Map Reading

Hey all, not sure if this topic has been discussed, but I didn't see anything with a quick search, so I figured I would make a post.

For those that don't know, there is a way to read the map in almost every zone, making them significantly easier to navigate. This means faster mf runs, and initial play through speed.

Speed runners have been doing this for years, and with D2:R right around the corner, I thought it could be a good topic to put out there.

Good site with detailed explanation on how to read map layouts

[YouTube] RyuQuezacotl has a nice (long) map tutorial series

Act 3 jungle maps

[YouTube] MrLlamaSC Act 3 map reading

I am certainly no map reading expert, and found this information helpful, so I hope some you do too!

TL;DR

Really awesome post, thanks for explaining this @Rain.

Perhaps the TLDR summary info could be integrated into the data for Zones when they're added? That way it'd display it on the zones' pages.

Teebling wrote: 2 years ago

Really awesome post, thanks for explaining this @Rain.

Perhaps the TLDR summary info could be integrated into the data for Zones when they're added? That way it'd display it on the zones' pages.

Thanks. Yeah that's a good idea – could even provide more specific maps (or examples on how to read them) to each zone as well. Some zones have only a few combinations they can roll (such as

Halls of Pain), and those can go into much more detail (example).

Not sure if this can be integrated anywhere, but I use this method to find

Nihlathak quickly:

See you updated your original post with a table, nice one @Rain.

@Khegan nice ASCII - but I think I’m too dumb to understand the instructions? This would be good as a comment on the zone page when it’s up btw.

Teebling wrote: 2 years ago

@Khegan nice ASCII - but I think I’m too dumb to understand the instructions? This would be good as a comment on the zone page when it’s up btw.

The inner four walls you see on the map each have odd-looking "eye" patterns. One of the patterns will match those found at the centre entrance; that will be the correct branch to take.

I'll quote the second method here for completeness sake:

2. Check the first branch. If he's there, done. If there's a champion pack, he's in the opposite branch. If there's an evil urn, he's in the branch to the right from that position, else he's in the left branch.

Regarding some "Tiles" and Orientiation:
Always imagine YOU beiing the character, so "Left" means, you as the character has to move left. Left is not left on your monitor - left could be "to the right" because the character is looking "downwards" your monitor.

Also:
For

The Countess, the entrance sometimes faces into a different direction, e.g (south easy on your monitor).
However, the Tile's Exit is facing north west. This means that the next level will be "left" on your monitor, since your character also leaves the tile to the north west and "Left" would also be "Left" for him.

This way Countess Runs are insanely fast, even on BNet.

works fine for normal mode. but not so much in hell. are there any hell versions for these?

I was just telling a buddy about this the other day. Great post!

Udyret wrote: 2 years ago

works fine for normal mode. but not so much in hell. are there any hell versions for these?

Why would it not work in Hell?
I mean, Countess Norm is pretty straight forward. But the rules work like a charm for either Countess or Meph, and even Maggot Lair is easy if you "always stick right".

i done hell countess lots recently and it's not as easy as stick to left like on those simple normal maps. some rules work. but others don't work at all a lot of the time on hell mode.

If you do it repeatedly you start knowing where the door is intuitively in my experience.

agreed. that's how i experience it too.

Udyret wrote: 2 years ago

i done hell countess lots recently and it's not as easy as stick to left like on those simple normal maps. some rules work. but others don't work at all a lot of the time on hell mode.

They do, trust me and Mr. Llama. The rules apply, even if 3x right make 1 left...

Fellowship wrote: 2 years ago

If you do it repeatedly you start knowing where the door is intuitively in my experience.

Exactly. Ive done about a hundred runs in the last d2 ladder just to get the hang and feel of d2 again (and hypetrain) and i never struggled to find the way. I guess a thousand runs overall.
It's intuitive once you've ran enough times...

Udyret wrote: 2 years ago

i done hell countess lots recently and it's not as easy as stick to left like on those simple normal maps. some rules work. but others don't work at all a lot of the time on hell mode.

I recommend checking out the RyuQuezacotl YT series I linked in the original post – he goes into much more detail. The tables I posted are just a TLDR summary, but you can get much deeper.

They are also adding in a clock as well, not to sure if it is for speed runner's, but im thinking that is what it's for. if some one know's let me know plz.

gomeks wrote: 2 years ago

They are also adding in a clock as well, not to sure if it is for speed runner's, but im thinking that is what it's for. if some one know's let me know plz.

Pretty sure the clock is just a nice quality of life feature, but wouldn't be surprised if speedrunners make use of it for splits at important stages of their run.

d2 lod path-finding guide.

great thread, definitely using this on launch. map reading kinda becomes natural over time but this takes an understanding of maps on the game level to get it right every time.