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Copyright © 2023 Robin Scott. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2023 Robin Scott. All rights reserved.

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pavelk

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About this mod

This mod changes default 3D Skyrim map to a flat one.

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Important

Version 1.8+ is out of beta. It is safe to update midgame. Version 1.7 is considered legacy now, but will be fully supported and compatible with all the maps. 

Framework and standalone maps for it are fully compatible with SE (1.5.97), AE (1.6.629 and 1.6.640), and GOG Edition (1.6.659). Pick your version of Skyrim during FOMOD installation for a proper markers flattening.

FOMOD installer includes all fixes, compatibility patches and Flat Map Markers plugin for all versions. You don't need to install anything else from Optional/Misc files unless you need very specific things and you know what you are doing. 

Framework FOMOD bundled with very few maps in it. You will most likely want to complement basic FWMF with standalone maps. Thumbnails and links to them are below.

This mod improves ideas from older flat map designs (by Chesko, Penguin, Warburg, Duncanlarsen1, Nushu, deland) to create stable, clean, strictly flat paper-like maps. Topographical Map of Skyrim by Timothy Cook is a default map for a framework, but countless custom maps are available for most worldspaces.

Maps for a framework are fully flat with vertical look by default (limited inclination and rotation are possible) and cover not only mainland Skyrim, but many smaller worldspaces, from both vanilla, DLCs and quest mods. 

Maps included in FOMOD installer:

  • Unmarked Clean - with no handmade markers for those who prefer less spoilers,
  • Marked Clean - with all handmade markers and names of geographical locations,
  • Marked Old Map - same as Marked but with old paper vibes,
  • Unmarked Old - with no handmade markers for those who prefer less spoilers but on old paper.
  • Geology Survey Map - 4K map stylized to look like 1890x topographic map with ore veins and mines main ore marked. Included in FOMOD now.

Standalone Skyrim maps:



Requirements

Installation & Unistallation

For proper framework and its maps work place FWMF plugins dead last in plugin load orders and mods as low as possible (at least below LODs outputs).

For Vortex users (auto-sorting disabled): Go to plugins. Click Manage Groups, right click then Add Group. You can call it Maps. Then hold CTRL and from the last group click and connect to Maps. Close. Double click on the "Flat World Map Framework..." area (not on the name). Change group to Maps, then click on Sort Now In the top orange bar. If you sort the plugins by load order, you can check if it moved the Map plugin.

For Vortex/LOOT users: FWMF and compatible maps included in LOOT's masterlist now. Sorting with LOOT should place FWMF mods low enough to make them work properly. Mind please, LOOT will place them before DynDOLOD/Occlusion plugins, so you will need to re-run DynDOLOD now and after every FWMF update.

For MO2 users: after installing FWMF FOMOD and placing them dead last additionally check Overwrite folder if it has any plugins that could possible overwrite framework records.


Some details and suggestion: generating LODs without FWMF mods installed and puting FWMF bunch below DynDOLOD in plugin LO allows you avoid LODs regenerating after every FWMF update. FWMF affects LOD32 only, it won't break DynDOLOD work. Advised plugin LO:
  1. Dyndolod.
  2. Occlusions.
  3. FWMF of choice.
  4. Patches/fixes (Water for ENB, Lux etc).
  5. Additional FWMF maps (Blackreach, Sovngarde, Forgotten Vale etc).

You still can stick to standard DynDOLOD generation procedure with MO2 - generate outputs with FWMF on and place DynDOLOD last in plugin LO, it will properly allow FWMF worldspace records win everything else and maps will be working fine. You still need to make sure LOD32s from FWMF winning LOD32 generated by lodgen in mods list. Placing lodgen output higher than FWFM in mod order should be enough in most cases, if it's not - resolve conflict by your mod manager means. Also mind, please, that this way you will need to re-run DynDOLOD every time FWMF gets an update.

For users which have marker misalignment issues with SoS installed. aljoxo as kind enough to make an investigation and found out, that installing SoS patches from FWMF FOMOD may not be enough if you have standalone maps for worldspaced affected  by SoS. Here is an advised routine:
  1. Run Lodgen and DynDOLOD with FWMF and patches disabled.
  2. Load order should be LODs --> FWMF --> Synthesis (if relevant)
  3. For maps that are in worldspaces where seasons occur (so really only relevant for Dayspring, Tamriel, and Solstheim), in the meshes\terrain\[worldspace] folder, made a copy of the
    4. .btr file and name them like: .AUT.btr, .SPR.btr, .SUM.btr, and .WIN.btr. Place those files specifically in your standalone maps /meshes/ folder.




To uninstall just uncheck FWMF and its additional maps in your list of mods. In rare cases you may possibly need to make a clean save or restart mod manager.

If you previously used some other map mods check out skyrim.ini for uLockedTerrainLOD value. If you don't have that string or value is 32, you are fine, otherwise change it to 32 (16 there will try to load LOD 16 terrain meshes making paper map invisible).

For Fantasy Paper Maps package please pick Skyrim + Solstheim markers whitelisting at least (and additionally install any Solstheim map available for FWMF).

If Lux or Water for ENB being used, be sure to install their patches for FWMF (either from FWMF FOMOD, or LUX/Water for ENB FOMODs) and put plugins after main FWMF plugin.


Tuning

Dedicated ini file for tuning is inside mod archive. Every option paired with comment to let enthusiasts fine tuning of map control.

Note for gamepad users: map zoom in and zoom out by default is extremely slow, modify values fMapZoomMouseSpeed (recommended is 10) or fMapWorldZoomSpeed (recommended is 0.7-0.8) to fix issue. First value affect mouse wheel, second value affects both (kudos to VaDoncChier).

Since version 1.85 MCM and setting loader added. Not all settings from config file are presented in MCM, only those are safe to tune, therefore even if you use MCM you still need .ini config file. All MCM settings are documented. If you going to use any Bruma paper map, you need to check in Vertical Look option for proper map work.

Compatibility 

Skyrim SE/AE/GOG AE fully compatible.

CoMAP fully compatible.
EVLaS compatible (patch included in FWMF FOMOD).
Water for ENB compatible (patch included in FWMF FOMOD and WENB FOMOD, choose one).
All popular weather mods compatible (patches included).
xLODgen and DynDOLOD compatible (with FWMF being last or re-generating LODs after FWMF updates if Dyndolod last).
Lux fully compatible with a patch (included in Lux FOMOD and FWMF FOMOD, choose one)
Compass Navigation Overhaul - partial compatibility (custom destination marker distance meter will show wrong numbers).
Realistic Water Two - compatible with patch (inbcluded in FWMF FOMOD)

Seasons of Skyrim partial compatibility (patch included, but some users experience markers aligning issues). Be sure to pick this option before generation:


Immersive Music - not compatible right now.

Compatibility with other map mods not guaranteed. You may encounter lighting, camera, edge of the map etc issues.

Featuring in Wabbajack modlists and Nexus collections

Nocturnia
Arisen
Fahluaan
Nolvus Ascension
Wunduniik
Do Not Go Gentle 
Path of the Dovahkiin
Krahven
Masterstroke
Living Skyrim
Tales from the Northern Lands
Tsukiro
Lost Legacy
Aldrnari
Constellations - A true RPG
Halcyon
Project Skyrim
Nordic Souls
ElmoRim
Moonshadow
Silent Skyrim

Recommended Mods
Atlas Map Markers - Updated with MCM works perfect and smaller markers make map more readable. Just be sure to put Atlas' .esp before Topographic Map in load order. DLC areas may show markers out of Skyrim border - disable those in Atlas MCM.

FWMF maps also get along with most UI overhauls. Beside basic SKY UI, I highly recommend Dear Diary UI.

Those markers sets will look good on most FWMF maps:
Custom Map Markers for Traditional Skyrim and Solstheim Paper Maps
Custom Map Markers for Paper Maps by Mirhayasu
Outline Map Markers
Vibrant Map Markers

FAQ 
  • I play with (vanilla/modded) 3D map, why do I need this? 
 Its both more immersive and practical. It has better readability, better textures resolution and more POIs to recognize.

  • I play with 2D map, why do I need this?
 Most available 2D maps are either somewhat outdated or have issues - with markers, camera, lighting etc. Some are stable but not actually flat. And all of them have very limited camera control and level of details. Well, not anymore.

  • Is it compatible with X?
Most certainly, yes, if you put FWMF dead last in plugins list. Few mods might cause issues tho - other map mods, map camera mods, some lighting mods. If you doubt, check Optional files, we made some patches.

  • All I see in map menu is blue/purple blank texture instead of map, send help!
Make sure FWMF plugin is absolutely last in plugins list. That means after dyndolod, synthesis, fnis, patches of all sorts etc. Dead last. It wont affect anything except your map and weather/lighting in map menu. If no matter what you want to keep DynDOLOD to be last in LO, please regenerate it first to let it forward FWMF worldpsace record as winning.

  • I have version 1.3x-1.4x, map inclined near edge map POIs/I see weird artifacts/map way too zoomed in/I see clouds only, I cant go to map from Journal, what should I do?
Install newer version instead, 95% issues were solved in 1.6x+.

  • I have version 1.6x+, issue persists, what do?
Report it on nexus or our discord, we will try to figure out how to help.

  • Where I can change settings for camera control with keyboard/mouse/gamepad?
All available options are in INI file with detailed comments how they work (for versions 1.6x+). For 1.4x you will need to delete scripts folder, add [Mapmenu] block to skyrim.ini and tune settings there.

For mod authors
Its very easy to create your own map for this framework. Basic knowledge of Photoshop/GIMP and, in some cases, Inkscape/Wonderdraft will be enough. Quick guide on creating map can be found here and you can always ask us a question in Discord.

Additional Materials
You can find very detailed Skyrim Satellite Map in JPG format (beware, 30720x21760) in Misc FIles. It is compiled from UESP Satellite Map sources.

Known Issues
Minor artifacts during foggy or stormy weathers.
Inclined map when menu launched in edge skyrim locations.
Some inconsistency in transition between Journal and Main menus
Blank texture instead of map
Slightly misplaced elevation lines on 1.6x topo maps
Lighting inconsistency with some weather overhauls
purple texture while on Throat of the World
shadowed/invisible LODs on some setups (SoS or Dyndolod 3)
possible map misalignment with seasonal LODs

chosen background texture doesn't appear after installation via Vortex
invisible Skyrim map in rare cases (RTX 4080/drivers for it may cause it)

Future Plans
better min zoom
.ini with comments
article for custom map creators
map with ore veins
FAQ
unmarked old map
duncan's maps
Soul Cairn map
FOMOD
ESLification
Midwood Isle, Darkend, Wyrmstooth updated map, Beyond Reach, Unslaad, Vominheim, Chanterelle maps, better quality Vigilant maps
Dayspring Canyon, Skuldafn, Apocrypha, Deepwood Vale maps
MCM

Credits
This mod brings together hard work of Tim Cook, creator of topographical map of Skyrim and some of the ideas of IcePenguin/Chesko and Warburg/Duncanlarsen1 about flat map design. Also credits to underthesky and Fudgyduff for their skse plugins that flatten map markers and nushu and deland for their skyrim wordlspace meshes. Kudos to daveh for original UESP map tiles used in Satellite Maps. Please support him and UESP any way you see fit. All credits for default map in Fantasy Paper Maps package belong to Aesoterik. You can find his other works on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWJm5VWstVD/

Credits to MaskedRPGFan for MCM and setting loader.

Special thanks for testing and suggestions to: dragonknightvita, hazarduss, stevethecoala, ghoulified02, yermudr, Ckw25, AnxiousHairball, Alfadhirhaiti, jinxlajoker, zys52712 and RecedingMouse7.