A note on the map: Lee has said that there will be some small tweaks to the map that is currently up. There will not be any widescale terrain changes. Tweaks include switching around a monster or badlands hex. He indicates the map is 99% correct and once the Land Rush is launched the map will be 100% correct.
Landrush Map:
goblinworks.com/static/media/uploads/blogimages/landgrab.pngMap Key as figured by Djoc on the messageboard with added observations as more is discovered.
Hex size: One hex is 680m from flat side to flat side and 780m from one point to its opposite point.
Colors (dominant terrain of each hex)
Light Green: Plains
Dark Green: Forest
Yellow/Tan: Hills/Highlands
Brown: Mountainous Forest
Orange: Mountains
Light Blue: Water (only 4 hexes, found immediately south-east of settlement Z - Edit: Believed to be Toad Lake, a swamp-like area)
**Not on map currently** Swamp
Dark Grey: Meteorite impacts (some important resources will be found only in these places, like skymetal, adamantium, meteoric-iron, etc.)
Produce in Hexes written by Lee HammockAnd to give people some further information, here's what the hexes produce. Note Bulk materials are used in making settlement structures, not crafting items, and represent large quantities of goods. They will be difficult to transport long distances due to encumbrance, so you want them made nearby or guarded heavily. Also essences are components used in making magic items. There are three progressions of essences, each of which is found in two terrain types (Woodlands and Swamps, Croplands and Water, Mountains and Highlands).
Croplands: All the Bulk Food you will ever need, some Bulk Trade Goods, lots of herbs, the best at cloth, essences
Woodlands: The best at Bulk Wood, some Bulk Food (from hunting wild game), very little Bulk Ore, the best at wood, lots of herbs, leather, essences
Highlands: The best at Bulk Stone, moderate Bulk Iron, a little Bulk Food and Bulk Trade goods, mineral chemicals (brimstone and such), some herbs, coal/copper/gold, gems
Mountains: The best at Bulk Iron, lots of Bulk Stone, very little Bulk Trade Goods and Bulk Food, essences, some mineral chemicals, a few herbs, iron/silver/platinum, gems
Swamplands: Moderate amounts of Bulk Food, Iron, Wood, and Trade Goods, essences, mineral chemicals, herbs, leather
Water: Lots of Bulk Food and Trade Goods, essences, pearls, a few herbs in large quantity
Brokenlands: No bulk materials (POIs cannot be built here), essences, mineral chemicals, gems, lots of metals
Symbols Stars: Starter NPC Settlements - Thornkeep to the north-east (Chaotic Neutral) and Fort Inevitable to the southwest (Lawful Evil- Hellknight run)
Black lines: Major trade routes
Triangle: NPC hexes - NPC-patroled/controlled/protected areas
Letters "A" to "AD": Initial settlement spots available during land rush/early enrollment (total of 30)
Village (one big hut and one small hut): Future settlement spots to become available later
Lion: Monster hexes or specific adventure spot (Emerald Spire between V and W), *likely* related to escalations
Castle: Home hexes, permanent home to specific group of NPCs/monsters, with permanent escalation (orc/ogre tribe XYZ, etc.)
Ruins: Badlands, also related to escalations, not as icky as monster hexes, may also be used later by developers to add future content
Big white X: Passes/choke-points - Only way to move from one "tier" of elevation to the next
* Low tier: Lowlands - Light Green (most of south-west quadrant and small south-easternmost portion of map) (includes settlements L, M, N, O and P) (will eventually include swamplands as well)
* Middle tier: Highlands and Woodlands - Yellow and Drak Green (most of map) (includes all 19 other settlements)
* High tier: Mountains - Brown and Orange (most of north-east quadrant and 3 other spots) (includes settlements A, B, W, AA, AC and AD)
Areas of Interest Emerald Spire: Is located southeast of W where the monster hex is located.
Fort Riverwatch: The Good aligned starter town is not in this area but is located to the northwest of this piece of map.
Note: To better visualize, imagine "cliff lines" where the colors meet and plateaus in between
Note: Sprinkled "off-color" terrain will *likely* be on the same tier as the dominant color around them
Note: You can moving freely between yellow and dark green regions as well as between brown and orange regions
Note: Actual "cliff lines" might be drawn a bit differently if there are some "off-color" terrain right next to the "cliff-lines"
Note: There was a hint at unswimable rivers which are not currently drawn on this map (I would guess, other small impassable terrain features are also possible) that will hinder settlements from easily accessing/controlling adjacent POI hexes as much as the tier cliffs
Note: Apparently, one big white X is missing, 3 hexes north-west of Thornkeep along the trade routeFull Map : This map includes areas outside of the Land Rush and EE. The Landrush letters are not included but you can get an idea of where it is based on the locations of Thornekeep and Fort Inevitable. It includes the location of Fort Riverwatch to the northwest. (Note: Bonfire symbol was a mistake and doesn't mean anything in game).
goblinworks.com/static/media/uploads/blogimages/fullmap.png