Narrative Design Portfolio
My love of storytelling has evolved beyond my novels and short stories. An avid video game player, I have developed a passion for interactive fiction that immerses the audience on a level different than linear prose. I draw upon my experience in writing prose and dialogue, plus world-building and character development, to create engaging choices that allow the player to drive their own story and revel in the outcomes of their decisions. Below, you will find details about my narrative design projects and shipped games.
Terror at High Noon
After the last long cattle drive, you’ve almost made it home when you ride past the house of your old friend Mrs. Pickett. There is a foul smell in the air, and the eerie silence sends shivers down your spine. Do you dare enter the dark house to discover the fate of your friend?
Terror at High Noon is an interactive horror audio game set in the Wild West. Created first as a game for Amazon Alexa, it is now featured in the mobile game app Twist Tales by EarReality.
I learned and used EarReality's own TWIST software to write and develop over 20 choices and 7 distinct endings for this story. I wrote descriptive prose and compelling dialogue to set the scene in the player's mind while they listen to the voice actor's narration. I developed all characters and settings, crafted horrific monsters, and suggested sound effects to the audio and voice over team to enhance the terrifying atmosphere.
I enjoyed working with editors and incorporating their feedback from both story and technical design aspects, as well as communicating with the voice actor and art team to bring the finished product to life.
I used visual software to design branching narratives for Terror at High Noon. Some story outcomes are solely dependent on the player's choices, while others depend on variables similar to "dice rolls," such as whether or not a player's aim is true should they choose to fire their rifle at the monsters.
Simulation: Mars
Simulation: Mars is an interactive visual novel game created for the mobile app My Success Story: Choice Games by Digigo. Incorporating the game's main theme of "success," Simulation: Mars focuses on the player's ability to become a successful commander in a test colony preparing for life on Mars, all while dealing with disasters, investigating a possible saboteur, and navigating a friends-to-lovers romance.
I wrote a dialogue-focused script, giving the player a fast-paced experience with frequent choices to drive the story forward. I created all of the characters, developed an exciting setting, and incorporated the game designer's requirements for "skill choices" and "diamond choices" aimed at education, entertainment, and monetization.
Simulation: Mars was released chapter by chapter, 3-4k words each.