[suggestion] Live Map improvements

This Suggestion has 3 parts:

1) The "Empire Hub" live map created by JDHallows is more versatile than the current live map format. Currently, each smp pulls up its own browser window. The suggestion here is to implement the JD live map with any improvements needed. http://emc.jdhallows.com/

2) In order to help those of us who are looking around the map for an Outpost/Empire location, could there be a toggle-able box of 1.5k in each direction from player location? This would help players know (visually) how far to stay away from other player builds that they can see on the map.

3) I would love to see a colored icon placed where established outposts have already been approved, so that I know to stay away from them. But there are players who do not want their outposts known.
Could this be optional? or perhaps added with Empire permissions?
I don't have a good answer here. Good fences make good neighbors, but if you cant see the fence - how do you know where to stay out of?


Edit: adding clarification that these are 3 separate suggestions, but they work so well together as to be one .

This comes up because I literally tried to claim an outpost where Gawa has been before. He isn't active right now and there really wasn't anything built for me to see, but I was roaming right on his claim in a newly generated area (at least I thought it was and it might be, hard to tell so far). I will be leaving the area, as it is claimed. But this just proves the point - I saw nothing to know that it wasn't open.

https://empireminecraft.com/threads/denied-katydid-build-anoutpost.85655/#post-1605916

I like that one, super easy to jump to different areas.

I like ideas of having such an outline on the map as you suggested. This would definitely help out visually for players trying to find a spot to claim.

As for your denied claim. JK did say that he didn’t see anything but there were locked chests at the Established claim site for Gawa..
So what I’m getting at is the suggestion may help visually to pinpoint an area to build at but if no one has built on the area but it’s already established then claims can still get denied. So as nice as a toggle for the suggestion may be. It may not yield all the results you may be wanting.

correct. This would just be another set of tools to use to find a possible location for outpost or even to build on at all. Still have to go through the process and ask. Just a bit of visual help.

(the other part of that comment with jk was at the repeated request of mine, i moved the wrong way searching for an area and wound up plowing right into gawa's claim sometimes when players are denied we don't always have the best idea of which way to move and I had misunderstood before. I dont think there was an area big enough at all and have left that area in search of another. )

AGAIN, a thread never gets old if the topic is still in contention. I do not like to see so many thread about the same topic just because the first one is old. I am old too but have not been replaced yet LOL.

Nice Ideas. I like the http://emc.jdhallows.com map but wish I could copy and save a location so I could see it when ever I want. I do this with the current EMC map for my outpost so I can watch it as I work on different areas.

Maybe an Outpost could be coded so a message would popup on the player's screen telling them they entered an outpost area and can not build or do any alterations without permission from the owner.

Katy:

1. if JD’s sites stops hosting EMC map, maybe EMC can adopt it. But I don’t see an issue of who is hosting the combined map, as long as it is available. +0
2. I do like a toggle-able outline of the 1.5k blocks, would have helped quite a few people in the past. +1
3. Outpost locations have always been private information, yes they can be seen in the map, but locations should be private, and not easily detectable- as far as outpost- if you see a player build near you established or not, outpost will be denied, unless you have permission from the other builder. -1

You can “already” do this with the chain button at the bottom left corner of either livemap (EMC or JD hosted) You can save a folder with each location in your browser - however the saved link is only directed toward EMC’s map.

format: https://smp1.emc.gs/?worldname=wilderness&mapname=flat&zoom=3&x=10494&y=64&z=335

fun fact - I discovered the old “new” frontier spawns exploring this trick and link format by changing the X,Z values

http://emc.jdhallows.com/
uh. that is the emc website ??? JD just made a project (or something staffy) on it

I find this latest comment hard to understand, but your suggestion is that the big ugly buttons on the left on JD's website would be implemented into a main livemap page, right? If this was to be implemented into a single page, instead of 10 as we have now, the server should also be stored in the link.
When did EMC last update the Dynmap plugin, I wonder? Rather than trying to hack it, maybe there's an update that makes Katy's suggestions possible.

My point to Tuq was that it was already an emc address, so there was a confusion about the matter of who hosted it from my reading of his comments.

JD's version has a live map layout that is cleaner: yes, the buttons on one side to switch through the smps, as opposed to the current version that lays out only one server with waste/wild/town per browser tab. There are a number of players who use the JD map link as our main-goto for information gathering. For some reason, the link is not allowed to be written into chat, there is an error with it. No, I don't remember the error, its been awhile.

I once told JD that it was a fabulous, global map that more accurately matched our new global chat, in the very best of ways. He replied that this was a forgotten project and that it should be tidied up a bit more. (best recollection of comments)

I actually can't see the outlines of outposts on JD's map, either.

Nonetheless, I at least plan to build a giant border fence out of terracotta a couple meters inside of the MPO's actual borders, so people know not to claim closer by; that'll solve at least part of the problem on SMP6 specifically. Granted, we've not been griefed for many years, nor have any of our members accidentally built beyond our borders, but I still don't want to take any chances. Also, the rules are clear; even if it's not an official claim, you need written permission to avoid being denied a claim within 3 kilometers of visible activity.

I respectfully dissent. If you'd like to mark your territory, you're welcome to build a wall/fence or place pillars on land, and build buoys or pillars in the ocean. I'd even strongly advise it for those that can afford it, but to still do so in a way that won't impede movement; cobblestone is easy to come by and not terrible-looking, and you can smelt it into stone and even smooth stone via charcoal to mend your pickaxes too. Nonetheless, a catalog of all official claims across all of the SMPs would probably be difficult to make, given that they're not residences or protected outposts and that the names/locations on/of some central locked chests may have later been changed.

As long as my pixel art on Smp7 isn't blocked, we are kosher

You are allowed to disagree, that's fine.
But I am worried that you missed my main point:
In order to prevent anything that staff has to undo later, mark a boundary on the live map of places that are taken. Doesn't even have to say who it belongs to.

Just "no go zones" and then we don't have this situation later:
Well, I was a new player and looked for a spot away from everyone else and didn't see anything here. Been building for 6 months and that player wasn't even online. I didn't know I bumped into their stuff, no one told me.

Those established areas would just be a line on the maps -- while waiting for Empires/Outpost updates. And since it seems around 50/50 for opinion sake, make it optional.

Is this map up to date, or is it EMC's map imported?

I ask, as the EMC map does not refresh correctly and explored blacked out area don't always update and show that they have been explored.

Also are you looking for a specific server to develop a base, your welcome to establish next to me if you like.

https://empireminecraft.com/threads/base-dig-out.86623/#post-1621054

This is an older thread from Jan. Just got revived as it is still a pertinent topic. The live map cannot be 100% trusted for showing untraveled areas, I concur.

I believe JDs project map uses the same data the same way, but that is a dev question. I have had it explained to me why that sometimes happens with the live map, but I am not sure how I should explain it, I will let staff do that here.

They're the same maps. If EMC makes any changes to the smp3 livemap, that change will immediately also be reflected on JD's website, when you go to the smp3 livemap.

👆I second this.

make a mod intergrate this
also add a waypoint, it would be much easier for those who need minimap but did not like their map overwrite when travel in other smp

I actually take back my dissent. I realized that showing claimed areas (even if not by name) could have far more community benefit than I initially thought: It could show what areas to avoid if someone wants to build a road and/or railroad in the overworld between their outpost and the nearest frontier spawn area. (It'd technically be against the rules for them to build through someone else's territory without permission, even if it's far underground, unknowingly and for the purpose of mobility.) So now I give this idea a +1.

Nonetheless, I'd still understand if the code was too complicated for the developers to practically implement, especially in light of the fact that some of the central locked chests may no longer be there or now have different players. Perhaps just make it to show those that are still there as they were once they were established, and the owners could have the option to come forth if the locked chest was altered/removed? Unless, of course, staff have records of the exact central coordinates of every officially established outpost, in which case that may not be an issue as long as devs can add individual areas manually. Either way, maybe also make it optional for the owner(s) to submit their names to be shown for a claim on the map; a choice not to submit your name would still allow some level of privacy, even if the area itself is shown as a no-go area.

I wonder what Aikar, chickeneer, MoreMoople and TheCritic think of the second paragraph idea. Also, whether maybe Krysyy or another moderator/senior staff member (maybe even a retired one) can elaborate on whether the records of the exact coordinates are taken and kept when an outpost is officially established.