About

Job Description: We are HEYN Consulting LLC, a software agency developing a high-fidelity multiplayer winter survival game. We are looking for a Creature Generalist (Expert Level) or a specialized team to execute a full-pipeline Wolf asset. This is a technical gameplay role. We require a wolf that looks semi-realistic (AAA stylized) but functions flawlessly in a networked environment. We prioritize fluid motion, weight, and robust rigging over static render quality. The Mission: You will take ownership of the entire asset pipeline. To ensure quality, we require a specific workflow: Geometry and Rigging First - Animation Second - Fur and Texture Polish Last. 1. Technical Requirements (The Must-Haves) Engine: Godot 4 (Must deliver .blend and .glb files that import correctly). Poly Count: 15k – 25k Triangles. Fur: Hair Cards only. Do not use Particle Systems / XGen. Rigging Specs: IK Controls: Full IK targets for all 4 paws (essential for terrain adaptation). Twist Bones: Essential for Forearms and Thighs to prevent mesh collapse. Space Switching: Head/Neck must have World-Space vs. Local-Space toggles. Facial Setup: Minimum 16-bone setup (Independent Ear control + 12-bone Lip/Snarl setup). Physics: Clean hierarchy compatible with Godot’s PhysicalBone3D (Ragdoll). Root Bone: Properly oriented for Godot (Y-Up). 2. Animation Scope (Locomotion and Behavior) Locomotion (In-Place Loops): Walk, Trot, Gallop, Stalk, High-Step (Deep Snow). Critical: All locomotion must include Left/Right Banked (Leaning) variations. Transitions (Root Motion): Idle-to-Run (Acceleration with weight). Gallop-to-Stop (Skid stop). Turn-in-Place (90 degrees L/R, 180 degrees Whip-around). Behaviors: Sit: Relaxed but alert. Paw Raise: Anticipation pose (one paw lifted slightly, deciding to move). The Judgment Stare: Idle overlay for head-tracking the player. Reaction: Intimidated (backing away) and Emboldened (aggressive step). Survival: Get Hit (Flinch L/R/F/B), Death (Ragdoll blend), Sleep Loop, Wake Up (Startled). Additive Layers (Upper Body Masks): Sniffing Air: Can be layered over walking/idle. Snarl: Baring teeth/hackles up (Layered). Howl: Stationary. 3. Art Style: Stylized Realism Targeting the atmospheric lighting of Valheim mixed with the readable geometry of The Long Dark. Anatomy: Realistic muscle deformation is critical. The mesh must support the animation without "noodle limbs." 4. The Process (Milestones) We will structure the contract to front-load the technical risk: Milestone 1 (The Grey Wolf): Delivery of the final Geometry (No textures/fur) rigged to the final skeleton. Deliverable: Grey mesh with a test Walk Cycle. Goal: Verify anatomy, topology, and rig controls (IK/Facial) before animation begins. Milestone 2 (The Motion): Delivery of the full Animation Set on the Grey Mesh. Goal: We integrate this into the game engine to finalize movement logic. Milestone 3 (The Polish): Final Hair Cards, Textures, and Materials applied to the animated mesh. To Apply: Please include a link to your portfolio showing Quadruped Creatures. Applications without animal animation examples will be archived. Screening Question: In your cover letter, please briefly explain how you handle spine compression during a gallop cycle to prevent the wolf from looking like it is "floating," and confirm you understand the difference between Root Motion vs. In-Place requirements for Godot. 5. Intellectual Property and Deliverables This is a Work-for-Hire engagement. HEYN Technology retains 100% ownership of all assets created. Source Files Required: You must deliver all editable source files (e.g., .blend, .ma, .spp, .psd) upon completion of each milestone. No Locked Assets: We require the clean, editable rig files so our team can make future adjustments if necessary. Delivery of only the exported game files (.glb/.fbx) is not sufficient.