NDA

Due to NDA restrictions, I’m not able to show visuals or go into specific implementation details from this project.

Narrative Designer

Palindrome Interactive

Engine: Unreal Engine 4

Project: Unannounced (top-down, turn-based tactical game)

Platform: PC

At Palindrome Interactive, I worked as a Narrative Designer, focusing on both writing and system design.

My work ranged from creating dialogue, characters, and worldbuilding, to designing systems that supported the narrative and making sure they worked in gameplay.

How I Worked

Most of my day-to-day work was done independently. I spent a lot of time writing, building out narrative ideas, and structuring systems that could support them in-game.

Once I had something in a solid state, I brought it to my design lead. We would go through it together, discussing ideas, refining the direction, and making sure it fit both the game and the team’s goals before moving it forward into implementation.

This way of working let me move quickly on my own, while still improving the work through feedback and collaboration.

Narrative as Part of the Game

My main focus was making sure narrative felt like a natural part of the gameplay, while also aligning with the overall vision of the project.

I worked closely with the project owner and my design lead to align ideas and concepts, making sure they reinforced the world through play. Whenever I created narrative systems, I was always thinking about how mechanics, level design, and narrative could support each other.

An important part of how I design is finding the “fun” in every moment of gameplay, whether that’s navigating an overworld map, waiting for units to move at the end of a turn, or making difficult decisions during a mission.

In practice, this meant adjusting ideas so they worked in-game, collaborating with other designers on systems and mechanics, and making sure narrative decisions made sense both in the story and in gameplay.

Narrative Systems & Worldbuilding

A large part of my work involved developing core narrative concepts and systems that supported both the world and the gameplay.

Faction Design

One of the main areas I worked on was faction design. I helped define why each faction existed, what their themes were, and their overall aesthetic. A key part of this process was thinking about what would make a player want to engage with them, both from a narrative and gameplay perspective.

Radio Signal System

I also contributed to the design of a “radio signal” system. The game took place on an overworld map made up of connected nodes, where players would send multiple squads between locations to trigger missions.

While these squads were moving, the player could scan the map using the mouse cursor to discover radio signals. These acted as optional points of interest, allowing players to listen in on transmissions that provided both lore and rewards.

The goal of this system was to make downtime between actions more engaging, while also expanding the world in a more interactive way.

Character System

Another system I worked on was the character system. I helped define classes, their abilities, and their personalities, making sure they fit both the gameplay structure and the overall tone of the world.

A key goal here was to create a stronger sense of player attachment, by making characters feel distinct both in how they played and who they were.

Letter of Recommendation

From the wonderful people at Palindrome, I got a letter of recommendation for whoever is interested. I loved the time I spent at Palindrome and I wish everyone at Palindrome the best! <3

Letter Link