Automap Functions

[blender81]

1. IsCurrentlyInAutomap
An ACS call that determines if the player is currently looking at the automap. Returns 0 if not in automap, 1 if in automap, and 2 if in automap overlay

2. Custom Automap Colors
Allow the modder to choose what colors the automap uses. If the any of the AM_* variables are not using the default colors (the player has changed them), then this feature is automatically disabled.

3. Remove Statusbar from Automap
When entering automap, the standard doom statusbar is placed on the bottom of the screen, regardless of the current screensize. If the player has maximum screensize, then do not draw the statusbar during automap.

4. Text
A new Thing that is invisible in-game, but will draw floating text on your automap. Used as map labels (ie Thomas Guide) or objectives. Can be triggered on and off.

[Graf Zahl]

1. should be none of the map's business. It was annoying enough that Cold As Hell did something similar for the status bar. Leave stuff like this to the player. The mapper should have no influence over this whatsoever.

2. Again, leave that to the end user. If I don't set the colors to something non-default I don't expect the map to do it for me. It would just piss me off (and not just me.) THe main use of this would be to disable the automap and that should not be encouraged.

3. good idea

4. I think you are overvaluing the use of the automap. I'm quite sure many players never look at it so it should never be made part of the gameplay in any way.

[Enjay]

4. Text
A new Thing that is invisible in-game, but will draw floating text on your automap. Used as map labels (ie Thomas Guide) or objectives. Can be triggered on and off.

Actually, I really like this idea. I've made plenty of maps where specific points on the map have to be reached for whatever reason and where a little bit of automap help is useful, even required. However, I'm limited to spelling/drawing something out using map lines set to always appear on the automap. Having something like this suggestion would be a great help for stuff like that. I agree with Graf that a lot of players rarely look at the automap. However, for levels that are set up for it to be part of the gameplay, this would be a very useful thing and far more professional looking than my current work-around.

As for the ease of doing it, time versus value etc...

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[blender81]

1. IsCurrentlyInAutomap
An ACS call that determines if the player is currently looking at the automap. Returns 0 if not in automap, 1 if in automap, and 2 if in automap overlay

1. should be none of the map's business. It was annoying enough that Cold As Hell did something similar for the status bar. Leave stuff like this to the player. The mapper should have no influence over this whatsoever.

I think cool things can be done with this. I'm a big fan of custom hud displays, and it always bugs me that custom huds are always drawn over the automap (huds drawn through hudmessages). Besides that, it would be nifty for a script to detect whether the map is up, and if so, draw player stats or mission objectives, should a mod decide to take a more RPG route.

2. Custom Automap Colors
Allow the modder to choose what colors the automap uses. If the any of the AM_* variables are not using the default colors (the player has changed them), then this feature is automatically disabled.

2. Again, leave that to the end user. If I don't set the colors to something non-default I don't expect the map to do it for me. It would just piss me off (and not just me.) THe main use of this would be to disable the automap and that should not be encouraged.

Perhaps the display options for automap could include: standard colors, zdoom colors, custom colors, and mapper-defined colors (with the default being zdoom colors, as it is right now). I think it's always cool to have absolutely everything in a mod customized to the way the modder wants it to work. If I make a mod about a frenzied architect, the player would refer to blue-and-white blueprints automap. If I make a mod about some film noir murder mystery, the map would be a stark black and white.

4. Text
A new Thing that is invisible in-game, but will draw floating text on your automap. Used as map labels (ie Thomas Guide) or objectives. Can be triggered on and off.

4. I think you are overvaluing the use of the automap. I'm quite sure many players never look at it so it should never be made part of the gameplay in any way.

I personally feel the value of the map is up to the modder to decide. Perhaps a mod about a motorbike pizza delivery boy could use a cool map ("get on your motorbike and deliver this pizza to the City Morgue, go!")


With all that being said, I do realize that these suggestions are fairly goofy, can easily be abused, and probably only appeal to a small niche. I just think that with the awesome abilities of ACS, ZDoom mods are infinitely capable of almost any game genre, be it adventure game, sci fi RPG, murder mystery, a real-time strategy game, a Grand Theft Auto-esque world, and so on. Anything that can further accomodate new genres would be great.