A New Chapter for O-Map – Major Rebuild, Faster Maps and New Possibilities

O-Map is undergoing one of its biggest changes yet. Instead of simply adding more features to the existing platform, the project is being rebuilt with a new technical foundation, a clearer concept and a stronger focus on performance, usability and map quality. The goal remains the same: to make detailed orienteering maps accessible to as many people as possible. In this article, I would like to share what is changing, what is planned for the future and why support from sponsors and the community remains so important.

A major rebuild from the ground up

Over time, O-Map has grown into a much more complex project than originally anticipated. Generating detailed maps from different geographical datasets requires considerable processing power, and the existing approach has increasingly shown its limitations.

The rebuild is an opportunity to rethink how the entire platform works. Rather than processing and combining large amounts of map information whenever a user opens a location, the new concept focuses on preparing data more efficiently and delivering it in a way that reduces unnecessary work. This should make browsing maps significantly faster and more reliable, especially in areas with many geographical objects.

The new foundation is also intended to make future development easier. New features, data sources and improvements should be easier to integrate without making the platform increasingly complicated.

Faster maps and a better user experience

One of the main priorities is map performance. Nobody wants to wait several seconds every time they zoom in, move the map or explore a new area.

The redesigned map system aims to reduce loading times, improve responsiveness and provide a smoother experience on both desktop and mobile devices. Particular attention is being paid to areas with high object density, where the previous system could reach its limits.

Performance is not just about speed. A more efficient platform can also reduce server load and operating costs, allowing more resources to be invested in improving the actual map data.

A clearer concept and new functions

The rebuild is not only a technical upgrade. It is also a chance to improve the overall concept of O-Map and make the platform easier to understand and use.

The goal is to create a more consistent experience, with clearer navigation, a modern interface and better integration between map viewing and future editing tools. Additional functions are being evaluated to make exploring, preparing and working with orienteering maps more practical.

Not every idea is ready for release yet. Further details will be shared as development progresses and individual features become available.

New data sources and more detailed terrain information

Good orienteering maps depend on good geographical data. This is why expanding and improving the available data sources is another major part of the rebuild.

Alongside established sources such as OpenStreetMap, the project aims to make better use of publicly available terrain and elevation models, including high-resolution datasets where they are available and suitable for use.

These datasets offer exciting possibilities. With the right processing methods, terrain models can help generate contour lines and potentially identify smaller landscape features such as depressions, knolls and other terrain structures relevant to orienteering.

However, automatic map generation remains a challenge. Data quality, resolution, licensing conditions and regional availability vary considerably. Not every feature can be identified reliably, and automatically generated maps cannot replace field surveying for official competitions. The aim is to keep improving the quality and usefulness of O-Map while remaining transparent about these limitations.

Why sponsors and donations are still needed

Building and operating a platform like O-Map requires more than development time. Processing large geographical datasets, storing map information and delivering maps quickly to users all involve ongoing infrastructure costs. More detailed terrain data and wider geographical coverage can increase these requirements even further.

To keep developing O-Map and make the improved platform accessible to the community, I am continuing to look for sponsors and voluntary donations. Support can help cover hosting, storage, computing resources and future development.

If you would like to contribute, you can make a donation here via: PayPal.

If you or your organisation are interested in sponsoring the project, please get in touch at info@o-map.ch.

What comes next? O-Manager and a Route Choice Game

The rebuild is only the beginning. Once the new technical foundation is in place, the next steps will include two projects that bring new possibilities to O-Map.

O-Manager – online course planning

O-Manager is planned as a browser-based tool for creating and managing orienteering courses directly on O-Map. The vision is to define controls, courses and categories, collaborate on course planning and prepare training sessions or events from a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Route Choice Game – train your decisions

A new Route Choice Game is also planned. Players will be able to explore route alternatives between controls and practise making decisions based on distance, elevation and terrain. The aim is to make route-choice training interactive and enjoyable while discovering different landscapes and maps.

Together, these projects reflect the longer-term vision for O-Map: not just a fast map viewer, but a useful platform for exploring, planning and practising orienteering. Development updates and release details will follow when they are ready.

I would like to thank everyone who has used O-Map, shared feedback or supported the project so far. Your ideas and suggestions are valuable and help shape the direction of the platform.

I look forward to sharing further progress and hearing what you think about the new direction. Which features or improvements would you most like to see in the next generation of O-Map?

Thank you for being part of the journey!

Andrin Benz
info@o-map.ch