Indie Game Team for 2.5D Prototype Creation

Seeking 3-Person Indie Game Development Team for Playable Vertical Slice Demo

Project Type: Fixed-price / milestone-based
Engine: Unity or Godot
Platform Target: Android/PC (final product target is Android) demo first, with possible expansion later
Genre: 2.5D side-scrolling action/rescue game
Style Direction: Family-friendly, stylized, arcade-inspired

Project Overview:

I am looking to recruit a small 3-person development team to help create a playable vertical slice/demo for an original indie game concept.

The project is a stylized 2.5D side-scrolling game with an emphasis on environmental interaction, character abilities, objective-based progression, and accessible family-friendly gameplay.

Full game details, character concepts, mechanics, story elements, and visual references will be provided after an NDA is signed.

The goal is not to build a full game at this stage. The goal is to create a focused playable demo that proves the core gameplay loop, visual direction, and technical feasibility.

Team Roles Needed:

Role 1: Unity or Godot Gameplay Developer
Responsibilities:

Build the core playable prototype
Implement player movement and camera
Implement character state changes or mode switching
Create a context-sensitive interaction system
Add simple mission/objective logic
Integrate art, animation, UI, and sound placeholders
Deliver a playable build and source project files

Experience needed:

Unity C# or Godot GDScript/C# experience
2D or 2.5D gameplay experience
Comfortable with character controllers, triggers, UI prompts, simple state machines, and scene management
Able to work with placeholder assets first and replace them with final assets later

Role 2: Character / Environment Artist
Responsibilities:

Create stylized visual concepts and usable game assets
Help establish a consistent visual style
Create character and environment assets suitable for a 2.5D side-scrolling demo
Prepare assets for use in Unity or Godot
Work from provided references and design direction after NDA completion

Experience needed:

Stylized game art experience
Strong sense of readability, silhouette, and family-friendly character design
Experience with 2D sprites, 2.5D assets, or simple 3D models depending on final engine direction
Bonus if familiar with animation-ready asset design

Role 3: Technical Artist / Animator / Level Builder
Responsibilities:

Prepare and implement animation states
Create simple VFX and gameplay feedback
Build and dress the demo level using provided assets
Help make the game look cohesive inside the engine
Assist with UI readability, game feel, and visual clarity
Help bridge the gap between programming and art implementation

Experience needed:

Experience integrating art into Unity or Godot
Animation, VFX, or level-building experience
Strong understanding of readability, scale, feedback, and game feel
Able to collaborate with both programmer and artist

Desired Demo Deliverable:

A playable vertical slice/demo containing:

One short side-scrolling level
At least one fully playable character or character system, with room to expand
Basic environmental interactions
Simple objective tracking
Basic HUD/UI prompts
Win condition or mission completion state
Placeholder or simple sound effects
Source project files included at completion

The final scope will be clarified after NDA signing and discussion of the full design brief.

Art Style:

The project is intended to be colorful, readable, stylized, and family-friendly, with influence from classic arcade games and animated action shows.

Specific visual references, character concepts, and style materials will be provided after NDA completion.

Important Notes:

This is an original IP.
NDA required before full project details are shared.
I am looking for reliable collaborators, not just one-off asset delivery.
I prefer milestone-based payments.
Please provide a proposed milestone plan, estimated timeline, and total project cost.
I am open to Unity or Godot, but applicants should explain which engine they recommend and why.
Communication, reliability, and ability to follow direction are very important.
Please include examples of previous game projects, especially playable prototypes, side-scrollers, stylized games, character animation, or Unity/Godot work.

Potential Milestones:

Milestone 1: Technical Prototype

Basic movement
Camera
Placeholder player
One interaction
One basic objective
Simple test scene

Milestone 2: Core Gameplay Demo

Core gameplay loop implemented
Basic interaction system expanded
Objective flow
Draft UI
Placeholder or draft art integrated

Milestone 3: Visual / Gameplay Polish

Improved character and environment assets
Animation and VFX pass
UI polish
Bug fixing
Final playable demo build
Source project files delivered

When applying, please answer:

Would you recommend Unity or Godot for this project, and why?
Which role are you applying for?
Have you worked on a 2D or 2.5D game before?
Can you work with a milestone-based payment structure?
Are you willing to sign an NDA before receiving full project details?
What would your estimated cost and timeline be for a focused vertical slice demo?
Please include links to relevant previous work.

The goal is to build a small but impressive playable demo first. If the demo goes well, there may be additional paid work for expanding the project.