Why is cartography still this way even after years of doing it in other games.

I actually enjoyed getting the cartography titles and have Legendary GMC, but there is one thing that annoys me.

Why do the edges of the map have to be so vague? This is even more the case in GW:EN, where several areas have blurred and vague edges even after wall-hugging them a couple of times.

I'm trying to remember what game it was.. possibly the original Dungeon Seige, where even though there was no title or anything to gain by uncovering the whole map, I still did it for fun. The edges on that map were, like the Guild Wars map, beyond the area that you could physically walk on, but once you walked along the physical edge, you got a nice clearly defined edge to the map too.

I'm also a LGMC - was mapping long before the title even existed. I'm generally fine with how it works, but do agree that the edges should be better defined. The original prophecies map was the worst, because it wasn't designed with the title in mind - you gained points for "revealing" blur - the map wouldn't even change but you'ld get 0.1% anyway.

I am another who has enjoyed getting the GMC title. I only have 100% in Tyria so far but I'm 98.5% in Elona and 97% in Cantha. I admit it is tedious and boring at times, but it is also very challenging in some of the high level areas such as Ring of Fire Islands. Anyone who thinks it is just wall hugging has really never tried it - there is a lot of fighting to do in some areas.

One of the worst aspects of mapping I found was that it is such a lonely affair! It is very difficult to get any other players to join you, even in a big friendly guild like mine.

The feeling of elation I got when I hit 100% in Tyria was fantastic!

Is great isnt it ?
when with tittle panel open active on the tittle and then you see it scroll up when you achive the tittle in chanta teh stotory was funny i was with 99.8 for 1 week with all map open and tired of compare maps (erm my 100% chanta maps was missing a bit near Aurios mines zone) so when i got a new 100% map i noticed i had there a very big zone to unlock .. so it was really awnsome to went there with 100% the feeling i was gona get it in that moment with all guildies in chat waiting for me to anounce ive achive it.

I have all of Cantha except for an exploit I should not have to use and a part of Shing Jea I was locked out of during Dragon Festival (yes - I went through the board-walk.) So I have concluded that this "You can get it without all of it" is a lie. I have 99.7% for that reason.

There is a difference between appropriate and savage. Let me explain the word savage to you, if you ahve no French experience. When chivalry was born a woman was said to "savage" a suiter for whom she either placed her obstacles too low to show his masculine prowess or too high for him to achieve. Most of GW falls on the latter end when it comes to titles or the cost of armor in latter areas (such as the 266+ cost of Vabbian).

Did this with Cantha - hence my proof that getting the title does not require 100% (edit) is not true. I've done the pixel to pixel comparison. After not being able to get Cantha I ceased trying to get any of them. I no longer see a point. When ANet gives a rat's and then does something like - highlighting uncovered areas and creating access to areas (like opening gates in Shing Jea training area upon requesting it of Insturctor Ng and a mapping access point for Jade Quarry and Aspenwood), then the title will be worth trying for again.

And that bolded part was why I never tried to get past 80% on any map. The number of enemies I would have to plow through to hump every inch of every wall was just not worth it to me. Usually I like mapping also, in games like FFXII I would just go around killing things to open up the map because the areas looked amazing and I could actually go more than 10 feet without bumping into an enemy. It might be worth it in Guild Wars if it wasn't for the level cap, but that is a different issue. Don't get me wrong, Guild Wars has some great environments also, but it just isn't the same as other games.

I should have added that if you put a bit of planning into your mapping trips you can also sometimes find good drops, capture elite skills, open chests and (as mentioned above) try to vanquish an area in HM, though this last is not something I have attempted myself. The point is, you can do things to help relieve the tedium of some areas. For example, The Falls in the Maguuma Jungle is one big boring area that takes ages to map. Before I went there I remembered that there were Behemoths that dropped green totem axes. By flagging my heroes and henchies away from the Behemoths and then killing them solo I managed to pick up two totem axes (market value approx 10k) - nice bonus to a boring mapping trip. Similarly I managed a Rotwing Recurve Bow when mapping Majesty's Rest and (I'm not making this up) an Icy Dragon Sword from the Ice Imp Cave in Mineral Springs. I would never have gone to the Ice Imp Cave if I hadn't been mapping.

Please don't change the Cartography Title Anet. Its just fine as it is.

You fail at Cartography sir. I got my 100% without the boardwalk. And I think the boardwalk can compansate for the Jade Quarry. Just get a good map to reference from. And use the High Res maps, not the 1024*768 stuff because that doesn't work.

Yawn this thread still open?

**Remembers ranger haning 30 feet in the air on a cliff in Ice Caves yesterday, floating under bridges, inside of trees, inside of rocks, walking through hillsides, passing through parts of buildings and looking at the unfinished back of the set, ROFLMAO and is very amused at this statement.**

One of the reasons I map solo is because I don't know anyone willing to lick the walls like I do.

I completed GW:EN cartography this weekend. I don't have any probs with the current way, except for the vague edges of the Norn territories (and a few others). This makes it hard to see if you make any progress with wall-hugging.

Trying to get the Grandmaster cartographer title is a royal pain in the butt. I had no trouble with tyria, and thought "hmmm, if this one is so easy how much more dificult can the others really be"? Well let me tell you I certainly found out the the thter 2 are a lot harder! I find it very funny that on both cantha and Elona, I have been stuck on 97.6% for months now. I have vanquished both, hugged every wall I could possably get to, and my numbers didnt change. I am so tired of doing the edges I could scream, but I have come to far to stop now. I would just love to see something that would make this just a tiny bit easier...but that will happen the day pigs really do fly. So yes, once more I am off to hug those same deaded walls I have hugged for months now.

Are you doing this with the cartography texmod aids? They can definitely help you out.

You shouldnt have to be using external aids. And those who say they don't and got everything easy are liars.

They should let you know with an /emote (such as /mapped) how much of that instance you are currently in is uncovered.

And those who make sweeping generalizing comments are...? :P

And once again, we see thread necromancy... Must be Halloween or something.

Agreed...i didnt do Monastery Overlook either..
are these types of threads getting old now?

btw exploring is fun, not hard yet time consuming and seeing parts of landscape you would not see in storyline is refreshing IMO