Ok, your minimap is impressive, I'm still sorting through everything it needs to be functional.
The fog issue has come up a few times, the "best" way to remove the fog results in the users location arrow not showing up until they've zoned once (or changed halves of the map in two+ map zones). This is an unacceptable kludge; the other problem is very specific conditions have to be met for it to work at all: the map window must be closed when camping, and opened once before the first zoning. Also, I'm not sure SOE really approves of us defeating the fog layer, it's actual pretty hard to get around.
Here're the three basic goals goals I have in mind when working on the format of the map window:
1) Same size as default (this one seems to bother mod authors the most; the style sets allow this to be modified, but by default the map window should LOOK just like the default map window. We're adding maps not trying to dictate the users UI style).
2) Pack it full of information that isn't in the default UI elsewhere, but don't repeat data (this is why, by default, the map window doesn't have a label for your current loc, though I must say, your when-mouse-isn't-over path finder thing was really clever).
3) Avoid changing default functionality of the map window beyond a certain point (which is arbitrary, this is the most wishy-washy of my rules).
The minimap conflicts with goal 1; a second window increases the screen real-estate of the map window, even if it can be hidden. The quests window is an example of a feature that will increase the map window size, but will be an optional download. The minimize button conflicts with goal 1 but is being left in due to a grandfather clause; it's been there since really early on. I should probably make it a plug-in, but it's not high on my priority list.
Goal 2 actually also conflicts with the minimap; it's repeating data already visible in the map window. Keep in mind I love the idea of a minimap and will be using one myself (I've played with Zonx's minimap in various forms quite a bit). So my arguments against one aren't due to a personal aversion to a minimap in particular.
The minimap really doesn't conflict functionality-wise I guess, it's just another map. The no-closing-on-escape violates this goal, but, like the minimize button, it's been there since early on. I'm leaving this one in and just relying on an optional download to restore closing-on-escape. The pathfinder doesn't conflict with this because it's simply another POI; the user can just plug in the loc data manually.
Anyway, I'm not dismissing your work or anything, I'd like to implement all of it in some form or another most likely, it'll just be a bit; we're 99% done with the full auto-updating system and so am tied up with bug shooting that right now.
Quib
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