[UE4] Wake Up Call--Sci-Fi Stealth Action: 3D Artists, Animators, and Concept Artists
We here at Dark Synergy Studios are seeking talented 3D Animators and 3D Artists to work on Wake Up Call, one of the first games powered by Unreal Engine 4. If you have skills and want to get in on the ground level of a game that is going to make it to market, read on.
Why Unreal Engine 4?
We have a very exclusive deal with Epic Games to develop Wake Up Call on Unreal Engine 4. Epic is working directly with us so that we can make a great game. This is an extremely exclusive opportunity, not only to work with next-gen technology, but also to work directly with a company like Epic Games. We are truly humbled by this opportunity. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss the specifics of the engine or our relationship with Epic Games publicly, but those who apply will be able to learn more about this. This makes Wake Up Call one of the first next-gen indie games to be produced.
Now, it is important to note that we are still developing our demo on Unreal Engine 3; however, those who apply to this job posting will be mostly working with Unreal Engine 4. I explain more about this in the "Funding" section.
What do we have so far? (Pictures below)
Moving on, I wanted to list what we have so far:
Main character with basic animations (need to be improved at some point soon).
Two weapon models, one of which is implemented in game.
Gameplay demo map well under way (UE3 Demo)
Basic gameplay features for UE3 Demo
Hundreds of environmental assets
Hundreds of pieces of concept art
Solid milestone plan that clearly lays out what needs to be done to make Wake Up Call a reality
A massive Game Design Document that lays out the ground rules for the game
And finally, an established team with lots of years of experience in their fields
What is the funding plan?
The plan is to work up some hype in the final months of this year while we finish building our UE3 gameplay demo. Then we will take Wake Up Call to Kickstarter early next year in order to raise somewhere around $35-45k to hire on the core team full-time. That way we will become more consistent which will massively boost productivity. Now I realize that maybe isn't the most original funding plan, but, quite frankly, I am more than confident in our ability to make it work. We have a lot of elements on our side to help us get the necessary hype and reach to run a successful campaign, and I began planning months ago. And, at the beginning of the campaign, we will also launch a Steam Greenlight campaign in order to use the same hype generated for the Kickstarter to fuel the Greenlight campaign.
After getting funded, we will use the money to develop a proper early alpha that is ready to go on Steam Early Access. The release on Steam Early Access will give us additional income with which to continue development through to completion (hopefully sometime in early 2015).
What is Wake Up Call?
Wake Up Call is a next-generation sci-fi stealth-action shooter with a heavy emphasis on choice-driven gameplay and story in a unique and atmospheric post-apocalyptic world. Wake Up Call tells the story of Kyle Rogers, an ex-special ops soldier who has been awoken after over 150 years of cryostasis sleep. The world went to hell while Kyle slept, and it has been transformed into an alien planet.
Kyle’s mission is to get to the Cryostation – a massive underground facility that holds thousands in cryostasis – and power it up, but it won’t be long before Kyle realizes there is more to this world than his mission and that the secrets of this world are more dangerous than what caused the apocalypse in the first place.
As you navigate ruined skyscrapers, mystical forests, and more, Wake Up Call will pull you into its world thanks to the amazing power of the next-generation Unreal Engine 4 technology. This next-generation technology allows for an amazingly realistic portrayal of an alien Earth, taking world design to a whole new level, and allowing for a story that is really tied into the environment and the gameplay.
Experience Kyle’s story through a visceral and intense true first person perspective that allows for heightened immersion and gameplay fluidity. Challenge yourself to beat the game’s smart AI that adds new levels of challenge to the stealth-action genre. And finally immerse yourself in a dynamic and choice-driven story-line that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Wake Up Call will be one epic adventure that any and all sci-fi fans will need to experience.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for people who are willing to put in upwards of 10-15 hours per week for several months with no upfront pay. You are entitled to compensation via royalties on game sales (after release) and/or by getting hired on the team after we get properly funded. That said, this is still a very unique opportunity to work on one of the first indie games to be powered by Unreal Engine 4.
We are also only interested in applicants that are already good at what they do; we cannot afford to spend time on beginners. That means we are looking for people with generally 2-3+ years of experience in their field (not necessarily development experience though, learning/school is OK too). However, we are looking primarily at the strength of the applicant's portfolio, so do not take the years of experience part as a necessity -- some people make amazing art after just one year of learning, and that is OK. Professional experience is a bonus.
For animators
Experience making animation loops is a necessity, as well as experience making realistic animation. If your portfolio does not contain one of these things but is still very strong, then you will get a chance to prove yourself to us via a short animation test.
For 3D Artists
Experience with sci-fi art style is a necessity, as well as experience making game-ready art. That means you must be familiar with making high and low poly models, baking normal maps, creating specular maps, and optimizing textures and models. Character artists must show a high-level understanding of anatomy and have multiple fully-textured, game-ready characters in their portfolio; creatures and other entities are bonus. Similarly, weapons and vehicle artists must have multiple textured, game-ready assets in their portfolio that demonstrate a good sense of mechanics. Environment artists will need to have at least one complete environment to show that displays a good sense of proportion and structure. If you are proficient in multiple forms of art (character and weapon for example), that is a bonus.
For Concept Artists
Experience with a sci-fi art style is a necessity, as well as a strong portfolio with many pieces in it. We are primarily looking for environment-focused concept artists, but if you have skill in other areas of concept art, that is a plus. Additionally, if you also have other artistic skills, that is a plus. Additionally, your experience doesn't have to be in games either; movies/pre-rendered sequences are good since the concept artwork doesn't really change all that much. You must, however, have an extreme attention to detail and show that in all your work.
Apply by sending your resume and portfolio to contact@darksynergystudios.com
And here is some of our work:
Apply by sending your resume and portfolio to contact@darksynergystudios.com
Thanks for reading, and I hope you will apply!