Next announcement zoom mode
Quote from Deleted user on 30.12.2021, 20:54I'd like to suggest another zoom mode. I call it "Next Announcement" zoom mode.
The idea is that the map auto-zooms so that the location of the next announcement is "just in view" - meaning at the top of the map display. The goal is to display as much as it can up to when I next have to pay attention to navigation.
For longer stretches where there might not be any navigation announcements for many kms, the mode automatically zooms out to give me a big-picture view - perhaps up to some maximum distance of 20-30km or so.
As I get closer to a turn that will be announced, the display continually zooms in to keep the Next announcement location "just in view".
I understand that the speed-based zoom sortof does that for imminent announcements, but it doesn't show much of interest when the next announcement is a long way off.
I think this mode naturally follows how people think as they navigate - well at least for me. If you're in tight quarters with lots of navigation events, you really want zoomed in details to keep you locally oriented. When you're on open roads with long sections you want a much bigger picture of how the whole trip is going.
One way you might configure this is how many announcements to keep in view, with one being the default, but I imagine two would be nice as well when there is a lot happening.
I'd like to suggest another zoom mode. I call it "Next Announcement" zoom mode.
The idea is that the map auto-zooms so that the location of the next announcement is "just in view" - meaning at the top of the map display. The goal is to display as much as it can up to when I next have to pay attention to navigation.
For longer stretches where there might not be any navigation announcements for many kms, the mode automatically zooms out to give me a big-picture view - perhaps up to some maximum distance of 20-30km or so.
As I get closer to a turn that will be announced, the display continually zooms in to keep the Next announcement location "just in view".
I understand that the speed-based zoom sortof does that for imminent announcements, but it doesn't show much of interest when the next announcement is a long way off.
I think this mode naturally follows how people think as they navigate - well at least for me. If you're in tight quarters with lots of navigation events, you really want zoomed in details to keep you locally oriented. When you're on open roads with long sections you want a much bigger picture of how the whole trip is going.
One way you might configure this is how many announcements to keep in view, with one being the default, but I imagine two would be nice as well when there is a lot happening.
Quote from Guido on 30.12.2021, 23:53I understand what you mean and like the idea. I’ll add it to the list to look at this in detail. Currently a bit busy with other high prio things so might be a while.
Do you know Waze by any chance? Waze’s zoom function is a combination of speed based and ‘distance from turn instruction’ based. It works somewhat like you describe. It zooms in on the junction of the turn instruction when you get close to it and zooms out when the next turn instruction is still far away.
if I understand correctly there is one big difference. You’d like to see the junction of the next turn even if you are not really close to it (except if you are really far away), correct? As a seperate view on the screen, right?
so, you’d basically want to split the map view in 2 parts. One with the ‘normal’ map view as it is now and second view with the ‘next turn instruction’ junction zoomed in.
Let me know if I misunderstood somehow.
I understand what you mean and like the idea. I’ll add it to the list to look at this in detail. Currently a bit busy with other high prio things so might be a while.
Do you know Waze by any chance? Waze’s zoom function is a combination of speed based and ‘distance from turn instruction’ based. It works somewhat like you describe. It zooms in on the junction of the turn instruction when you get close to it and zooms out when the next turn instruction is still far away.
if I understand correctly there is one big difference. You’d like to see the junction of the next turn even if you are not really close to it (except if you are really far away), correct? As a seperate view on the screen, right?
so, you’d basically want to split the map view in 2 parts. One with the ‘normal’ map view as it is now and second view with the ‘next turn instruction’ junction zoomed in.
Let me know if I misunderstood somehow.
Quote from Deleted user on 31.12.2021, 00:35If I understand correctly there is one big difference. You’d like to see the junction of the next turn even if you are not really close to it (except if you are really far away), correct?
Exactly.
As a seperate view on the screen, right?
I don't see a need for a separate view on the screen unless you mean a different zoom setting, but maybe I don't understand what you mean by that question. It would be just the regular navigation map set in this particular mode. You have two zoom modes now, this would be a third.
I know of Waze, but have not used it, but the zoom in/zoom out approach seems in the right ballpark. But as you say, the zoom (regardless of whether it's in or out) should always be just big enough to fit the next junction and it should adjust as you get closer to always just fit the next junction.
Maybe that's a better name? "Just fit the next junction". Obviously I don't really care about the name, just using it as a way to try to explain the feature.
I also think that the "next junction" should be configurable to allow for the next two junctions or even the next three junctions as that really helps in tight quarters where you might have something like "a left turn in 100m, a right turn in 150m and second exit on the round-a-bout in 175m" as that gives me a lot more "situational awareness" as pilots are wont to say.
Thanks very much for the response. I've used a ton of nav apps from Garmin to RideWithGPS to Rever to many more on motorbikes, bicycles and airplanes and none of them get the zoom quite right, IMHO. To my mind it should always be about "what do I need to focus on next" whether that be in 20m or 20km.
If I understand correctly there is one big difference. You’d like to see the junction of the next turn even if you are not really close to it (except if you are really far away), correct?
Exactly.
As a seperate view on the screen, right?
I don't see a need for a separate view on the screen unless you mean a different zoom setting, but maybe I don't understand what you mean by that question. It would be just the regular navigation map set in this particular mode. You have two zoom modes now, this would be a third.
I know of Waze, but have not used it, but the zoom in/zoom out approach seems in the right ballpark. But as you say, the zoom (regardless of whether it's in or out) should always be just big enough to fit the next junction and it should adjust as you get closer to always just fit the next junction.
Maybe that's a better name? "Just fit the next junction". Obviously I don't really care about the name, just using it as a way to try to explain the feature.
I also think that the "next junction" should be configurable to allow for the next two junctions or even the next three junctions as that really helps in tight quarters where you might have something like "a left turn in 100m, a right turn in 150m and second exit on the round-a-bout in 175m" as that gives me a lot more "situational awareness" as pilots are wont to say.
Thanks very much for the response. I've used a ton of nav apps from Garmin to RideWithGPS to Rever to many more on motorbikes, bicycles and airplanes and none of them get the zoom quite right, IMHO. To my mind it should always be about "what do I need to focus on next" whether that be in 20m or 20km.
Quote from Guido on 31.12.2021, 00:54Ok. I understand. No additional view, just have the next junction on the main view. One thing not clear to me yet. How about your current position? Should it be always on the screen (together with the next junction) or can it drop off?
If always on screen this would imply that as your distance to the next junction (next turn instruction) decreases the map zooms in more.
To my mind it should always be about "what do I need to focus on next" whether that be in 20m or 20km.
That is personal I think. For example I would also like to see the roads around me clearly and zoomed in sometimes, even if I’m not supposed to take a turn. Especially in urban areas where roads are many and speed is slow. Maybe just for orientation or maybe looking for a quick place to pull over, etc
To each his own I guess and no problem. I would set this up as another zoom mode which user can choose from
Ok. I understand. No additional view, just have the next junction on the main view. One thing not clear to me yet. How about your current position? Should it be always on the screen (together with the next junction) or can it drop off?
If always on screen this would imply that as your distance to the next junction (next turn instruction) decreases the map zooms in more.
To my mind it should always be about "what do I need to focus on next" whether that be in 20m or 20km.
That is personal I think. For example I would also like to see the roads around me clearly and zoomed in sometimes, even if I’m not supposed to take a turn. Especially in urban areas where roads are many and speed is slow. Maybe just for orientation or maybe looking for a quick place to pull over, etc
To each his own I guess and no problem. I would set this up as another zoom mode which user can choose from
Quote from Deleted user on 31.12.2021, 01:08One thing not clear to me yet. How about your current position? Should it be always on the screen (together with the next junction) or can it drop off?
I think your position should always be visible at the very bottom of the map display. So top always has next junction, and bottom always has you.
this would imply that as your distance to the next junction (next turn instruction) decreases the map zooms in more.
Exactly.
That is personal I think.
I'm sure you're right. And I think you're trying to be careful to avoid making the app overly complex. An admirable approach.
Given you're busy with plenty of other stuff, it seems like there is plenty of time to see what other forum members have to say, if anything. So other folks, what do you think? Is it just me or does this feature sound of interest to you too? Is the complexity worth it to you?
One thing not clear to me yet. How about your current position? Should it be always on the screen (together with the next junction) or can it drop off?
I think your position should always be visible at the very bottom of the map display. So top always has next junction, and bottom always has you.
this would imply that as your distance to the next junction (next turn instruction) decreases the map zooms in more.
Exactly.
That is personal I think.
I'm sure you're right. And I think you're trying to be careful to avoid making the app overly complex. An admirable approach.
Given you're busy with plenty of other stuff, it seems like there is plenty of time to see what other forum members have to say, if anything. So other folks, what do you think? Is it just me or does this feature sound of interest to you too? Is the complexity worth it to you?
Quote from macuaig on 31.12.2021, 10:30You’re describing exactly what happens in iOS Maps on an iPhone. You know it’s right when you forget it was even an issue.
You’re describing exactly what happens in iOS Maps on an iPhone. You know it’s right when you forget it was even an issue.
Quote from MarkZigger on 11.01.2022, 23:15Quote from macuaig on 31.12.2021, 10:30You’re describing exactly what happens in iOS Maps on an iPhone. You know it’s right when you forget it was even an issue.
(Sorry for the delay in response, my account got deleted here for some reason and it took me a while to work out what was going on. Did I say something bad or wrong?).
As for the claim that my suggestion is exactly like Apple Maps, that's sort of true and sort of not true. I just checked with my iphone12 today. For the zoom in part you are correct, but for the zoom out part, not so much.
That is, when you're close in to an announcement event Apple Maps does keep zooming in to keep the next event (plus a bit) in view at the top of the screen and your position at the bottom of the screen. So yeah, maybe I subconsciously was thinking of that.
However, on the zoom out part, Apple Maps doesn't do what I'm suggesting. Apple maps only zooms out to about 2-3km regardless of where the next event is. I'm suggesting that scenic should zoom out to always have the next event at the top of the screen even if it's 20-30-40km away. For example, today I was on the hwy and the next turn was 25km away. All that Apple Maps showed was the next 2km, which frankly is pretty useless. Apple maps also doesn't display what the next turn is when it's a long way either. It just displays how far to go. My suggestion is that scenic should zoom out to display the next announcement event even if it's a long way away and also include the turn information.
One other thought I had was a count-down timer which displays minutes (or seconds) to the next announcement event. A count-down timer is likely to be of most use in the zoom out case I mention above where the next event might be many minutes away. It could display 5 minutes to next turn, 4 minutes to next turn, 1 minute to next turn, 15 seconds to next turn, sort of thing. A granularity of minutes until the final minute is probably fine as that will make it easier to average out the speed/time calculation. Even the last minute could be granular at say, 15 second intervals. 45 seconds to turn. 30 seconds to turn. 15 seconds to turn...
It's all about telling me when I have to focus on navigation next. If the screen shows 40km of hwy and a count-down timer of 30 minutes, I can relax and enjoy the ride. If the screen shows 15 seconds to the next turn with a 3-way junction at the top of the screen, I better pay attention!
Quote from macuaig on 31.12.2021, 10:30You’re describing exactly what happens in iOS Maps on an iPhone. You know it’s right when you forget it was even an issue.
(Sorry for the delay in response, my account got deleted here for some reason and it took me a while to work out what was going on. Did I say something bad or wrong?).
As for the claim that my suggestion is exactly like Apple Maps, that's sort of true and sort of not true. I just checked with my iphone12 today. For the zoom in part you are correct, but for the zoom out part, not so much.
That is, when you're close in to an announcement event Apple Maps does keep zooming in to keep the next event (plus a bit) in view at the top of the screen and your position at the bottom of the screen. So yeah, maybe I subconsciously was thinking of that.
However, on the zoom out part, Apple Maps doesn't do what I'm suggesting. Apple maps only zooms out to about 2-3km regardless of where the next event is. I'm suggesting that scenic should zoom out to always have the next event at the top of the screen even if it's 20-30-40km away. For example, today I was on the hwy and the next turn was 25km away. All that Apple Maps showed was the next 2km, which frankly is pretty useless. Apple maps also doesn't display what the next turn is when it's a long way either. It just displays how far to go. My suggestion is that scenic should zoom out to display the next announcement event even if it's a long way away and also include the turn information.
One other thought I had was a count-down timer which displays minutes (or seconds) to the next announcement event. A count-down timer is likely to be of most use in the zoom out case I mention above where the next event might be many minutes away. It could display 5 minutes to next turn, 4 minutes to next turn, 1 minute to next turn, 15 seconds to next turn, sort of thing. A granularity of minutes until the final minute is probably fine as that will make it easier to average out the speed/time calculation. Even the last minute could be granular at say, 15 second intervals. 45 seconds to turn. 30 seconds to turn. 15 seconds to turn...
It's all about telling me when I have to focus on navigation next. If the screen shows 40km of hwy and a count-down timer of 30 minutes, I can relax and enjoy the ride. If the screen shows 15 seconds to the next turn with a 3-way junction at the top of the screen, I better pay attention!
Quote from Guido on 12.01.2022, 04:56my account got deleted here for some reason and it took me a while to work out what was going on. Did I say something bad or wrong?
Not at all. Not sure why your account got deleted. Shouldn’t happen obviously. I’ll check it out.
Thanks for the additional details and comparison to Apple Maps. Have not had a chance to dig into this one yet, but I think I have all the details i need for the moment. Should I need more, I’ll post it here.
my account got deleted here for some reason and it took me a while to work out what was going on. Did I say something bad or wrong?
Not at all. Not sure why your account got deleted. Shouldn’t happen obviously. I’ll check it out.
Thanks for the additional details and comparison to Apple Maps. Have not had a chance to dig into this one yet, but I think I have all the details i need for the moment. Should I need more, I’ll post it here.
Quote from MarkZigger on 12.01.2022, 05:11No worries mate. Thanks for listening to the suggestions.
No worries mate. Thanks for listening to the suggestions.
