Gorman presented his paper analyzing the narrative of the video game Little Nightmares at the Game Narrative Summit, a part of the 2022 Game Developers Conference hosted in San Francisco. He was among five gold winners that received the GDC Narrative Analysis Prize.

Gorman is pursuing a double major in game design and development and English, along with a theater minor. This project is an extension of an essay from a previous writing class, he said.

“The original paper is based on the camera view being unique as a dollhouse view. It is 2.5-dimensional, as it’s a 2D game set up with 3D assets,” said Gorman. “When I [began to focus] on narrative, I talk about how the game is an allegory for both child abuse and the foster system. The dollhouse view reminds me of how you’re trapped in a fabricated situation.”

He also analyzed how the tactility of the game is enriched for players.

“I played the game myself and I had a friend play the game to see how other people react to playing it,” said Gorman. “I looked at how mechanics worked for the dollhouse point-of-view. There is tilting, a unique mechanic that moves with motion, as the player is on a ship, and it sways a bit.”

Gorman shared these insights and more during a five-minute presentation at the Summit. While not wildly fond of public speaking, he was excited for the opportunity to network with executives and gaming companies in an ever-more competitive market, he said.

Gorman came to Quinnipiac as a game design major and soon took advantage of specialty studies within the field.

“I added music and writing, as what I like most about games is the story. I want to create worlds that people can enjoy almost timelessly,” he said. “I also take theater and screenwriting classes, so I can learn more about creating a worldview and dialogue.”

The Game Developers Conference took place on March 21 through March 25.