WATAN

WATAN is a 12 player live action role playing game based in a fictional Middle Eastern country where players become leaders of a land attempting to create a stable society through a civil war. I was responsible for:

• Playtesting and organizing events

• Mechanics balancing

• Story and Character design

• Production backlog upkeep

This is a typical Watan venue, with all the materials and gameplay spaces ready for play

Players start the game by placing territory on a map using colored tape

Players enter their factions, and begin picking characters and discussing the debate topic

Players enter parliament, where a speaker presents the scenario and players respond with their faction’s solution

Factions have time to discuss among themselves and come up with a common resolution

Players vote and observe the consequences of their actions

You can find WATAN, and all it’s supporting folders here:

S.S.S.S - Randomly Selected

Randomly Selected is an audio based immersive exhibition originating from the language communication game S.S.S.S. The exhibition targets the common struggle of language barriers that many immigrants and international students experience in the United States. I was responsible for

• Exhibit preparation

• Video editing

One of three booths, this version of Randomly Selected featured a Chinese interrogator and American traveler. Listen to their audio below.

The original game S.S.S.S., which stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, is an interrogation game set in an international airport. It is a commentary on airport security measures targeting passengers from foreign countries. I was responsible for:

• Rules writing

• Puzzle design for 2 different languages (Spanish, Arabic)

Two watchers attempting to follow along with the game as it’s being played on speakers

You can access both the information on the exhibit and the game here:

Ghareeb

Ghareeb is an interactive fiction narrative game set in a prison cell. It is loosely based on the Abu Gharib prison in Iraq. I was responsible for:

• Game writing

• Research

• Programming (using Inform 7)

• Playtesting and iterating

While tricky, Inform 7 became a useful tool in my toolbox for prototyping and iterating narrative choices in games

An example of gameplay. Make sure Baba doesn’t get too angry!

You can play Ghareeb here

Thawra

Thawra is a 5-6 player tabletop roleplaying game focused on leadership and politics 10 years after the Lebanese Civil War. This game is still in development and is planning on getting a Kickstarter soon!

I was responsible for:

• Game Design

• Character Design

• Rules Writing

• Research

This is an example of one of the playable factions: The Future Movement

Here is an example of the basic move list. Thawra is Powered By The Apocalypse

This is an example of a character from one of the factions: The PSP

If you would like a copy of Thawra, please email me directly: wraouda@gmail.com

PacifyHer

PacifyHer is a first person comedic horror exploration game. I worked in a team of 5 other designers, and was responsible for:

• Production (Backlog upkeep)

• Level Design (Scene modeling, prototyping)

• Game Design (puzzle making)

• Sound Design (sound effects, voice acting)

• Narrative Writing (script writing, environmental storytelling)

You can play PacifyHer here

A Good Night

A Good Night is a walking simulator developed by myself and one other artist. It tells the story of a child struggling to fall asleep, and a father that guides them through their dreams. As part of this project, I was responsible for:

• Level and character design

• Script writing

• Voice acting

• Music/sound design

An early screenshot of when the player begins to “dream”. The entire game is fully voice acted and features this companion following you around and guiding you through the space

One of the challenges that came with developing A Good Night was the visual art. My partner and I were discouraged from creating our own models, as this would take too much development time. Instead, we relied on a free library of resources to help with the art direction.

The cartoon shader really helped to create an atmosphere we were looking for

We put in quite a few jokes. I hear they get 100% funnier when you become a dad!

If you would like to play A Good Night, you can find a download link to play here.

A Classroom Transformation

This project represents my strategy to engage students as a middle school mathematics teacher at Oxon Hill Middle School (OHMS) in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The strategy showcases my approach to integrate games into my lesson plans as a mechanism to drive student engagement and help students achieve academic success.

It is divided into three sections: a background on my teaching and school environment, three sample case studies from games I have used in my classroom, and a final section that summarizes my reflections and lessons learned from implementing this strategy.

The project consists of one PDF file, which includes a 15 page report designed to have pictures and games embedded in the document.

A snippet of one lesson plan I made, where students competed in a battle royale style game.

A roll based system I used to create and compete in the First Lego League, a middle school robotics competition.

RUBBLE

RUBBLE is a visual novel telling the story of a young person trapped under debris. It’s based on the strife of survivors during the Syrian Civil War.

This was a solo project, and I responsible for:

• Scripting gameplay sequences (dialogue choices, alternate paths, items, conditions)

• Story writing and dialogue

• Camera movements, transitions, and fading

• Artwork, including dialogue box, background, and sprites

• Music

Due to the setting being mostly underground, I had to find unique ways to keep players engaged with limited visuals. This included the use of screen shakes, timed dialogue, alternate endings, and an inventory system.

Every decision the player character makes has an impact on the potential ending. Dialogue boxes branch out and converge at multiple points

The white helmets depicted is a reward for the player reaching the “true” ending.

Depending on the scenario, failing to pick a decision could lead the player to an undesired ending. Music and screen shakes are used to invoke urgency

If you would like to play RUBBLE, I have left a link here.