Devotion of Escher UI
Overview
The user interface in Devotion of Escher was designed to immerse players in a mysterious 1900s setting while ensuring that information remained clear, readable, and intuitive. My goal was to create a visual language that complemented the game’s investigative tone. A subtle, analog-inspired, and grounded in player discovery. Each interface element, from the Base UI to Dialogue and Menu screens, needed to feel like a natural extension of the world rather than an overlay.
The challenge was to balance style and usability: building a UI that enhanced the sense of immersion without sacrificing clarity or pacing. Every component was iterated through sketches, prototypes, and playtests to ensure players always understood their objectives and context while staying deeply connected to the story.
Research and Flowcharts
Before designing the UI, we conducted visual and usability research to understand how early 20th-century aesthetics could inform a modern, functional interface. I studied antique journals, typewriter layouts, and analog dials to capture the feeling of a personal investigation while keeping legibility and feedback modern. The team also referenced narrative-heavy games like Return of the Obra Dinn, Disco Elysium, and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter for their use of minimalist, story-driven UI that guides the player through tone rather than overt instruction.
From this research, I developed a clear interaction structure for all major UI systems — Base, Dialogue, and Menu. Each flowchart mapped player pathways, system dependencies, and contextual triggers. For example, the Dialogue UI flow focused on pacing and emotional clarity, ensuring each choice felt intentional, while the Menu UI flow emphasized quick access to key information without breaking immersion.
The Notebook UI flowchart visualized how players would interact with the game’s investigative systems. It mapped the progression from opening the notebook to analyzing residents, rooms, and inventory objects, ensuring that information was revealed naturally and supported a sense of discovery. Each pathway linked visual, audio, and written feedback — such as photos, names, descriptions, and “detective thoughts” — to reinforce the player’s investigative role. This structure helped the team balance narrative pacing with clarity, making sure players always felt like they were uncovering the truth rather than being told it.
