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Mini maps: rotation-enabled or fixed?
- Thread starter AuthenticM
- Start date
Yup, I agree.
Ideally, yes, because minimaps are a clutch. They are used because many AAA games have maps large enough to get lost in but the game doesn't offer enough directions for us to find out way without the minimap... because that takes a LOT of extra work, and it is always much easier to add a magical minimap, immersion be damned. Skyrim's magical compass is better, but not MUCH better.
When developers put the effort to make it possible to navigate the world without minimaps it always pays off.
Yup, I agree.
Ideally, yes, because minimaps are a clutch. They are used because many AAA games have maps large enough to get lost in but the game doesn't offer enough directions for us to find out way without the minimap... because that takes a LOT of extra work, and it is always much easier to add a magical minimap, immersion be damned. Skyrim's magical compass is better, but not MUCH better.
When developers put the effort to make it possible to navigate the world without minimaps it always pays off.
I love Dark Souls and Shadow of the Colossus as much as the next guy, but (pretty much like every single other design decision), no-map isn't a silver bullet that works in every single game or genre. I feel your argument is against open world games as a genre, rather than minimaps as a specific feature, which I do empathize with (with a few exceptions, I generally don't care for open world games either), but that's kind of a different (and rather more subjective) discussion.
Bethesda's open world games don't have a minimap (both the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series). Horizon: Zero Dawn also didn't have a minimap. They do have a compass for orientation though.
I prefer rotating mini-maps. Easy to use the mini-map as a compass this way too.
For what its worth, I mostly really like open world games! And if a game has minimaps on by default I almost never toggle it off. But yes, I agree that no-map is not a silver bullet that works everywhere.
Still, you've noticed how in games where you are looking at the minimap, following a GPS trail, it takes a LOT longer to memorize the map, right? Even more if the minimap rotates. Its a trade off. Immersion for convenience.
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Personally I find the magical compass a lot better than a magical mini map. It still isn't a perfect solution, but it is a good compromise for large open worlds filled with hotspots and collectibles.
Huh, I'm confused... I came into this thread to say that the fixed camera in Judgment took me some getting used to.
When I played it there was definitely a fixed camera.
whoops I mixed the terms because I was always rotating the camera to get my bearings.
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Fixed.
As soon as it starts rotating it just adds extra seconds of "rotate it some more until I figure it out".
As soon as it starts rotating it just adds extra seconds of "rotate it some more until I figure it out".
The topic is about minimap tho, the game maps are 99.9% of the time fixed of course.
Well, I get lost easily, so in games without a minimap, I just open the large map each ten seconds (instead of each 30 seconds as normal). Horizon is a perfect example. :)
The problem with "memorizing the map" is that, by and large, you don't do that in open world games, since the map is too large, not dense enough in landmarks in most cases, and there's rarely enough reasons to repeatedly revisit any part of it outside the main hubs. I really only get to "memorize" maps in games with smaller ones. Dark Souls is probably the largest map I ever memorized, and only possible due to several combination of factors that don't apply to open world games: besides the aforementioned frequent revisiting of places, I think it's just that much easier to remember paths than it is to remember open land. But, yeah, the lack of any in-game map also forces you to create a mental map, which is why I would call that bold (especially at the time) design decision an unambiguously correct one. For one, the moments of opening a shortcut and realizing "oooh, so this loops back here", and updating your mental map, are the best thing ever. :)
Depends on the game. If there's a separate compass, fixed is a definite, but if the only "compass" is on the map, I might be tempted to change it depending on the game.
Fixed, but I need example I think to make sure I've got it figured out.
The map in Apex Legends will fucks with me... and I always lose my bearings. I want a minimap to be like a real map that I'm holding in my hands, and when I'm holding a map in my hands -- which I haven't done in easily 12+ years -- I want this map to stay fucking still, not turn like the wheel of a school bus depending on where I look.
Wait wait I think I'm confused. I like the map in RDR2, I hate the map in Apex Legends. I had thought they were reversed but now figuring it out, I like a map in RDR2 which rotates, I hate the map in Apex which is fixed.
yep I was wrongf I had the two mixed up in my head.
The map in Apex Legends will fucks with me... and I always lose my bearings. I want a minimap to be like a real map that I'm holding in my hands, and when I'm holding a map in my hands -- which I haven't done in easily 12+ years -- I want this map to stay fucking still, not turn like the wheel of a school bus depending on where I look.
Wait wait I think I'm confused. I like the map in RDR2, I hate the map in Apex Legends. I had thought they were reversed but now figuring it out, I like a map in RDR2 which rotates, I hate the map in Apex which is fixed.
yep I was wrongf I had the two mixed up in my head.
I wonder if this comes as a factor of how much GPS exposure a person has had in their youth vs old-school paper maps? Google Maps when navigating moves more instance, so I imagine that a lot of people are comfortable with that for that reason.
It kind of depends, as there are times I've set it to rotate, but usually I want it fixed because of map icons and visibility.
Genshin and the like: Fixed or so help me...
EDF: rotate is fine and actually preferred because it orients me towards the enemy and there aren't any map details or terrain to throw me off.
Genshin and the like: Fixed or so help me...
EDF: rotate is fine and actually preferred because it orients me towards the enemy and there aren't any map details or terrain to throw me off.
That's a good point. As an old person, who used to legit navigate using a road atlas to get places and didn't have car GPS until 2008 or 2009 (my first smart phone, the Droid), I've always loved/been comfortable with maps.
Also FYI I had mine reversed. I like the map in RDR2, which is dynamic, I hate th emap in Apex, which is fixed.
Rotating is easier if you're trying to beeline content (say... an open world with a thousand mini-markers on it and you're just trying to shortest-distance everything). Rotating is best with those questlines or floating arrows type stuff.
Fixed gives a better sense of place, so if you want players to really learn your map (and not simply move over it checking off collectibles) go with that.
Fixed gives a better sense of place, so if you want players to really learn your map (and not simply move over it checking off collectibles) go with that.
My sentiment seems to line up with most people. In a large open world RPG or a navigation based game I prefer fixed, but if I am going to be blasting a guy, I want that red dot to line up with the barrel of my gun.
Depends on the game for me. In most games, particularly fast-moving titles, I tend to favour rotating. But in Yakuza I need it fixed.
I think it's the opposite. Mini Maps are really only used to see enemy locations based on a red dot showing their position. Having it fixed and knowing the map layout results in far faster processing of where that enemy is.
Rotate in open world games for sure, don't make sense when my character is going forward but my point in the mini map is going to the opposite direction because its fixed.
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It's not the middle ages. North is up. Or maybe down. But never randomassed directions that are constantly changing.
Fixed. I orient better in games since my brain memorizes the X and Y coordinates of everything and its easier to find my way around.
Edit: I think I lied! I have it rotating in Breath of the Wild. So I don't know! It's like asking if I use inverted controls. I don't even know until I try playing and tilt the stick and it turns the wrong way. I think I rotate it in BOTW because of the beacon markers that you can set. Makes it easy to tell.
Edit 2: Disregard that whole first line. I don't think I use fixed. Then again I don't really play many games with maps. I also use rotated in DOOM games. Yeah I think I'm a rotator. I don't know why I thought I used fixed maps.
Edit: I think I lied! I have it rotating in Breath of the Wild. So I don't know! It's like asking if I use inverted controls. I don't even know until I try playing and tilt the stick and it turns the wrong way. I think I rotate it in BOTW because of the beacon markers that you can set. Makes it easy to tell.
Edit 2: Disregard that whole first line. I don't think I use fixed. Then again I don't really play many games with maps. I also use rotated in DOOM games. Yeah I think I'm a rotator. I don't know why I thought I used fixed maps.
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Used to be only fixed but not its always rotating. Found it better since the mini-map actually makes me always adjusts to which direction I'm looking it
Makes it easier for me and makes me give better callouts. In singleplayer it doesn't matter at all.
Makes it easier for me and makes me give better callouts. In singleplayer it doesn't matter at all.
