HELLO THERE AND WELCOME TO MY PORTFOLIO!
I am Maximilian Santa, a Level and Game Designer currently located in Berlin, Germany. This webpage serves as a showcase for the projects I have worked on. You will also find brief descriptions of each project. I hope you enjoy browsing through them and if you have any questions or feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me.
ABOUT ME
Who am I
Hello, my name is Maximilian Santa and I am 29-year-old and living in Berlin. In 2019, I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Game Design, with a focus on Game Design and Level Design.
Previously, I have worked as a Level Designer for Daedalic Entertainment in Hamburg on the new action, stealth -adventure game "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum", which was released for PC, PS5, Xbox and One Series X 2023 and will be released on Switch soon. This game is based on the stories of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Prior to joining Daedalic, I worked at AnotherWorld VR, a small indie game developer in Berlin, Germany. There, I contributed to the development of Kobold Chapter I and Pagan Peak VR, both of which are available on Steam. AnotherWorld VR aims to create a unique VR experience that combines elements of both movies and games.
MY PROJECTS
Here are the projects that I have worked on:
Professional Projects
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a action-adventure video game based on the popular book series by J.R.R. Tolkien. Developed by Daedalic Entertainment, the game follows the story of Gollum, a complex character known for his role in the original series. Players will be able to explore the dark and twisted world of Middle-earth as Gollum, and make choices that will impact the story's outcome.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is released on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X in 2023.
Read more about my role during this project
Level Design/ Game Design
Unreal Engine 4
PAGAN PEAK VR
Pagan Peak VR is a virtual reality game developed by AnotherWorld VR. It is based on the German crime series "Der Pass" and takes players on a thrilling journey to solve a murder case in the Alps. The game features stunning graphics and immersive gameplay, allowing players to explore the beautiful and haunting landscapes of the Alps while gathering clues and solving puzzles to uncover the truth behind the crime.
"Pagan Peak VR" is available on Steam for virtual reality platforms such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Read more about my role during this project
Game Design
Unreal Engine 4
KOBOLD: CHAPTER I
Kobold Chapter I is a virtual reality game developed by AnotherWorld VR. It is a dark and atmospheric adventure game set in a haunted mansion, where players take on the role of a detective investigating the haunted mansion. The game features a variety of puzzles and interactive environments, and uses photogrammetry to create highly detailed and realistic 3D enviroments.
The game is available on Steam for virtual reality platforms such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Read more about my role during this project
Game Design/ Level Design / Performance Optimization/ 3D Retopo
Unreal Engine 4
TELEKOM: MEETING JOSH
In this virtual reality experience, "TELEKOM: MEETING JOSH", players are taught how to improve their basketball skills by none other than Josh Mayo himself. Through a variety of techniques and tactics, players can learn how to achieve the best possible results on the court.
This game was developed specifically for the Telekom intern app store.
Performance Optimization/ 3D Art
Unreal Engine 4
We could work together
Ready to turn this blank canvas into a masterpiece?
Imagine your company name and project written here – because life's too short for empty spaces and unfilled pixels.
Let's create gaming magic together!
If youa re looking for a Level Designer
School Projects and Game Jam´s
BREAD AND GAMES
Action-Top Down Twinstick Shooter for up to 3 local players
Producer / Game Design / Level Design
Unity
WIFI ADVENTURE
Adventure game with a focus on working on a mobile game
Game Design / Level Design / 3D Art
Unity
PIRATE SPLASHY
Xbox Kinect camera controlled game for children under the age of 6 years
Idea/ Game Design / Programming (Unity C#) / 3D Art
Unity
NIU´S ADVENTURE
Action adventure with a open world to explore and fight against enemies
Level Design / 3D Enviroment Artist / Programming (Unity C#)
TRANSMISSION SOLDIER
Action shooter platformer for up to six local players with multiple maps and weapons
Game Design
Unity
TWO PLAYERS ONE CUPSULE
VR game where two player are controlling one character by looking into a specific direction and communicating
Idea/ Game Design/ Level Design
Unity
ENDSTATION (ESCAPE ROOM)
Real escape room build inside a real car with multiple riddles
Construction / Puzzle Design
Memories (Unity)
A blank world where the player has to shoot paint to find the way and explore the world
Idea/ Game Design
Unity
WORK EXPERIANCE
LEVEL DESIGNER AT DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT
December 2019– Current
In my role on the Gollum project, I primarily focused on level design but was involved in Game Design decisions too. My responsibilities included designing and implementing various game levels, creating puzzles, and fine-tuning player interactions with the environment with the given possibilities, creating stealth areas or climbing areas and giving the writers the needed areas for dialogs. One specific aspect I'd like to highlight is that i have worked on many levels from the first concepts to the shipping ready state and being involved in over 70% of the levels of the game.
DEVELOPER WITH DESIGN FOCUS AT ANOTHERWORLD VR
December 2018- July 2019
During my time on the Pagan Peak project, I worked closely with the art team to ensure a seamless integration of environmental elements. My responsibilities included optimizing the visual and interactive aspects of the game. One of the noteworthy achievements was the creating and implementing of puzzles to solve for the player to escape the cabin in the mountains.
INTERNSHIP AT ANOTHERWORLD VR
March 2018- August 2018
As part of the Kobold game development, I took on a role that involved narrative design and world-building. I contributed to creating an immersive game world, complete with lore, history, and interactive storytelling elements. A notable aspect was the creation of the final Level taht was build completly by me and is one of the most valuable and horror for the game.
QA- TESTER AT SMILEGATE EUROPE
Mai 2017- July 2017
I have worked for three months at Smilegate Europe in the QA department as a working student. I was responsible at this time for testing Crossfire.
KNOWLEDGE
My fields of work
DESIGN
My area of expertise is in game design, spanning from the first initial prototyping phase to complete level design. My experiences have been significantly shaped through my academic journey at the Media Design Hochschule Berlin, as well as my internship at AnotherWorld VR. During my employment at AnotherWorld VR, I contributed to the design of levels in the Kobold VR Experience. Additionally, I have gained valuable experience working on the upcoming action-adventure game "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" as a Level Designer at Daedalic Entertainment. My proficiency primarily lies in working with the Unity Engine and the Unreal Engine 4 and 5.
PROGRAMMING
In some of my early student projects, I was a member of the programming team, where I learned the fundamentals of programming syntax. During this period, my primary focus was on utilizing C# and visual scripting within the Unreal Engine 4.
ART
During my studies, I had the opportunity to work in smaller teams with 3 to 5 members, which allowed me to engage in some artistic work. I focused on creating 3D models, particularly in the low poly style. My preferred software for 3D modeling is Maya, although I also have experience working with 3DS Max and ZBrush. In fact, I have utilized ZBrush extensively for retopologizing 3D models.
PHOTOGRAMMETRY
During my time at AnotherWorld VR, as well as in a personal project, I gained experience in photogrammetry. In the latter project, we scanned a 90s themed room located in the Computer Spiele Museum Berlin. For both Kobold Chapter I and Pagan Peak VR, the majority of assets were created through photogrammetry, which gave me valuable experience working with scanned meshes.
I was responsible for the scanning process as well as the preparation of the scanned models for integration into the game engine.
Langues
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German - Native
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English - Fluent
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Polish - Fluent
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
MEDIADESIGN HOCHSCHULE FÜR DESIGN UND INFORMATIK
After my previous college went bankrupt, I made the decision to continue my game design studies at the Mediadesign Hochschule für Design und Informatik Berlin. Following seven semesters, I successfully earned my Bachelor of Science degree.
2015 – 2019
GAMES ACADEMY HOCHSCHULE DER DIGITALEN GESELLSCHAFT
I was first introduced to the game industry during my initial studies at Games Academy Hochschule, where I completed two semesters. Unfortunately, the college went bankrupt after this period, and I had to switch to another institution to continue my education.
2014 – 2015
„People may forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel.“
Anonymous
KONTAKT
Thank you for your interest in my portfolio.
Please feel free to contact me through the following methods
Berlin, Germany
