Anchor Rift Wireframe — Resonance Routing¶
STATUS: PROPOSED — NOT IMPLEMENTED. Verified 2026-08-27.
Interaction design for a screen that does not exist yet. Kept as the design intent to build against, not as a description of the client.
This document sketches a candidate UI for the Anchor Rift minigame where the player stabilizes a fractured resonance lattice to reveal the realm.
Core Fantasy¶
The player is not merely clicking "reveal map." They are forcing a broken local reality seam into coherence.
The interaction should feel:
- short
- strategic
- readable
- high-stakes without being punishing
- distinct from combat, events, shops, and sanctuary services
Screen Goal¶
Route a resonance pulse from the Anchor Core to one or more target nodes using a limited number of stabilization actions.
Each successful route produces a different payoff:
- reveal nearby nodes
- reveal exact node identities instead of rough categories
- suppress hazards on one route
- expose hidden treasure or elite branches
- reduce transit-interrupt risk
Primary Layout¶
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Esc] Pause Anchor Rift: Resonance Routing |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Realm Passive: Flooded Echoes Stability Actions: 3 Pulse Strength: 5 |
| Objective: Route the resonance pulse through unstable paths to stabilize local reality. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| LATTICE BOARD |
| |
| [ANCHOR CORE]-----(A)====(B)----x----(C)------[SCAN NODE] |
| || \ unstable drift |
| || \ |
| || ====(D)====(E)---x---(F)------[HAZARD SUPPRESSOR] |
| || stable false echo |
| || |
| ||--------------------(G)----(H)====(I)------[HIDDEN ROUTE] |
| overload stable |
| |
| Legend: |
| ==== stable path ---- normal path x broken path drift = pulse may veer false = decoy |
| |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Node Detail | Route Effects |
| Selected: (H) Resonance Junction | [Scan Node] |
| Trait: Overload | Reveal 3 nearby |
| Current Effect: Costs +1 Pulse to cross | nodes exactly |
| Available Actions: | |
| [Stabilize] [Rotate Junction] [Suppress Drift] [Probe] | [Hazard Suppressor]|
| | One future path |
| | gains Stable tag |
| | |
| | [Hidden Route] |
| | Reveal secret path |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Action Log |
| - Probe on (B): confirmed stable branch toward lower lattice. |
| - Stabilize on (D): pulse loss removed from this segment. |
| - Drift still active on (C). |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Commit Pulse] [Reset Planning] [Leave Anchor] |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Interaction Model¶
The player gets a small number of actions before committing the pulse.
Example action set:
Probe: reveal the true trait of one uncertain segmentStabilize: convert one bad segment into a safe segmentRotate Junction: change which branch a split node will feedSuppress Drift: prevent pulse deviation on one unstable branchGround Overload: remove extra pulse cost from one node
After spending actions, the player presses Commit Pulse and watches the route resolve.
Resolution States¶
The minigame should support partial success.
Full Success¶
- pulse reaches two or more objectives
- larger map reveal
- hidden route exposed
- one route gains a beneficial modifier such as
Stable
Partial Success¶
- pulse reaches one objective only
- map reveal happens, but with less certainty
- no hidden branch unlocked
Failed Stabilization¶
- pulse fizzles or is misrouted
- limited reveal only
- optional realm penalty such as increased transit-interrupt chance on one path
- player still moves on; the run is not hard-blocked
Shorter Moment-To-Moment Example¶
Step 1: Player sees three possible branches.
Step 2: Player probes the upper branch and learns it contains a false echo.
Step 3: Player stabilizes the lower branch and rotates one junction.
Step 4: Player commits the pulse.
Step 5: The pulse reaches Scan Node + Hidden Route.
Step 6: Nearby map nodes are revealed and a secret treasure branch appears.
Why This Feels Like EchoSpire¶
- the player is stabilizing reality, not solving an abstract puzzle with no fiction
- information is the reward, which matters in a fogged realm structure
- route control is the fun, not raw loot alone
- different biomes can skin the lattice differently without changing the core loop
Biome Skin Examples¶
- Valerii: iron pylon grid, hard angles, stasis locks, disciplined lines
- Axiom: logic lattice, geometric nodes, predictive overlays
- Syndicate: prismatic channels, volatile spillover, beautiful false paths
- Censors: archival threads, memory seams, ghost-route echoes
- Salvari: jury-rigged scanner, broken pipes, patched conduits, improvised truth
UI Notes¶
- Board should fit on a single screen with no scrolling.
- The player should understand the board in under 5 seconds.
- Resolution animation should be short and satisfying: the pulse travels, false paths collapse, true routes illuminate.
- Avoid twitch timing. This should feel tactical, not arcade.
Recommended Tuning¶
- Target session length: 30 to 60 seconds on average
- Decision count: 2 to 4 meaningful actions before resolution
- Failure cost: informational loss or route-risk increase, not run-ending punishment
- Realm variation: change node traits, objective count, and reward emphasis by biome and act