Lead UE5 C++ Gameplay/AI Engineer - Tactical Horror FPS ($5.5K + 50% Rev-Share for 12 Mo.)

IMPORTANT — COMPENSATION & ENGAGEMENT MODEL This project uses the following compensation structure: Guaranteed Fixed-Price Development Budget Total Fixed Budget: US$5,500 guaranteed fixed-price budget for the entire contract. Milestone Structure: The project is structured across 12 total milestones, covering both the initial Vertical Slice / Steam Next Fest Demo and the subsequent development phases up to completion. Payment Terms: Payment will be made strictly through milestone deliverables under an Upwork fixed-price contract, distributed across the 12 milestones. Full Game Release & Revenue Share Following the successful completion of development and the official release: Revenue Share: 50% of Net Revenue for the first 12 consecutive months following the official Windows 1.0 release on Steam. The exact definition of Net Revenue, payment schedule, reporting, IP ownership, and revenue-share terms will be specified in the Master Agreement before production begins. Epic MegaGrant The selected Lead Engineer will also receive: 75% of Net Epic MegaGrant funds, if the project receives an Epic MegaGrant. The MegaGrant is not guaranteed, and development will proceed regardless of the application result. STRICT REQUIREMENT — INDIVIDUAL FREELANCERS ONLY Do not apply if you represent an agency, outsourcing studio, development company, or intend to subcontract the work. We are hiring one dedicated Lead Engineer / technical owner who will personally perform the development work. PROJECT OVERVIEW I am looking for an experienced Unreal Engine 5 C++ Gameplay & AI Engineer to take full technical ownership of a story-driven, single-player tactical horror FPS for Windows. The game combines grounded tactical CQB combat with psychological horror. Primary design references: Ready or Not — grounded CQB weapon handling, procedural recoil, authentic ADS, and ballistics F.E.A.R. (2005) — reactive and coordinated enemy combat AI, including flanking, cover usage, suppression, and tactical reactions These titles are used as design and quality benchmarks only. The project is not intended to reproduce the full AAA production scale of either game. DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP & SCOPE Phase 1 / Demo: Initial development focuses on a high-fidelity Vertical Slice / Steam Next Fest Demo (1 complete campaign mission, 1 deliberately interrupted second mission, core FPS systems, and core AI). Phase 2 / Full Release: Expansion into the full 32-mission episodic single-player campaign (approximately 10–20 minutes per mission). Total Milestones: The entire development roadmap from start to finish is broken down into 12 milestones backed by the total fixed budget of US$5,500, complemented by the 50% Net Revenue Share post-release. WHAT THE CLIENT PROVIDES The Client provides: Complete narrative Confidential 600-page GDD Detailed mission layouts Architectural and real-world visual/written location references Original stealth/combat soundtrack Voiceover audio Game logo and icon Steam store management, marketing, and publishing 3D Assets: The Client does not provide custom 3D art assets. The Lead Engineer is expected to source and use appropriate Unreal Marketplace assets, Fab assets, or existing licensed assets. Environment assembly, level dressing, and practical lighting setup are part of the development scope. CORE DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES The Lead Engineer will be responsible for: C++-first architecture for all major gameplay systems (Blueprints only where appropriate) Grounded FPS weapon handling (procedural recoil, ADS alignment, ballistics, interaction systems) Tactical enemy AI (EQS, Behavior/State Trees, cover usage, flanking, suppression, coordinated breaches) Friendly squad navigation and sector coverage Health systems, tactical inventory, checkpoints, save/load systems Environment asset sourcing, level assembly, dressing, and lighting setup Windows 64-bit packaging, memory/performance profiling, and optimization toward a stable 60 FPS target SOURCE CODE & DEVELOPMENT WORKFLOW Development will be maintained in a Client-owned private source repository. Requirements include: Regular C++ commits with clean architecture Milestone-based packaged builds and Windows 64-bit standalone builds for review Complete source-code and Unreal project-file handover upon completion WHO I AM LOOKING FOR The ideal candidate has: Proven Unreal Engine 5 experience with deep C++ gameplay programming skills Strong FPS development and tactical AI experience (EQS, State Trees, Behavior Trees) Practical ability to assemble professional environments, handle lighting, and optimize for PC Ability to independently solve technical problems and take long-term technical ownership SELECTION PROCESS Shortlisted candidates will sign an NDA. After NDA execution, candidates will receive access to the confidential GDD. Candidates will submit a high-level technical roadmap / 12-milestone breakdown based on the specification. The selected Lead Engineer will sign a Master Agreement covering IP ownership, code handover, revenue-share terms, and confidentiality. Production begins immediately under Milestone 1. HOW TO APPLY Begin your proposal with the exact word: TACTICALBREACH2026 Then answer the screening questions included with this job post. Applications will be declined if they do not start with the keyword, come from agencies, or use generic templates. Please apply only if you have reviewed the structure and are comfortable with a 12-milestone fixed-price contract totaling US$5,500, followed by the 50% Net Revenue Share after the official Steam Windows 1.0 release.