Service agreement

Terms of engagement.

By hiring me you agree to the terms below. Please read the full document before starting any project.

Scope of work

What's in, what's out, and how to write it

How is the scope decided?

  1. You provide a written GDD (Game Design Document) before any payment.
  2. That GDD becomes the locked scope, the "Scope Lock".
  3. Only features written in the GDD are included. If it is not written, it is not in scope.
  4. Design changes or new features after work begins are new work, billed separately.
The big rule

No game comparisons in the GDD. Saying “make it like [game]” doesn't define the work. Even a game I've played, I may not know it the way you do, so the project gets underestimated. Every feature must be explained in full, to the bone.

Balancing & values

Balancing is on you. Combat values (damage, cooldowns, ranges) live in a Data Module you can edit directly (ask if you're unsure how). I won't re-tune the combat system over and over to chase the feel of another game; dialing in your preferred balance is your job, not endless rework.

What do I have to write in the GDD?

Do
  • Explain every feature in full: what it does and exactly how it behaves.
  • Give concrete numbers: damage, cooldowns, speeds, ranges, costs.
  • List every system, ability, and interaction you expect.
  • Use references for look and feel only (art, animation style), as direction.
Don't
  • Define features by comparison ("make it like [game]").
  • Assume unwritten features are included.
  • Add features mid-project and expect them at no charge.
  • Rely on vague words ("make it fun", "make it smooth") without defining them.

What is included and what is not?

In scope
  • Features written in the GDD in clear, measurable terms
  • Systems with defined behavior (e.g. 3-hit combo, set damage and cooldowns)
  • Integrations explicitly written in the GDD
Out of scope

Unless written in the GDD and billed separately:

  • Anything not described in the GDD
  • Reworking mechanics or "make it feel different"
  • Repeated rebalancing of combat or stats
  • New maps, skills, weapons, or enemies beyond the list
  • Fixing another developer's old systems
  • Mobile or console support unless stated
  • Cross-system integrations not written in the GDD
  • Large-scale optimization (30+ players, 100 enemies) unless scoped

Key terms

How payment and delivery work
01

How does payment work?

  • 100% upfront, always. No work starts until the invoice is paid in full.
  • Wise (preferred): direct bank transfer, lowest fees, fastest and simplest.
  • PayPal Goods & Services: also accepted (higher fees); no Friends & Family.

How invoicing works

Every invoice is capped at $500. Anything larger is split into $500 segments (set by the agreement), each paid in full before that segment of work begins.

Example: a $1,500 project
Invoice 1$500
Invoice 2$500
Invoice 3$500

Each paid 100% upfront before its segment starts.

Before work starts

  1. You pay via Wise (preferred) or PayPal Goods & Services.
  2. You confirm by email that you accept the scope and the no-refund terms.
  3. Work begins, the code goes straight into your codebase, and the payment is final.
No refunds

Once you've paid and confirmed, the payment is final. Email confirmation is required before I start. It's the record that you accepted the work. After that point there are no refunds, even if the product isn't 100% complete: I work directly inside your codebase, so you have access to the code the moment work begins.

02

What happens after delivery?

  • Revisions: one consolidated list, 3 days per milestone, 7 days after final delivery for in-scope bugs.
  • No distribution: backend scripts and modules may not be shared or redistributed.

Full document

Open in Google Drive
Service agreement and NDA

The signed version of everything on this page, as a PDF. Read it here, or open it in Google Drive to download or print it.

Open in Google Drive

How do I reach you?

Discord, before you pay

Discord is the only place I take work through, and I answer there faster than anywhere else. Ask before you pay, not after: nothing here is negotiable once an invoice is settled, and anything you are unsure about is cheaper to ask about now.

Ask about the terms vznzach on Discord