by ECMitchell
I am designing a board game and need a graphic designer to help create its visual identity. I have already obtained an illustrator for the card art (examples below), and now I'm in need of thoughtful and professional design for the card layouts, board tiles, logo, and the visual style at large, including fonts, colors, etc. The game is called Loot 'Em Up and is both a tribute to the dungeon fantasy genre as well as a birthday gift to the woman I love, who enjoys related media such as Diablo and, more notably, Adventure Time.
Game Description
Although its theme is centered around dungeons and fantasy RPG elements, the overarching tone of Loot 'Em Up is meant to be lighthearted and fun, akin to Adventure Time. While its contents might include the typical dungeon monsters such as ghouls, dragons, and demons, a dark and gloomy vibe is to be avoided. However, the mood is not meant to be silly or satirical, such as Munchkin, and a happy medium between the spectrum ends of serious and ridiculous is desired.
All players—up to six—begin in the same dungeon room. Rooms comprise seven pieces total: six trapezoidal perimeter spaces and one hexagonal center space. Each piece to a room is assorted randomly, and when players exit the room, a new room is placed in similarly random sequence. This keeps the experience unique and fresh each game, and players must adapt as the board evolves around them.
There are ten types of perimeter spaces and six types of center spaces; there are multiples of each. Each type of each kind needs its own design, ideally with a dedicated color scheme and icon. Because these pieces are to be joined in myriad combinations, all colors selected must complement each other, not clashing or appearing busy.
In addition, there are four kinds of cards: loot, abilities, monsters, and events. The first two are to be 3.5” length x 2.5” width rectangular cards, printed on standard blue core stock. The last two are to be 3.25” length x 3.75” width hexagonal cards, printed on clear plastic stock. Designs for card backs and card fronts—including text formatting, icon design, and layout design—are needed for each. Lastly, designs for the logo, game box, and rule book are needed as well.
Payment and Agreement
I am looking to purchase designs as works made for hire under the United States Copyright Act of 1976. You would be credited as the author of your work and would be recognized in wherever the game credits might be displayed—website, rule book, game box, etc.—but the legal rights to the designs would be fully transferred over. I am willing to enter a collaborative agreement, if it makes sense, or more simply offer compensation—preferably the latter, with a budget of no more than $1,500 USD.
I will also need your assistance preparing and uploading the final deliverable files to the printer. This will be needed for a few hundred files, including cards, board tiles, and other game components. In addition, I am hopeful you would also be willing to work on later and further elements to the project at large, including crowdfunding page graphics, social media graphics, etc. That of course would entail separate agreements and additional compensation, but I want to state this now in hopes to retain your services later for the sake of visual consistency.
Visual Style
I am looking for simple, minimal, and clean designs for this game—mostly iconic with bright, distinguishable colors and an inviting amount of empty space. The primary colors selected should ultimately resemble dungeon elements (gold and orange treasure; red, blue, and purple jewelry; black and gray corridors; etc.), but they should be implemented in a manner that is not heavy or cluttered. I have much more information on design elements to provide, as well as my own recommendations; as you are the expert, however, you would be given room to breathe in creative liberties, using your best judgement to ensure the needs of the project are met.
Deadline
I need to have the polished alpha of the game ready for play by August 16. To allow enough time for printing and shipping, final designs and deliverables need to be completed by the end of April 2017. I believe this is a healthy amount of time for what is required, and while a sooner completion is certainly welcome, please take as much time as is needed (within the parameters) to ensure the quality of the design. Regular updates on progress would be required—at least once a week, preferably twice—and I request you confer with me frequently on different options and approaches you might be considering throughout development.
If you are interested, please provide me samples of your work and your rates, as well as any additional information you think I should know. Upon entering an agreement, more comprehensive details of the game will be provided; if you have any questions before then, please do not hesitate to let me know.