VOLUNTEER JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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All work being done will be for the Unity Game Engine. 2+ years of experience in the game industry in these specific areas will also be helpful, however, because work here is entirely volunteer based, we are willing to welcome those who are self taught or have completed schooling in any or all of these areas.  Be sure to choose the specific area and make clear on your initial contact that this is the area in which you want to volunteer with us for. If you currently have examples of your own original work, be sure to provide a link to where your work is showcased.

 

3D Models and Animation

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• Creation of game ready optimized characters and other environment models.

• A clear understanding of animation principles and realistic body mechanics for human and non-human characters, and/or a variety of hybrid forms, as well as hard surface structures and/or objects is helpful.

• Excellent work ethics and skills in organizational, verbal, and written communication.

• First-person/Third Person weapon modeling and animation experience helpful.

• Knowledge of Maya, Blender and other 3D modeling and animation programs a must.

• The ability to receive and address constructive feedback.

• Ability to update, improve or replace models as necessary in either FBX or OBJ format will be necessary.

 

General 3D Modeling

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• Proficient in Maya, 3DS Max and/or Blender to create modular objects and levels/scenes.

• Create game-ready environment assets according to concept art when available or produce raw content from written description examples.

• Working with both hard-surface and organic assets.

• Good knowledge of UV making and baking process.

• Experience in creating textures and materials in Substance Painter, Quixel Bridge and/or Photoshop.

• Ability to work with shader creation.

• Experience in working on stylized projects.

• Traditional drawing and painting skills helpful for concept art and design ideas.

• Familiarity with proper lighting and post processing volumes in said engines as well as optimization.

 

3D FX/CFX Artist

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• Design and create FX animation, procedural simulation, dynamic simulation, particle and fluid systems.

• Knowledge in creation of various simulated effects for characters and props, etc. for  TV commercials, series, video game cinematics, trailers, etc.

• Light complex/multiple creatures (hairy or furry creatures) and elements.

• Set-up and wrangle heavy particle effects and enormous crowd shots.

• Write/modify procedural surface shaders and volumetric shaders with proficiency.

• Animate moderate objects with proficiency.

• Experience with cloth, hair, feather, scale and related simulations for several types of artistic signatures and challenging projects.

• Ability and willingness to revise and modify the simulations when it is deemed necessary by project director.

• Artistic understanding of cloth, hair, and other character related effects.

• Create feature film quality effects using Houdini or similar software.

• Demo reel that demonstrates artistic eye and/or technical skills.

 

Concept Artists

 

There will be an assortment of concept art styles through several genres included in this project of a wide range of diverse themes and types.  Any form of digital and sketch art can be used based on your own creative media preference.

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These designs/concepts must represent each character or item from several different 3D axes and angles for 3D modelers to be able to work from.  Suggested current genres are as follows:

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1. Cyberpunk, Steam Punk and Dieselpunk.

2. Prehistoric and Fantasy/Mythology.

3. Modern and Post Modern.

4. Various trees, flowers and plants.

5. Actual and alien type primitive life forms.

6. Architecture and weapons/tools of various age/themes.

7. Hybrid forms of various human/non human creatures.

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Strive for originality and distinctiveness in design as well as stylized, realistic and semi-realistic forms and character types with compatible environment designs that carry some logic that fits characters, creatures, and structures within their given environments.

 

2D UI Graphics Artists

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General Information

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Experience with UI/UX design will be extremely helpful for this particular aspect of this project.  Be aware that content will also need to be able to be usable for those with visual and auditory impairments.

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• Creation and/or improvement of 2D art and elements for UI graphics such as;

• 2D animations for UI content.

• Icons, logos, HUD elements, illustrations, etc.

• Create UI mocks and wire-frames to assist with rapid iteration of the existing functional UI.

• A portfolio demonstrating an ability to create high quality in-game UI visuals, especially for simulation or management games on PC or consoles.

• Knowledge how to better optimize and simplify UI content to be intuitive and easy to utilize by end users is a must.

• All content submitted and exchanged will be done using Google Drive while this project is in development.

• If selected to be a volunteer we will need a current real picture of you and your membership on this website to place in out team of Volunteers which will also serve you as a means by which to prove you are a volunteer member.

• All content must be your original work, and if assets are made available to you to use for this project, it is not a grant for personal/private or commercial use, and must be treated as exclusive designs and property of or Cyberathia, LLC, unless where otherwise stated.

• Any assets paid for by or Cyberathia, LLC from the Unity Asset store does not grant you as a volunteer or any staff, employees or authorized representatives a license to use said assets on your own projects and carry their own third party EULA that are retained in or Cyberathia, LLC s purchasing records.

• All work is currently remote and volunteer based.

 

The current version of the Unity Game Engine being used is 2021.3.22f1.  If you have not done so be sure to download it through the Unity Engine Hub or Unity's Archive. If you have not yet done so be sure to review our Policies page which also contains our Terms of Service and End User License Agreement. After reviewing this content feel free to Contact Us or use our Chat Box to send your messages/questions and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

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Present File Sharing

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If you have already created content previous on your own time that you would like us to consider, and can convert it to the current 2021.3.5f1 version of the Unity Game Engine, provide a secure, clean link via Google Drive to a demo version small file that can be downloaded and reviewed. If it is considered able to be adapted into this project we will request it to have an exported file for integration. We will also ask you to join our membership and provide information so you can be listed as a volunteer who has provided such content. Make sure, again, the content is your original work and does not contain other third party assets that we will not be able to use due to EULA restrictions and limitations.

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Why Volunteer?

 

It goes without say that volunteering is a great way to get your foot in the door within the game industry.  However, some gigs don't have much clarity on expectations on one hand, or clarification of what opportunities for volunteers are offered.  The following clarifies this so you can have those questions answered.

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• Don't be fooled by those who take issues with accepting volunteer project. Make your own determinations.

• Chances are those who have such issues either have not volunteered in anything, or...

• They did not properly evaluate what was being presented and what would be offered in detail for their participation, or...

• They may have been let go from a project for any number of reasons that were incompatible with the project or the company/ business/studio, or...

• They didn't take the time to asses the founders or organizers of the project and got involved by mistake with scammers (which unfortunately is far too common).  

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Employers do, in fact, want to see references that include volunteer work:

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• Having references from volunteer work does gain attention from potential employers. 

• It tells them that you are willing to do the work that is given to you, they have a reference source to learn about your work ethics pertaining to completing assignments, and the amount of time and dedication you have applied to the completion of those projects, and learn more how you work with the project director(s), owner(s) and fellow volunteers.

• Typically said employers want to see at least 1-2 years of such experience but also consider the specifics of those assignments completed along with education.

 

What is a Volunteer?

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1. Any individual that provides their skills and talents for free to a project, business and/or community. 

2. The purpose is to gain experience and gain references that can be used as a reference for later potential paid employment.

 

Things to Remember

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• If and when you choose to volunteer, don't ask "What will be the Fun" part of the game. 

• Fun is an arbitrary concept and what your idea of fun may be is not necessarily what others consider 'Fun.'

• Also the 'fun' part comes in after the main aspects of a project are completed.

• The better attitude would be how can you help a project be completed faster, more effectively, and

• are you going to be there from the beginning to see it go from concept to realization and know you had a had in its success?

 

General Desired Skills

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• Experienced with PBR engines, specifically Unity.

• Experience with applying games and account creation with dedicated servers including server networking software and integration.

• Proficiency in C#, Python and Unity's API.

• Experience with Mocap animations and integrations.

• Experience with voice acting.

• Creative writing experience for games.

• A good sense of visual design and aesthetics.

• Hard Surface modeling.

• A good sense of humor and flexibility.

• A strong sense of dedication to complete a project effectively and quickly.

• Expert knowledge of human anatomy and proportions.

• Expert knowledge of non-human anatomy and proportions.

• Experience with structural, mechanical and other 3D modeling (IE, homes, building, vehicles, weapons).

• Experience with UI/UX development and aesthetics.

• Ability to translate verbal or written non visual descriptions into 3D and 2D renditions.

• Proficient in visual particle effects, audio and lighting, as well as optimization.

• Proficient in modern modeling/art packages such as (Maya, 3DS Max, ZBrush, Substance Painter,

• Blender and Photoshop).

• Expertise with version control software.

• Expertise with in-Game purchasing features.

• Team player with a strong work ethic, collaborative attitude, and clear communication skills.

 

What we offer Volunteers

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• Dedicated volunteers will be able to use this project as a reference,

• Have the option to showcase samples of work on our and their own website,

• Present examples of concept art as potential additions to the game,

• Have their names present in the credits section of the demo, and finished project.

• May use this project as a point of reference to seek gainful employment upon completion of the project.

• If accepted we would like you to join as a site member to take full advantage of the options provided for you.

 

What submissions we Consider

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• Self Published developers and/or hobbyists projects that can be updated to the current engine.

• We ask you to Provide Links to any online Portfolio or Showcase of your work.

• Pre-existing projects that can be adapted to this project and coding refactored accordingly will be considered or inclusion.

• If your area is a concept artist, you will be considered for producing such work for others to be guided by in areas such as modeling new content for this project.

 

Bonus Skills we Welcome

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• Rigging and animation of human and non-human characters, objects, and machinery.

• Able to work with minimal instructions and proficient in note taking.

• Flexibility and enthusiasm with a strong sense of personal value in work ethic and reputation.

• Ability and willingness to provide suggestions, adapt to sudden changes and meet or beat deadlines for an assignment.

 

Behavior and attitude is Important

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• When volunteering you need to treat it the same way as a paid job. 

• This means you do not call the shots and need to complete the assignments given to you.

• Yes, volunteering is an at will basis, however, if you do not complete the job or assignments, do not keep in touch with the company or community project leaders, and/or leave the project before finishing an assignment you won't get a very good reference.

• You should be easy to communicate with and know what the project is supposed to be about. 

• Have clarification on what it is you will be on volunteering for them (IE, what the job is and its ease or difficulties). 

• Have clarification of potential time that it will take to create content or do the particular job in question.

• Need to be reasonably flexible in regards to personal health, and or family and medical issues/needs.

• Easy to work with and speak to in case of an issue arising. 

• Able and willing to cut 'dead weight' from a team if individuals are not doing their assignments or bossing others around.

 

BE AWARE

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During development things can change quickly from week to week. This is normal when creating something new and in the process of producing a title that will be engaging and entertaining for end users and factors of competition. Examples of such changes include, but are not limited to...

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1. Some scene locations may be scrapped at any time for others or set aside for future projects.

2. Characters for various scenes or environments may be scrapped, redesigned or modified as well to make a better fit for various types of environments and their purpose/functions therein.

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Also, to reinforce what has previously been written and stated, if you don't submit any work regardless if you have done some work, it is not counted as work done because we have have not received it.

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STUDENTS

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If you are volunteering as a student and would like to have it applied to your experience within software and game developed, you will need to have your school submit the links to the necessary forms they require for approval to participate in a for profit organization. 

 

For any foreign exchange students with a US (United States of North America) credited school, that will require CPT work authorizations to volunteer in a for profit organization you will need to also submit the proper link to the form and specify what specific information is requested. 

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If you are approved by your school you will also be required to submit that approval for our records including the name of your teacher and a valid email so we can maintain mutual open communication.

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Therefore your dedication and work ethic will be reflective also of your motivation, behavior and overall attitude as it would be for any paid employment or volunteer program references. 

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Reasonable expectations you should Have

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• They should be easy to communicate with and know what project is supposed to be about. 

• Have clarification on what it is you will be on volunteering for them (IE, what the job is and its ease or difficulties). 

• Have clarification of potential time that it will take to create content or do the particular job in question.

• Need to be reasonably flexible in regards to personal health, and or family and medical issues/needs.

• Easy to work with and speak to in case of an issue arising. 

• Able and willing to cut 'dead weight' from a team if individuals are not doing their assignments or bossing others around

 

Recognize true and strong Leadership

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• Good leaders are typically nice people and that should never be mistaken as a weakness. 

• They are nice because they know some things are difficult and they are taking on a lot of things so you don't have to. 

• Typically this is because they are handling several things at once such as legal, business and other ends of the project.

• Their jobs include getting the business name out in the public, making sure the legal aspects are in compliance and more.

• They are also constantly working on making sure the right team members stay motivated and, 

• Constantly having to keep an eye on their market, hiring and firing, adjusting, updating, etc.

• In other words, you only see the assignment area of the project you have volunteered for, not the total business itself, and

• They are also volunteering their time to see the project not just completed, but making every effort within their means to see its launch being effective and successful.

• They are and will be willing to let others go who are not participating or keeping up with the rest of the team.

• They will not keep someone on who supersedes or tries to usurp their role over them, or other team members, or engage in activity that is not task, assignment or role specific. 

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So you would like to help but don't see something of interest?

 

We are always open to ideas and suggestions. If you are not sure about something in particular, let us know about it and contact us with your inquiries. If you are concerned that you have some or most the skill sets within a specific area do not hesitate to ask. Remember, our flexibility does not mean we are not serious about this project. It simply means we are flexible within reason to insure we can provide present, established and future end users the best we can, when we can, and wherever we can.