ANNIE VANDERMEER : Designer / Writer / Narrative
(a.k.a. Murderblonde)
Work Experience
August 2022 - present
Various Internal & Co-Development Projects
Narrative Lead
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Developed and maintained a core Game Design document and helped create the pitch demo for a new IP
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Coordinated with co-development partners on developing narrative, content, and system design
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Assessed multiple different toolsets for suitability for projects for AAA studio co-developer
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Crafted and assisted in refinement of pitches for multiple projects, both third-party and new internal IPs
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Advised in staffing for new projects, including recommendations for job candidates and contractors
September 2019 - present
Internal Projects
Founder / Project Lead
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Founded company to support contracting work and personal creative endeavors as well as those of colleagues
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hue: a game about a choice (PC, 2023): Wrote, designed, scripted, and did all art for visual novel game crafted through the RenPy engine
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The Passenger (PC, 2020): Wrote, designed, scripted, and did all art for adventure/visual novel game crafted through the RenPy engine
Magic DAYW
May - July 2022
Unannounced Project (Mobile)
Narrative & Game Design Consultant
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Extensively reviewed and commented on original project designs, and wrote up thorough design overview and advised project direction
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Revamped structure for design documentation and highlighted needed work for further refinement
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Created or reworked core systems, including a model for asynchronous multiplayer dialogue interactions
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Crafted extensive visual models of design features to demonstrate proposed look and flow
Linx Agency
July 2021 - present
Various Projects
Narrative / Writer / Game Design Consultant
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Lead a writers room responsible for helping an indie team create a backstory, characters, demo writing, and theme consistent with the team’s existing prototype and tone requirements
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Wrote extensive barkstrings and chatter for enemies and NPCs in an upcoming AAA title for a well-known IP
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Assisted in the development of an on-retainer writer’s room for a popular AAA multiplayer title
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Consulting with a small film group on the development of an ARG/scavenger hunt in downtown New York City
2009 - 2013, Dec 2019 - April 2022
Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons
Senior Content Designer
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Spearheaded design and feature proposals for Arborstone, the game’s hub, and collaborated on implementation
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Created open-world content, including events, activities, mini-dungeons, and base spawns
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Worked with narrative and other design departments to create new lore and compelling continuations of past fiction
Guild Wars 2
Content Designer / Senior Content Designer
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Living World Season 5, Dec 2019 – May 2020: Collaborated with content and narrative designers to shape instanced and open-world storytelling, built content for both quests and multiplayer activities
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Design Principal, Jan-Feb 2013 Living World team: Outlined design tasks, created and implemented content, acted as point of contact for all team design issues, helped set standards for future Living World story content
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Personal Story team, 2009-2012: Worked with team to shape personal story throughout game, and with design partner on developing cohesive flow and theme throughout our assigned “chapter”
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Crafted quest instances, implemented combat and player interactions, wrote first drafts of dialogue, tested and polished with additional audio and music cues, shot and implemented cutscenes
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Collaborated with writers to develop and expand world lore, and document extensively on the internal wiki/Confluence
March 2021 - May 2021
Just Cause Mobile
Narrative Designer (Contract)
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Helped reshape missions from rough formats into streamlined ones, altering tone as needed while keeping flow intact
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Wrote over 50K words, including mission text and character dialogue
August 2019 - March 2020
Unpacking
Narrative Designer (Contract)
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Worked with core team to write a master Narrative Doc as a guide for the game structure
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Built and iterated upon lists and visual mockups of plot-based items to fill game spaces, including use and placement
January 2018 - October 2019
Astroneer
Content Designer
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Created focused content to expand player-world interaction and utilized procedural probability system for placement
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Balanced and implemented multiple new systems (Research Items, Scrap, Puzzles) and updated others (Hazards)
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Developed new ways to create player experiences, such as the directed gameplay system (the “Wanderer” update)
DoubleBear Productions
2009 - 2019
PANIC! Series
Writer/Designer, Art Lead, Project Lead
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Worked with creative lead to create original IP, including determining tone, systems, and art style
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PANIC in the Multiverse! (Unreleased): Worked with lead designer to develop game systems and content; wrote lore and cutscenes; directed artists in creating original artwork, including pixel art/animations and 2D/UI art
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PANIC at Multiverse High!: Wrote majority of original story and text; adapted IP to new game format; structured and scripted entire game; adapted art for setting; compiled and released all game builds
Senior Writer / Designer
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Created new IP with project lead, and developed game systems, content, backstories, UI style, character design turnarounds, item text, and character dialogues
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Designed and implemented levels, balanced item stats, managed loot placement, and character skills
Additional Responsibilities
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Helped with Dead State Kickstarter campaign and fulfilment, including writing “Making Of” book and print manual
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Headhunted and interviewed potential talent, crafted interview questions and tests for artists and designers
2016 - 2021
Multiple Projects
Contract Writer, Narrative Design
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Wrote multiple short stories for several IPs, including Legend of the Five Rings, Arkham Horror, and Twilight Imperium
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Legacy of Dragonholt: wrote 30K+ words for new print product launch with classic IP, introduced creative team to Twine
2013 - 2014
Destiny
Game Designer
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Developed public events, populating game areas with them as well as combat encounters, lore drops, and harvest nodes
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Coordinated with writing team on event dialogues, wrote roughs for all public events, patrols, and over 50 lore entries
2006 - 2008
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir
Designer, Lead Writer
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Crafted and implemented Party Conversation System mechanic
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Structured, edited, and wrote majority of text; created multiple areas; developed new loot system
Other Titles
Writer / Designer / Production Design Assistant
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Alpha Protocol: Organized writing tasks, worked on multiple characters, and created all emails/dossiers/news/banter
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Aliens RPG: Wrote dialogue for several major characters, & gave design input on levels and boss encounters
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Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer: created dozens of specialty items, and wrote epic-level descriptions
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Neverwinter Nights 2: Created all items/weapons/armor, aided in level testing and bug-fixing for item models
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Multiple projects: worked with lead writers and designer to cast/perform/direct voice-over performances
Papaya Studio
2004 - 2005
Taxi Driver (Unreleased)
Writer, Designer
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Wrote overall story, majority of cutscenes, and in-game banter, and collaborated with audio on sound design
Education
Macalester College
1999 - 2003
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Literature
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Graduated with honors
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Specialized in Contemporary Literature with a focus on genre fiction (sci-fi and fantasy)
Skills
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Working knowledge of multiple 3D toolsets, both proprietary and common use
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Experience with both visual and text scripting, including UE Blueprints, RenPy, and Twine
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Familiar with development tools such as Confluence, One Note, JIRA, Perforce, Trello, Slack, and Teams
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Co-host & editor of the show, which utilizes Riverside.fm, and Adobe Photoshop / Audition / After Effects / Premiere
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Extensive VO experience including drafting character sides, selecting takes, casting, directing actors, and performing