Question by Andyzano · Jun 04, 2014 at 05:16 PM · gui dynamic minimap waypoints real-time

Best way to make a dynamic altimetric minimap?

Hello,

I have a question that probably isn't easy. I'm making a racing game and I wanted to implement a different kind of minimap. Instead of the usual one, who's often just a masked ortographic camera from above, I wanted to make something similar to what Pro Cycling Manager does (you can check a random video on youtube, or a screen here). As you can see, we're talking about about an altimetric map where one or more icons, representing the characters move on the map's X and Y along with the character progressing on the stage.

The problem is that my game is also in full 3D, so my character is not going to move just on the x axis, of course. I'm trying to figure out a method, I even checked popular 3rd party plugins like KGF Map System and NJG Minimap but I couldn't find a solution.

My guess is that I have to put a lot of invisible waypoints along the road, and once the player gets there his position is updated on the small map. The problem is that I can't grasp the way or the code to write to make this "update", I mean, it can't be a texture swap for every move you make or it wouldn't be any smooth of course.

Thanks a lot if you can help me.

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nastasache · Jun 05, 2014 at 10:32 AM 0

I think a solution may be to create a mini-world at low resolution (eventually wired semi-transparent terrain), with simple objects (ie cubes) reproducing the players position (x,y,z) at some scale, then looking to this mini-world with a second camera; that way you can rotate the second camera looking from any direction you wish (from right, for example, as in screen you provided);

Andyzano · Jun 05, 2014 at 03:07 PM 0

thanks for the suggestion. It seems quite complex as basically I'd have to recreate the world in scale, but if there's no other option I'll do it. If I use simple objects like cubes though, wouldn't the minimap look weird?

The real problem is that I can't just reproduce the player's position at some scale, as the minimap is "2Dish" while my character's movements are basically everywhere along the route... this means that for example he could be going for a while on the Z, and he is advancing on the track, but you wouldn't be able to let it be seen on the map. That's why the only way, to me, seems to use waypoints to update the player's position on the map. I'm just trying to find a way to make it "smooth" but I'm starting to suspect that actually, even in cycling manager, they simply make tons and tons of waypoints and that's it - seems strange though. If I misunderstood your post, sorry!

btw I'm not sure what you meant with "that way you can rotate the second camera looking from any direction you wish" -> you mean that I'd look at the mini world from his "profile" view?