This initial hiring for those working on the engine will consist of getting the "basics" for a Minish Cap engine done. This consists of Link's actions, possibly a title screen and file selection system, and possibly working out an enemy base class. I have been thinking over some of the concerns that people have been raising over how Game Maker makes it hard for multiple users to collaborate.
There is a workaround. It involves having functions made for the parts of what is most changed. This allows those working to make edits to the GML function files, save the function as GML code, and then allows others to use that code in their version of working on it if they want to. This could be actually what Mark Overmars intended that stuff to be about, and it also allows us to incorporate tools like Assembla more effectively (because the code files are just text files, differences between versions can be established easily). If it would increase the speed as well, the final version of the game could take the function code content and put it into where the function was called as well.
Anyway, again, those hired will mostly be doing the initial stuff and it is not as if those not hired will not get a chance to help out with the project. I'll likely be altering certain users permissions groups so that they can start working on that within the coming days. Once we get something stable, the GM Minish Cap Engine board will be made fully public - the MC Link's Awakening board might be opened sooner.