Dear Anet team,
I absolutely love the game and all the changes you have made since the first beta. However, when playing, I have felt that to my particular taste, the game is leading
me on a little too much, especially with the addition of 'vistas'. So I have a small request to make of you which I very much hope you can fit in before release.
Here's the basic story:
The Main map and minimap and event tracker are useful tools for most players, especially when stepping into the game. However I have found that the more I play, the more I'd like to explore the world without any indicators of what is where. The request I would make of you is that you create an option to hide the icons on the main map and minimap and a 'show / hide' UI element for the event tracker to the top right of the screen. Currently, I feel like I run through the world until I notice an event update and more often than not, change direction to somewhere that I otherwise may have gone. While this has its advantages, it also can take you out of the immersive feeling that the game gives you.
As much as I feel these features help many players, I can't help but think that the option to hide them would add a new layer to the game which could potentially extend the life of the game even more.
In terms of art assets, this option could be implemented in the main game options with the use of the existing tick boxes, leaving the budget for this feature entirely to the cost of the coding.
As for what it could bring to the game, I'll list a few things off the top of my head but I'm sure people will find other uses as well:
A higher immersion value for roleplaying. Some people Just want to be directed by what they can see with their eyes.
Self imposed 'Exploration challenges' in which you attempt to fully explore entire zones without the use of icons + tracking.
The nostalgia created by talking to friends about how you discovered this awesome event or secret when you're all using this feature.
'Hardcore' races from 1-80 without using icons / event tracking.
The 'skyrim feeling' of running around not knowing what is happening around you until you pay attention to the detail (which brings me to the next point)
The amount of detail that is in this game is enormous and quite frankly, it would be a shame for people to miss the quirky conversations and small events triggered by interaction. Not being able to see the Icons for renown hearts and skill challenges, you would be encouraged to talk to NPCs and hear their stories. I have thought about this idea for a couple weeks now, taking into account cost and effect upon the game and I'm not going to pretend I know better than you, but frommy limited view, I see this being a very cost effective feature that would take very little time and funding to add in.
Ideas for Icon option implementation (sorted by cost vs time)
One button to show / hide all either on the map or in the options.
Several buttons, one for each icon for a more customizable feel.
If you feel especially generous - someone suggested this in a thread I created on this topic:
'In the character creation section , the game could ask you if you are an <<exploration guy>> , so all these things are hidden .
And an ingame button to enable/disable them.'
But the baseline is this: any form of being able to hide those icons and the event tracker would be immensely apprecieted, no matter how low budget you want.
Pretty please?
With sugar, cherries and icing on top?
Thanks for reading!