Hello!
I am currently working on a short, mechanics-driven visual novel for the Playdate titled Witch Time (Name will change) and am looking to collaborate with a dedicated 1-bit pixel artist to handle character design and key animations.
Project Mechanics & Concept:
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Core Gameplay: A 10-node narrative loop focusing on 5 distinct Elemental Witches (Lightning, Earth, Fire, Water, Wind).
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Hardware Integration: Features a high-stakes relationship tracker. If a player hits a "Bad" choice node, they can use the physical crank to rewind time (max 3 per game). The game tracks this state flag, impacting the final narrative outcome.
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Visual Progression: Features a procedural background-darkening effect tied to tension variables. Reaching a terminal failure state triggers a stylized, full-screen comedic defeat animation sequence unique to that witch's element.
Asset Requirements (Monochrome / 1-Bit Dithered):
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Character Portraits (5 Total): 160x160 resolution. Each requires a Base Idle loop, a unique Happy/Love animation loop, and a unique Upset animation loop.
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Backgrounds (3 Total): 400x240 pixels. Clean environments built for mid-tone contrast.
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Defeat VFX Sequences (5 Total): Large-scale overlay or full-screen comedic action sequences (e.g., lightning strike, tornado blast-off, water bubble entrapment).
Development Status:
I am a professional UX designer handling the implementation, system state machine, dialogue engine, and UI architecture. The core code structure is being built out in the Playdate Lua SDK, ensuring a clean pipeline where assets can be imported and tested immediately in the simulator.
Terms:
Open to negotiating a flat-rate per asset package (preferred) or a formal revenue share for a Catalog/Itch.io commercial release.
If you are interested in a tightly scoped, highly mechanical project built specifically around the Playdate’s unique hardware identity, please reply here or reach out directly with your portfolio.