Pandora (Enquiry) Hiring Developer's For Pandora

[smileyguy]

Hi,

I wonder how much would it cost to hire a developer(s) to create a simple platform game based on a simple game design? How much different would it be if it was for a top down 2D RPG or turn-based game? At the minimum can someone give me a quote for a coder and an artist? This is of course only to be released for the Pandora. I am just intrigued by Pandora's potential and thought of contributing game design and financial resources. I am familiar with the development costs for mainstream platforms like Flash and iPhone but have no idea for such a niche platform like Pandora. Would love to hear any quotes from any developers/artists that are currently doing or have done some work on Pandora. Really am intrigued by Pandora.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Sphinxter]

Programming goes for about $800 usd a day.

 

[torpor]

I'd happily work for €2000/month to make Pandora apps!

 

[smileyguy]

Sigh, I am currently financing 3 indie games development, 1 on Flash and 2 on iPhone and seriously, I don't think those cost that much. Is that really the lowest for Pandora?

 

[craigix]

Probably not if you target teenagers.

 

[smileyguy]

Probably not if you target teenagers.

Thanks. I will reconsider my options then.

 

[iprice]

A game takes many, many hours to create over a period of sometimes months or more. And if you're paying someone by the hour, then it'll cost an awful lot more! A top down RPG will generally take much more time to create than a simple platformer, so that'll cost significantly more.

The minimum wage for people aged 18-21 is currently £4.83 in the UK. For over 22's it's £5.80. If a coder spends 10 hours on a game (seriously, this is not very long at all) then you're looking at over £50. That's without paying an artist or the coder to do any artwork, music/sfx, level design etc. That time will easily double, so you're looking at over £100 for even a very simple game.

Now I know you won't be paying per hour, but remember that time is worth something to a coder and the'yre not going to devote their free time for peanuts, although some (like myself) do develop games and apps for free. But I do this to my specs and no-one else's.


And how are you going to monitor a coder's time? What if he states that he took 20 hours to get a high-score routine up and running. How can you prove that? If you can;t understand the amount of work involved how can you possibly pay a fee relevant to the work involved.

Seriously, you'd be better off trying to learn to code yourself as you're unlikely to get far offering a (probably small) fee to get what you want done.

An alternative is to team up with someone else and assist where possible - ideas, story, dialogue, music/sfx, artwork, resources etc. etc.

And yes, I am a coder, artist and developer for handheld machines including GP2X, Wiz and Pandora.

 

[smileyguy]

A game takes many, many hours to create over a period of sometimes months or more. And if you're paying someone by the hour, then it'll cost an awful lot more! A top down RPG will generally take much more time to create than a simple platformer, so that'll cost significantly more.

The minimum wage for people aged 18-21 is currently £4.83 in the UK. For over 22's it's £5.80. If a coder spends 10 hours on a game (seriously, this is not very long at all) then you're looking at over £50. That's without paying an artist or the coder to do any artwork, music/sfx, level design etc. That time will easily double, so you're looking at over £100 for even a very simple game.

Now I know you won't be paying per hour, but remember that time is worth something to a coder and the'yre not going to devote their free time for peanuts, although some (like myself) do develop games and apps for free. But I do this to my specs and no-one else's.


And how are you going to monitor a coder's time? What if he states that he took 20 hours to get a high-score routine up and running. How can you prove that? If you can;t understand the amount of work involved how can you possibly pay a fee relevant to the work involved.

Seriously, you'd be better off trying to learn to code yourself as you're unlikely to get far offering a (probably small) fee to get what you want done.

An alternative is to team up with someone else and assist where possible - ideas, story, dialogue, music/sfx, artwork, resources etc. etc.

And yes, I am a coder, artist and developer for handheld machines including GP2X, Wiz and Pandora.

Thanks for the insightful details on the matter. Much appreciated.

How I handle this for the titles I am involved (on other platforms) is to fix the amount by project (paying by milestones). I guess this would be applicable and be the wiser course of action for Pandora also.

 

[Exophase]

You obviously wouldn't pay someone hourly, you'd contract this out. Maybe some amount upfront and the rest to follow. You can bid for people on rentacoder.com, where everyone can fight for the work, but I'm not sure you'll get very good programmers. I always figured that site was only really good for helping people cheat on homework, the actual bids for real work end up way too low. But if they really come through then it'd work out well for you.

 

[iprice]

You obviously wouldn't pay someone hourly...

I did state that. I was demonstrating that even something supposedly simple is (potentially) worth a possibly sizeable amount.

Don't forget also that a commercial app (you didn't state if it would be a free or commercial venture) would command a larger paycheck for the developer than a freeware game.

Don't forget that as well as the game itself you need to consider things like timescale, milestones, royalties, up-front payments, IP and other contractual aspects; these would all need to be addressed prior to any work starting. It's could be a minefield hiring out like this.

 

[SomeGuy99]

Hmmm... globalisation. You could always hire cheap Indian programmers?

Exploitation. Yummy!

 

[smileyguy]

I guess I should make it clear that it was meant to be a freeware for Pandora. Definitely not a commercial game, it takes too much resources and demands too much.

 

[Polossatik]

If you're going to release it as freeware then I assume this is basically a "gift"?
aka you don't want to have profit in some kind of form.

Might be good to then make a "bounty" prize, define what you consider the game needs to be, what you want to offer and then whoever (or what group) makes it then can claim the $$$ ...

You might then even work with the OP team to like have a pandora or so as bounty.

 

[MWeston]

Programming goes for about $800 usd a day.

Wow, what dream world are you living in? Book me a ticket!

 

[MarkoeZ]

Programming goes for about $800 usd a day.

Wow, what dream world are you living in? Book me a ticket!

Not trying to argue here, but i think that commercially (read: when contracting a large company to do it) he might actually be right. Ofcourse the humble guy actually DOING the programming will not see those figures...

 

[Sphinxter]

Programming goes for about $800 usd a day.

Wow, what dream world are you living in? Book me a ticket!

Silicon valley migrant code labor short term contracting, c'mon down, if you're really good $520 of that is even yours before taxes which are huge but there's a yearly bonus with per project/finder bonuses, (also taxed), phone, laptop, 3 week vacation, and a yearly 5 day retreat, lots of singing around the campfire, dental, optical, 100% medical, cafeteria plan, 401k, (to try and avoid those taxes), and an expense account along with mileage just filling agency contracts. You'll have to live here though and that costs more than a bit extra too but the weather is very nice.

 

[WizardStan]

Not trying to argue here, but i think that commercially (read: when contracting a large company to do it) he might actually be right. Ofcourse the humble guy actually DOING the programming will not see those figures...

I work for a consulting firm. My services are worth about $200 an hour to any company that wants them. This is supposed to include connectivity, training, management, support staff, security, etc... By the end of it, I get $20.
So technically, yeah, you're right in that contracting someone from a major firm would probably cost $800+ per day, but the OP wasn't looking to hire a contracting firm, he's just looking for some programmer with some extra time and resources, and that's likely to cost him in the neighbourhood of only $20-$30 an hour.

 

[smileyguy]

Not trying to argue here, but i think that commercially (read: when contracting a large company to do it) he might actually be right. Ofcourse the humble guy actually DOING the programming will not see those figures...

I work for a consulting firm. My services are worth about $200 an hour to any company that wants them. This is supposed to include connectivity, training, management, support staff, security, etc... By the end of it, I get $20.
So technically, yeah, you're right in that contracting someone from a major firm would probably cost $800+ per day, but the OP wasn't looking to hire a contracting firm, he's just looking for some programmer with some extra time and resources, and that's likely to cost him in the neighbourhood of only $20-$30 an hour.

Thank you. I think you succinctly stated my intentions

 

[Creature XL]

How I handle this for the titles I am involved (on other platforms) is to fix the amount by project (paying by milestones). I guess this would be applicable and be the wiser course of action for Pandora also.

That is how I would have assumed it.

You have got a PM.

 

[dinglebery]

Just to add a new layer here too.. I work spare time for a contracting firm locally, (we deal with software for state aid insurance etc, depending on what state they are billing, and if i am needed on location they can charge anywhere from 150-700 an hour for exactly the same services. Mind you i see about 14% of that so take it for what you will. You'll probably need to look for indie or freeware help honestly unless your willing to pay decent cash for the market your targeting (Californians are way over paid :> (nuthing personal) but there cost of living is insane too.

You probably already know this but just in-case not, i would drop around Tigs , freeware remakes, moddb etc forums and see who is posting looking for something to do if your really serious about putting together a team.