LEIA FRENCH

Game writer and narrative designer. Regrettably not a space princess.

Hi! My name is Leia. I'm enthralled by how stories shape our lives - and how games can shape our stories. I have an MA in Digital Arts (Game Design) and a BA in Digital Arts (Interactive Writing/Game Design/Animation). I am a graduate of Susan O’Connor’s Game Writing Masterclass.My portfolio comprises a broad range of work – including interactive narratives, scripts and games made in Unity. As it grew, I gained a love for the way story supports gameplay - and a sincere respect for every discipline in the pipeline.

PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS

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Cutscene Script: Stuck in an Elevator

Link: Read hereOrigin: Susan O'Connor's game writing masterclass.Task: Choose three different characters from different games and write a cutscene where they're stuck in an elevator together.Chosen Characters: Hank Anderson (Detroit: Become Human), GLaDOS (Portal), Atlas (Bioshock).See table below for character descriptions. Click character name for voice reference.

CharacterGameDescription
Hank AndersonDetroit: Become HumanAn android-hating detective. Gruff with a heart of gold. Prone to alcoholism and self-hatred since the death of his son. Presented as he is at the very start of Detroit: Become Human.
GLaDOS (Humanoid) PortalA passive-aggressive AI who runs portal-related tests on humans. At her core, she holds the consciousness of a woman named Caroline. Presented as a humanoid revived sometime between Portal and Portal 2.
AtlasBioshockYour guardian angel who communicates with you via radio. A revolutionary who organized the disillusioned citizens of Rapture against its founder. Maybe not all that he seems. Presented as he is at the very start of Bioshock.

Game Pitch: A Story Pitch Based On Gameplay Actions

Link: Read hereOrigin: Susan O'Connor's game writing masterclass.Task: From a list of mechanics, choose three at random and develop a short story pitch based upon them.Random Mechanics: Shooting, Powering, Nurturing

Twine Game: Twixt

Link: Read hereOrigin: Interactive Writing Coursework (University of the Witwatersrand)Task: Create a Twine game with meaningful choices.Overview: A young woman is lost between the desires of her parent and her partner.

Playing with Status

Link: Read hereOrigin: Susan O'Connor's game writing masterclass.Task:  Write characters of four different statuses in the same situation.

Flowchart: Planning for a Level in Twine

Link: Download HereOrigin: Susan O'Connor's game writing masterclass.Task: Create a flowchart for one level of a Twine game based on a myth.Chosen Myth:
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-egyptian-book-of-the-dead-tejal-galaChosen Level:
Level One: Ani must overcome obstacles and avoid beasts to pass the first underworld gate.Player Character
Ani is the player character.My Take on the Story:
18-year-old Ani goes on a perilous journey through the underworld to reunite with his parents. He is aided by Set (god of war) – who seeks forgiveness from his brother, Osiris.Design Philosophy:
This piece tries to use story as a support for gameplay – rather than using narrative branches as the core mechanic. As such, the flowchart is largely dedicated to puzzle-centric gameplay (from which meaningful story moments must be earned).Key Flowchart Symbols:

Testimonials

Detective RPG Barks

Task: Write some potential barks for a Detective RPG.Description: You are a detective who’s been summoned to a small town with a recent string of murders.Detective Types:
- The Misanthrope (Bitter, Cynical)
- The Icon (Charismatic, Persuasive)
- The Scholar (Gentle, Naïve)CTRL+Click the buttons to open scenarios in a new tab.