About the role
This position has been closed or filled.
Role Overview
DeGDP is seeking a game system designer and puzzle designer to contribute to an eco-catastrophe game project based on incremental mechanics that grow from an agricultural life simulator. This role holds ownership over social relationship mechanics, which drive narrative events and outcomes based on player interactions with NPCs, as well as ecological and economic game systems.
Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain design documentation for the game.
- Prototype and work with the team on social puzzle design.
- Become familiar with existing game systems and their behavior.
- Identify issues with game balance and game system integration and propose solutions to the team.
- Collaborate with other team members and communicate clearly about design processes.
- Address overall game balance, integrating social mechanics with environmental and economic simulations.
- Produce design documents and prototypes.
- Depending on skill set, the role may include feature implementation and testing in-engine, including programming work or dialogue writing.
Requirements
- Able to meet during North American business hours.
- Shipped at least one game with puzzle design, specifically involving narrative or social deduction elements (analog game design work accepted).
- Portfolio with strong personal or jam projects reflecting experience in the genre.
- Strong written and verbal, technical and non-technical communication skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with designers, engineers, and academics.
- Organized, responsible, and able to work independently.
- Able to identify and follow through on proposed work timelines.
- Must not use generative AI tools to write application materials.
Pluses
- Skill and experience with scenario and dialogue writing.
- C# experience, particularly MonoGame.
- Experience working on games with simulation mechanics.
- Experience working on a large-scale game mod, such as a total conversion mod.
Working Conditions
- Type: Short-term, fully-remote contractor position.
- Duration: Length and scope to be discussed in the interview.
- Compensation: $40-50/hour.
Project Context
DeGDP is an academic research and design team affiliated with the University of Chicago, University of Toronto-Mississauga, and University of Basel. The team uses game design to explore the economic and environmental question of degrowth: a movement aiming to achieve human and nonhuman flourishing without presupposing indefinite economic growth. The project is a standalone mod of an existing farming simulation game, functioning as a total overhaul of the base game’s narrative and gameplay systems to experiment with alternative eco-social frameworks.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit a cover letter, a resume with portfolio links, and responses to the following questionnaire:
- What is a feature or system that you were responsible for designing that you are particularly proud of? What did the design process look like? Who was involved? Why are you particularly proud of that feature?
- What is a game that you felt had an amazing social simulation and narrative system? What did you find so compelling? How did the social mechanics contribute? How did other elements or game systems interact with it? What would you have added or changed?
- Lots of games feature systems that make growth feel rewarding for players in different ways. What is an example of a game (one you were involved in or one you have played) that has a satisfying form of progression that doesn't involve numerical increase (i.e. score goes up, territory expands, unlocked upgrades)? What makes it effective? Is there something you would like to change or add to that system of progression?