Visual Orientation

This page gives new contributors a quick visual map before they dive into code. Screenshots live in public/, so future captures can be added without changing the private game repository.

Current Screens

EchoWarrior start screen with rain, title, and menu options — Start screen: the first contributor-facing frame for mood, menu flow, background atmosphere, and modded/unmodded entry state.

Main EchoWarrior prototype screen with HUD and companions — Main runtime: world simulation, companion labels, HUD, input hints, and gameplay stats in the Macroquad prototype.

Shader arena showing a nova VFX preview and parameter sliders — Shader arena: the clearest screen for VFX iteration, uniform sliders, effect icons, and runtime debug controls.

Dialogue overlay during a rainy scene with a speaker portrait — Dialogue and choreography: authored scene beats over live gameplay, with speaker portraits and input prompts.

EchoWarrior combat identity mark — Primary mark: useful for site identity, social previews, favicons, and future contributor-facing screenshots.

EchoWarrior lore identity mark — Lore mark: a quieter library/candle variant that fits design notes, worldbuilding pages, and modding reference material.

How To Read A Screenshot

When you add or review a screenshot, name the system it teaches. Good contributor screenshots usually clarify one of these:

Screenshot focus	Relevant docs
HUD, overlays, labels, and effect draw order	Rendering And UI
Dialogue, story beats, gestures, and camera cues	Choreography
Runtime asset loading and fallback behavior	Assets And Packaging
Mod-authored data changing visible gameplay	Modding Boundary
Debug panels, logs, counters, or diagnostics	Observability

Adding More Captures

Put public screenshots in:

public/

Prefer short, descriptive lowercase names:

public/shader_arena_2.png
public/dialogue_choice_1.png
public/start_screen_2.png
public/level_up_cards_1.png

Then reference them from Markdown with absolute paths:

<img src="/shader_arena_2.png" alt="Shader arena showing chain lightning tuning controls" />

Use captions to explain why the screenshot matters to a contributor. A useful caption says which system is visible and what code or data boundary the reader should remember.