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I am a narrative designer and creative lead with 20+ years shaping stories, worlds, and systems that engage players across interactive and experiential media. I blend systemic rigor with narrative depth to craft cohesive player experiences and I excel at guiding cross-disciplinary teams that bring story, gameplay, art, and sound into unified, emotionally resonant worlds. From live lore events to brand storytelling, I translate concept into playable experiences and ensure top-down consistency across products. I love mentoring teammates, iterating on narrative documentation, and building engaging player journeys that reward curiosity and replayability.…I am a narrative designer and creative lead with 20+ years shaping stories, worlds, and systems that engage players across interactive and experiential media. I blend systemic rigor with narrative depth to craft cohesive player experiences and I excel at guiding cross-disciplinary teams that bring story, gameplay, art, and sound into unified, emotionally resonant worlds. From live lore events to brand storytelling, I translate concept into playable experiences and ensure top-down consistency across products. I love mentoring teammates, iterating on narrative documentation, and building engaging player journeys that reward curiosity and replayability.

Jody Dunville

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I am a narrative designer and creative lead with 20+ years shaping stories, worlds, and systems that engage players across interactive and experiential media. I blend systemic rigor with narrative depth to craft cohesive player experiences and I excel at guiding cross-disciplinary teams that bring story, gameplay, art, and sound into unified, emotionally resonant worlds. From live lore events to brand storytelling, I translate concept into playable experiences and ensure top-down consistency across products. I love mentoring teammates, iterating on narrative documentation, and building engaging player journeys that reward curiosity and replayability.…I am a narrative designer and creative lead with 20+ years shaping stories, worlds, and systems that engage players across interactive and experiential media. I blend systemic rigor with narrative depth to craft cohesive player experiences and I excel at guiding cross-disciplinary teams that bring story, gameplay, art, and sound into unified, emotionally resonant worlds. From live lore events to brand storytelling, I translate concept into playable experiences and ensure top-down consistency across products. I love mentoring teammates, iterating on narrative documentation, and building engaging player journeys that reward curiosity and replayability.

Available to hire

I am a narrative designer and creative lead with 20+ years shaping stories, worlds, and systems that engage players across interactive and experiential media. I blend systemic rigor with narrative depth to craft cohesive player experiences and I excel at guiding cross-disciplinary teams that bring story, gameplay, art, and sound into unified, emotionally resonant worlds.

From live lore events to brand storytelling, I translate concept into playable experiences and ensure top-down consistency across products. I love mentoring teammates, iterating on narrative documentation, and building engaging player journeys that reward curiosity and replayability.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Language

Spanish; Castilian

Fluent

Work Experience

Senior Creative Designer at Many Hands SPC

August 1, 2021 - November 13, 2025

Defined and maintained the gameplay vision for a new trading card game IP, guiding core mechanics, set balance, and player experience direction. Collaborated with game design, art, engineering, and production teams to prototype and iterate on gameplay systems and card interactions. Led a narrative team in producing 100,000+ words of outward-facing lore and a 50-page internal 'World Book' supporting consistent design and thematic cohesion. Created narrative documentation standards used studio-wide to align internal and external contributors. Acted as a bridge between narrative, art, and gameplay to ensure top-down consistency across the product. Mentored junior designers in narrative documentation, interactive writing, and cross-functional collaboration. Implemented branching story moments and “live lore” community engagement through daily interactive events that evolved player-driven canon.

Beverage Director & Creative Designer at Dean’s Downtown

July 1, 2016 - July 1, 2016

Developed and implemented the brand’s narrative identity and thematic “story” that defined the tone, atmosphere, and guest experience of the venue. Collaborated with artists, interior designers, and marketing to create an immersive storytelling environment inspired by classic noir and modern cocktail culture. Wrote brand copy, cocktail names, and seasonal menu lore designed to build emotional and thematic continuity for guests. Managed creative staff, ensuring alignment between service philosophy, design vision, and guest storytelling experience. Translated story concepts into physical design language — lighting, music, textures, and spatial flow — resulting in a cohesive “living world” environment. Highlight: Dean’s Downtown was consistently recognized for its narrative-driven guest experience and brand authenticity in Houston’s nightlife scene.

Competitive Magic: The Gathering Designer / Strategist at Self-Employed

November 1, 1998 - November 13, 2025

Qualified for numerous professional-level tournaments, including Pro Tour Rome (1998). Held a Top-500 global competitive ranking and gained recognition for innovative deck and metagame design. Recognized by Wizards of the Coast community and peers for mastery of storytelling and lore — Winner, Mark Rosewater Lore Trivia Challenge, Pro Tour Austin 2009. Mentored upcoming players on analytical thinking, iteration, and disciplined testing methodology.