Picture of EDIT BALLAI

EDIT BALLAI

Narrative Designer

Dawnfall: Origins

World Lore

If you could go back in time, would you stop the moment that began humanity’s Dawnfall?
When historian Neville Anderson discovers a hidden passage into ancient Greece, he learns the truth behind an event that altered history. 
After Anaxagoras was put on trial for his ideas, his young son was murdered – triggering a chain of consequences that led to humanity’s future catastrophes. Determined to restore the world’s original course, Neville decides to enter the past and save the boy.

But time remembers its wounds and every choice Neville makes sends new cracks into the world he’s trying to save…

Overview

I created narrative documents and researches for Dawnfall: Origins, defining its lore, world rules, narrative systems, branching dialogues, character- and building design. Set in present day and 434 BCE, the story is about an adventurous time travel to ancient Greece with high stakes, where Players step into the role of Neville Anderson, a modern day historian and college professor whose mission is no less than to alter history… Players are invited to explore the vibrant and raw world of Ancient Greece, ensuring their decisions influence the story and its consequences.

Branching Dialogue

I designed branching dialogue sequences that integrate variables and player choices seamlessly into gameplay. This included a role-play choice hub built around polar-opposite options, allowing players to express their preferred playstyle through character-driven decisions.
I also created thematic choices to deepen immersion and reinforce the story’s tone.

To support this, I focused on these narrative pillars:
• Urgent Stakes – ensuring the player always understands the pressure and consequences driving the scene.
• Tied to Gameplay – keeping exchanges concise, informative, and quickly leading the player back into action.

This is the first encounter between the Player character and Mykale.

The next dialogue plays after the Player return to Mykale from the farmer with the milk. I designed it to support the main narrative through multiple investigative paths. Each option reflects a different approach to information gathering: directly questioning Mykale about Anaxagoras, or about the mother of the child, or choosing rest as a way to unlock character interaction and future story beats. While all choices serve the game’s mission in different ways, they shape pacing, tone, and the player’s relationship with Mykale.

The three dialogue paths offer different approaches to uncovering the truth: through a trusted friend with knowledge (Theodoras), private memory and care (the mother of his child), or quiet observation from the margins of society (Kyria Praxilla). Each choice reflects how knowledge travels in this world: by power, by trust, or by remaining unseen.

All three outcomes advance the main mission, but shape the player’s relationship to the truth differently. The choice determines the lens, not the destination.

Player Character Design

Neville Anderson | Boston, 2021

Neville is the player character: a modern-day historian and college professor guided by a strong moral compass. When designing him, I aimed to present a grounded, principled man whose sense of responsibility shapes both his decisions and the player’s experience. Neville may not seem like a hero at first, but he becomes one through his beliefs, empathy and the responsibility of knowledge.

NPC Character Design

Mykale Korinthia | Korinth, 434 BCE

Mykale is the lead NPC in the game, serving as a caretaker at the Midwives’ Hall of Nyxeion and providing key information to the Player. When designing her, I focused on creating a character who instantly earns the player’s sympathy: calm, confident, and naturally commanding the room through her warmth and charm.

Building Design

Ashton University of Boston | Boston, 2021

I designed Ashton University of Boston to feel like a lived-in academic environment while subtly signaling the hidden narrative elements. The library layout supports exploration and discovery, guiding the player to uncover the secret passage to ancient Greece. Key visual cues and spatial organization help the player piece together clues, reinforcing the library’s role as the starting point for the story’s time-travel mystery.

Midwives' Hall of Nyxeion | Korinth, 434 BCE

I designed the Midwives’ Hall of Nyxeion as a simple, functional space that still feels authentic and lived-in. The layout guides the player naturally, highlights Mykale as the central point of interaction, and reinforces her role as a caretaker without overwhelming the environment.