We are seeking an experienced game developer to work on the early R&D and prototyping Great North Road (working title), a new 2D narrative adventure game for PC.

The Company

Jack Dean & Company is a new non-profit organisation set up to deliver the artistic projects of Jack Dean and his collaborators. We work with exceptional and inspiring artists to tell stories of how things could be.

The Project

Great North Road will be a narrative-driven multiplayer adventure game, taking inspiration from games like The Banner Saga trilogy and Kentucky Route Zero. Set in a future beyond Peak Oil and the climate crisis, it will see the players take on the role of a caravan of settlers headed north along the A1, a historic British motorway that traces the route of the centuries-old Great North Road. They will face a series of surreal and mythical encounters from English folklore on the way, cooperating to solve problems and making difficult collective decisions that will meaningfully impact the narrative. The project is supported by Arts Council England and Proteus.

The Role

We are looking for someone to work closely with Jack Dean (writer and composer) and Christopher Harrisson (art and animation) to develop and test a prototype of the game. The Game Developer will take text, music and art from the team, build them into a project file on either Unity or Gamemaker Studio 2, and offer teaching sessions to the team on how to augment and edit the game on their own. This role can be done remotely, but ability to attend face-to-face meetings is a plus. Pending further fundraising, this role will be continued and expanded to support further development of the game.

Fee

£4680(based on 40 days’ work at £117 per day on a freelance basis).

Timeline

We are aiming to release a prototype in late September, and will work towards this from June on a flexible schedule to be agreed with the Game Developer.

Person Specification

Essential

– A friendly, empathic and personable approach to game making.

– Experience of working closely with artists of different disciplines and levels of game development knowledge.

– Experience of programming the core logic of games using either the Unity Engine or GameMaker Studio 2.

– Creativity, open-mindedness and willingness to experiment with different ideas.

– Experience of making games with online multiplayer.

– An enthusiasm for story-driven games.

Desirable

– Teaching or training experience.

– Ability to attend face-to-face meetings in Exeter, UK.

– Experience of conducting prototype playtesting or alpha testing.

– Experience of developing games for smartphone.

How To Apply

Please send a CV and a brief cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, including links to relevant projects, to jackdean1989@gmail.com .

Deadline for applications: 3 June.

Interviews in Exeter or over Skype on 10 June.

If you have any questions before applying please feel free to get in touch.