For the grid, i'll have to leave it out, since i cant do GU and they will change with each zoom, Nite will have to code the grid in like the mini map. No ships, Does this include your own ship ?
What about if you left click the map it pings it, showing a sort of sonar like circle graphic on that spot which dissapears after 5 secs or so, that only members of your race can see ?
Rejigged panel.
Grid's whatever coding so nite I guess will handle that.
As for no ships, your ship can be on there just so you can tell where you are compared to the universe, but nobody else. This is a navigational (Astrogation) map, not a radar. I don't want it subbing for it.
Now, for the control panel, since races are color coded, trim it down to just one race filter, race colors on/off.
Use the freed up space to kind of permanently place reminder instructions on the panel.
For the 'sonar' Idea, that's actually a good idea. But we'll call it 'marker'.
However it'll be a second layer command, because we're already using normal click for map manipulation.
So Ctrl + Left Click = Transmit Marker
And as long as we're at it, if we need to place a longer lasting marker. Crtl Right Click will 'place beacon'.
The beacon will remain until the player hits a button on the panel labeled 'clear beacon' or ctrl right clicks another location.
