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📣 We're Hiring

TheHowlingWhispers — Hiring

This file contains three ready-to-post variants of the project's contributor call. The body text is deliberately version-agnostic — it doesn't pin to a specific release or roadmap so the post stays accurate even after a few months. For the current state of the project, see the live design docs.

Variant 1 — r/slavelabour (full post)

Title: [Hobby] Side-project AI chat platform looking for 1-2 hobbyist contributors

Body:

## TheHowlingWhispers — hobbyist contributors wanted

What this is: A live multi-user AI chat platform with persona-driven characters, relationship/RPG mechanics, a Discord bot plugin, and ongoing work on character creation, body systems, and moderation. It's already running in production at thehowlingwhispers.com.

AI-developed disclosure: The codebase was built with significant AI assistance (Claude, GPT, Copilot). The architecture, design, and major decisions are mine, but a lot of the actual code was written with AI in the loop. If that's a dealbreaker for you, stop reading. If you're AI-positive or AI-neutral, keep going — you don't need to hide your AI tools either.

Honest scale: This is not a startup. This is my side hobby that I'm building in my evenings and weekends. It's running on a single VPS, paid out of my pocket. Current usage is small (a handful of users, a handful of rooms). Check the design docs for the current state.

Compensation: This is volunteer work. No pay. (If the project ever starts making money, that's a separate conversation we'll have then. For now, this is a learning + portfolio + "fun side project" arrangement.)

The stack:

- Backend: Node.js + Express, SQLite (better-sqlite3), Server-Sent Events for real-time

- Frontend: vanilla JS + CSS (no React/Vue)

- AI: NovelAI GLM-4-6 primary, Gemini fallback, persona-driven sentiment scoring

- Plugins: Discord bot fusebox, caretaker bot

- Process management: PM2 + custom lifecycle script + systemd

The kind of work available (check the design docs for the current backlog):

- Backend feature work (Express routes, SQLite migrations, SSE plumbing)

- Frontend polish (responsive design, accessibility, UI work)

- AI integration (prompt engineering, scoring rubrics, persona tuning)

- Discord bot features (new commands, moderation, integrations)

- Server / devops work (PM2, systemd, SQLite tuning)

- QA / testing (manual smoke tests, regression)

Roles open (pick one):

1. Full-stack Node.js dev (highest impact) — comfortable in Node without a framework, knows SQL, can read existing code and extend it

2. Frontend dev (vanilla JS + CSS) — strong CSS, vanilla JS, knows the DOM, can replicate the existing aesthetic

3. AI / prompt engineer — has worked with LLMs (OpenAI, NovelAI, Anthropic), knows prompt structure, can design scoring rubrics

4. Discord bot dev (discord.js v14) — knows Discord API limits, webhook/SSE plumbing

5. DevOps / server admin — Linux, systemd, PM2, basic bash

6. QA / tester (entry-level) — manual smoke tests, regression testing; good on-ramp

Time commitment: 2-8 hours/week, fully async. No standups, no JIRA, no manager. Async chat only.

What I'd want from you (to apply):

- Link to your GitHub, a portfolio, or a small code sample (vanilla JS or Node preferred)

- One paragraph on why this project interests you

- Which of the 6 roles you're applying for

- Hours/week and timezone

- Disclose if you use AI tools to write code (totally fine, just want to know)

Not for you if:

- You need payment

- You need a manager or structured schedule

- You're anti-AI or want to argue about AI-generated code

- You need a guaranteed launch date or roadmap commitment

- You don't like roleplay / AI / character-driven projects

Good fit if:

- You want to build something real and ship it

- You're interested in AI personas, sentiment scoring, or live multi-user systems

- You're comfortable reading a real-world codebase and extending it

- You're okay with honest small scale, not "10M users" promise

- You have a few hours a week and can work async

How to apply: DM me here, or email me at the address in the project profile. The design docs at thehowlingwhispers.com/plan.html reflect the current state of the project — read those first if you're serious.

Variant 2 — r/INAT (short post)

Title: [INAT] Hobbyist devs for an AI-developed multi-user chat platform (Node/Express, vanilla JS, AI personas)

Body:

TheHowlingWhispers — live at thehowlingwhispers.com. Solo side project, AI-developed codebase, looking for 1-2 hobbyist contributors. Not a startup, not paid (yet), just a fun thing I'm building in my spare time.

Stack: Node/Express, SQLite, vanilla JS, NovelAI + Gemini, SSE, PM2/systemd. No frameworks.

Roles: full-stack, frontend, AI/prompt, Discord bot, devops, QA.

Time: 2-8 hrs/week, async, volunteer. AI-positive only.

Current state: thehowlingwhispers.com/plan.html

DM with GitHub/portfolio + which role + hours/week + timezone.

Variant 3 — Discord server post (shortest)

🎭 Hobbyist contributors wanted — TheHowlingWhispers

Live multi-user AI chat platform I'm building solo as a side project.
AI-developed codebase (Claude + GPT helped write a lot of it; architecture
and design are mine). Not a startup, not paid. Just a fun thing.

Disclosure:
• Scale: small. Check the design docs for current state.
• Pay: None. Volunteer work. (If money ever happens, separate convo later.)
• Time: 2-8 hrs/week, async, no manager.
• AI: AI-positive only. Using AI tools in your PRs is fine, just disclose.

Stack: Node/Express, SQLite, vanilla JS, NovelAI GLM-4-6, Gemini fallback,
SSE, PM2. No React/Vue.

Roles: full-stack, frontend, AI/prompt, Discord bot, devops, QA.

Current state: thehowlingwhispers.com/plan.html

DM if interested.

Internal note (do NOT post this part)

The three variants above are the public-facing listings. The owner keeps an internal planning doc that captures the moderation-system design, age-gate enforcement, and other private architecture notes. The internal doc is not linked from any public page and is not part of the contributor call. Contributors do not need to read it.

🎉 We're hiring

TheHowlingWhispers is looking for hobbyist contributors.

This file is the source of truth for the project's hiring call. Three post variants are above (r/slavelabour, r/INAT, Discord) — all version-agnostic, all pointing to the live design docs for the current state.

If you're reading this and you're interested: see Variant 1 for the full application ask, or DM the owner on the platform where you found this.

If you're the owner and you're reading this: the file is at public/hiring.md and is served as static content. Update it by editing the markdown directly. No rebuild needed.

🎭 TheHowlingWhispers — we're hiring. Come build something weird with us.