[Suggestion with Mock-Ups]

Improving Planetside 2's 'Strategic Map'

[RPS] Cooper -- VS -- Miller Summary: Five changes to the map at a large scale (when fully 'zoomed out') to increase the amount of usable information for strategic decision making.
Below are 5 steps suggested to change this to increase the amount of usable information in the strategic map (when zoomed out fully) and at the same time reduce the amount of visual complexity. It is based upon cartography design that abstracts and simplifies the representation of information as scale increases. For the impatient the first image is an example of the final product. It is not expected you would have all layers visible like this, so it does look cluttered. At the end of this document are some example of what it looks like with various layers of information switched off.

(See the end of the document for less 'cluttered' examples with layers turned off)

Full Mock Up of a Section

Step 1: Change the lattice links to a Tube Map style

Using the iconic tube map style and making the links followg common roads/paths between bases to increase the information in this layer. The usable information available changes from Where to go next to Where to go next and how to get there

Step 2: Add roads as a layer

Roads are currently only visible as part of the satellite imagery. As such they suffer from being indistinct in many places. Picking them out is an important step in increasing the amount of information easily available on the map.

Step 3: Add contours as a layer

Contours (lines denoting changes in elevation) are currently very faintly visible as part of the satellite imagery. Even more than roads they are very indistinct. Moreover they are only properly visible when zoomed in, yet contour information if most useful when viewing large areas of the map at once. This info can really help drivers and pilots in particular (elevation and cover) and anyone planning an approach on a location.

If you look closely, contours are visible as very faint lines on existing 'satellite imagery' that forms the basis of the map.

Satellite imagery is very information-rich. However this information is increasingly difficult to pick out the larger the area that is being viewed on the screen at once.

Step 4: Remove the satellite imagery base layer when zoomed out and replace it with building outlines.

When zoomed in on Planetside 2s map the satellite imagery is exceptionally useful for navigating terrain and buildings. When zoomed out in Planetside 2s map the satellite terrain imagery offers a lot of visual noise for very little information. Currently, certain layers (Lattice connections, territory control colours etc.) become more opaque as you zoom in on the map. This is a very nice feature. The feature could be reversed for the satellite imagery and replace it with a much more simple layer that contains block colour, shorelines and sea and outlines of buildings. Moreover, doing this reduces the visual noise if more information such as roads and contour lines can be added.

The black outlines for regions that appear offer no useful information now that hex adjacency has been replaced with the lattice system. Instead, outline only territorial ownership.

Step 5: Replace hotspots with front lines and remove regional boundaries.

Additionally, replace the current hotspots with front line hexes to better integrate information about current areas being fought over into the existing maps grammar.

Example of alternative views with optional layers 1. Without lattice, facility icons or territorial control

2. Without contours or roads

Feasibility
All of the steps in this suggestion use information that is currently part of the map and mechanisms that are already part of client-side UI drawing. Contour lines already exist; whatever algorithm that produces them as part PS2's map base textures could produce them as a separate layer that, like lattices, become more transparent as you zoom in. The same for buildings, if you look on the base map textures buildings are picked out in a blueish-white 'halo'. Whatever produces this effect could place the effect on a separate layer. Hexes and hotspots are already part of the base map design. Finally there is already a very good system for increasing the transparency of layers (lattice lines, territory ownership, enemy activity etc.) as the user zooms in. Simply reversing this the increase the transparency of the 'satellite imagery' base layer and showing instead a much simpler layer with a base colour, shorelines and buildings should be possible.

Acknowledgements
To Reddit user Aetrion for the 'subway style' lattice suggestion: http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/1enb0k/some_ideas_to_improve_the_rushlane_map To Reddit user sumguy720 for the road highlighting mock-up: http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/1euo9b/please_allow_roads_to_be_highlighted_on_m ap/

--[RPS] Cooper. The most purple of giraffes. Outfit Leader of Rock, Planet, Shotgun. The Vanu outfit for the community of the Rock, Paper, Shotgun PC gaming website. 9th July 2013 www.rockplanetshotgun.com