My Workflow

1. Initial Discussion
   We’ll discuss your project in detail. I’ll likely ask a lot of questions to make sure I fully understand your needs and vision. This is a key part of the process to ensure everything is clear. While a comprehensive document outlining your requirements is ideal, it’s not mandatory. However, to avoid misunderstandings, everything must be put in writing. This step is important because it helps define the project’s scope, establishes a shared understanding, and sets the groundwork for the entire project. You’re also welcome to ask any questions you may have throughout this process, as long as they’re related to the project. This open communication helps ensure we’re aligned from the start.

2. Scope and Estimate
   Once the scope of the project is defined, I’ll provide you with a detailed quote. This estimate will break down the project into specific milestones and clearly describe everything included in the work. The quote will cover all necessary steps such as:

   • Planning (for each milestone): After the initial discussion, I’ll plan for each milestone by gathering and reviewing all necessary resources, such as documentation, code, scripts, or any other materials relevant to the task. This ensures I’m fully prepared to execute the work appropriately. If specific marketplace assets (e.g., addons or tools) are required for the project, their net cost will be added to the final quote.

   • Research: Investigating any technical or design challenges. This might include reverse engineering a server binary file (essentially the game itself) in certain cases to understand how something works or checking out the game’s SDK (if it’s publicly available) to determine the best approach.

   • Design: The overall concept and structure of the feature or mod

   • Technical Design (Development): How the code will be implemented and the systems developed, with a focus on optimization to ensure smooth performance, which helps avoid performance issues like lags or crashes that can negatively impact the player experience. Optimization is particularly important because you often work with a strict frame-time budget - typically around 16.66ms per frame (or less, for higher tick-rate servers).

   • Documentation: Creating clear documentation for future reference and maintenance. This is important because well-documented code is much easier to maintain, update, and expand on. It saves you time and money down the line by reducing the need for expensive rewrites or confusion if the project is handed off to someone else. Proper documentation also ensures that future developers (or even myself) can quickly understand the code, make improvements, and address issues without unnecessary delays or costs.

   • Testing and Troubleshooting: Conducting thorough tests to ensure the functionality works as expected, is stable, and meets performance requirements. Identifying and resolving any issues to deliver a polished, bug-free result. This step is essential to guarantee quality and minimize disruptions after deployment.

   • Architecture: The way the code is structured and organized for scalability and maintenance. Good architecture is essential because it ensures the project can grow or adapt to future needs without becoming unmanageable. It also includes details like naming conventions, which, while mostly relevant for developers, play a important role in making the code easier to understand and work with for anyone involved in the project, now or in the future.

   • Communication: Ongoing discussions to ensure we’re aligned and making adjustments as needed

3. Development and Updates
   During development, I’ll keep you updated at key milestones. We’ll discuss feedback, potential adjustments, and any changes. Minor adjustments and small changes are typically included; however, if the changes vary significantly from the initial agreement, I may need to charge for them separately.

4. Payment and Security
   Payments are processed securely through Stripe, which I use as my primary payment processor for its reliability and flexibility. Accepted payment methods include credit/debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, Alipay, Link, iDEAL, and TWINT.
   
   Before making any payment, you’ll be required to review and agree to my Terms of Service. This is mandatory to ensure we’re both clear on the terms and conditions before starting the work.
   
   All payments are made upfront and in full before work begins. Once a reliable working relationship has been established, we can discuss the possibility of switching to invoice-based payments with a 30-day payment term, or another arrangement, if both parties agree. I’m always happy to be flexible and accommodate your budget, ensuring we find a solution that works for both sides.

5. Completion and Support
   Once the project is complete, I’ll provide the final deliverables, which will be uploaded to a private GitHub repository for easy access and version control. Additionally, I offer a warranty period to address any issues related to my work, free of charge. This warranty is especially important in development, as it’s not always possible to guarantee that a project will be 100% bug-free upon delivery. Bugs may appear later or arise due to unforeseen interactions, such as when additional add-ons or updates interfere with my work.
   
   Even after delivery, you’re welcome to reach out to me with any questions or concerns about the project. The warranty period ensures that any issues caused by my work are resolved, giving you peace of mind and ensuring the long-term stability of the project.

This is the process I follow to help your project succeed. It reflects my commitment to working as your partner, focusing on clear planning, communication, and delivering reliable and maintainable results. Every step is designed to make sure we achieve your goals together.

Every project I work on is unique, and I don't believe in "one-size-fits-all" solutions. I take the time to understand your needs, goals, and challenges to create something that’s tailored just for you. Whether it’s building a mod, adding new features, or tweaking existing systems, I make sure to get a full picture of what you need before diving in.

Rates

My rates are structured as day rates, ensuring transparency and a focus on delivering high-quality results. For any coding or development work, my minimum charge per milestone is based on the rate for an 8-hour session. This reflects all the steps outlined in my workflow, including preparation, research, testing, and more.

Once a price is agreed upon for a specific project or milestone, that amount is final, even if the work takes longer than estimated.

The prices below include all the elements described in the workflow above - such as planning, research, documentation, communication, and any other steps necessary to deliver great results. I also do not charge hourly - my prices are always fixed and inclusive of buffer time to account for unforeseen circumstances.

Game Development, Modding, and Addon Projects (For Private Clients)

For private clients, my rates are as follows:

• 1-hour session: 215.39€

• 8-hour session: 525.39€

• 12-hour session: 645.99€

• 16-hour session: 775.04€

All prices include 19% German VAT.

B2B Game Development Projects

For established business clients, my rates are as follows:

• 1-hour session: 300.00€ (net price)

• 8-hour session: 1,250.00€ (net price)

For startups or smaller businesses, I’m open to discussing more flexible arrangements that align with your budget and needs. These rates are exclusive of VAT and apply to B2B projects only.

While the above rates serve as the foundation, code work is priced based on the complexity of the task. The base rate is calculated by breaking down the 8-hour day rate into an hourly equivalent. From there, I scale the rate depending on the complexity and scope of the work, but the final price is always presented as a fixed rate, not hourly.

Fixed rates provide clarity and ensure you know exactly what to expect, with no surprises. When I give you an estimate, it includes:

• Time spent in the session

• Research, planning, and preparation

• A built-in buffer for unforeseen challenges

This approach guarantees that you’re getting value for your investment while allowing us to focus on creating great results without the stress of tracking hours.