How the map is laid out
The world is a 61x61 grid with the village at the center, position 30,30. Distances are measured from the village. Walking reveals a small radius around you, and the Scout can reveal additional tiles. The compass points toward the crashed starship, which is the direction you eventually need to travel.
- →Grid: 61 by 61 tiles, with the village at the center.
- →Light radius: 2 tiles around your position.
- →The map is revealed by walking and by buying map reveals from the Scout.
Landmark distances
Most landmarks sit in rings around the village. The three mines are the progression gates; the crashed ship and the Ravaged Battleship share the outermost ring. The counts are how many of each landmark the map generates.
| Landmark | Radius and count |
|---|---|
| Iron Mine | Radius 5, 1. Clear it to unlock iron miners. |
| Coal Mine | Radius 10, 1. Clear it to unlock coal miners. |
| Sulphur Mine | Radius 20, 1. Clear it to unlock sulphur miners. |
| Crashed Starship | Radius 28, 1. Unlocks the ship tab. |
| Ravaged Battleship | Radius 28, 1. Alien alloy and the fleet beacon. |
| Damp Cave | Radius 3 to 10, 5. Loot and fights. |
| Old House | Any radius, 10. Small loot. |
| Abandoned Town | Radius 10 to 20, 10. Loot, charms, and fights. |
| Ruined City | Radius 20 and out, 20. Best loot, hardest fights. |
| Borehole | Radius 15 and out, 10. Loot. |
| Battlefield | Radius 18 and out, 5. Loot. |
| Murky Swamp | Radius 15 and out, 1. Gastronome perk. |
| Destroyed Village | Radius 10 and out, 1. Prestige cache after an ending. |
The compass
The compass shows the direction to the crashed ship. The nomad sells it for 300 fur, 15 scales, and 5 teeth; the trading post charges 400 fur, 20 scales, and 10 teeth. Buy it before your first long trip. Without it you can still explore, but you are guessing which way the ship lies.
- →Nomad price: 300 fur, 15 scales, 5 teeth.
- →Trading post price: 400 fur, 20 scales, 10 teeth.
- →The compass is a one-time purchase and does not wear out.
Roads and outposts
Clearing a landmark draws a road back toward the village. Outposts are safe places in the wilds: they refill your water once and leave 5 to 10 cured meat. A cleared dungeon tile becomes an outpost, so the Ravaged Battleship remains useful after you finish it.
- →Outposts refill water to your current maximum, once per outpost.
- →Outposts leave 5 to 10 cured meat.
- →Cleared dungeons become outposts.
Armour and danger thresholds
The game warns you when you are beyond your armour. Past radius 8 without iron armour, and past radius 18 without steel armour, the Dusty Path becomes dangerous. Treat those radii as soft gates: clear the iron mine at 5, build the steelworks, craft iron and then steel armour, and only then push to 20 and 28.
- →Radius 8: iron armour expected.
- →Radius 18: steel armour expected.
- →Radius 28: the ship and the Ravaged Battleship.
A safe route
Clear the iron mine at 5, the coal mine at 10, and the sulphur mine at 20. Use the ore to build the steelworks and armoury, then craft steel armour, a rifle, and bullets. Only after that should you push to 28 for the crashed ship and the Ravaged Battleship. Bring 20 or more cured meat, at least 10 water, torches, and a full weapon set.
- →Radius 5: iron mine.
- →Radius 10: coal mine.
- →Radius 20: sulphur mine.
- →Radius 28: crashed ship and Ravaged Battleship.
- →Turn back at half supplies, not at empty.
Play A Dark Room online
Everything above is playable right here in the browser. No download and no account required.
Start playing →Frequently asked questions
How big is the A Dark Room map?+
The map is 61 by 61 tiles, with the village at the center.
Where is the iron mine in A Dark Room?+
The iron mine is at radius 5 from the village.
Where is the coal mine in A Dark Room?+
The coal mine is at radius 10 from the village.
Where is the sulphur mine in A Dark Room?+
The sulphur mine is at radius 20 from the village.
Where is the crashed ship in A Dark Room?+
The crashed starship is at radius 28 from the village.
Where is the Ravaged Battleship?+
It is at radius 28, the same ring as the crashed ship.
How do I reveal the map?+
Walk to reveal a small radius, or buy map reveals from the Scout for 200 fur and 10 scales.
What does the compass do?+
It points toward the crashed starship, so you know which direction to travel.