In Morrowind, we had a pretty useless minimap that only really helped by letting us know what direction we are going.
In Oblivion, we had a compass that pointed us to exactly where all our mission objectives were, effectively removing the exploration aspect from the game entirely.

What about Skyrim? Do we have any clue what kind of navigation system we will have access to? We know that the game-pause map will be a real overhead view of Skyrim. What about the normal navigation?

Will we see a return of Morrowind's minimap, perhaps in a more useful form?
Or something more like Oblivion's compass?

Or maybe something we haven't seen before in an Elder Scrolls game?


Discuss.

That is the worts possible scenario. I say *NO* to that.

I read somewhere there's going to be a 3d Map where you can zoom in and out,hopefully without any quest location hints.
Let us do the job and use our brains.

No to Fable-esque golden trails!
No to magic compass!

I like Oblivion navigation system.
They should only remove that pointer on the compass (or make it optional) and it's fine in my book.
Of course, NPC should give you more detailed info about where you have to go and what you have to do like they did in Morrowind so you can go out into a real adventure.


Ugh, I really don't know who thought that it was a good idea to have one and what kind of lazy people actually use it. >.>

not sure I like the idea of this big 3d map. Its too hi tech, i know we're playing the game on a computer but wouldn't it be better to just have a drawn map to feel more like you're in the world, kind of like Far cry 2 where the guy holds the map. (The only good thing about that game...)

So I vote for a choice, you can switch the compass markers on or off. So if you prefer to explore, you can do that. Should be a simple code to write surely.

I don't want a map which tells me what's nearby and where, as it makes it no fun to explore. I don't want a compass pointing me where to go for the same reason. It just makes land... empty space between where I am now and where my destination is.

If I had to choose between the OB method and the MW method, I'd go with MW. However, I think OB were definitely going in the right direction with the compass, as it cut out on a lot of frustrated searching and such that I had in MW on occassion. I just think it was a little too heavy handed.

Can I say I'm hoping it will land somewhere in the middle?

I tend to agree. Somehow the idea of a 3d rottatable zoomable map goes against the low-tech feel of Skyrim. I can understand the need for a 3d map - withall the mountains and so forth - but it could be an isometric etching, for example. It feels right in the inventory where you can rotate and inspect 3d items, becuase that mimics what you'd do in real life. Nothing comparable when it comes to a map.
Anyway, taht's a minor issue for me.

Oblivion-style thin strip of a map, but everything else should be like or as close to MW's as possible. With some improvements, of course, so long as they don't include a magical arrow pointing to your goal.

I've heard the compass is making a return. Whether it has automatic map markers is yet to be seen.

The compass will be on the screen at all times.

Hopefully quest markers will be optional. I also want an overhead map which doesn't display your marker and doesn't automatically centre to where you are (should be optional too). There was a mod in Oblivion to remove the map marker but it still centred on your position so you still knew exactly where you were, made it a bit redundant.

I know I am different than many in this regard, but I prefer nothing. One of the (only) fun aspects of Mortal Online was trying to figure out which way to go and where you were heading. It was a real adventure and exploration. It took me 2 days of hard searching to find the right way into a jungle in a valley, but when I did it was highly satisfying (and good hunting ground since few people knew how to get in there).

At most, a paper map with town locations and basic geographic features.

RDR had a method where an area of where the target is in a shaded circle on the map.This,IMO, is a decent compromise between the two camps.If the pointer is gone I would hope they still allow the player to place their own markers.

One thing I have trouble understanding is how many,not all, make the dire claim that the arrow ruins exploration.How?You do know you can explore on your own with out being told "It's time to explore you have a quest."
If they mean things showing up in the compass that is one thing but I often see it in the quest arrow threads.

I want compass without quest markers.

What about navigation based upon the stars? Put those constellations to good use!

(I know, very complex but fun to imagine!)

Realistically I say just a simple compass and based upon what I've read already we have a map as well so that's all you really need. A map and small compass, that's navigation at its core.

But don't the stars get brighter or dim, perhaps even migrate, as the character develops in the game?

But it'd be interesting doing some land nav....good for making weather effects more real.

I want a REAL compass. North, East, South, West. If I need to go somewhere for a quest, then the NPC will say "it's north of here" or "it's southeast of here", and then off I go, on my way (to see the wizard.)

Well I know that (when I say I know I mean I think >_>) we wont actually see the HUD unless we're in battle, healing, etc... Though I could be completely, utterly, and totally wrong, and I only read the first post, so if someone else said this I apologize...

Exploration -> Compass Only
Battle -> Health Magicka Stamina + Compass

Yup me too.

Quest markers and compass icons just completely ruined any form of exploration, tracking and thinking in Oblivion.

I second that

I'm not really for or against Oblivions style of the compass because if I was in a rush it was handy to just be able to get on with the quest. However, I would like it to be an optional thing so that when I set more time aside to get into the game i can turn it off.

They said that a compass will be on screen in the middle on the top of the screen.

Try to remember to separate "compass" (that thing that tells you which direction you're going, N/S/E/W) from "quest & map markers".

I keep seeing people say "well, they said the compass is in" as equal to "quest markers, dammit".


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Personally, I didn't mind the quest markers in OB. But that's because alot of the time, the quest text & NPCS gave little idea of where you actually needed to go. (it was even more important in FO3, with all the confusing arrangements of subway & inner city Map Cells).

If they improved the info, and added a good bit of "let me mark that on your map", then it might be ok.

But I wouldn't be bothered by markers, either. Certainly never stopped me from wandering over hill & dale in search of Random Crap in OB & FO3. :shrug:

Am I the only one who likes quest markers better than getting lost all the time?
It's especially useful for NPCs. In Morrowind it was simple, as nobody moved ever, in Oblivion finding somebody was harder.