One thing that really disappointed me in Oblivion as compared to Morrowind was the map. Not the size, but the fact that it was boring, and worse, didn't show you where you'd been. In Morrowind the map changed color when you'd explored an area, in Oblivion the only guide that you had was what landmarks were on the map, and if the area you'd been in was sparsely populated with caves, etc. it was hard to tell if you'd been there or not with a particular character.

TES put such emphasis on exploration that I'd really like to see something like this in Skyrim.

Yeah, I loved that I could see where I have already been.

I loved that too in Morrowind!

And it should be easy to implement IMO.

I actually preferred the Oblivion map as it was well, "a map" and didn't look like a "satellite view".

I would like to be able to make notes on the map though.

I agree with the OP, as well as being convenient to see where you have to explore and giving you what is essentially a non-marked collectable quest (fill in every cell with colour), it made it ALOT easier for modders; with he Morrowind style map, user added content was shown on the map. The current mad search for maps showing the big mods you installed on Oblivion would become unneccassary if the game updated the map for you. Although I have to agree, the oblivion map did look alot more immersive, who knows, maybe they could come up with some form of middle ground?

morrowind's map that came with the game was a work of art in my opinion, i loved traveling to see what the x's led to, or traveling to those odd looking buildings

Why not a few different versions of the map, and that way you can shuffle them to your own satisfaction?

While Oblivion's map looked more like a map that your character could actually realistically have, I still liked Morrowind's map better precisely because due to its "satellite view" like look, it provided a better indication of what the terrain of the game looked like, and shows a better indication of what locations you had explored, I guess it comes down to a matter of preference, though, some like to have a really "immersive" in game interface, which is probably the kind of reasoning that leads to things like Fallout 3's Pipboy, but personally, I'm not too concerned with the look of the interface, the map included, as long as it isn't offensive to the eyes. Mostly, what I want is interfaces that are practical, giving me access to all the information they should tell me when I need it, but that are still unobtrusive when I want them to be. Morrowind's interface was not fancy, but it makes the necessary information more conveniently available than Oblivion's. And the map in particular I liked because I could easily see where I had explored before, it also reflected the terrain better than Oblivion's.

But I would say that the advantage of showing where you have explored does not necessarily need to be sacrificed to keep a more realistic map like Oblivion offered. It would simply require a different style of map, anyone who has used mods for Oblivion might notice a number of different colored map mods of varying styles, perhaps the map could, by default, be without color, like the Oblivion map, but when you explore a part of it, that part could be replaced with a colored version, similar to the various colored map mods, the game could even go a step further by just showing the basic terrain at first and then adding details like roads or towns, and maybe even text identifying regions and such, after you have explored the proper locations. I'm not sure how easy this would be to do, but if it could be done, I think it would allow the game to have some of that satisfaction of seeing more and more of the world map filled in with color I always got in Morrowind, while still preserving some of the realism of Oblivion's world map.

And allowing the map to update to reflect changes to the terrain added by mods is definately a must, I would say, it always annoys me that in Oblivion, none of my mods that add new locations are reflected on the world map, and yet when I search for a map that has one or more of these mods on it, chances are that it's either not in the style I want to use, or it also includes mods I am not using. I never had this problem in Morrowind because the map would already show changes to the terrain added by mods by default.

I think I'd actually prefer MWs style as a huge printed map, with everything shown in a "weak" way. While ingame I get OB style *map*, where the things you have seen pops out a lot more.

Yeah I'd like a map like Oblivion but the ability to 'mark' crosses on it and type in what they are. The major cities would be highlighted, but everything else would be dictated by what I put in myself.

Wasn't Oblivion's 'local map' a 'sattelite view' while it still looked like real map, best of both worlds?

A map like Oblivion's which isn't satellite realistic but is tinted delicately as if by hand as you visit areas would be the best of both concepts.

OTOH I just spent the evening wandering all over western Vaardenfel trying to find the right stupid eggmine, and trust me even using both the Morrowind Prophecies and the UESPwiki that map wasn't all that photorealistic.

What they should do is an overhaul that addresses many facets of the travel system, and the maps in general. Maps like http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/6812/208206-black_marsh_map_oblivion_large.jpg look good in the game, and they aren't terribly time consuming to put out. Considering that, I say they make a ton of the maps and integrate them into the game world.

I'd firstly suggest that you'd have to buy all the maps you were going to use, as well as the compass. They had a wet compass in Redguard, so we know they can be items. Next, you'd need to buy the map or get the guide to the town if you wanted anything zoomed in. Buildings wouldn't have mini-maps or anything, they weren't tourist friendly. For more detailed maps of places outside the city, you'd have to talk up scouts and local mapmakers to get a map of the smaller piece of terrain, and to put landmarks and locations on there. As always, you can either pay for information about the area, or you can work for it with exploration.

Using the maps this way, you can also use them to fast travel. The map interface should be http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/fcry2mapbig.jpg so you don't have to be in a menu to operate. The animation to bring those out looked alright too.

To fast travel with them, you'll need to be able to navagate the paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. The more you know, the better you'll be able to fast travel. The Outdoorsman skill will let you be better at dead reckoning and fast travel off the roads, while better Equestrianism skill will let you evade fast travel traps along the way.

When you get a quest from someone, they'll point to where it is on your most relevant map and you'll mark it. None of that quest marker business, so you can't mark people with it. Only locations.

As a standard, many maps need to be wrong, or just flat out lies. In this time, the boundaries are only somewhat agreed upon. Disputes over borders are still a common thing, and maps are one of the best ways to lay claim to something. Each noble would likely have his own type of map for his or her interests, and make their subjects see it their way. There shouldn't really be an official map of what is what in the world, and the overall map needs to look quite a bit http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/457/26326036.jpg. It shows the major cities, a couple major roads, and the basic outlines of topography, but it's a pretty sparse map.

Then, maps by membership. Chances are that they aren't going to map every wayshrine of Arkay on a merchant's travel map, so you'd have to talk to the right people. Find someone in the town who worships Arkay, and don't forget that the society is henotheistic. Believing in Mara doesn't mean you give a crap about Kynareth. Getting maps as rewards again will be a great thing.

Lastly, you can sell locations to people. If you find an unmarked trade route, you can sell that info to some bandits. If you find out where the Baron's summer getaway house is, you can tell his enemies, or for a lesser price the Thieves guild. The guild might resell the info to the Baron's enemies, and clean house once they're through with the place. You guys might remember in Daggerfall being able to choose how you finish quests by taking evidence to someone related to the quest for a different outcome. There was a time Helseth was having you deliver a message for him, but you could take it to Barenziah for her approval and reward. You'll also remember revealing the mine to the elf in Vivic city in Morrowind, and that he gave you a daedric weapon for it. That's the kind of deals you should be able to work out. It's up to you to find and sell what they might be interested in.

This is actually one of the few things I'm not too sure about. I loved the detail of Morrowind's map but also loved the realism of Oblivion's.

morrowinds map was quite good, and as a "satellite view" map it was quite good.

oblivions map, on the other hand was not quite realistic, as it was far to clean and detailed, and had magical squares pop up to places where you had been. it also wasnt helpful at telling you where you had been.

if i had to chosse between morrowind or oblivion maps styles, i would choose morrowinds

ideally though, i would like to have a map style like oblivions, but more realistic and personalised, if that makes any sense; like having the option to add notes, or to place an X to a location that you think will be interesting

Hated Morrowind's map in every way. Oblivion's is real looking, realistic, and if you disable the map markers via console on the PC its even better.

While I immensely enjoyed staring at Morrowind's map for hours, and less so Oblivion's, I think less detail would be a better way to go.

Make the map (Both printed and in the box, and in-game.) look as though it were hand drawn. In place of the detail, make the map look heavily used. Cryptic messages and markings throughout can allude to clues and possible interesting things for the player to discover.

That's a very good point. I had forgotten about that feature with the Morrowind map.




Yes it was. But, I see a local "map" as "field of view", so it should be as detailed as possible.

Perhaps it's just me being old school pnp.

It looked like a satellite view, because thats exactly what it was. The morrowind map, both World AND Local, were a perfect replecation of every point on the map from the top down. It was literally displaying the entire overworld.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

While playing Morrowind and Oblivion I printed out a map and wrote on that. I also had a note pad next to me to take notes while playing them. I would like both these features implemented into the game itself.