Abstract

Navigation is a vital element of any game that features player movement with some degree of freedom, and no wayfinding support technique can communicate spatial information as proficiently as a map. Because they are so powerful, maps often serve as the easy go-to solution for any wayfinding problem, but the reluctance of developers to question this solution is inviting an alarming level of creative plagiarism, stunting the development and improvement of in-game maps. This thesis aimed to contribute to an accessible catalogue of existing map interfaces and the discussion about common practices in map-based wayfinding support techniques. A literature review provided insightful information about the opportunities and detriments of certain map features. Especially turn-by-turn navigation and marking points of interest were a matter of critical discussion. The analysis of 20 in-game map interfaces provided insights into the choice of features in popular games. Additionally, a Unity package was developed, encompassing the most commonly used map features and enabling their easy inclusion in Unity games.

Results/Implementation/Project Description

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