This is something I've always queried, but having just taken another alt through this area I thought I'd finally ask.

 

There seems to be 3 options to explain why this map does not actually show the true state of the zone:

1) Is the map representation of this area purposefully confusing and crap, in order to represent the "madness" induced by this area?

2) Is the map supposed the represent the state of that area before the corruption took over and altered the land?

3) Is it just a terrain mapping bug not including most of the giant walls of trees and stone, and not showing the true relief of this area at all?

 

(or has my Nightmare Lands map always been bugged and ****?)

This is something I've always queried, but having just taken another alt through this area I thought I'd finally ask.

 

There seems to be 3 options to explain why this map does not actually show the true state of the zone:

1) Is the map representation of this area purposefully confusing and crap, in order to represent the "madness" induced by this area?

2) Is the map supposed the represent the state of that area before the corruption took over and altered the land?

3) Is it just a terrain mapping bug not including most of the giant walls of trees and stone, and not showing the true relief of this area at all?

 

(or has my Nightmare Lands map always been bugged and ****?)

 

4) The map is designed to drive the player to madness

 

Seriously, I did that section of Voss when it was new and it was messed up back then, too. I spent an hour wandering around looking for the entrance to that ******* cave.

I think it has to do with the top down nature of the map that doesn't show places where we'd be blocked. Taris is pretty similar. Belsavis kinda does this if there isn't a path shown going through an area. Corelia seems to do this too.

 

Does a developer actually make the map or does the engine generate it like a Bethesda game? I'm thinking like how the Construction Kit automatically adds things that modders put in the game to the map. Like I'd put a house in an area and the map would generate my new house.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Zerileth

I think the maps are autogenerated. The detail is already too painstaking to be done by hand.

I think the maps are autogenerated. The detail is already too painstaking to be done by hand.

 

Well that's what's weird, right. It's like the generation engine totally misses out the giant walls of tree roots and cliffs there, it's just so wildly inaccurate! There's other confusing places that the map shows the relief of, Alderaan comes to mind, and all the gorges and canyons in Hoth are perfectly clear on the map

I did have this frustration navigating Belsavis. I didn't have much trouble in the Nightmare Lands on Voss. It's obviously a limitation of the engine, unless they used a separate program for that.

I... honestly have no memory of the Nightmare Lands feeling that bad to navigate.