I like the point about the lack of a sense of direction; I’m the same and can see how the love of maps might be related :-) But there’s also what maps meant to those who made them, especially in times when exploration was difficult but the knowledge from them was very valuable. (Also, although not into fantasy for a very long time, I do remember the attraction of the Tolkien maps etc)

Bringing the love of maps back to strategy gaming, it is definitely one of the aspects I loved most about Civilisation. You start with your settler and all you know is the eight squares around you, everything else is black. As the game progresses, the expanding of that map in itself has always been a driving force for my actions in addition to whatever rational returns could be made.

Roberto/.