Massimo Caggese
Massimo Caggese
Lead Material Artist @ Funcom | Archaeologist
Bari, Italy

8+ years of experience as Texture / Environment / Prop Artist, with a fast learning curve and a keen eye for details.
Task-driven and problem solver with a strong desire to work in a team with which constructively share hints, skills, satisfactions and frustrations.
Worked, as outsourcer in Elite3d (Valencia, Spain), at AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5 and Horizon: Call of the Mountain. Later worked in development as Senior Material Artist at the new IP from 31st Union (owned by 2K).
Currently working as Associate Lead Material Artist at Funcom ZPX for Dune: Awakening game.
Main softwares used: Blender, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Substance Designer, Unreal Engine 4-5.
Videogames lover, roleplaying games, board games, Magic: the Gathering player. Music absiduous listener. Comics and books reader, interested in ancient history, astronomy, and natural history.
Last but not the least, I'm a post-degree specialized archaeologist (10+ years work experience).

Skills

RenderingShading3D ModelingEnvironment ModelingHard Surface ModelingProp ModelingTexturingPhotogrammetryPBR TexturingPhysically Based Rendering

Software proficiency

Blender
Blender
ZBrush
ZBrush
Substance 3D Painter
Substance 3D Painter
Substance 3D Designer
Substance 3D Designer
Photoshop
Photoshop
Illustrator
Illustrator
Quixel Suite
Quixel Suite
Megascans
Megascans
Marmoset Toolbag
Marmoset Toolbag
Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine
Photoscan
Photoscan
Metashape
Metashape
Marvelous Designer
Marvelous Designer
RizomUV
RizomUV
Gaea
Gaea
World Machine
World Machine
AutoCAD
AutoCAD

Productions

    • Video Game
      Dune: Awakening - The Water Wars
    • Year
      2026
    • Role
      Lead Material Artist
    • Company
      Funcom
    • Video Game
      Dune: Awakening - Raiders of the Broken Lands
    • Year
      2026
    • Role
      Lead Material Artist
    • Company
      Funcom
    • Video Game
      Dune: Awakening - Lost Harvest
    • Year
      2025
    • Role
      Lead Material Artist
    • Company
      Funcom
    • Video Game
      Dune: Awakening
    • Year
      2025
    • Role
      Lead Material Artist
    • Company
      Funcom
    • Video Game
      Horizon Call of the Mountain
    • Year
      2023
    • Role
      Material Artist
    • Company
      elite3d
    • Video Game
      Forza Horizon 5
    • Year
      2021
    • Role
      Environment / Material Artist
    • Company
      elite3d
    • Video Game
      Cyberpunk 2077
    • Year
      2020
    • Role
      Prop / Environment Artist
    • Company
      elite3d

Experience

  • Lead Material Artist at Funcom
    Lisbon / Bari, Working remotely, IT
    January 2025 - Present

  • Associate Lead Material Artist at Funcom ZPX
    Lisbon / Valencia, Working remotely, ES
    August 2023 - December 2024

  • Senior Material Artist at Funcom ZPX
    Lisbon / Valencia, Working remotely, Spain
    January 2023 - Present

  • Senior Material Artist at 31st Union
    Valencia, Spain
    June 2022 - December 2022

  • Material Artist at 31st Union
    Valencia, Spain
    December 2021 - June 2022

  • Prop/Environment Artist | Material Artist at Elite3d
    Valencia, Spain
    March 2019 - December 2021

  • Texture/Material Artist | Environment Artist | Prop Artist (Full-time employee) at THESIS S.r.l.
    Bitonto, Italy
    July 2016 - September 2018

    Texture / Environment / Prop Artist for VR games/applications made in Unreal Engine 4.

    Modeling and texturing of new assets or retexturing/optimization of older ones.

  • 3D Modeler | Interior Renderist (Freelancer) at Quorum Italia S.r.l.
    Bari, Italy
    September 2014 - December 2015

    Interiors Modeling and Rendering for third-party clients.

  • 3D Artist (Freelancer) at Al.T.A.I.R. S.r.l.
    Bari, Italy
    September 2014 - February 2017

    3D Modeling, texturing and rendering/videomaking about Cultural Heritage monuments/artifacts

    recontructions.

    Products were used as still images in didactical contents in local museums or as didactical videos

    during exhibitions.

  • Archaeologist (Freelancer) at Al.T.A.I.R. S.r.l.
    Bari, Italy
    July 2010 - December 2013

    - Archaeological stratigraphic excavations;

    - Archaeological field surveys;

    - Archaeological supervision during construction excavations;

    - Specialized studies on ancient metal artifacts;

    - GIS Applications;

    - Didactical projects about Cultural Heritage.

  • GIS Technician (Freelancer) at Regional Directorate for Cultural Heritage and Activities of Tourism of Puglia
    Bari, Italy
    January 2008 - January 2013

    GIS Technician for environmental planning in the regional project called "Nuovo Piano Paesaggistico Territoriale della Regione Puglia".