From deep lore to dungeon flow — these projects explore how game design becomes storytelling. Each piece reflects my love for structure, mood, and interaction. I design for immersion: whether it’s a map, a visual tool, or an atmospheric scene, I aim to shape worlds that players want to explore.
MAP DESIGN
– From Sketch to Usable Tool
– From Sketch to Usable Tool
This project showcases how I approach layout and structure through mapmaking.
I started with a rough hand-drawn sketch to explore geography, flow, and narrative logic. From there, I developed a clear, functional digital version designed for actual use in storytelling or gameplay.
I started with a rough hand-drawn sketch to explore geography, flow, and narrative logic. From there, I developed a clear, functional digital version designed for actual use in storytelling or gameplay.
My focus was to balance aesthetics with purpose – ensuring that every part of the map serves both orientation and immersion. This involved refining terrain, placing key landmarks, and labeling for clarity, while preserving the original story-driven layout.
The final result is not just a pretty image – it's a navigational tool built to guide users through a world that feels both believable and alive.
PLAYER HANDBOOK DESIGN
Welcome to Elba
This in-world handbook was created as a narrative tool to guide my players through the campaign setting of Elba—a mysterious archipelago filled with secrets, shifting alliances, and strange encounters. Designed to feel like a travel dossier from within the game world, the booklet blends maps, character rumors, item tickets, and atmospheric notes into a cohesive and visually rich layout.
The content was a mix of original design and found imagery, carefully arranged to reflect different voices and perspectives from the setting. My focus was on storytelling through design: letting layout, typography, and visual texture build trust in the world before the players even rolled a die. The goal wasn’t just to inform—it was to spark curiosity, theorycrafting, and player-driven interaction right from the first page.
THE LABYRINTH
– A Hand-Drawn Experience
– A Hand-Drawn Experience
Created as a live exploration tool, this labyrinth existed only in my sketchbook. Players were asked to map their own path, increasing immersion and tension.
Player/drawer of map A & B is: Martin Mossler Rockström
Drawn by: Martin Mossler Rockström
HAND-OUTS
I design in-world documents that feel real enough to hold. Whether it’s a cryptic letter, a worn journal page, or a cursed contract, these hand-outs deepen immersion and invite players to interact with the story in a tactile way.
Each piece is tailored to mood, era, and tone — blending typography, layout, and storytelling details.
Each piece is tailored to mood, era, and tone — blending typography, layout, and storytelling details.
Tools used: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
Focus: narrative tone, authenticity, visual storytelling
Focus: narrative tone, authenticity, visual storytelling
Puzzle Design
- The Gallery of Echoes
- The Gallery of Echoes
This custom puzzle was designed as part of a split-path dungeon challenge, where each player faced their own unique obstacle while separated from the rest of the party. The goal was to create an immersive, solo-friendly puzzle that relied more on observation and intuitive logic than on math or riddles, making it accessible to a range of player strengths.
The Setup:
Players encountered a gallery filled with mysterious portraits and wooden bowls marked with letters. In the center: a bowl of colorful candy-like stones. With no written instructions, they had to decipher the correct way to distribute the stones based on visual cues in the paintings above.
Players encountered a gallery filled with mysterious portraits and wooden bowls marked with letters. In the center: a bowl of colorful candy-like stones. With no written instructions, they had to decipher the correct way to distribute the stones based on visual cues in the paintings above.
This puzzle was designed using AI-generated artwork combined with simple object graphics, arranged in a way that encouraged pattern recognition, storytelling, and lateral thinking. While the icons were not drawn by hand, the puzzle layout and logic were original.
Player Experience
Ragnar, Clan Rock Barbarian (In-Character):
“As a barbarian warlock of Clan Rock, I found myself puzzled in this situation. I'm good at hunting and slashing, but here it was useless. I was alone, separated from my hunting party. I could only rely on my cunning and smartness.
But my mom used to say I was special! I'm sure that it's because I was the most intelligent of the kids since I was handling 2 axes at the same time. So I started thinking. Did something — nothing happened. Then I tried again. Still nothing. But then… I really started thinking. Like, really hard. Then it felt like the moment when you just find the monster prey.
I felt I had the answer, so I did something — and something happened! The door opened. I'm a genius! The genius barbarian of Clan Rock! I should become an elder!”
“As a barbarian warlock of Clan Rock, I found myself puzzled in this situation. I'm good at hunting and slashing, but here it was useless. I was alone, separated from my hunting party. I could only rely on my cunning and smartness.
But my mom used to say I was special! I'm sure that it's because I was the most intelligent of the kids since I was handling 2 axes at the same time. So I started thinking. Did something — nothing happened. Then I tried again. Still nothing. But then… I really started thinking. Like, really hard. Then it felt like the moment when you just find the monster prey.
I felt I had the answer, so I did something — and something happened! The door opened. I'm a genius! The genius barbarian of Clan Rock! I should become an elder!”
Player Norfarel (Out-of-Character):
“As a player, I like small puzzles but don’t do a lot of them outside of games. Normally I rely on the math-brain people in the group. So I was nervous to be stuck alone with this one. But this puzzle was the perfect level of difficulty. It never felt out of reach. After a few thoughtful moments and by examining the visual details, I solved it!
It also helped that the GM rotated between players, giving us all some solo reflection time. It felt amazing to crack this one on my own — especially while playing a not-so-clever barbarian. It was a satisfying, story-driven moment that really stood out.”
“As a player, I like small puzzles but don’t do a lot of them outside of games. Normally I rely on the math-brain people in the group. So I was nervous to be stuck alone with this one. But this puzzle was the perfect level of difficulty. It never felt out of reach. After a few thoughtful moments and by examining the visual details, I solved it!
It also helped that the GM rotated between players, giving us all some solo reflection time. It felt amazing to crack this one on my own — especially while playing a not-so-clever barbarian. It was a satisfying, story-driven moment that really stood out.”