Summary of "Map Map - Off The Charts"
Map Map (demo) — Summary
You play as a cartographer exploring a sequence of islands, drawing a paper map by exploring the environment.
Storyline and goals
- Play as a cartographer tasked with mapping a series of islands by hand on a paper map.
- Small, chill puzzle-adventure focused on locating things precisely: trees, piles of stones, ruins, treasure, and remnants of a raven civilisation.
- Main objectives are to mark exact positions on your paper map (pins, stickers, drawings) and uncover secrets like buried treasure and ruins.
- Optional side tasks and treasures add exploration depth.
Gameplay highlights
- Each island begins with a blank paper map and no on-screen cursor or UI showing your world position.
- Tools:
- Pencil/crayon/eraser
- Pin to mark objects
- Stickers
- Later unlockable drawing tools (highlighter, pen)
- Distance and measurement:
- Distance unit is measured in steps: 5 steps = one grid square on the map.
- You count steps by holding the mouse and moving.
- Certain landmarks, when found, place a compass marker on your map and reveal cardinal directions in the world.
- Objectives and rewards:
- The game grades your accuracy (distance error measured to the centimeter) and awards up to three stars.
- In-world treasure maps can be found; these are incomplete and must be matched to the island map.
- Island design:
- Islands grow larger and more complex over time, introducing rivers, cliffs, ruins, and forests.
- Demo includes optional treasures and side tasks (for example, finding six raven statues).
Key strategies and tips (practical checklist)
- Start by mentally and visually tracing the island’s outline—distinctive bays, protrusions, and coast shapes are crucial anchors.
- Use camera edges and line up your view to determine relative left/right and distance from coastlines.
- Count steps carefully: 5 steps = one map grid square is the basic measuring unit.
- Cross-reference multiple observations: draw sight-lines from different vantage points and use their intersections for precision.
- Climb to high ground to see distant landmarks and coastline shapes, which help align map features.
- Find and mark compass landmarks early to orient your map to real-world north/south/east/west.
- For diagonal distances, use right-angle geometry: measure component legs or apply the Pythagorean relation to compute the hypotenuse.
- Use pen/marker tools to track confirmed positions (start points, discovered features) and avoid getting lost.
- Beware “false friends”: distant objects can look like your target but be unrelated natural formations.
- Be mindful that jumping or clambering can break step-count precision—plan routes to minimize measurement disruption.
- Use a finger on-screen or ad-hoc measuring to transfer distances between the world and paper map if needed.
Notable moments demonstrated
- Pinning a tree with a 0.2-step error and earning three stars.
- Learning to measure using the 5-step grid squares and counting steps to mark a pile of stones and a picnic spot.
- Finding ruins and using coastline, rivers, and high ground to draw cross-reference lines.
- Using a found (incomplete or differently oriented) treasure map to locate buried treasure and earn a fun reward (e.g., a highlighter or new drawing tool).
- Using finger-measurement and a simple hypotenuse calculation to locate a southeast corner marker in larger ruins.
- Optional objectives—multiple buried treasures and raven statues—providing added exploration depth.
Release and availability notes
- The video/demo covers a free build available now (demo).
- The full game has no firm release date in the subtitles; the author expects a fall release.
- Recommendation: wishlist the game on Steam to support the small team.
Sources and people featured
- Presenter: Many A True Nerd (referred to as “John” / “Jonas” in the subtitles)
- In-game characters referenced: Billy and Milo
Category
Gaming
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