Date: 2004 - 2006

Project Role: Designer

Project Type: Design Document

Engine: None

Tools Used: Microsoft Word, Photoshop

Relic Skills >> This document details the skill system from Arcana: Echoes.

Design Document >> Not Available

Echoes is the first part of the Arcana trilogy. It is an original game concept that follows the story of Resk Lirome in his quest to retrieve twelve orbs of power from the world of Ledaco. At his side is Kai Joahess, his soulmate, and in the shadows, the mysterious figures of Eyser Dece and Xa Xo. Resk and Kai will follow different paths along a journey of self discovery, while combating enemies to save a distant world from the machinations of an ancient god. The game is designed in the style of a Japanese RPG with an epic story element, a large cast of characters, and a unique world devoted to nature.

“Echoes” was the first full game project that I ever put on paper, and I certainly didn’t start off small! The idea for the series came from a desire to see a JRPG style game that contained all of the story elements that I enjoyed from reading fantasy novels – something that I still feel could be better adapted into games today in terms of story development.

As a whole, this project was a great learning experience. For every section that I created (initially, the ninety page document was split into twelve sections), I found more and more information that I felt needed to be fleshed out. In the end, I had created not only a world for the characters to battle within, but I had developed political systems, religious beliefs, and mythological references that ultimately helped to complete my cast of characters.

I’ve always wanted to see a game where you could have a large cast, but have each character be useful instead of focusing on two or three. When I developed the skill system and the battle mechanics, this idea was realised by creating situations where a battle would include not just all of the characters, but the battlefield terrain as well – characters using projectile weapons or spells could be set at a distance or on top of a short cliff, while melee fighters would be up close and personal with the various enemies.

Overall, after writing the plot for most of the game, I realised that there was no way the scope of the project could be contained within one game. Therefore, my original epic concept expanded into the trilogy you see on this page. To date, this has been my largest project – after part one took two years to document, I’ve made wise decisions to keep them smaller from now on.

Date: 2006 - 2008

Project Role: Designer

Project Type: Design Document

Engine: None

Tools Used: Microsoft Word, Photoshop, Google SketchUp

Design Document >> Not Available

Twilight Scar is the second part of the Arcana trilogy. It is an original game concept that continues to follow the story of Resk Lirome and Kai Joahess as they travel to the world of Alleris. There, they learn dark secrets about the power they possess, and their true role in the fight against an ancient god. However, they will be combated from multiple fronts, led by the deceptive Mistress of Cavadon. The game is designed in the style of a Japanese RPG with an epic story element, a large cast of characters, and a unique world devoted to magic.

“Twilight Scar” continues the Arcana series. When I started working on part two, I kept looking at “Echoes” and thinking ‘what can I do that’s different?’ I didn’t want to simply rehash the mechanics from the first game – other series (such as .hack) have tried this, and they became slightly dull after a time. To solve this problem, I took a close look at how much I could separate the two games, and in the end, discovered that it wasn’t as hard as I originally thought.

This second game takes place on the second of the three worlds in the game mythos It has a completely new set of characters with a different tone and atmosphere. These characters have been though a lot, and they’ve changed because of it. The world they’re on is the world they were trying to save from a distance, so that reality has become close and personal. I was able to draw from all of this to keep the game centered from a plot perspective, but different from a play perspective.

One major change to this part of the series was an overhaul of the skill system. I wasn’t happy with how the skills worked in the first game, and so sought a cleaner, more efficient way to develop a character while still allowing for a good deal of customization. The result was adjusting the way magic was used. Instead of relying on spells in a player’s arsenal, the player manipulated the elemental properties of the world. Skills became more streamlined, and a character in battle became a much more efficient fighter.

Creating the story for this part was probably the most exciting section of the 112 page document. Traditionally, part two (or book two) is the development part in a three-part trilogy. My problem, however, was that the story as a whole that I had envisioned didn’t fit the traditional three-part structure. It was more three-and-a-half parts, so it became difficult to choose the correct ‘end’ point for this game. Ultimately, I chose a cliff-hanger moment to entice possibilities of what the characters will face in part three. However the best part of creating the plot for this portion was developing Kai. She had always been Resk’s soul mate all throughout Echoes, but this was her chance to become the focal point of the story. Developing her character, and creating a larger role for her in the series, was a great challenge.

Date: 2009 - Current

Project Role: Designer

Project Type: Design Document

Engine: None

Tools Used: Microsoft Word, Photoshop

Design Document >> Not Available

Oracle of the Eidolon is the third and final part of the Arcana trilogy. It is an original game concept that concludes the story of Resk Lirome and Kai Joahess as they travel to the world of Oravohl. There, they meet Ariae Dusk, and discover the truth behind the ancient figures of the Bassakon, the Shiae, and the Ovix, and the part they play in the history of the ancient God. However, all three will fight their own demons and make difficult choices to ultimately save three worlds from complete destruction. The game is designed in the style of a Japanese RPG with an epic story element, a large cast of characters, and a unique world devoted to science.

"Oracle of the Eidolon" is the final chapter in the Arcana series. I'm still working on this one, but so far, it's been quite the challenge, both from a story and a gameplay point of view.

With the story, I'm attempting to wrap up all the loose ends that I've introduced over the series, such as the realities behind the Bassakon, the Shiae, and the Ovix, and the larger role that they play in ultimately defeating Cavadon. At the same time, I have a list of key events that I've mapped out that need to happen in the story, and molding them into the narrative is proving difficult. As I mentioned earlier, this game is designed more to the length of a game and a half, so scope is also an issue with the plot (it can't go on forever!) That being said, I'm very excited about how the cast is coming together. And there may even be more than a few familiar faces making a second appearance...

With the gameplay, I'm hesitant to add anything drastically different. Since I'm once again on a new world, I have some room to experiment, but I need to keep the player in mind (and that after two games, they have expectations for what will remain from the previous games). One thing that I'm looking forward to in this title is redesigning the way abilities are learned. So far, each game has offered an opportunity to do something different, and I love being able to adapt a skill system for the character's environment.

I expect this final installment will take a while to complete, but then again, it needs to all come together just right for the series to feel "complete." Check back often to get updates on my progress!

Date: 2008

Project Role: Designer

Project Type: Design Document; Board Game (Prototype)

Engine: None

Tools Used: Microsoft Word, Photoshop

Incarnate Mini-Game Rule Set >> This document details the Incarnate Mini-Game from Arcana: Twilight Scar.

Incarnate Board Game Rule Set >> This document details the rules of the Board Game version of Incarnate.

Incarnate is a Tarot inspired card game that is featured as a mini-game in Twilight Scar. The objective of the game is to remove all cards from a player’s hand and to achieve the highest point total, by creating sets or runs which are worth points, and by using Deck Incarnate cards strategically to alter the game play.

When I originally designed "Incarnate," I tried to emulate some of my favorite mini games from other JRPGs (namely, Triple Triad and Tetra Master from the Final Fantasy franchise). I created the rule sets, made all the art, and developed the concept to the point where it all made sense. Problem was, small things nagged at me that didn't seem quite right, except I couldn't figure out what they were.

I had an opportunity to create a board game for a course while at the Vancouver Film School, and instead of creating something new and original, I decided to take the “Incarnate” concept I had created, and finally figure out where those flaws were. As it turns out, there were a lot more than I had originally thought.

If you browse the two rule sets (for the mini-game and the board game), you can see the differences. In the end, I changed several things about the gameplay that just made it so much smoother, and I'm incredibly happy that I did. Once I had a functioning board game that I could physically sit down and play with people, I was able to see just how well I had constructed the mini-game. Having the physical version also helped me to understand what would work in a video game environment, and what I could get away with in the inner workings.