First off I wanted to apologize if this isn't the right place to post this; I wasn't sure where else to go. I plan to cross-post this question to the Game Maker forums since that's the engine the game will be run off of.
My problem:
I'm looking for the amount of hours it would take and at what rate two mid-level developers would charge to code a game with the following requirements, at about 5 hours in length. Note, the definition of 'mid-level developer' in this context would be someone with 3-5 years of experience. Obviously I know that the answer to this varies widely across the industry, but I'm looking for more of a general average, if possible. The reason I'm trying to find this information is because I'm developing a project proposal and my potential investors want to know what the estimated cost/schedule look like.
About the project:
This project is a 2D action platformer with similar mechanics to the games "Hollow Knight" and "Dead Cells".
We would like to take generic mechanics like those found in Hollow Knight such as dashes, jumps, and other shooting and melee mechanics and combine them with basic follower mechanics (i.e. one sprite follows behind the other without getting stuck, and in the event it does get stuck has a method for getting unstuck), camera perspective changes (from side scrolling to top down and vice versa), static image cut scene triggers, and a light RPG customization system to allow players to focus on melee or shooting customization paths depending on their preferences.
What I've tried:
I've tried scouring the internet for a possible answer to this, but I can't find anything since average salaries and programmers' abilities to code vary widely. The research I've done suggests mid-level developers would charge anywhere from $21-$40/hr but I have no basis for the amount of hours they'd need to put in to finish the project. This has left me without the ability to figure out how much time and funding I need to set aside and/or raise to allow them to complete the project.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know. Thanks!
Thanks!