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[stevesan]

I decided to go waaaayyyy back and play Legend of Zelda recently (never really played it as a kid), and it's still a lot of fun. Every time you find a new weapon it's a nice "fuck yeah!" moment.

I was wondering, do you guys think the game would benefit from an auto-map system? Basically something like in Super Metroid (or more recently, VVVVVV) which only shows you places you've been, with walls indicating accessibility. Do you think it would detract from the game at all? It seems like the only thing it would take away is perhaps the joy of doing your own auto map on paper, which at this point in my life, I don't really find interesting nor fun.

I'm probably not the first person to ask this question, so apologies if this is old hat for you guys.

[Fallsburg]

I think a map that fills in based on where you've been is fine.  A map that shows everything to begin with is not fine (probably the worst thing about LttP).

[RAMINATION]

The original game came with a physical map the player could check out while playing the game. It was the overworld and to my understanding it didn't show the whole map. Some screens were blank.

I hugely like the idea of having a physical map with a game, but if there should be a map in a game it shouldn't be a full map but an auto-saving one you suggested. I didn't mind the Zelda3 full map though. It was actually quite good. Didn't show anything too clearly and managed to bring some sense of mystery to the world. It was cool to be able to see something being something in a place not yet visited.

[tha_Chiller]

Oblivion was dope, it had the same map as LttP but instead discovered the points on the map. The cons is that somewhat draws back on adventuring but then again it pushes you to discover areas you haven't thought of going just yet.

[Noah!]

But...

Zelda had an auto map...
Press start in the dungeon and you
had an auto map...right there
Press start and Zelda had...
an auto map...in the dungeon
Zelda press start and in the dungeon
you had an auto map in Zelda
if you press start in the dungeon
in the dungeon Zelda had...
an auto map...in the dungeon
Press start in the dungeon and you
had an auto map...right there
if you press start in the Zelda
and if you were in the dungeon
and you press start Zelda...had...
in the dungeon on the start button
Zelda on the start button in the dungeon
you had an auto map in Zelda
if you press start in the dungeon
in the dungeon in the Zelda
in the start button you had...
Zelda press start and in the dungeon
you had...an auto map...
Press start in the dungeon and you
had an auto map...right there
an auto map...in the dungeon
Zelda press start and in the dungeon
you had an auto map in Zelda
if you press start in the dungeon
in the dungeon Zelda had...
an auto map...
an auto map...
an auto map...

[7Soul]

He means a full map, instead of a map that slowly fills as you explore.
To me that's the main point of a map, that you are able to find your way back with it. One other feature that I think is awesome is the ability to put annotations on your map, like some DS titles such as Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, just like you would be able to do in real life

[Blademasterbobo]

filling in the blank spots on the map that came with the game was the best thing in the entire game

[stevesan]

You're right that the dungeons had auto-maps, but not the overworld.

And I can imagine filling out the paper map being fun. I guess I miss out cuz I'm playing on emualtor.

[stevesan]

He means a full map, instead of a map that slowly fills as you explore.
To me that's the main point of a map, that you are able to find your way back with it. One other feature that I think is awesome is the ability to put annotations on your map, like some DS titles such as Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, just like you would be able to do in real life

I actually do just mean a map that fills out as you explore, but for the over-world (Zelda has it for dungeons only). And yeah, annotations for maps are awesome. I loved Ultima Underworld's map system for that.

[Blademasterbobo]

I'm playing on an emulator, too. The map is really easy to find online (it's even in the first post of the zelda thread in the games section.) I just printed out a copy.

[TheSpaceMan]

Small thing on this subject. Would be interesting to make a world map like in the civ games, where you are in the center of the world and it zooms out and aligns with the actuall size of the world the more you explore.

[Fun Infused Games]

Yes it needs a map. There are a lot of other modern game conveniences it could use too. Would love to see a Zelda 1 style game that plays like the original but with maps, better save, etc. Which is actually on my TODO list to make

[baconman]

I think the best thing to do in this is to have it, but keep it optional. If there's a printable map that players can create or fill in via graph paper, keep that option open too. It's just that there's different opinions of what's fun.

Dark Souls and it's surprising level design works specifically because it DOES NOT have maps or auto-mapping. In fact, I think classic Metroid does for the same reason. But there's no harm in going both ways, right?

[stevesan]

I think the best thing to do in this is to have it, but keep it optional. If there's a printable map that players can create or fill in via graph paper, keep that option open too. It's just that there's different opinions of what's fun.

Dark Souls and it's surprising level design works specifically because it DOES NOT have maps or auto-mapping. In fact, I think classic Metroid does for the same reason. But there's no harm in going both ways, right?

Really need to play Dark Souls soon..

But Demon's Souls, I thought the level design was just on the verge of needing a map. For the swampy level, I really had to look at the wiki map to get around. I kinda lost patience with that level. But for every other level, each section was distinct and memorable enough so I could just remember things pretty well, and they weren't all that non-linear anyway.