Maps should be coming.
As for people hiding away on their own, if they want to do that it can become a bit dull and could well mean their progress is slow. However, other players (as long as the storyline has not become locked) would be able to join them, and of course the GMs can get involved.
If you really want to enjoy the game, interaction with others, so you have different people building the story together, is definitely the best. You might have an outline of a story you want to take your character through, then someone else does something which takes it in a completely different direction.
