Alternative to Atlas "Board Game" Style Design

If you are like me, then you find the endgame atlas system to be a bit tedious. Being able to zoom out further would help a little, but it doesn't solve the fundamental tedium of the design. This infinite board game design with many branching paths leads me to constantly pan the atlas, looking for what the most optimal path may be, instead of actually doing the fun part, which is clearing maps and taking the rewards.

I would like to propose an alternative atlas design that takes away the tedious labor of panning the atlas looking for points of interest, and replaces it with a streamlined design.

Take the below Grok generated image for example.

https://imgur.com/a/vwu6Cog


The map device could work like a slot machine or vertical carousel.
The slots are your last completed map, current map, and next map.
You can choose to skip the current map, perhaps this cost some gold that scales with character level.
When you skip the current map, the next map becomes the current map, and a new next map is shown.
An option to defer or save a map for later may be an option as well.

Precursor tablet slots would also be unlockable and insertable into the device upon completing tower maps.
Precursor tablets affect the "next n maps" instead of "n maps in range".

I think a happy median between the current atlas design and my very streamlined approach would be to change the way tablets work. Instead of applying in a circle radius around a tower, simply apply the tablet to the next N number of maps. You can choose whatever map you want to run and the tablets apply. You can have up to 3 tablets active at a time if you have completed a tower with the requirements met. Do another tower to refresh the tablet slots when they expire.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

I love the new design, but then i also loved Delve in POE1 and it borrows heavily from that mechanic.

Actively searching for things on a map for me at least is far more engaging than just hoping for that 0.001% drop chance etc.

That said, I can see why people dont like it. There are definitely UI improvements that it could do, like filters for content type because it definitely can get overwhelming if you explore broadly rather than mostly in a single direction.

I'd also like that temple thing you put splinters into to be brought into your hideout (same with the key thing) or just use them directly in the map device.

Also a bigger map device. It is ALWAYS covered by portal/map name so you have to run/roll "south" to be able to click on that tiny map device. POE1's was much larger, I want that back.

Also, does one of the $$$ stash tabs hold tablets? If not they should really add some tabs to the "Map" stash tab for tablets.

Yes, I can see the inspiration from Delve being applied to this new design. I think you make good suggestions for improvement.

However, this doesn't solve my fundamental issue. I feel a disruption to the game flow every time a map ends and I need to address the atlas again.

For example, let's say I want to focus on ritual content because I am short on Omens. Inevitably, the atlas paths will have Ritual content scattered all around and running in a straight line isn't the most optimal. The precursor tablets apply their affects in a circle, so even if you use ritual tablet a straight line isn't optimal and you will break off from the current path often.

This constant break of flow to have to search for the next point wears on me and I find it difficult to keep mapping for a sustained period of time.

The biggest problem with the atlas is you cant just pick map types you like. You HAVE to play the ones you don't to get to towers (which most people don't like) and to TRY and find the map types you like.

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Soulsniper1313#7576 a écrit :

The biggest problem with the atlas is you cant just pick map types you like. You HAVE to play the ones you don't to get to towers (which most people don't like) and to TRY and find the map types you like.

By map type, I assume you mean the map layout and not the extra content on the map. It would be nice to be able to adjust your atlas for map layouts you prefer.

For me, I don't bother trying to track map layouts anymore. Since killing all rare monsters seems to always drop a map of current level, I don't worry about poor layout maps as much as clearing the rares and any mobs along the way.

I tend to leave maps with over 50+ remaining often, as long as boss/rares and any additional content is complete. This is possible as long as map drops are guaranteed from completing rares and bosses.

I think a happy median between the current atlas design and my very streamlined approach would be to change the way tablets work. Instead of applying in a circle radius around a tower, simply apply the tablet to the next N number of maps. You can choose whatever map you want to run and the tablets apply. You can have up to 3 tablets active at a time if you have completed a tower with the requirements met. Do another tower to refresh the tablet slots when they expire.

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Finkster06#2606 a écrit :

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Soulsniper1313#7576 a écrit :

The biggest problem with the atlas is you cant just pick map types you like. You HAVE to play the ones you don't to get to towers (which most people don't like) and to TRY and find the map types you like.

By map type, I assume you mean the map layout and not the extra content on the map. It would be nice to be able to adjust your atlas for map layouts you prefer.

For me, I don't bother trying to track map layouts anymore. Since killing all rare monsters seems to always drop a map of current level, I don't worry about poor layout maps as much as clearing the rares and any mobs along the way.

I tend to leave maps with over 50+ remaining often, as long as boss/rares and any additional content is complete. This is possible as long as map drops are guaranteed from completing rares and bosses.

I think a happy median between the current atlas design and my very streamlined approach would be to change the way tablets work. Instead of applying in a circle radius around a tower, simply apply the tablet to the next N number of maps. You can choose whatever map you want to run and the tablets apply. You can have up to 3 tablets active at a time if you have completed a tower with the requirements met. Do another tower to refresh the tablet slots when they expire.

Yes I mean the layout. Like Vaal Factory can never show up again and I would be happy. Being forced to play that crap to get to something I enjoy is annoying. Forcing into things you dont want/like is never a good time.