The Work of Ulla Jamira Braun

"The work of... "
Players of Entropia Universe will have visited buildings, landmarks and arenas of all kinds, deployed state-of-the art weaponry and body armour against fearsome creatures and other colonists, will have explored amazing landscapes and vistas and will have traveled using fantastic vehicles of all types throughout this ever persistent virtual arena, but who are behind these creations that we perhaps take for granted. This series introduces the highly skilled artists and designers who were instrumental in bringing some of these concepts to fruition and who kindly gave EntropiaPlanets permission to feature their works.

This episode of the "The work of..." series features Ulla Jamira Braun, a long-term Entropia Universe player and 3D enthusiast who recently was given the chance to design the apartment complexes of Monria, the latest addition to Entropia Universe. A good occasion to have a closer look at Jamira's work. Enjoy!


Entropia Universe
When did you join Entropia Universe? Can you give a short overview of your path in EU (Societies, Events, professions, planets, ...) What is your favorite aspect of Entropia Universe (and why), what you don't like at all (and why)? Which planet do you like the most (and why)?

Well, when I joined it was called Project Entropia. That was in November 2005 during the hype along NEVERDIE's Asteroid purchase. We had to run to find TPs and Sweat was sold for approximately 6 PED per 1k. From the beginning it was quickly clear that my profession should be melee hunting with longblades. I still own my very first Katsuichi Valor. And Swordsman is still my solely profession.

Apart from short memberships in Hunters Unlimited and D.A.C.H.S. I am a freelancer, a loner. I like to be independent. I have friends. That's enough. This doesn't mean that I am always alone. I helped Hurrikane as judge in the famous WoF since it started in 2007 (we had to count and notice the globals with pen and paper). In 2007 Team Germany elected me as captain. Finally last year our Team DACH became the champion. A great and impressive moment. Far in the past I helped Hunters Unlimited's Event Crew with organizing events and making posters and banners for advertising. And I was part of Cat's crew when she held her epic event "Battle Royale". Simon from MA was an active and mortal player in this PvP event at Zychion and Skam won it without killing a single enemy - lol.


Medusa's Head
I live at Calypso at Medusa's Head. I bought one of the first apartments when Akoz came up with them. I knew him from my time in HU's Event Crew when we arranged several events on his land areas. The first regular apartments where the sun shines through the windows and casts correct shadows. I had a short intermezzo when Ozi released Arkadia. I was thinking about a move to this new world. I bought an apartment and put furniture and pictures into it. But finally I got homesickness and I went back to the planet where I came from. My true homeland should be Ancient Greece - a sheer melee world ;-) Unfortunately it is abandoned and seems to die.

A few days ago I had my 8th anniversary at Entropia Universe. What makes this world so attractive to me? Well, it is unique. I can do whatever I want or at least do nothing, just hang out - be a freelancer even. No races, no fractions wich I have to enter. I can switch between professions without restrictions and limits or can do all professions. As I mentioned above: I love the freedom of independence. Sure, there are always two sides of the coin. Sometimes life became and actually becomes really hard to me. As for instance when I cannot use my apartment because it's bugged for months, when my beloved makeup is taken away for years and when the same bugs from the past pop up again at the new apartments at Monria along with new bugs.

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Jamira's Lancer 3D print project


Lancer in game


Lancer wireframe

Lancer details


Lancer digital 3D model


Lancer 3D print​

Art and Design
How did you come to create artworks/designs? Can you share one of your very early artworks/designs (no matter how terrible it is ;) )? What was your most difficult piece and why? What do you think is your best piece (if you had to choose just one)? What are you working on currently?

I think I was born with a creative gene ;-) I can't remember when and why I started with drawings and paintings, self created paper models, self created fonts, writing short stories and such things. Later I made 3D computer animations with 3D Studio and helped friends with storyboards for games and small movies. I made a few small comics about "Jamira's adventures" and had a diary at Entropia Forum called "Jamira's Sketchbook". But I am a lazy bone and don't make comics anymore and 711 closed the diary section at the forum.

At planet Earth I was a mechanical engineer. I am interested in all kinds of machines, vehicles and a bit in architecture. Mainly I work with 3D CAD software. So I wouldn't call it artwork. Design fits better as discription. The most difficult job I ever did was my diploma thesis at the end of my studies. I had lost my motivation completely and was short before aborting everything. That was a pain! Without motivation you will miss good ideas and can't find smart solutions. Each detail becomes a heavy rock.
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Earliest preserved work	Storyboard	Ulla and the Kangaroo	Product visualization	Twin Peaks Comic	Hadesheim

My best piece? Grin. It stands in the middle of Monria's main crater. Wide grin. I like it most because it is visible to people from all over the world. And much better: They can and will use it! And it is the first time that MA accepted the help from the community for a bigger project as far as I know. That makes me a bit proud. And guess what: currently I am working at nothing ... kinda vacation to furnish my new home at Monria.
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Monria
How did you come to create designs for Monria? What exactly did you do for Monria? How did the process look like? Did you receive any compensation for your work? Will you create more? What do you think of Monria?

(Can you stand a long story? I mean ... YOU asked!)

I just mentioned, that I know Akoz for a long time already. When he started to sell the Medusa apartments, I made a 3D model of it and posted screenshots and data about it in his thread. Later I invited him to my apartment and we had a long talk about life, the universe and everything. We were in contact when the apartments were badly bugged for long time, fixed and bugged again. I think that was the reason for him to ask me for help with his Monria project. He asked me for design drawings. But hey, I don't draw anymore. Generally I made a 3D model first and let the software do the drawings later. Well, it doesn't look too stylish. But to work in 3D from the start helps with many issues you wouldn't notice with 2D drawings. I know that MA works with 3D Studio. But my last legal version is from the late nineties. And I don't offer service done with illegal software when it becomes official and I earn something from it.

We started at May. Most engineers begin with a list of issues to ask the customer (or even a middle line - lol). So did I. At this point I noticed, that even Akoz didn't know much about what would be possible and what are the requirements. The motto was: Do something cool! Oh well, tell that to a mechanical engineer! See the siggi at my forum avatar ;-)

All I knew was: two towers with 50 apartments each and five shops. I made a first attempt. Suddenly you will be confronted with issues no one talked about so far. Example: Will we have an atmosphere at the moon? (Balcony for the apartment?) Since Akoz offered a free apartment to me if I would help him you can imagine that I was designing apartments for me. Wide grin.
I sent my two towers to Akoz and got a "Hmmmm ..." Wow! That builds up! The next info came: It will be in a crater and we won't have a good atmosphere. And we need a few "luxury" apartments. DANG! I WANT ONE OF THIS LUXURY APARTMENTS! Motivation increased by 200%.

To make a long story short: We had several steps during the summer. Finally I found pictures of the ruins of a futuristic tourist paradise in Malaysia (?). I sent the pictures to Akoz and we both quickly agreed that this is "our" type of apartment. During the process Akoz sent some of my models to MA. He got a long answer from a MA staff member about wich details we have to take care for. How to texturize, keeping an eye on mapping, avoid double faces etc. And Akoz told me 40k faces are allowed only. That maked me laugh. But well, I did my best and reduced the models again and again. I told Akoz, that I can deliver 3D models. But that I have neither a plan of actual 3D Studio standards nor of CryEngine requirements. So they should use my models as blueprint.

At this point my little sister Kristin popped up and asked casually: "Will we have swimming pools in the luxury apartments?" (Why did I miss a "Yawn ..." after her question?) Wow! THAT could be a challenge for MA. I decided to make the luxury apartments twice as big as the standard apartments and put a really wide swimming pool into it. And guess what happened! We got them ;-) BUAHAHA!

Just a remark: Kristin made a 3D grab of Medusa's Head. This model comes along with 400k faces! Either MA was kidding Akoz merciless or he just forgot a "0". However, from my side of the project: We have really good optimized models there - lol​

The Monria apartments project


Early plan view


Early 3D representation


The towers concept


The inside plan


Inspiration: Abandoned residential complex in Sanzhi, Taiwan (CC-BY, http://www.flickr.com/photos/globetrotteri/sets/72157625066308054/)


Close to the final version


The apartment towers in game


Interior


Luxury version with swimming pool​

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