World Map

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The World Map while trekking through an explorable area

The World Map, also known as the M map, is a full screen display which shows the map of the entire continent you are currently on. The world map can be accessed by pressing a key (default: "M"), or clicking the menu button. It can be closed by pressing the same key again or with a small button in the lower right.

At the default local zoom, any previously visited staging area on the continent will be displayed as an icon on the map, and can be instantaneously "map-traveled" to by clicking or double-clicking the icon.

Local zoom will display the same red "breadcrumb" dots as are shown on the on-screen mission map while in missions and explorable areas. Your location is marked by a green crosshair.

Explorable areas that have been visited will be named on the map. The name of the explorable area containing the active quest will be shown in green, and will often be visible even it has not been visited, along with a marker showing the portal that will take you closer to that area.

The underground area view

When the current area is underground, its map will be displayed in a hovering callout box. If this box is closed, it can be re-opened by pressing a button marked "mission map" in the lower left corner. Underground areas are never required for cartographer titles; some even reset their exploration every time you leave them.

Some areas, such as the guild hall and the portal-less battle areas that most PvP matches are fought in, do not appear on the world map at all; the map will just display the region that the area is located in. These areas do display — and are typically always shown as fully explored — on the mission map.

Map pins and travel icons when zoomed out

Dragging anywhere will pan the map, and clicking anywhere that is not an icon will zoom the map out to a continental view. While zoomed out, everything is hidden and unusable; towns, mission outposts, and arenas are shown as colored pins, and the current quest's area name is reduced to a green starburst. Town pins are gold, mission outpost pins are gray and arena outpost pins are red. Only ships, Asura gates and the Vortex remain completely visible and functional. Return to local zoom by clicking anywhere.

Game Mechanics[edit]

  • Map icons are considered interface elements and will be hidden in a Shift-PrintScreen screenshot. This will not, however, hide the scrolling cloud layer or the tiny-white-swirl markers for portals.
  • The world map cannot be zoomed out in Pre-Searing or the Battle Isles; these regions are only about a screenful when zoomed in.
  • The green current location marker is approximately as large as the danger zone marker in the compass.
  • Map icons for incomplete missions will glow, and when zoomed out, the map pin for an incomplete mission will glow.
  • Unlike all others, the Eye of the North mini-mission and dungeon markers are non-selectable for map travel and only serve as markers for the places they represent and the status of those missions and dungeons. They only show their names on mouse-over, as well.

Map icons[edit]

Static Map Icons Outpost Town Arena Challenge Mission Special
Battle Isles
(Core)
OutpostIcon.png TownIcon.png ArenaIcon.png BattleIslesMission.png GuildHallIcon.png
Guild Hall
Tyria
(Prophecies and Eye of the North)
OutpostIcon.png TownIcon.png ArenaIcon.png    
Cantha
(Factions)
FactionsOutpostIcon.png FactionsTownIcon.png FactionsArenaIcon.png FactionsChallengeMissionIcon.png FactionsChallengeMissionIcon.png
Competitive Mission
Elona
(Nightfall)
NightfallOutpostIcon.png NightfallTownIcon.png NightfallArenaIcon.png NightfallChallengeMissionIcon.png  
Realm of Torment
(Nightfall)
NightfallTormentOutpostIcon.png NightfallTormentTownIcon.png   NightfallTormentChallengeMissionIcon.png NightfallAnguishIcon.png
Gate of Anguish
(Elite Mission)
Travel icons Travel (ship) Asura Gate Vortex    
Travel.png Asura Gate.png Vortex icon.png    
Progress-Indicating Map Icons
Tyria
(Prophecies)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Bonus Complete Fully Complete
MissionIconIncomplete.png MissionIconPrimary.png MissionIconBonus.png MissionIcon.png
Tyria
(Eye of the North)
Mini-Mission Complete Dungeon Complete
EOTNMissionIncomplete.png EOTNMission.png EOTNDungeonIncomplete.png EOTNDungeon.png
Cantha
(Factions)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Expert's Reward Master's Reward
FactionsMissionIconIncomplete.png FactionsMissionIconPrimary.png FactionsMissionIconExpert.png FactionsMissionIcon.png
Elona
(Nightfall)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Expert's Reward Master's Reward
NightfallMissionIconIncomplete.png NightfallMissionIconPrimary.png NightfallMissionIconExpert.png NightfallMissionIcon.png
Realm of Torment
(Nightfall)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Expert's Reward Master's Reward
NightfallTormentMissionIconIncomplete.png NightfallTormentMissionIconPrimary.png NightfallTormentMissionIconExpert.png NightfallTormentMissionIcon.png
Hard Mode
(Prophecies)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Bonus Complete Fully Complete
HardModeMissionIconIncomplete.png HardModeMissionIcon1.png HardModeMissionIcon1b.png HardModeMissionIcon2.png
Hard Mode
(Eye of the North)
Mini-Mission Complete Dungeon Complete
EOTNHardModeMissionIncomplete.png EOTNHardModeMission.png EOTNHardModeDungeonIncomplete.png EOTNDungeon.png
Hard Mode
(Elsewhere)
Mission Outpost Primary Complete Expert's Reward Master's Reward
HardModeMissionIconIncomplete.png HardModeMissionIcon1.png HardModeMissionIcon2.png HardModeMissionIcon.png

See also[edit]


User interface (edit)
Special commandEmoteReportResignDance
CameraCharacter selection screenCommand line argumentsDye PreviewFriends ListGuild MenuHair, and Indeed, Everything StylistHelpHero flagHero panelHero Control panelInventoryLog OutLogin screen Mission MapMovement controlsObserver modeOptionsParty Search panelPet Control panelPriority targetPvP EquipmentQuest LogReconnect after disconnectReportScore ChartSkill iconSkills and Attributes PanelTrade WindowUnclaimed ItemsVault boxWeapon setWorld Map