Talk:Explorer Map

I propose "Explorer Map" over "Exploration Map", because "Explorer" is part of the item name, and "Exploration" is not. Perhaps "exploration" was a term used when the feature was teased or something, or maybe it only persisted since the creation of the page, or because it's the name of the 1.11 update, but anyway it's not part of the item name.

I also suggest sentence case, since it's not a literal item name, but

We would rename this page, the File:Exploration maps.gif image, readjust the double redirects, and readjust the term used throughout the wiki. All in favor? – Sealbudsman ^talk/_contr 15:54, 28 March 2017 (UTC)Reply

 Support -BDJP ^(t|c) 16:48, 28 March 2017 (UTC)Reply

 Done – Sealbudsman ^talk/_contr 16:22, 30 March 2017 (UTC)Reply

Please add a list of all the possible notations, with sample images. In version 1.20, there are new brown and gray things that can appear on a Buried Treasure Map in addition to the red X. What are they? I was hoping it was a trail ruins, but I went and dug up the whole area and nothing out of the ordinary was there. Martinthurn (talk) 16:46, 9 June 2023 (UTC)Reply

On a regular map, you can display any size from 128*128 to 2048*2048. How big is the land shown in an explorer map? The Blobs 03:42, 5 June 2017 (UTC)Reply

It is the same size as a 1:4 Map, so 512*512 – Nixinova • • 03:54, 5 June 2017 (UTC)Reply

Thank you. The Blobs 13:56, 5 June 2017 (UTC)Reply

Actually, it depends. Explorer Maps traded from Villagers (Ocean Monuments and Woodland Mansions) are 512x512 (scale 2), but Buried Treasure Maps found in Ocean Ruins are 256x256 (scale 1) MestreLion (talk) 07:35, 17 October 2021 (UTC)Reply

54.90.67.60 20:39, 3 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

There is nothing to denote the orientation of the map. Maps used to have east at the top. Do these maps have east or north at the top? 54.90.67.60 20:39, 3 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

The idea that maps had East at the top is a misconception dating back to the Beta days (see Maps#History). It was due to some confusion over how to interpret directions on the Map when the sun at that time rose in the North. In fact, the orientation of maps never changed, and north was always at the top. It was the direction of the sky that changed. – Sealbudsman ^talk/_contr 20:53, 3 July 2017 (UTC)Reply

I recently restarted playing Minecraft. My previous experience predated villages. The first village I found was pretty crappy except for the fact that it was full of cartographers, and I was very excited to try out the explorer maps. I died trying the underwater one, so I decided to go for the woodland mansion. The map sent me over 12,500 blocks east and 5,500 blocks south of the village! (about 13,350 x 5600 from spawn.) Is there any known maximum distance that these maps will send you? Or minimum? 73.228.236.183 07:00, 21 December 2017 (UTC)Reply

Your distance to a woodland mansion is quite typical. I have only once heard of somebody's first mansion being closer than 10,000 blocks from them on BOTH axes. However, the wiki is generally not the best place to ask questions like this, because if we knew the answer it should already be in the article. Better places to ask would be the Minecraft Discord (sometimes you can ask a developer directly there) and the Reddit /r/MCPE subreddit. – Auldrick (talk · contribs) 11:22, 21 December 2017 (UTC)Reply

So, I've started a few new worlds since these maps were added and found several of the 'Buried Treasure Map' in each world. However, in each world... while each map has a different ID, they all point to the exact same buried treasure location. For example, I started a new world yesterday and got myself BTM ID #0 and dug up the treasure. Leaving, I saw two more underwater ruins so I looted them and got BTM ID #1 and #2. Checking them, they pointed to the exact same as ID #0 - and I was even still in the map area.

Is there only one buried treasure per world or is there something I should be doing to cause the maps to point to another one? Do they point to the nearest buried treasure based on where they were generated? Do they point to the nearest buried treasure based on where they are first viewed (hold in hands)? -- User:96.55.112.91 at 22:49, 23 November 2018

My understanding is that they get assigned to the nearest treasure chest when you first look at them. So if you have several maps you haven't looked at yet, you only want to look at one initially. If you look at a second map, you'll just waste it unless you first go somewhere that's closer to a different treasure chest. Since there's no way to know where that would be, the best strategy is to look at one map at a time, find that chest, and break it before looking at a second treasure map. – Auldrick (talk · contribs) 15:05, 25 November 2018 (UTC)Reply

User:Auldrick, I tried what you suggested (breaking the chest before opening a new treasure map), but still, all maps I have show the same point...--187.94.193.57 16:23, 28 April 2019 (UTC)Reply

In retrospect, I think breaking the chest probably doesn't have any effect, all that matters is getting closer to a different treasure chest. In your case, this would mean you're still closest to that same chest (the one your broke) when you looked at the next map. If you already tried travelling a good way away from it, you might have more luck trying a different direction. You might also want to try asking on community discussion forums (see links in sidebar) where you'd reach a lot more readers. (The wiki's talk pages are meant for discussing our articles, not game mechanics.) – Auldrick (talk · contribs) 17:18, 28 April 2019 (UTC)Reply

According to this bug (MC-108082), this is a confirmed problem. The maps will forward you to the closest (to the map's origin) treasure chest location, even if it has been removed. Stayen2 (talk) 15:42, 22 May 2019 (UTC)Reply

this is essential for the Article, and the game mechanics and content is what the wiki is about at all .

the maps bought from same trader seem to always point to the same location ( i tried opening it when `/locate` showed different one, 1.14.4 ) .

Irvnriir1578 (talk) 22:41, 8 February 2020 (UTC)Reply

In the Wiki it says that treasure maps can only be found in shipwrecks or ocean ruins, but in 15.2 I obtained one by fishing.

Does anybody know the correct name for the new Trial Chamber map? Is it "Trial Chamber," "Trial," or something else? The Woodland Mansion Explorer Map is simply named "Woodland Explorer Map," so that's why I'm asking. Thanks. -- Sniffin' Snifflet ^Talk|_Edits 01:19, 22 March 2024 (UTC)Reply

It is "Trial Chambers Map" in both Java and Bedrock Edition. ✿ShadowMistress✿ t+c 05:06, 22 March 2024 (UTC)Reply

Not anymore, wonder if they'll change it for Java? Uono (talk) 18:47, 24 April 2024 (UTC)Reply

In Bedrock Edition 1.18 explorer maps sold by a cartographer would always point to the same structure regardless of whether it had been explored. Now in 1.21.1 Cartographers can change the map they sell after it has been explored. When was this change made? It has not been added to History. BF5258 (talk) 19:41, 8 July 2024 (UTC)Reply

what's a player marker and how do you hold the map in both hands? i'm using it in my hotbar slot and it still is only held in one hand. 2601:483:4581:17B0:894F:BB37:6876:E69C 23:50, 10 September 2024 (UTC)Reply

A player marker is the thing that moves around the map when the player moves around the world. And the platform you're using might not do the two-handed holding. -~- Nerdyguy2000   Talk   Edits  00:44, 11 September 2024 (UTC)Reply

This page should include the unique map marker icons for each type of map. I'd even suggest that it should be in the main info box, in addition to the actual item sprite. It's certainly a better way of identifying variants than the simple palette swap we actually see in game. But if not there, it should at least be in a table somewhere on the page. It seems like info players could realistically want. (I'd add it myself, but I'll be real I have no idea how to find or add image files to a wiki.) The Dialog Box (talk) 03:14, 13 February 2025 (UTC)Reply

That would certainly be useful to have here. Right now they are only listed in the data values section of the Map page (Map#Map icons).--Capopanzo (talk | contribs) 03:28, 13 February 2025 (UTC)Reply

Ah thanks for mentioning that! I wasn't aware the images were actually anywhere on the wiki. I added them to the "When Villager Rebalance is enabled" table, and I think they look pretty good there. Made them 24px instead of the standard 16px just for easier viewing, though I can understand if someone wants to change it back for consistency. The Dialog Box (talk) 07:05, 26 March 2025 (UTC)Reply

It may be useful to mention which values are assigned to minecraft:map_color for each of the naturally occurring explorer maps. Ezzie (talk) 15:53, 31 July 2025 (UTC)Reply

Agreed but I don't know where to list them. At the moment you can find them in Item colors#Maps.--Capopanzo (talk | contribs) 00:28, 8 August 2025 (UTC)Reply