Underrail Forum

Underrail => Development Log => Topic started by: Styg on October 19, 2017, 03:50:14 pm

Title: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Styg on October 19, 2017, 03:50:14 pm
Hi guys,

While our development is mostly focused on the expansion there are a couple of issues that we wanted to address before its release as we think that they will greatly influence the experience of playing the DLC as well as the base game.

First of these is the global map. This was a contested issue since the alpha versions and is probably the most frequent complaint we get from the people that have a positive view of the game as a whole. Some people may be wondering if the global map was something that was originally planned for the game and, truth to be told, I don't really remember (original plans for the game were laid almost 10 years ago now), but knowing myself I would probably implement one if I had the (time) resources that I have now. Back when I was at it alone I had to cut corners in both content and feature departments, and map is a bit of both really. Later, when the game has grown monstrously in size, even though I then had the time to add new features, a good amount of geographical inconsistencies made sure that there was no quick and easy way to produce a quality map, but instead some major rearragements were going to have to be made.

But anyway, now that we got around to doing this, here's how the map implementation looks like (new players be careful, there are minor spoilers).

(http://underrail.com/images/DevLog/map1.jpg)

(http://underrail.com/images/DevLog/map2.jpg)

(http://underrail.com/images/DevLog/map3.jpg)

(http://underrail.com/images/DevLog/map4.jpg)

We're going to have separate maps for different depths and some maps for the bigger urban areas. We've only gotten around to SGS, Lower Caves and Lower Underrail so far, but here's how the full list will probably look like:
Core City and Institute will not be included, at least not initially, because reasons. We are, also, not going to be making any maps for "dungeon" areas and such (like GMS) unless they are part of geography of existing maps (such as Depot A being part of Lower Caves by being an extension of Junkyard).

As you can see on the screenshots, maps will (usually, but not always) record and display what useful (or not so useful) creatures and plants you've encountered there as well as other points of interest (merchants, doctors, certain quest objects). These will not be updated after the initial encounter and do not always represent the actual state of the map, but are rather meant to be used as useful auto-notes for harvesting organs and plants and such. They will typically not record robotic and human enemies. You can also add your own notes to the map. A lot of static features of the map will also reveal themselves as you explore the map so that you won't automatically know, for example, if there's a power generator on that map immediately after entering.

The map will be available in the next updated which will be released sometime before the DLC which is going to be released when it's ready. But on a serious note, I do hope to release a new update on the experimental branch at least in the near future so you guys can play with all the new stuff that we've added over the months and we can finally get this huge pile of patch notes off of our shoulders (and replace them with bug reports).

Anyway, let us know what you think about the inclusion of the global map and about this particular implementation. In the next dev log I'll probably be talking about another important, but probably less impressive, change to the base game that we're working on.

Cheers.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Fjodik on October 19, 2017, 04:44:36 pm
This is the best QoL feature , many thanks Styg. Honestly, have not expected this....

I only hope we will receive the next update before Christmas :-)

EDIT: I am pretty sure that the global map will bring you thousands of new players, you deserve this guys.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: mattu on October 19, 2017, 06:28:59 pm
I was perfectly happy without a map, but damn, this looks nice. Looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Tygrende on October 19, 2017, 07:37:47 pm
Is this real life
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: MirddinEmris on October 19, 2017, 07:48:57 pm
Is this just fantasy?
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Swarley on October 19, 2017, 08:28:19 pm
Looks great! Are you sure that barrel is safe though?
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: player1 on October 19, 2017, 08:54:21 pm
Now if we could only get mule NPC characters to carry our loot to traders, game will be perfect. :D
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Altos on October 19, 2017, 09:18:39 pm
Well, this is unexpected! A map in Underrail? I must be in motion, because this doesn't seem real!

I love the ability to add custom notes to every single room. With how massive Underrail is and how much there is to remember, this will come in handy for sure.

I am curious to see how you choose to handle all of the spatially confusing transitions in Lower Underrail, like the one between lu-c4 and lu-c2, where you go from a Eastern entrance to a Northern exit, or vice-versa. Something like Salamontes' map will probably work best (http://www.underrail.com/wiki/images/a/a4/Saltamontes_map_4x_lu.png).

I also hope you add enough detail to the room markers on the global map that they are recognizable to new players. Especially in the upper caves, a lot of the rooms can be easily confused. ;)

Lastly, I love the fact that you're positioning the rooms isometrically on the map, so the cardinal directions are maintained and North doesn't have to be to the right like in some of the fan-made maps.

Overall, the map looks great! Keep up the awesome work, guys! :D

Caught in a landslide; no escape from reality.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Styg on October 19, 2017, 09:37:47 pm
I am curious to see how you choose to handle all of the spatially confusing transitions in Lower Underrail, like the one between lu-c4 and lu-c2, where you go from a Eastern entrance to a Northern exit, or vice-versa. Something like Salamontes' map will probably work best (http://www.underrail.com/wiki/images/a/a4/Saltamontes_map_4x_lu.png).

We had to add a number of area to make the maps geographically viable and consistent. Lower Underrail, of course, was the biggest offender here.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: TheAverageGortsby on October 19, 2017, 10:44:09 pm
Very handy feature.  Thanks for adding it in.  Even though I probably have the whole base game layout memorized, it'll help me get lost less in the expansion, for sure  :D
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Sanger on October 20, 2017, 12:06:14 am
Excellent, thank you for adding this in. Not for the sake of those of us who have the entire layout of the game world committed to memory, but for those looking at picking it up. This game deserves more love, and it's great to see impediments to new players adopting it getting knocked down.

Is this just fantasy?

Just wanted you to know that the attempt to start a Queen chain did not go unappreciated.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Altos on October 20, 2017, 02:19:59 am
We had to add a number of area to make the maps geographically viable and consistent. Lower Underrail, of course, was the biggest offender here.
New areas in Lower Underrail? Sweet. The rail sections you guys added in 1.0.1 were awesome, and made the Lost Train quest a lot better (you can actually follow the tracks now!). Plus, the black crawler was cool (if disappointingly weak), and the cell phone is nifty. I still wish you could play the old alpha music on the cell phone, but oh well. One day...

With how many weird transitions there are in the game, though, you guys must have added a lot of new zones. Anything you can reveal about what we may find in these new rooms? :P
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Sanger on October 20, 2017, 03:03:07 am
The portable computer really made me wish for some kind of ongoing information network/mission hook feed/etc. in the game.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Dusty_Monk on October 20, 2017, 08:35:41 am
It would be nice if there was an indicator for discovered but unexplored exits. For example, a short orange line extending southwards from crossroads and perhaps a short red line extending east to represent a currently inaccessible (blocked) exit. This would remove the need for the player to add comments listing unexplored exits.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: UnLimiTeD on October 20, 2017, 09:30:49 am
Man, I'm late to the party. And a party it is. Nice one!
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Hazard on October 21, 2017, 06:10:03 pm
That's a really neat addition, even though I think the lack of an in-game map had a certain weird charm to it.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: vlad on October 22, 2017, 12:45:14 pm
MAP FOR THE MAP GOD!
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: UnLimiTeD on October 22, 2017, 05:19:47 pm
Wait, I thought it was for us!
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Fenix on October 22, 2017, 11:14:46 pm
I got high on Elex and look what I got! :o
Seriously though, this mean I won't feel panic attacks anymore when I got lost, also breakpoint for me was a territory near Rail Crossing, after I got past this point things got easier.
Also, sometimes I have a feeling that I forgot to check some exits and there are unexplored areas out there lol.
I think map will help with this, which is simply GREAT.

Also, it will help to acomodate new players.
And now we will be able to tell new players, how hardcore we were in those good hardcore times, when all was a pure hardcore!

PS Well, I think I spent too muh time in Hardcore City Bar.  :D
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Wrath of Dagon on October 24, 2017, 12:39:36 am
I may be missing something, but are the rooms on the map only revealed once they're discovered? That would be better for exploration. Would be nice if passages from discovered rooms were shown though.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: MetaSieg on October 27, 2017, 01:30:13 pm
Well this will really help with exploring. I was always paranoid that I'd missed an area when I was running around.
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: alexandergikalo on November 27, 2017, 06:11:19 pm
Does anyone know when will the update come in with the world map? I want to start a new game with this useful feature :) :)
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: vlad on November 29, 2017, 04:38:05 am
Btw, will this update be compatible with old save files?
Title: Re: Dev Log #55: Global Map
Post by: Yosharian on March 15, 2018, 06:53:34 am
Registered just to post this:

I got hooked on Underrail quite a while ago when I heard about it through a YouTuber.

Spent a long time devising a build that I liked, spent an extremely long time absorbing the first stages of the game, was fascinated and enthralled by the game and its adherence to old-school role-playing.

Didn't mind the old-school approach to playing without a map at all...  until I reached the tunnels.

It killed my enthusiasm for the game completely. I got lost more or less immediately, found navigating the tunnels extremely, extremely difficult.  I even went as far as trying to create my own map with a pencil and paper.  But I just couldn't do it.

I guess I am old (36 this year), or maybe I am just too used to having an in-game map.

I can tell you that it's not due to laziness that this happened.  I am the type of gamer that mods out HUD compasses, quest markers, and all kinds of modern game conventions that I think ruin immersion or provide short-cuts where none are needed.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am really impressed that the developer of Underrail is putting in a map feature, and I can't wait to get back into the game and experience the rest of it!

I think it goes to show how incredible the game is, that I still remember vividly all the parts of the game I did experience.  I don't even have any worries about feeling lost again when I get back into it.