Dazzling Designer Duo Delights
Us with their Developments

 

 

 

 

 

I found the needle in the haystack!  Not just A needle, mind you, but I found THE needle! And I didn’t even have to get out my magnet!   

When I was assigned the pleasure of an interview with the designing team of Bootay and CarCus of BC-Designs, I was extremely happy to do it.  I was somewhat familiar with their designs, having purchased a few of their items myself in Auctions, and watching from a distance as their popularity grew.  Most recently, I think we were all quite impressed, with the Livery Stable that was developed by this talented pair for the Wild Wild West town of Hula Gulch.  Couldn’t you just smell the horses in the stables and feel the dust in your boots?

I sat down with Bootay and CarCus last night in their stylish, but modest home, and talked about what brought the two together, their designs, and the process involved in meshing their two very creative talents together as one.  I also discussed the very new, VERY LARGE structure that will debut in our world as this edition goes to press!  Remember folks…..you heard it and SAW it here first!!! 

Rose_Blossom:  First off, our readers would like to know about BC-Designs.  Its unusual, isn't it, to see a design partnership or team in There?

Bootay:  I tried learning G-max but when I met CarCus he already knew it, so I figured since I can do textures fairly good why not team up...and start making new items instead of me just painting the same old There models everyone has access too.

CarCus:  Plus my models were good, but my textures weren’t the greatest, so asking Bootay to become a part of this was a great thing for me and for him!  Gmax is a 3d modeling program   It’s a way of creating objects to decorate or create actual items in world.

Rose_Blossom:  How long after you met did you form BC-Designs?

Bootay:   I didn’t meet CarCus until I guess June or around there of this year.

CarCus:  A neighbor, well actually, Kaya introduced us, I had joined one of the hoods they were in and everyone liked my models.  But they and I both knew my textures were lacking.  So Kaya introduced us and we hit it off right away from the start.

Bootay:   I have been doing my own designs in here since Oct 03.  I wanted to start generating a T$ income and it’s been good for me money-wise so I joined with CarCus and it’s been even better.  After a while, you've pretty much done everything there is to do in-world so making new objects for others to use and enjoy gives us some satisfaction. 

Rose_Blossom:  You're both the designers of the Livery Stable in Hula Gulch, is that right?  It’s truly remarkable and lifelike! Tell us how you started on that blank piece of paper? 

CarCus:  I grew up around that kind of stuff in RL.  I am a true to life country boy from New Mexico.  So that to me was old hat.  But it wouldn’t be as good as it is if it weren’t for Bootay’s textures, that’s for sure.

Rose_Blossom: What would you each say is your biggest selling item?

Bootay:  Our biggest selling item is the glass block walls we have sold a ton of those! 

Rose_Blossom:  What was your first item that you designed and released in-world?  

CarCus:  Together we did the room divider, right?

Bootay:  That would be the "room divider"

CarCus: Right*

Bootay:  It was made for portahomes to give people a separate room inside.

Rose_Blossom:  What do you think has been your best work?

Bootay:  By far for me the Gazebo!

CarCus: For me, as a modeler, I liked the Livery Stable, but I know we will probably not see a profit on it, and I’m not worried about it.  It’s the enjoyment people get out of it, then its ok the cost is secondary.  Our recent release is probably going to be both of our favorite for a while to come till we....

Rose_Blossom:  Pssssssssst! Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Bootay:  Oh!...OKAY….*cough* …Scratch that!

Rose_Blossom:  Okay now, and of course, what was your WORST work?

CarCus: Personally I never liked my little red barn I did way back when I started modeling.  But as a team, I don’t think there is anything I regret so far.

Bootay:  As BC-designs we haven’t made anything that I dislike per say but individually I have an item that was really bad....my therapist says I shouldn’t talk about it...so...I have to follow doctors orders.

Rose_Blossom:  hehheh

Bootay:  I’m kidding, I’m not in therapy, don’t print that! 

Rose_Blossom:  OOOOps! Too late!. My bad? 

Bootay:  Let me say this, anything I submit as a design is something I make for my own use then I just put it in auctions. That’s pretty much the way I do it.   When CarCus and I get an idea on a new item we toss ideas back and forth and the final product it usually pretty good so we run with it.

Rose_Blossom: Do you have a process to decide who builds what?   

CarCus:  Well it’s kind of a joint decision.

Bootay:  Necessity is the mother of invention.  We listen to people’s ideas or we'll just say” you know what would be cool to make" and that last statement is pretty much how our ideas get made.  Simple as that.

CarCus:  It really helps me out as far as how to do things having another set of eyes on things.

 Bootay:  That’s a good point, sometimes I’ll mention "we should make this or that"then CarCus will add "how bout if we add this" that's the design process we pretty much use.  Most of the time it’s something we want for ourselves or friends then we make it and throw it in auctions. 

CarCus:  Understand, the best part I like is that for those people who don’t know Gmax or modeling, you pretty much have to know what texture is going to be applied to the model before hand, so doing it as a team is a real challenge for me.  I have to have basically come up with a finished model and Bootay has to take it from there, not knowing how the textures are going to be applied to it.  For me it’s a real surprise what he comes up with when he is done.   

Rose_Blossom:  I think this is so interesting it’s a beautiful mesh of creativity!  

Bootay: Yeah it’s worked out real well we have more new things coming out, so...it adds, like he said, a breath of fresh air to the world with some of the items we make. 

Rose_Blossom:  What aspect of There, developer-wise OR otherwise, do you enjoy the most?  

Bootay: Seeing it for the first time in-world...that’s always the best part for me.  

CarCus:  The actual creation process is the best part for me, plus seeing it in world and getting feed back on that particular item from others.  

Bootay: Then after doing all the textures...model tweaks...submissions…waiting ...to finally see it in world never gets old for me.  And, yes...I agree…to get people’s reactions for the first time to one of our creations is fun also.  Just like the reaction we will get from you of our newest item...that’s going to be fun!…LOL  

Rose_Blossom:    OMG...I can't wait!!!!  (I’m DYING here!!!) 

Rose_Blossom:    What aspect of There, developer-wise OR otherwise, do you DISLIKE the most? 

CarCus:  Hmm… well before the newest release of builder limits, there was a lot to say, but now I am satisfied with what we have gotten from There totally.  

Bootay:  Actually...the builder program has gotten to quite good now...have no dislikes...at first...there were some but now the new way they do things is fine by me, no dislikes. 

Rose_Blossom:    What advice would each of you offer to someone starting out in There?  What about someone wishing to design or develop in There?  

CarCus:  Do a lot of research and do a lot of tutorials.  It took me a good month and a half to get a hang of Gmax, but with classes now, they are a must-attend for someone new. 

Bootay:  Start out small....learn Photoshop...start painting a few items...submit them...see what happens...but I would tell them not to expect to get rich right off the bat...and to keep trying new fresh things.  

Rose_Blossom:   Where can someone take a class in Gmax?  

CarCus:  Well I know that Merit is giving classes through the University of There.  I have spoken to a few of his students and they say he has been doing a good job as far as teaching the basics for some that know nothing about it.  I know for a fact that RL colleges are teaching these classes now for doing 3D objects, and here you can have fun and do it for a small fee of our submission cost. 

Rose_Blossom:   This was a question on the recent MAB nomination questionnaire... If you could add only ONE new feature to There, assuming no resource limitations on the company side (e.g. art and engineering time), what would you choose?   

Bootay:  I would love to see water in -world where the oceans have depth to them that way you could have underwater communities. 

CarCus:  For me it would be weather, wind, rain, and stuff like that.  Plus wild animals… either big or small, as a separate thing that cannot be bought or sold that would just be a part of the world. 

Rose_Blossom:   What do CarCus and Bootay like to do in their "spare" time?

CarCus:  Build more objects, ha ha!  

Bootay:  Between work…and There...what spare time?  (Coming in) There is where I spend my spare time. 

CarCus:  I myself like to also draw, and refurbish old furniture.  Among many other things, I am a bit of a workaholic on everything I do. 

Rose_Blossom:  Now....the pièce de résistance....  You promised me an exclusive scoop!  But before you show me, please let me thank you both for all your time and patience during this interview.  I know I speak for our readers, as well as all the good people in There, when I say that we are anxiously looking forward to bigger, brighter and, if it’s possible, even better designs and objects coming out of BC-Designs! 

Bootay and CarCus together:   LADY…YOU HAVE NOOOO IDEA!!!! 

 

PRESENTING….THE BC NEEDLE! 

The next thing I knew, CarCus blindfolded me, and he and Bootay took me to a nearby frontierzone.  They removed my blindfold.  It took a few minutes for my surroundings to clear, but when they finally did, the sight before my eyes was unbelievable!

There, standing gigantic…no, enormous…NO… COLOSSAL right in front of me was a There-size replica, or very close to it, of the Space Needle located in Seattle!  Due to the fact that my knees buckled and my mouth couldn’t work, all I could say was, “OMG….OMG…..OMG….”

The space needle will soon have a limited number available in auctions, but be aware, due to the wishes of the designers to make this a very special and rare piece, the cost of each of the 7 (yes, seven) pieces won’t be cheap!  Assembled here, it stands a cool 135 meters tall, but as Bootay said, “It can go higher.”  (Higher?????) You can currently visit the BC Needle yourself at Epic Island Frontierzone (operated by xThor) See it in all its glory!  Take the elevator all the way to the top.  Spend time for a cocktail and chat with your friends in the lounge.  Then take the ride of your life as you leap off the observation deck! 

But don’t take my word for it…