24,759
This interview was our eleventh PMC Weekly Interview, featured in Volume 77! In this weekly, we interviewed kimandjax! We remember Kim's first ever PMC submission, Keil Cathedral - we knew at that moment she would do great things and we weren't wrong! She's been featured by Mojang in a couple of articles for her outstanding work, and has partnered up with one of the largest tech companies - NVIDIA! Surely, all of these successes take dedication and drive. We wanted to know more about this unstoppable creator and thought an interview would be the perfect way! What did we learn? For starters, she's pretty funny and bubbly. Just read and you'll see!
Minecraft/Personalized Questions
How did your Minecraft experience begin?
Well, in 2014 I’d finished playing Skyrim on the Xbox 360 and I was pretty upset that it had finished. A friend suggested I try Minecraft, so I bought that and never looked back!
When did you start streaming Minecraft full time? Do you stream Survival or Creative? What do you like most about streaming?
Streaming full time is a new thing for me! In May 2020 I was made redundant after 5 years with a great company that had to restructure due to Covid. So, with the country recovering from a national lockdown and no jobs available, I decided to take the plunge and stream!
Sometimes I am allowed to stream the commissioned Minecraft builds I am working on, but my most recent focus is trying Minecraft Hardcore as we are making Twitch Partner! It’s fun beause I am a creative builder, and learning Survival in Hardcore is.. Well.. Hard!
Do you have any tips for someone who wants to start streaming?
Absolutely! Whatever happens, please do not give up or be discouraged! Streaming is like a marathon, not a race! It takes time to build community and it takes time for you to find your rhythm. Keep at it, you’ll get there.
You create such large, beautifully detailed builds. We absolutely love “Who stole Grandma’s Cookies?!” and “Piglin Fortress”. Tell us your creative process, and how long something like that takes!
Who Stole Grandma’s Cookies was so much fun to make! It is a real labour of love to make an adventure, there are no shortcuts when you make a map! It took me about 5 months, and in the end I had to pull in a few friends to help me furnish all the buildings before Christmas!
The Piglin fortress only took a few evenings. It ended up going viral on Reddit, that day also happened to be my birthday!
Piglin Fortress is a Nether Themed build. Is it more of a challenge to build with this specific theme?
Actually, no! I was so inspired by what the team at Mojang had cooked for us I had to whip something up and it was put together very quickly. I love how they keep adding new blocks, it keeps us on our toes and continues to expand what is possible in the game.
How do you think your building skills have improved over the years? What are you hoping to prove upon?
Drastically. And it is exponential! I am always learning new ways to use colour palettes and figuring out ways to bring what’s in my head onto the screen. We all start somewhere, I’m confident no one started out making mega builds on day one! And my early builds were, well, let’s just say “practical” rather than beautiful! I would like to improve my organic building, I find them the hardest to make.
You’ve been featured by Mojang a couple of times! Tell us how that felt!
So cool! Even my mum thought it was cool after she asked who Mojang was. The Kiel Cathedral was spotted by a Mojang staff member here on Planet Minecraft! If I hadn't had the courage to complete the project and publish it, I would not have had the privilege to tell my story on their site. This once in a lifetime opportunity happened twice, and I am very blessed! My octopus build was also featured in their header for the “Build it with Lapis” article!
Kiel Cathedral: https://www.planetminecraft.com/project/kiel-cathedral/
Build it with Lapis: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/build-it--lapis-
...and you’ve also done work for NVIDIA! How cool! Tell us about that!
So cool, right! They’re a really awesome company to have worked for and I would happily do so again. I had a lot of fun and made some solid friendships! I was recommended to them through a YouTuber, and when they approached me with the projects they wanted done for RTX I said yes! I spent two weeks per build, and provided a Java & Bedrock world for each of the three maps made. And the best bit? I had to keep it all a secret for months!!!!!
Which NVIDIA project was your favorite to work on?
I love how well the Burj Khalifa turned out! Ironically, it was also the hardest to make! It took teams of incredibly smart architects and designers almost a decade to build in real life, so to condense these talents into a 256 build height limit was not easy! But I think my favourite will have to be the Pirate Island RTX showcase. I was given the pirate theme and left to my own imagination! I do not have permission to publish this map, but I was told by a little birdie it may
RTX Pirate Island: http://www.kimandjax.co.nz/2021/01/01/2020-nvidia-rtx-showcase/
Can you give us any hints as to what you’re working on right now?
I’m currently the lead builder for the Iskall85dev team and together we have made a cool modpack called Vault Hunters! Season one is being played now on Twitch by CaptainSparkles, Hbomb, RenDog, Stressmonster101, AntonioAsh & Iskall85!
Your profile says you're a qualified professional chef. Is this what you went to school for? What’s your favorite dish to make?
I did! I studied full time for two years and had a hefty Student Loan afterwards! I left the industry having made my way up to Head chef in 2015. It is very hard work and takes a lot of dedication to make your way up the kitchen ranks!
How do you take your coffee?
In a cup, preferably!
Haha, I’m kidding! STRONG. VERY STRONG! Espresso, no sugar thanks!
PMC Questions
How did you choose your PMC Username?
My PMC username is my Minecraft IGN! My name is Kimmy, and my old cat was called Jax! Kimandjax!
What PMC submission are you most proud of? Why?
I believe my Kiel Cathedral submission is the one I am most proud of. It was a build competition I had entered that was being hosted by Docm77 and my motivation to build was compromised when my Jax cat died tragically. I was given the schematic to finish in my own time, and it was bittersweet to do this. I am proud I finished a build that I associated with a horrible time in my life. It was also my first submission to PMC, so it has a sentimental home in my heart ♥
What do you enjoy most about Planet Minecraft?
The diversity! We have maps, blogs, skins, tutorials, competitions and cute little seasonal pets to adorn your site header with!
Another thing I prefer to do is publish my work with Planet Minecraft first because it gives my work a timestamp! If someone tried to claim my work as their own, I know I can dispute them because I have released it on PMC first!
Do you have any goals on the site (subscriber goal, perhaps win a contest, host another contest etc)?
I can not wait to achieve the Grandmaster rank! But my real secret goal is to become a Legendary Terraformer!
Is there a specific member that inspires you or you look up to? Who/Why?
I would not say a specific member inspires me, but I do admire the staff of PMC. Whenever I have a special request, I have been listened to and accommodated. When I published the adventure map “The Greatest Egg hunt… EVER!” I asked for the PMCVIEW3D to be removed to prevent cheating - and it was! Another time I wanted to publish a Java and a Bedrock version of an RTX map and the lovely PMC team created a secondary link on my submission to help me do this! It is these small touches that make me respect the team and volunteers that help keep this amazing community safe and friendly. Keep up the great work guys!
The Greatest Egg Hunt… EVER: https://www.planetminecraft.com/project/the-greatest-egg-hunt-ever/
Fun Questions
What genre of music is your favorite? Do you listen to music while you build?
Absolutely! I love chillstep, DnB, trap or house. I usually have other Minecraft streamers up on my second monitor, but if I need to focus a bit more I will put on something bassy!
Do you have any favorite TV Series?
Ooh! I really enjoyed the German sci fi series called Dark! It has time travel, nuclear mysteries, multiple generations of families and an outstanding plot! And yes, I watched it in German with English subtitles!
Dark: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_(TV_series)
Describe yourself in 3 words!
Let it be known, I asked my housemates for this answer. They said: “She’s thorough, detailed and always hangry”
Are there any hobbies outside of Minecraft that you have?
I love cars! Specifically Subaru’s! I have an obnoxiously loud 5 speed manual 2.0l twin turbo wagon. I’m sure the neighbours love it too (or so I imagine)
Is there any new skill that you’ve been wanting to try, but haven’t had the chance to yet?
I wouldn’t mind learning a bit more about WebDev and coding. I think I can hear all the people currently in that industry screaming at me to run away in the opposite direction and not to look back! But I’m curious to know more.
Favorite quote or words of wisdom for the community? OR Do you have any advice for new members of PMC?
Sure!
Sometimes life gets a bit tough and things may feel like they’re too hard to get through. But you can and you will! Stick with it, keep your head up high and don’t quit.
Life is awesome! You are valuable and the world needs you!
Anything you'd like to add?
I tried a Twinkie for the first time last week live on stream. (We don’t really have them in New Zealand!)
It was HORRIBLE!
Minecraft/Personalized Questions
How did your Minecraft experience begin?
Well, in 2014 I’d finished playing Skyrim on the Xbox 360 and I was pretty upset that it had finished. A friend suggested I try Minecraft, so I bought that and never looked back!
When did you start streaming Minecraft full time? Do you stream Survival or Creative? What do you like most about streaming?
Streaming full time is a new thing for me! In May 2020 I was made redundant after 5 years with a great company that had to restructure due to Covid. So, with the country recovering from a national lockdown and no jobs available, I decided to take the plunge and stream!
Sometimes I am allowed to stream the commissioned Minecraft builds I am working on, but my most recent focus is trying Minecraft Hardcore as we are making Twitch Partner! It’s fun beause I am a creative builder, and learning Survival in Hardcore is.. Well.. Hard!
Do you have any tips for someone who wants to start streaming?
Absolutely! Whatever happens, please do not give up or be discouraged! Streaming is like a marathon, not a race! It takes time to build community and it takes time for you to find your rhythm. Keep at it, you’ll get there.
You create such large, beautifully detailed builds. We absolutely love “Who stole Grandma’s Cookies?!” and “Piglin Fortress”. Tell us your creative process, and how long something like that takes!
Who Stole Grandma’s Cookies was so much fun to make! It is a real labour of love to make an adventure, there are no shortcuts when you make a map! It took me about 5 months, and in the end I had to pull in a few friends to help me furnish all the buildings before Christmas!
The Piglin fortress only took a few evenings. It ended up going viral on Reddit, that day also happened to be my birthday!
Piglin Fortress is a Nether Themed build. Is it more of a challenge to build with this specific theme?
Actually, no! I was so inspired by what the team at Mojang had cooked for us I had to whip something up and it was put together very quickly. I love how they keep adding new blocks, it keeps us on our toes and continues to expand what is possible in the game.
How do you think your building skills have improved over the years? What are you hoping to prove upon?
Drastically. And it is exponential! I am always learning new ways to use colour palettes and figuring out ways to bring what’s in my head onto the screen. We all start somewhere, I’m confident no one started out making mega builds on day one! And my early builds were, well, let’s just say “practical” rather than beautiful! I would like to improve my organic building, I find them the hardest to make.
You’ve been featured by Mojang a couple of times! Tell us how that felt!
So cool! Even my mum thought it was cool after she asked who Mojang was. The Kiel Cathedral was spotted by a Mojang staff member here on Planet Minecraft! If I hadn't had the courage to complete the project and publish it, I would not have had the privilege to tell my story on their site. This once in a lifetime opportunity happened twice, and I am very blessed! My octopus build was also featured in their header for the “Build it with Lapis” article!
Kiel Cathedral: https://www.planetminecraft.com/project/kiel-cathedral/
Build it with Lapis: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/build-it--lapis-
...and you’ve also done work for NVIDIA! How cool! Tell us about that!
So cool, right! They’re a really awesome company to have worked for and I would happily do so again. I had a lot of fun and made some solid friendships! I was recommended to them through a YouTuber, and when they approached me with the projects they wanted done for RTX I said yes! I spent two weeks per build, and provided a Java & Bedrock world for each of the three maps made. And the best bit? I had to keep it all a secret for months!!!!!
Which NVIDIA project was your favorite to work on?
I love how well the Burj Khalifa turned out! Ironically, it was also the hardest to make! It took teams of incredibly smart architects and designers almost a decade to build in real life, so to condense these talents into a 256 build height limit was not easy! But I think my favourite will have to be the Pirate Island RTX showcase. I was given the pirate theme and left to my own imagination! I do not have permission to publish this map, but I was told by a little birdie it may
RTX Pirate Island: http://www.kimandjax.co.nz/2021/01/01/2020-nvidia-rtx-showcase/
Can you give us any hints as to what you’re working on right now?
I’m currently the lead builder for the Iskall85dev team and together we have made a cool modpack called Vault Hunters! Season one is being played now on Twitch by CaptainSparkles, Hbomb, RenDog, Stressmonster101, AntonioAsh & Iskall85!
Your profile says you're a qualified professional chef. Is this what you went to school for? What’s your favorite dish to make?
I did! I studied full time for two years and had a hefty Student Loan afterwards! I left the industry having made my way up to Head chef in 2015. It is very hard work and takes a lot of dedication to make your way up the kitchen ranks!
How do you take your coffee?
In a cup, preferably!
Haha, I’m kidding! STRONG. VERY STRONG! Espresso, no sugar thanks!
PMC Questions
How did you choose your PMC Username?
My PMC username is my Minecraft IGN! My name is Kimmy, and my old cat was called Jax! Kimandjax!
What PMC submission are you most proud of? Why?
I believe my Kiel Cathedral submission is the one I am most proud of. It was a build competition I had entered that was being hosted by Docm77 and my motivation to build was compromised when my Jax cat died tragically. I was given the schematic to finish in my own time, and it was bittersweet to do this. I am proud I finished a build that I associated with a horrible time in my life. It was also my first submission to PMC, so it has a sentimental home in my heart ♥
What do you enjoy most about Planet Minecraft?
The diversity! We have maps, blogs, skins, tutorials, competitions and cute little seasonal pets to adorn your site header with!
Another thing I prefer to do is publish my work with Planet Minecraft first because it gives my work a timestamp! If someone tried to claim my work as their own, I know I can dispute them because I have released it on PMC first!
Do you have any goals on the site (subscriber goal, perhaps win a contest, host another contest etc)?
I can not wait to achieve the Grandmaster rank! But my real secret goal is to become a Legendary Terraformer!
Is there a specific member that inspires you or you look up to? Who/Why?
I would not say a specific member inspires me, but I do admire the staff of PMC. Whenever I have a special request, I have been listened to and accommodated. When I published the adventure map “The Greatest Egg hunt… EVER!” I asked for the PMCVIEW3D to be removed to prevent cheating - and it was! Another time I wanted to publish a Java and a Bedrock version of an RTX map and the lovely PMC team created a secondary link on my submission to help me do this! It is these small touches that make me respect the team and volunteers that help keep this amazing community safe and friendly. Keep up the great work guys!
The Greatest Egg Hunt… EVER: https://www.planetminecraft.com/project/the-greatest-egg-hunt-ever/
Fun Questions
What genre of music is your favorite? Do you listen to music while you build?
Absolutely! I love chillstep, DnB, trap or house. I usually have other Minecraft streamers up on my second monitor, but if I need to focus a bit more I will put on something bassy!
Do you have any favorite TV Series?
Ooh! I really enjoyed the German sci fi series called Dark! It has time travel, nuclear mysteries, multiple generations of families and an outstanding plot! And yes, I watched it in German with English subtitles!
Dark: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_(TV_series)
Describe yourself in 3 words!
Let it be known, I asked my housemates for this answer. They said: “She’s thorough, detailed and always hangry”
Are there any hobbies outside of Minecraft that you have?
I love cars! Specifically Subaru’s! I have an obnoxiously loud 5 speed manual 2.0l twin turbo wagon. I’m sure the neighbours love it too (or so I imagine)
Is there any new skill that you’ve been wanting to try, but haven’t had the chance to yet?
I wouldn’t mind learning a bit more about WebDev and coding. I think I can hear all the people currently in that industry screaming at me to run away in the opposite direction and not to look back! But I’m curious to know more.
Favorite quote or words of wisdom for the community? OR Do you have any advice for new members of PMC?
Sure!
Sometimes life gets a bit tough and things may feel like they’re too hard to get through. But you can and you will! Stick with it, keep your head up high and don’t quit.
Life is awesome! You are valuable and the world needs you!
Anything you'd like to add?
I tried a Twinkie for the first time last week live on stream. (We don’t really have them in New Zealand!)
It was HORRIBLE!
| Credit | kimandjax |
| Tags |
tools/tracking
5098724
6
planet-minecraft-interviews-kimandjax
LiThe1st
rithviktheMCgamer
yasshortcut
Milkshake___
ScotsMiser
soldier_israphel
Create an account or sign in to comment.
That what you said in your small interview, people nowadays is really spending a lot of time for their student loans just to be able to become a professional designer or writer it is very good but from one view it can harm your financial situation so badly, when I wanted to become a developer I needed to save so much money that I even started to read content on a Fit My Money website and similars. Yeah, it helped me a lot but I needed to spend more time thinking about what I need to buy and about things that I can forget.
And some awesome builds to go with it !
keep up the great work! Looking to see more from you in the future :)