Mental Map & Real Map

[jonniemarbles]

Currently when I play PZ I frequently use the online maps created by other users. While this is works perfectly well it does kind of break the game immersion for me - having my character know every detail of every street makes things much easier, but doesn't seem "real". Likewise, however, having my character know literally nothing about the layout of their town at game start also breaks reality for me - unless I just got parachuted in I'm going to have some idea of the layout of my own street, where the local stores are, where my (former) workplace is etc.

 

So here's what I propose:

 

Minimum:

 

A "mental map" available from the start of the game. This would show a decent wedge of surrounding area (say, the survivor's home street) and places they visited regularly (local convenience store, workplace (so if you're a cop, you know where the policestation is, for example), perhaps a few other locales like the park they liked to visit). The rest is black and gets "filled in" as you visit it. The map shows where you are now on it.

 

I would also like there to be a "true map" - an object, or series of objects, you can find in-game which show the true layout of the town.

 

Ideal (these ideas would require more time and effort to implement but would augment the above minimums):

 

The mental map is faulty. As an example, if your character was used to getting to the mall by car they may remember the road leading to the mall as being far shorter than it really is. Likewise streets beyond your "home" and places visited very regularly might have details missing - there's a house there when you thought there wasn't, or isn't one where you thought there was etc. If you walk down a previously unknown street once it fills in the map a little, and for a limited time - you will not accurately remember a street you walked down one time a month ago, perhaps in fact you will entirely forget it, with it being lost to the fog of war. These things could be affected by traits - "forgetful" making mental maps more unreliable whilst "photographic memory" makes them more so. Additionally you could have traits like "outgoing" which reveal more of the map at game start or "housebound" which reveals none (i realise this second one is kind of cheeseable, as people could just take the points bump then use the online map. It might instead be better to have this as a setting rather than a trait so people can roleplay it if they want). 

 

The "true map" should also be partial or unreliable in some way(s). For example, you might find maps dating from different years with different levels of reliability (read: wrongness). You might find maps that only cover part of the game map or offer different levels of granularity.

 

Ideal ideal (I think this might be super hard so caveats apply etc.):

 

You can draw on maps you find, and use other pieces of paper to make crude maps of your own. I realise this would essentially mean building an entire paint-style application into the game, however, so feel free to tell me to shut the fuck up. 

 

 

 

 

[Jasonface900]

Your idea sounds pretty interesting, but it would definitely take a lot of time to implement fully. Especially the "Ideal Ideal", and, personally, I'd only like the "Ideal" and "Ideal x2" versions, because the first idea seems too easy for the player, and I would prefer if the map was created, instead of a radius-type thing, a field of view type of map. Other then those points, I like this idea!

[jonniemarbles]

I agree that a map that just filled out (as in the minimum) would be too easy, but the current system seems too hard by contrast, at least for new players (and provided you don't "cheat" like I did). I'd like there to be a middle ground between the current system, which can be incredibly frustrating if you're totally new, and the alternative which is just to cheatload the online map. 

[Nightmaster]

I agree that a map that just filled out (as in the minimum) would be too easy, but the current system seems too hard by contrast, at least for new players (and provided you don't "cheat" like I did). I'd like there to be a middle ground between the current system, which can be incredibly frustrating if you're totally new, and the alternative which is just to cheatload the online map. 

A solution would be a "city map" object and a "hand draw map" object

 

The first you must find and manually mark your safehouse location on the map and any other important locations on it. With that you dont have a precise and detailed map (have you see most turist maps? they are a joke) but at the same time you have a way to know your location.

 

The second would be a hand draw map that the player can create or start the game with. It would be simple, lack detais and what its more important out of scale.

 

Just my two cents

[SurvivingTestSubject]

Ideal ideal (I think this might be super hard so caveats apply etc.):

 

You can draw on maps you find, and use other pieces of paper to make crude maps of your own. I realise this would essentially mean building an entire paint-style application into the game, however, so feel free to tell me to shut the **** up. 

I don't think a paint program would/should be needed. It would also break the flow of the game. It would make more sense to have it as a in-game skill. So one player's in-game self-made map would be superior or inferior depending on such skill level.

I liked the brainstorming and it is something that needs to be thought through. The map is [i first wrote somewhat basic but actually I dont think there is one at all is there?]... but it does need expansion/improvement moreover as maps become more complex (hopefully).

 

[King jjwpenguin]

I like the idea but feel it would take too much time and most people have the map memorized by now anyway.