Serious Gameplay Designer Developing Emotionally Transformative Experiences
Hello! I'm a Gameplay Designer who crafts mechanics to stir up real emotions and help players achieve positive transformations. My process is simple: I start by figuring out what feeling or change we want players to experience, then I leverage may background in drama therapy to build mechanics to achieve that outcome
My design toolkit includes digital ethnography, creative facilitation, clear documentation, and technical implementation through game engines and code.
Players have told me that my games have helped them connect better with teammates, pick up new skills, think differently about the world, make art, and even process the death of a loved one.
Skillset
Diving Deep For Transformative Design
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Game Design Tools - Unity, Unreal Engine, Pico 8, Playdate SDK, Paper Prototyping
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Programming Languages - Lua, JavaScript, Python, R
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Research Methods - Digital Ethnography, Playtesting, Data Analytics, Creative Facilitation
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Design Frameworks - Drama Therapy Principles, Understanding by Design, Transformative Learning, Player-Centered Design
Projects
Whether creating escape rooms, VR experiences, or creative curriculum, I always search for a clear understanding of the player/learner's inner world. This helps me chart a path toward creating an emotionally resonant experience that create real world outcomes.
Helping Players Confront Feelings Related to Loss and Change
In this narrative-driven Pico-8 game, I crafted a focused exploration mechanic that reflected and reinforced a story of generational cycles and loss. By deliberately prioritizing game-feel over complexity, I was able to create emotional experience that resonated deeply with players. One even shared how the game helped them to process their own grief.
Working within Pico-8's strict technical constraints (128×128 pixels, 16 colors), I built a clean object-oriented architecture from scratch. The architecture supported atmospheric elements like animated waterfalls and blinking fireflies. This foundation allowed me to fully explore my creative vision while maintaining technical clarity.
The result was an intimate "game poem" where players discovered story fragments as rewards for exploration. This deliberate constraint of both mechanics and narrative delivery demonstrates my ability to create meaningful player experiences through thoughtful design decisions and technical implementation.
Repair Crew
Empowering Young Players to Explore the Wonders of VR
Repair Crew is a three-minute virtual reality adventure designed to introduce young players to VR.
Players take on the role of the repair crew on a starship as they join the Robot Captain in his urgent mission to warn Planet Androidia about the Evil Froganoid empire.
Our challenge was to create a meaningful 3 minute experience that empowered young players to act with VR, and also experience the sense of wonder that VR can instill.
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As owner of the design documentation and script for this project, I identified core emotional touchpoints and ensured that every story beat and design element reinforced these feelings. This helped create a cohesive and impactful experience despite it's short length.
The Flying Dutchman's Ghost Ship
Creating Team and Family Bonds Through a Tale of Pirate Romance
The Flying Dutchman transforms the traditional pirate adventure into a heartfelt tale of romance where players uncover what the Flying Dutchman truly treasures.
The escape room begins as a classic hunt for legendary pirate loot. However, as the players solve puzzles, they soon discover that the Dutchman's most precious treasure wasn't gold or jewels, but his beloved - stolen away by the God of the Sea.
The narrative culminates when players discover a hidden section of the ship containing the skeleton of the long-lost love. The final interaction requires players to place the Flying Dutchman’s hidden ring on her finger, symbolically reuniting the lovers and bringing closure to their tragic tale.
This project demonstrates my commitment to creating transformative play experiences that subvert expectations and forge emotional connections through interactive storytelling.
... and more!
Come Again For More Retrospectives and Reflections
I am actively updating this portfolio and have a lot more that I'm excited to talk about!
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Retrospectives of past and upcoming projects will showcase my unique approach to:
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player/learner-centered data analysis and ethnography
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market research and strategy
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design facilitation.
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Specifically, I'll be devlogging as I design a new set of narrative driven escape rooms for Asheville Plays, and reflecting on my data analysis process as I analyze steam reviews for educational games.
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I'll post new developments on my LinkedIn Page and I hope that interested visitors will come back and follow me on this adventure.
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