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[Zerox]

Just kill it. Does anyone even USE the minimap?

In case you don't know what it is, it's the thing on the right of the screen that you immediately get rid of with the tab key.

It's simply not useful except in the very beginning of the game if you lose track of your wagon, and it only hurts new players, really, with all of the silly extra stuff it shows.

I'd love to know an actual use for it, but right now it's simply a hindrance to me.

[Derakon]

I've used it to eyeball where hostile units are without scanning over the entire map. It can be useful that way, especially when sieges show up.

A better change would be to leave the minimap out of the default view (i.e. make the default view be 2/3rds gameplay and 1/3rd commands).

[ungulateman]

^ What he said. It's also useful for finding surface magma pipes, if there's any on the map.

[Capntastic]

Yes remove a feature you can already turn off.

[Stargrasper]

Yes remove a feature you can already turn off.

A feature that others have proven to be useful, no less.  Best not to ask to kill features just because you personally don't like them.  Double true for it being togglable anyway.  As mentioned, changing the default behavior may be helpful, but make sure we know it's still there.

[Capntastic]

Let me counter out the OP's anecdotal evidence by saying I use it all the time.

[eerr]

It helps alot when starting a new game.

You must play really small maps.

[Eric Blank]

Yes we use it, and we love it. It would appear you're the only one that needed to have "that thing on the right side of the screen" explained in any sort of detail.

A third option for what to do about this would be to allow players to specify their own preferred display settings to use every time the game starts, instead of forcing anything on anyone. That would save many more tab keys than merely yours.

I usually end up removing the command list if anything, since I've memorized all the ones I need.

[Shaostoul]

I use the map quite a bit, especially when I was first starting DF.

[Grendus]

I use it a bit. My fortresses are completely regular, of course, so I have no problem with finding things, but for surface work it's the best tool.

[silhouette]

I always use it, specially at the start of the game but after that i hide it away.
Great for finding a starting location to build your fortress upon.

[Dakk]

Same feelings as everyone else, removing it would only make things harder and slower.

[Fossaman]

I'd rather see the mini-map made less mini with another tap on the tab key. A full screen map that's still smaller than actual size would be useful.

[Zerox]

Oi. Well, sorry If I seemed a little biased. It just seemed that from my experiences, no one uses the minimap. I guess no one really talks about it, then. Well, perhaps the option to turn it off in the init file at least. Just for me. >_<

And yes, i do tend to settle smaller-sized forts, but I've had my share of big ones.

(No more suggesting things on 5 hours of sleep for me.)

[silhouette]

just press tab twice or somethin?

Also there isnt really much to talk about, its a mini map.