To be able to scroll through the map while a game is paused(like in Age of Empires 2: DE) would be really useful… Right now, we can’t do that, since the screen gets completely locked in its current position.
Being completely locked is the right choice for players. Already having the free time to survey the minimap, communicate with teammates and check statistics is an advantage the player stepping away from the computer does not have. Being able to go combing through the map would only make this worse.
SPECTATORS being able to freely navigate the map and check things out would be a great improvement to casters, which I would very much like to see happen.
I would really like it to be implemented as the game can turn into absolute chaos after a point and it would be nice to pause for a second and take care of all the problems.
Yes. For single player experience, this is a must have IMO. I would like to stop for a moment to analyze the current situation and take better choices in short to mid term.
Also, it would be very useful for scenario editing, as well as for taking notes and study map layouts.
In some cases, the alarm that denotes being under attack does not sound as frequently as I would like it to, so being able to pause and quickly see what the heck is going on, is gonna be helpful.
Yesterday I lost ~20 villagers due to the alarm not drawing enough of my attention (a pair of triremes can cause lots of deaths when having little to no defense)