Hi I'm James Quigley,
Email: jamesjquig@gmail.com
Twitter: @quigjam
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/ln/quigjam
Afterworld (2021)
Project Details
- Team Size: 3
- Role: System Designer, Layout Artist, Producer
- Duration: 9 months
- Platform: Print
- Genre: Tabletop Roleplaying Game
Recognitions:
Kickstarter Zinequest 3 Participant
Received more than 5 times the initial funding goal
A light card-based tabletop roleplaying game, where the players can easily pick up the game and embark on weird post-apocalyptic adventures.
- Designed, crowd-funded, developed, published, and distributed a 55 page commercial zine game as digital and physical copies.
- Managed deliverable schedules and meetings using an agile scrum methods. Wrote and distributed press releases and communicated progress to customers.
- Pitched, designed, and prototyped the game's systems, experimenting with roll balancing, character options, and resources for running the game.
- Designed rules for conflict resolution, character creation, injury, and equipment. Communicated ruleset to players using clear examples and explanations when needed.
- Organized and ran playtesting sessions by writing briefs for participants and feedback questionnaires. Produced early print versions of the game and iterated on visual design and rule set based on playtester feedback.
Cardware (2021)
A card-based stealth strategy game, where the players eliminate robot enemies using a variety of abilities and use parts to upgrade their character in a human-less future.
- Produced a non-digital prototype of the game so level designers could iterate early in the development cycle.
- Owned the developed of tools for rapid level and card creation allowing level designers and artists to easily iterate and implement new levels and abilities.
- Developed reusable, scalable code for map creation, character behaviors, and combat systems.
- Scripted statistical tests using Excel to manage and identify potential problems with game balance.
- Pitched, designed, and prototyped potential game features and interactive level elements
The Borderline Effect (2020)
Project Details
- Team Size: 7
- Role: Technical Designer, Programmer, Producer
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Platform: Windows, Mac
- Genre: Puzzle
Recognitions:
MSU - Most Innovative Award, Most Fun Award Runner Up
A first-person physics-based puzzle game, where the players manipulate objects between different dimensions to solve a series of puzzles in a forgotten laboratory.
- Owned core mechanic development of switching and manipulating objects between dimensions
- Created interactive level elements for level designers to implement throughout the game's puzzles
- Communicated with level designers, programmers, and artists to create a united vision for the project
- Developed audio queues to serve as guides for player progress throughout the game
- Reviewed and refactored code from multiple different programmers and designers to maintain consistent development standards
Remedy (2020)
Project Details
- Team Size: 5
- Role: Designer, Programmer, Producer
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Platform: Windows, Mac
- Genre: Platformer
Recognitions:
MSU - Most Innovative Award
A 2D platformer game, where the players use a variety of abilities to navigate
- Pitched and Prototyped game systems related to combining platforming game elements with visual novel storytelling
- Worked with artists to implement all art and animations with gameplay behaviors
- Combined 6 different movement abilities and environmental obstacles to create unique levels with varying difficulty
- Organized and ran playtesting sessions by writing briefs for participants and feedback questionnaires.
Project Snapshots
A bit unfinished, a bit random. The following are select snapshot of projects that help show the range of my passion and experience
Draft Diff (2021)
A tool developed using Unity that helps coaches draft for competitive League of Legends. The tool provides recommendations of for counters and synergies for different champions. Coaches can easily search by role, range, composition, or flip between their own premade drafts. I am actively working on DraftDiff and to start alpha testing in early 2022.
Itch.ioIsotopolis (2021)

A game developed for the National Cyclotron Laboratory to educate primary school students about particles physics. I lead the development on the revision of the original release and a new, unannounced game title. Isotopolis is released on Android and IOS and actively used with MSU's science outreach curriculum.
Play IsotopolisEmpathic Games Initiative (2020)

A student driven grant program at Michigan State University's College of Communication Arts and Sciences. The project consisted of 5 games created by Michigan State Students to provide knowledge about specific populations and was featured as an exhibit at the Detroit Science Gallery.
5e Doctor Class (2019)
A nonmagical, utility class for 5e Dungeons and Dragons. A fully homebrew class to fill a hole I felt was in 5e's character class options. Includes three different character archetypes to support offensive, supportive, and utility playstyles. I am activily playtesting the Doctor and hoping reach a final revision in early 2022.
Itch.ioAbout Me
Hi I'm James, a game designer from Michigan. From my earliest memories, I have always been captivated with video games and the unique experiences they can convey. My favorite games have been those which pull the user in with thematic mechanics like Spiderman, Bioshock Infinite, League of Legends and D&d.
My desire to design new and innovative experiences led me to study media and game design at Michigan State University. There I pursued a variety of opportunities: starting a new club focused on tabletop games, filling multiple roles in collegiate esports, and gaining a love for scuba diving. I decided to pursue a Master's degree in interactive media with a focus on serious games and accessible design through MSU's linked degree program.
I have a strong commitment to quality learned from my experience working as a software developer in the automotive and market research industries. I love collaboration and creating closely with artists and programmers. I joined MSU's Games for Entertainment and Learning Lab and contributed to the development of educational games for the Detroit Science Gallery and NSCL. Recently, I ran a successful Kickstarter campaign which received over 5x it's initial funding goal. I led the production and design of the project to publishing in both digital and print formats.
When I'm not tinkering away, you can find me out searching for new experiences. Whether hiking, scuba diving, or finding some weird and unknown place in my local area, I love exploring and discovering inspiration in unconventional places.

Get in Touch:
Email: jamesjquig@gmail.com
Twitter: @quigjam
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/ln/quigjam