Riordan Palmer
Game Design
Narrative Design
Production
Welcome to my site! I am a game developer generalist with a B.A. (Hons.) in Digital Media from York University. I'm focused on creating experimental games that push the medium forward, leveraging novel interaction to tell new kinds of stories. Over the course of my studies I've worked in design, implementation, and production capacities, satisfying the unique needs of projects across varying genre, format, and scope. With my deep familiarity of the game development pipeline, I've found success taking games from conception to release, designing systems and narratives while simultaneously finding in-engine solutions.
You can see some of the games I've worked on below, along with my specific contributions to them.
If you want to see some specific examples of my writing, design, or production work you can see a collection here.
Cattleman's Crossing
Featured at Level Up Student Games Showcase!
After a long life as a cowboy, Wayne lives alone on his cattle farm haunted by a tumultuous life. When a mysterious visitor arrives with a warning, Wayne decides to embark on one last cattle drive before the end. Join Wayne and herd cattle across the beautiful Canadian wilderness as he reflects on a life full of pain, love, and loss.
A narrative-driven game about herding cattle, this collaborative project was completed over the span of eight months. I primarily worked as the director, writer, and producer, while also implementing specific systems in-engine.
My work included:
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Organizing the project through Jira scheduling and task assignment.
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Created Niagara and Post-Processing effects in Unreal Engine.
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Drafted design documentation outlining interactive systems, game progression, and narrative planning.
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Using Unreal Engine visual scripting to code game mechanics including herding, photo, and narration systems.
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Writing a character-driven narrative, using western tropes to tackle themes of violence, addiction, love, and grief.
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Drew and animated sequences using digital painting and video editing tools.
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Directed voice recording sessions, communicating important narrative and thematic details to actors.
Ash
Featured at Level Up Student Games Showcase!
Ash is an atmospheric, explorative adventure with a focus on engaging traversal and rich environments. Embark on a serene, stress-free journey at your own pace without fear of death or failure. Explore beautiful and diverse environments as you unravel the stories of ancient civilizations and clear the land of an encroaching darkness. Utilize the characters’ unique and fluid movement as you glide, launch, dive, and dash throughout the levels before you.
A collaborative project completed over the span of four months, where I primarily worked as Producer and Lead Programmer while also fulfilling some Narrative and Level-Design duties.
My work included:
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Organizing the project through Jira scheduling and task assignment.
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Setting-up and using Perforce for version control and overseeing work.
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Leading team meetings to ensure consistent progress and clear communication within team
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Using Unreal Engine visual scripting to code game mechanics including the gliding system and other interactive elements.
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Writing narration to complement environmental storytelling and build fictionalized cultures inspired by key landmarks.
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Building the entirety of the "desert" level; from initial planning and landscape modelling to technical art and scripting.
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Running playtesting sessions to identify issues and collect valuable feedback.
Dissolution
or (A Brief Exploration of Reality and Interaction)
A man struggles to maintain his sense of reality as he travels across strange worlds.
This is a short first-person experience about exploring unique levels and finding new ways of interacting with the world around you. As you unravel the mystery of the game, listen to the brief ruminations of a man coming to turns with his existence.
A collaborative project completed over the span of four weeks, where I worked as Creative Director, Writer, and Level Designer.
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Led design discussions and defined overall game progression, systems, and narrative.
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Helped group members create levels by assigning specific goals and themes to deliver on.
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Oversaw the broader structure of the game, combining separate levels into a cohesive project.
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Using Unreal Engine visual scripting to code game mechanics including dynamic input swapping and various interactive elements.
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Wrote narration to accompany each level, reflecting their unique themes while consistently building a larger story.
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Built two levels using a combination of pre-built assets and improvised materials.
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Built levels with a specific visual aesthetic using Unreal Engine's scripting, post-processing, and lighting effects.
Ocean of Data
As featured in York University - End of Term Exhibition!
Who Do They Think You Are?
A short interactive experience that explores the role of algorithmic identities in data surveillance. The work is based on and uses quotes from John Cheney-Lippold's "We Are Data".
An individual project rapidly made over a two-week span. All assets and interactive elements were created entirely by myself; used in tandem with hand-picked quotes from the Cheney-Lippold's article.
This project includes:
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Puzzles carefully designed to reflect narrative goals and gradually increase complexity
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Multi-purpose unit system that contains:
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Unit selection and navigation
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Dynamic trait detection
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Proximity and trait connectivity
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Careful use of dynamic materials and effects
Sneaky Slumbers
Sneaky Slumbers is a small experimental game built around a singular prompt: creating a union of stealth and snoring. The game consists of minimalist stealth gameplay, primarily involving avoiding the detection of guards by sleeping and sleepwalking through levels.
The game was built within Unreal Engine, taking advantage of its built-in blueprints, visual scripting, level editing, and lighting tools.
In this project I served as producer and creative lead while fulfilling some additional programming tasks as well.
Specific contributions include:
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Setting up a moving crowd system, hiding the player based on their proximity.
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Designing the characters and enemies, using the imagery of televisions and screens to comment on mindless consumption and restrictive cultural normality.
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Building other interactive elements such as locked door, keys, notes and maps.
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Creating game cinematics to trigger upon and reflect changing game states and plot/emotional beats.
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Designed the game's UI elements such as menu screens, HUD widgets, and item pop-ups.
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Set up a git repository, Jira project timeline and task board and used these tools to track contributions and ensure consistent progress was being made
Virtual Environment - Futuristic Subway Station
A futuristic version of the Toronto King subway station created in Unreal Engine. The environment combines real and imagined elements to create a visually striking yet realistic space.
A cumulative course project which developed my skills regarding level design and environment art within Unreal Engine. Intended to operate as an excerpt from a video game level, the environment allows players to navigate through distinct paths offering unique experiences while converging on the same goal.
