Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 8

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  • jakibluejakiblue Posts: 7,281
    edited March 2017

    Ok, my very first purchases were on 9/9/2006 and all were free. There are 5 separate orders on that day - i have no idea why I did them separately. 

    • DAZ Studio Beta
    • Garden Deluxe Pt 2
    • Bryce 5 (and never ever used)
    • Aiko 3 base
    • Victoria 3 & Micheal 3 base

    Then my first 'paid' orders on 11/09/2006 (11th Sept)

    Tisa's Weekend Adventure for V3  $2.50

    12/09/2006

    Victoria 3 Head & Body Morphs  $29.95  (whoa! that's expensive! ha ha...I remember I borrowed my mother's credit card for that, as I didn't have on or a debit card back then)

    13/09/2006

    • Lynara for V3
    • The Knight Errant for M3
    • V3 Day at the Beach
    • Marako
    • Xiu

    Total $10.30

    14/09/2006

    Fun in the Sand    Free

     

    Then from the 20/09/2006 to 23/01/2007 orders that were ALL free. The early days of my orders there are a LOT of free ones. LOL. My first purchase of the PC membership was May 17 2007 and it was all over then. LOL. That's when the real buying started in earnest. 

     

    I started with Victoria 3 - I look at her now and shudder. Those elbows!! Her bends! Holy cow. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Post edited by jakiblue on
  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770
    edited March 2017

    Here is the link.  I have 5.0 already.  I refuse to pay that much to upgrade every time they come out with a new version.  I got a good price on 5.0 but not going to pay to upgrade. 

    Interestingly enough, what I am learning in Blender and Carrara as far as the shader blocks go, is actually helping me understand how to put together shaders in Filter Forge

    Thanks! I've been wanting to try that forever, but didn't want to pay $80 either. That's my DAZ money. LOL

    @jakiblue I'm glad you bought Lynara, LOL. I just bought her during the last blowout and the other Lynara at Rendo. They're the closest thing to my namesake laugh

    Post edited by Llynara on
  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770
    edited March 2017

    Ok, first orders. I discovered this place on Cyber Monday of 2015. I had just spent two frustrating months trying to work with a book cover artist on my first novel. I looked through thousands of stock photos and could not find my hero. She said she couldn't customize anything beyond making blond hair darker. Do what? In digital art, you can do anything! So a friend said, why not make him in 3D? She pointed me to DAZ, told me to go pick out a model that looked close to the hero, and she would be willing to create the cover. I hired her, and we put a M4 and V4 on that cover. They're still on there today. I'm getting ready to redo that cover to be more in line with my original vision, but they will still be Generation 4. 

    Anyhow, I looked at all the pretties, and was amazed at what you could do. How exciting, I thought. You can create whole worlds with this stuff! I was hooked. Then the Christmas sales and freebies started. I picked up my first ones on December 2. The next day, after oggling all the cool stuff, I knew I had to join the Platinum Club, which I paid full price for. I was a n00b and didn't know it went on sale. All I could see were DEALS! And then I went on a PC+ shopping spree and bought all kinds of stuff for my guys, but didn't realize most of it wasn't interchangeable- YET. Wear Them All came out a few weeks later I was in HEAVEN. Still am. Love that product! 

    I've attached the first few orders. I bought a little of everything, which is pretty consistent with how I still shop and what I own. And now I have the tools to mix and match, so it's great.

    firstorder.JPG
    1292 x 507 - 56K
    first order1.JPG
    1359 x 627 - 98K
    first order2.JPG
    1315 x 511 - 64K
    firstorder3.JPG
    1308 x 555 - 61K
    firstorder4.JPG
    1309 x 750 - 124K
    Post edited by Llynara on
  • TabascoJackTabascoJack Posts: 865
    RGcincy said:

    As you might have guessed, I got the Medina City Generator today. I'm just starting to take it for a spin. This is an Iray render using one of the preset cities and sky. Render time was under 8 minutes for 1200x900. I'll be sharing more on my Big City thread.

    Looks great!

  • ValandarValandar Posts: 1,417

    Hmm...

    My first order was on September 8, 2001, and it was the DAZ Dragonfly - I had won third place at a 3D Comics Collective contest, and won a $10 GC.

    Next came May 16, 2002... then a whole bunch over the next couple of months. No comment on how many. :D

     

    As for those glitch sales - they had us PA's utterly PANICKING. More than a few PA's got stuck with more than a few $0.00 sales.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    PA's should not be held responsible for Daz's glitches.

  • donovancolbertdonovancolbert Posts: 1,421

    Dale looks like a rough sort you might come across in a trailer park or living in a tent along the hiking path along the river. There is a certain sense of menace about him. Not the typical DAZ pretty boy... I'll probably regret not purchasing him, later.  

     

  • donovancolbertdonovancolbert Posts: 1,421

    Just realized the problem with Dale. It isn't his cost, but that I'd need $27 in morph packs to actually make him work.

    ​I think the lack of glitches this sale will see a decrease in total gross sales. Of course, if the PAs weren't getting any money, I don't think they'll care how much volume was lost.



     

  • FrankTheTankFrankTheTank Posts: 1,131
    edited March 2017

    I've loved Merlin's stuff ever since I bought the Tea Garden Bundle, but I almost didn't pick up Merlin's Secret Garden today in fast grab, as I already had Stone Borders and Infinite Gardens also by Merlin. But it's really held up well and is really perfect for Dracula's Secret Garden. (Not a garden you want to be in after sunset.)

    Post edited by FrankTheTank on
  • WonderlandWonderland Posts: 6,683
    edited March 2017

    What is this with the Slinky Suit for G3 and how do I fix this?!?

    Too Tight.JPG
    234 x 200 - 14K
    Post edited by Wonderland on
  • shadowhawk1shadowhawk1 Posts: 2,184
    edited March 2017
    Novica said:

    The car is Aster Meison  wink  I'm looking at the ReadMe and the files I installed. There is a folder called UV's but it doesn't say where to put it, I rather thought that went with the "OBJs" for other programs. For Daz it simply said to put such and such in the Runtime, which I did. Where would I put a folder labeled UVs that has jpgs? 

    Hi Novica, Being a former Poser user that has switched to Studio I created a folder of my own that says UV's and didn't link it to the library.Hopefully this will help you out. Have you tried this shader for the lights? https://www.daz3d.com/real-lights-for-daz-studio-iray Generally I jsut use the standard UBER iray shaders for the glass. If I was in my room I could let you know which one it is but look for the one that has the thinest glass. Hope that helps you out. 

    Post edited by shadowhawk1 on
  • genarisgenaris Posts: 312
    edited March 2017
    Novica said:
    genaris said:

    Hello all!  

    Can anyone here that bought that new guy "Jaque" from JavierMicheal tell me if the hairy arms and legs are actually in the product? The promos that JM himself did for the product all show hairy arms and legs, but the product details do NOT mention any hair except "facial hair," so I'm wondering about that.  

    Can someone answer this? I don't have Jaque. 

    Nope. Jaque's options include only eye color changes, a tat, and facial hair options. He is hairless and skin looks like kinds of similar to Donnie's, except pinker.

    Thank you for the info, Serene Night!  I was afraid that was the case.

    As you mention, here, and in another post, too many of the male characters look too much like the same recycled products. Worse, too many of them have that spray-painted even color and pebbled texture that is supposted to represent skin texture... they look like mannequins., especially all the ones with the shiny, pebbly arms and hands like fiberglass store dummies and the ears that are solid colored and featurelessly smooth like plastic.

    Some people want a more stylized look, i get that, but some of us also like to get male characters that have the realistic textures and nuances of real skin tone, color and detail that can really shine in Iray rendering.  I'm happy that there are vendors that offer some more detailed, distinctive skins like DALE by Saiyaness recently released, and RHYS, that dirty scab-ridden male, also by Saiyaness, among others.   On one hand I want to support and encourage products for MALE figures, but I don't want to buy just any stuff that hits the store just because it is a male item, but I always wonder if Daz, the PA's and the market can understand that distinction.   How many shapeless, clumsy pants/shirt outfits for males will the market bear, for example, or how many will it take to get the message across that we'd like better items?

    As for Jaque-- had the arm and leg hair been in the product, I may have been tempted to buy, mostly because he seems appealing to me, personally in a couple of the shots, as a guy, rather than on the merits of the skins/character itself, but without the hair, he's just another kinda cute mannequin in a crowd.

    Post edited by genaris on
  • ArtAngelArtAngel Posts: 1,473

    Checking in to Dazaholics. First few purchases were all freebies. (trial version lol)

    Own 1693 Daz products. 8 MIL4, 727 Genesis, 232 G2, 245 G3

     

     

    all.JPG
    650 x 341 - 42K
    genesis3.JPG
    843 x 272 - 32K
    genesis2.JPG
    826 x 297 - 33K
    genesis.JPG
    859 x 292 - 34K
    generation4.JPG
    403 x 268 - 24K
  • jakibluejakiblue Posts: 7,281

    Does anyone own this: https://www.daz3d.com/iray-hybird-lights-fog-for-abandoned-city-2

    I'm wondering what render times are like. It's hdr but i'm not sure if actual "lights" are included....I'm just wondering if it's too intense render times or 'normal' rendering times. 

  • jakibluejakiblue Posts: 7,281

    It's supposed to be like that. It's a bit more "real life" morphing when wearing a tight outfit. However, I believe there are morphs in the parameters which can bring it down a bit....I can't recall the name of the morphs in particular ..uh...'hard' something?  

    What is this with the Slinky Suit for G3 and how do I fix this?!?

     

  • KeryaKerya Posts: 10,943
    Novica said:

    Oh, that Made in Japan Bundle is so cute! I don't remember that.I did see in the Petite Fleur Hair that it will fit Lisseth and Minnuett, which is in print on one of the promos. Can't find those two.

    https://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/minuette-v3/45344

    https://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/lisseth-for-v3/43355

  • jakibluejakiblue Posts: 7,281
    edited March 2017

    convex! that's the name of the morphs. Watch the video on the product page (and the last promo pic), it explains it all.  

    What is this with the Slinky Suit for G3 and how do I fix this?!?

     

    Post edited by jakiblue on
  • KeryaKerya Posts: 10,943

    First order:

    Order Date: February 19, 2006
    Items Ordered
    Product Name     SKU     Price
    DAZ|Studio Beta     File Name     Size     Manual     Install Manager Ready*
    DAZ Studio Base Content (Mac)     54.81 MB     download     
    DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 No Content (Win 32-bit)     69.21 MB     download     
    DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 (Win 32-bit)     115.58 MB     download     
    DAZ Studio Base Content (Win)     53.69 MB     download     
    DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 (Mac 32-bit)     135.62 MB     download     
    DAZ Studio 2.3.3.146 No Content (Mac 32-bit)     84.70 MB     
            2075     $10.00
    Subtotal     $0.00
    Discount     -$10.00
    Tax     $0.00
    Grand Total     $0.00

    Didn't spend money for a lot of time ...

    Then I won a Gift certificate in a contest (5 Dollars) ...

    Then there was March Madness ... my first "it's kind of spending money":

    Placed At    3/14/2007 at 03:26:09
    Jenna     ps_mr250       1 @ $1.60 = $1.60
    Created By: Handspan Studios, Thorne
    Jenna     5062     $15.95

    Nice MM prices once upon a time - and those were new releases!

  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770
    edited March 2017
    jakiblue said:

    It's supposed to be like that. It's a bit more "real life" morphing when wearing a tight outfit. However, I believe there are morphs in the parameters which can bring it down a bit....I can't recall the name of the morphs in particular ..uh...'hard' something?  

    What is this with the Slinky Suit for G3 and how do I fix this?!?

     

    You can dial it out. I believe it's under the list of body morphs. Seems like it loads with morphs by default if I remember right, and there isn't a preset to not load the morphs. (Though you could probably save as a preset so you don't have to dial it out every time you use it.)

    Post edited by Llynara on
  • V3DigitimesV3Digitimes Posts: 3,049
    edited March 2017
    RGcincy said:

    Here's a few renders of The Briefing Room, a product released in 2013. Although the promos mostly show it in use by the police, it is a very versatile room for any type of modern meeting: business, civic, church, school, or learning center as it has a projector, flat screen TV, whiteboard, copier, and several other props (this is the room that contains the cabinet I recently wrote a rigging tutorial about).  In addition, it has several different table/chair configurations. This predates Iray so you'll have to come up with a way (like ghost lights) to light an enclosed interior. 

    Thanks!

    Well yes for Iray, there should be a solution since normally the luminaires at the ceiling are based on "real luminaires". I mean in the 3delight scene you don't see them, but there are real luminaires in the ceiling :) funny no?  Amongst other things, I conceived lighting systems before making 3D, so when I made this scene I could not help adding something compatible with real ceiling light. In 3delight you just see the "diffuse part", but the "fluorescent tubes" are behind this diffuse part.

    So for Iray, there is a kind of "reciepe" to start with. First all the fake irradiance planes in front of walls, ground, and ceiling must be deleted. They were here to compensate things 3delight is not able to render. Then you have to select the luminaire (parented to the ceiling grid) and go in the surfaces, set them all to Iray uber, and set WhiteLumDif cutout opacity to 0. This will hide the diffuse plane in front of the fluorescent tubes.

    Then you are going to select the "fluobody" surface, which is the surface of the fluorescent tubes, and set them as emissive (two sided yes). The luminace must be pretty high 1000000.0 lumens. Then in the render settings tone mapping, set a 9.00 exposure value. I think this is all for the lighting. Then adjust a bit the surfaces (convert them to Iray uber maybe) and render. I think on this render you can see the fluo tubes. Ah and the TV set was set to emissive too.

    edit : and don't forget to switch off the auto headlamp of the camera !

    BR Tweaked For Iray.png
    1600 x 900 - 2M
    Post edited by V3Digitimes on
  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770

    I've loved Merlin's stuff ever since I bought the Tea Garden Bundle, but I almost didn't pick up Merlin's Secret Garden today in fast grab, as I already had Stone Borders and Infinite Gardens also by Merlin. But it's really held up well and is really perfect for Dracula's Secret Garden. (Not a garden you want to be in after sunset.)

    This is stunning!

    And thanks, V3D for that info, Very interesting with the lighting!

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,858
    edited March 2017

    @V3Digitimes    Thanks for the detailed tutorial- I will add it to the second post, References, so people can easily find it.
    Tip: The Briefing Room    Lighting with Iray  (V3digitimes)

    @kerya     Thank you for showing those. I like Minuette a lot better than the other one. The nose is...porous to an extreme. But I am not using V3.

    @artangel   Another Genesis person! You have a nice balance on the later generations. I take it you came on board during Genesis too?

    @DvoraszeniaStudio   Oh, that's a neat bat and fountain!

    @valandar   I always showcase the glitched items first, I know it's not much consolation, but so far 95% of the items I've bought have been to showcase on this thread. I'm probably only going to use 5% in my book. When other people buy it during glitches, they hopefully have rendered it too, to help spur additional sales during normal sales which will generate some income.  

    I'd also like to mention if at any time, a vendor took a hit on a product and would like to have it showcased after the glitch has been fixed, just PM me. Vendors have always been welcome to showcase on this thread too, none have ever taken me up on it. It's a product showcase thread, so feel free. I just ask that new renders, not the same promos, be used, and probably only a couple posts per product (if there's say 5 images per post, that's 10 images and enough for people to get a feel for it.)  Vendors are welcome at any time, love to have you! 

    You know, with the high number of Genesis that people have, I'm wondering how often it actually gets USED? I don't, sadly. I'm going to have to start converting. I think when Genesis 4 comes out, that will be my "hobbytime" activity to distract me from buying another generation, or at least slow me down.If I buy, it will have to be a stupendous deal and I will check to see if I have a figure that looks almost like it. If a GenX product comes out for it to do the Gen2 and Gen3 to Gen4, that's a no brainer with all these characters I have. 

    I'm loving seeing what you folks bought.

    Post edited by Novica on
  • donovancolbertdonovancolbert Posts: 1,421

    @Kerya

    ​I'm not feeling the madness this March either. I've got Star 2.0 in my basket right now for $14.39... which would be a "without hesitation purchase...

    ​If only I didn't need to have $15 of Newly Mad content minimum in my cart to get that price. I mean, I wouldn't mind paying an additional $15 for content I really wanted. The only Newly Mad item I am really interested in is the Secret Valley... and it is $17, discounted, all by itself.

    ​So although this is a good price on Star 2.0, I don't think it will be the day I add her to my content library. If it were ANY new item that triggered the discount, Big Bill Truck Poses and Boho Dress would go in the cart, and I'd be checking out right now.

  • donovancolbertdonovancolbert Posts: 1,421

    I'd also like to mention if at any time, a vendor took a hit on a product and would like to have it showcased after the glitch has been fixed, just PM me. Vendors have always been welcome to showcase on this thread too, none have ever taken me up on it. It's a product showcase thread, so feel free. I just ask that new renders, not the same promos, be used, and probably only a couple posts per product (if there's say 5 images per post, that's 10 images and enough for people to get a feel for it.)  Vendors are welcome at any time, love to have you! 

    I have rendered and shown more of my glitch-purchases this sale than ever before... because of this thread. I agree too, I buy items when they go super discount that I simply *never* would purchase otherwise. So, while it may *feel* like lost profit to vendors, it probably isn't. It is just getting their content into more hands and more likely to be used (and hopefully, more likely to cause full priced purchases by other people who then want to render that content in their own images.) It may be the lack of glitches that are making this March seem quite a bit more sane than other sales over the last year. For me, the net result is far fewer purchases.

     

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,858

    I just now went to the shopping page. (Yep, I check my thread first. You folks were busy while I was sleeping, 20 new posts.) 

    @ensary   Hey, Kudos! I really like these Statuesque Poses, and thank you for not just doing "mirror" poses. These are very versatile and there's quite a nice variety. Into the cart with a whoosh! (And I don't usually comment on poses right off the bat.)  For $6.73 they're very well priced! (I have two new releases in the cart...read on) 

    @antfarm  You made me laugh out loud! Kobold went into my cart right behind the poses!  

  • V3DigitimesV3Digitimes Posts: 3,049
    edited March 2017
    Novica said:

    @V3Digitimes    Thanks for the detailed tutorial- I will add it to the second post, References, so people can easily find it.
    Tip: The Briefing Room    Lighting with Iray  (V3digitimes)

    Thank you Novica :)

    Post edited by V3Digitimes on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,858

    @llynara   How funny- I saw Feeling Sick Cold Stuff in your list, and I remember how excited I was to get something practical!  I also got a chuckle out of the Soon-A-Fed.

    BTW folks, are you getting email notifications for these posts? I'm not. There were 20 posts overnight/this morning before I got back online, and I had...wait for it...7 emails. It's not that I'm not getting ANY, I'm just not getting 2/3rds of them. You may want to check threads you're subscribed to (particularly your own!) and see if it is jiving with what's new.

    @kerya   great price on Jenna   (Aiko 3)  for $1.60 during MM way back then. Look at the price TODAY. Wow. 

  • shadowhawk1shadowhawk1 Posts: 2,184
    Novica said:

     

    It happens to me on a regular basis so I have just stopped complaining about it. I have been told to get ahold of customer service about it but if it is happening to others then it has been reported plenty of times. 

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,858

    For you Carrara users, the Tangy Apple Orchard has files for that and is in one of the featured stores. (get 2 New Releases and the price drops even more.) 

    @shadowhawk1   Good morning! I still am not sure about the UV thing. The car product has the typical file structure. Here's what it has:

    An OBJ file for other programs, that has obj and mtl's. I don't need that.
    A Documentation file that the ReadMe tells me:
     ---------DAZ--------
    Copy the "Runtime" folder to your "Content" folder or "My Library" folder depending on your Daz version.
    Confirm replacement.

    Well, goody, but that doesn't help with the UVs. The  Runtime folder is this:

    Geometries>props>TruStyles>Aster Meison  with obj files.  No problem.
    Libraries> props>TruStyles>Transport>AsterMeiston png image and a pp2 file. No problem.
    Textures>TruStyles>AsterMeison>jpg files.  No problem

    But the OTHER separate file says AsterMeison UV's and there's no file structure, it is just full of jpg files such as:
    ceiling light base, dashboard, dashboardcenterinner, doorinterior,licenseplate   etc.

    Where exactly do I put this in the studio so the uv's are found, based on the other file paths from the ones listed above?

  • shadowhawk1shadowhawk1 Posts: 2,184
    Novica said:

    For you Carrara users, the Tangy Apple Orchard has files for that and is in one of the featured stores. (get 2 New Releases and the price drops even more.) 

    @shadowhawk1   Good morning! I still am not sure about the UV thing. The car product has the typical file structure. Here's what it has:

    An OBJ file for other programs, that has obj and mtl's. I don't need that.
    A Documentation file that the ReadMe tells me:
     ---------DAZ--------
    Copy the "Runtime" folder to your "Content" folder or "My Library" folder depending on your Daz version.
    Confirm replacement.

    Well, goody, but that doesn't help with the UVs. The  Runtime folder is this:

    Geometries>props>TruStyles>Aster Meison  with obj files.  No problem.
    Libraries> props>TruStyles>Transport>AsterMeiston png image and a pp2 file. No problem.
    Textures>TruStyles>AsterMeison>jpg files.  No problem

    But the OTHER separate file says AsterMeison UV's and there's no file structure, it is just full of jpg files such as:
    ceiling light base, dashboard, dashboardcenterinner, doorinterior,licenseplate   etc.

    Where exactly do I put this in the studio so the uv's are found, based on the other file paths from the ones listed above?

    What I did was create a folder that says UV's in my Content folder (Or My Library folder if that is what you use) Then you just simply put the unzipped UV folder in that. You can rename so it is easier to find later. I generally delete them unless its a set I plan on making my own textures for. In Poser there is a seperate folder for UV's that is not linked to the runtime folders. I am currently waiting for a new laptop power supply to arrive in the mail over here or I would take a screen shot to show you. 

    If I remember right my UV folder lloks something like this:   E:/Content/UV Maps/folder name. 

This discussion has been closed.