Need Python/Pygame programmer for 3-ish month project.

[Rosegold]

My group is doing a project using Pygame and the Ren'py engine. We need someone to help us program the minigames in Pygame so that we can focus solely on the Ren'py stuff. Someone really experienced with doing visual effects in Python would be perfect.


We want to release the game at Christmas time and that's why we're pulling someone else on. I estimate you'll probably need about 15-20 hours a week, less if you really know what you're doing. We'd like a dedicated member of the team to help us finish. The game would be retail and you would receive a percentage for your work.


In exchange we will cover all costs, and do all the art. I attached our gallery and some of the art you would work with.


http://www.mangabullet.com/rosegold/gallery

You can reach us right now at kinougames at gmail dot com.

 

[Blue Protoman]

There are some Python programmers here, but unless you wanna offer a Pandora port (which we'd all love, by the way), there are better places to go. Don't think we'll all brush you off, though.

 

[Dark_Link]

its python... a Pandora port should be very easy its just fixing the the images for the small screen and stuff. good luck im still to inexperienced to do python games yet.

 

[Radical]

Although I know quite a bit of Python, I'm not interested in the games that you want to make.


It looks like you're interested in doing things like virtual novels and it also looks like you have little to no experience concerning this kind of thing.


I've seen projects like this die a lot and the 15-20 hours you expect is just ludicrous.


The least you could do is include more details about your group and project/s.

 

[vadsamoht]

^ Indeed. I do not consider myself proficient enough yet to put my code anywhere other people would be likely to see it, however if I was going to seriously consider this project I would want a lot more info.

 

[Rosegold]

We do have experience with the basics of visual novels, and we have one short, unreleased minigame we did as practice. If you aren't interested in the type of game, that's fine, it's not for everyone, but all of us have either relevant schooling or work in the game industry, and there's no need for snark.


The game is, at its core, a "visual novel", but we're including point and click screens, RPG battles, and other things to jazz up the gameplay. We have a completed GDD.


In the group right now are two writers, 3 artists, and one programmer. Both writers have experience writing for gaming websites, and one of the artists works full time on art for a game studio in addition to working with us. The second artist is in school for a degree, the last has graduated with one. The programmer works full time as a programmer, but not with Python. We are not looking for a second programmer because ours is incapable, but because we feel a Python specific programmer can help us move more quickly.


If you need more specific information, feel free to email.

 

[Radical]

Well, if you're interested in Ren'py and making your own virtual novel then I'd recommend taking a look at how Katawa Shoujo is being made.


http://katawa-shoujo.com/

 

[Rosegold]

Katawa Shoujo is using Renpy's built in functions. The parts of this game that use basic Renpy are already 50% complete. We would like someone who knows Python to help us expand some of Renpy's limitations, or someone who knows pygame really well to help us crack out some of the minigames. The question is not of whether we can do it, but whether we can do it in time. Better safe than sorry.

 

[CSXM]

I have around 10 years of working experience with Python and am titled as a Python expert. I'm not familiar with PyGame (just played around with it a bit just for fun a long time ago) nor with Ren'Py (no, not at all) since I am not normally into programming games, but if you want, I can help you guys out with the project. I'm not saying that I'll be working the (to be honest ridiculous) hours that you are requesting for the project, but rather being a side-kick for the hard parts, coding stuff here and there, giving answers to questions and helping around otherwise where ever. I don't need any credit or money from this. I am just so into Python that it would be just a pleasure to contribute my skills, even for a project "like this", in my free time besides the other things I do with Python. The only thing I'd require is that there would not be any obligations for me, things that I'd must be doing "in time" or so. I'd just be using my spare time for this for my own enjoyment of Python. Let me know if you are interested. If you need proof of my skills, give me some code, request something for that and I'll do what I do and send it back to you. Not a must, though. Just ... let me know

 

[diligentcircle]

This irritates me to no end. Any amateur wanting to do a "commercial" project expects to recruit people by offering "percentages", i.e. shared profit. I must admit that I fell for this fallacy myself a few years ago (actually, it's related to where my curious avatar came from), but it doesn't work. Main reason is, why should I invest my time into working on a game that is being created by amateurs when the game's sole purpose is to make money? It's not like a freeware/open source project where the leader/starter is more interested in making a good game than making a profit, and it's not like most commercial games where the leader/starter is confident enough in the game to be willing to take the risks.


It's just a silly proposal. In practice, if you accept a "shared profit" deal, you're essentially working for free, because chances are, the game won't sell well. Actually, chances are, the game won't sell at all, mostly because nobody is going motivated enough to actually complete the game. So you're working for free on a project that probably won't see the light of day, which means all your work will be wasted.


The proper way to handle commercial games is the traditional way: the leader(s) to take a financial risk and pay the workers based on what they did, not what is earned from sales. Then the workers, being unaffected if the game ends up selling terribly but rewarded for doing their part, will feel more inclined to actually help out.