Senior Unreal Engine Character Movement & Gameplay Programmer (C++)

[PAID] Senior Unreal Engine 5 Gameplay Programmer (C++) – Physics-Based Action Sports Game About Wake Surf Studios Hello, I’m the founder of Wake Surf Studios, an independent game studio currently developing Wake Master, a physics-driven action sports game built in Unreal Engine 5 for PC. The long-term vision is to create the definitive wakesports game by combining satisfying physics, expressive movement, and polished gameplay into an experience that players continue coming back to. This is intended to become a commercial Steam release with potential console support in the future. ⸻ IMPORTANT: This Is NOT a Boat Driving Game The most important thing to understand about this project is that the player controls the rider—not the boat. The tow boat exists primarily to generate the wake and follow a predetermined path. The core gameplay is about creating an incredibly satisfying rider experience through movement and physics. If your first instinct is to improve the boat mechanics, this project probably isn’t the right fit. If your passion is making player movement feel incredible, I’d love to talk. ⸻ What We’re Building First The first milestone is focused on proving one thing: Is riding the wave genuinely fun? The initial prototype should include: * AI-controlled tow boat following a spline path * Dynamic wake generation * Physics-driven rider * Responsive board control * Carving * Pumping * Wake pocket mechanics * Airs * Spins * Basic grabs * Landings * Camera system * Simple scoring * Prototype lake environment There is no requirement for realistic boat driving in Phase One. The quality of the rider controller is far more important than anything else. ⸻ Long-Term Vision If the prototype succeeds, Wake Master will expand into a complete wakesports experience featuring: * Wake Surfing * Wakeboarding * Water Skiing * Wakeskating * Multiple lakes * Dynamic weather * Boat customization * Rider customization * Board progression * Challenges * Career mode * Online leaderboards * Multiplayer * Steam release ⸻ Who I’m Looking For I’m looking for a Senior Unreal Engine Gameplay Programmer with strong C++ experience. Ideal experience includes: * Character movement systems * Physics gameplay * Chaos Physics * Gameplay programming * Camera systems * Animation systems * Unreal Engine 5 C++ * Blueprint integration * Performance optimization Bonus experience: * Sports games * Skateboarding games * Snowboarding games * Surfing games * Character controller development * Physics-heavy gameplay ⸻ Please Include When applying, please include: * Up to three Unreal Engine projects you’ve personally contributed to * Gameplay videos * Your exact role on each project * Which gameplay systems you personally built * Whether the project shipped commercially * GitHub or technical portfolio (if available) ⸻ Development Philosophy This project will be developed iteratively. We’re not trying to build every feature immediately. The goal is to build one gameplay mechanic that feels exceptional before expanding into a complete game. I’d rather spend months perfecting rider movement than rush dozens of incomplete systems. This initial contract is expected to last 1–3 months and is focused on producing a polished, playable core prototype. If the rider mechanics prove successful, there is strong potential for an extended 3–6 month engagement and continued development beyond that. ⸻ Compensation * Paid contract * Source code ownership transferred to Wake Surf Studios * Potential for long-term collaboration if the project progresses successfully