Clockwork Acorn is searching for a seasoned game developer to take lead on the final stages of our 2D puzzle game, Jetstream, which needs to be ported and launched onto mobile phones and tablets. We are looking for someone to specifically focus on the iOS port, although assistance with Android would be a great bonus. This is a short-term contract project. Jetstream is currently available on Steam.
Jetstream (jetstreamgame.com) started life as Streamline, an abstract puzzle game developed as part of the Ludum Dare 34 competition in December 2015, where it placed 8th overall and 4th in the fun category. With that bit of external validation and our own love for the games potential we took the leap to work on it as a full blown release title. After many months of work, a new name, and a fresh coat of paint, Jetstream took to the skies. We were fortunate to partner up with Noodlecake as a publishing partner, and we’ve since launched the game on Steam. We kept working on it with a mobile release in mind, adding unreleased features like procedural daily levels. Now we’re in the final stretches of the project, with a big update and mobile launch planned before we can finally label Jetstream as fully off the tarmac.
Clockwork Acorn is a fully-remote independent game development studio based in South Africa. We make timeless games with chunky design. As a studio we take a long term view and at our core we seek to be a force for good in the world, with an immediate focus to foster the South African game development ecosystem. We’re a small team with big dreams and the drive to make them happen, and we welcome any contribution you can bring to the table.
Base Game – Jetstream is feature complete and fully launched for PC, with Windows, Mac and Linux builds.
Android Port – The Android port of Jetstream is mostly complete, and requires some last effort to get it across the line. This is work we can handle internally, but it would be great to hand it over as part of this project.
iOS port – The iOS port is close to being done, but has some last small issues and hurdles, like some graphical artifacts and SDK integrations.
On a high-level the work required involves updating the underlying frameworks, fixing outstanding bugs, integrating platform-specific SDKs, and creating and distributing all builds required for testing and eventually launch. All the general (not mobile-specific) functionality (like achievement system) is working on the PC version.
Are you the right person for this project? Submissions are closed We review all applications and will get back to you within 5 working days. The initial application process consists of the questionnaire and a short follow-up interview.
This phase of the project is to enable you to work with us to determine an accurate total fixed cost for the project, as well as estimates on the total amount of calendar time required for delivery.
To this end we will ask you to review and assess the existing codebase of Jetstream to accurately determine the scope of work required.
This phase of the project is paid work, regardless of if we continue to work together for Phase 3.
Develop and test a launch-ready iOS port of Jetstream, for both phone and tablet, ensuring it meets reasonable quality and performance standards.
(bonus) Finish off the development and testing of a launch-ready Android port of Jetstream, for both phone and tablet.
Although not part of this project, a successful launch on mobile could warrant a future retainer agreement for post-launch support on iOS and Android, specifically to deal with any updates needed due to OS updates.
]]>Clockwork Acorn is a South African game development studio founded in 2014 that focuses on making timeless games. We foster a fully-remote team dedicated to our shared mission of being a force for good in the world.
Clockwork Acorn’s brand identity, including our website, has existed basically unchanged since it was originally put together a decade ago in our garage-startup days. It is in need of a rework to bring it in-line with modern standards, and to best reflect the organisation we are striving to build.
To that end we are seeking a professional to help us with brand design and web development. We want you to take charge of reworking our brand identity and associated collateral – most importantly our company website.
Ideally we are seeking a single partner to handle both the design and development of the website, but we will also consider working with two separate specialists.
This project is split into two sets of deliverables: a brand redesign, followed by the development of our new website.
The initial block of work deals with reworking our brand identity and associated essential collateral. To this end we are seeking:
The second set of deliverables we require is the production of a new deployable company website that we can use for the foreseeable future. We imagine this to be a two step approach:
We see our website’s target audience as:
Below is a high-level conceptualisation of how we imagine the top-level nav, with some notes on the content there. While it should serve to help you understand our thinking, please feel free to propose changes if you feel it is warranted. We think a more extensive sitemap and misc links can be included in the footer.
If you are interested in this work, please provide us with a high-level proposal that includes:
We’ll consider applications until 30 June 2024 although we might close this early if we find the right partner.
We’re open to suggestions. We know we’re not experts on brand and web development. We have developed this RFP document as our best attempt at representing our needs as we understand them, but we are happy to hear alternatives and better approaches.
We’re developers and designers too. We have extensive internal technical and design expertise, and as such can help in the implementation of these deliverables if need be. Ideally though we want to offload as much labour as possible in this process.
Cost sensitive. While we understand the need for realistic budgets, we are a small business and we’d appreciate any attempts to keep the cost of this project to a minimum. Feel free to talk to us if some of our requirements or considerations add a lot of cost to this project. We are open to rethinking our needs, especially on nice-to-haves and non-essentials.
Flexible timeline. While this work is essential to us, and we want it done soon, we are open to a flexible schedule for the right partner.
Submissions are closed.
]]>Clockwork Acorn is looking for a South African game artist to join our new growing team. You will create new art for games like the highly successful environmental sim, Terra Nil, and our (unannounced) roguelike deckbuilder, Enter the Titan. You will work closely with the rest of the team, with the support to learn and grow as a game artist. We’re still a small team and there is a wide variety of work, including 2D and 3D, so a generalist with a speciality or two will fit right in.
Clockwork Acorn is a South African game studio that strives to be a force for good in the world, and we want you to be part of this! Our vision is:
You can learn more about how we like to do things by looking at our team handbook.
Send your CV/resume and portfolio to us at [email protected], by no later than Sunday, 15 October. Please send links, NOT large attachments. Please highlight anything that makes you a good candidate.
]]>Clockwork Acorn is looking for a game design intern to join the team on a part-time basis. You will primarily be using our tools to design and create new content, as well as assist with designing new projects we’re working on. You will work closely with the rest of the team, with the support to learn and grow as a game designer.
One of the projects we will likely want you to work on is Cave Cards (working title). You can get access to the playable prototype here: https://discord.gg/AXHEZBsb5V
Clockwork Acorn is a growing South African game studio that strives to be a force for good in the world, and we want you to be part of this! Our vision is:
Our team members have worked on many games, including: Cozy Grove, Jetstream, Desktop Dungeons, Broforce, and others.
Send your CV/resume and portfolio to us at [email protected] by no later than 13 December. Please highlight anything that makes you a good candidate.
]]>We’re looking to work with an artist on our exciting new game projects. We’re looking for someone mid to senior level or above, based in South Africa. We’re happy to work with non-game artists looking to get into games. We’re looking for someone who can join early in the process to help us explore ideas and find new aesthetics that’ll help our games stand out visually. In the short term we’re looking for someone to work on one or two projects, but there is room to grow into a long term art director/lead role.
One of the projects we might want you to work on is Cave Cards (working title). You can get access to the playable prototype here: https://discord.gg/AXHEZBsb5V
Currently the core team is primarily just me, Francois van Niekerk. I’m a game developer based in Cape Town, South Africa. I co-founded Clockwork Acorn in 2014, and I’ve been a Senior/Lead Engineer at Spry Fox since 2017. I’ve worked on games like Cozy Grove and Jetstream; and I often make prototypes. I’m building a new South African game studio with the vision:
We will reply to all applications. For promising candidates, we may ask you to do a paid art test (at your normal rate), or join for a game jam or two, to see if we work well together.
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