Update March 8, 2024:

Recruiting through this post is no longer open. A new post will be made containing detailed project roles and more manageable scope.

Update March 5, 2024:

Recruiting for this project is currently paused while I update this posting with critical information including a scope reduction. Please do not respond to this post at this time.

March 4, 2024, Posting:

Reference Games: Shining Force/Tactics Ogre, Zelda 1

Target Audience: E10+

Current Project Status: turn-based grid movement of animated battler sprites

Prior Developer Projects: https://yethwhinger.itch.io/

Development Goals: 2 player characters, 5 enemies, 6 items, 9 small scenarios within 20 months

I am about 20% into the development of a small prototype of a tactical adventure couch co-op game with exploration based on Zelda 1 and combat based on Tactics Ogre/Shining Force. Unlike Tactics Ogre, scenarios are intended to be small and fast, with enemies limited to 4 per scenario, and combat being optional, as in Zelda 1.

Thus far, I have programmed the ability for battlers to take turns using up their action points to move on the map grid. My next programming task is to allow characters to attack one another. Character actions, such as moving, attacking, using magic, and using items, consume action points. Characters can use up the action points in any way they choose and in any order. For example, a character could move a long distance or attack twice without moving or move a short distance and then attack and then move a little more.

I intend to contribute about 10-15 hours of programming, music, sound effect, and design work to the project per month on average going forward. I am interested in finding a pixel artist who can contribute about 10-15 hours of graphics work per month over the next 16 months to develop 7 battler sprites, 5 terrain graphics, 6 item graphics, and a title graphic using a predefined 85-color palette. I expect most of the graphics work to be focused on the battler sprites which require 2 frames per animation per direction, 4 directions, 4 animations per battler, and several extra frames, such as taking damage.

My most recent relevant experience was the development of uc, a tactical-combat farming couch co-op. uc was made using GameMaker. This project is being developed using C# and Monogame.

If you are interested in working on this project, please consider the following topics before replying to this post.

1. What do you hope to gain from working on this project?
2. What relevant projects have you contributed to previously?
3. What do you like most and least about the reference games for this project?
4. Which games contain the pixel art you admire most?

Rationale for Ceasing Recruitment through This Post

When I originally posted this notice, I was thinking of working as the programmer with a single artist for over a year to complete a small game. Since making the post, however, I realized that I would feel uncomfortable committing to working with a stranger for such a long period of time, particularly when it is a struggle for me to work on my own for such a long period of time. Therefore, I have decided to stop recruiting through this post and to make a new post that is more manageable for me and hopefully for any potential teammates, too.