Demo/Prototype costs

ninmado · Mar 2017

Hi everyone.
I have been working on a personal game project and saving to produce a small demo to showcase the idea and to show funders.
I will be needing to hire an environment artist, 3d character designer (for one hero character and few npcs) and a programmer.
It is not going to be a huge demo, just a small showcase level/area.
I was hoping to create something like this (same fidelity/level of detail)

Image: https://80.lv/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/pasted-image-0-5-1024x576.png

(image from Warrior's Pilgrimage)

So far I have $7000 saved for this project. Would this be sufficient for what I have mentioned?

Meloncov · Mar 2017

So without knowing about the mechanics, there's no way of telling what the programming portion is going to cost.

$7000 is gonna be tight just for an art budget. It could probably be done, but expect to use a lot of assets purchased from libraries, with relatively few made from scratch.

ninmado · Mar 2017

Meloncov said:

x

Hi
Yea I know it will be very tight and that I would have to use a lot of asset packages.
I have looked around and found/bought some packs that look good and give impression of a unified art direction.
These include the photorealistic landscape and other high quality prop packages.
Programming wise I don't plan to add anything demanding, the only complicated thing I can think off is a day and night cycle that can be done through blue prints. And just giving npcs a routine.
$7000 is the what I plan to use to fund this project, but I also have further 2000 emergency fund in case I need it.
It is good to hear that I'm not insane for thinking this can be done.
The main aim is just to create a proof of concept and secure funding to commence main project.

Asura · Mar 2017

I've been following your project on the UE forums, good stuff so far! Since you seem to already have a lot of good environment work and art going on, you may want to take the budget you have and push a small interactive piece like a puzzle or slice of narrative. This would mainly be programmer heavy/ blueprint work but it would give you something to take to investors to play/ make trailer with and post on Kickstarter (Whichever is preferred for you).

Another option is take on a level artist and create alot of modular assets that you can use to flesh out another level for demo purposes as well. Something that can be pushed out in about 2 months or so. That way you keep the time short and hopefully save money on your budget.

Tekoppar · Mar 2017

If you're used to blueprints or the logic behind programming in general I would make a small demo using blueprints yourself, use that to attempt to get funding or if that fails use it to get people on board. Even if you have money I don't think there are that many people that are willing to just jump on board and work on a project if you don't have anything.

I've soon been working on my own personal project for nearly 2 years now only using blueprints and you can do some really complex things with them, so there should be nothing holding you back there. You buckle down for a month and you should be able to get a demo up and running showcasing your idea.

Eric Chadwick · Mar 2017

Asura said:

I've been following your project on the UE forums, good stuff so far! Since you seem to already have a lot of good environment work and art going on, you may want to take the budget you have and push a small interactive piece like a puzzle or slice of narrative. This would mainly be programmer heavy/ blueprint work but it would give you something to take to investors to play/ make trailer with and post on Kickstarter (Whichever is preferred for you).

Another option is take on a level artist and create alot of modular assets that you can use to flesh out another level for demo purposes as well. Something that can be pushed out in about 2 months or so. That way you keep the time short and hopefully save money on your budget.

The art example is someone else's art, not the OP's. It's an example of the kind of quality they wish to achieve.

lefix · Mar 2017

Maybe get in touch with the polycounters behind Warrior's Pilgrimage and ask if they are available for work & what they can do for you that's within your budget.

https://www.artstation.com/artist/arifcreations
https://www.artstation.com/artist/audreee

thomasp · Mar 2017

judging by the screenshot posted above i'd say if you have to hire someone to do it and don't happen to find one who is pretty good at really low prices or working for free then the character shown will eat your entire budget and then some with ease.

this kind of thing can be done by a group of friends or students or perhaps with external financing available and a hired team but i would advise against using your own savings. it's a time consuming and expensive undertaking, more so if you don't already have the team assembled.
what's the going day rate for any decent coder-for-hire in a developed country anyway? 500+?

Obscura · Mar 2017

If this would be in Unreal, depending on the game design,you probably don't really need an actual coder, and you can do it only with a blueprint scripter.

But more info about the game design would help estimating the scope of the project, and then how much it would cost you roughly.

pmache · Mar 2017

I'm also on that type of dillema - I'm doing my work in unity, coding is by myslef - I just would need an 3d artist for models. What's the costs of hiring 3d artist just for this?

Eric Chadwick · Mar 2017

pmache said:

I'm also on that type of dillema - I'm doing my work in unity, coding is by myslef - I just would need an 3d artist for models. What's the costs of hiring 3d artist just for this?

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Freelance#Freelance_Rates

Tekoppar · Mar 2017

So around 7500$ for a model then judging by that wiki page.

thomasp · Mar 2017

Tekoppar said:

So around 7500$ for a model then judging by that wiki page.

which does normally not include doing concepts and certainly does not include any setup required for animations. it also assumes that your model does not require any revisions for style- or quality- or technical reasons.
you'd have to hire someone who really knows their stuff (modelling for deformations, what to bake and what to model in, possibly skinning, etc) and is good enough to basically exceed your style and quality expectations so no revisions are required.

Tekoppar · Mar 2017

So 7500$ for a pig in a poke, well now I at least know I will never be able to afford an artist for my personal project.

thomasp · Mar 2017

Tekoppar said:

So 7500$ for a pig in a poke, well now I at least know I will never be able to afford an artist for my personal project.

in the days of the modding scene people worked pro bono on projects that interested them. but that's certainly different from hiring somebody to do a given job - and also happened in a time when the work was less time consuming. but perhaps the spirit is still around somewhere? else you better go and look for financing.

Tekoppar · Mar 2017

thomasp said:

in the days of the modding scene people worked pro bono on projects that interested them. but that's certainly different from hiring somebody to do a given job - and also happened in a time when the work was less time consuming. but perhaps the spirit is still around somewhere? else you better go and look for financing.

Oh I ain't looking to hire anybody. I've always just wondered for fun how much it would cost to hire someone, it's after all my personal project.

pmache · Mar 2017

Eric Chadwick said:

pmache said:

I'm also on that type of dillema - I'm doing my work in unity, coding is by myslef - I just would need an 3d artist for models. What's the costs of hiring 3d artist just for this?

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Freelance#Freelance_Rates

It really helps.

Demo/Prototype costs

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