Peter Kaufman
About me
Narrative Designer | Writer | Game Designer
I am a narrative designer and game developer hailing from Kansas, now based in Omaha, Nebraska. Growing up in the Great Plains provided me with long car rides and blank landscapes that filled my young mind with imaginative ideas. What would it be like to live as a fantasy adventurer traveling through those rolling hills, or as an alien wonderer discovering cows for the first time?
Since those earliest times of creative thinking, I've come to specialize in crafting immersive worlds and weaving engaging stories that bring games and writing to life. My passion lies in connecting creative ideas and experiences, and building cohesive narratives that captivate players and readers. Whether I'm designing mechanics or scripting lore, my goal is to create meaningful and memorable journeys through story and gameplay. I hope you find something meaningful in my work and if you're looking for a storyteller, feel free to reach out.
Here's to working together!
"Like moons make swell and wane the nescient seas, so too the sky-strewn gods ordain the tidal fates of mortal days.
And yet - a notion born in lonely hours - come ebb, come flow, come all that is beyond the breadth of our dominion:
be a moon unto yourself.
Even the waves of fate can break upon the shores of will."
- Elminster "Baldur's Gate III"
Projects
Colossus
Practicum III Capstone
- Narrative Design
- Game Concept
- Dialogue
- Bark Sheet
- Playable
My capstone project explores the major items necessary for a narrative designer to succeed in the industry, and the design processes behind making those items. To showcase this I created the narrative foundation for a game called Colossus (it's inspired by Rainbow Six Siege and Shadow of the Colossus). I wanted this project to focus on the creative lens of a narrative designer, so I compiled a number of items. Most importantly a game design document, dialogue bark sheet, and a playable Twine.
Analoria
World Building Project
- World Building
- TTRPG
- Game Design
- Writing
Navigate the Realm of Many!
Step into the boundless world of Analoria, a passion project I have nurtured and expanded on for much of my life. Inspired by the settings of Dungeons & Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and Folk Fantasy. Analoria is more than a place, it is a living, breathing universe. Its richness and depth stem from my desire to create stories and worlds that captivate the imagination and invite endless exploration.
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At the heart of this project lies "DonDarion's Guide to Analoria", a DnD-inspired sourcebook I’ve been developing for nearly five years now. This comprehensive guide offers intricate lore, vivid regional and racial descriptions, unique game mechanics, custom classes, and more. It serves as a gateway for players and storytellers alike to immerse themselves in a world teeming with possibilities.
But the the guidebook is just the beginning! Analoria has attached short stories, poetry, video and board games, and much more!
The Witchlight Princess
A Short Story
- Scriptwriting
- Dialogue
- World Building
- Pitch Deck
A teenage witch’s pursuit of the fabled Witchlight Prince leads her through monsters, hunters, and shadows, only to find that the magic she seeks is not power, but the strength of love and choice.
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​This 26 page script went through three months worth of revisions and edits till its completion within a four month period. With these edits I tried capturing the true essence of the story and what would make it as compelling as could be to an audience. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of constructing this script and putting in the much required time needed to properly construct a short story such as this.
Restoration Station
Video Game
- Narrative Design
- Character Descriptions
- Dialogue
- Unreal Engine
As a part of a colleague's (Summer Wimmer) senior Practicum project, I worked as the Lead Narrative Designer for this project. A "Stardew Valley"-esk game, tasking the player with restoring an old train station and building relationships with the town's inhabitants.
My major task as lead narrative designer on Restoration Station was dialogue and character biographies. For each character, I would construct the characters background in the game world, attached to their role in the game. As well as their personality that would be integral to building unique and dynamic dialogue.
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Once these biographies were completed, I would then use them to go in and create dialogue for as many scenarios as I could think that the player character would be in. Working diligently to create unique and distinctive voices for each NPC.
Relics
Board Game
- Game Design
- Narrative Design
- Game Mechanics
- Table Top
- Prototyping
Step into the world of Analoria with Relics, a strategy board game that brings the intricate lore and high-stakes conflicts of my fantasy world to life. In Relics, players assume the role of powerful factions competing to claim ancient artifacts scattered across the wintery northern forests of Analoria. These relics are not just treasures though, they hold the power to shift the balance of influence, igniting fierce battles and fragile alliances as factions race to secure their place in history.
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This project is a culmination of my passion for world-building, game design, and narrative storytelling. Each element of Relics is crafted to immerse players in the depth and richness of Analoria.
Wroughted Iron
Video Game
- Narrative Design
- Collaborative Design
- Lore/World Building
- Item Descriptions
- Level Design
Ascend the spire to take down the S.C.A.R.A.B. army with the latest and greatest weaponry! Using the stolen technology of the enemy, you, the newest Vanguard trainee, must venture into unfamiliar territories surrounded by a variety of new challengers.
Collect zany power-ups and shoot your way to the top to destroy the S.C.A.R.A.B army's factory. Load up on loot, and get to work, soldier!
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​As part of the narrative team, I was responsible for contributing to the overarching concept of the game. The only initial guideline was that it had to be a First Person Shooter; the rest was up to us. Collaborating with my fellow narrative team members and others involved in the project, we developed the game’s core concept, gameplay mechanics, scope, and the lore of the world in which it takes place.
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I touched on a number of design spaces within this project, to read more on what I contributed to, click the link below!
Additional Projects
Some other video game projects and writing of fiction and research I've made in my free time.
Shocker Studios collaboration project
Escape the Dungeon
Escape the Dungeon is an adventure survival game where you, the prisoner, have to escape a dungeon home of an unforgiving host. Collect the keys and withstand the wrath of the dungeon and its inhabitant to escape.
Solo 2D Game
Valley Runners
Run through a crowded and crazy valley inhabited by hostile creatures from simple chickens to living mushrooms! Split between four different regions, select you character, take out all of the enemies to collect their fruit, and survive to the end!
Website
Under Construction
This website is constantly changing and new items are being added and changed, maybe even as you read! New things yet to come!
