video games
The “Shadows Of Dawn” Kickstarter Campaign Is Live!
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I’m currently working as a writer and narrative designer on an upcoming video game called Shadows of Dawn, developed by Next Player Games. Well, here’s an update: As of today, the Shadows of Dawn Kickstarter campaign is live! Pledge to the Kickstarter to support the journey, and join the Discord to help shape the game!
In Shadows of Dawn, you wake up in an abandoned lab with no memory and a very opinionated robot companion named B.R.A.D.B.U.R.Y. as your only guide. How did you get there? Who are you? What happened to this lab? What will happen to you if you venture beyond the lab?
I’m afraid I can’t really answer those questions right now. That would be way too spoiler-y. But here’s the official description of the game, from the SoD Kickstarter page:
Welcome to Shadows of Dawn, an innovative sci-fi adventure that combines FPS action and survival gameplay with the open-exploration and customizability of an RPG. Shadows of Dawn isn’t just a game – it’s an epic saga where every choice you make echoes across the planet; where your decisions determine the fate of an entire realm. Will you seek to unify or take advantage of this world in chaos?
The page also includes the following quote from yours truly:
“Few indie studios today are as ambitious, or as capable, as Next Player Games. Their forward-thinking narrative vision appeals to gamers all over the world. Combined with a design-first development approach, this sets them apart. The folks at NPG are a team with the talent and experience to create something unforgettable.”
— Arie Kaplan, writer and narrative designer (LEGO Star Wars, Law & Order: Legacies)
Wow, I really have a way with words, don’t I? BTW, there’s a picture of yours truly at the bottom of the “Meet the Visionary Team Behind Shadows of Dawn” section on the Kickstarter page. I’ve pasted it here as well:
You hear that, Mom and Dad? I’m a Visionary!! The Kickstarter page said so! (And Kickstarter pages never lie!)
But aside from being an overall visionary, you may be wondering exactly what I do in my capacity as writer and narrative designer for Shadows of Dawn. Well, I write the story outlines, quest outlines, scripts, character dialogue, in-game fiction, and other writing deliverables for the game. While I’m doing all of that, I also write, update, and maintain the game’s story bible (a sprawling document chronicling the world of the game), often incorporating notes, edits, and ideas from the other members of the Narrative Team.
To find out more about Shadows of Dawn…
Check out the game’s Kickstarter page HERE.
And check out the Next Player Games site HERE.
You can explore the Next Player Games linktree HERE.
Here’s a story trailer for Shadows of Dawn. I wrote the script for it:
And here’s a teaser trailer for the game. I didn’t write the script for the teaser, but a while back, I put a very special list in the story bible. It was a list of themes that we should explore in Shadows of Dawn, narratively speaking. And the narration in this teaser trailer is based on that list:
Last but definitely not least, before you go, don’t forget…
“Shadows Of Dawn” Kickstarter Launching In 2 Weeks!
I’m currently working as a writer and narrative designer on an upcoming video game called Shadows of Dawn, developed by Next Player Games. In Shadows of Dawn, you wake up in an abandoned lab with no memory and a very opinionated robot companion named B.R.A.D.B.U.R.Y. as your only guide. How did you get there? Who are you? What happened to this lab? What will happen to you if you venture beyond the lab?
Hopefully, that will whet your appetite, because aside from that, there’s not a ton I can say about the game’s core premise or plot at this early date. But I can say that genre-wise, it’s a survival FPS, open-world, action-adventure game with a strong narrative drive and heavy RPG and sci-fi elements. The Kickstarter campaign for the game launches on Tuesday November 11th, 2025. Which is in two weeks.
In my capacity as writer and narrative designer for Shadows of Dawn, I write the story outlines, quest outlines, scripts, character dialogue, in-game fiction, and other writing deliverables for the game. While I’m doing all of that, I also write, update, and maintain the game’s story bible (a sprawling document chronicling the world of the game), often incorporating notes, edits, and ideas from the other members of the Narrative Team.
Here’s a story trailer for Shadows of Dawn. I wrote the script for it:
And here’s a teaser trailer for the game. I didn’t write the script for the teaser, but a while back, I put a very special list in the story bible. It was a list of themes that we should explore in Shadows of Dawn, narratively speaking. And the narration in this teaser trailer is based on that list:
Hey, remember how I mentioned that in Shadows of Dawn you have a robot companion named B.R.A.D.B.U.R.Y.? Here’s what she looks like:
Last but definitely not least, before you go, don’t forget…
“Minecraft: Trouble Brewing” is Out NOW!
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I recently wrote a Minecraft children’s book called Trouble Brewing. Well, I’m happy to report that Trouble Brewing was published today by Penguin Random House. It was illustrated by the amazing Alan Batson.
Here’s the official publisher description of Trouble Brewing:
Minecraft is one of the best-selling video games of all time! And now learning to read has never been more fun for players of the game. Readers will get a great introduction to Minecraft’s mysteries and wonders when two players, Emmy and Birch—and their tame wolf Byte— find themselves trapped underground and must brew rare ingredients into powerful potions to survive the dark!
In other mining and crafting news, another Minecraft book I wrote, titled Mobs in the Mansion, was reprinted in a multi-story anthology called Minecraft: The Ultimate Collection, which also came out today.
Minecraft: The Ultimate Collection reprints five Minecraft adventures, all in one big book. The first four of those adventures were written by Nick Eliopulos, and the fifth one – Mobs in the Mansion – was penned by yours truly. All five tales were illustrated by Alan Batson.
Here’s the publisher description of Minecraft: The Ultimate Collection:
Players new and old can join Emmy, Birch, and their tame wolf Byte, as they explore mysterious biomes and encounter scary mobs in this collection of five exciting Step Into Reading Step 3 leveled readers. Features the stories:
• Survival Mode! (Minecraft)
• Mobs in the Overworld! (Minecraft)
• Escape from the Nether (Minecraft)
• The Sky’s the Limit (Minecraft)
• Mobs in the Mansion! (Minecraft)
And to see all of the books I’ve written for Penguin Random House (including these Minecraft books), click HERE.