TSM Travel Map or BG roads.

[Swift]

This is mostly idle curiosity on my part. I hear comment now and then in private messages and the ALFA chat channels regarding which method of travel people prefer, so I thought I would run a poll:

Do you prefer TSMs travel map to represent vast distance or do you prefer the way Baldirs Gate has done it with multiple narrow areas of road to stretch the distance over?

If you feel like explaining your choice, feel free to post below.

[Blindhamsterman]

I voted roads.

Travelling TSM was a million times more enjoyable when we had a road system. Would be fantastic to get something like that.

BG probably has some of the nicest areas in ALFA these days, lots of experience has allowed those that built it to really make it shine.

Getting roads in a similar style to BG added in would be fantastic but would require some skilled area designers with a lot of time on their hands. Especially as we'd probably want something akin to the random spawn system to populate some areas with encounters etc much like on BG.

[t-ice]

The biggest benefit of a overland map I've found, from the DM side of the screen, is that you can use the map and a collection of "random X" areas to represent IC places all over, not having your story-telling so strictly constrained by what's built or not. And not have PCs mysteriously always just visit the same 1% of the actual areas of the lands.

Of course you can do that with ports and roads all the same, given those "random X" areas. With the map you're just showing where we are, as opposed to giving a description "So and so far from this towards that". For some people I suppose it doesn't matter how well they are "on the IC map", and to others it does.

[Hexigo]

I vote for roads aswell.

I think it is more immersive to have to walk the roads actually, then the overland map.
It does require much more work for the builders, but it makes everything more "real".

[Heero]

I prefer the travel map with points of interest along the way. While Id like to see some road areas here and there, it is very unrealistic and IMO less immersive to walk 2-3 long areas between towns. I think a travel map, with maybe an area or two of road between destinations would be ideal.

[Creslyn]

Long, narrow stretches of road that are 16x2 are filler for the sake of filler - it's the worst way to simulate travel time. A server map is a much less resource intensive way to handle it, and as t-ice said allows for much more interesting places to be built that don't have to either be right next to each other or need massive corridors built between them.

[Heero]

Long, narrow stretches of road that are 16x2 are filler for the sake of filler - it's the worst way to simulate travel time. A server map is a much less resource intensive way to handle it, and as t-ice said allows for much more interesting places to be build that don't have to either be right next to each other or need massive corridoors built between them.

Amen.

[Veilan]

I love the feeling of immersion that comes from fleshed-out, interesting areas to traverse and travel that give you a real feeling of distance and movement. Travelling the Anauroch in ALFA 1 gave you a real feeling of achievement if you managed, and NC was what, 200 areas? Many of which were beautifully done and had interesting bits and pieces to explore. It sucked you into the game environment and made everything feel real and engaging.

However, NWN 2 ripped the possibility of that apart... and useless, needless filler areas that just seem like snaking tunnels for the sole purpose to make walking longer are more immersion breaking and gameplay-hindering than what they offer in return, to my eyes. The TSM travel system seems an okay compromise, sure it's not really immersive either, but at least it allows people to meet up. It's not my preference, but it serves its purpose.

I would vote "NWN 1 travel!" if we had it, but since we don't, I vote travel maps over filler areas.

Cheers,

[Swift]

and NC was what, 200 areas? Many of which were beautifully done and had interesting bits and pieces to explore. It sucked you into the game environment and made everything feel real and engaging.

NC2 was nearing 900 areas from memory

[CloudDancing]

I am tremendously fond of Sand's roads which inspired us to create the rest of BGs road system. Paazin created a random person/camp spawn which is just impressive with that on top. It's not as dangerous as TSM but you enjoy the walk and the gathering. Plus it is fairly long.

My only beef is I try to RP the distance/time involved. So if my character travels to Beregost, I try to say i've been there for a four day. And Nashkel too. It's not a short trip IC timewise.

I want a boat based giant Moonshaes Island Travel Map IF only to make sense to the players where the heck they are in relation to everything. It is very easy to get confused with boat transfers.

TSMs? Bane of my player and other players coexistence. I've seen the bones of it as well and respect the amount of trouble gone into it. It is the scripts that kill it and what it does to normal NWN2 scripts for PC movement and pets exisitence. And there is the Bardsong crashing thing. And the accidental log out issues. And the accidentally being ported to the wrong encounter zone 100 miles from where you are issue.

I love it visually. And i've noticed Exodus's runs a little smoother and you can see all the characters btw.

[t-ice]

I love it visually. And i've noticed Exodus's runs a little smoother and you can see all the characters btw.

Amn's map is more bare-bones. And every PC is a separate entity, it doesn't have the party-leader-represents-whole-party thing. For better or worse. Though personally I do like compressing the party on the World Map, if for nothing else it removes "accidental" ports to nearby places by this or that party member when the Map is crowded.

[Swift]

Most of the issues cloud raises are a result of scripting errors. Unfortunately, we don't have a scripting wizard on the TSM team. So unless someone from the tech team can spare the time, those issues are likely to remain.

I more than welcome any volunteer who wants to have a go at correcting the issues if they think they can, it's no small job.

[I-KP]

I want a boat based giant Moonshaes Island Travel Map IF only to make sense to the players where the heck they are in relation to everything. It is very easy to get confused with boat transfers.

Excuse the momentary subject creep but: ^ This. I like MS, I base there in fact, but the chain of ATs is so confusing (and in at least one case invisible!) that I'd bet my last child on there being plenty of areas on this server that most people don't even know exist, and that's just a waste of decent building effort. Getting from Corwell to the Underdark surface area takes something in the order of five boat hops, for example. At the very least an accessible (in-game?) high level map of all isles and connection points is a must for MS, IMO. (I may resume mapping them.)

[maxcell]

voted map. RP aspect really for me. It can be continuous rp and convo without hitting trans, after trans, after trans etc

[hollyfant]

Roads. Keep it simple.