Designing a Diegetic Quest Journal for Elden Ring
Reducing cognitive load while preserving ambiguity, discovery, and player-led exploration.
Add: role, timeline, tools, methods.
Role: UX Researcher / Game UX Designer
Methods: Comparative analysis, heuristic evaluation, interaction flow, mid-fidelity prototyping
Tools: Figma, gameplay analysis, annotated screenshots
Outcome: Adventure Log prototype with Encounters, Journal, and Map systems.
Project Snapshot
Players must rely on memory, external notes, or guides to track NPC quests.
Support information recall without turning Elden Ring into a guided checklist.
A retrospective Adventure Log that records only previously encountered NPC dialogue, locations, and player notes.
Research Question
How might we help players remember quest-relevant information while preserving Elden Ring’s intended PX of ambiguity and discovery?
Research & Evaluation
| Game | Quest Support | UX Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | Minimal / memory-based | Preserves mystery but creates cognitive burden |
| Breath of the Wild | Adventure Log | Supports recall without fully solving the path |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | Directed mission log | Clear, but too guided for Elden Ring |
Key Insight
The issue is not that Elden Ring lacks “quests.” The issue is that players are asked to remember fragmented information that the system could preserve without giving away future actions.
Design Principles
Recognition over recall
Show already-seen information.
Retrospective only
No future objectives, no checklist, no “go here next.”
Preserve ambiguity
Keep dialogue and player interpretation intact.
Prototype
Interaction Flow of the Adventure Log System
Encounters
Design Tradeoff
Tradeoff: More information can reduce confusion, but too much guidance can damage the intended player experience.
Decision: The system only records what the player has already encountered.