Updating map tile options

[Jim]

As part of this summer's work on METAL, I'm planning to add a few of the new map tiles now available through leaflet providers (http://leaflet-extras.github.io/leaflet-providers/preview/).  It looks like I can add the ones from Jawg and possibly the ones from CartoDB.

However, our list is already quite long and I expect there are some options that no one would miss if they went away.  A few no longer work.  I'm almost definitely going to cut back the default list on HDX to just a handful, and probably will choose something other than OSM Mapnik for the default there.  I'm willing to leave a more lengthy list on TM maps, but would like to keep the list to only those tile sets that are useful to someone.

Are there tile sets you definitely think are useless that should be removed?

Are there ones you like and use a lot that would be annoying to you to have removed?

Are there ones on the leaflet-providers demo page that we don't currently have that you'd like to see added?  Note that not all are available for free, so your favorite might not be possible.

[michih]

I agree that we currently have too much tiles.

I frequently use:
- Open Street Map Default
- Esri WorldImagery

I sometimes use:
- TM Blank White
- TM Blank Black

I sometimes used:
- Open Street Map German Style (when I had that annoying loading issue with OSM Default)

[si404]

Are there tile sets you definitely think are useless that should be removed?

There's the ones that are just artsy renderings of other maps we have. They don't add anything really and the maps aren't particularly useable

• Thunderforest Pioneer
• Thunderforest Spinal Map (its pretty unreadable too with black-on-dark grey)
• Stamer Toner (though the hybrid version on leaflet is a big improvement as the lines for roads have Mapnik underneath it providing more context)
• Stamer Watercolor
• ESRI World Gray Canvas

Are there ones you like and use a lot that would be annoying to you to have removed?

Mapnik, German OSM (though if that was replaced by French OSM, I wouldn't mind as it does the same thing, just with a different appearance and a different default language), ESRI World Imagery.

Are there ones on the leaflet-providers demo page that we don't currently have that you'd like to see added?  Note that not all are available for free, so your favorite might not be possible.

OSM.France - OK, it's benefits are similar to OSM.DE, namely the transliteration of non-Latin characters where possible and the showing of proposed routes. Arguably it's not as good as the German version (less transliterations available), but I'm still bitter that Mapnik changed from that cartography and it was very nice to see that colour scheme again!

If free, then GeoportailFrance / GeoportailFrance.ignMaps would be great. Similarly there's USGS layers.

[Markkos1992]

The HERE Hybrid Day maps are very useful to me personally as they include satellite imagery.  I definitely want to keep those.

[vdeane]

Do all the current tile options even work?  Mapbox and Hydda don't seem to.

I agree that we currently have too much tiles.

I frequently use:
- Open Street Map Default
- Esri WorldImagery

I sometimes use:
- TM Blank White
- TM Blank Black

I sometimes used:
- Open Street Map German Style (when I had that annoying loading issue with OSM Default)

I think that's a good core set.

[mikeandkristie]

Personally, I prefer the look of Esri WorldStreetMap by a lot over OpenStreetMap Default.  That's my primary one.  And the two satellite ones (Esri WorldImagery and HERE Hybrid Day) are important.  And ocassionally I will use some of the topo/landscape ones.

Mike

[oscar]

My primary one is OSM default, and I would like that to stay as the HB default option. ESRI WorldStreetMap and WorldImagery. and the HERE sets, are useful supplements.

I would like to get Mapbox to work as another satellite imagery option.

Most of the ESRI options, besides the two above, seem unhelpful. Ditto Thunderforest.

[Jim]

Unfortunately, Mapbox likely can't return.  The problem we had before

https://forum.travelmapping.net/index.php?topic=3049

where once you exceed the free tier, you don't get cut off, you get billed, seems to remain.

[osu-lsu]

I will concur with others here to get rid of Mapbox, the lower half of the Esri collection, and all of the thunderforest maps, with one lone exception.
Keep the Spinal map. Yeah, it serves no real purpose. But I like to view it just for the laughs of the Black metal fonts and with Cleveland's history of burning rivers, seeing a flaming Lake Erie isn't much of a stretch.
We tend to stay TOO serious on here, so view the Spinal Map does get (at least) a smile out of me every time.

[theFXexpert]

I do like using the German OSM as an alternate style to the default.

Sometimes I want something more minimalist to make the route polylines stand out more and I'll use the blank ones, or Esri WorldShadedRelief and Esri WorldGrayCanvas for a little more geographical context.
I like the idea of the TransportDark tiles but the rail lines are too strong and overwhelm the route polylines. Either CartoDB.DarkMatter, CartoDB.DarkMatterNoLabels or Jawg.Dark would be good substitutes. I think I lean towards the no labels one if only one of those is included.

[Jim]

A first pass at this is now on tmstage.teresco.org.  I've removed broken and seemingly unpopular options, and added a few new ones.  I plan to add a few more if I can figure out CartoDB (should be able, they appear to be free for non-commercial use).

Opinions on the changes so far are welcome.

[michih]

Opinions on the changes so far are welcome.

Can we change the order? When drafting or reviewing routes, I frequently switch between "Open Street Map Default" and "Esri WorldImagery". OSM is the first one, can we move the satellite tile to the end of the list?

[Jim]

I can order them however people like.

[Duke87]

My recommendation is to only remove the ones that don't actually work, or that we've had to disable for the sake of avoiding being billed (Mapbox).

Any options that are less popular but still work, just bury them at the bottom of the list. I see this as a "why remove functionality if it presents no burden to keep it" situation.

[michih]

I can order them however people like.

I'd like to see "Open Street Map Default" and "Esri WorldImagery" kinda outstanding so that we can quickly change between them - in wpt editor and HB!