Hi, I'm Michael 👋🏼
NARRATIVE
DESIGNER.
I'm a narrative designer, game developer, and all-around silly dude from Texas. I'm currently enrolled in UTD's Game Development MFA program. Here you can find a collection of some of my professional works and some personal projects.
Reach outFeatured project
Grimhook is a first-person action-platformer with a heavy emphasis on satisfying movement, detailed exploration, and a likable pair of protagonists.
Role(s)
- Writer
- Narrative Designer
- VA Directing/Recording
Engine
Unreal
Timeline
May 2023 - December 2023
Grimhook was my first 'big' game development project. With a team of over 30 students and alumns working to a high degree of polish, this project represents a lot of people's passion, including my own. What started life as a game jam project turned into something more successful than we could have imagined, with over 170k downloads and 97% positive reviews on Steam!
As lead narrative designer, my role was fleshing out Grimhook's story. Being me, I poured ideas into a 15+ page document, distilling that lore into Grimhook's primary narrative device: dialogue. Inspired by the inobtrusive banter of games like Borderlands and Kid Icarus: Uprising, I placed an emphasis on wit and charm as a way of endearing players to the characters.
As a game created by shmovement lovers, Grimhook has a lot of mechanical depth players need to get up-to-speed with quickly. I wrote my dialogue to serve a dual-purpose, not only entertaining players, but also tutorializing them without breaking their immersion. The resulting reception has been positive, with many fans developling a fondness for our heroic pair, especially the Godess Kaia-Talia
Projects
Below are some of my favorite projects from my time in Undergrad. Being in graduate school now, I have worked on many more cool things that I want to show, so this section will likely look even cooler by next year!
Cosmic Combat
Cosmic Combat
Cosmic Combat is a four-player party brawler where players choose their alien champion and compete for their place in the next pantheon of Galactic Gladiators
As narrative designer, my roles included fleshing out the game's backstory and lore, as well as developing the alien races and their champions.
AHT.ioRaccoon Rummage
Raccoon Rummage
Raccoon Rummage was developed for the 2022 SGDA Fall Game Jam in 40 hours. In it, players control a raccoon sifting for treasure in a terrifying human's garbage.
As narrative/game designer, I had the enviable task of coming up with mechanics that let players really feel like a raccoon. I also procured and edited all sound effects found in-game.
Itch.ioMystic Sleuth
Mystic Sleuth
Mystic Sleuth is a narrative-driven mystery game about investigating the apartment of a wizard gone missing. As you play, you dig deeper into the psyche of Damon Raphidae, and eventually learn where he dissappeared to.
Mystic Sleuth was an experiment between two game designers to see if we could try our hand at creating a playable 3D environment. I took on the roles of level design, narrative design, and modeling. This project was a treat to work on, and I hope to update it over the Summer!
To Be Announced!Aeternum Vale
Aeternum Vale
Aeternum Vale was made for the Fall 2021 SGDA Game Jam with the theme of "Momento Mori." Players control Desdemona, a cocky adventurer fighting for a cure to her illness.
I took the roles of designer and writer for this project, using the narrative to tie the game to the Momento Mori theme. I had a few brief lines of dialogue and a handful of barks to work with, and with that I fleshed Desdemona out enough for the ending to pay off.
Itch.ioAbout
Hello there! I'm Michael, but you can call me Michael. I'm a Narrative Designer based in Richardson. Here you'll find a collection of some of my proudest works in game development.
I'm proud to have converted games, my longtime hyperfixation, into an outlet for creative expression.
Other than playing/making games, I enjoy baking, weightlifting, and writing lore for my ongoing DnD Campaign.
Software Experience
- Unity
- Unreal Engine
- GameMaker
- Pro Tools
- Google Docs
- Final Draft
- Blender
- Maya
Get In Contact
If you like what you see, want to collaborate on a project, or just want to say hi, my inbox is open, so feel free to reach out! I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Reach Out