
Closed
Posted
Paid on delivery
OVERVIEW I am seeking an experienced desktop application developer to build a lightweight, cross-platform desktop “pet” app. The pet app is a calm, ambient desktop companion that sits on the user’s screen and reacts to basic user behaviour (keyboard/mouse activity and idle time). It is designed to be emotionally calming, unobtrusive, and lightweight — not a game or heavy application. The final product will be released on Steam (PC first, macOS preferred). CORE CONCEPT The app is a small animated panda that: • Sits on the desktop (corner overlay or movable window) • Reacts to user activity (typing, idle time, focus state) • Changes moods (idle, sleeping, focused, happy, calm) • Displays a daily “calm reflection message” (fortune-cookie style insight based on behaviour patterns) The goal is to create a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop companion that runs in the background without affecting performance. PLATFORMS • Windows 10/11 (must-have) • macOS (preferred, if feasible without major architectural rewrite) • Steam-compatible build CORE FEATURES REQUIRED 1. Desktop Pet System a. Always-on-top or desktop overlay character b. Smooth animation system using a finite state machine (FSM) approach c. Core animation states: (i) Idle (ii) Sleep (iii) Focused / Active (iv) Interaction response (click/drag reactions) (v) System event reaction (vi) Calm ambient movement (stretching/walking) Must be designed so new animations can be added without rewriting core logic. 2. Behaviour Tracking (Local Only) No cloud, no backend. Must detect locally: • keyboard activity (typing frequency / intensity) • mouse movement activity • idle time detection • active application focus changes Important constraints: • Must be event-driven where possible (avoid continuous polling loops) • Must be lightweight and battery-friendly 3. Mood / State Engine Rule-based system that determines panda behaviour based on: • activity level • idle duration • focus session length • interaction patterns Must be modular and easy to extend. 4. Daily “Reflection Message” System Once per day: • app generates a short calming message based on user behaviour patterns • “fortune cookie” style insights (rule-based, no AI required) Example: “Today felt steady and focused, like quiet snowfall.” Must ensure: • only one message per 24 hours • stored locally 5. Performance Requirements Must be extremely lightweight: • <3% CPU usage in idle state (near 0%) • minimal memory usage • no noticeable impact on gaming, video playback, or productivity apps • battery-friendly for laptops • frame rate capped (30–60 FPS max depending on settings) • must reduce activity when system is under high load 6. UI / UX Minimal settings panel: • enable/disable pet • start on system boot • optional sensitivity settings • tray icon for quick controls • exit / pause functionality Startup Behaviour (IMPORTANT) The app must support optional “Start on system boot” • User-controlled toggle (enabled/disabled) • Must not require admin privileges • Must be stable and not delay system startup significantly 7. Packaging & Distribution • Steam-ready build • Installer or packaged executable (.exe / .dmg) • Versioned release structure • No admin rights required for installation or runtime ADD ON • Seasonal themes (winter / spring based on local system date or config) • Panda click interactions (small reactions) • Smooth physics-based movement (subtle only) • Very light ambient sound effects (optional) TECHNICAL PREFERENCES Open to suggestions, but please specify your approach. Preferred: • Tauri (preferred – lightweight) • Electron (acceptable if properly optimised) • Native C++ / C# (premium option) Avoid heavy game engines (Unity/Unreal) unless strongly justified. SCOPE LIMITATIONS • No cloud services or backend • No AI/LLM integration • No login/account system • No blockchain or token integration in this phase • Must remain a lightweight desktop companion application DELIVERABLES • Working Windows desktop application • macOS version (if included) • Clean, well-structured and commented source code • Steam-ready build package • README including: o architecture overview o animation system explanation o how to add new animations/events o build & release instructions TIMELINE • MVP: 3–5 weeks • Full version: 5–10 weeks BUDGET USD $4,000 – $8,000 We prefer fixed-price, milestone-based delivery: • Milestone 1: Core prototype (30%) • Milestone 2: Behaviour + animation system (30%) • Milestone 3: Polish + Steam build (40%) IMPORTANT NOTES This is NOT a game engine project and NOT a heavy AI system. It is a: lightweight, always-on desktop companion app focused on smooth animations, behavioural state logic, and emotional user experience. The goal is psychological calmness, ambient presence — not interaction-heavy software.
Project ID: 40370157
99 proposals
Remote project
Active 2 days ago
Set your budget and timeframe
Get paid for your work
Outline your proposal
It's free to sign up and bid on jobs
99 freelancers are bidding on average $8,371 AUD for this job

A Warm Hello! We are readily available to start working on this project ! We are confident to provide you calm, ambient desktop panda companion app. This is a beautifully focused idea—minimal, emotionally engaging, and technically elegant—and it aligns perfectly with our expertise in lightweight desktop applications, animation systems, and performance-first engineering. We will implement: • Always-on-top transparent window (frameless, click-through optional) • Drag-and-move interaction • Smooth animation pipeline using FSM (Finite State Machine) Animation System Design: • State-driven (Idle, Sleep, Focused, Interaction, Ambient) • Decoupled animation layer → easily extendable • Support for future animation packs without rewriting logic Looking forward to bringing your ambient desktop companion to life. Warm regards, Ana
$7,500 AUD in 60 days
8.7
8.7

As a seasoned desktop developer, our team at Falcon Interactive has crafted over 300 sophisticated apps, games, and software across multiple platforms. We completely grasp and subscribe to your core concept of creating a lightweight yet emotionally calming desktop panda companion. With this understanding, we are proficient at the utilization of finite state machines (FSM) for animation, an approach we will employ to ensure smooth animation transitions for idle, sleep, active states, and even interaction responses. Our solid skills in C++ programming and Unity 3D make us a great fit for capturing mouse movement activity, keyboard activity via typing intensity/frequency detection, monitoring focus session lengths as well as tracking idle time. Our rule-based coding expertise will be invaluable in designing a mood/state engine that accurately dictates the panda's behavior based on user activities or lack thereof. Furthermore, adopting the agile principles you mentioned, our approach involves iterative development and constant feedback integration from your end. This way, you not only get real-time updates but also have an enhanced level of control in guiding the product's trajectory. We also understand the importance of performance and assure that our design will not exceed a CPU usage higher than 3% in idling state while minimizing memory consumption.
$7,500 AUD in 7 days
8.0
8.0

With over a decade of experience in full-stack architecture and high-scale systems, I understand your goal of creating a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop pet app for release on Steam. My background in developing high-security systems and scaling applications for over 1 million users directly applies to the challenges of your project, ensuring its performance and security. For strategic insight, I would recommend implementing a modular mood/state engine to determine the panda's behavior based on user interactions, providing a personalized and engaging experience. Drawing from my past success in building Telegram Mini Apps serving millions of users, I am confident in handling the complexity of this project and delivering a seamless desktop companion app. I am excited about the opportunity to discuss your project further and explore how I can contribute to its success. Please feel free to reach out to me to discuss the roadmap and how we can collaborate to bring your vision to life. Thank you for considering my proposal.
$8,000 AUD in 60 days
7.5
7.5

Good to see this project, I will build your desktop panda companion using Tauri — delivering the FSM-driven animation system, local behaviour tracking, mood engine, and daily reflection messages, all packaged as a Steam-ready build for Windows and macOS. For the behaviour tracking layer, I will use OS-level event hooks rather than polling — on Windows via `SetWindowsHookEx` and on macOS via `CGEventTap`. This keeps CPU usage near zero during idle states. The Tauri frontend will render animations on a frameless, transparent, always-on-top WebView using sprite sheets driven by requestAnimationFrame with a dynamic cap that throttles down when system load spikes. Questions: 1) Do you have the panda sprite sheets and animation frames ready, or do you need guidance on asset specifications for each FSM state? Looking forward to potentially working together. Thanks, Kamran
$5,084 AUD in 30 days
6.5
6.5

I have carefully reviewed your requirements and understand you need a lightweight, cross-platform desktop companion app with smooth animation, behavior-driven logic, and minimal system impact, designed for a calm and ambient user experience. With 9+ years of experience in software and game system development, I specialize in building performance-critical applications with clean architecture and real-time behavior systems. As a technical lead, I handle full-cycle development, ensuring stability, scalability, and production-ready delivery. I will design a modular desktop pet system using an FSM-based animation architecture, combined with an event-driven behavior engine for activity tracking (keyboard, mouse, idle, focus) without heavy polling. The mood system and daily reflection logic will be cleanly structured for easy extension. Performance will be optimized to meet strict CPU and memory targets, with adaptive behavior under system load. The application will be built using a lightweight stack (Tauri or native C#/C++) for efficiency, with proper packaging for Windows (and macOS if required) and Steam-ready deployment. Clean code, documentation, and maintainability will be ensured. Quality optimized work with suitable pricing is always my top priority. Come inbox & let’s get started. Best regards, Sohaib Pasn Games
$5,000 AUD in 45 days
6.4
6.4

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Create a Lightweight Desktop Companion App for Emotional Calmness ❇️ Hi My Friend, I hope you're doing well. I've reviewed your project requirements and see you are looking for an experienced desktop application developer. You have no need to look any further; Zohaib is here to help you! My team has successfully completed 50+ similar projects for desktop applications. I will create a lightweight, cross-platform desktop pet app that is calming and unobtrusive. ➡️ Why Me? I can easily build your desktop pet app as I have 5 years of experience in application development, focusing on user-friendly design, animation, and performance optimization. My expertise includes C++, C#, and event-driven programming. I also have a strong grip on user interface design and cross-platform compatibility. ➡️ Let's have a quick chat to discuss your project in detail. I can showcase samples of my previous work and explain how I can ensure your app runs smoothly without impacting performance. Looking forward to discussing this with you in chat. ➡️ Skills & Experience: ✅ Application Development ✅ C++ Programming ✅ C# Programming ✅ UI/UX Design ✅ Animation Systems ✅ Event-Driven Programming ✅ Performance Optimization ✅ Cross-Platform Development ✅ Behaviour Tracking ✅ Steam Packaging ✅ User Interaction Design ✅ Source Code Documentation Waiting for your response! Best Regards, Zohaib
$6,000 AUD in 2 days
6.4
6.4

Hello, We've carefully reviewed your project details and are thrilled about the opportunity to develop your Desktop Pet App for Steam. Understanding the need for a lightweight, cross-platform companion, we bring extensive experience in building scalable, efficient applications that prioritize user engagement and performance. We've previously developed similar desktop applications, ensuring smooth animations and responsive interactions, much like the emotionally calming panda you envision. Using Tauri for lightweight builds or optimized Electron, we can achieve the seamless integration your project demands. With over 8 years of expertise in desktop development, animation, and user interface design, we're confident in crafting a tranquil, ambient experience that aligns with your goals. Our commitment to uncompromised quality and transparent collaboration ensures a product that exceeds expectations within your timeline. Please message us with more details, and we'll deliver a detailed, tailored proposal within 24 hours. Looking forward to the possibility of working together. Best regards, Puru Gupta Top 1% Freelancer.com | Proven Record of Top-Rated Results
$10,000 AUD in 50 days
6.1
6.1

I have carefully reviewed your project requirements for the Desktop Pet App. My expertise in C# programming, animation, and user interface design align perfectly with your needs. I understand the core concept of creating a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop companion with smooth animations and behavioural logic. I am confident in delivering a high-quality product within your proposed budget and timeline. Let's discuss the project scope further to ensure a successful collaboration. Please go through my profile with 15 years of experience to see my previous work. I am ready to start working on this project and showcase my dedication. Looking forward to hearing from you.
$5,000 AUD in 27 days
5.7
5.7

Hey there, this is a beautifully thought-out concept, the intention to create a calm, ambient desktop companion rather than a distracting “app” really stands out. The focus on subtle emotional presence, low resource usage, and behaviour-driven responses is exactly where careful engineering and UX sensitivity matter most. I’ve worked on lightweight desktop applications where performance, event-driven behaviour, and smooth animation systems were critical. For your panda companion, I’d approach this with a modular architecture using a finite state machine for animation and a rule-based mood engine, ensuring new states and behaviours can be added without touching core logic. The reflection system and behavioural tracking can be cleanly handled with local storage and a rules engine, maintaining your “no cloud, no AI” constraint while still delivering meaningful daily insights. Equally important, I understand this isn’t just about functionality, it’s about feel. The animation pacing, idle behaviours, and micro-interactions will be designed to stay calming and never intrusive. Let’s finalise the scope of work in detail so I can share a precise timeline, milestones, and fixed cost aligned with your expectations. Looking forward to building something truly special here :) Regards, Rohan
$10,000 AUD in 52 days
5.7
5.7

Hi! I can get this done within 24 hour. I'm very much confident to full fill your all requirements.i read your project "Desktop Pet App (Steam Release)" details. I can safely say that we will not compromise in Quality & Time commitment. Please send me a message so that we can discuss more. https://www.freelancer.in/u/KayaCreation My skills includes User Interface / IA, C# Programming, C++ Programming, Animation, UI / User Interface and Unity 3D. Deliverable Format Web & Print. AI PNG EPS PDF PSD JPG Thanks kaya
$8,325 AUD in 1 day
5.4
5.4

Hi, I have strong experience in Tauri, Electron, C#, desktop application architecture, and lightweight cross-platform UI systems, building responsive desktop tools with event-driven behavior, tray controls, local persistence, and clean packaging for release. For this project, I would build the panda companion as a lightweight desktop app with a modular state engine, local activity tracking, and an animation system that stays calm and efficient in the background, so new moods, reactions, and seasonal behaviors can be added later without reworking the core app. You can expect clear communication, fast turnaround, and a high-quality result that fits seamlessly into your existing workflow. Best regards, Juan
$5,000 AUD in 7 days
4.6
4.6

Hi there, I've taken a close look at your Desktop Pet App project and I'm intrigued by the idea of creating a calming, ambient companion for users. From what I understand, you're looking for a lightweight, cross-platform app that reacts to basic user behavior, and I think I can help you achieve that. With my experience in C# programming, animation, and Unity 3D, I'm confident I can bring your vision to life. I've worked on similar projects that involved creating interactive, user-friendly interfaces, and I believe my skills align well with your requirements. To get started, I'd like to discuss the core concept of the app and how we can use Unity 3D to create a seamless, cross-platform experience. Let's chat about how we can bring this project to life on Steam, and what the next steps would look like - I'd appreciate the opportunity to explore this further with you.
$5,000 AUD in 7 days
3.4
3.4

Hi there, I am excited about the opportunity to work on your project for the Desktop Pet App (Steam Release). Your vision for a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop companion is intriguing. I am confident in my ability to bring this concept to life by creating a smooth animation system using a finite state machine approach. The app will feature a responsive panda character that reacts to user behavior, changes moods, and delivers daily calming messages based on user patterns. I will ensure that the app remains extremely lightweight, with minimal impact on system performance and battery life. The UI/UX will be intuitive, with a minimal settings panel for user control. I am open to using Tauri or Electron for development, focusing on optimization for a seamless user experience. Looking forward to discussing this project further and bringing your vision to reality. Best regards, Inshaal Ali
$5,000 AUD in 7 days
2.8
2.8

I can build a real-time product customizer for your Shopify store that lets customers design hockey gear and sends production-ready files with each order. I’ve worked on Shopify custom product builders with live previews, file export, and checkout integration, ensuring everything stays fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to manage. Plan Review product templates + customization rules Build reusable customizer engine Map customization per product type Generate/export production files Integrate with Shopify cart & orders Test (desktop/mobile) + handoff Timeline ~2–3 weeks Questions • Do you need 2D flat previews or 3D garment previews? • Any preferred print specs (DPI, color profiles)? • Will all products share the same layout logic or differ significantly? I can keep it clean, fast, and scalable so your customers enjoy designing while your fulfillment stays frictionless.
$5,000 AUD in 30 days
2.7
2.7

Hi, I am a Senior Desktop Developer specializing in high-performance My Technical Approach Framework (Tauri + Rust): I strongly recommend Tauri over Electron. By using a Rust-based backend, we can access system-level events (keyboard/mouse hooks) with significantly less memory than a Chromium-based app. This ensures the <3% CPU requirement is met easily Animation FSM: I will implement a Finite State Machine in the Rust core. This decouples the logic from the view, allowing you to drop in new sprites/animations via a simple JSON config without touching the source code. Event-Driven Tracking: Instead of constant polling, I will use native OS hooks (Windows API / CoreGraphics) to listen for activity. The app only "wakes up" to process state changes, preserving battery life and system resources. Transparent Overlay: I will handle the per-pixel transparency and "always-on-top" requirements to ensure the panda sits naturally on the desktop wallpaper without blocking clicks to other apps Project Milestones M1 (Core Prototype): Transparent window setup, basic Idle/Sleep states, and system boot integration M2 (Logic & Behavior): Local activity tracking, Mood Engine, and the "Daily Reflection" logic M3 (Polish & Steam): Seasonal themes, Steam SDK integration, and final performance profiling
$6,500 AUD in 28 days
2.5
2.5

Your focus on a lightweight, calming desktop pet with smooth animations and behavior-driven states is clear. I have built similar overlay apps that track input events without polling, keeping CPU and battery use minimal, which allowed users to run them alongside games and media without hiccups. For the animation system, I suggest an FSM architecture that separates state logic from rendering, making it easy to add moods or reactions later without major rewrites. On Windows, setting up start-on-boot without admin rights can be handled via user-level registry keys or startup folder entries, which I’ve implemented before—do you have a preference? I recommend Tauri for lightweight cross-platform delivery, but I'm open to your input if macOS compatibility needs native approaches to stay efficient. Also, would you like the daily reflection messages to be customizable or purely rule-based? I’m ready to dive into the MVP milestone and deliver a smooth, responsive desktop pet that feels both calming and unobtrusive. Let’s get started.
$7,500 AUD in 7 days
1.4
1.4

Hello, As an experienced desktop application developer with a passion for creating unique and engaging user experiences, I understand the importance of building a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop companion like the one you envision. Your concept of a serene animated panda that reacts to user behavior and provides daily calming messages is both innovative and refreshing. I will approach this project by implementing a smooth animation system using a finite state machine approach, ensuring that the panda transitions seamlessly between different states based on user interaction. With my expertise in C++ programming and user interface design, I will create a modular mood/state engine that adapts the panda's behavior to reflect the user's activity level and focus patterns accurately. By focusing on local behavior tracking and rule-based systems, I will ensure that the app remains lightweight, battery-friendly, and performance-efficient, meeting your strict requirements for CPU and memory usage. Additionally, I will prioritize a minimalist UI/UX design with essential settings for user control and a seamless startup behavior. I am confident that my skills and approach align perfectly with your project goals, and I am excited about the opportunity to bring your vision to life. Best regards, Jayabrata Bhaduri
$7,500 AUD in 7 days
0.0
0.0

Hello, I am Vishal Maharaj, with 20 years of experience in C# Programming, C++ Programming, Unity 3D, and User Interface / IA. I have carefully reviewed your project requirements for the development of a cross-platform desktop pet app for Steam release. I propose to create a lightweight desktop companion featuring an animated panda that reacts to user behavior, changes moods, and provides daily calming messages based on activity patterns. My approach involves implementing a desktop pet system with smooth animations, behavior tracking, a mood/state engine, and a daily reflection message system. I will ensure the app is extremely lightweight, battery-friendly, and has a minimal impact on system performance. I am ready to discuss the project further and provide a detailed solution tailored to your requirements. Please initiate the chat to explore this opportunity. Cheers, Vishal Maharaj
$8,000 AUD in 40 days
0.0
0.0

Hello there, I understand that you are looking for an experienced desktop application developer to create a lightweight, cross-platform desktop "pet" app that serves as a calm, ambient desktop companion reacting to user behavior without affecting performance. Proposed Solution: I plan to develop a desktop pet system featuring a small animated panda that sits on the desktop, reacts to user activity, changes moods, and displays daily calming reflection messages based on behavior patterns. The app will be designed to be emotionally calming, unobtrusive, and lightweight, providing a unique desktop experience. Key Deliverables: 1. Desktop Pet System with smooth animation and finite state machine approach 2. Behavior Tracking system for keyboard/mouse activity and idle time detection 3. Mood/State Engine for determining panda behavior 4. Daily "Reflection Message" System generating calming insights based on user behavior Portfolio & Skills: I'll share my portfolio with you in the DM. I specialize in UI/UX design and User Interface Architecture to ensure quality and reliability. Call to Action: I'd love to connect for a quick chat to discuss your project in more detail. Best regards, Minhal
$7,500 AUD in 7 days
0.0
0.0

Hi there, THE CHALLENGE is to create a lightweight, emotionally calming desktop companion that runs smoothly on both Windows and macOS platforms while maintaining minimal impact on system resources. The project requires developing a sophisticated desktop pet system with smooth animations, behavior tracking, mood/state engine, and daily reflection messages, all without cloud services or heavy backend integration. Balancing performance requirements, such as CPU usage, memory efficiency, and battery-friendliness, alongside user-friendly UI/UX features, will be crucial. Additionally, ensuring a seamless startup behavior and packaging for Steam distribution adds complexity to the project. Regards, Matheus
$5,000 AUD in 7 days
0.0
0.0

Spring Hill, Australia
Payment method verified
Member since Mar 22, 2026
$3000-5000 AUD
$15-25 USD / hour
min $50 USD / hour
₹750-1250 INR / hour
₹600-1500 INR
$750-1500 USD
$3000-5000 CAD
₹1500-12500 INR
$30-250 USD
€5000-10000 EUR
$30-250 USD
₹750-1250 INR / hour
$50-300 USD
₹1500-12500 INR
$10-100 AUD
€12-18 EUR / hour
₹12500-37500 INR
$8-15 USD / hour
₹250000-500000 INR
$30-250 USD
$30-250 USD