Post by EMACEO on Nov 22, 2006 1:36:22 GMT -5
Well I wanted to interview a good friend of mine which has an amzng site called www.helaene.com/ yes! thats right. We have a the first exclusive interview with Helaene! a wonderful creator in the sims 2 world! lets find out the real Helaene!
1. How did you come up with this idea of making this site? (Helaene)
Well to be honest, I kindof started the site by accident! lol I had just done some really simple recolors for my own game, and thought maybe other people would like them. I'd been playing the Sims 1 for a few years, but never made any content for it. When the Sims 2 was announced, I was so excited because I thought they would look so much more realistic than before... when I finally got the game for Christmas last year, I was disappointed to see how Barbie-like they still looked. So I guess my goal in starting to make custom content was to make more realistic and fashionable items for my own game - and it just so happens that other people liked them too!
2. What does the future of this site looks like?
Helaene.com will always remain a free site. That's the most important thing. I would never do this for the money - it's TOTALLY not worth all the time it takes to make quality custom content - and that would ruin the fun of it all anyway.
3. Whats your favorite sims 2 site? if any.
Oh so many! I'll give just a few (if you're not mentioned, don't take it personally!)
ModtheSims2 and Sims2Community, obviously!
PeggySims (http://www.peggysims2.net/index.htm), of course....for being a real pioneer in the Sims community and making the most gorgeous and creative hair meshes around!
RoseSims2 (http://www.rosesims2.net/) for her addicting hair meshes and great fantasy meshes...
4ESF ( www.4eversimfantasy.net/) and Holy Simoly (http://www.holysimoly.com/) always amaze me with their new furniture meshes
Boutique Emilie ( www.boutiqueemilie.net/) for her emphasis on non-photo-skinning and her trendy outfits
Alice Fashion (http://www.alicefashion.com/) has been a favorite of mine since the Sims 1.....Alice was one of the major factors in my decision to start making custom content! Her kids clothes for the Sims 1 still make my jaw drop....
SimderZ (http://simderz.moonfruit.com/) for her gorgeous hand-painted gothy genetic, makeup, and clothing textures
4. Whats the hardest thing about creating clothes?
The hardest thing about creating clothing textures is that you have to have loads of time and patience ! You have to find the right balance between photorealistic and sim-realistic too...
Great shading and detail are some of the reasons why I mentioned the sites that I did.... Xianah at SimderZ and Alice at Alice Fashion really stand out in this area.... I wish I could make textures like they do! Also, Miguel at Poison Pink Lemons ( ppl.abandonedgarden.com/) deserves props in this area....I really love what he's been doing lately.
5. If it was one thing you would change about your website what would it be and why?
Well, I really wish I had the time to make more and update more often - but that would mean I'd either have to sacrifice quality, or start charging for items (to make up for the time spent). I really don't want to do either of those things. I hope to add more custom meshes to my site in the future too.
I've also toyed with the idea of having other skinners join the site, but I really like having full creative control. If I want to change the layout completely on a whim, I do! lol
6. Describe your life with 3 words.
3? holy cow.
7. Your favorite fashion designer and why?
This is hard too! I'm not a huge devotee of any particular designer, I just know immediately whether I like what I see or not when it comes down the runway. I really love couture.... high fashion is supposed to be art, right??
I'm a HUGE project runway fan though....so I'm going to cop out on this question and say that JEFFREY SEBELIA (the winner of this season) was my favorite the whole time!
8. Favorite Movie?
Eek! I'm going to go with "Hero" and the Kill Bill movies.... I could watch them over and over and over....
9. Favorite place to have fun?
at home. with my lovable, adorable, fantastic boyfriend.
10. Favorite Sims 2 EP?
I was blown away by how much I enjoyed playing "Open for Business." I never realized how much fun I'd have creating themed restaurants and florist shops! I feel like it gives my sims so much more personality to be able to create their own business rather than just disappearing to work for most of the day.
I really love Pets though.... they got the animations for the cats and dogs just perfect! I keep creating the same adorable cat for every family though (because he's so cute!)... I call him 'Nobu.'
11. If you had a chance to create the next EP, what would your idea be?
This is dangerous territory! lol I really do love fashion and glamour, so I wish they had done more with the Glamour Life Stuff Pack. I really like the idea of farming and baking (as in Unleashed/Makin' Magic for the Sims 1) so I'm excited about the upcoming Seasonal EP in hopes that it will have some of that...
But if I got to start my own from scratch, I think I'd do something fantasy-related maybe.... a little goth, some sci-fi and some straight up romantic fantasy... I think there'd be a lot of interest there. Superheroes, even!
I'm honestly surprised they haven't teamed up with other companies to release movie or book themed packs, like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. I think they'd be really popular.
12. Whats your real life like?
I work in an office setting full-time in downtown Boston to pay the rent. I'm lucky enough to come home every night with the most amazing man in the world, my Jason. Our 3 year anniversary will be coming up on Dec. 14th... he's the best thing that ever happened to me!
In the future, I'd really like to go to design school and eventually get a career doing graphic design full- time. I graduated from Boston University this past winter with a degree in Political Science - but that's really not what I want to do for a living.
13. Do you love the fact that you are very famous for having the best makeup in the sims 2 ever!
I can't believe it when I hear it....it feels so surreal! It does feel wonderful when people say such sweet things though.... I'm just happy that I've made their game-playing experience a more enjoyable one!
I'll admit my favorite ever is when people have declared me 'goddess of cosmetics'..... I got such a kick out of that! lol
14. If you had a tip to give away to some fans that would love to design for the sims 2 and create their own site. What tip would you give them?
I see many Sims sites start out very slow....only having a forum for discussion and very few downloads. Save up your downloads and work up to a quality level where people will bookmark your site the first time they see it. Having guest skinners can help boost a site with low traffic. Remember that there are a few well-established sites for discussion already....try to make your mark by creating unique custom content that sets you apart from what others are releasing.
Also, make sure you get your name around the community by participating on other sites, putting the link to your site in your signature, and making friends with other site owners like me!
15. When you first created your site what was going through your mind?
See #1
16. Did you really think your site would be on everyone favorites list?
No way! I hope no one even SAW my site when I first put it online..... I was trying to upload files without zipping them up, and taking files from the Project folder instead of the SavedSims folder... I had NO idea what I was doing!
Thank you very much! and i wish you much luck in the future with your site! because its gonna be soo bigger then it is now and i hope you could handle it! lol love ya.
You're too sweet! Thank you so much for thinking I'm worthy of interviewing....
I just want to thank everyone that reads this and goes to my site...your support means the world to me!
A very special thank you to Delphy of ModtheSims2 (http://www.modthesims2.com) for hosting my site.... without his generosity, it would not be around...
Please continue to visit my site, and support the community by making your own custom content to share.
Also, please check out my boyfriend's site at www.textfix.com, if you have a moment! He'll be adding more new content in the near future, but for now, you can make yourself a custom avatar for forum sites like the Sims2Community!
