Call me Yao.
I'm a game writer and narrative designer.With lyricism and grit, I craft sharp dialogue, compelling characters, palpable worlds, and transformative moments into playable stories.
games
Us Five Forever
3D side-scroller | ink + godot
narrative design | implementation
It's been two years since Kyle disappeared.
You're invited to a Halloween party at a frat house—the last place he was seen alive. Reunite with your friends, and find out what really happened to him.
Don't Call Abigail
Disco Elysium mod | articy + unity
game writing
Play as Don't Call Abigail, dispossessed drunk from critically acclaimed narrative RPG Disco Elysium.
Survive, ponder, and forge as you wade through the bleak realities of homelessness, addiction, and fragmented memories.
First Mission
10-15m | text game | ink
Use the performance of desire and the whispers of spirits to commit espionage against your client, Han Bo.
Alice's Angel
5m | text game | ink
Convince Dr. Lily you're sane—sane enough to leave.
about
I'm Yao, game writer and narrative designer. I also write short stories and draw.My work explores the power of creating our own mythologies, the beauty of darkness, and the primal resilience within us all.'25 101 Branching Dialogue
'25 The Narrative Department's Game Writing Masterclass.
'25 Writing Interactive Academy Workshop
contact
works
Us Five Forever
3D side-scroller | ink + godot
narrative design | implementation
It's been two years since Kyle disappeared.
You're invited to a Halloween party at a frat house—the last place he was seen alive. Reunite with your friends and find out what really happened to him.
Don't Call Abigail
Disco Elysium mod | articy + unity
game writing
Play as Don't Call Abigail, dispossessed drunk from critically acclaimed narrative RPG Disco Elysium.
Survive, ponder, and forge as you wade through the bleak realities of homelessness, addiction, and fragmented memories.
First Mission
10-15m | text game | inky
Use the performance of desire and the whispers of spirits to commit espionage against your client, Han Bo.
Alice's Angel
5m | text game | inky
Convince Dr. Lily you're sane—sane enough to leave.
A Martyr's Will
short story
"It's in your hands, little brother."
A tale of two brothers with a plan to take down the monarchy.
Us Five Forever
Us Five Forever is a narrative-driven 3D side-scroller with puzzles, by Sunday Studios.Play Here.Software: Ink (narrative scripting), Godot (engine), Github (source control)My main contributions are narrative design, game writing, implementation, and organization.
Narrative Design
Designed and integrated environment puzzles into narrative progression.
Crafted quests and mini games, including dialogue, mechanics, and balanced player outcomes, as part of the Golden Path.
Wrote branching narratives that drive plot, highlight character relationships, and guide the player.
Edited plot and gameplay outline
Developed characters, including characterization and backstory.
Game Writing
Wrote environment, character, and prop descriptions for the art team to create concepts and finalize assets.
Drafted and refined main dialogue, player character monologues, and item descriptions.
Structured and wrote scenes for opening of the game.
Drafted and edited Steam, trailer, and social media text.
Implementation
Created Ink files of written text, exported to JSON, and implemented them into Godot.
Playtested, revised, and polished the implemented files.
Worked closely with programming and game design teams to solve gameplay and narrative discrepancies.
Trained writers on Ink to increase implementation capacity.
Organization
Delegated tasks, including implementation and voice acting support.
Organized dialogue, playtesting feedback, narrative documents, and implementation files.
Scheduled meetings, took meeting notes, and followed up with team assignments.
I also supported voice acting by reviewing auditions, and organizing dialogue and adding story context for the actors.
Don't Call Abigail
Don't Call Abigail was a fan-made mod for Disco Elysium by Zero Order Device.Cancelled January 2026Software: Articy (narrative scripting), Unity (engine)My main contribution is game writing.
Game Writing
Reviewed extensive documentation for lore, mechanics, and narrative, including plot deck and style guide for Don't Call Abigail's 16 unique skills.
Wrote and pitched 32 orb hooks, which are interactive pop-ups prompted from exploration, skill checks, and dialogue, for the area encompassing Land's End and the FELD building on Disco Elysium's original map.
Incorporated canonical game mechanics in the orb hooks, including checks for inventory items, health points, and previous dialogue.
Adhered to the style guide specifying tone, technique, and rhetoric to faithfully capture Disco Elysium's distinctive and poignant voice and world-building.
