish in safe shallows caves. There's also already plenty to use that are a quick google search away.

    Going 3D would be tricky as well. You would probably want to see details like cache caves and wrecks but to put that much detail in would make for a lot of work just to create a map. In addition, it might prove to take a heavy toll on the game's performance or jump up memory requirements. Even if you get past all of that it'd be tricky to synchronize the 3D map with any changes made to the terrain from an update.

    Closest way I figure it could be done would to be to have a 3D map that builds itself by combining scanner room maps. Maybe access it through a new tab on the PDA or make a new base module that is the map room, although the latter would be a little redundant after the scanner room.

    Regardless of map style chosen though you'd still have to decide what information the map should allow beyond basic geometry. Should it show the player's position/orientation? Wrecks (interiors)? Precursor Bases (interiors again)? Fauna (leviathans/reefbacks)? Flora (mushroom trees)? Loot/resources? There's good arguments for and against all of these. The more of them you have the more useful the map is but the less you have the less you have a chore/grocery list and potential spoilers.
  • the_marinerthe_mariner US of A Join Date: 2016-12-29 Member: 225653Members
    @Skope If you mean a full map at the start of the game, I absolutely agree. On a side note: devs, if you're reading this, please, PLEASE re-tweak the exploration mechanics. Subnautica used to have a ton of options for achieving goals, but now that the Lava Zone entrances are being gutted and we're being railroaded onto a linear path, the game is starting to lose some of its open-world fun.

    Personally, I would love it if you had a 3D map that expands as you explore. If you head into a biome once or twice, you'll get some bits and pieces on the map, but only after you survey the biome in detail will it be available in full on the map.

    The map would be on your PDA at first, but you can have it in the scanner room once it's built. Upgrades would allow players to view wreck locations, cave entrances and (possibly?) points of interest like the Floater Island, giant mushroom tree, or maybe even wildlife locations.

    What do you think? Feel free to comment if you have any ideas ;)
  • CaptainFearlessCaptainFearless CO, US Join Date: 2016-12-14 Member: 224941Members
    Meant to vote on the one above this one. Oops lol, but wouldn't 2 maps be hard to make? for the developers sake
  • gamer1000kgamer1000k Join Date: 2017-04-29 Member: 230121Members
    Meant to vote on the one above this one. Oops lol, but wouldn't 2 maps be hard to make? for the developers sake

    Based on my (limited) understanding of how in-game maps are done, it is entirely possible to have the game build the map automatically based on the raw terrain data rather than the devs having to devote any special effort to hand-drawing maps. A 2D map could simply be generated from a fixed-perspective camera high in the sky over the game world.

    3D maps are already being generated by the scanner rooms, so in some ways the hard work looks like it has already been done.
  • nesrak1nesrak1 Places Join Date: 2016-12-04 Member: 224536Members
    edited May 2017
    @Rainstorm what me? I'm working on something else right now
    something cool
  • JackeJacke Calgary Join Date: 2017-03-20 Member: 229061Members
    edited May 2017
    I think the mapping function should be available from the start but very simple, allowing you to mark the map with your current location and write notes on that map. Also, it should have some very simple terrain features that become available as you swim about. This is almost identical to the mapping that was in "Ultima Underworld" 25 years ago.

    After you progress further in the game, maybe better mapping features become available, especially after setting up Scanner Rooms, incorporating some of the Scanner Room data onto the map.
  • scifiwriterguyscifiwriterguy Sector ZZ-9-Plural Z-α Join Date: 2017-02-14 Member: 227901Members
    edited May 2017
    Wow...I'd like to change my vote to @Jacke's system. It provides a map without just giving away the game, and rewards effort invested with tangible results. Pretty much perfect, really.
  • RainstormRainstorm Montreal (Quebec) Join Date: 2015-12-15 Member: 210003Members
    nesrak1 wrote: »
    @Rainstorm what me? I'm working on something else right now
    something cool

    I'll take your word for it! :wink:
  • HiguideHiguide NJ Join Date: 2017-04-03 Member: 229385Members
    should be a combination of both 2d and 3d. pda showing which area you are in but in 2d (shows more as you explore) and scanner room exponentially enhancing navigation also in greater detail. least it gives a higher incentive in creating the scanner room
  • NerdyEricNerdyEric Join Date: 2016-11-15 Member: 223876Members
    Alright typing time.....

    So there would be a switchable 3d and 2d map in the scanner room where you could see biomes and materials in them with upgrades. Also with upgrades it would show where to find fragments (cause there NEEDS to be a way to search for them in game) and then a 2d map in the cyclops that shows your current location in the world. BAM. Eric's Idea patented......dangit now they can't use it..... I need to call my lawyer be right back.
  • nesrak1nesrak1 Places Join Date: 2016-12-04 Member: 224536Members
    A fabricator in the scanner room that produces a mini mapper. If put into PDUI, it will scan your surroundings and save it as a 3D map to the PDA.
  • nesrak1nesrak1 Places Join Date: 2016-12-04 Member: 224536Members
    pie1055 wrote: »
    Going 3D would be tricky as well. You would probably want to see details like cache caves and wrecks but to put that much detail in would make for a lot of work just to create a map. In addition, it might prove to take a heavy toll on the game's performance or jump up memory requirements.
    Why? The seaglide does the map in realtime. The others wouldn't decrease performance too bad.
    pie1055 wrote: »
    Even if you get past all of that it'd be tricky to synchronize the 3D map with any changes made to the terrain from an update.
    If I take a picture of a paper, draw on the paper, and then look at the picture before I drew on the paper, would the drawing be there?
  • jpinardjpinard Join Date: 2016-09-17 Member: 222373Members
    I want this and/or this:
    Allow scanner room maps to be viewed remotely on the PDA with a HUD upgrade.

    Upgradeable maps. Start with 2D, upgrade to 3D with a HUD upgrade.
  • DragxonDragxon Join Date: 2017-05-04 Member: 230247Members
    copypasted from my post on GIVE EARLY ACCESS FEEDBACK TO THE DEV TEAM.
    I have a suggestion. We all know everybody wants a map, and we kind of have one via the scanner room, however you can't bring that map with you, here is my solution: a navigation tab on the PDA

    1. It should be completely blank at the start of the game, but once you build the scanner room it should sync to each scanner room you build allowing you to pick which map you want from an inventory, and just like how you can update the scanner map with drones, you should now be able to update the map by walking around with it.

    2. The ping manager should be lumped into the new navigation tab


    3. The navigation tab should be upgradable in the scanner room.

    4. Do you remember how annoying it is picking between a compass, a thermometer, and signals? Those two slots you are familiar with in your inventory are no more now: The navigation Tab has four slots to start with

    4A. One for the Compass upgrade

    4B. One for the Thermometer upgrade

    4C. One for a signal

    4D. And one for a new upgrade which would show your coordinates on the HUD

    4E. Additionally the Navigation Tab should be able to upgraded with two extra slots for signals

    4F. with an upgrade Beacons should be able to have their names changed from the Navigation tab

    As always upgrades must be found and scanned to be built and used.
  • AmadeoneAmadeone YES Join Date: 2017-05-02 Member: 230194Members
    At the start there shouldn't be any map.You can craft a 2D PDA map only. It will be a separate tab in your PDA.
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