CHRIS SIMS-chrisssims.com
@ChrisSSims
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PROFILE
I’m an award-winning creator with proven skill in narrative design and world-building,
including creating characters, dialog, adventures and quests, stories, and loot. That skill
extends to developing and promoting intellectual property, as well as to mechanical
development, technical editing, and copy editing. With acclaim from superiors and
colleagues, I’ve led and followed in cross-functional teams to create popular content for
major entertainment brands. My work spans three editions of the Dungeons & Dragons
game, including the New York Times best-selling fifth edition. I have written and
developed for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Magic: The Gathering, State of Decay 2,
and many others. I’m passionate about helping game companies make games that
excite and expand their audience.
PROFICIENCIES
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Crafting characters, gear, scenes, locations, quests, stories, and worlds
Designing narrative and dialog for games, fiction, and film
Integrating story content with mechanical and promotional content
Creating and developing game mechanics
Researching to ensure authenticity and maintain narrative continuity
Guiding and incorporating visual art and style into game content
Planning and leading projects, independently and as part of a team
Producing specification and technical documentation
Editing, indexing, and proofreading, as well as general attention to detail
Building relationships with coworkers, fans, freelancers, students, and volunteers
Graphic design, illustration, typography, and cartography
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, InCopy, Acrobat, Microsoft Office, and social media
Gaming, digital and tabletop, starting with Basic Dungeons & Dragons in 1981
PRACTICE
Game Writer, Editor, and Designer
Jan 2002–Oct 2011; Jan 2015–present
Self; currently Seebenstein, Lower Austria
• Created and refined several worlds and scores of adventures, characters, dialog
instances, foes, locales, lore entries, mechanics, monsters, quests, and rewards.
• Wrote and edited for video games (State of Decay 2) and film (Glossary of Broken
Dreams, Je Suis Auto, Tycho, and unfinished films).
• Composed the interactive fiction piece Triskele.
• Wrote a popular blog on award-winning critical-hits.com and on chrisssims.com.
• Connected with peers and fans via social media, streaming, and conventions.
Game Writer and Editor
Dec 2017–June 2019
Paizo Inc.; Redmond, WA
• Designed, wrote, edited, and planned content for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game.
• Created promotional material from sales material to video scripts.
• Worked with art, editing, and marketing to produce and promote publications.
• Selected and directed freelance writers to produce game content.
• Connected with peers and fans via social media, streaming media, and conventions.
CHRIS SIMS
CV page 2 of 2
PRACTICE (continued)
Game Writer, Editor, and Designer
Aug 2005–Dec 2009; Oct 2011–Jan 2015
Wizards of the Coast; Renton, Washington
• Created and refined several worlds and scores of adventures, as well as hundreds of
characters, dialog instances and flavor text, foes, locales, lore entries, mechanics,
quests, and rewards. Brands included Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering,
and Duel Masters, among others.
• Worked with multiple teams to effectively produce hundreds of publications.
• Improved all projects for clarity and efficiency while maintaining function.
• Led scores of successful projects from proposal to final.
• Communicated with words and visuals to aid execution on all projects.
• Built connections that resulted in smoother successes and consumer engagement.
• Devised skill tests for designers and editors, improving the talent pool.
• Connected with peers and fans via social media, streaming, and conventions.
Graphic Artist
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Headshot Graphics, Twin Galaxies, and Self; across the USA
• Completed dozens of design projects, from ads to websites, on time and to spec.
• Led a team to create and maintain promos and website material for Twin Galaxies.
• Led design direction for the small apparel company Headshot Graphics.
• Wrote and edited copy for most projects.
PREPARATION
Dual Bachelor of Fine Arts
Graduation 1999
Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts; Richmond, Virginia
Dual Major in Graphic Design and Illustration, minor focus in writing
PLAUDITS-
See more, including a current list
of publications, at chrisssims.com.
Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes; Origins Award for Best Role-Playing Game
Supplement Fan Favorite
Artist in Residence; MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, Austria; November
Volo’s Guide to Monsters (Golden Geek for Best Supplement)
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (Judge's Spotlight ENnie), Volo’s Guide to
Monsters (New York Times Best Seller)
Wizards of the Coast (Gold ENnie for Best Publisher)
D&D Player’s Handbook, fifth edition (New York Times Best Seller, Gold ENnies
for Product of the Year, Best Game, and Best Rules; Silver ENnie for Best
Writing; Origins Award for Best RPG, Origins Fan Favorite for Best RPG)
D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, fifth edition (Gold ENnie for Best Supplement)
D&D Monster Manual, fifth edition (New York Times Best Seller, Gold ENnie for
Best Monster product; Origins Award for Best RPG Supplement, Origins Fan
Favorite for Best RPG Supplement)
D&D Starter Set, fifth edition (Gold ENnie for Best Family Game)
D&D Basic Rules, fifth edition (Gold ENnies for Best Electronic Book and Best
Free Product)
Triskele (runner-up, Write a Game Challenge; IGDA Game Writing SIG
