Atle Valan

Game, Level & Sound Designer

My name is Atle Valan and I am a Norwegian game designer based in Oslo, Norway.
I have a passion for creating great environments, both fictional and in real life.

I am also an advocate for better prioritization of sounds and the usage of adaptive

music, particularly in the games industry.

I am currently working at Red Thread Games as a Game Designer and I have a
Bachelor Degree in Game Design from Westerdals. I also teach at Kristiania

University College (School of Arts, Design & Media) from time to time in

Game Design, 3D-graphics and Visual Effects. In my free time i like to develop my

own projects and do some freelance or consulting.

I grew up on a farm up north in Norway in a rural district called Leirfjord, where playing music, being outdoors and playing video games with my brothers were integral parts of my childhood and adolescence. Which is probably why I tend to focus my work on nature, animals, music and family. Eventually I started upper secondary school for music where i gained some experience in composing and performing. After that I went to a Folk-high school where I traveled the world and broadened my creative amibitions towards photography and theatre as well. It was also where i truly discovered the proclivity of working with people.

As I worked as an environmental worker for a while, I missed exploring my creative side. Naturally it was like a spur-of-the-moment when I discovered the role of a Game designer and what they do. I immediately applied for the private college Westerdals, and fortunately I got in. Ever since then I have never regretted my career-choice;

Being able to inspire others through all the fields I previously worked has a huge significance for me and I firmly believe i will continue down this path for the rest of my life.

Contact & Socials

Emailcontact@avalan.no

Máddji

Credit: Marie Jacobsen

https://www.artstation.com/foxify

Máddji is a Sámi adventure game set in the 1800's.
You play Máddjs own journey of self-discovery where she flees from a norwegianization school during the Kautokeino rebellion. What meets ahead is surviving in the harsh, cold but beautiful arctic wilderness of Norway.

On her path home, she is able to befriend a wolf.

This was my bachelor project where we made a Proof of Concept which we thought was necessary for putting our research in a practical manner.
Our bachelor thesis was "Game production from idea to financing: A practical research project on competitive advantage through effective shortcuts in the gaming industry. " So the main focus was to figure which economical and effective shortcuts can indie developers take to increase both quality and quantity. You can read more about it here.
A full development project is currently put on hold.
It was made in Unreal Engine 4 with a 5000 NOK budget, where I focused on production and my other group member focused on documentation.
It was also shortlisted for GSA BAFTA Student Award for Games - 2021.

BACHELOR THESIS

Some keywords of experience i got from this project:
- Grants
- Communication
- Promoting
- Norwegian games industry
- Engaging people
- System design
- Sami culture
- Personal self-discovery.

Credit: Charlotte Victoria Molnar

Avarice is a first-person, narrative-driven horror game set in the 1900s, where you experience a broken man’s descent into mental hell. You play as Edward Armitage, a renowned explorer, returning home from an expedition gone wrong. Throughout the game, you experience a gripping narrative going through the curious mind of a man and his interpretation of untold events.

It's up to you to piece it all together.

This game was made in 2,5 months with zero budget by a team of 4, where I worked as a game, level - and sound designer.
I pitched this idea of a causal loop paradox and fortunately got a good producer, narrative designer and a programmer with me.
It became the number one popular game on Itch.io for several weeks and was played by several big youtubers like Jacksepticeye, BanderitaX and ManlyBadassHero. It was also written several articles on the game, especially in Russia, China and Japan.
Watch the end of the compilation video for people reviewing the game.
Made in Unreal Engine 4 and featured on the Epic Games Community Spotlight.

Some keywords of experience i got from this project:
- Communication
- How to maintain a positive crunch mentality
- Sound design
- Signposting
- Atmosphere
- Less is more
- Marketing
- Indoor level design based on victorian architecture

Storm
Music video trailer

A conceptual album curated by the Sinewave Collective discord community. Inspired by the original Sinewave Collective concept “Elements” and it’s prior release “Luft | Air” - the community has come together and curated a spin-off concept of their own. We looked for a bridge between wind and water, hence the perfect transition being a “Storm”, where these two elements often combine forces.

-"Special thanks go out to the amazing creator behind these visuals: Atle Valan. A newly graduated game designer from Norway, full of potential and talent. I'm sure we'll see more of his work in the future! He smacked together this video in no-time and was super easy to work with throughout the entire process. Highly recommended!"

This was a fun little project that I was glad to be a part of and aspire to make more of. I find great joy in bringing music and visuals more together.

Made in Unreal Engine 4 in about 10 work days
This was a freelance project
The orb itself is a particle effect that acts as a visualizer for the music being played in the scene.
It was also pretty fun implementing wind, rain and ocean waves that gradually increases based on the music's mood and tempo.
The monologue and music is not written by me

Some keywords of experience i got from this project:
- Freelancing
- Particles effects
- Adaptive music and visuals
- Communication
- Optimisation and performance monitoring

Credit: Lina Andrea Gajhede Småvik

midgae.artstation.com

Vigil is a thoughtful, adventure-horror experience that challenges players to think for themselves as they explore the same unfamiliar environment as the protagonist does. Will you be able to understand the bigger picture at the end of the game?

One of my very first projects, which i am still proud off today.
Made in Unreal Engine 4 with a team of 3 people and with zero budget.
Released on Itch.io
Featured on Epic Games Community Spotlight
In production i did everything in engine while, dialogue and logo was done by the rest of the team
I got to experience being a voice actor, which was exciting.

Some keywords of experience i got from this project:
- Conversion from Unity to Unreal Engine
- Sound design

- Voice acting

- AI and event triggers
- Communication
- Publishing

This is a test. Not for the weak. Can you finish this game? How fast? Faster than your friends?

Our precise controller ensures fair and pure skill-based gameplay. QB is a challenge, but also a good practice in game timing and precision. If you can’t beat your friends, can you still master it?

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

My very first finished project, which i am also still proud of today.
It is made in Unity and made for mobile platforms.
There is a remastered version of it which you can see at the end of my current showreel.
I composed the music among other things.
It's a simple mechanic, yet brings lots of fun and a drive for getting better and better.

LINK TO GOOGLE PLAY