Game developer

Developer Job Post Project Title 2D Mobile Game Prototype Developer Needed — Mystery Puzzle Game Project Overview I am looking for a developer to build a playable prototype for a 2D mobile mystery puzzle game called Case Cracked: The Pattern Board. The game combines: hidden-object scene investigation evidence sorting avatar movement story clips clue connections bonus levels career progression The player creates an avatar and starts as a rookie evidence clerk/investigator. They move through evidence rooms and investigation scenes, tap items, reveal object names, collect clues, sort evidence, connect cases on a Pattern Board, earn rewards, and advance through ranks. This project is for a prototype only, not the full finished game yet. Prototype Scope Required Features for First Prototype The prototype should include: 2D scene-based gameplay Evidence room scene At least one investigation scene Clickable/tappable objects in the scene Avatar movement Player avatar appears in the scene When an item is tapped, avatar moves toward it Avatar performs a simple pickup animation Item labels On desktop: item name appears when hovering On mobile: item name appears when tapped This is important because players need to know what each object is Evidence sorting After item pickup, player chooses the correct category Example categories: Photos / Video, Documents, Personal Items, Irrelevant, Unresolved Correct and incorrect feedback Category counters, such as 0/2, 1/3, etc. Game systems Case Energy 3-mistake limit Case Coins XP/reward system Basic boosters: Spotlight Forensic Scan / Remove Junk Second Opinion Story clip system Short intro clip before a level Receptionist or dispatcher explains the case Avatar acknowledges and enters scene Skip button available at any time Flexible level structure Not every level should be hard-coded the same way The game should support regular levels, bonus levels, training levels, and Pattern Board levels Super Bonus Pattern Board level Player connects victims, suspects, evidence, locations, and repeated clues Triple rewards for completing the Pattern Board Training bonus level Player trains a rookie or replacement Player corrects trainee mistakes Double rewards Prototype Content Needed For the first prototype, I want: 3–5 playable levels 1 story intro clip 1 evidence-room level 1 scene-investigation level 1 training bonus level 1 Super Bonus Pattern Board level Placeholder art is acceptable for the prototype, but the game should be structured so professional art can be added later Game Title Case Cracked: The Pattern Board First Case Cluster Case 001: The Missing Hour The first case involves several files that seem unrelated at first, but later connect through repeated evidence patterns. Examples of clues: parking camera still dry cleaning ticket missing jacket report deleted voicemail back exit sighting repeated badge number changed witness statement Technical Requirements Preferred engine: Unity 2D, Godot 2D, or another engine suitable for iOS/Android mobile games The prototype should be built so it can later support: iPhone and Android release in-app purchases rewarded ads save progress avatar customization future level updates new case clusters additional story clips app-store publishing Very Important: Content System I do not want every level hard-coded in a way that makes updates expensive. The game should be structured so future levels can be added through one of these: spreadsheet import JSON/content file simple level database admin editor later if budget allows Each level should be able to include: level number case name scene background story clip text skip button item names item images/icons item positions correct categories rewards case note bonus level type Pattern Board connections Ownership Requirements The final agreement must state that my LLC owns: source code project files game design files art created for the project animation files UI files prototype build all original work created for the project I need full access to the project files after payment. Payment Structure I want to work by milestones. Example milestones: Milestone 1: Basic scene + avatar movement Milestone 2: Item pickup + item labels Milestone 3: Sorting categories + counters + mistakes Milestone 4: Story clip + skip button Milestone 5: Bonus/training level + Pattern Board level Final Milestone: Testing, bug fixes, source files delivered I will not pay the full project cost upfront. Questions for Developer Please answer these when applying: What engine would you use for this project? Have you built a 2D mobile game before? Can you show examples of similar work? Can you build avatar movement and item pickup animation? Can you build hover/tap item labels? Can you build a sorting/category system with counters? Can you build a flexible level/content system? Can the game later support iOS and Android? Can in-app purchases and rewarded ads be added later? Do you provide art/animation, or only coding? Will I own the source code and project files? What would you charge for a 3–5 level prototype? How long would the prototype take? Budget Range to Post For your first post, I would use: Budget: $2,000–$3,500 But include this line: I understand the budget may change depending on whether art, animation, and extra features are included. I am open to milestone-based quotes. That leaves room for better developers to quote accurately without scaring everyone off. Shorter Upwork Version Use this if the posting box needs something shorter: Title: 2D Mobile Game Prototype Developer Needed — Mystery Puzzle Game Description: I need a developer to build a playable prototype for a 2D mobile mystery puzzle game called Case Cracked: The Pattern Board. The prototype should include a scene-based evidence room/investigation level, avatar movement, item pickup animation, hover/tap item labels, evidence sorting categories, category counters, Case Energy, mistakes, coins/XP, basic boosters, story clip with skip button, one training bonus level, and one Super Bonus Pattern Board level where players connect victims, suspects, evidence, and locations. This is a prototype only, not the full finished game. I want 3–5 playable levels using placeholder art if needed. The project should be built so future levels can be added later through a spreadsheet, JSON/content file, or other update-friendly content system. I need to own the source code, project files, and original work created for the project. I prefer milestone payments and will not pay the full amount upfront. Please send examples of previous 2D mobile games or puzzle/hidden-object games you have built, your recommended engine, estimated cost, and estimated timeline.