March 16, 2023
min read
With the LIV Store finally launched into early access, we're excited (and extremely grateful) to work with some absolutely amazing avatar creators! Keep an eye on this series to get to know more about the talented people behind these assets, how they got started and their inspirations!
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When did you first get into VR?
My first time in VR was like a lot of people honestly, first seeing VRChat and wanting to try it out. For me it was a really long time ago, I got my first VR headset in early 2018- an Oculus Rift CV1, but I had already been on VRChat for a good few months on desktop already, saving for a new PC that could run VR and then getting the headset itself.
What are some of your favorite things to do in VR?
In general VR, I’m a big fan of Sim racing, in VR it just adds a whole new dimension to the experience and makes it way more fun. Beat Saber is definitely up there as well, and of course VRChat. VRChat is just my favorite way to spend time with friends, when I’m able to. Other than that, I’ve been big into interactive storytelling with some of VRChat’s roleplay communities, that’s a massive highlight of the VR experience for me, especially making avatars for different worlds, and sometimes playing them too
How did you learn to create avatars?
I used to love making 3d models of a whole lot of things back in college, particularly vehicles. I got more into game asset creation from being part of mod communities for games, learning about optimization and what not. Particularly GTA 5 and Fallout 4, I also dabbled with PMX Editor and played around with MMD, which was a great onramp into making VRChat avatars. So I guess you could say I learned from a number of places and sort of brought it all together over time!
Was there anything (or anyone) that inspired your avatar designs/themes?
Inspiration for a lot of them come from a lot of places. A good few of them take inspiration from the automotive industry for their base look, k-pop and street fashion for their style, cyberpunk motifs, and I guess just whatever I may be hyper fixated on at that particular time, be it like steampunk, a TV series I watched, an anime, a game, or anything really. It’s fluid, with very few constants, but they’ll almost always be some new type of robot. Also K/DA from League of Legends, huge fan of that.
What’s the hardest part of making avatars? What’s the most enjoyable part?
The hardest part of making avatars for me has always been appeal. I don’t use bases or really conform to the “meta” when it comes to the most popular avatars out there. Competing with all that is pretty tough. On the other hand, the most enjoyable part for me has ALWAYS been seeing my avatars out in the wild, seeing them modified and personalised and just being used and enjoyed, I like wandering around VRChat when I’m online, and seeing even just one always makes my day.
What makes your avatars stand out?
My models are completely original, I think that’s probably the biggest aspect about them. They’re super easy to spot in a crowd and there is never a question about where they came from. Second to that would definitely be their performance and compatibility. Their really low poly look was initially aimed at them being used for big events or otherwise high population worlds, like big club events, festivals, things like that, and nearly all of them can be switched over to Quest without really changing anything or losing any features.
How did you come up with the concept of your OC?
My Vtuber model has been an ever evolving project since my early days in VRChat. Basically the culmination of all my favorite character design elements; White hair, definitely needs the black lip gloss, a bunch of bespoke tattoos and cyberpunk elements. Those elements have been consistent for years, but the overall design has changed radically over time. She used to be anime a really long time ago o.o
Do you have any personal/professional goals when it comes to creating avatars?
My brand, Battle Bunny Interactive has been the focus of my efforts in making avatars. I really want to see it grow into something familiar in the VR scene, maybe not only in avatars but in other fields as well. To be a household name, to see more of my models around, to see the name up in lights some day, who knows, maybe even in the real world!
If you could design a character for any game, what would it be?
This is a tough one, being a fan of cyberpunk themes and more realistic designs overall, Cyberpunk 2077 would've been really cool!
What advice would you give to others who want to create their own avatars?
Don’t be afraid of being the odd one out. Avatars are about self expression in their purest form, don’t let anything or anyone take that from you. For the creators planning to sell: Being original is a brilliant way to stand out. You may not be the most popular or sought after, and you can definitely follow trends to build yourself up, but don’t lose sight of what makes your creations special, and uniquely you, because that’s what everyone will see.
You can find BB Interactive's current avatar listings on the LIV Store here, and don't forget to follow her over on Twitter!
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