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.

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