Auto-map

[Jack Dandy]

I have some questions about the auto-map, since I'm debating on whether I should use it or not;

1. How easier will it make the first playthrough? Would it feel like cheating if I use it?
2. I remember discussions you had with people, regarding whether the automap will track your exact location in the dungeon in the case you teleported to a new area. Have you found some way around that, or does it simply show where you are on the level?

And to the other posters, will you be using it?

[petri]

I'd say it's more about your personal preference than anything else. Yeah, it shows the location of the party so it's impossible to get lost with it. If you're familiar with the genre you should be fine playing without the auto-map. The idea of the auto-map after all was to make the game more approachable to newcomers. That said, I wouldn't consider it cheating if you use the auto-map. I'm not being very helpful, eh?

[Alaric]

I have some questions about the auto-map, since I'm debating on whether I should use it or not;

1. How easier will it make the first playthrough? Would it feel like cheating if I use it?
2. I remember discussions you had with people, regarding whether the automap will track your exact location in the dungeon in the case you teleported to a new area. Have you found some way around that, or does it simply show where you are on the level?

And to the other posters, will you be using it?

I love maps! In my house I have framed maps from games hanging on my walls. I also remember how much fun it was to draw my own maps for the labyrinths in games such as King's Quest and Legend of Kyrandia. I think what I'm gonna do, is go to the store, buy some graph paper, and map out the entire game. In fact it's the exploration I am looking forward to the most, not combat.

[Jack Dandy]

I'm not being very helpful, eh?

Ah, geez! Hmmm.. The thing is, I AM pretty new to these kind of games, but I think I have the mental capacity to make a decent map. At least, I hope so...
When I played Ultima 4, one of the things I enjoyed the most was printing out the world map and navigating Britannia exactly according to it- I was surprised how accurate it was.

Hmmm... I guess it can't hurt to try making the maps myself. Already got a little notebook dedicated to these sorts of things

[petri]

Ah, geez! Hmmm.. The thing is, I AM pretty new to these kind of games, but I think I have the mental capacity to make a decent map.

Yeah, totally go for it! You can always restart and enable the auto map if you're having problems. Of course it can be pretty painful if you're far in the game.... Actually I would expect many players to first do a quick run with the default party to get a general feeling about the game and then restart with a more finely tuned party. You know, just to get the party build "right" you need to know how the gameplay works. Anyway, that's what I would do but I'm waaay too much biased to say how the game should be played

[Jack Dandy]

I'll create a custom party- wanna test your party tools to their maximum.

What's a game without challenge, after all?

And besides, having a custom party makes you care about them that much more!

[Isaac]

I remember finding a map (on graph paper) in a book at a thrift shop once. It was unlabeled, but had a familiar layout and a drawing of a candle on it... Then i realized that it was someone's map of Raäka-tū.

Does the auto-map mark secret doors only after they've been found? (I hope )

[Alaric]

Can't imagine it being otherwise. They wouldn't be very secret if so.

[petri]

Don't worry, it doesn't show secret doors.

[Isaac]

Can't imagine it being otherwise. They wouldn't be very secret if so.

IIRC Lands of Lore had a fantastic automap, but I do think it marked secret doors for just walking past them; though it might possibly have only been marked if an NPC noticed it (I don't really know). The NPC's could notice and mention false walls, but that may have been scripted.

What I liked about Eye of the Beholder, is that in the lower levels, the concealed switches became harder to find; but I (unfortunately) found the "use switch" hot-key in EOB, and that works on any wall with a switch (hidden or not ).