Again in August I used to be watching the first Tone-MTF combo stream, and listening to them repeatedly strategize aloud so they might collaborate introduced greater than the same old planning speak to the forefront of the dialog, via which I seen the occasional potential for guide map feedback to be useful.

Only a few roguelikes assist freely including annotations to particular places on the map, maybe as a result of most roguelikes don’t have very massive maps anyway, or depend on different options like map reminiscence to serve sufficient of that function (some roguelikes will even retailer outdated enemy place knowledge along with gadgets and different objects/atmosphere options), or don’t allocate fairly as many dev sources to non-essential UI options.

The Floor Offers Method remembering {that a} specific creature was left exterior your FOV whenever you moved away, a easy option to let you realize you averted or fled from one thing in that space earlier. See the 2 ‘c’s to the south of the participant (@), the place ‘c’ represents a canine sort creature. (Wild canines are quick however can’t open doorways so I used a rod of slowing on them then retreated to shut the door.)

For some time on Patreon I had prompt map notes have been a chance for Cogmind, and though there was a good bit of assist for them among the many participant base, it wasn’t excessive in comparison with the need for numerous different options. Some potential roguelike standards to contemplate so far as the usefulness of map feedback:

• If backtracking to earlier maps is feasible, gamers might have to recollect some necessary native element(s) lengthy after they might have forgotten them attributable to having since interacted with many different subsequent maps and encounters.
• If maps are massive or complicated sufficient, gamers could have a tougher time remembering particulars about an space they could revisit later, or after saving and loading their sport for an additional session.

There’s no backtracking to earlier maps in Cogmind, so my private choice is to keep away from ending a session partway via a map if potential, to cut back the possibility I’ll neglect some necessary piece of data with out having to make notes on every little thing. On that be aware, nevertheless, again in Beta 10 I did add “log notes” which may help with simply such a scenario. In comparison with an interface function like map feedback, merely including notes to the log is a lot simpler to construct 😛

Including a customized be aware to the log. Implementing this function is so simple as calling up a dialogue field to simply accept a line of textual content and copying it to the log as soon as confirmed.

By way of briefly preserving information as a reminder for later, log notes are just like map notes however with out the positional knowledge, although as is these will after all additionally scroll away because the log progresses since they don’t have a separate devoted show.

Log notes is also used so as to add extra rationalization to the message log for these gamers who will export it in full on the finish of their run, for instance to explain in higher element what was happening on the time (in truth this was the unique cause one participant requested it an extended whereas again).

Curiously, because the log notes performance permits gamers to sort a line of arbitrary textual content in the midst of the display, some streamers have taken to utilizing it as an in-theme option to write a message letting viewers know they’re away for a brief break.

Again to the concept of map notes, though I someday lastly determined to simply add them on a whim for enjoyable (I do relatively get pleasure from taking dev detours to implement little interface QoL bits), I shortly found this was an advanced endeavor crammed with potential for bugs and coming with loads of UI challenges! You’ve bought your typical knowledge storage issues, the necessity to write but additionally edit or delete present feedback related to a selected location, a brand new modal interface to deal with all this individually from the remainder of the primary UI, and visualization work involving displaying the feedback usually, or simply reminders of the remark places when not proven in full, or relative instructions to feedback to assist pinpoint them throughout a bigger map… All instructed, this function ended up taking per week to finish.

Fortuitously for the visible components I finally managed to get the feedback piggybacking on the exit label system (together with assist for displaying relative route of off-screen feedback) relatively than having to put in writing a separate system, which might’ve taken even longer.

I’ll say that at the beginning I didn’t actually really feel this method could be well worth the period of time invested in constructing it, however within the time since I’ve been discovering extra makes use of (together with automated ones) which have made it appear extra worthwhile.

Map feedback are added by coming into “Remark Mode,” at present activated by way of Shift-Alt-c (however later additionally coming to the “particular instructions menu” in Beta 11 for simpler entry).

Including a remark to the map.

Even when not within the mode, the map view reminds gamers about feedback made earlier by intermittently highlighting these cells (the interval is adjustable within the superior choices, or may even might be turned off totally if it’s distracting). Hovering the mouse or keyboard cursor over a single remark place additionally reveals that one remark in its entirety, however on coming into the mode all of them seem without delay and stay seen so long as the mode is lively. Proper-clicking on an present remark (or the ‘r’ key) removes it.

Highlighting particular person feedback, in addition to displaying all of them and demonstrating particular person elimination.

As with different on-map labels, after all we’d like assist for displaying indicators of these not at present throughout the map view space. This was the place it got here in extraordinarily helpful to have already got plenty of structure in place for displaying directional labels.

Demonstrating off-screen map remark markers.

Remark Mode additionally helps biking via present feedback by way of Tab/Shift-Tab for added comfort.

Tabbing via map feedback, and in addition enhancing one among them.

General there’s a good quantity of overlap between map feedback and different present options (together with the aforementioned log notes but additionally different new Beta 11 options like merchandise looking out) so their usefulness will doubtless range significantly from participant to participant relying on preferences, nevertheless it’s all the time good to allow additional non-compulsory prospects.

Map feedback are certainly the one means so as to add customized spacial information the place it issues, although in my understanding player-side makes use of are in all probability fairly area of interest and I’ll be maintaining a watch out for what folks find yourself really doing with this function.

Both means, I’m beginning to just like the potential for automated makes use of, making map feedback a possible new device I can apply to have the sport serve up reminders of sure location-based information that doesn’t have already got or justify including its personal distinctive technique of show. I have already got some concepts of my very own, however that is additionally one space the place it may assist to see what gamers are doing, since repeated guide behaviors in sure conditions are all the time good candidates for automation.

One potential challenge I’ll be looking out for right here is whether or not map feedback really add tedium to the sport, primarily when it comes to optimum play. Like marking recognized Sentry/Heavy protection factors? Behemoths? It’s true folks can theoretically use screenshots as a recording device for this kind of optimum play, however that requires sufficient work that it’s not one thing gamers do in practice–we simply depend on our mind as a substitute :P. When you give gamers a device that reduces the price of some type of optimum play, one which was beforehand safely past the brink of reasonability, there’s all the time the hazard that this new device will invite tedium.

Once more although, if some type of map remark is beneficial sufficient, it could grow to be automated if potential. That stated, doing this in a means that’s each helpful and correct may find yourself being much more complicated than it appears at first!

Map feedback have been in prerelease check builds for a short time thus far and I’ve but to listen to about them getting a number of utilization, so I assume we’ll want extra time to inform!

// TODO: Add listing of automated map remark options right here 😉

…and right here we go, since publishing this I’ve began posting another examples of automated feedback, so the listing begins: