EQ2MAP Feature Suggestion Thread

Quib · #1 02-08-2005, 12:07 PM

Alright, here's a thread just for suggesting ideas for this project. Don't worry if you don't know every little thing about what can and can't be done with the UI; if you have an idea you think is good, or a feature you'd like to see, suggest it. I don't know yet if I'll be actively replying to ideas, or if I'll just be reading them, but either way, I will give fair consideration to what you post.

I'll try and keep this post (here at the top of the thread) updated with ideas that I think can be implemented and that I plan to work on. This project will soon be more modular (composed of multiple XML files that work together to make the map window) and so optional window attachments and functions will become a reality.

This thread's growing pretty fast, don't feel like you have to read through it all. If you don't see a feature you'd like listed below, just slap a reply on the end of this thread. If you repeat something someone already suggested, it just means I'll know a lot of people think it's a good idea.

Main-release features pioneered in this thread:
Zone Connection Maps (by ger, will be in next release)

Optional modifications to EQ2MAP so far:
ger's Loc Icons

Optional modifications in development:
none at the moment

Optional modifications I'm working on implementing:
current loc in titlebar (originally coded by tonyis3l33t)
escape closes window
double click titlebar to minimize (suggested by metavirus)

Keep in mind these will all be optional and non-default. Some will be modified graphics files, some will be small XML files that modify the way the main map window works.

Quib

ger · #2 02-08-2005, 12:15 PM

Yet another idea for an optional graphical dealie: city/world map with connection indicators. See the attached image for an example of what I mean. (if you let me know what format, size, etc. you need to include them I'll do the work of creating the images)

Note: I didn't bother including bell connections in this example, only physical gate connections.

Quib · #3 02-08-2005, 12:46 PM

The names of the places are text objects in the XML, so for connection lines, you'd want the image to have a background color block behind the area name and the line between them, but you'll probably want to leave the area name lettering out of the actual image. Also, the location of The Sunken City label has moved since you made that image.

It looks nice though, and optional graphics are so easy to deal with.

The raw map file for freeport is in Ui\Default\images\maps and is named map_freeport_all.dds.

The format to save as would be DDS (obviously), DXT1, ARGB, No MIP maps. The resulting file should be about 129 KB.

Quib

tonyis3l33t · #4 02-08-2005, 12:48 PM

i like the idea ger

________
HOW TO ROLL BLUNTS

ger · #5 02-08-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quib

The names of the places are text objects in the XML, so for connection lines, you'd want the image to have a background color block behind the area name and the line between them, but you'll probably want to leave the area name lettering out of the actual image. Also, the location of The Sunken City label has moved since you made that image.

Well, that's going to make life more interesting. Ah well, I'll figure out a way to make it work.

Quib · #6 02-08-2005, 02:22 PM

Assuming you have photoshop, open the default freeport map file, take a screenshot in-game and put it as a layer over the raw file, lined up exactly. Draw the connections on a layer above the screenshot layer. Delete the screenshot layer, flatten image, and save.

Quib

ger · #7 02-08-2005, 03:47 PM

Good suggestion, Quib. Seems to have worked pretty well. Here's the Freeport test file, just to make sure it works on more than just my machine (I'm worried the labels won't show up quite the same on other systems, since you mentioned that Sunken City isn't in the same location on your display)

Edit: Added screenshot of how it looks on my system (i.e. how it should look)

TitchTimble · #8 09-07-2005, 12:38 PM

I would love to see filters for the POIs such as NPC, Mob, Questy Bit (objects you receive quests from), etc. Sometimes it's a real hassle combing through the hundreds of little icons on the map looking for something specific. If I could at least narrow it down to the type of POI I'm looking for, it'd be a wondrous boon.

Trip · #9 09-07-2005, 01:13 PM

I second TitchTimble's idea! That would be a fantastic time saver.

One of the quests I did was for the Legendary Journeyman's Boots. I had to look through all of the icons for 20 minutes, just to find all of the update points on the map for each zone. If you could toggle Heritage quest update points, that would be a huge time saver!

The ability to toggle just Quest NPC's, Named Mobs, Locations, etc., etc., would save everyone alot of time searching through all of those icons.

Excellent project! Keep up the good work.

Trip

Elmseeker · #10 09-08-2005, 09:46 PM

Not sure if this is possible or not but would be VERY useful, especially in larger zones with lots of dots, I think. I would like to see a search box on the map where you can type in a keyword, it could then display a list of POIs with those keywords in a list where you can select one to put up a waypoint...As I stated at the begining, I'm not sure how possible this is but I know I would personally find it quite useful in places like commonlands, antonica, TS, etc...

moldragor · #11 10-27-2005, 10:22 AM

Don't know if this has been suggested yet or not (sorry if a dupe).

When I'm in a zone, sometimes I'm looking for certain types of POIs (mobs, HQ, etc) and it is a pain to stand there in game and hover over every POI looking for these points. I'd like a dropdown box that lets me filter by POI type and hide the other POIs until I set it back to ALL.

Garni Blurfists
51 monk, Grobb
The unknown Force

Vivax · #12 10-29-2005, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elmseeker

Not sure if this is possible or not but would be VERY useful, especially in larger zones with lots of dots, I think. I would like to see a search box on the map where you can type in a keyword, it could then display a list of POIs with those keywords in a list where you can select one to put up a waypoint...As I stated at the begining, I'm not sure how possible this is but I know I would personally find it quite useful in places like commonlands, antonica, TS, etc...

I'm in TS questing Hell right now. This feature is my dream!

taco-man · #13 10-29-2005, 07:37 PM

unfortunately there is no way to create a search box in the user interface for eq2 unless it is already put there by sony.

Skosa · #14 11-24-2005, 07:22 AM

I admit I haven't read all the replies, but there's one feature I'd really love to have - a selectable display. When I'm looking for a specific creature to kill, it would be nice to have ONLY the creature icons showing - especially in the cases where one location contains several other POI's. As wonderful as this map is, the usefulness of it is actually decreasing with the increased information displayed - it's really becoming a case of "information overload."

Bryerwood · #15 03-23-2006, 05:36 PM

Not sure if this has been mentioned already (there were lots and lots of ideas to read through), I'd love to see a zoom in features so the dots aren't overlapping as much. There's so much useful information on there, its hard to click the right dot ... just a thought. BTW, I LOVE this tool (and so do all my friends)!