Navigating Silver Mountain Top: Mapping 101 - ID: 1206

FORUM: Guides, Spoilers and Walkthroughs

This topic was started by limmer on 07/08/2013, 06:51:48

Post by limmer on 07/08/2013, 06:51:48

I've seen a lot of frustrated folks trying to navigate the Silver Mountain Top map (commonly referred to as 'Volcano')

The problem is not the map, but really the poor use of the tools the game already provides. Everything you need to navigate around, is provided in-game. You just need to learn how to use it correctly.

In respect to those that have figured it out on their own, I won't dishonor their hard work by providing the tile by tile steps on how to get from the starting point to Digger and back.

I have, on the other hand, no qualms teaching folks how to use the map. I see it as teaching people how to play the game as opposed to just plain giving out the spoiler. It's worth it, as you will get a sense of accomplishment.

So here goes: Volcano HowTo or Mapping 101

Teleporters, Spinners and Immovables

- Teleporters are tiles that teleport you to another location on the map. There are two elements to teleporters. The teleporting tile and the destination tile. Remember this.

- Spinners are tiles that spin you party around and changing your heading.

- Immovables are tiles that you cannot move into. It's typically shown as a pile of rocks on your main screen, but is not represented in the map.

Labelling teleporters

This is the big secret right here. Knowing how to label your tiles.

Step 1
Using your map, find a teleporting tile. Mentally note where that tile is (don't mark the map yet.) You can start at any tile, doesn't matter.

Step 2
Step on to the tile, you are instantly teleported to the destination tile.

Step 3.
Mark the destination tile on your map as"A1".

Step 4.
Mark the teleporting tile (where you came from) as "2A1" (phonetically 'To A1')

Step 5
Save your game so that you don't lose the info.

Step 6
Repeat for any new teleporting and destination tile. Name the next subsequent tiles as "2A2/A2", "2A3/A3" and so forth. Roam the whole map, and eventually every tile is documented.

Notes: You don't have to use "A1, A2, A3..." as your label scheme. You can label any way you want...just keep in mind you have limited real estate, and if you have to label an adjacent tile you might end up with a shorter label anyway.

Labelling spinners

Step 1

Using your map, find a spinner tile.

Step 2
Step on to the tile, you are instantly spun around.

Step 3

Mark the tile as "Spin" or whatever your preferred naming scheme is. Now you know there's a spinner ahead.

Labelling immovables

Labelling immovables is not really necessary, but is helpfull to prevent yourself from teleporting and spinningg your way to that that tile only to realize it's really an immovable tile.

Step 1
Using your map, find a tile that shows a pile of rocks.

Step 2.

Mark the tile with a "." or whatever your preferred naming scheme is.

Once you're done, it takes 5 tiles to traverse from West to East (going in) and 7 tiles from East to West (leaving Volcano.) Not only that, you could be teleported anywhere on that map, and you'll know exactly where you are, and exactly how to get where ever you want to without ever getting lost.

Marking the Starting Points

Knowing your starting point is helpful. Especially later on in the game when you are not interested in exploring the map, but just want to get from Stairs to Digger, or Digger out. This appears only after you've completed documenting every tile.

Starting point, going in:
From Stairs,
2 steps East
2 steps North, arrive at Rotten Sign
1 step forward is your first teleporter (and your Starting Point.)

Starting poing, going out:
After Killing Animated Earth,
1 Step South
2 steps West (3 steps if you killed the Animated Earth on the tile one step further east)
2 steps north
1 step West
4 steps north
1 Step west is your first teleporter (and your Starting Point.)

Also, there is an entrance 6 tiles south of the Northernmost chest, where there is a one way secret wall. You can enter from here as well, and avoid any teleporter/spinner. Unfortunately, you can't exit this way.

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Post by wizardz on 08/08/2013, 11:36:40

Very good tips. Thanks!

I like short symbols on the map that easily fit in a map tile.

I personally use a letter c to mark spinners, because it looks like to me if I imagine an arrowhead on one end of the character a spinner.

I mark squares that are darkness with a d.

I mark squares that drain magic with an m. And squares that drain health with an f for fire but an h would work as well.

I mark teleport squares with alphabetical letters, lower case for the source and upper case for the destination. So the first teleport pair is a and A, the second is b and B, the third is e and E because c and d are taken...

Oh, and I mark swamp gas as sg.

I mark walls you can walk through with the compass points you can use like ew or ns. I mark one way passages with a > followed by the direction you can go like >e meaning you can go east but not back west.

Limmer's ideas are good, too. Just develop a scheme that works for you.

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