One of the main things people love about the TES games, if not THE main thing, is the exploration.

Coming around a corner and finding an awesome, beautiful waterfall or a cool bridge to cross or an intimidating looking ancient ruin.

Seeing the entire landscape in 3D before you even go anywhere is going to ruin a LOT of that for us.

For example, if you start the game and want to go to Solitude, so you look at the map, you will be able to see, "OK I will head north from here, pass that giant gray building, cross a stream on that bridge that I see, go through what appears to be a small settlement with four buildings, cross that field, go to the left of that old Dwemer ruin, and then go around the edge of that lake and I'll be there."

Then when you are wandering up that way, you will see everything that you just saw, and none of it will be surprising or unique at all, because you just looked at exactly what you are going to encounter on your way there.

It's much better if you can only see maybe a road, or a body of water, so you can still tell which way you are going but it doesn't spoil everything for you.

I thought unexplored parts would be fogged up?

And I love the 3d map. I'm honestly suprised people dont like it, in spite of hearing their reasons.

Are you REALLY surprised? Considering how much TES players love their immersion?

I could barely see the Ground on the 3D Map, too much Clouds O.o

You won't be able to zoom in super close and the LOD system will make sure you can't make out hidden areas.

I like it. I too was surprised that people would hate this. :shakehead:

Is there anything people DO like here?

I think people overstate the possibility of this. It's one thing to see a vague representation of a waterfall and quite another to see it up close.

I really dislike (not hate) the idea of a 3D map, is it just the local map or will it be the world view map too? If it's the local map i can deal with it, and might even be useful..but if it's the world map too it sounds like a downright awful idea.

It looks like there's clouds over the parts you haven't explored yet. Your immersion will remain intact.

I really hope they are. It sounds weird, but that's the single thing I've been waiting to hear about since Skyrim was announced.

I dislike it for the same reason the OP does. I'll probably use it in later playthroughs, but not my first one.

I think the map is just [censored] awosme

you do realized that the map doesnt render everything it is basically like an LOD version of skyrim

The 3d map is superior. You can have overlapping locations. Such as the arched rock in Solitude. You can't do that with a 2D map.

the 3d map is Amazing and im pretty sure the only things that are visible on the map is Main event loactions for storyline, not some tiny town showing on the map,

Nah, I like my maps. I don't really think of using a map as spoliers. I mean, you can buy maps almost anywhere, yes? Why not in Skyrim?

So if it's fogged up you will be satisfied? Bethesda!

This

Agreed completely. The 3D map is almost too good at what it does.

In real life, I like to know exactly where i'm going.

In an open-world game like this where i'm in a strange fantasy world, I like to feel lost, find things out for myself, etc.

...

Also, fog won't help much. It won't take long at all to lift the fog just by walking around. As with most games, it will probably work on a radius around the player... so you'll probably only need to walk in a straight line down a path to reveal a much wider line in the fog that shows some of the area either side of the path.

If I find the 3D map to be bull-droppings, I will NOT bring it up on-screen and use my Skyrim cloth-map instead ^^,

Yeah. It's not like with the old map, you could see where all the locations of dungeons and things were. You won't be able to see things in places you haven't been to yet.

So ultimately, none of us knows whether or not unexplored parts will be cloudy? I'm sure if enough people tweeted Pete he would be willing to divulge an answer. It's not like this is top secret information. And I dont have a twitter, nor am I going to create an account.

You can buy 3D holographic maps almost anywhere?

I honestly would. That's the only thing about Skyrim I can think of that might disappoint me.

As someone who loves the Civilization series I was thrilled to see a 3D map added to TES.