Hans Christian Lie has gone from hobbyist modding to becoming a specialized 3D artist in the gaming industry. He now creates detailed weapons and objects for one of Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming major titles.
After studying at Noroff University College and investing heavily in his own skills, former student Hans Christian Lie has landed an exciting role at Remedy Entertainment. Today, he works as a Hard Surface Artist on a confidential project.
- I create everything from weapons and vehicles to objects the player interacts with, Hans Christian explains.
The bachelor's degree in interactive media – games is available on campus in Kristiansand, via Online+, or as a fully online program.
As a Hard Surface Artist, he specializes in delivering high-quality, detailed game assets. Unlike environment or prop artists, this role demands extra focus on precision and craftsmanship.
Before joining Remedy, He previously worked at Starbreeze on the high-profile release Payday 3. There, he was responsible for weapon design and the development of specialized shaders – a challenging task he tackled confidently, despite being new to the industry.
An Early Passion for Game Development
His path into the game industry began with a passion for game modding and animation in his free time. After completing vocational studies in computer electronics, Hans Christian realized that game development was his true motivation.
- I created mods for games like Counter-Strike: Source and worked on my own game projects online. Choosing Interactive Media at Noroff felt like a natural next step.
The studies gave him valuable insights into project management, teamwork, and most importantly, giving and receiving constructive feedback – a skill he highlights as crucial in the industry.
- If you're not open to feedback, you can easily get stuck. People who take criticism and keep improving evolve much faster.
Challenges and pride in a professional reality
The transition from student projects to working on large-scale productions was eye-opening.
- As a student, I could model, rig, and implement a weapon in a few weeks. In a professional AAA production, there are many more steps and approval processes, he says.
There was also a steep technical learning curve. Hans Christian gained experience with specialized texturing techniques, multiple UV maps per model, and efficient texture packing – all of which significantly improved the quality of his work.
Although he faced challenges with bureaucracy and time pressure at previous workplaces, he has only positive things to say about his current role at Remedy:
- Here, I truly feel that I’m growing both professionally and personally.
An unexpected path into the industry
He landed his first job at Starbreeze even before graduating, thanks to a strong portfolio built through personal projects.
- I heard about an open position through a friend, and even though they were looking for a senior weapons artist with six years of experience, I applied anyway. To my surprise, I got an interview!
It wasn’t the CV or experience that made the difference – it was the portfolio and ability to learn.
- Skills, passion, networking, and a bit of luck – that was my formula.
Advice for aspiring game developers
He offers several pieces of concrete advice to today’s Noroff students:
- Figure out early what you really want to specialize in, and tailor your portfolio accordingly. It’s better to have five strong projects than thirty average ones.
He also recommends finding small, informal projects or modding communities online to gain experience, and emphasizes how important collaboration skills are:
- In the game industry, people skills are just as important as technical skills. Being able to work well in a team is absolutely crucial.
Proud moments
Among the projects he has worked on, he highlights the weapon work for Payday 3 as a career highlight.
He’s especially proud of an AG3 magazine, where he used real Norwegian military surplus as reference material.
- A lot of people have opinions about the game, but I’m incredibly proud of what our art team achieved with the resources we had.
Want to see more of Hans Christian’s work? Check out his portfolio on ArtStation.
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