Same thing happened to me the first few times I played, but only because I couldn't tell anything apart with the terrible graphics. x__x Especially after I had gotten so used to Leaf Green and Sapphire...yeah.I mean like actually lost such as, "Where am I?"
You have to remember, I didn't play Crystal until after I had Ruby and FRLG. So, the graphics were a bit weird to me. Though I got lost in various places, while surfing, in routes that had ridges and other location. Since I am used to the look of Sinnoh in DPPt, I'm sure I'll have it hands down in the new GSDS games.
Yes, though in the games, with the Whirl Pool, I wonder how cool that will look with the new scene of Johto.
Yes, seeing as whirlpools were never brought into any other game, I'd like to see if goes in motion to give it a more realistic look.
The HM was actually called Whirlpool. I would hope it comes back or else the name "Whirlpool Islands" would be very redundant to have.
Actually there are HMs they can take out in the remake that will not be necessary such as Defog and Rock Climb. I don't know about Waterfall, it is a hard one to call.
I think Waterfall should stay an HM. Also I think that Rock Climb should stay an HM as well.
Theres always a possibility that they will remove it though, I believe that it requires a HM. I don't remember what it's called though.