Recent work
ABOUT / CONTACT
Hey there!Lawrence (He/Him)African American writer & designer. Avid horror fan, comic book enthusiast, and tokusatsu lover! Father of one needy and scaredy cat.Willing to learn, ready to grow, and motivated to inspire.Feel free to message me on my socials if you want to work together or talk about your favorite scary movie!
TARARE
publisher: oyoun
platform: itch.io / physical
role: twine designer / developer
release date: 12/1/2021
time on project: 10/31 - 12/1
more:
Released on December 1st, both online & in an in-person event in oyoun berlin - tarare was a success with lines forming to play the linear narrative experience!As the lead designer and developer, I was primarily responsible for taking all the ideas, concepts, and written words by téa boyarchuk and designing and implementing them into twine!
the design
diagram of the design before implementation
implementation of both scenes into twine
In design, I focused on showcasing the artist's 3D models first & foremost and keeping everything on one screen without unneeded scrolling or blank space. This design allows the audience to quickly take in all the models on the screen without hassle.Most twine links are found in the text in the textbox itself and transfer the player to the following passage, and a majority of the text itself is one line to keep players constantly doing something at the offline exhibit. This only changes when links are in the images themselves to make the player feel like they are actually "using" the image.
presentation of design
links in images
hover on images and narrator
text takes center screen
To accomplish feelings of tension and personal investment, I combined usage of animation HTML, short descriptions on hovered images, consistency in "using" and or "doing" something with the ">" character, and verbiage of "USE" to have the player feel like they are personally on this journey with the narrator character.
MEDICUM VELOCTIC
publisher: independent
platform: itch.io
role: narrative designer / writer
release date: 5/14/2021
time on project: 1/2021 - 5/2021
more:
A narrative experience focused on the love between a man and a hero - medium veloctic was 2021's Spring Thing's winner of the following awards:Best Superhero Sidekick Take, Best Melodrama, and Best Hints!The game is available for free on Itch and has over 1000+ browser plays and a 5-star rating! As lead designer and writer, I created the game from the ground up, designed the experience to compliment the narrative, and wrote every word.
narrative level layout
GDD overview
change in narrative structure
Before being brought into twine, I established all branches of the narrative. From the design of each level's story to the characters and gameplay overview. However, small elements changed for time constraints with the Spring Thing festival. I documented these changes accordingly.
injuries documented
injuries implemented
in-game sidebar
I used a table format in google docs, and translating that into Twine with a combination of CSS and HTML ( and tons of Google searches) allowed for creating the game's titular Medicum Veloctic. Information on the injuries the character Arthur could face would be available for the player when needed. Players accessed the medium veloctic through Twine's sidebar, where the sidebar would display the injury itself! I chose the theme of a computer interface to connect the player playing online through a computer and the characters accessing the Medicum Veloctic through technology.This system was what won Medicum Veloctic BEST HINTS at Spring Thing!
in-game screenshot
showcase of the dropdown
I presented solutions as a drop-down rather than a list of twine links allowing for a sense of professionalism & repetition in the actions of saving Arthur.
in-game scene
in-game scene
in-game scene
in-game scene
Written in 92 passages and over 29,000 words, Medicum Veloctic averages about 25 - 30 minutes of gameplay. I wrote all dialogue, descriptions, and events! Above are some spotlights of both dialogues and descriptions!
Untitled
Untitled
I also used Twine's built-in UI Pop up display to create "notebook" moments which were essentially glimpses into the past of Arthur and Reyes. These moments allowed the player to get an intimate look at the two and connect the player to their protagonist!
BE THE HERO
publisher: tales
platform: mobile ( ios )
role: narrative designer / writer
release date: 3/2021
time on project: 1/2021 - Current
more:
be the hero on the app
current episode count -
choices
dialogue
choices
I was the lead writer and primary designer for the multi-chapter serialized interactive fiction game "Be The Hero" released on the Tales Choose your own Story app!This action/adventure interactive story uses player choice, persistent variables, and visually distinct character designs from the tales team and me. The game includes premium content/sharing capabilities/ and multiple play routes to encourage multiple play-throughs.
As a personal project with no deadline, the episodes for Be the Hero were managed and designed on a task list; in the task list: episodes, player choices, and critical moments/variables are defined.
ALL @ ONCE
publisher: independent
platform: itch.io
role: narrative designer / writer
release date:10/2020
time on project: 3/2020 - 10/2020
more:
game screenshot
game screenshot
game screenshot
Written, planned, and designed by me - All @ Once is a branching twine game about a young boy who gains the ability to read minds. Players can make choices that affect variables on the relationship side and personalize the young boy in ways they want.The game has over 200 downloads and is part of 147 collections on itch.io!
a scene written on google docs
the same scene in engine
a scene with a choice
choice 1
choice 2
choices in a document
I wrote over 170,000 words for All @ Once in a document that was copied and pasted into Twine beforehand. In the documentation, I wrote choices in a table to emulate and quickly show branching results before joining back together.I focused on telling a supernatural coming-of-age story with a PoC protagonist relatable through their dialogue, actions, and feelings.
& In the war I find you
publisher: independent
platform: itch.io
role: narrative designer / writer
release date: 6/26/2020
time on project: 6/1/2020 - 6/26/2020
more:
game screenshot
game screenshot
game screenshot
Written, planned, and designed by me, & in the war I find you, had a straightforward design and writing period, a game to combat feelings of loss during a global crisis. Intending to leave players with a smooth and heart-warming experience no matter what.With an internal timer variable affected by each player's choice, the game has two endings based on whether they make it to the end in time
bad ending
good ending
umbrella terms - video essay about the game!
CONTACT
email: [email protected]
Other Projects
retrograde
storyloom project
role: narrative designer
racially motivated
unity live exhibit
role: technical narrative designer
medicum veloctic
twine game
role: Writer / Narrative Designer
ALL MAGICAL GIRLS MUST DIE
publisher: pixelberry
platform: storyloom
role: lead writer
release date: 2/22/2023
Released in February 2023 on the Storyloom website, all magical girls must die became an immediate success in the superhero genre, with over 100 reads in the first chapter. It continues to retain readers even with the story reaching double digits in chapter count.As lead writer and designer for this project, I was in charge of all aspects of dialogue, character creation, and worldbuilding.
the design
With this being my third story on Storyloom, I wanted to showcase the extent and power its current systems of variables and looks could achieve, from deciding the protagonist's gender to affecting their relationship with other NPCs.Through these decisions, the world and characters will react differently to the player, and the character of certain cast members will change.I've written every dialogue and description and received numerous notes of editor feedback to create the current 16 chapters available.
I also took this opportunity to focus on worldbuilding. This series is focused on a world that, while similar to ours, has a significant difference. I crafted slang words for dialogue and prepared various world-specific events that shaped some of the castmate's histories.This was mostly done to further diversify the work, giving it a stronger identity on Storyloom.
retrograde
publisher: pixelberry
platform: storyloom
role: writer
release date: 12/07/2022
time on project: December - January
Released in December 2022 on the Storyloom website, retrograde was written, conceptualized, and developed by myself with the in-engine Storyloom tools.Focused on amnesia, the player created their character through their decisions, from their appearance to their likes and dislikes. The story's ending was also determined by a player's choice.
the design
The appearance customization was the highlight of creation for me, from designing characters to be similar across body types to developing the interface allowing a player to see each customization before picking it.I wrote all dialogue that covered nine chapters of short snappy gameplay and received numerous notes of editor feedback to enhance the experience.
alive->dead
publisher: pixelberry
platform: storyloom
role: writer
release date: 06/15/2022
time on project: June - October
Released in June 2022 on the Storyloom website, alive->dead was my first time using the Storyloom engine. I wrote all dialogue and narration that spanned the 13 chapters of horror.I took constant editor feedback to create an experience showcasing the Storyloom engine.
pogo games
publisher: electronic arts
platform: website
role: game scripter
time on project: September 2022 - June 2023worked on both released and unreleased events
I was responsible for developing the badge rewards and game events for a live-service product with over 60 games.While utilizing my development skills, I also became responsible for badge naming, marketing copies for sitewide events, promotions, and game events, and event dialogue for products like Garden Blast or Bejeweled Stars.I became familiar with the Pogo brand's tone and emulated it when writing copy to keep the experience similar for new and returning players.
racially motivated
publisher: Royal Academy of Art
platform: live exhibit
role: technical narrative designer
time on project: February 2022 - July 2022
Released in July as a limited-time in-person event for the online & in an in-person event for the Royal Academy of Art - racially motivated was met with success as lines of players were formed to experience the game.As the lead technical narrative designer, I was primarily responsible for taking 3D models, design concepts, and written words by téa boyarchuk and developing and designing gameplay levels in unity.I worked to ensure the gameplay elevated the narrative with each player's action, scripted NPC interactions that worked with the project's themes, and designed moments in gameplay where tea's written text and art could be shown without affecting the player's mood in a negative direction.
Love is a Deadly Game
publisher: crazy maple studios
platform: chapters
role: narrative designer
release date: 4/17/2023
ongoing
Released in April 2024 on the Chapters: Romance app, Love is a Deadly Game works to follow through on the CMS team initiative to create new stories to bring back old audiences and make new ones.As the narrative designer for this project, I was responsible for all aspects of dialogue, character creation, and worldbuilding, as well as the artistic direction the game should take regarding character designs, outfits, and background design.
the hero of dekker city
publisher: independent
platform: itch.io / twine
role: narrative designer
Written, planned, and designed by me, the hero of Dekker city was a short test involving the management of three essential stats. Players would work to balance the three stats as they make decisions in a short time frame.As narrative designer I was responsible for all dialogue, characters, and worldbuilding. as the sole designer I was also responsible for all balancing when it came to adding and subtracting from values.
Confined to His Chaos
publisher: crazy maple studios
platform: chapters
role: narrative designer
release date: 1/5/2024
Released in January 2024 on the Chapters: Romance app,Confined to His Chaos was one of the first projects released with the Spellbound initiative to create fantasy works works that still have a heavy romance theme. Confined to His Chaos is an eldritch-god dating sim.As the narrative designer for this project, I was responsible for all aspects of dialogue, character creation, and worldbuilding, as well as the artistic direction the game should take regarding character designs, outfits, and background design.
A collection of game writing scripts from projects:
Samples of Introduction Screenplay:
Samples of Protagonist Introduction Screenplay:
Samples of Character Interaction Screenplay:
Samples of Voice Actor Script:
A collection of worldbuilding samples from an unreleased project:
A sample of worldbuilding documentation that covers world lore, location design, and level designs:
Samples of narrative location design:
Samples of level design:
Samples of timeline design:
A collection of worldbuilding documentation:
A sample that covers game information (intro, objective, and synopsis ) and character design:
A sample that covers game mechanics and its integration to the narrative:
A flowchart sample that covers a dialogue branch:
A collection of sample narrative writing for short stories, comics, and more:
Below are two examples of short story writings I've done:
Below is an example of my comic writing in screenplay format: