Maps Display a Minimap when on the Hotbar: Improved Map Functions
It's no secret that players love minimaps; it's been one of the most downloaded mods for all of Minecraft's existence. Most minimap mods are pretty strong though, giving you a full, detailed view of everything right from the get go. Nothing needs to be mapped out, it's just all filled out, and waypoints are infinite at the push of the button. This is pretty broken when you consider it... I have a few ideas to improve maps and remedy this in vanilla Minecraft!
Map Changes
A map will display on the top right of the HUD and update mapped terrain as you move as long as you keep it on your hotbar.
A special waypoint block can be built out of a compass and a mix of wood, stone and a single dye. When placed, the waypoint could be right clicked and named. There'd also be an option to set the waypoint to be public or private, private ones displaying only for you and public displaying for anyone with a map. A map will display a waypoint marker as long as the waypoint is on the chunks of the map and the waypoint marker will be whatever colour of the dye you used in crafting. I feel like waypoints would be really fun for multiplayer, since you could place a waypoint and anyone with a map could see it and visit. To prevent griefing on more anarchic servers waypoints could also be set to be private to players.
Maps can be right clicked to bring up a Map GUI. This interface will let you zoom in and pan all around the map. Waypoints can also be found more easily here. There'd also be an option here to set how zoomed in your minimap on the HUD is. Hovering over waypoints when on the map menu will display the name set for them.
Holding the map will still display it in your hands. All these changes are just to make using maps more intuitive.