Wow…lots of questions. You are going to get a wide range of answers.
#1. Team sizes is dependent on project size and the skill sets of each person on that team.
We have people that have the skill set to be an army of one. Meaning they possess the ability to, creatively brain storm, pitch, price UX, UI, account mange, project manage, 2D edit, 3D model, create game level assets, texture, light, rig, create V3D safe shaders, know V3D, HTML, CSS, JS…etc. And for anyone with all these skills please contact me if you live in the US as I have these positions open.
On the other hand some projects and more importantly clients will require there be multiple team members. The first wave is the new business drivers, client engagement types and legal, it may even touch some of the creative people as concept art is often created. Then once the project becomes a paid for gig. The project moves may move into creative brainstorming, often teams of a few people including high level producers, developers in a room figuring out what can be done in the time frame that the project has and finding a way to cap it inside a particular budget and plan. Once that is accomplished then you may have a Producer ( someone watching the funds typically of a number of projects and managing the client from a budget and timeline perspective), an Account Manager (someone managing the clients needs, handling high level conversations with the clients needs with one or more account coordinators doing the daily tasks. You may have a Creative Director, Art director, 3D Director and all their subspecialists. You may have a Director of Development, their Senior programmers, and jr. programmers. You may have a Quality Control group, and an on site event or show support staff.
Or…you land somewhere in the middle of these two.
#2 Are there sucessful freelancers with Verge3D projects? Is it possible. Yes and if you are in the United States…hit me up we are always looking for Verge3d artists. Freelancing is not easy. It sounds great but its tough. I know. I started that way a decades ago. You will rely on your immediate connections, and your talent if you have both of these in good order and have a business mind set you can do amazing things.
#3. This is the killer question. If you don’t know…find a job in the field first. Then get a sense of where the clients are. Learn how the money is made and to be honest its not about selling V3D services or your 3D modeling skills. Its always about solving a client problem. 3D interactives can be created so many ways. V3D is one of many tools you will need in your tool box and its a great and versatile tool. If you are going the freelance route it will be up to use to choose the best method that fits the best solution for your client and make a good profit.
5. How much would I charge for a simple 3D configurator with a few variations? I have to answer this carefully. As a freelancer, I would not recommend trying to sell configurators. I can’t tell you the number of times freelancers start off with a configurator and reach out to more experienced developers to get them out of the jam only to find the amount of money or time they really have to do the project is completely insufficient leaving the freelancer expoded to law suits. I always tell freelancers starting out…start small. Simple 3D objects, spinners, basic product demos. Start there, get a feel for the process and how long things take you and where your knowledge is good and where its lacking before taking on a configurator. I have seen freelancers charge as little as $2000 for a basic configurator and they loose their shorts. I have seen freelancers charge $15,000 and still have the same problem. There is no way to put a price on what you are asking. You have to really define the project in full detail in order for any experienced freelancer would know how to quote it.
In your example we dont’ know if the objects are as simple a a box or as complicated as a Jet Engine. We don’t know the time frame it has to be completed in. Whether it has to be responsive and we don’t know what devices it has to work on. How many languages it will need to be displayed. What platform it will be integrated with. We don’t know who is liable for security, code review, errors and omissions, or loss of inventory, loss of sales, etc. To many things to name that just arent listed in such a simple question. I can offer you this, if you are given a configurator as a starting point in your career turn it down. If not get a professional consultant to mentor you through the pricing process and develop a plan for completion so you can avoid lots of the issues.
#6. How long do they take? It will depend on your skill set or those that help you out. Are you counting the modeling time, model optimization, and creating all the shapekeys or are you just wanting to know a basic time? A super simple box, three box sizes, 3 skus, integrate with WordPress – unskilled single person maybe- a month or more, skilled a week or less. Regardless…not very helpful.
Last bit of wisdom. Stay away from configurators until you know V3D well enough to know its abilities and weaknesses as well as your own. Wish you all the luck in the world! Its great to be a freelancer if you have the mindset and skill set.
.
