Scion Issue One by JacarandaTree

MEET THE SCION EDITORIAL STAFF Editor in Chief/Creative Director ~ JacarandaTree Advertising & Sponsorships ~ TinkerBooo & xxSueBeexx Developer & Mesher Advice Columnists ~ Delure & TeenyWeenyNana IMVU Insider ~ Gaf210 Developer Interviews, Product Reviews, & Photoshoots ~ Brynn, CasandraVenom, & MrsXiaSeven IMVU Music Scene Correspondents ~ DJTech1 & SsexySookie Graphic Arts Lead Designer ~ SpacieStacy Additional Graphic Artists ~ Brynn, CasandraVenom, M0RBID0LL, Leilo, MrsXiaSeven, QueenLalaDarkenMyst, TinkerBooo, Vixiella, xxFree2BMexx, xxSueBeexx

SCION SPONSORS Ahndante

Bonkolina

Brynn

CasandraVenom

CherryRed

Delure

Ellohym

Faunalynn

Ferra

Gaf210

gowns

House of Kheresket

Ismeny

Leilo

KennyBlack

MagickalMorrigan

LeviRyder

Martha

MallorysOracle

MJSouthernBlondie

MissMaya

MrsXiaSeven

MrJDSeven

Perfect Khaos

Nokorosora

QBL

RainofEvenMorn

RomyChanel

SheLLz1212

SSSVibez Radio

TeenyWeenyNana

TiaraStone

TinkerBooo

xXQueenSaraiXx

xxSueBeexx

Vixiella

wiing

SCION Magazine™ is owned and published electronically by NotorieTree Inc. Copyright 2015 NotorieTree Inc. All rights reserved. ® “SCION Magazine and distinctive logo are trademarks owned by NotorieTree Inc. No part of this electronic magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of NotorieTree Inc. Requests for permission should be directed to: SCION Magazine: notorietree@outlook.com

CONTENTS Letter from the Editor

The Scoop on Skins

Dude! I Gotta Mesh That! What Drives Delureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Designs

Scaling, Maps, and Test Textures: An Interview with Bonkolina

Ismeny Embraces her Passion

106

For the Love of Music: SSS Vibez Radio

134

Two Time Winning Model: MrsXiaSeven

140

Creator Tips: Understanding TOS & the Virtual Goods Policy

171

Get Matched Survival Guide

178

Taking on some . . . Aha!

202

Sponsor Links

224

NotorieTree Events Calendar

227

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hullo and welcome to our first issue of Scion Magazine! NotorieTree is the best of everything that IMVU developer promotion can offer. But that doesn’t mean we stop pushing ourselves to do more and to do it all better. Trees actually never stop growing, and NotorieTree is no exception. With Scion Magazine, we branch out further, offering more opportunities for developers to grow their brands. Why the name “Scion”? No, we’re not out of control Nissan fans. A scion is a new and budding branch, which we feel fits the NotorieTree brand perfectly. I have to say that the experience of working on this first issue has been unbelievably amazing. The support and excitement of our sponsors truly moved us. And the dedication and hard work of the Scion staff is priceless! As with everything NotorieTree does, developer promotion is at the heart of Scion Magazine. That doesn’t mean we stop there however. TeenyWeenyNana, Delure, and Gaf have joined our staff to create regular columns for our readers with tips on developing, meshing, and the IMVU scene. Our very own SsexySookie and DJTech1 will keep us informed on the IMVU music scene. And the NotorieTree Elite models will share some secrets of the trade as well as assist sponsors with ad creation. We hope that you enjoy Scion and come back for more each issue. And mostly, we hope that you help us support our developer sponsors and partners by shopping and deriving from their catalogs! Because we didn’t want to mess up the beautiful ads created for Scion, we didn’t include links on the ads themselves. Instead, you can find links to our sponsor and partner catalogues, Facebook groups, and websites on pages 224 & 225. Happy reading everyone! xoxoxoxoxo, Jacs

THE SCOOP ON SKINS By MrsXiaSeven I want to start out by saying I love skins! There are so many talented skin developers out there to choose from, and of course, I recommend that you collect the skins you feel that you must own. A skin says a lot about your avatar. In Dress Up, it’s fun to play and discover how you look completely different with a new skin. You soon learn that you can look like whomever you wish. Take time and check out those catalogues! What to watch for when skin shopping First, watch for even tones. Is the makeup what you want? How much is too much or too little? How much muscle definition is too much? How natural do you want to look? How light or dark do you want to be? I watch for red/orange tones, because they do not look natural to me. I like the complete change a skin can give you. Have you ever noticed that? I will talk about a couple developers in each Scion issue. Today, I am thinking about MissMaya; she has amazing skins! Each one a different look from dark and alluring, to playful and fun. I could own them all! Yes, some are set to display only. If you’re anything like me and collect skins, the “display only” skins are the ones I want the most. I love a new look for everything, from an evening out to a day at the beach. I always want to look my best and I know you do too. I give 5 peppers for MissMaya skins! Each one of Maya’s skins has an even tone and she offers varying amounts of makeup to fit your every need. Here is a skin developer who is new to me: FEAR. Wow! I love the look I got from FEAR’s skin. It’s one I use often. There is always more to see. FEARs skins are realistic which I think enhances the avatar to look less like a cartoon. I really love the new looks I have found with FEAR! Alright guys! I want to hear your views on skins! Do you have any recommendations for a good skin developer? What’s your favorite skin tone? Do you change your look or keep a good solid one? In the next issue, I would like to add feedback from the readers. I would love to know what you think about skins and who some of your favorite skin developers are. I’d also love to hear your thoughts about MissMaya’s and Fear’s skins. Do you like to change your look for parties or just because you feel like making a change? So take some time and IMVU inbox me at MrsXiaSeven!

DUDE I GOTTA MESH THAT! WHAT DRIVES DELURE’S DESIGNS Early summer 2014, I really wanted to expand how NotorieTree was helping promote developers. We were having great success and a lot of fun working with Bonkolina to promote developers who derived from her meshes, so I wanted to figure out a way to do something similar with a clothing mesher. Delure was honestly the first clothing mesher who came to mind, largely because after I’d started using her meshes, I didn’t want to derive from others. After thinking and thinking and thinking about how I could do this, I realized the way it would work was through fashion shows. I nervously approached Delure half expecting her to tell me to piss off. Instead she graciously accepted and an amazing partnership was born! Over the past 15 months I’ve gotten to know Delure pretty well and we’ve developed a great working relationship and friendship. After working with Delure on shows for the first year and talking with her through her meshing process for the shows, I wanted to sit down with her and pick her brilliant brain for our first issue. Jacs: What got you into 3D design/meshing for IMVU? Delure: I found IMVU while I was going to art school in San Francisco. At the time, I was studying photography and wasn't really liking actually taking the pictures. What I really liked about it was the post-processing and pre-photography work of building fantasy sets and costumes to photograph. Building those sets and costumes though was very very expensive, so when I found IMVU, I was so excited that there was a way I could build things, and make costumes for hardly any money at all. So I saved up, got 3ds Max and started to learn how to model! Jacs: What are your favorite designs to date and why? Delure: I would have to say my 3 favorite designs would be Morgana, The Crow Keeper, and The Zurubi Empress. I love making character bundles. And since I started doing the fashion show contests with NotorieTree, I’ve been able to really express myself with the reveal outfits. Morgana, well the wings on that one are just like OMG! I can't believe I made something like that! LOL. They look great! And are almost a perfect match to the ones in the games. The Crow Keeper is a character of my own creation, the male outfit I like too, but the female outfit is my favorite. I got to build a bird for the first time, and do some awesome rendering with the textures. So that was really fun to work on. And the latest bundle I did was the Zurubi Empress. She is W O W! LOL Another one I can't believe I pulled off. I especially love the drape, and of course the galaxy accessory. Sooooo many animations went into that and individual mesh pieces. The last count was 2 accessory products, 43 mesh pieces, 23 textures, 27 mesh animations, and 3 avatar animations! But I love it and really am amazed it all worked together! Jacs: What designs were the most challenging or frustrating? Delure: I find anything that is simple and plain super frustrating and boring. I hate making opacity meshes! I know I know! People who don't mesh love to be able to make their own designs with opacities. But seriously I’m so over them. The more “cut out” premade meshes are so much fun! And I don't care how hard or challenging it is, I find them much more enjoyable to make. Opacity meshes are boring, and I find myself procrastinating about it and putting it off and putting it off, because I just can't stand to do it. But don't worry I have more coming. Lol >.<

Jacs: Do you think meshers are limited on IMVU? What processes could be improved and how? Delure: OMG yes! We are very limited! Not only is the poly count very low for IMVU (although I think people are now starting to push the limits a little bit with HD clothing, heads, and bodies), it is also very basic in terms of texture quality, lighting, and movement. How cool would it be to actually walk through a forest and have the sun set? Never going to happen on IMVU. Which is sad, because I think for them to stay current, they are going to have to, at some point, bring in some of those things. Jacs: You have a wide range of meshes. Some are more generic and customizable via opacities, while others are more specific. What inspires you to create the meshes you have? Delure: Honestly I’d say about 80-90% of my catalog is uninspired work that I do because its the only way that I can make money, the rest of it however is what I really love to do. Like I said before, I hate doing generic meshes, they bore me to tears! And I’m not very fond of doing modern sexy stuff either. But they are both the foundation of my income on IMVU so I continue to make them. What really inspires me is fantasy and science fiction based character work. Sometimes I like to do more cosplay type stuff like Morgan or the Defiance meshes I’ve done, but what I really like to do is make my own characters. And how I do that is, I’ll get inspired by a movie or a comic or a piece of art or something, then I’ll come up with an idea and spend hours searching for more pictures that inspire me. Sometimes I sketch things out, or mash up pieces from different outfits, and poof! A character is born! Jacs: What is your scariest experience as a mesher? Delure: I think what scared me the most was actually turning this passion into a full time income. It was so hard in the beginning and I didn't know if I could actually do it. I quit my job, quit school, and started modeling full time. The first 6 months or so, I was only making a couple hundred dollars a month, and there were times I wanted to give up and just go work a regular job. But I was determined to do it. So I stuck with it and soon my income started to go up. Now I feel I’vs finally reached a point I’m happy with on IMVU. But I’m not stopping here. There is so much more out there and I’m starting to spread out to other sites and learn more about modeling. Soon I will be making my own fully rendered art and trying to sell that. So in the end all that fear and stress was totally worth it! Jacs: I know you’ve been to ComicCon and that you’re a self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd. When you’re at an event like Comic Con, are you thinking “Dude! I want to mesh that!”? Delure: LMAO! I think “Dude! I want to mesh that!” alllll the time! When I’m watching a TV show or movie, when I see a beautiful dress somewhere, I think... “oooo that would make a cool mesh!” LOL. Cons are fun, I’ve only been to the one so far, but hopefully some day, you might see me selling some art at one! Jacs: With the recent changes on IMVU, developers have new challenges. How do these effect you as a mesher? Delure: Sales are down, I haven't been MASA capped YET, so thats good, but I know a lot of people have. And the thing about being a mesher on IMVU is that you rely on others for your income, if they get capped and stop working (because they are more than likely super mad), or if sales start to drop because credits 51

are more expensive now, its gets really hard to keep your income up. Thats one thing I hate about IMVU, I can do days and days of work on a mesh, put it out there, and even if people derive, if they are not making sales, I’m pretty much SOL. Of course, I have to make quality products and market them to get people to derive, but a lot of it is just hoping that either enough people derive, or that a popular texture artist derives so you can at least get paid for your time. When this all first started in April, sales plummeted, I was very close to not being able to pay my bills, and still am, but things are starting to improve. This month has been much better, so hopefully they will continue to go back to where they were. Jacs: I know that meshing is demanding on your time, but for the shows your produce with NotorieTree you always create a new mesh and texture a reveal outfit for the show. Is there a possibility of you texturing on a more frequent basis? Delure: /sigh... lol I love texturing!!! It’s like the icing on the cake you know. And where I don't feel my texturing skills are quite level with my meshing skills, I think I do a good job. The problem is, I have to keep putting out new meshes to keep my income up on IMVU, which leaves me little time to do much else. But that is going to be changing soon, because I feel like I’ve kind of stalled a bit in my meshing, and I want to grow and learn more. So the only way I can do that is to stop meshing so much and start working on other things. I’ll never fully stop meshing for IMVU, but I feel I’m ready for the next level, and I want to texture more, and do rooms, and full textured bundles. It’s fun! And it forces me to learn new techniques! Jacs: If you could change one thing about how meshing works on IMVU what would it be and why? Delure: Dynamic lighting! So we can use normal maps and specular maps in our textures! The way a normal map works is it tells the computer this area of the mesh is supposed to look raised, and this area of the mesh is supposed to look recessed. So you can take a seemingly flat mesh and make it look like there are meshed in winkles, and other elements without having to raise the polygon count of the actual mesh. Specular maps are for shine and reflectivity, so you say this part is supposed to have lots of shine, and this part is supposed to be dull. But in order for either of those to work, or render in game, there has to be dynamic lighting; you know, actual shadows and reflections. And with the new VR head sets coming out, I think IMVU would be very smart to implement this soon. Whether they do it or not is another story. While talking with Delure during this interview process we discussed the possibility of her being a regular contributor for Scion. So starting in the November issue, be on the lookout for a regular feature from Delure on meshing tips!

Scaling, Maps, and Test Textures: An Interview with Bonkolina I first met Bonkolina while running Sinsualities Inc, which morphed into NotorieTree early 2014. We started 2014 off with a bang by creating a partnership with Bonkolina to help promote IMVU creators who derived from her meshes. As time progressed, this developed into the Bonkolina Creators Spotlight Contest she now runs monthly. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Bonk about her experiences as a top room and furniture mesher for IMVU. Jacs: What got you into 3D design?

Bonkolina: I was getting successful with making hair textures and wanted to see if I could start creating my own hair meshes. Jacs: I know you started out learning to mesh hair. What drew you away from that and into meshing rooms and furniture? Bonkolina: Well, in a nutshell: It was easier! I soon discovered that I had a LOT to learn about 3D modeling before I could turn out a decent hair mesh. It's like trying to build a car before you even know how to drive one. So I decided to work with more geometric stuff and learn more about modeling and mapping before attempting more complex geometry. My room and furniture meshes were so wellreceived, I kept going and didn't look back at hair again. From a business standpoint, there's no way I could churn hair out fast enough to be competitive with the handful of hair meshers. Jacs: What are your main influences when conceiving a new bundle? Bonkolina: Sometimes it's just something I saw in the real world, other times it's an idea that came out of a conversation with someone, and other times it's driven by the time of year. I try to come up with ideas for bundles that inspire creators to think about what they can do with the same meshes to make it better or different. At the same time I like to keep myself challenged and inspired by stretching a bit outside of my comfort zone. Jacs: What about the meshing process excites you most? Bonkolina: When it's done, lol. I've been creating meshes for IMVU for a little over four years now and each one has taught me something new. That process of building on what I've learned and expanding my skills keeps me going. I can often be heard wondering aloud why I choose to make things difficult for myself, but the simple answer is I enjoy a challenge. I compete with myself more than anyone else. What can I do that's new, original, or different? That's getting a lot more challenging as the years roll by! Jacs: Do you think meshers are limited on IMVU? What processes could be improved and how? Bonkolina: The process has been in place for so long, I guess I don't see it as a limitation, but rather just how things work. Create Mode simplified things a great deal for meshers to be able to see exactly what will happen in the client, so that was a huge step forward from the old Previewer days. There are

probably a million little things I'd love for them to do, but a lot of that is limited by the way IMVU was originally created. Getting those things would involve breaking everything else. Jacs: What is your scariest experience as a mesher? Bonkolina: When I spot a significant goof on a mesh after it has been derived from many times. I don't like to make changes or fixes after a mesh has been derived, since it can have a huge impact on the creators and their customers. This is why I "test texture" every mesh before I publish it, to spot the mistakes before they do. Even then, little things can easily slip through the cracks, but the scariest ones are more major things. Fortunately, they don't get past me that easily! Jacs: What sets you apart from other room and furniture meshers? What is it that sets the Bonkolina brand so successful? Bonkolina: Having started out as a texture artist, I knew the frustration of a mesh that was poorly mapped or thought-out. When you don't discover that a lamp and a plant are mapped with the same texture until after you've put in a lot of time on the rest of it...that's frustrating. Or when you really want to derive something, but the mesher hasn't provided maps for areas of the mesh that require it. (Whenever possible I map my meshes so no special maps are required.) My experience as a texture artist has been a driving force in how I map my meshes so that the creator's textures always look exactly how they expect them to look, and the materials assigned to a particular area of the mesh make sense. Takes a lot more time on my part, but I think the net result is a happier texture artist. The best compliment I ever got from a creator was "Your meshes make me look good!" Jacs: What is your favorite bundle youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created? Bonkolina: I think my favorite bundle is usually my latest one, lol. I spend so much time looking at them, by the time they're done I'm already tired of them. However I am especially proud of the Realms of Thrones bundle, that one was definitely a stretch for me. Jacs: I know you have older room meshes you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fond of because of scaling issues. How did you learn to perfect the scaling in your meshes? Bonkolina: One thing I absolutely HATE is a room with scale problems and I have a few of those. The rooms look great right up until your avatar is in it and a step in the staircase is about hip-height on the avatar! Over time I've gotten more of a sense of where things need to be to properly scale a room or a piece of furniture to the avatar. I use a "statue" of the default avatar when I'm working with things that need to scale properly to it (like stairs) so that it's at least conceivable that the avatar could walk up the stairs without a ladder. I've also concentrated more effort on creating more intimate spaces where the furniture doesn't look lost in the room. The trick is, bring the mesh into the client sooner rather than later so you can check the scale as you go along. Like everything, striking a balance between a properly scaled room and one without too many visual obstructions is probably the biggest challenge most meshers face.

Jacs: You’ve worked with NotorieTree for almost two years now. During this time you’ve promoted a few of your IMVU promotional bundles, but you’ve also spent a lot of time and energy promoted developers who derive from your meshes. What have been the successes with these promotions? What have been the challenges? Bonkolina: While I enjoy promoting my own work, I must admit I enjoy promoting the work of others just as much, maybe even a little more. Not only do I get to help call attention to a talented creator, I also get to reach a new audience among their friends and associates. It's a win-win. It increases exposure for my meshes and for that creator's catalog. The challenges have been managing that along with keeping a steady supply of new meshes to use in the contests, plus doing other work and having a personal life. Jacs: IMVU’s recent changes in payment policies have effected everyone on IMVU. How have these changes effected your work? Bonkolina: Well, I didn't really see it as much of a choice. I was not happy about it, but it was pretty clear this was going to be the new normal from now on. My earnings have stayed relatively stable, but the stress factor of the uncertainty and the slow rate of payouts did affect me for a while. Since then I've adjusted to a more steady pace. Still, IMVU has always been unpredictable so you have to learn to live with the possibility that things will take a turn again. Jacs: In Jan 2015, you began a new project with NotorieTree, Bonkolina’s Creator Spotlight Challenge. You’ve had five challenges so far this year with some wonderful entries. What’s on the horizon for the BCC? Bonkolina: As you know I totally lost July, but I am launching a new set of meshes, including a room, designed around an office theme. So I'll be looking for awesome office bundles in the August contest! Haven't decided on a specific theme, but I'm hoping to see some creative interpretations of office spaces! Jacs: Your 1st event with NotorieTree in October 2014 was to promote your Witches’ Ball bundle. Last year for the 1st Anniversary of your partnership with NotorieTree, you promoted your Madwoman in the Attic bundle. Any chance you want to give our readers a sneak peek at what might be up your sleeve for your 2nd anniversary event with NotorieTree? Bonkolina: I haven't slightest idea what I'll be doing, lol. Be sure to keep track of Bonkolina’s Creator Spotlight Contest on Facebook! Each contest is unique and the participating developers deliver outstanding bundles! And even though Bonk won’t give teasers about what’s next, I can tell you to Save the Date October 30th! Bonkolina and NotorieTree will be celebrating the 2 year anniversary of their partnership with a massive Halloween bundle promotion party!

ISMENY EMBRACES HER PASSION by CasandraVenom Sitting down with Ismeny is always a treasure. She is most definitely the sweetest person on the planet I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I sat down for a short visit with my long time friend to ask her a few things about being a creator on IMVU and a multiple contest winner in NotorieTree showcases. Cas: First and foremost. I think we all want to know what inspires you most? Ismeny - Well, every time someone asks me that, I always try to remember what it is, but I think it is just some ideas that come to my mind and of course, the ideas come after I see all the amazing meshes in the catalog provided by our fellow developers, like Delure, DerivableR, and a lot of other creators. Cas: Did you start developing right away when you joined IMVU? Ismeny - No, it was around two years later. Cas: It seems like creativity and artistry just flow out of you. Do you feel the same way about yourself? Ismeny - Well, my mind tends to think in a logical way, but I think here on IMVU I can explore the creative side of my mind. When I started creating pictures for Unedited Contest, I always knew I wasn't an artist, but I always try to do my best in every thing I do. Cas: What, in your opinion, is the hardest step in creating an outfit? Concept or final product? Ismeny - In my case it is the concept. Maybe because, as I said before, I don't consider myself an artist; so that is the difficult part for me. Once I have the idea, creating the outfit just flows. Cas: Do you have any favorite pictures or outfits that you've made? Ismeny - Ohh well every picture is special for me even if I am only showcasing a product. Taking pictures is my first passion here on IMVU. I also have a Pinterest to keep some of my favs. For the outfits, I call my creation my babies. Cas: What are you doing when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not creating? What other hobbies do you have? Ismeny - Does playing video games count? Lol! Cas: Of course! Do you have a favorite? Ismeny - Other than Zelda of course, all of them! Cas: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others who want to start creating? Ismeny - I don't want to say the over used phrase, never give up, but of course that is a motto for everyone. Also, I always try to challenge myself, and think I can do something, So never let people tell you that you cannot do it. Of course and more importantly, your friends are the most important in the process. Never forget them. Cas: What can we expect from you in the future? Any spoilers on what you're working on next? Ismeny - Ohh well, that is a difficult question because I really don't have projects to be done. I usually do the things I feel in the moment. So unfortunately, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any spoilers. But I will always try to improve in everything I do, so I don't know. Surprise! Surprise!

FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC: SSSVIBEZ RADIO When SSexySookie & DJTech1 live stream events & parties you know it's gonna be a good time. Both have been a part of the NotorieTree Team since Summerfest Fashions in June 2014 and I had the pleasure of sitting down with both of them to find out just how this dynamic duo came to be and what keeps them going. Cas: So how did you two get started, were you always a team? SSexySookie - Actually no, I started the radio on my own. After a year or two of researching and Googling and Youtubin, I finally did it. It was something I always wanted to do, always had a love of music. I met DJTech1 actually probably 6 months into starting the radio station. He won a contest from another magazine about two years ago, and we've been stuck since then. Cas:Tech, what did you win? A date? DJTech1 - I won 6 months of advertising with Sookie. Cas:How long had you DJ'd before Tech? DJTech1 - I think maybe a year after I started IMVU, so 6 years. That was back when we had our own music in the IMVU catty. But, I have to say i enjoy live stream much better. Cas:Where did the name SSSVibez come from? SSexySookie - That name took me ‘bout a good month of back and forth and thinking....and asking friends for suggestions. Eventually it became the initials from my avatar name here, the three S's. I didn't want a name with my whole name in it, but I wanted something more general and catchy, and I didn’t want to add any singular genre of music in the name either like Rock or Jazz, ‘cause music is so much more than just those 2 genres. Plus I wanted a station that appealed to everyone. Cas:Do you consistently stream 24/7? SSexySookie - I'd need tons of coffee to stream 24/7 lolz but the Radio   is on 24/7/365. It's only when we are booked to go live or do a party or show, we put on our calendar that we’re actually streaming live.   I do have plans to put a more structured playlist on the Radio so that each time slot has its own genre/theme. The playlist is usually updated every month though.

Cas:So how do you keep your music collection up-to-date? Do you   listen to radio or stay on top of new releases?

SSexySookie - Yes, and there are a few artists I've come across on Soundout, they email me music everyday, with new and upcoming   songs that may not be heard otherwise.

DJTech1 - I always have radio in my ear during the day to keep up to date. Cas: What keeps you two commited to SSSVibez? SSexySookie - I would defnitely say love of music. DJTech1 - Yes love of music. I listen to a lot of non-mainstream tracks on Soundcloud, and I also have my own mixes there. Cas: What sets you apart from your competition? SSexySookie - We definitely don't stick to one genre of music, thats a definite plus. We also make sure our personality shows, people want to hear a real person on the air, not a never-ending stream of music. People connect with the DJ more when they hear a voice. DJTech1 - We are versatile, my tag on my bio is I play anything from BACH to Rock. Cas:What gave you guys the idea of adding videos as a service? Was it asked for? DJTech1 - I started doing videos way back, doing weddings and such and then with the afore mentioned contest. Then from there I started with fashion shows. SSexySookie - It was something we thought was a very good idea, to give IMVU developers more exposure for sure. Cas:So what was your guys' first event and what type of events you do? DJTech1 - You're gonna make my brain hurt -.SSexySookie - Actually the first real event we did as a team, was a funny outfit contest. People came in dressed up ofc, Tech was a sheep, and I was in a bunny fit lolz, and those at the party had to vote for best costume. DJTech1 - I think the 1st NT event we did was Summerfest. SSexySookie - Yes it was. There were a number of groups we've done events for in the past as well before NT. Enchanted Enterprise, Glamstars, Fashion Icons, EHM, and DaFrkDynasty. Apart from those we did do a couple themed shows, raves, Halloween, and Christmas. We've done birthdays, weddings, receptions, bachelor and bachelorette parties too. DJTech1 - We even did a strip club opening once. SSexySookie - I don't think there's anything that we won't do. People seem to forget, being a DJ, or part of a radio station it's a service you're providing. To me it's not about ego at all, it's about helping others and having fun with it. Cas: Whats the most difficult part of all of it....if any? SSexySookie - I'd have to say dealing with so many different personalities, there's so many cultural differences you see across IMVU. Tech and I do try our best whenever we have a show or party to do. You can't please everyone, sometimes, but we do put our all into what we do.

DjTech1 - Yep. Cas: Has anyone ever been upset about what you play at their event? SSexySookie - Omgod Yes. DJTech1 - Omgee Yes. SSexySookie - Even though I make it a rule to meet with those hiring us, to get feedback on any preferences with music or advertising, sometimes things don't plan out. Stuff like that I approach head on right there at the party, if they want something changed, its done no questions asked. DJTech1 - We are providing a service so the customer is always right. SSexySookie - We are however a respectable bunch, we won't exactly do anything that would humiliate or embarrass us or anyone else. People who have hired us have always been pleased with us, and very easy-going. Cas: What advice would you give to up and coming DJs/Videographers? DJTech1 - Be respectful of others, and don't let your ego get the best of you. As for Videography, have your own style don't try to be like others. SSexySookie - For those who have a genuine love of music, I say go for it. But it must definitely be something you love. Doing this on here is no get-rich-quick-scheme, there's no such thing. It takes hard work and real commitment. The market for music is so saturated, you need to set that bar high. The competition is high, and anything unique you can offer can set you apart. Cas: Anything else you would like to add? DjTech1 - I would like to say that the experience of working for NotorieTree has been great it has caused myself to "raise the bar" on my video work and I love every minute of it!

You can find SSexySookie, DJTech1 and all the information you need about booking an event with them @ http://triplesvibez.com/

TWO TIME WINNING MODEL: MRSXIASEVEN

NotorieTree’s models truly are the best of the best and I really do feel blessed to have each of them as a vital part of the NT family. Everyone works hard and very well as a strong team. The support and love they show each other is amazing! One of our models however, has won the amazing honor of being named a Delure Showcase Winning Model - not once, but twice! This model is none other than this issue’s cover girl, MrsXiaSeven. I took some time and sat down with Xia to pick her brain about modeling on IMVU. Jacs: What’s your background in modeling? When and why did you get started? Was it for the glamour? The gifts from developers? Pure kicks? Xia: The only background I had in modeling, before NotorieTree, was editing. The reason I started modeling, was the more than a year ago I saw a showcase and fell in love with the models on the cat walk. I thought “Now thats something I want to do!” I didn’t do it for kicks; I did it for passion. There is something deep inside about being made over by a developer or myself that I love. I always strive to show the fits to the best of my ability. I love showing the work of a developer, each one has different visions and its fascinating. Jacs: Who are some of your favorite models and designers, and why? Xia: Oh favorite models, Gisele Bundchen & Behati Prinsloo are just a few of the real life models I admire. Now for pixel models, I admire all my sister NotorieTree models. They all have a unique style and show it well. I have learned a lot from all of them. As for designers there are too many to list as I think about it. With all the new styles that constantly show up in the catalogue, I can love one particular item or the entire catalogue of unique clothing. And of course, there are always the old favorites that I would just die to do a total make over for. Jacs: How would you describe your style? Consider anything and everything from color to historical eras and more. Xia: I believe my style is more celebrity trends. I love all era's of clothing. The fashion world has come a long way, and I can always find something that suits me just fine. The colors I am most passionate about are dark shades to black. Something I love is a dangerous red to a mauve and how the design works with the color of my skin and hair. Jacs: Out of all of the edits you’ve done, which is your favorite and why? Xia: My favorite edit, I am wearing a indian fit a native skin in a meadow of grass. I still look at it and can not believe it's me. I love doing edits where I am not just Xia. I want to become the outfit, like the bride and so much more. I know its silly, but I love becoming someone else or something else. Jacs: What is fun and rewarding about modeling? Xia: Everything! The show is my passion; I love the catwalk, the audience, my NotorieTree family. I love the developers and the designs they have for me. The reward is the after party; celebrating a great show. Also I love practice. It’s very rewarding for me to work on my look my pose and admire those around me.

Jacs: What do you dislike about modeling? Xia: Wow, what do I dislike about modeling? I hate being late or missing practice or a show. I hate it when IMVU thinks its time to crash, or I lose my net or power. Thats happened once and I was so mad. I felt like I let my family down. Jacs: What Advice do you have for aspiring models Xia: It’s not your look, it’s the developer’s look. You’re there because of the developer; you are his/her box of crayons. Love what you wear or people will know your not modeling your just walking. Jacs: How do you prepare for a show? For creating an edit? Xia: First things first; I take care of real life first. I get settled have everything I need around me. I make sure my fits are exactly as they should be. I make sure I am early and I get nervous. Checking and rechecking everything and making sure my closet is working. That’s a really bad thing if your closet locks up on you before a show. As for a edit, I make sure I have time to work on it. I am not good with walking away and leaving something unfinished. I become my fit, and from there I start the edit. Jacs: What does fashion mean to you? Xia: What fashion means to me. Well fashion is my attitude from down to upbeat and ready for the world. I love fashion and all the new looks, the old looks, and with IMVU, I love all the skins. I love skins and how you change one look in so many different ways. From your head to your toes, you can make it amazing. Jacs: What do you think distinguishes a good model from a bad one? Xia: A good model or a bad model is all attitude. No one should think all models are drama queens, because its not true. As a model, I feel it in my heart and soul. If you can't feel it, maybe modeling isn’t for you. Jacs: What are some of the main differences in runway modeling and edit modeling? Xia: The main difference is the audience. The runway is live and the edit is like a dream you bring to life. Jacs: What drove you to join NT? Xia: The passion for fashion, to walk the cat. To become a model. I didn’t realize then all the work that is behind being a model. It’s 10 times more work then I ever thought in the beginning. Jacs: What models - IMVU or RL - inspire you and why? Xia: JacarandaTree, TinkerBooo, Sookie, and all my NT sisters. They inspire me in so many ways from helping one another with poses and OMG the support! We all support each other. NT wouldn’t be the same without the great group we have. It’s never been better. Jacs: You’ve modeled for a lot of amazing developers. What’s it like working with them one on one?

Xia: It's great because you become what they see, it’s their vision of the fit. It’s great getting a chance to work with someone you admire. If they are new to you, making a friend in the process is great. I like the one on one and learning about the outfit and what they were thinking as they made the fit and what it may stand for, for them. Jacs: How has your creative process as a model changed since being with NT? Xia: It's changed a lot! I have learned how to make a look stand out, how to make myself someone else in a way. I have learned a lot about timing and last but not least, I learned to listen to those around me. Jacs: How has being the winning model - twice now - shifted how you approach each show? Xia: I do not believe I have changed other than I work harder now than I did before. Poses are important. Everything about my avi and my fit must be perfect. I take my time and get it done right to the best of my ability. Jacs: What’s it like waiting for the judges scores to come in? Is it hard knowing 4 or 5 people are critiquing your skills? Xia: Waiting for the judges scores is like waiting for a baby to be born. It’s nerve wracking! The critiquing isn’t hard because I know I am going to learn something new. Something that may help me better myself with my modeling. Jacs: What’s your favorite thing about modeling? Xia: (giggles) the catwalk, Sookie on the radio, DjTech's video that will follow, the after party. The fact that we all did a amazing job. Working one on one with a developer. Its exciting every bit of it the good the bad and the ugly it’s all great to me. Jacs: What are your goals now? You’ve been the winning model twice for Delure showcases, what is something else you want to accomplish? Xia: To share my passion. We are all equals. My goals now are to work more on my edits and be more creative. I want to be able to help someone that wants it. I want to become a better model or example to others. I want to better myself. I want to share everything with my NT family. We all do a great job together. The support we all share and knowing that my husband JD is proud of me and makes me very happy and proud of myself and what I have accomplished.

Creator Tips from TeenyWeenyNana: Understanding TOS & the Virtual Goods Policy Deciding to take the plunge into creating can be a daunting thing, especially if, like me, you’ve never done anything like it before. The questions are endless. How does the editor work? Where do the textures go? What is an opacity map? What is the best program to use? Too often in our excitement to get started, we zoom through the process of signing up and miss a lot of important information in our mad rush to open an editor and start figuring out how it all works. However, there are important things we need to know and understand before we upload to the catalog—things that can save us credits, embarrassment, and even potential disablement of our accounts. Terms of Service (TOS) What's this? Basically, it's the rules. It sort of reads like a 1980's VCR set up manual, but it's important to have a working understanding of what's in there. The TOS outlines what you, by simply using the site, agree to do and not do. It also outlines what rights, if any, you have should you encounter a problem. For creators, the TOS also references much of the information that we will be going over a little more fully in this article.

The Virtual Goods Policy (VGP) I can hear the groans. Boring stuff, right? After all, it’s not as exciting as making a pretty texture or figuring out how to do sparkles or realistic wrinkles. It’s boring...right up until you have a product re-rated and credits or cash sucked from your account and you’re left wondering “What happened?!” As a creator, you and you alone are responsible for rating and displaying your products correctly. The VGP stipulates the rules on flashing icons, images, and product intent, as well as product ratings. IMVU will not send you a friendly message asking you to fix the problem; they will simply take the product down or re-rate it appropriately and the consequences can be pretty upsetting. There are three ratings IMVU categorizes products and images by: General Audience (GA), Access Pass (AP), and Unfit for IMVU (UFI). IMVU outlines the VGP here and even has a handy dandy little chart you can reference, at a glance, as to how your product or image should be rated. Please be sure you check out the detailed explanations of what is listed there.

For clothing, you can find the Minimum Coverage Guideline (MCG) map for both male and female linked in the VGP. These maps help greatly when creating an opacity map for clothing products. A quick note: if your opacity map doesn't completely (and I mean completely) cover the red, then your outfit is AP. “But there was only a pixel of red showing!”...it's still AP. Always double check, even triple check, your product by using the MCG pose and skin before uploading. [MCG map and editor images] While the link above and all its information covers what you need to know regarding rating your products, I want to bring special attention to the fact that your product’s rating includes textures, poses, product name, icon, key words, and product page. It’s easy to focus on one thing and completely miss a rating mistake somewhere else. For example, you can't slap an AP image or an AP phrase on a GA top and think that will be okay just because it meets the MCG guidelines, or give a GA dress an AP name, or have AP images or content on the product page. All of these things can and do affect the rating of your product. Intent matters. It's important to understand the VGP as much as possible and, when it's unclear, file a help ticket and ask. It may seem like a big pain in the backside, but the alternative is worse. The IMVU Creator Agreement (ICA) You know that page you scrolled down...before clicking the box that said you read it...before clicking the button to actually “sign” it? Yeah, that thing. If, like many, you didn't actually read it, it's a really good idea to go back and give it a good once over; or maybe even a twice over. The Creator Agreement states that, as a creator, you agree to abide by both the TOS and VGP. It also states what IMVU is and is not responsible for regarding your products and outlines how and when you will receive credits and/or cash payments for your products.

Copyright and Trademarks Per the Creator Agreement, “As an IMVU Creator, you are required to act in accordance with United States copyright and trademark law, and other applicable laws. When you submit a virtual product to the IMVU catalog, you are representing to IMVU that you are the original author/creator (or a co-author/ creator) of the work, and that you have (at minimum) a good faith belief that you are legally authorized to make use of all of the content contained within the product and to grant to IMVU the license rights provided in the Terms. This includes but is not limited to textures, models, animations, text, graphics, likenesses, sounds, etc. Violation of the copyrights (and other rights) of others exposes you to criminal and civil prosecution, with potential liability extending beyond actual damages to include statutory damages and court costs. It is also a violation of the IMVU Internet Web Site Terms of Use (the "Terms").” What does that mean? It means, unless you have, and can prove that you have, permission to use logos or images from a company, persons, or even google, then you shouldn’t use them. That’s the simple answer, but the ins and outs of what is and isn’t copyright infringement and the difference between copyright and trademark infringement can be tricky to understand. The safest approach is, if you are not sure, just don’t. Earning money from IMVU If you are currently earning cash, or plan to in the future, it is imperative to know and understand as much as possible about the issues discussed in this article. IMVU can refuse or revoke verification to earn money for, among other things, violations against the TOS, violations regarding UFI products, or activities that violate the Creator Agreement. Your creator account, whether it is an outlet for an artistic hobby or a growing small business, is yours to protect and grow. Arming yourself with the information you need to do that may seem boring and tedious, but it is vitally important. IMVU will not accept “I didn’t know” as a valid defense against a re-rate or to having your account disabled. Protect yourself and your work.

Links: VGP TOS ICA

GET MATCHED SURVIVAL GUIDE by Gaf210

Have you heard about the Get Matched on IMVU? Are you afraid of trying this new feature? Are you curious about other people’s experiences when Matching? In the following guide, you will see a few key points that will help you have a nice experience when matching, and survive in the process. What is Get Matched? Get Matched is a recently new section IMVU has added to the 3D Chat client. For those familiar with Tinder or Hot or Not, this uses the same functionalities, but is aimed at meeting new people and hopefully new friends. You only need IMVU version 516.8 or newer to be able to enter this new section, you should be able to find it in your IMVU home as a new button. Once you have the minimum requirements solved, you can proceed to build up a spiffy Get Matched profile for yourself! Pimping up a good Get Matched Profile So, the first step into getting some matches is actually having a good Get Matched profile. By "good," we mean many things. Your profile basically consists of three things: •A description of yourself •A main picture •Four secondary pictures Writing a description about yourself is usually not easy to pull off. You have a limited space here. Be sure to write just what is necessary to have a minimal introduction for who you are and what you do. Don't go into writing an essay; long stories are usually not read. So be sure to keep your description short and concise. TIP: if you can't think on something to write for your story, you can always write something to make the reader smile: a joke or a short funny phrase can earn you a match without really talking about yourself. Your main picture, by default, is your avi pic, stretched to cover the main picture area. The first step is, to change this, as it will make you look noobish, lol. Select a nice main picture that represents yourself. If you can't decide on a single picture for your main, you have four more slots to add photos. These can be photos taken in the client, or uploaded by you into any of your albums. So this gives you the chance to submit edited photos of your avatar. By default, it won't have any pictures selected as secondary so go ahead and chose some :) Adding to the whole experience, if you want to steam things up a bit, you can pick some sexy Access Pass (AP) pictures of your avatar and make your Get Matched profile searchable only by AP members. This rating change also includes the description you put. Just be sure not to go over board and put anything UFI (unsuitable for IMVU), as this can result in your profile being reported. TIP: if you happen to have a gazillion pics in your default album, you might need to first create a new album, and move the photos you want to showcase in your Matched profile, as the interface might lag terribly if you select an album with many pictures inside it.

TIP: Some people choose to show real pictures of them at this point. That is not bad, but only do this if you are aware of the risks and the consequences this can bring. In the case you choose to use RL pictures, be sure the description you write talks about your real self as well as what you do on IMVU. All set! Lets browse some profiles So now that you have a shiny new profile, lets go and see what others have done for theirs, and get some Matches! You can first define a filter for your searches, this includes ranges of age, gender, AP, and VIP status. Select what your interests are and start matching or passing. You will see some really fun stuff while browsing other profiles, also its very probable that you might stumble with some of your friends profiles as well! Match with them and increase the size of your matched list. Once you get a match, you will get a screen telling you so, and if you have configured your mailing preference (in https://secure.imvu.com/catalog/web_change_email.php), it will also send a small alert that you have a new match, with the name and main photo of the person that you matched with. I Matched with someone! And now? Well congrats! That means someone is interested in you! You can go ahead and send a friend request (if they have not sent one already), or if you are actually online in the 3d client, you can also invite to chat. Even if you are going for meeting new friends or more, remember this is for the very purpose of meeting other people, so go ahead and meet! Things you will discover while browsing profiles Beware of people who use real photos that are not actually photos of themselves. These are usually people who use pics from the Web as theirs, not in all cases though. Just keep an eye out and don't believe everything you see out there. Some of the things you will notice after matching a few times is that usually the first profiles that get shown to you are actually people that have already liked you, maybe the first two or three profiles you see might enter into this description. Now, if you decided to match with AP users only, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re browsing at night, prepare yourself to see some scary stuff, lol. You will see some things that you are not even aware existed, things you can't even imagine, things that no one told you about. It can even be of help to your own learning, but be wary of the people you match with at this point, lol. Remember you can always help with making this experience safe for everyone by flagging matched profiles that have gone UFI. IMVU has provided a way of easily doing this by clicking on the little flag icon next to each profile.

TAKING ON SOME . . . . . . . .byA-HA! SsexySookie Hi!. Given that this is my first attempt at writing music-related topics for a magazine, I thought what better way to get my feet wet than to delve further into one of my all time favorite songs: A-ha - Take on me. I remember watching TV every Saturday morning for my usual dose of VH1 Top Twenty countdown, and BAM!! this jewel of a song has stuck with me ever since. I'm not going to say how long ago that was....might reveal my age. A girl has got to have some mystery! So tough cookie! And yep, I do know the lyrics.....although my budget for new mirrors and glasses is not unlimited, bummer..... Recorded in 1984 and from the album Hunting High and Low, A-ha's hit single "Take On Me" became without a doubt one of THE most iconic songs of the 80s. It has become one of those songs you instantly recognize from the first few instrumental plugs. The song titled "Lesson One" was the first version of the song which was written and recorded in 1982. The first release of the song in 1984 sold only 300 copies. It was only after the 3rd release of the song and the attention-grabbing video that the album sold 1 million copies. The Norwegian band A-ha has, and continues to be, synonymous with "Take on me" since its release. The band chose the name "A-ha" due to its similarity in meaning in both English and Norwegian. The band was also the 1st Norwegian band to have a #1 song in the U.S. Sadly since this song, the band A-ha never broke through the US Top 10 again. Did you know the drummer seen in the music video of "Take On Me" wasn't actually part of the band? A drum machine was used for the making of the song. Director of the infamous sketched music video, Steve Barron, was also responsible for the videos for Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue", The Human League's "Don't You Want Me," Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," and more. And who is that girl in the A-ha "Take on Me" music video you ask? Bunty Bailey, model, dancer, and actress, and yes she's still alive today at the age of 51. Miss Bailey and lead singer of the band, Morten Harket, fell in love while shooting the video for this song. Unfortunately, things didn't work out in the long run. The couple ended their relationship a year later. For those not familiar with how the music video for A-ha's "Take On Me" song was done, a process of rotoscoping was used. Rotoscoping is the process where an animator or artist traces over the footage, frame by frame, and each frame is rotated/projected to give the visual of movement of characters/objects. Some of you may remember seeing videos of how the artists at Disney used to do cartoon footage with this same process, with the occasional flip back and forth between pages. For A-ha's music video, each scene was recorded live, then projected onto paper and traced. It took artists 3 months to complete and a total of 2000 separate drawings. Talk about some serious carpel tunnel! Along with this article you will see some of those same sketch effects used for pictures. I may be an older and yes admittedly, a bit wiser, but given the opportunity to reflect on such a small yet nostalgic piece of music history is priceless. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard your favorite song? I'm sure you do!

Credits: http://www.vh1.com/, https://www.wikipedia.org/ & http://www.rollingstone.com/.

NOTORIETREE SPONSOR & AD LINKS Ahndante

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NOTORIETREE EVENTS CALENDAR September Saturday September 5 - Perfect Khaos & NotorieTree Present World Off - Project Music On Fashion Showcase Saturday September 12 - NotorieTree Presents Brutal: An Evening of Fashion with KennyBlack Saturday September 19 - Get Punked! QBL Fashion Showcase Friday September 25 - Bonkolina Presents Bundle Promotion Party Saturday September 26 - NotorieTree Honors Fashion Showcase ft. 25 Developers who have worked with NotorieTree in 3 or more Fashion Showcases

October Saturday October 10 - Halloween Fashions from xXQueenSaraiXx Thursday October 15 - Special Halloween Issue of Scion Saturday October 17 - Delure & NotorieTree Present The Inbetween, A Delure Showcase Event Sunday October 18 - The Inbetween Encore Show Saturday October 24 - Perfect Khaos & NotorieTree Halloween Fashion Showcase Friday October 30 - Bonkolina & NotorieTree 2nd Anniversary Bundle Promotion Party

To book an event with NotorieTree, contact JacarandaTree on IMVU.