Does anybody use compass?

[GrayFace]

If you do, what is your preferred position - on the top in MM8 or near the minimap in MM6 and 7? To me it feels like something NWC just added to fill space.

[Anubis]

Never used it until I discovered diagonal map-crossings in MM6. The only reason I use the compass is to get an exact direction of NW, NE, SW, and SE for those diagonal map-crossings but I can easily do without it. It's like you said - compass isn't that important imo.

[Neecko]

Lol I didn't remember there was a compass. Mostly use the map and mini map.

[unknownone]

I think it may be useful when NPC or quests give generic directions for a place, like "go west of the river", etc... I would prefer it next to the minimap as in MM6.

[Erisian]

Lol I didn't remember there was a compass. Mostly use the map and mini map.

Same as that.

[Tress]

Since pointer is integrated in minimap and its always aligned top/north unlike GTA where map rotates, compass is kinda redundant aside of aesthetic purposes, which nevertheless is important as seen pn MM9 where minimalist interface just kills any mood that's left in the game.

[unknownone]

I agree with that.

Since pointer is integrated in minimap and its always aligned top/north unlike GTA where map rotates, compass is kinda redundant aside of aesthetic purposes, which nevertheless is important as seen pn MM9 where minimalist interface just kills any mood that's left in the game.

[GrayFace]

compass is kinda redundant aside of aesthetic purposes, which nevertheless is important as seen pn MM9 where minimalist interface just kills any mood that's left in the game.

Not the fact that it's minimalist, but that it's so ugly! I just went and looked at screenshots and bits of gameplay videos of MM9. It almost looks like a placeholder for interface. To some degree, that might be the case.
Also, players on left and right sides I think are universally a mistake, pretty common among cRPGs of the time.

[Echo]

Never have I ever... looked at the compass in a Might & Magic game

Minimap plus area map are 101% sufficient.

[Anubis]

Do you have plans to remove the compass entirely from the MM games? That'd be interesting. @GrayFace

[GrayFace]

Do you have plans to remove the compass entirely from the MM games? That'd be interesting. @GrayFace

No, it's for the default setting for MM8.

[Tress]

Also, players on left and right sides I think are universally a mistake, pretty common among cRPGs of the time

Dont think that is too much of an issue. Wizardry 8 had similar setup (although its hidden for most of time) so never was problem. Baldurs gate/ icewind dale aslo had similar scheme. True that modern games like Pillars of Eternity or even TotEE have bar on the bottom, which perhaps is slightly more convenient but i dont think its ever a deal breaker, but yes considering the state of game , i would also guess it was not final look of HUD, speically considering issues like almost invisible outline of selected character, or issues with selecting NPC.

[GrayFace]

True that modern games like Pillars of Eternity or even TotEE have bar on the bottom, which perhaps is slightly more convenient but i dont think its ever a deal breaker

"Modern" is a big part of it. At first I had a thought "there's so much horizontal space on wide screens, so portraits would be good on left/right side", but then I realized that non-distracting portraits are the opposite of what's needed. Portraits must be always easily visible and on a wide screen that means placing them horizontally. On 4x3 or 5x4 monitors I'm sure horizontal portraits are better too, but for the reason that horizontally wider view seems to feel better than a square to me. But yes, there's much less difference on such monitors.