Friday, September 18, 2009

Leaving Funcom

Everything comes to an end.
It's four years (and two days to be excact) since I started working as a concept artist in Funcom. Monday I handed in my resignation and in two weeks today I'll have my last day here.
The first concept I did in Funcom was an alien-mushroom-thing for the Anarchy Online expansion pack Lost Eden where I ended up designing the entire mothership interior. I also did a few little things for Conan inbetween.
Then finally production started on The Secret World during the summer of 2006. It's been fun to follow the project from the beginning, see the team expand from just a few people and to work with such a bunch of great people.
I have a note on my wall which I believe I wrote during our very first official TSW meeting. On top it says KICKAZZ in big red letters, a keyword which still is being frequently used to describe the game. I wish my team and the project all the best. And I certainly hope it will be really KICKAZZ.
So what's next for me?
I'll return to movies and animation - which is closer to my heart I guess. The place is Storm Studios where I will be a part of the art department together with some extremely talented friends of mine.
Storm Studios did Norway's first CG-feature Free Jimmy which was released in 2006. They did special effects for some of the recent most successful Norwegian movies like Max Manus and Død Snø (Dead Snow). They also produced and did the effects for Peter & The Wolf which was awarded with an Oscar for the best animated short last year.
I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure it's going to be great fun!

6 comments:

looking_down said...

Good luck at the new job!

Unknown said...

Olve I just learned of your decision to leave Funcom. Selfishly, I'm saddened by your resignation. However, I'm even more grateful now for the chance I had to meet you face to face and shake your hand when I was in Norway. Putting a face to the name has really helped me to appreciate your work even more. Thank you for your contributions to TSW and for your willingness to share your work with the TSW community. I wish you all the best, and I will continue to watch your career with great interest!
-Kurtis

brent pedersen said...

I've always loved your work and it's a great loss for TSW. I think I know where you're coming from though. Only wish I had a chance to meet you as well! Danged Nyte. Anyway, you've been a great motivation to my own work and I'll be keeping up on you as much as possible (ie as Funcom publishes stuff or lifts it's NDA). Keep up on the great work, look forward to seeing what you come up with next.

-Brent

Olve Askim said...

Thanks guys!
It was great meeting you too Kurtis. Keep up the good work!
I'm looking forward to follow TSW myself from the outside. I can't really avoid it having so many friends (and a girlfriend) still working on the game.
I will of course keep posting stuff from TSW as soon as it becomes available.
Hope you'll stick around still. ;)

Gillian Comerford said...

good luck to you Olve in your new adventure.

Olve Askim said...

Thanks Gill! :)
New adventure starts Monday.