Dutchim is Richard Jachimowicz, and his worlds let him compose with 3D visuals as much as sound. “Ever since seeing the ‘Money for Nothing’ video back in the day, I was captivated by 3D animation,” Richard says. If that’s before your time, Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” was transformed into a legendary video in the heyday of MTV, with early 3D animation produced on the Quantel Paintbox and now-forgotten Bosch FGS 4000. Reportedly, when Mark Knopfler was hesitant, his girlfriend wisely saw the potential, and the rest is history. Your Meta Quest now has far more power right on your head.

“How it all has evolved over the years to where we are today with the immersion of VR –  it’s on a whole new and exciting level yet to be fully explored,” Richard says. And it’s partly the visual aspect that’s the draw for him, he says. “Even though it was the music that grabbed my attention when I first experienced PatchWorld, it’s the visual side where I feel the most comfortable. It’s really a powerful tool. To be able to easily import my 3D assets and experience them with such immersion is so cool."

“The interactive layer that PatchWorld lets you add on top of that is where the magic really happens,” Richard says. “Doing this in such a unique and actually really simple way as connecting a few blocks similar to perhaps a mindmap and then to see it come alive is pretty incredible.”

Richard’s animations look part cosmic, part acid trip, part math-nerd dream - a real continuation of classic 3D animation. (Anyone remember The Mind’s Eye, the Thomas Dolby-scored feature?) Galaxies overlay on marbles; lit crystals fire through pathways with rainbows flying behind like a comet. You have to experience this for yourself - check user Dutchim.

“I keep trying to outdo my last work and go bigger,” says Richard, “so the cosmos is where you end up very quickly. Besides that, the world you are given to create in is literally infinite… Only your imagination sets the boundaries. So I tend to think big in a lot of my worlds. But it also makes the feeling of immersion more intense, I think.”

If these seem like meditations and trips, that’s in fact part of Richard’s creative process. “First I close my eyes and let my mind wander and see where it takes me. Then, when an idea hits me, I try to use the existing blocks and shapes to see if that’s enough to get started. If not, I use some 3D software and a “borrowed” song before jumping into PatchWorld,” Richard explains.

These are all quick experiments - etudes in 3D. Richard is quick to say he doesn’t intend you to spend a lot of time in these worlds, especially as he’s trying visual ideas quickly and experimenting in the engine; there’s no interactive sound. “I see them more as ideas that others can take as a starting point and do their own thing with,” Richard says.

As such, though, Richard’s creations can inspire you to see PatchWorld’s capabilities in a new way - and that quick-experiment way of working could also be a great approach if you’re feeling overwhelmed by those endless possibilities. 

And Richard is kind enough to leave us with some nice parting words: “The dedicated team that made PatchWorld is very involved with their user base. With the continuous addition of new powerful blocks, the awards and recognition PatchWorld has received lately, and a steady increase of new users, I see a bright future ahead,” he says. “Looking forward to what comes next!”

Thanks! Get your PatchWorlds for nothing and your tricks for free; I want my Dutchim TV.