Epitaph 1997 — LD
Overview
A circular dungeon tuned for spell-craft combat and quiet discovery. Layout evolved from linear to looping so players could fold back through clue zones, find ritual doorways, and surface the Taoist horror through the environment itself.
Contributions
- Circular dungeon — loops that let players fold back through earlier clue zones.
- Zoned pacing — dedicated puzzle, combat, and exploration beats with clean checkpoints.
- Atmospheric lighting — intuitive cues that carry the Taoist exorcism tone without UI.
Design Goals
Step 01 — initial layout
Three things to earn
Every corridor had to pay one of three rents — puzzle, combat, or atmosphere. If a room didn't serve one of those, it was cut or absorbed into the loop.
- Puzzle & exploration — logical navigation and earned clue discovery.
- Combat support — layouts that complement spell-craft mechanics.
- Atmospheric tension — environmental storytelling for Taoist exorcism themes.
Design Process
Step 02 — iterated shape and connections
Linear → circular
The first pass was linear. Players read it once, never came back. The second pass broke the spine into a loop with short connections — now earlier rooms had a reason to be revisited, and clues could land on the second pass instead of the first.
Step 03 — final implementation
Zones, checkpoints, light
The final pass assigned each arc of the loop to a single purpose — puzzle, combat, exploration — and placed checkpoints between them. Intuitive lighting guides the player through without a minimap.
Playthrough
Full playthrough of the dungeon
End-to-end run
A recorded walkthrough of the circular layout in play — puzzle zones, combat rooms, and the loops that tie them together.