[CLOSED] - [PAID - Graphics freelance/internship] - need 2D graphics for mobile game

Boysano

Hi,
this post is for 2 small jobs both of which I want exclusive rights to material please, so I may use it over in many game projects!
That also means you are not allowed to sell this, and not allowed to use other work with other limiting licenses!
It must be your own work.


Job 1: GUI for game - R1000 - Exclusive license
I have a mini job here for a good graphic artist: Looking for someone that can build me a product like this:
http://graphicriver.net/item/mobile-game-gui-pack-04/6529662
Fonts must be included

Job 2: also R1000 (Edit) please quote? - Exclusive license
Reskin this mini HTML5 game with new graphics, to make it publisher ready and add a "Title Screen" graphic also,
as well as a "human hand" to use to make in-game tutorials for touch mechanics.
Graphical style and quality same as job 1.
Here is the game, so far I only worked 2 days on it:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23855515/index.html
[Edit]: the game also needs a 100x100 game icon.

Both jobs will go to the same artist if accepted, this job will be also used as an interview job for possible internship position of R5000-R7500/month in Somerset West.
(i'm only starting out, so funds are limited, I don't have a job and since quit it to start games development company from scratch so please don't spam this topic if you are not interested in the offer) rather send me criticism to my inbox if you have advice.

If you are interested please contact me at morne@boysano.com, of Boysano Indie Gaming, and send me also the timeframe you will need and any questions.
I will provide you with a spritesheet of the current HTML5 game, but the GUI job you have to develop from scratch.
NOTE: I will be using this in Game Maker Studio...if that helps.

Thank you for your time!
This could be the start of a long and exiting journey...together
Regards,
Morne Booysen

[EDIT] From the comments on this topic I decided to change this post to make this an open learning experience (myself as guinea pig) for the community...
I will try to give more information on this job and limit it to only Job2 (which is only reskinning of existing game, which I made in less than 3days)
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23855515/index.html

If I do award the game to a local artist I will keep full record of the finances here, etc. If the artist wants to remain anonymous that is fine, but I encourage open bidding here - uhm I hope its not against any forum rules?

Ok the extra detail for the requirements:
- Graphics must be your own from scratch, and for exclusive full license.
- 2D only - side view.
Resources needed:
- 1x Icon of game (it serves as the add to publishers, so super important) - 100x100px
- 1x Splash or Title Screen of game "Save The Plants" - 320x480px (menu buttons must be separate, thus not part of this image)
- 3x Buttons "Help", "Start", "End" - max 144x73px (can be smaller to fit your style, but all 3 must be same size and not larger)
- 1x Ground (dirt) - 320x40px
- 1x Mountains background - 320x80px (transparent above mountains)
- 1x sky background (very basic blue hue) - 320x480
- 1x larger Water drop - 20x20px
- 1x small water drop - 8x8px
- 1x Hail (please make this rounder like a ball of ice) - 20x20px
- 1x warning pointer (roundish shape) - 16x16px
- 3x different clouds - 120x30
- 6x plant growing animation - 32x32px (should look like it is planted on ground dirt image if placed randomly)
- 2x(sub images) 1 Animated Hand to use as in-game tutorial for controls, showing a touch animation - not larger than 100x100px
Total: 23 static images. Need *.png format and source files when done, your best 2D style and creative freedom is fine, aimed at kids.

Job time maximum expectation is 1 week, but feel free to quote as well.

Current Sprite texture page directly from the game for reference: (just ignore additional sprites on this texture if not listed above)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23855515/SaveThePLants/Save%20the%20plants_texture_0.png

Sasmanator

Hello,

I wont fit the style of this game, but I'm very keen to get involved with the local game development community.
You can check out my concept art here - http://be.net/rashieqsasman , if you ever develop a different styled game in the future, definitely get in touch!

Best of luck with your new venture!

Rashieq

Pomb

@Boysano, Not to be a downer or anything but those figures are quite low for the amount of work you're expecting. Depending on what artist you pick up, you can be paying that daily. I've also known those figures to be around what single logos are charged at. It's tough to judge what to actually charge for work, but yeah it's very much on the low end.

iPixelPierre

Agree with Pomb, a family member is a 3D artist and knows the scene, he once told me I could be charged up to $500 per day for an artists work. Understandably you have a limited budget, but 1000 ZAR is going to get shitty work or a logo.

dislekcia

The specifications need to be more concrete too - right now it would be really easy to tell someone that produced that mobile UI pack that they hadn't done everything that the other pack had, so they'd have to keep working... I'm not saying that's your intention, but that's what many experienced graphic designers will notice as a possibility that increases the risk of doing the job.

Try to enumerate exactly what you need and which graphical elements will need to be built - be as specific as possible: Give their pixel sizes or screen percentages, colour needs, transparency requirements, animation information, setting and context, etc. Not only will that serve as a checklist of what an artist needs to do for you, it'll also help you and any potential artists price the work.

An artist trying to replicate a UI style might spend forever trying to get the corners of the stars looking right, meanwhile you don't even need stars and you're actually just talking about 1 screen frame, a text area background, 3 button backgrounds and 4 button overlay information sprites. Without a concrete spec, you're going to have a million communication problems on top of the thousands that a normal game development adventure already has ;)

Game design is 90% making realistic, useful lists. Then the other 90% is about thinking really, really hard about implementing those lists.

Boysano

Thanks for all the people whom applied,
I'm still open for more people to send in their offers and even CVs as some of you have done...since I will be doing many projects requiring the same skill set ...

Oh and I updated to game to make sure there are enough plants now, sorry I was busy doing updates, so it works more as intended now.

Boysano

Please note I updated the original post (apologies for the many reposts, but i'm trying to listen to the advice here and make this an educational experience)

Pomb

Heya, I found these articles while trying to search for an answer about pixel pushing rates, maybe it will be beneficial to you too.
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/AdamSaltsman/20090724/2571/Pixel_Art_Freelance_Best_Practices__Guidelines.php
http://2dwillneverdie.com/blog/how-much-do-sprites-cost/
Granted the numbers are in $$ but I think it's a pretty good start to understanding pricing for art.

Boysano

TOPIC CLOSED - here is why:
Graphics done and game updated all for cost of R0!
You can see new graphics here, of you want to license this HTML5 game for mobile web, feel free to contact me:
dl.dropbox.com/u/23855515/index.html

How did I get the new graphics?
Well my wife, for the first time in her life, downloaded the free trial copy of Adobe Illustrator and did 1 day of tutorials.
Then 2days of drawing (as a newbie) this games graphics, then 1/2 day of tweaks to make it scale correctly in the game, and since she didn't know how spritesheets works I had to show her and ask her to re-save all the images.

Done

[EDIT] I see the texture pack above already auto updated from the dropbox hosting of this game demo haha

dislekcia

Broke the tutorial by clicking on the rain drop right in the beginning of it - just sat there and nothing happened after that.

I was wondering if plants would continuously spawn, but no - there was only a certain amount of the and the game actually ended.

Boysano

Thanks for the feedback, will look into it.

[EDIT] yeah its a bug, i forgot to de-activate object in tutorial mode/state.
New plants will spawn when game starts after tutorial.

Thanks, for the test! I owe you a beer, dislekcia

It should work now

Thelangfordian

Boysano said:

TOPIC CLOSED - here is why:
Graphics done and game updated all for cost of R0!
You can see new graphics here, of you want to license this HTML5 game for mobile web, feel free to contact me:
dl.dropbox.com/u/23855515/index.html

How did I get the new graphics?
Well my wife, for the first time in her life, downloaded the free trial copy of Adobe Illustrator and did 1 day of tutorials.
Then 2days of drawing (as a newbie) this games graphics, then 1/2 day of tweaks to make it scale correctly in the game, and since she didn't know how spritesheets works I had to show her and ask her to re-save all the images.

Done

[EDIT] I see the texture pack above already auto updated from the dropbox hosting of this game demo haha

I hope I don't misunderstand the tone in this message, but it sounds to me like a case of trying to say that if anyone can do graphics then you shouldn't have to pay lots for it? I am not really an artist, but the above just seemed a bit derogatory to what many artists here work hard to do and try hard to earn a decent living from.

If I misunderstand the tone, then my apologies, but I just thought I would express what I observed.

Boysano

was not my intention, just stating what happened factually, sorry I do lack tact.

In all fairness, it is not R0, since her time was 2-2.5days.

I just think that my original post was alot more fair than I was given credit for ie R2000.
But then again, I made the mistake to think people will just quote on the low level graphics without any animations (and not on time based), but I see the people here are actually quoting on the best skill level they have - which is a good thing. I learnt much and need to adjust my approach. I also found more applications when there was a price advertised, then when it was open ended with me wanting the artists to quote.

Today I published the game to 5 publishers, lets see if anyone bites on this little silly game...it is just an experiment.

Don't take things so serious man, it is very difficult to bring emotion across on black and white.

hermantulleken

A quick way to alienate professionals that you want to hire in the future is to judge fairness of the price you offer against the effort it takes your wife. In effect, you just upped the price you will have to pay in the future from anyone who saw this. (It can be in raw price, but most likely simply in availability, (forcing you to hire someone more expensive), or delivery (do I work an extra hour for this guy? Maybe his wife can finish it instead...), or scrutiny in charging hours (he called me 5 times now... that's another hour).

It's of course your right to go to the lowest bidder (most surely a mistake), but it's not a good move long-term to give the impression that you think good art should also cost as much.

But yeah, not taking it too seriously, just giving you a headsup.

dislekcia

Honestly, I think the whole "Hey, this thread isn't needed anymore because the graphics got made" thing wasn't intended in any way badly. I doubt it's a case of "Hah, my wife can do graphics fine, jump in a lake expensive people!" and even if it is, assuming it isn't is a more productive stance anyway.

I think @Boysano was just happy that his wife did what she did and he's now got graphics. Yay for everyone :) (especially @Boysano's un-named wife - hi - who got to learn a new skill)

hermantulleken

Yeah sorry, rereading my post it comes off harshly. I do understand it was not the intention, but nevertheless, it can leave a lingering impression, and I just wanted to point it out. Having had my ass burnt by a few contract givers makes me a bit sensitive. Sorry @Boysano

dislekcia

hermantulleken said:

Yeah sorry, rereading my post it comes off harshly. I do understand it was not the intention, but nevertheless, it can leave a lingering impression, and I just wanted to point it out. Having had my ass burnt by a few contract givers makes me a bit sensitive. Sorry @Boysano

I once got shat out by a guy who lived halfway to Hartebeespoort because I wouldn't accept a contract that wanted me to code an RTS engine in 3 months with full payment only at the end after delivery. He didn't like my "half now, half on delivery" addendum because he totally wasn't planning on spending any money in the first place ;)

(I bring up the Hartebeespoort thing because it cost me R200 in petrol to drive out and see him to discuss the project. I did that 4 times before I got a spine.)

hermantulleken

I guess we all have a story like that *sad smile*.