About Me
Narrative Designer | Quest Designer | Worldbuilding & Dialogue
Professional Profile
I'm Andres Valbuena, a narrative designer specializing in branching quest design and player-driven storytelling. I build game worlds through creative writing and systematic design, where narrative, spatial design, and gameplay systems reinforce each other.
Key Achievements
Academic Recognition
Tencent Game Scholarship Recipient (2024-2025) - Awarded for outstanding academic achievement, commitment to game design, and contributions to the Computer Game Design program at George Mason University. This merit-based scholarship, part of Tencent America's partnership with the Virginia Serious Game Institute, recognizes top undergraduate students preparing for careers in the games industry. I used this scholarship to fund my education and eventually graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Game Design.
Industry Recognition
Gold Status in the 2025 GDC Game Narrative Review competition for my analysis of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. My submission demonstrated expertise in systems-aware storytelling, player agency integration, and environmental narrative design.
Career Focus
Seeking opportunities as a Narrative Designer where I can use my writing abilities, worldbuilding expertise, and systematic approach to build stories that stick with players.
Background & Interests
My approach to narrative design is informed by experiences beyond game development:
Game Master & Systems Designer
Leading 100+ tabletop RPG sessions across D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e in Foundry VTT has taught me how to design branching narratives that respond to player agency, balance complex systems in real-time, and maintain narrative coherence across unpredictable player choices.
Events & Community Leadership
As Events & Scheduling Manager for a 1000-attendee annual convention, I coordinate multi-day programming, manage vendor logistics, and ensure smooth operations for a large-scale community event. This experience has honed my project management, team coordination, and crisis response skills.
Creative Writing & Systems Thinking
Beyond design documentation, I write fiction and develop original worlds. I'm interested in medieval history, theology, and comparative mythology because understanding how real cultures functioned, their social structures, belief systems, and daily realities, makes fictional worlds more convincing.
These experiences shape how I work: I write narratives that respect player agency, build worlds grounded in cultural authenticity, and create systems where story and mechanics reinforce each other.
My Favorite Games of All Time
These twelve games have shaped how I think about game design, narrative, and player experience. Each one taught me something fundamental about what makes games meaningful. Click any banner to explore what I love about them.