JEREMIAH COSTELLO – GAME DESIGNER

Designing games is an art – and I am an artist.

I could prattle on about design systems and core features but at the end of the day, I want to have fun doing what I do, and I want that fun to be palpable to players.

I’ve been involved in the game industry for over 20 years, and I’ve worn multiple hats. I’ve worked on small indie games and AAA games. I’ve taken ideas from practically incoherent scratchings on a beer mat to a full-fledged game.

Am I scatterbrained and sometimes think a bit too far outside the box? Guilty as charged…but knowing when to kill your darlings is equally as important as aiming for the stars.

Am I a bit OCD and OTT when it comes to documentation and overall versions of truth? Yup.

So check out my experiences below, watch some videos and who knows, maybe you like what you see and we can talk shop.

SELECTED PROJECTS

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84

Concept
Prototyping
Lead Game Design
Project Management

COLD COMFORT

Concept
Prototyping
Lead Game Design
Project Management

COMANCHE

Narrative Design
Voice Direction

PNEUMATIC PANIC

Concept
Prototyping
Lead Game Design
Project Management

PROJECT MOTOR RACING

Project Management

FOG AND SILVER

Concepting
System Mechanics
Feature Mechanics
Balancing

TONIES

Various Concepts
Prototyping
Game Design Multiple-Licensed IPs

LIFE OF DELTA

Concept
System Design
Game Design

GAMMA STRAIN

Concept
Prototyping
Lead Game Design
Project Management

SYNCANITE FOUNDATION

System Design
Asymmetrical Design
Balancing

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

EPIC GAMES GDC INTERVIEW

SKILLS

Here’s a concise version of the services I offer as a game designer:

Game Design: Develop engaging concepts, mechanics, and progression systems.
Narrative Design: Craft compelling stories, lore, and character backstories.
Prototyping & Playtesting: Build prototypes, conduct testing, and refine gameplay.
Level & World Design: Create immersive levels, maps, and challenges.
Voice & Audio Integration: Collaborate on voice-over, dialogue systems, and sound design.
Interactive Kids’ Games: Design educational, engaging games with adaptive AI elements.
Localization & Accessibility: Ensure seamless localization and inclusive player experiences.
Project Management: Lead cross-functional teams and oversee design delivery.
Game Production Consulting: Advise on pipelines, resources, and creative problem-solving.

TOOLS

I’m familiar with and accustomed to using the following tools:

Game Design & Development: Unreal Engine 4 & 5
Prototyping & Documentation: Figma, Miro, Google -Docs, Sheets, Sites, Adobe XD
Project Management: Trello, Jira, Asana, Codecks, Hacknplan
Version Control: Git, Perforce, Unity Version Control (Plastic SCM)
Game Writing & Narrative: Google Suite, Twine, Ink

VIDEOS

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84 – INTERVIEW

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84 – DEVS PLAY

GAMMA STRAIN

COLD COMFORT- CORPSE NEST

COLD COMFORT- INFECTION

PNEUMATIC PANIC

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84 – HOTWIRE

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84 PROOF OF CONCEPT Adobe XD

ROUGH JUSTICE: ’84 – DESIGN EXPLORATION

COLD COMFORT – DESIGN EXPLORATION

DUNGEON MASTERING & GAME DEVELOPMENT

I recently started DMing (Dungeon Mastering) for the first time again in over 25 years. Being a voice actor, voice director, and game designer by trade has really paid off! All of these disciplines share a core connection in their dedication to storytelling, world-building, and emotional engagement. They all require creativity, adaptability, and empowering player agency. All three involve collaboration, balancing structure with spontaneity to captivate an audience and bring narratives to life. I’d like to think that my DMing experiences will serve to enrich my professional endeavors.

BUILDING WORLDS WITH CHARACTERS

Game developers create virtual worlds with rich lore, dynamic characters, and engaging narratives. Similarly, dungeon masters (DMs) breathe life into fantasy realms, using maps, NPCs, and improvised dialogue to immerse players in their campaigns. Voice actors complete the picture by embodying characters, giving them distinct personalities and emotional depth. All three roles require a deep understanding of the worlds they inhabit and the ability to convey authenticity, whether through code, narration, or performance.

ADAPTING TO THE UNEXPECTED

One of the defining traits of a skilled DM is adaptability. Players often stray from the planned path, forcing DMs to improvise while maintaining cohesion in the story. This mirrors the flexibility required in game development, where designers must balance player freedom with narrative structure. Voice actors and directors face similar challenges, adjusting performances to fit creative visions or unanticipated script changes. In all three fields, thinking on your feet is essential.

EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Whether it’s a heartfelt moment in a video game, a gripping monologue from an NPC, or the suspense of a dungeon encounter, emotional engagement is key. Game developers design moments to resonate with players, while voice actors bring those moments to life. A DM bridges both roles, using their voice, pacing, and description to evoke tension, humor, or awe at the table. The common goal? To captivate the audience and make them care deeply about the story.

COLLABORATION

Game development is inherently collaborative, requiring teamwork between designers, programmers, artists, and writers. Similarly, voice acting and directing involve partnerships between actors, directors, and sound engineers. A DM acts as a facilitator and storyteller, guiding players through their adventure while responding to their choices. All three roles demand a blend of leadership and collaboration to create a seamless experience.

SHARED SKILLSET

At their core, game development, voice acting, and dungeon mastering rely on creativity, adaptability, and a passion for storytelling. By understanding pacing, tone, and audience engagement, professionals in one field can draw inspiration and skills from the others. For instance, a game designer who’s also a DM may better understand player agency, while a voice actor with DM experience might excel at improvisation.

The lines between these disciplines are fluid, and their overlap enriches each field. Whether you’re directing a scene in a video game or narrating an epic battle in a tabletop session, the heart of the work is the same: creating a world where stories thrive and audiences lose themselves in the magic of imagination.

CONNECT

BLUESKY

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