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Navigating in structured 3D spaces with a map

Discussion in 'Game Design' started by Murgilod, Apr 3, 2018.

  1. Murgilod

    Murgilod

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2013
    Posts:
    10,084
    If that's not a daunting sounding title, I don't know what is.



    So I have a game I'm working on where the city the player occupies is built in layers, with each layer having its own key locations (save points, quest locations, etc). Hopefully the model above gives some idea of how the city is stacked. Since the player is going to be able to fly around the city, it's key that they're able to navigate the city without too much stress. Anyway, I want the player to have a map like in GTA and most modern open world games so they can easily get around without having to stress about remembering everything on their own.

    That's where I'm stuck, however. I know full well how I could implement such a system when the map is largely flat, but all 3D concepts I've been thinking up are largely "3D radar" style things that don't exactly take into account things like buildings being in the way. I was thinking about taking some inspiration from Breath of the Wild's Divine Beast 3D maps, but those quickly become cumbersome the bigger the city gets. I then thought about dividing the city into layers that each have their own maps, but that would make it so that if the player was one level above a save point, they'd only know about the save point that's a block away on the same level as them.

    I've given this a lot more thought than even the examples I've listed, but I'm still kinda stuck on this one. Any ideas?
     
  2. JoeStrout

    JoeStrout

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2011
    Posts:
    9,859
    I'd present the map in layers, but show important key points in the layers above and below. Perhaps use color, size, or opacity to indicate how far above or below they are; certainly make it clear that they're not on this level. But at least you'd know they're there.

    This wouldn't be enough to plot a course, but it'd at least be enough to know the general direction — then you could get yourself on the right level, and plot a detailed course from there.
     
  3. theANMATOR2b

    theANMATOR2b

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2014
    Posts:
    7,790
    Researching the 3D Metroid Prime games might lend some direction. I seem to remember they were initially confusing, and a bit difficult to adjust, but I got used to them eventually.
     
  4. Doug_B

    Doug_B

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2017
    Posts:
    1,596
    Depending on how many points of interest there are, could you show a same-level minimap for simplicity and have colour coded screen edge indicators for directions?

    For example, maybe save-points are blue. If the nearest save point is on the next level down and the access point to that level from this one is to your right, a blue marker appears on the right hand side of the screen.

    That way, the mini-map could show local topology for immediate navigation and the screen edge markers show a more general direction for distant destinations?