PMM - The Magazine

by Nikkia LaRee

Your name on IMVU is DreamWeaver1, but would you care to give us your real first name?
My real first name is Gretchen.

What is your age?
I am 35 years old.

Where are you from?
I'm originally from North Carolina, but I've lived in Arkansas since 2002.

How long have you been a member of the IMVU community?
I've been a member of IMVU since January of 2006.

How long after joining IMVU did you become a developer?
About a month after I joined IMVU, I dove into content creation and have been hooked ever since.

How many items would you say is in your catalog?
I think I have close to 4,000 products in the IMVU catalog currently...give or take a few.

What has been the hardest item for you to develop and why?
The hardest thing I ever made for IMVU was my Goth Cave bundle (listed in my catalog as Poet's Hideaway). The bundle was going to be promoted by IMVU and I had a lot of interaction with some members of IMVU staff in relation to its completion. I tend to work alone so it was hard to deal with the critiques sometimes...although I must say I learned a lot in the process.

To this date...What is your best seller?
Honestly I can't pinpoint my best selling product. With so many products in the catalog, I try and go through and check on them as often as possible, but it's really an undertaking and takes several hours just to get halfway through reading the reviews alone, much less keeping tabs on my best selling product.

What is your favorite item in your catalog and why?
My favorite product is Flying!. I've made several fairy ensembles as well as wings and the flying animation has made it SO much more fun to play with those items on IMVU.

How did you learn to develop, did you study the tutorials provided by IMVU, or did you mentor another developer?
Learning to develop for IMVU was a combination of studying IMVU tutorials, tutorials provided by other developers in the community, exchanges between myself and other developers as we learned new tips and tricks, and mentoring by the fabulous Cassiopeia and the amazing Matt. :)

Do you have any formal training in real life that aids you in your IMVU developing?
I have no formal training in reality that actually relates to IMVU developing, but I am certified in computer programming, have a bit of a background in web design, and have been an artist for most of my life. Let's just say I have a thirst for knowledge and a love for creativity. 

What programs do you use for your developing?
For mesh creation, I'm a big fan of 3DStudio Max, but I have also used SketchUp for a few models I've created. For texturing, I use a combination of MS Paint, GIMP, & Ulead Photo Express.

So, for the interested readers out there, would you happen to be single...looking....or taken?
I've been married since May 2003. Sorry guys.

Do you have any tips for developer wanna-bes, or anything you'd like to add?
For anyone interested in developing for IMVU, I can only tell you from my perspective but I LOVE to create new things to play with on IMVU. I'm a picky shopper and sometimes I can't find exactly what I'm looking for. It's fantastic to just be able to go and make it myself and have it be exactly what I was wanting. It's an added bonus when others find my creations to be to their liking. As far as making an actual income on IMVU, well when I went shopping the first few times, I did a bit of math and thought to myself, "There's a HUGE pie out there and I want my slice of it!" It's still there for the taking, you just have to put for the effort.

 by: passionateSHANE

FrEaKyDESIGNS CATALOG

Thank you Freaky for meeting with me this evening.  I know your busy and it's an honor to be in the presence of not only a beautiful woman, but a very talented one as well.
My pleasure ty for having me, *blushes*

Please tell us, how long have you been on IMVU and how long have you been developing?
I have been on here for three years I believe. I started developing about three months after I joined IMVU.

Did anyone inspire you to become a developer?
I was inspired by alot of the older developers. My favorite was Frozen. I was mainly into the aspect of avi art and started out doing stickers... like most do. Developing use to make me cry when I first started doing it.

Who would be some of your favorite developers now?
Hmmm, Synner, DeliveranceNow, Seena77, Mercuria. Im very picky about textures. I want realism, which is why they are my favorite developers.

Well, from what I have seen, you do quite well yourself. Any chance of doing more men's clothing?
I would love to do more. I sell them like mad. haha I just have recently been on a bit of a break.

Have you seen or have you heard of PMM before today?
I first heard of it when I was mentioned in it. Sadly, I wish I would have sooner. You all are doing an amazing job on it.

Thank you, what was your initial reaction when you saw it?
Well I had been going through alot with my impending move so it was a nice surprise. It took my mind off my stress and made me smile. Thank you.

Glad it helped.

Any future projects you'd care to mention?
I try to split my time on deving and art, but I do plan to crack down on developing more.

Art?
Yes I do alot of avi art, but not like typical art. I will have to show you some sometime.

Can you give me an example?

Sure... (example)

WOW, amazing! You are truly talented
Thank you

Which do you like to develop more?  Rooms, clothes (male or female)?
I prefer lingerie which is well like 80 % of my catalog or more. Never really got into rooms much. The ones I have done all have meaning to them. I can show you a darker scene haha Snow gives me a headache after a while lol
You can show me anything
I haven't been in this room for a long time so please excuse them.

So after seeing this interview, your talent and your catalog I'm sure readers would love to know what does a woman like you look for in a man?
I actually found the man of my dreams In a game called Shaiya when I took a break from IMVU. He is ten years younger, and from England. He came and stayed with me for three months, went back home in October. I am flying to England to marry him soon.

Well, now that our readers are sad to know this information, I must say he is a lucky gentleman.
Thank you kindly haha

Are there any inspiring words you would like to share with our readers or anyone that is looking to develop soon?
Just never give up hope,  there is always someone out there that is willing to give there time to see others grow. It is our future developers that keep the place alive. Things were tough on me at first... I had no help to learn so now I teach developing. I never want anyone to feel the way I did.

Thanks great. How can one be a student of yours?
I have a group but its been a bit dead since my break but has nice tutorials on it

Great, I'll be sure to join.  I want to get back into developing.  I've only ever done pictures and hairs. I've not had the patience to learn clothes.
I also teach on MSN when I can. Step by step. But I am picky on who I teach. haha

May I become a student?
Of course

YAY I would be honored if you could teach me.  [Gives email address for MSN messenger]Why that name may I ask?

What name?  My email?
Yes

I'm a Firefighter
My hero!

lol
I'm serious.

I'm not a hero, just an average guy hon.
You are one of the most amazing group of humans we have. Risking your lives for sake of others like me. I would not be here today if it were not for firefighters.

Really?
Yes, I have third and fourth degree burns.

Wow, what happened if I may ask?
When I was fifteen months old my babysitter wasn't doing her job well. She was cheating on her husband and left me downstairs with four kids under the age of five.

WOW
I got on the back porch knocked over a big can of gasoline and then dumped a small one down me. I stepped into the house where her sons were lighting paper on the pilot light of the stove and couldn't get it to go out. So they tossed it behind them where I stood.  The house was on fire then the water tank blew up I was stuck in the fire twenty minutes before being rescued. They said I shouldn't be alive. Took them 46 minutes to get me breathing. My doctor cried and begged, then as he was calling the time I took a breath. 140 operations and one limb less I'm still here. A mother of three beautiful kids they swore I couldnt have.

I'm very sorry to hear that.  But in all honesty,YOU are the hero, having lived through it. THAT is a hero... Not me.
Thank you, but that's not true. Without people like you I couldn't be what I am today. I'm a stronger person with more desire and passion for life due to what happened to me.

We only helped you breathe, you are the one that gave yourself LIFE. Many define life as just being able to breathe, we define it as making a difference and overcoming the obstacles you are now facing.
Yes, people ask me... Don't you wish it wouldn't have been you? I say... No, had it been anyone else I don't think they would have lived through it. I'm glad it was me.

Exactly, YOU are the hero. Its people like you that we fight to for.
Yes, I grew up with many people that admire you and thankful that firefighters do what they do for the reasons they do it.

I'm glad you overcame your obstacles and have blessed us with your wonderful talents.
Thank you kindly

Well, I won't take too much more of your time given you have a family at home to take care of. Thank you very much for your time and story.
Shhh they are sleeping haha

haha
Thank you for allowing me the experience.

Again, it was an honor to meet you and I hope you continue blessing us with your talent on IMVU.
I promise to...as long as people buy my things I will be here. My sales are insaine so I wont be leaving haha

Great! Take care and contact me for anything you need my new found friend.
I will do just that. Thank you.