Senior Gameplay Design

Narrative Design

Creating memorable player experiences through gameplay.

I believe some of the most memorable stories aren't only seen—they're experienced through gameplay. Every combat, stealth, boss, puzzle, exploration, survival, chase, and social encounter is an opportunity to create emotion, reinforce player agency, and leave players with moments they'll remember long after they've put the controller down.

Design Principles

• Teach through Interaction

• Reward player mastery and agency

• Storytelling through Gameplay

• Every encounter should create emotion

Featured Encounter Studies

[Boneworks]

Final Combat Encounter that Rewards Weapon Mastery

Focus
Combat Pacing • Player Agency • Combat Escalation

🎯 Design Challenge:

Test players on their knowledge of combat and interaction mechanics learned throughout the level.

🛠 Key Design Decisions:

  • Positioned rifle enemies behind cover to encourage deliberate positioning rather than rushing.

  • Allowed players to either eliminate every enemy or create an opening to escape, supporting multiple playstyles.

  • Placed the encounter immediately before the monorail to provide a strong sense of accomplishment and pacing before transitioning levels.

⭐ Player Experience

Players are rewarded for applying the combat skills they've learned throughout the level while retaining the freedom to approach the encounter aggressively or efficiently.

🏷 Skills Demonstrated

Encounter Design • Combat Pacing • Enemy Placement • Player Agency • Level Layout

[Boneworks]

Testing Physics Mastery Through Environmental Puzzle Design

Focus
Teaching • Exploration • Player Guidance

🎯 Design Challenge

Encourage players to demonstrate their understanding of the game's physics systems without relying on explicit tutorials or prompts.

🛠 Key Design Decisions

  • Used familiar environmental objects to reinforce previously learned mechanics.

  • Required players to improvise a bridge using movable crates to progress naturally.

  • Designed the puzzle around experimentation, allowing players to solve the challenge through observation and interaction.

⭐ Player Experience

Progression feels earned because players succeed by applying knowledge they've developed through gameplay rather than following instructions.

🏷 Skills Demonstrated

Encounter Design • Environmental Puzzle Design • Player Psychology • Exploration Design • Player Guidance

[Poppy Playtime Ch 4]

Rewarding Player Mastery Through Interactive Cinematic Gameplay

Focus
Narrative Gameplay • Interactive Cinematics • Player Reward

🎯 Design Challenge

Deliver a cinematic conclusion that rewarded player mastery while reinforcing the emotional payoff of the story's final confrontation.

🛠 Key Design Decisions

  • Removed scanners from Doey's spawn location to preserve the surprise reveal.

  • Required players to apply mechanics they had learned throughout the game to defeat the boss.

  • Transitioned seamlessly from gameplay into a scripted cinematic to maintain immersion and narrative momentum.

⭐ Player Experience

The final victory feels personal because players actively participate in the climax instead of simply watching it unfold.

🏷 Skills Demonstrated

Interactive Cinematics • Narrative Encounter Design • Player Agency • Boss Encounter Design • Gameplay Storytelling

[Poppy Playtime Ch 4]

Sustaining Tension Throughout the Final Chase

Focus
Player Psychology • Chase Design • Narrative Pacing

🎯 Design Challenge

Maintain constant tension throughout the game's final chase while ensuring players always felt escape was achievable.

🛠 Key Design Decisions

  • Layered scripted environmental hazards to create escalating pressure.

  • Tuned catch-up and slowdown mechanics alongside engineering to keep the chase consistently threatening without becoming unfair.

  • Combined environmental destruction and cinematic moments to reinforce the emotional urgency following the story's betrayal.

⭐ Player Experience

Players experience sustained tension while believing they narrowly escaped through their own actions rather than scripted inevitability.

🏷 Skills Demonstrated

Chase Encounter Design • Player Psychology • Encounter Scripting • Narrative Pacing • Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration