Developer Spotlight: Meet xJennyBeanx
Here at Roblox, we value all of our developers’ never-ending passion and dedication to bringing new unique experiences to their audience. We want to continue to highlight our developers’ success, so have decided to bring our popular Developer Spotlight series to Medium. To kick it off, we’ll be showcasing some of the most talented women on our platform in honor of International Women’s Month.
This week’s Spotlight highlights an excellent builder and her amazing creations! xJennyBeanx has worked on various games and showcases over the years, contributing to the notion that she excels at building in the world of Roblox. Now it’s time to showcase her story!
How long have you been a part of Roblox?
I joined Roblox back in October 2012, so I’ve been a part of the platform for a little more than six years now.
What inspired you to start building?
Originally I began playing Roblox to pass the time. I soon discovered that Roblox was not only a place where you can play games, but also a wonderful place to express yourself through your avatar, builds, and things you create. I found that games like “Build to Survive the Zombies” were something I enjoyed a lot, especially because of the idea that I could build my own base and show other players what I made. I then ran into the showcase genre on Roblox, which took building on Roblox to a whole new level of detail. Asimo3089’s showcases, especially “The Wind”, really opened my eyes to what you could do with Roblox. Then, from that showcase, I discovered EBR and made it a goal of mine to become a member one day. The showcases created by members of EBR were (and still are) extraordinary, so that was also a really big inspiration.
You’ve made some awesome showcases. What was the creative process behind projects like Tranquility and Silent Serenity?
Tranquility was originally a place to test some things (building and particle wise). After I created the basic room for it, however, I ended up falling in love with the idea that this could turn into a beautiful build. So I added more, and more… and more until overtime it turned into a medieval blacksmith room. From there I started listening to music, watching movies and really getting a feel for what the project would become. That showcase turned into something very different from the original idea. The environment can communicate emotions, what time period you’re in, and the character living there.
Silent Serenity was a showcase that my friend AdamEterno and I created. We wanted to create something for a year or two at that point, so Adam suggested, because Christmas was around the corner, that we put time aside and finally create something. The Christmas showcase was that something. I thought that was a brilliant idea, and from day one we listened to Christmas music and started laying out floor plans. We gathered ideas from images, movies and our past experiences with the holiday to create something spectacular. Working with him was great.
A big key to creating these showcases was communicating emotions clearly. Being able to express my emotions by weaving them into an environment, and being able to communicate what small subtle details can mean is something I’ve been trying to master for a while now. It’s a big part of my creative process.
Who would you say has helped you grow as a developer?
So many people! The first experience I had working with a team of people on a game was with the developers in the Roblox High School team. Myzta was one of the first people I reached out to when starting out as a builder and she helped me get a spot in that team. The entire team taught me things I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. The Bloxtober 2017 team was also a big learning experience, and everyone involved with that project helped me become a better developer. A few people I have to shout out are Cindering, 2blox2quit, Hippie_ofDoom, DieSoft, Ravenshield, Zomebody and Zealous_Potato. All of these people have helped me grow and become a better developer overtime.
Your showcase, Tranquility, was nominated for a Bloxy award. How was that experience?
That was something that caught me completely off-guard actually! I was pretty satisfied with what the showcase had become. At that point I was apart of EBR, and I pushed myself to learn new things and become a better developer. Because of that drive, I felt like I achieved what I wanted to achieve. I felt (and still feel) like I won- that I beat my self-doubt. Then one day Myzta congratulated me on a nomination. At the time I wasn’t home, so I had no idea that Bloxy nominations were announced. I then found out Tranquility was nominated for the Best Showcase category and I was overjoyed. It was a lovely surprise from the community.
You’ve also been to RDC before. How was that experience for you?
RDC was a wonderful experience! It was an event I’ve wanted to attend for a while, so finally being able to go last year was like a dream come true. Being able to meet people that have helped me and shaped me into a better person face-to-face was fantastic. I met new friends there that I talk to pretty often nowadays, and gained new opportunities and potential development jobs. It’s a fantastic event to go to, so if you can go, go!
Of all your builds, what would say was the most fun thing to create?
Of all your builds, what would say was the most fun thing to create?
Tranquility for sure! It was one of the only ideas that has ever stuck with me, and after figuring out how to approach certain areas, it was a really fun learning experience. Creating those swords, scrolls, and blacksmith tools was a really interesting thing to learn. It was great!
Do you have a dream build you would like to, someday, make a reality?
Yeah! As I mentioned earlier, emotion is a big part of my creative process. Any build that I make is, in some way, personal. I would love to build something that represents what Roblox gave me, which is a chance to learn what I needed to, to get my name out there before becoming an Environmental Artist, and so much more. I would also love to build a dream world, a mix of wizards and Venice. I have these builds in my mind, and I know how to approach them, so that might be something I create in the future!
What theme of building (medieval, Sci-Fi, modern, etc.) would you say you like building the most?
I’d say either medieval or post-apocalyptic. I enjoy themes that intertwine humanity and nature, because human beings can turn into many different things in that kind of setting. There are so many options there.
Do you have any techniques, tips or advice you’d like to share with upcoming developers?
Yes! When creating anything, I’ve always found it easier to think and create with music playing in the background, especially if what you’re creating is in a specific genre. Listen to music that relates to the theme you’re building in and it can really help.
Another thing I found myself doing a lot is reflecting. I’ve been reflecting a lot on my abilities and how to create what I’ve wanted to create. Be understanding towards yourself, because everyone learns at their own pace. A big tip is research! Researching has helped a LOT when figuring out how to fill a space and what to put in a specific area. You can also learn a lot of interesting things from looking into topics relating to your project!
To builders, using plugins can help save a lot of time and make your builds cleaner, sharper and more accurate to what you want to create. Use plugins!
Be patient with yourself, with your progress, and what you’ve done. Be proud of how far you’ve come, and ask for help if needed. No shame in learning new things from other people. You got this!
A huge thank you to xJennyBeanx for her time, her advice and her passion for building. If you’d like to keep up-to-date with her and her work, you can follow them on Twitter. xJennyBeanx’s work is one of the many examples of the beauty of building, as well as what amazing things you can do on Roblox, should you set your mind to it.
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