[Royalty] Persnickety Studios - UDK/Survival Horror

About Us

Persnickety Studios, LLC, is a newly formed small independent game development studio located in the Greater Nashville, Tennessee area focusing on shooter and roleplay genre style games. Although the majority of us live in the Greater Nashville, Tennessee area, we are very much a virtual company. Our development team works from our own homes and uses the internet as our “office”. In some situations, we collaborate with outside individuals for specific tasks required throughout development. We all have day (or night) jobs outside of Persnickety Studios and make as much progress as possible within our available spare time. I feel it is important to note that we may not produce results as quickly as other indie or established companies, but we're all focused and determined to accomplish our goal in a timely manner.

Our philosophy is that whether it be criticism or the next great idea, every voice yields unbelievable potential and always deserves to be heard. Here at Persnickety Studios, we strive to provide the most exhilarating gaming experiences possible. We aren't just game developers; we're avid gaming enthusiasts, too.

Current Project

Currently, we've been hard at work developing an unannounced title set in the survival horror first person shooter genre. Our first title incorporates first person shooter and survival horror elements in order to provide a thoroughly exciting, but frightening, experience. The game's story is told from the perspective of an individual abandoned within a hospital facility that had previously been involved in fringe science with the human genome.

Project Summary

The United States government had been experimenting in fringe science with the human genetics for decades. It was originally spun off of a theory introduced during Project MKULTRA in the 1950s. The purpose, as it was originally documented, was to predict and produce an increased likelihood of desired traits in pregnancy as well as treat debilitating diseases in adults through gene therapy. After the invasion into Iraq, several senators were pressured by special interest groups, mostly pharmaceutical companies, to push legislation into place to allow private entities to invest and partake in the Human Genome Adjustment Project, or HGAP for short.

wrote:

It is with great regret that I must write this letter, but I am afraid that I have run out of time. This is the only way I know to relay the message below. It may be difficult to believe, but when you read this, you will have no recollection of the preceding events. As a last ditch effort, I pumped anesthesia into the ventilation system and then injected myself with a drug to lower my respiration rate to avoid permanent damage to myself. At best, I was able to use the gas to clear the surrounding rooms. This letter is a brief record of who you are and the atrocities that transpired within the walls of this building.

Your name is Dr. Allen Jacobs, and you were involved in a classified genetic research project in which animal hybridization experiments were carried out in an effort to isolate desirable genes and implant them into human subjects. From the best I can tell, a strand of viral DNA that was used to transfer the animal genes into the human test subjects became contagious and airborne. In your shirt pocket, you will find a copy of your medical release form. It was discovered that your own genetic makeup provides you with a natural resistance to the contagion. This genetic defense is present in approximately 20% of the population. Before things had begun to spin completely out of control, a trial vaccine was created and based upon a synthetic recreation of the natural immunity that is found within your own body. Unfortunately, the vaccine was among my greatest failures. Rather than reverting the infected individuals to their prior states, the vaccine instead catapulted the contagion to new heights on its evolutionary path. Before anyone realized the full extent of what had happened, it was already much too late. Containment was a complete failure.

This is a warning. Heed it. These four walls are your only safe haven. Beyond the locked door lurk horrors that I never dreamed could exist, yet they are horrors that we helped to create. I saw good, professional men driven to suicide by fear, and I saw a fellow doctor get attacked by one of those…creatures. It chewed through his neck like some sort of beast. While it is surely dangerous out there, staying in this room is also a death wish. Use extreme caution out there. Stealth is your greatest ally at this point.

Mechanic Overview

The game is divided into two distinct parts: survival horror and first person shooter. The first portion of the game will utilize the survival horror aspect, while the later portion embraces first person shooter elements. During the survival horror aspect of the game, players must use logic in outsmarting, outmaneuvering, and simply avoiding confrontation with the infected. Once the player acquires a weapon, the game play begins to incorporate more and more traditional first person shooter elements.

Technology, Marketing, & Distribution

We're utilizing Epic Game's Unreal Engine 3 through the Unreal Development Kit toolkit. Our target audience includes a broad range of demographic, but specifically the survival horror / first person shooter genre niche. We'll be utilizing digital distributors to distribute our product over the internet through outlets such as steam, direct2drive, and more.

Current Development Phase & Schedule

We're currently in Phase 1: Preliminary Design & Planning, which began in January and will continue until April. This includes focus on the following: mechanic discussion, concept art, back story, level_01 fully blocked out, initialize original music score, and establish a game title.

Production Schedule
Phase 1: Preliminary Design & Planning
Phase 2: Asset Creation
Phase 3: Public Announcement
Phase 4: Core Development
Phase 5: Alpha Demo/Video Release
Phase 6: Finalize Development
Phase 7: Product Release

Concept Art Sample

Full-Body Mutation Sketch
Hand Mutation Sketch
Cassowary Mutation (Working Title)
Current Development Team
Josh Taylor, Founder/CEO
Steven Davis, 3d Modeler/Animator
Daniel Conroy, 3d Environmental Artist
Michael La Manna, Audio/Composer
Brandon Taylor, Content Writer
Jennifer Lange, Concept Artist
Bernhard Raml, Programmer

Available Positions

Overall Requirements:

• Ability to take concepts or reference materials and create final products.
• Collaborate with artists, modelers, and designers.
• Excellent communication skills are an absolute must (due to telecommuting).
• Produce results within design specification and time restraints of production schedule.
• Highly self-motivated without the need of direct supervision.

Environmental Modeler - you're responsible for creating any and all environmental objects found throughout the game. This includes structural and environmental objects. Due to the nature of the project, the majority of the models created by reference material and will be duplicated and used throughout the game.

Character Concept Artist - you're responsible for creating all character concepts used for promotional and character design. This position requires you to closely collaborate with the project lead and character modeler.

Environmental Concept Artist - you're responsible for creating all environmental concepts used for promotional purposes, digital asset creation, and level design.

Compensation

Persnickety Studios is currently operating under a royalty rights contract work agreement. You will not receive compensation until after the game has been released and is actively obtaining profits from sales. If/When we obtain private financing through an investor/financial institution, you may opt out of your royalty right agreement and acquire immediate payment via salary agreement.

To Apply

Please email us a link to your portfolio, summary of your previous projects or works, and a brief introduction about yourself.

Email: inquiries@persnicketystudios.com

Thank you, and I appreciate your interest in Persnickety Studios.

Josh Taylor
Founder & guyincharge
Persnickety Studios, LLC,
www.persnicketystudios.com