ABOUT ME
My name is Nina DeLucia and I have been working as a professional Digital Designer for the past 8 years. I graduated from Drexel University in 2016 with a B.S. in Animation and Visual Effects (with two minors: Art History and Fine Arts) and began working as a 3D Artist at the Philadelphia-based studio Gossamer Games immediately after. I participated in numerous productions spanning a variety of genres; I have done so with a strong focus on 3D Art, Level Design and User Experience. I also conducted countless playtesting sessions in this time, often at public events (such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco).
I worked as the only artist on a core development team tasked with developing prototypes for clients, who would use those prototypes to apply for full production funding. This funding might be sought by way of a grant, a publisher, or even a private investor. Occasionally I would also assist in generating other application materials by creating promotional art, structuring PDF’s and pitch decks, and writing material that describes technical specifications of the project. Some clients request to keep these prototypes under NDA, but some have allowed me to feature them as portfolio pieces here on this site.
I recently completed a Software Development bootcamp at Rutgers University. You can check out my final project here - it is a fully functional app that allows users to make an account and save information about their favorite coffee. Users can search for drinks using an integrated Starbucks API or input their own information about a local shop, coffee blend or recipe.
Outside of work, I love playing games as much as developing them - I am a huge fan of the Final Fantasy series. I also enjoy going jogging through Old City in Philly, trying out every new coffee shop I find, and baking sweet treats to go with that coffee (my favorite is lemon lavender scones).
MY WORK IN
GAME DEVELOPMENT
UNANNOUNCED RACING GAME
A racing game prototype that was highly considered for funding by Square Enix Collective and Platinum Games. Choose from a cast of over 20 characters and either race the clock or compete against AI. This is the most recent example of my work in game development.
Sole
Sole is Gossamer Games’ debut in-house title and the first game I shipped. It was nominated for a number of awards and was featured at several internationally recognized gaming conventions - most notably the Independent Games Festival at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) in 2019.
Code Tycoon
A short web browser game commissioned by Okta and Epic Magazine. It was free to play on Okta’s website for one year after launch. It has since been retired, but my site provides a trailer and also a walkthrough of the game in screenshots.
Howloween Hero
A heartwarming game about a runaway Trick-or-Treating dog on a mission to fetch their owner’s favorite candy. This is an in-house creative production from Gossamer Games and the first game I developed in Unreal Engine.
Age of Alchemy: the Goldsmith’s Daughter
The product of a $100,000 prototyping grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 2018. While my art has grown much since then, I like to leave this in my portfolio because of my hands-on role in creating the successful funding pitch (alongside a small team of art historians and other game developers).