   Off Topic Productions Recruiting Concept Artists
Off Topic Productions:Off Topic Productions is the team behind the critically acclaimed "The Nameless Mod" for Deus Ex.  Developed over 7 years and containing more than 20 hours of gameplay and 14 hours of voice-over, TNM has been hailed as one of the best game modifications ever created.  TNM has received rave reviews in numerous gaming magazines and websites, even landing an unprecedented 2 page review in PC PowerPlay.  You can check out the post mortom here.Brief description:Our current project is an indie title with a 2.5 year time frame.  The setting is low-tech sci-fi taking place a few centuries in the future.  The aesthetics could be compared to Battlestar Galactica or even Firefly: gritty, realistic, and with a distinct lack of visible lasers and other scientific voodoo.Target aim:To create an RPG that focuses on allowing the player to solve each problem in multiple different ways while serving up a compelling narrative with believable, memorable characters.  The game will be a commercial indie priced title, when complete.Compensation:Off Topic Productions has been around for 7 years as a tight knit group of developers, however, we have only just now begun the process of incorporation into an LLC.  As such, we are paying all team members via a profit share system.  We're offering 1.25% of game profits (our currently estimates put that at about $2500, but obviously we can't state that with absolute certainty) to the artist that signs on for half a year of part-time work.  This will of course be laid out in a contract.Technology:Target platform is the PC, with the aim being a final product that will run comfortably on lower end systems at release.  The game will use our own, in house 3D engine which is currently receiving final tweaks.Talent needed:We're looking for both environment concepts and character concepts.  However, if you feel you'd be able to fill both positions, the profit percentage can be negotiated upwards.  Under ideal conditions, we'd be looking for the following pieces:CharactersDetailed Character Portraits - 6Semi Detailed Character Portaits - 4Character Sketches - 5EnvironmentsApproximately 12, including laboratories, space station interiors, and mining facilites.Ships3 ship sketchesWeapons10 weapon sketchesI should stress that this is just an ideal list, character sketches would be the most important with the option existing for cutting out a some of the environmental/weapon pieces.Team structure:Our development is coordinated via a private PHPBB forum, and a lot of communication takes place via MSN or Skype every day. The team currently consists of 11 members.  I won't go into huge detail but here's a brief list:1 Producer (Myself)1 Lead Designer/Writer1 Writer/Finance2 3D artists1 engine programmer3 programmers1 composer1 sound designerNine members have been with us for more than 2 years (some for the full 7) while the other two (one of the coders and one of the artists) signed up a few months ago.Website:While the project doesn't yet have a website, you can check out the Off Topic Productions website for more information on us.Contacts:I can be contacted via the following channels:Email: Lawrence@offtopicproductions.comSkype: LawrenceLaxdalMSN: Trestkon@hotmail.comPrevious Work by Team:As previously mentioned, our team's last project was The Nameless Mod, for Deus Ex. Here's a list of a few of magazines/websites we've appeared on:PC PowerPlay MagazineRichard Cobbett (PC Gamer writer) - http://www.richardcobbett.com/codex/journal/filingcabinet/the_nameless_mod/CD Action (Polish) - http://thenamelessmod.com/news/images/TNMCDAction_PolishMag.jpgGameStar (German) - http://thenamelessmod.com/news/images/TNMGameStar.jpgPC Gamer (UK) - http://thenamelessmod.com/news/images/TNMPCGamerUK.jpgAdditional Info:We appreciate contributors who can schedule their own time and work on their own initiative, but who stay in contact with the management group throughout. As a concept artist, you will be collaborating with our lead designer and our 3D artists, and we will supply you with as much guidance or freedom as you need, though we expect you to familiarize yourself with our fiction before you start drawing.Feedback:Any feedback is accepted.Cheers,-Lawrence "Trestkon" Laxdal   