Alpha III resource- question on alteration for distribution.
Lissa_xyz
Posts: 6,116
I'm curious as to how much alteration is required on the torso/limbs of a merchant resource skin before you can distribute it. I mean I can think of maybe removing freckles, or adding them, or scars, but just how far do I need to take it? The face and eyes are a no-brainer for me, but the rest is what has me stumped.
Also, what about say the inner mouth and teeth, the whites of the eyes, or the lashes? How would I go about altering those to make them ok to include in the package? To me they are just what they are and don't really seem to warrant editing.
The resource primarily in question is http://www.daz3d.com/alpha-iii-merchant-resource-kit-for-v4 since it's allowed for freebie usage, but I do have some freebie resources, with distribution allowance, that I'm looking to play with as well.
Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
224 S 200 W, Suite #250
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2024 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Since this is a DAZ Original, it would be best to submit a ticket and get a full answer to your questions directly from DAZ. Forum members really cannot advise you.
Many MR's require alteration of 50% or better if you plan to sell commercially. Removal of a few freckles or addition of a scar or two does not meet this criterion. Most MR's cannot be used for freebies. If it can, it will state it in the Read me. Since read me's can be hard to find for DAZ products at times, it best to get it straight from the PTB.
Adding another MR such as make up is also not generally considered alteration. Alteration usually involves taking the base and human resource photos from a site like 3D.sk. There are a number of texturing tutorials out there. Mec4D has an excellent one on her site.
This one is allowed for freebies as stated in the readme. I'll send a request to Daz as suggested. Thanks.
When I looked into this sometime back, not necessarily for any specific set, people were saying that 30% was the about the minimum requirement for change. However nobody knew how exactly to figure that out! Just running it through a filter or two, or like with mesh, just adding smoothing, doesn't cut it. As to removing skin imperfections, yes there was one set I came across where making all those changes would have had to constitute 50%! I think the basic idea is that when somebody sees your new character, that's who they'll think of ... not oh gee, isn't that so and so.
Yea, that's my dilemma. If I were making purple people it would be easy because I'd have to recolor everything anyways, but for human surfaces, how much is enough. Now that I have some time, I'll go ahead and put it that ticket as icprncss suggested above.
I'll post their reply/conclusion once everything is settled.
Actually that's not quite as simple as it sounds. Made some blue people once ... quite the experience ... have to work on "all" the main textures in the same project file just to get the exact same shades!
About the ticket, sure, no harm in that.
I'm not sure what program you use, but couldn't you just create an adjustment layer, apply it to all layers, and then mask out the areas you didn't want it applied to? Even if you did do each file separately, copy the values/numbers used and apply them to further files.
Or did you go the hard way and apply it all manually... by hand.... with a brush?
hehehehe ... no. I certainly didn't do all that work with a brush lol ... I used layers and the fill tool in PaintShopPro. But I did find the "master file" had to have all 3 sets of skins getting the correct shades applied ... and not to the "untouched" MR. First had to make those shades of grey ... all the same ... oh it was a wonderful MR possibly ... but anyway ... got it figured out. And while my little tutorial at the time got rave reviews, seemed nobody really liked the skins so I removed them all. My characters wear clothes and quite frankly I think most people probably have enough of those 'extra' textures that I certainly don't feel obligated to supply more of them.
Yea, I'm not looking to really do normal textures, otherwise I wouldn't really bother since they're a dime a dozen. I'm into more horror and dark stuff so I'm thinking of going for more things like twisted clowns, sadistic looking children, things of that nature. lol
Rendo sells human resource photo packs. Many of of them are sets from Levius or others from 3D.sk. There are several tutorials over at Rendo that show how to create textures from photos.
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/photo-realistic-texture-tutorial---complete/88376/
http://bikerscout.deviantart.com/art/Painting-Skin-Textures-61525338
http://foxbane.deviantart.com/art/Tutorial-Painting-Skin-in-PS-100328544
http://digitalartsecrets.com/2009/12/10/skin-painting-tutorial/
The painting isn't the problem, it's how much I need to change. Should I just pretty much use Alpha III as a pre-filled UV guideline and assume I'm to replace it all? I submitted the ticket post-work hours, so hopefully I'll hear something within the next day or so.
You most certainly do not need to replace 'all' of any MR resource. Indeed some available skins have been used so often that purchasers sometimes wonder about certain features that seem to be on 'all' their treasures.
btw - there are a couple more MR on sale today for the menfolk if you're interested.
And for anybody interested, there are some free seamguides and noisemaps over at sharecg.com
http://www.sharecg.com/v/61909/ Seam guides
http://www.sharecg.com/v/65580/gallery/11/Poser/Skin-resource-Seamless-noisemap-for-M5
http://www.sharecg.com/v/65579/related/11/Poser/Skin-resource-Seamless-noisemap-for-M4
http://www.sharecg.com/v/65581/related/11/Poser/Skin-resource-Seamless-noisemap-for-V4
http://www.sharecg.com/v/65577/related/11/Poser/Skin-resource-Seamless-noisemap-for-K4
http://www.sharecg.com/v/65582/related/11/Poser/Skin-resource-Seamless-noisemap-for-V5
I heard back from support, and this was what she told me (her name omitted):
Re: Alpha III resource- question on alteration for distribution
I'm checking now if if this pertains to Alpha III only, or any of the freebie-friendly skin resources.
At last check most skin merchant resources can't be used for freebies, really surprised this one can.
Seems you are missing the point of what a merchants resource is supposed to be, a "starting" point, a visual guide for character creation. I mean, if you are not changing large parts of it, then it isn't really your creation when finished now is it.
I'm checking now if if this pertains to Alpha III only, or any of the freebie-friendly skin resources.
Thank you for posting back the reply. That makes for a lot less worry as to 'how much' is changed. Daz3d has been very good about selling some MR skins that also allow for freebie skins. As not all skins can be sold because of the characters they are being designed for, i.e. fanart, this is great. Over the years think I've collected maybe 4 or 5 sets from here as well as a no longer available DVD with high res images to work with.
Do you know what other paid MR skins from here that allow freebies? It's a pity the ReadMes aren't linked on the product pages.
As by habit I didn't buy anything I couldn't use, "at the time of purchase", these were clearly okayed on the online readme page for making free skins with:
http://www.daz3d.com/skinsource-v4
http://www.daz3d.com/skinsource-m4
http://www.daz3d.com/alpha-iii-merchant-resource-kit-for-v4
I have noted that the wording used on the product pages is similar to some other items as well.
So there may be some others ... they are on sale right now.
I have also noticed that a few clearly state that they are not for free skins.
It's a crapshoot, really. I bought the V5 resource when it first came out, and that one definitely cannot be used for freebies. I may go ahead and pull the trigger on the M4 Skinsource since I have a plethora of female resources, but absolutely none for male, and hope it can be used.
As by habit I didn't buy anything I couldn't use, "at the time of purchase", these were clearly okayed on the online readme page for making free skins with:
http://www.daz3d.com/skinsource-v4
http://www.daz3d.com/skinsource-m4
http://www.daz3d.com/alpha-iii-merchant-resource-kit-for-v4
I have noted that the wording used on the product pages is similar to some other items as well.
So there may be some others ... they are on sale right now.
I have also noticed that a few clearly state that they are not for free skins.
Interesting, the two skinsource products clearly state that they are for commercial and personal use only, which means no freebies. I gather that is what you mean by "at the time of purchase" since clearly that isn't the case now. I only bring it up as I have purchased quite a few MRs for character creation and have only seen one that allowed for freebies.
Interesting, the two skinsource products clearly state that they are for commercial and personal use only, which means no freebies. I gather that is what you mean by "at the time of purchase" since clearly that isn't the case now. I only bring it up as I have purchased quite a few MRs for character creation and have only seen one that allowed for freebies.
Yes. "At the time of purchase" there was another set of online readmes that were pulled, as I recall sometime before the website software was switched. Eventually the store came up with the product readme list [if one can find anything] that exists now however the readme in the "just downloaded DIM folder" wasn't very helpful. Says to contact Daz3d for any assistance required.
http://forumarchive.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=160905&highlight;=
2nd post down confirming that it's the Wiki readme that clarified the permission for free characters with one of the products.
Also mentions this treasure:
http://www.sharecg.com/v/36449/gallery/11/Poser/BE4V4-MR
http://www.bluecho4u3d.com/downloads/BE4V4_MR_Prt1.zip
http://www.bluecho4u3d.com/downloads/BE4V4_MR_Prt2.zip
http://www.bluecho4u3d.com/downloads/BE4V4_MR_Prt3.zip
btw - sometimes even with a product that claims no free character sets permitted, if one simply asks for permission sometimes people say okay. I know I've got one MR set that I can use for free characters 'with conditions' of course.
Since I don't own the products to look at the readme myself, I've asked in my support ticket if those two skinsources are freebie friendly.
Well there was nothing in the DIM folder from the wiki readmes ... hopefully CS answers in good time [while they are on sale still] but if not, they do go on sale throughout the year. I know I kept copies [on another computer] for my purchases at the time however that would not be of any use for new purchases of the products.
edit; I've looked through some of the readmes I've collected over the years. Didn't find the readmes for the skin resources that I remember [may have been something read in the forums then] but did find the one, and then the wiki way back link for the other if anybody is truly interested in these things; click here
Freja's entire store over at Rendo is on sale. I've had her Skinsource-Artist's tool on my wishlist for a while, and checked the ReadMes for both that and Dusk to Dawn and they both allow freebies. The Skinsource should be a huge help as its 16 1000x1000 seamless skin tiles, along with a Photoshop pattern file.
Thanks for the HU. Always fun combing through sale pages ;-)
For tiling skin textures [and others] the largest collection available I think is by HoboBo over at sharecg.com.
Thanks. I wasn't aware Hobo had skin textures since I could never make my way through all of his photos. Finally I see the 'textures' filter at the top and voila, there they are. ;)