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Alex Chapman

Game Designer, Writer

Recent Project

Grimstone Valley

Grimstone Valley is a third-person supernatural action game set in the wild west. When overreaching rail tycoons ally with a doomsday cult in a grab for power, the region of Grimstone Valley is beset by alien corruption. Cultists are granted grotesque new forms, monsters are summoned from beyond the pale, and sleepy frontier towns are torn asunder.

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Myself and six other students are currently developing Grimstone Valley as part of Bradley University's graduate program for Game Design and Development. I'm the team's design lead, with my responsibilities including the design and implementation of player-side systems, overarching narrative design, and character and environmental writing.

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I also create and maintain design documentation, lead design discussions, and layout design priorities & task assignment alongside our producer.

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Resume

EDUCATION

EDUCATION
Bradley University, Peoria, IL
BS in Game Design, graduated May 2023
MS in Game Development and Design, graduating August 2024

EXPERIENCE

Design Lead, Grimstone Valley, August 2023 - present

  • Designing and implementing player-side systems in a 3rd-person action game

  • Cultivating an overarching narrative design and writing in-game content

  • Spearheading design discussions and communicating across disciplines

Design Lead, Wicked Wizards, September 2022 - May 2023

  • Led a group of 8 designers on a 38-person team

  • Designed the framework and concepts for cooperative class-based combat

  • Iterated on game balance and structure to cultivate satisfying gameplay

Narrative Lead, Out of Service, January - May 2023

  • Designed a full-motion video branching narrative

  • Wrote scripts for over a dozen scenes

  • Edited other writers' scripts for tone, mechanics, and continuity

Gaming Features Writer, Screen Rant, June - December 2022

  • Wrote editorial articles about the video game industry

  • Responded to editors’ feedback on content and structure

  • Adhered to style and tone guidelines

Volunteer Playtester, MCDM, May 2022 - present

  • Playtesting various TRPG products with MCDM playtest coordinators

  • Providing qualitative feedback on mechanics, pacing, and game feel

Design Intern, Floor 84 Studio, January - April 2022

  • Designed and implemented levels that showcase mechanics

  • Communicated with other designers, design leads, and producers

  • Assisted with quality assurance testing for multiple platforms

  • Contributed to the release of several titles in a fast-paced environment

Proofreader, Bonus Action, August 2021 - present

  • Collaborating with a team of designers to create D&D 5e homebrew material

  • Editing the syntax and grammar of published content

Playtester, Onyx Path Publishing, November 2020 - February 2021

  • Playtested an upcoming tabletop role-playing game

  • Provided editorial feedback on playtest material

SKILLS

  • 6+ years of Unity development experience

  • 1+ years of Unreal Engine development experience

  • Experience with C#, C++, JavaScript, and HTML scripting

  • Professional experience using Jira, Git, Asana, and Confluence

  • Certified Microsoft Office Specialist

  • Proficient with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Audition, and After Effects

  • Interactive storytelling via Twine, ChoiceScript, and analog games

RELEVANT COURSES

Video Game Design: Developed and documented video game narratives.

Visual Storytelling: Wrote and filmed screenplays for short films.

Game Design II: Gained experience in agile development and playtesting.
English Composition: Refined writing, editing, and communication skills.
Game Production I: Simulated a full development cycle with a small group.
Business Communication: Developed writing skills for a professional setting.

Resume
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About Alex Chapman

My name is Alex Chapman, and I'm currently pursuing an MS in Game Design and Development at Bradley University. I'm passionate about interactive storytelling and game design, especially narrative design. This website showcases student projects I've contributed to, as well as independent projects. In my free time I write fiction, make content for TRPGs, and work on games of my own.

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