Payday 2 - Hailstorm Mk 5
For Payday 2’s 200th weapon in the game, Starbreeze studios wanted to do something special, and I’m honored that they chose me for it. They graciously allowed me to share my work. I wanted to explain my process in full detail, but this is probably not the place for it. I might make a blog post. . The goal was a prototype looking, compact, bullpup-style weapon, capable of outputting large volumes of fire. Multiple barrels were allowed but not required, but it had to be grounded in reality. . I believe that the best way to approach a task like this is to start with research. Because when realism is part of the equation, the firing mechanism dictates a large portion of the design and operation. I purposefully used four vastly different firing systems as a base for my designs, because their varying mechanisms automatically led me to differently shaped weapons. . Silhouette A uses a caseless cartridge much like the G11. . B uses a “conventional” MetalStorm system in bullpup configuration, using multiple barrels. As early as this silhouette stage I was thinking about how it would work and how the user would interact with it. Due to the unconventional reload mechanism, I opted for creating an animated GIF. . C is best described as a “volley gun”. While it has a small caliber, it makes up for it by having many barrels and uses a single “cassette” as a magazine. . Design D is a bottom fed P90-like system with a quad-stack magazine, which allows for a higher capacity without increasing magazine length. . After feedback I combined B’s firing mechanism with C’s body design, and since the design and its operation was already laid out I could quickly move on to rendering. . For the exclusive weapon mod, they wanted a pre-alpha prototype of the original weapon. More clunky, rough and raw. It’s got a skeletonized CNC-cut steel frame with a two part 3D-printed polymer shell. It’s been stress-tested through and through and is covered in design adjustment markings. This version was a lot of fun to create because it allowed me to tap into the product design experience I’ve gained over the past years. . Overall, this has been a fantastic experience which I look forward to having again. Of course I didn’t work alone on this project, so I’d like to thank the rest of the team for all the feedback, input and all-around pleasant cooperation  . Alexander Jansson - 3D Weapon Artist (credit to him for the 3D model shown) Christopher Tuck - Animator Hassan Abdallah - Lead Artist Dennis Johansson - Game Designer Jakub Zieliński - Lead Producer Tobias Remmers - Producer Filip Blom - Art Manager
