Hi everyone, I’m Chris. I’m developing Damned of Rome, a cinematic, story-driven Roman gladiator game in Unreal Engine.
I’m looking for an experienced Unreal technical animator or melee-combat developer for a small paid assignment, with the possibility of additional work if we’re a good fit.
We have a playable arena prototype using Ascent Combat Framework, assembled characters, environments, and purchased animation assets. The focus is on small, grounded encounters where weapon contact, defensive reactions, and deaths feel convincing.
INITIAL ASSIGNMENT
Review and polish one sword-and-shield encounter between our protagonist and a Roman opponent:
• Improve visible weapon contact and animation transitions.
• Polish one short paired execution using suitable existing assets.
• Correct attacker/victim alignment, clipping, and recovery.
• Ensure the execution behaves safely around nearby enemies and obstacles.
• Make the killing blow and resulting death clearly readable during gameplay.
Some of this functionality is already implemented, but it needs expert review and refinement. We want to preserve the existing Ascent framework and its core combat rather than replace it.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
• Unreal animation Blueprints, montages, retargeting, and root motion.
• Melee combat, paired animations, or execution systems.
• Ascent Combat Framework experience is strongly preferred.
• Blender or Maya experience for animation corrections is a plus.
SCOPE AND PAYMENT
This is paid contract work. Please provide your hourly rate and, after reviewing the footage and task brief, a fixed-price estimate for the initial milestone.
Scope, deliverables, and payment will be agreed before work begins. The initial milestone should include editable project assets, a playable demonstration, and brief handoff notes. No unpaid test work is expected.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
This is an early independent prototype with an AI-assisted workflow. I’m looking for hands-on human expertise and candid feedback about what needs fixing. Our current priority is a focused arena vertical slice.
Remote collaboration is welcome.
Please send me a forum message with:
• Relevant in-engine examples.
• What you personally implemented in those examples.
• Your Unreal and Ascent experience.
• Your availability and rates.
I can share current gameplay footage and a detailed brief privately. Thanks!
