Should there be a minimap?

[anigmha]

Let me begin by saying that I really, really, really like this game. With that said, I think this game needs a very simple minimap.

Knowing the location of my teammates (and only teammates) at all times is necessary to cover each other's flanks, executing flank maneuvers and relaying intel. I don't need to know their exact location, I just need to know which cover they are currently in. Since all the covers are labeled (e.g. G2, U1, and so on), the game lends itself to a minimap in the form of a graph as shown below. The vertices are the covers and the edges are paths from cover to cover.

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(Minimap example of Drydock. Click to enlarge.)

Now when I say to my teammate "cover G2 from T1", by looking at the minimap, he'll know where to go and which direction to point his gun. When I say "flank hostile T2 from T3", he'll know exactly where to fly to get the drop on the enemy. Furthermore, the instructions could be elaborate while still being clear:

"Rush T1 from G1 with me on my mark."
"Two hostiles moving from T3 to T2, watch your back."
"Enemy sniper at T1 covering G1 and U1."

The addition of a minimap is not adding or removing existing game mechanics so it won't interfere with balance or alter the spirit of the game, after all, the best teams in Hybrid are already doing this since they played it enough to know the location and name of every cover. Instead, the minimap will encourage everyone in a team, no matter whether they're a rookie or pro, to communicate with one another since instructions could easily be given and understood.

Anyway, what do you guys think? I welcome comments from the community; I especially would like to hear back from actual developers in 5th Cell.

[anigmha]

Also, if the player is mid-flight from cover to cover, the minimap should either highlight the edge/path he is in or the vertex/cover he would retreat to should he press B.

[Lever]

As it stands now, the maps are small enough that I don't really see what good a mini-map would do. You'd be able to have the entire map covered all in one go. It'd just take up unnecessary screen space. Having Satellite on shows where all of the enemies are, for a short time at least.

[anigmha]

Having Satellite on shows where all of the enemies are, for a short time at least.

I think you need to reread the original post. The minimap should only show your teammate's position for team coordination, not the enemy's. It'll compliment the "combat-focused movement" (which is the term that 5th Cell used when describing this game).

[WAR]

I think you need to reread the original post. The minimap should only show your teammate's position for team coordination, not the enemy's. It'll compliment the "combat-focused movement" (which is the term that 5th Cell used when describing this game).

I do agree with the minimap but it should be use against enemies that being said I do agree that maps are to small but we still dont know if future dlc will come with bigger maps

[anigmha]

It'd just take up unnecessary screen space.

If 5th Cell can't make the map fit the corner of the screen, which I bet with clever graphic design would not be the case, I think the alternative would be to press select to bring it up. This game screams for a minimap so I hope they consider all possibilities.

[external memory]

Speaking of unnecessary screen space- the medals/killstreak award visuals take up wayyyyy too much room on the screen. A list on the left, like the obits on the right is really all that's needed.

Same with the enemy GT's displayed overhead; the exhaust highlights movement enough and satellite/situational awareness should be enough to pinpoint hiding enemies. I don't get why shooters now feel the need to do this, we never needed it before.

A minimap would really just be more hud clutter. It's bad enough no one uses mics or the callouts built into the game as is. Add a map and you make the only incentive a team has to communicate or have a satellite user obsolete.

[anigmha]

Same with the enemy GT's displayed overhead; the exhaust highlights movement enough and satellite/situational awareness should be enough to pinpoint hiding enemies. I don't get why shooters now feel the need to do this, we never needed it before.

The proposed minimap described in the original post stated that the map should NOT pinpoint hiding enemies. Yes, the “exhaust highlights movement” and “situational awareness” would be enough to highlight enemies, but that’s not what the map is for. The map would be there simply as a tool to coordinate a plan of action with your team. You still have to discover enemy location the old fashion way but now it would be easier to relay that information to your teammates and then collectively conceive an action plan.

[anigmha]

It's bad enough no one uses mics or the callouts built into the game as is. Add a map and you make the only incentive a team has to communicate or have a satellite user obsolete.

Perhaps the reason why no one ever uses mics in shooters is because most shooters make communication difficult. When two strangers play Halo, what do you think they’ll say over chat?

"Sniper on the tall tower next to the bridge."
"Ummm… The left tower or the right tower?"
"The left one."
"Wait… My left or yours?”

That’s a frustrating conversation to have and it’s best to just turn off the mic and flank that sniper yourself even if you really do want to work as a team. In Hybrid, it’s as simple as naming the covers: “Sniper at T1. Flank from G2”. Done. No ambiguities. Shut up and move along. But the problem is that memorizing names and relative position of covers is difficult without a minimap.

Hybrid is fundamentally discrete; you’re either in point A or B, there are no in betweens. Because of that Hybrid could be the first shooter in Xbox where strangers would actually actively communicate due to the inherent streamline of the game design. I for one would be proud to be a member of such a community.

[external memory]

Anigmha, this is an excellent idea. I'd add that shortening the name display somehow would be needed so this doesn't take up too much screen estate. Assigning a shorthand: A, B, and C to players before entering the match, and referring to them in this way would work.

It's difficult to read the gamertags as it is in some screens, especially in Variant red and on lower-res displays. Something with this much utility in a match needs to be highly visible.

Otherwise, displaying friendly waypoints through walls for players at all times with this shorthand system would work well enough also. For teammates not in FOV, an arrow indicator could be used.