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

[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.

[Cosy]

I don't know really, I don't feel there is really a need. Maybe as an ability. Like it lasts for 12 seconds, gives you a minimap which shows you where the enemies are, but has a long cooldown.

Generally, though I don't think it is needed... not all games need minimaps.

[anigmha]

I don't know really, I don't feel there is really a need. Maybe as an ability. Like it lasts for 12 seconds, gives you a minimap which shows you where the enemies are, but has a long cooldown.

I strongly believe the minimap should NEVER display enemy location. Allowing previously hidden information, the exact enemy position, to reveal itself is essentially adding a game mechanic which is something you should not do in a beta. A beta is more for tweaking existing mechanics (like fudging the numbers for weapon damage, blast radius and cooldown time) and less for adding new ones since that could easily throw the game off balance and require even longer playtesting to fix.

[Cosy]

I strongly believe the minimap should NEVER display enemy location. Allowing previously hidden information, the exact enemy position, to reveal itself is essentially adding a game mechanic which is something you should not do in a beta. A beta is more for tweaking existing mechanics (like fudging the numbers for weapon damage, blast radius and cooldown time) and less for adding new ones since that could easily throw the game off balance and require even longer playtesting to fix.

Not really, I myself am a game developer... in ways, I am working with two other people on a small game which is in Pre-Alpha, yes it is different, but if you add something which is a risk as long as you don't invest a huge amount of time and money in it you can easily remove it, or fix it.

Betas are designed for a range of things, to see how the game plays in a present build and to throw things in that you are unsure about and see how the player base reacts. People are going crazy about weapons, they will adjust, increase and decrease weapon details and see how people react. This is the point of any sort of play testing, no matter the version.

I am not saying that they should throw anything in, no, but seeing how people react to ideas is what they should do now rather than as DLC or large patches, thus damaging the player base who have bought it if they are bad.

[anigmha]

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.

I agree with everything you said. Let me add that when "displaying [friendlies] through walls" as you say, it should also display the name of the cover the teammate is in as well.