Hi, there is a medium to low probability I'm creating and programming an open-ended, 2D top-down indie RPG with a lot of survival mechanics (I have the basic premise and some mechanics and ideas written up for now) and I want to commission someone to basically create and iterate all the 2D art for me. I think I can handle the story, mechanics and programming, as well as sound, music and other aspects, but I will need full support for the graphic design for my concept.

Basically I will need everything created, from regular objects, environments, NPCs, PCs, weapons, wildlife (flora/fauna) etc. The environment will need to be done through fixed or animated square tiles (using several tilesets). The objects will also be either fixed or animated 2D sprites/tilesets with transparency, in order to support multiple layers (think stacked boxes or a bottle over a tablecloth over a table over the floor). Many variants and alterations of objects are to be created to deal with several of the game mechanics (i.e. rust, poison, broken, etc.). Tilesets and assets will need to be high definition (think 128x128 or 256x256 px tiles).

Animals (including the PCs and NPCs) should have eight directonal sprites and several animations (several states), and should be customizable, so NPC and PC will need to be created (hence, drawn) as a combination of layered sprites, to allow for custom hairstyle / head / skins / gender / clothing / accessories / weapons / wounds / etc. to be displayed correctly.

The style I'm looking for, generally speaking, could be described as similar to Ultima VII or Baldur's Gate 2, but I'm open to discussing variations on style depending on the final concept of the game. Keep in mind, when I say "top-down" I mean either axonometric 3/4 or oblique cabinet, as per this article.

I need someone with lots of expertise who can anticipate my needs, contribute with ideas but also execute beautifully and on a timely manner. Also, I need someone who is very patient, as 1) I tend to be perfectionist and 2) progress, requirements and reviews will not be linear, since I do have a 9 to 20 job, plus wife and kids, and will be working on this as a hobby when time allows.

I am willing to invest quite a bit (money-wise) in this, provided the art created is up to par with my expectations, even if I end up NOT programming the game. For now I have a budget of 1-2k USD to work with and pay. The methodology will be scrum sprints. Speed is not as important as quality, adaptability, refinement and iteration. I think the best way to proceed is to create a small "calibration" sprint with the chosen candidate artist(s), review results and pay for that, evaluating the artist(s)'s skills, style, speed, dedication, attention to detail, proactivity, availability, openness, willingness to iterate, attitude, experience and other aspects. I would like to read and discuss your suggestions regarding what do you think can we include in this "calibration" sprint, how long should that sprint last and how much would you charge for getting it done. After concluding that sprint, once I choose and stick with the final artist(s), we can plan the needed sprints (using the calibrated data) and get the estimated time/money needed. I would rather pay for each concluded sprint rather than paying an hourly rate (time & materials), but we can discuss further once/if we get there.

Best,

José