World Creator Spotlight Interview 🌟

Meet the Creators RavingRiley - Creator of Adventures of Creature Island

These questions are in reference to the Adventures of Creature Island created by RavingRiley in the Highrise Studio.

Can you tell us about yourself and how you got started with virtual world building?

My name is Riley and I am 28 years old from the United States! When “Worlds” was first announced I was very excited about the idea, there is so much potential to build something amazing but it always felt like it was something that was out of reach with having to create artwork, learn unity and not to mention the PROGRAMMING! It wasn’t until @Tom and @iHsein announced the Brush and Byte Game Jam through a Worlds/Creature Club collab that I really buckled down and decided I was going to give it a shot.

The contest had a low bar of entry, we just had to download Highrise Studio, use the template world and replace the background to whatever we wanted. Originally that’s all I was going to do to get the participation rewards, but I kept feeling an urge to add more and more to the world and eventually just fully committed to make something that I am extra proud of, “Adventures of Creature Island”.

What inspired you to create your virtual world in Highrise?

I probably would not have made the leap into worlds without the Brush and Bryte Game Jam, but besides that it was seeing the amazing worlds that other players were creating that inspired me to keep going. I have to credit my success in this game jam to @Gothicness and @iHsein who answered all of my silly questions as I learned how to use Highrise Studio.

Can you describe the theme or concept behind your world?

Growing up I was absolutely obsessed with a cutesy style, 2D, MMO called Maplestory. My ultimate goal was to create something with a similar vibe in Highrise so that’s where “Adventures of Creature Island” was born.

The world isn’t fully what I dream it can be yet, but I hope to keep working on it, adding more and more overtime. In the future I would love to add an inventory system, cosmetic overrides to your avatar and maybe even some combat features.

What sets your world apart from others in Highrise?

I really wanted the world to feel like an adventure, where every time you join the world you notice something new. I have added many hidden animations and easter eggs throughout the world for people to find and I hope that it brings some fun and joy to those who come to visit.

Is there a world made by another creator that you really love? What do you look for in other people's world experiences?

There were so many cute worlds that came out of this game jam that I highly recommend people check out!

I really loved “Reef Rendezvous” created by @Tounni and @Community, all the assets were hand drawn and they did a really great job making a space where people can hangout and enjoy the adorable environment. When you visit keep an eye out and see if you can spot the RavingRiley fish that swims in the ocean!

I was also a huge fan of “Creature Jump”, created by @Autt and @TheGenji, the world is massive and it is a lot of fun to pass through all the environments and aesthetics as you race towards the top.

Last but not least, everyone should check out “Enchanted” by @Gothicness, the world is so peaceful with so many hidden areas to get lost in. I would highly recommend checking it out, but beware of the dragons deep in the forest!

How do you approach designing and building within the virtual environment?

To be honest, I was a bit chaotic when it came to designing this world. I found an asset collection that I liked on the Unity Store and I just started dragging and dropping, building out the world, little by little. It started with just a platform and then turned into this massive world for people to explore.

I would highly recommend having a little more planning than I did when you get started with your creation, because it really will help you in the long run. For my future projects I am drawing out a rough layout of what I want the world to look like and then creating a road map to prioritize and plan for the features that I want to add to the world over time.

What do you hope players will experience or take away from exploring your world?

I hope my world brings some enjoyment and adventure to the players that visit and showcases just a taste of what worlds can be in the future. I really hope it inspires other players to download Highrise Studio and give it a shot for themselves!

What advice would you give to players who want to start creating worlds?

My main advice would be, give it a shot. Worlds is super daunting but you never know what you’ll be able to create without trying!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, on the official Highrise Discord, there are channels full of other creators who are more than willing to answer any questions that you may have. Start small and then continue to challenge yourself, if it goes anything like my experience you will be shocked at what you can accomplish if you keep pushing yourself.

Are there any unique features or hidden gems within your world that players should look out for?

The fan favorite for the “Adventures of Creature Island” has to be the giant rideable bird, if you wait for it to land, you can click on it and take it for a flight across the world. I also have a few other fun rideable creatures and objects, but you will just have to come check it out to find those!

Also, if you go down into the mines, you will find the entrance to the dungeon where you can collect the majority of the coins you will find in the world. The maze is quite challenging; only a few players have been able to make it to the end, shoutout to @nojyan43 and @drewniverse!

How do you engage with the Highrise community to promote your world?

This Game Jam was a bit unique, it was the first one that offered a participation reward and rewards for getting a certain number of players to visit your world. Because of this, many group chats were formed to advertise worlds and there were even some “World Hopping” parties going from world to world, those were super helpful in getting the word out.

It can be very difficult to advertise your world, but don’t get discouraged, it only takes a few people to discover your world for your creation to become popular from word of mouth.

What challenges have you both faced during the creation process, and how did you overcome them?

There were definitely a few times where I got stuck and was not sure what to do, especially when it came to coding, which I am very new to. Asking for help in the discord was huge, there was always someone who could talk through troubleshooting with me so we were able to figure it out. There are no dumb questions, worlds is still new to all of us and is continuously changing so don’t be afraid to reach out for help.

What do you think users will find most exciting about creating their first world?

There are literally endless possibilities. With time and effort you can make just about anything you want. The “World” is your oyster!

Lastly, do you have any upcoming projects or plans for the future you would like to share with us?

I have a few worlds in the works that I am very excited about, I am not quite ready to reveal what they are all about yet, but follow me on Highrise, @RavingRiley where I will be posting updates on upcoming projects in the future!

Thank you for sharing your insights with us, RavingRiley! We can't wait to see what you create next. 🌟