by ZachC

 

Not to beat up on people but here we go again. Why? WHY? WHY!?! Why do people steal textures that don’t belong to them? In the past two weeks I’ve helped several designers put together documentation proving that their textures were being used by others. Not just buggies, clothes too. I’ve also had to deal with yet another of my own. Notice to texture thieves: If you want to make money you’re not going to do it by ruining your reputation. Stealing other peoples’s textures WILL do that. Yes, it’s true people can’t post your name in the forums, but trust me, we all talk and your name will get out there.  If you think you aren’t going to get caught, think again. MAYBE you won’t, but there’s a good chance you will. Many designers look out for each other. The customers and collectors let us know as well. The Buggy Designer Group actually formalized that support at its first meeting. Just in case you had any doubts, we’re all watching.

 

Other than making money, what is the motive for stealing textures from someone else? There really aren’t any. You aren’t learning how to do anything but cut and paste. You’re earning the enmity of real designers. You’re establishing a reputation as a thief. You can’t take any pride in the finished product, because.. DOH! YOU DIDN”T DO THE WORK!  I can’t see any pluses.

 

No offense to those who provide and use free textures, but it’s pretty much the same thing except the person hasn’t stolen the textures. I avoid reviewing buggies that use them, and many people who do “try-its” take a look, see the usual free stuff, and move on. Again, while the person hasn’t stolen anything, they still aren’t doing their own work. Where’s the pride in using something you took from someone else?

 

I’ve heard all of the excuses, both for using free stuff and stealing textures.  For instance: “I can’t figure out how to do a dash”. Then why submit at all? If you think the item is going to be successful, check around. If you’re new, I think you’ll be surprised to find that very few people make any money at all designing buggies (or anything else really). Those that do are doing original work with quality, and even then they’re few and far between. Most people who design in There are spending far more than they bring in. Your chances of being successful are diminished when you don’t do your own work. Another I hear is that they’re doing it for their own satisfaction. Really? Satisfaction? You get satisfaction from submitting something that someone else did? And if that’s the case, why are these “creations” always listed in auction? Is this “satisfaction” based on greed?

 

A valid reason for using someone else’s designs might be to have an available product for a business venture. In that case it’s right to pay for the designer’s work, and to acknowledge where it came from. Recently I’ve been asked if I were going to do something about buggies called ZMW that are not listed or submitted by me. The buggies in question actually were designed by me a long time ago. I sold the templates to an entrepreneur named Jballa. He and I had done a lot of business back in those days, and he wanted some buggies he could sell at his sales “shows”. To set the record straight, those buggies are his, he paid for them, and I also allowed him to use the ZMW name on them. He’s done nothing other than stick to the agreement we made way back then. His honesty and integrity are not and never have been in question. The buggy shown here is part- of the ZMW 1000 series that I created for him. They were done in several colors including blue, black, orange, and green. The blue was probably the best seller. It’s still listed after all this time and priced at 10,495t. The design is old but it still stands up well when compared to the vast numbers of buggies currently listed.

 

 

Another reason to have someone else create a buggy for you is for a neighborhood or community. I’ve done several of those, as have many other designers. The Rastopia Buggy by Rastopia is one that falls into that category. The buggy was created by ZMW with graphics by Mariesa and submitted by Rastopia. All proceeds from sales goes to support the loaner lot, the buggy maze, movie gallery, and arcades at Rastopia. The buggy is priced at 14,420t and if I do say so myself, it’s a unique buggy that will certainly get some attention wherever it’s driven.

 

A newer designer who recently had a buggy reviewed here is Nazereth666. His latest is a 2 seater called the CMC Vierra Racing Edition. It’s priced at 17,850. He’s getting a real knack for creating shine and his buggies keep improving. Check this one out if you’re on the market for a buggy. The quality may surprise you.

 

Tounguesports strikes again wth his new 4 seater the TS Torched. His flame graphics are excellent and he too is really getting that shine down. The Torched is priced at 18,850t and is well worth a look.

 

The last buggy today is one I hesitated to review. Not because it isn’t good, because it is. In fact it’s awesome. The problem is I’ve reviewed this designer’s work a lot lately but once I saw the price I knew this one was going to be included. The M:Core:R:UnLtd is RED. Yeah I know, by now you’re all well aware how much I like red buggies. But not only is it red, it’s by Mullachops which means the design is clean, sharp, original and very cool. When you add that the price tag is a mere 12,599t this becomes a must have. It’s unlimited, and I have no idea how long it will be available, but wow... a buggy of this quality at that price is rare. Check it out, I think you’ll like it.