Nash LaVille, former Second Life Surfing Association (SLSA) Director and long-time soul surfer, got an exclusive interview with the mysterious Denise Foxtrot, creator of Maoli waves including Fluffy Fun, My First Surf, California, Oahu, NextGen Monster, Maoli NextGen, NextGen Freestyle, 2Real - Curly to interview her on behalf of SurfWatch and find out how she got started creating the popular Maoli waves.
SurfWatch (SW): Hi Denise. Still interested in the interview?Denise Foxtrot (DF): Yeah, sure. Of course I am not the surfiest person to talk with about surfing but I feel *good* gotten asked for a interview.
SW: Well, you build waves that are ridden.
DF: Also nice to see the sims here still do good though it's amazing that beaches get visited, so many as they are in SL (Second Life) ^^.
SW: What got you started? How did you get interested in building waves, Denise?
DF: Well, I had no interest in building waves to be honest. My SL partner bought and runned waves, She had surf sims before and every time the sim crashed, the no copy wave disappeared. Like, it was in old SL times. And stuff like HP waves was like 25K. So I said stfu, I build you copy waves so they won't disappear anymore. Was long before mesh, of course.
SW: Your waves are well liked. Okay, well, I like them a lot, yet still affordable.
DF: I try to slowly get cheaper with the prices but I'll keep some expensive of course. A *planned rarity* should be there or every sim would run every wave.
SW: Your time spent building waves is considerable. Will you continue to build waves adding to the variety?
DF: That's quite difficult to say since waves are waves. I've 2 modeled out already for a while but I don't really know if I release 'em or not. Waves are only variations of the same shape naturally^^.
SW: True, yet you have variation from a tube shape, the Oahu, to The Swell and Tahiti Break, each with their own character and unique ride.
DF: Yes, but specially to Oahu, my first surf *the smaller variant* and California, I had to take lots of critics where I normally *sh** on it.
SW: The Oahu seems like a nod to the old school style wave. It's a real departure from your previous work.
DF: The Oahu is a very pretty visual I think. The ride is very limited but people asked for tubes years long.
SW: What about surfboards, Denise? Do you have a favorite?
DF: Not really, if I can be honest there, without that most creators of the popular boards are angry on me.SW: Why?
DF: I like C-3, I like HP, I like SSi, even Ninja Studio that today's kids don't know anymore I guess. They did good work but it's basically copies of each other just with different physics and animations.
SW: I remember when you broke on the scene, Luscious Starship was making some big waves.
DF: Oh, I liked LSD. I like Lus. She also tried to be different. Not like Vetox [SL simboarding] but versus that what has been there before. Also 'specially the price drop with the waves.
SW: Yeah. Any advice on how NOT to make waves?
DF: Too complicated menus which was Lus big drawback sadly ( I must say that cause people come to me with her waves and ask me how to set 'em up). Not trying to copy nature.
SW: Dig. Nice to hear you say that.
DF: It's no nature in SL.SW: Yeah.
DF: It's an important thing I realized a lot here. Surfing simulation many say make it like RL (real life). Sadly it's many times also the RL surfer that say it. Those that should know better. If we talk about RL simulation, we talk about speeds of 100 kph a surfboard reaches on the peak. Imagine you handle a vehicle that fast in SL. That would be like riding an LSD board with perma boost.
SW: LOL!!!! Crack me up.
DF: The thing that should get concentrated on is *to give player the vision of what a casual person imagines of surfing*.
SW: I agree. The joy.
DF: Yes, the freedom, the wish to smell the salt and feel the breeze.
SW: Word.
DF: That's the emotion that should get created.
SW: I'm thrilled to hear you say this. It comes through on your waves.
DF: To me, that's the most important. I mean that's what surfing in RL is, too. It's not about 100 tricks in a row making backflips and 2 meter airs.
SW: Ummm.....
DF: That's just the contest surfers in TV.
SW: Yeah
DF: And every one of them started once on the beach just wanting to ride a wave to the shore.
SW: Yeah.
DF: Unimportant if he fell down or not.
SW: Yeah. I'm so glad you have done what you have for surfing in SL.
DF: I am very happy to hear that. I didn't done anything in my view. People came to me asking if I sell those waves actually.
SW: Oh, you have been a huge part in sustaining surfing in SL with your waves.
DF: Never intended to have a shop. I said, oh ok, but only long the shop pays for itself. That's now 4 or 5 years ? I don't remember but quite a time lol.SW: 'bout that, yeah. Tell me, please, what's your fave wave? The Swell?
DF: My favorite wave...that's hard. It's not really a wave I like to surf at most. It's the Flowriders.
SW: It's a trick question.
DF: But if I would have to pick a wave then the Nalu which was pre-sculpt.
SW: Ah.
DF: Cause it was the first wave I sold and that started it all.
SW: I forgot about Nalu. That would be fun to ride again. Is anyone running it?
DF: I've no idea sadly if it still works as it should. I sent to most Nalu buyers a freestyle 100 out.
SW: Denise, you rule. You really have helped the surf community a great deal.
DF: Sssht, dont flatter.
SW: I'd like to thank you from everyone that rides: Thank you, Denise.
DF: I'd like to thank everyone who rides 'em!
SW: (Smiles).
DF: That's more important. A product is nothing if there's no one who uses it.
SW: True that. You have time to catch a couple for old times?
DF: Yes, but I am not sure if I do good on my new PC.
SW: Let's find out! [We then teleport to the mainland to what looked like a sculpture or water park.]
DF: It's a bit like a skate park lol.
SW: Quite a bit! I can't wait to try your Psycho board.
DF: Works here, too. You just shouldn't use duck dive on the prim water.
SW: Is this open to public?:
DF: Sure. I keep building^^. The best thing is over there. It's also listed in the surf sim list. That's a Flowrider I designed with competition in mind. It had a lil learning curve. Most people fly out on the first tries but it allows making airs and fliptricks,
SW: Can I try again?
DF: Sure, sure. Here's rezzer. Press *back* on drop in and tapping www gives you speed. Once you're on the back of the *wave*, it's hard to come back. It really has a learning curve.
SW: It's nice. I love this place.
DF: Yeah and *different*. We also have a *normal* wave running out there.
SW: I'm happy to see you, Denise. This is a real pleasure to be here.
DF: And I am happy knowing you're happy ! Here's also connected to Blake sea/sailing sims. Heres a board rezzer that rezzes a similar board. The right one.
SW: Ok.
DF: Well, similar form size and behavior.
SW: Thank you
DF: You don't need to keep w pressed on paddling. It just paddles^^.
SW: Cool.
DF: Duck dive boosts a bit cause I realized with SSi + co I come up and stick inside the waves sometimes. Out of those 2 things its very easy to get used to.
SW: This is an agile little board.
DF: Yes, but calculated into RL. It only comes on around 30 kph speed. That's only 1/3 of the speed a RL board reaches in tops and it already feels super fast.
SW: I love it!
DF: It has no real tricks but it has behavior. Like when you press back, the center of weight moves to the back, too, and the turn radius and all changes matching to it.
SW: Sweet.
DF: It plays kinda with the physics.SW: Thanks so much! Something new and good!
DF: Oh, no need for thanks. I am happy you have fun. Have you seen the thing I made for Kantbe (Thursday)?
SW: Don't think so.
DF: She ever makes that much work with the surf list. A month ago or so I made her this [pointing to a beautifully illustrated and weathered surf beach sign].
SW: That turned out nice!
DF: There people can TP directly to the sims on her list.
SW: This is all your art?
DF: Yes.
SW: You are amazing.
DF: The billboards are free and full perm for SLSA member. The kiosk Kantbe gives, it's with auto update and all. So that she hasn't the work of sending notecards everywhere.
SW: This is just what is needed! Perfect. Teleport to the beaches.
DF: I hope that gets more popular for Kantbe's sake! So much work as she does with the list for so many years now.
SW: She's a great person.
DF: Yes. Rarely see her surfing or so, but she is there now, forever somehow^^.
SW: Almost everyday she's out there. Not surfing but research.
DF: Yes, exact. That's why I thought I make her work a bit easier that way and SLSA, though I am no contest surfer etc. blah blah. I don't like contests but they shouldn't *stagnate*...Is stagnate right ?
SW: I agree with you. Yeah, stagnate. Go nowhere. No life.DF: Such little things push them into thinking what they can *change*. See it on stuff like the Vetox board. I know many not like it and it isn't really finished but it was different. Really different. And they made him quit already before he finished that board. Only cause it was different.
SW: It comes down to riding and being one.
DF: The point is boards like this is what is needed today. Something *new*.
SW: I hear ya.
DF: Just not be Vetox, that train runned out, but something that moves forward.
SW: Yes, What can be done to help?
DF: Nothing out of little kicks in the people's butts form time to time^^.
SW: I got a grin.
DF: That's a good thing to have on the face from time to time.
SW: Yeah, whether you like it or not. This is beautiful!.
DF: The difficult is I like everything somehow lol.
SW: I know. I like everything, too.
DF: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=728068665. Boards I like in RL. Some of em^^. My *regulars* lol. http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198088450167/images/
SW: WOW.
DF: Some general pictures.
SW: Those are beautiful.
DF: It's another thing hw I ended up on skimboards. You see how small mine is compared to the longboard. I have no car. Everywhere I go is with longboard and a skimboard. I just can put on my back. A surfboard not.
SW: Yeah, very cool. You travel well.
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