   Programmer Needed for 2D Platformer
Project name: Edward UsherBrief description:  Edward Usher is a video game follow-up to Edgar Allen Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher. The game is a 2D platformer with puzzle and adventure elements. In the game, players control Edward Usher, a man who has returned home in order to find a way to break the Usher family curse.Although Edward Usher is a 2D platformer it will try to set itself apart from similar games by concentrating on four key elements.  1. Story Based on Edgar Allen Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher.  From that origin point the story of Edward Usher will be humorous and light hearted with a slightly dark twist. 2. Unique and Colorful Art Design.  With regards to art direction Edward Usher will strive to stay true to its gothic roots while infusing the genre with vibrant yet subtle color.  Inspiration will be drawn from films like The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride. 3. Puzzle and Adventure Elements in a 2D Platformer.  Edward Usher will incorporate puzzle elements that are based on PC point-and-click adventure games. These puzzles will be based on tools that the player must find and utilize.  4. Dual Dimensions.  At certain points in the game Edward will be able to travel between the world of the living and the spirit world.  This alternate dimension allows players to bypass some of the more difficult puzzles in the game by using brawn over brains.Target aim:  It will be targeted for release on PC and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Community Games.Compensation:  We're not looking to make money off this and the position should be considered volunteer. What we are looking to do is get experience and a game under our belts. Since we would like to release on Xbox Live Community Games (which requires us to charge something) any money gained will be divided among all team members who stay with the project until the end.Technology:  We are flexible, but currently we have plans to use Torque X 2D and the XNA Game Studio to create the game. Talent needed:  Programmer with experience with C# and XNA. Experience with 2D platformers or side-scrolling games a plus. We were looking at using Torque X 2D as the game engine but are flexible to other solutions as long as they allow us to publish to Xbox Live Community Games/PC and provide us with a level editor that non-programming savvy team members can use to construct the levels.Team structure:  We are a small team containing three members. I am the game designer and you can visit my website (www.RELgames.net) to see my portfolio and education.  We also have a very talented game artist (see game art pics below), and an equally talented music composer who can assist with programming. Obviously we are looking to add a programmer and eventually an animator/character artist. We would like to keep it a small team of creative folks eager to express themselves and to support each other in their shared goal to make games.Contact:  relart@gmail.comPrevious Work by Team:  We are a newly formed team.Game Art:Feedback:  Feel free to leave any feedback regarding posting or project.[Edited by - RELgames on April 23, 2009 7:49:34 AM]
  Great art and seems like a reasonable project to tackle for a small team, asking for experience with torque might not get you many replies though, you can ask in the torque forums too.   ;  Nice arts, but I concur with previous post, it's hard to find a programmer if you ask for a particular framework, and Torque X 2D in particular.Why and how did you choose this one framework ? I guess because it's XNA and PC compatible, isn't it ?Isn't it wiser to let the programmer choose the framework he's more familiar with ?That's the point of amateur projects, you do things your own way.Did anyone ask you to use any specific software or framework for the graphics ?What if someone wanted you to specifically use The Gimp for arts, instead of Photoshop (just an example).OK, my tone is a bit harsh, sorry about that, but that's just to let you know how a programmer feel when he reads that post.;Quote:Original post by GalaktoJossNice arts, but I concur with previous post, it's hard to find a programmer if you ask for a particular framework, and Torque X 2D in particular.Why and how did you choose this one framework ? I guess because it's XNA and PC compatible, isn't it ?Isn't it wiser to let the programmer choose the framework he's more familiar with ?That's the point of amateur projects, you do things your own way.Did anyone ask you to use any specific software or framework for the graphics ?What if someone wanted you to specifically use The Gimp for arts, instead of Photoshop (just an example).OK, my tone is a bit harsh, sorry about that, but that's just to let you know how a programmer feel when he reads that post.Point taken.  And I wouldn't say your being harsh, this is the type of feedback we need in order to let us continue to move forward.  We had a programmer who was going to build an engine but that became too time consuming and didn't work out.  Our compromise was Torque X 2D because it supplied us with an engine and level editing capabilities that the art lead and I could understand, it allows us to publish to Xbox 360 and PC, and mainly because I got a free license for it when I joined the XNA Creators Club [smile].With that said, we are definitely flexible to go a different route as long as it allows us to publish to Xbox Live Community Games/PC and provides a level editor that those of us who are less skilled in programming can use.Based on the input from both of you, I will edit the posting.  Thanks a lot for the feedback.   