I spent seven exciting years at Interactive Television Entertainment (ITE) working on Hugo the Troll, a thrilling journey for an artist! Each day brought new creative challenges, demanding imagination to design unique worlds and concepts.
At ITE, I mastered time-saving techniques, as the company released a new console game every Christmas. This fast pace is reflected in the mostly rough sketch concepts—once the team grasped the idea, we moved forward without polishing. Released: 1999-2004
2000 Hugo: Quest for the Sunstones
I animated the cutscenes, learning the craft as I went. Pairing a silent Hugo with a novice animator resulted in an awkward yet fun outcome.
2001 Hugo: Black Diamond Fever
Hugo returns to Jungle Island to free the Kikurians from slavery and thwart Scylla’s plan to harness black diamonds for ultimate power as a witch.
2002 Hugo: The Evil Mirror
A favorite of mine—Hugo is trapped in a magical mirror by Scylla, shattered into three pieces. His three kids, each with unique abilities, must locate the fragments to break the spell. The settings, including a chocolate factory run by gangster squirrels in a giant tree, a Roman-style beavers' fortress, and a mirror world, were all fun to concept.
2003 Hugo: Bukkazoom!
Hugo shrinks to bug size, driving a ladybug-inspired car. His whimsical world sparked endless creative possibilities.
2004 Hugo: Cannon Cruise
Hugo takes to a boat, reuniting with beavers and vikings from The Evil Mirror. I’m proud of the boat design, crafted to clearly reflect player interaction - a challenge with traditional sailboats. This game marked our first use of an agile method (extreme programming), delivered on schedule.
The Hugo universe was brought to life by talented artists including Jørgen Ørberg, Stephen Meldal Foged, Martin Vestergaard Madsen, Claus Friese, Søren Cornelius Larsen, Anders Pedersen, Michael Wettendorff, Kian Zanno Ejlertsen, Klaus Gjørup, Martin Ciborowski, Rasmus Andreasen, Marit Max Abrahamsen, Thomas Steenholt, Jesper Rønne, Laust Palbo Nielsen, and Jonas Fromm, among others. The programmers, too numerous to list, delivered exceptional work within the tight timeframe.
