• What exactly is Map Pack?
  
  Take a look at below screenshot of Map Pack. Notice how there are many markers below? Locations to almost every NPC, Monster, Resource, Travel Locations (Pad/Portals), etc are included. So the work of adding many markers has already been compiled by players over time. You will have a great advantage and be able to search and find many things easily, in Istaria.
  
  Also notice the extra buttons on the left side? These extra buttons (filters) show/hide various markers. They fall into multiple categories, including:
  
  
  • Monsters
  • NPC's
  • Resources
  • Travel Spots (Teleporters, Arrival Pads)
  • Interests (Landmarks/Walls/Temples)
  • Plots/Lairs (Credits to Terao)
  
  
  
• Additional features:
  
  
  • Updated Terrain (Istaria Map) images - Some of the images in the original game install isn't quite up to par. For instance, there are many lakes/ponds/rivers missing. Or some just aren't colored in blue and look like normal terrain (dirt).
  • Additional Maps not included in game: Dralnok's Doom, Rift, and Isle of Battle, Tomb of Ashlander, Helian's Tomb.
  • More 'Points of Interests' labels on map! ie Central Marsh and Izzon's Peak (screenshot below) are examples of POI labels.
    There are much more POI labels in map pack. The benefit is these labels are also searchable in the game map.
  • New avatar indicators (Credits to Terao).

• Download the .EXE automatic installer program below and Run the program. During the setup, it will ask what folder you want to install it to. By default, it chooses your Program Files - Istaria folder (which is where your game installs by default). If you installed your game in a different folder, then select that folder instead when asked, otherwise just use all default settings.
  
  
• If you have map pack already installed, but have never used the installer program before, then this is fine.
  The above instructions still apply to you! It will only update the necessary files.

• You do not need to uninstall your existing map pack when a new version comes out, just simply run the new installer program.
  It will remember the last location it was installed and simply update the necessary files.

• You can Uninstall or Repair an installation by going to Control Panel, Programs, Uninstall a Program.
  Either select the Uninstall option to uninstall or Repair option to Repair a broken installation.
  
  
• Additionally you can relaunch the .EXE installer program to perform both of these options.
  
  
• Repair option is idea if map pack gets broken somehow. Example, if you were to select the "Reset Character Prefs" option (from the game launcher's Troubleshoot button), then this will "break" map pack. The repair option will fix your broken map pack!

• Just note I have been playing this game the entire 10+ years, actively involved in the community/forums and have ran this website since Feb 2013. You can ask around in the game. I am trustworthy and not out to "get you" with some Malware, etc!
  Please use the installer program as its more flexible, less prone to permission issues, less manual steps, editing files, other scenarios of a failed manual install from the .zip files, etc.
  
  
• Still not convinced? Thats certainly fine and understandable. You can grab the raw files in a .zip file, instead.
  But note this requires a bit more work for first time installation.
  If you wish to manually install map pack for the first time, using the .zip file, then follow these instructions on the Old Map Pack page.
  
  
• If you already have map pack installed, then you simply unzip to your main Istaria game folder as it always has been in the past!
  
  
• The .zip versions (raw files) of ALL map pack versions can always be found in the Map Pack Repository (link below).
  
  
• Note: As of around September, 2018, all map pack .exe's are now digitially signed by Virtrium LLC.
  You can right click, Properties, on the file to view the digital signature in Windows.

• You will need to grab the .ZIP version (from Map Pack Repository) and unzip it to the base game folder, on your 2nd game folder.
  
  Please refer to the above instructions, under "No offense, but I do not trust .EXE ..." section.
  You will still need to manually edit, with Notepad, your /Prefs/ClientPrefs_Common.def file and change the string MapPath line to:
  string mapPath = "resources_override/resources/interface/maps" - Make sure you are not logged in the game while editting!
  
  As mentioned in previous section's instructions, refer to the Old Map Pack page for more explanation on how to edit the file.
  
  
• The .zip versions (raw files) of ALL map pack versions can always be found in the Map Pack Repository (link below).

If you want to change the standard map indicator use the windows explorer and open the folder:

 ...\Istaria\resources_override\resources\interface\themes\default\textures


 Rename the file: 
   map_indicator_direction.png
     to 
   map_indicator_direction4.png (renaming to direction4 is to simply make a backup of the default indicator)

 Now rename one of the 3 indicator files:
   map_indicator_direction1,2 or 3.png
     to
   map_indicator_direction.png

 Default map indicator is a white dot with circle and arrow 
 map_indicator_direction1.png is a green dragon with arrow 
 map_indicator_direction2.png is a violet dragon 
 map_indicator_direction3.png is a white dot with arrow 

map_indicator_direction.png
map_indicator_direction1.png
map_indicator_direction2.png
map_indicator_direction3.png

All City and Island Maps has been updated to use the same high resolution map images that are now included in the latest Delta 386.15 patch.

Added Global override .def files to be compatible with latest patch (maps.def, map_character.def, map_groupmember.def, map_machines.def, map_npc.def, map_players.def)
to the resources/interface/maps folder. Deleted all the corresponding files from each individual folder (now obsolete) ie map_npc_istaria.def, map_character_istaria.def.
The Global files contains all the info needed. Likewise, all map.def files (in each subfolder) has been modified to point to the global override .def files.

"NPC's" button has been renamed to "Nearby NPC's".  This button now shows NPC's with 3 different colored dots. Previously all NPC's were blue dots.
	Trainer NPC's are now Red dots
	Trader NPC's (Quartermaster, Pawnbrokers, Consigners, etc) are now Green dots.
	Vault Keepers are now Pink dots.
	All other NPC's are blue dots.

"Group Members" button shows a light green dot, instead of a green dot (to distinguish a group member from a Trader NPC.

Added new button: "Nearby Machines". This is a brand new feature by Virtrium. This will show crafting machines nearby your avatar. This is similiar to the NPC's button, that shows
nearby NPC's as blue dots. Note my intention was to add the gray machine markers (from non map pack game folder) for this button. But they did not make it for this patch.
In the meantime, this button will display colored markers. This will be fixed next update when the markers are available to me. Be careful, it is easy to confuse the markers
when you use the "Crafting Machines" button. So try not to have both button ticked at same time (Nearby Machines and Crafting Machines button) to avoid duplicates from overlapping.

	I recommend you ALWAYS use the "Nearby Machines" button when in a town (and untick the map pack "Crafting Machines" button.
	Nearby Machines are 100% accurate, since it queries Virtrium's database (same as Nearby NPC's) and automatically inserted into the map.
	This button will still show nearby Machines even in the wilderness, as long as you are nearby.
	Crafting Machines button should probably be unticked most of the time, unless you're trying to find a machine not nearby to you.



Istaria Map:


	Removed the City button. Merged City names (labels) to the Geography button's locations.
	The # of buttons is currently maxed out. I had to do this to make room for the new "Nearby Machines" button.
	It's a shame to waste a button for something that only displays less than 10 entries (Major City Names, ie Chiconis, Dalimond, etc)
		Non-Istaria maps (City, Islands, Dungeons) now have the "Nearby Machines" button added. The City button has not been removed from these maps.