What I’ll be saying is how I understood the various statements. Subject to correction from those more knowledgeble.:
I’m in a hurry, so if I sound abrupt, it’s not due to any ill intent.
There’s no tone in my thoughts. Think “Spock” (or Spock’s dimwitted cousin, if you will).
Kerwin - 25 September 2012 10:31 AM
[snippage]
when DS4 was first launched that there would be a CR2 exporter which would support a workflow along the lines of “Open up DS4, Dial-up Anubis, Export, Use Anubis.”
They’ve always talked about plugins - which would have to be written by the target app’s people, or based on .an SDK.
Studio, at the launch of Genesis, and for months after, was an unqualified mess, so nobody wrote the plugins, and SM quit working on it.
Studio’s Beta designation was dropped entirely too early (causing harm to their reputation).
Edit: Though if SM had made all of the necessary changes, perhaps only an exporter would be needed. I don’t recall anything about that, but it would fit.
Can anyone clear that up for me?
Note: if it’s a matter of SDK, then the plugin would have to wait for Daz to find sufficient spare developer-hours.
In my estimation virtually all of the previous mess has been removed from Studio.
So there is a strong possibility of those spare developer-hours being available for plugins.
However, we consumers only have hints, at this point…
DAZ somewhat grumpily abandoned this earlier narrative last falls on the grounds that the Smith Micro team did not implement features they were expecting.
SM did work with Daz, as far as developing a compatible weightmapping system. Sometime after that, SM called off the collaboration.
Most folks here could give a link to an SM-Poser big-wig who said so, explicitly.
My recollection is of a Daz developer expressing disappointment and bewilderment, I don’t recall grumpyness, except for my own.
The new narrative of the inseparability of Genesis and DazStudio has evolved after that time.
Genesis is inseparable from many functions contained in Studio. A plugin would have to provide any which weren’t in the target app.
Emphasis mine:
blondie9999 - 24 September 2012 02:26 AM
The real power of Genesis lies not in the figure itself, but in the functions and features of DS 4—particularly subdivision, weight-mapping, scaling, and UV swapping.
[snip]
So—Genesis, by itself, is just another figure. However, thanks to the features and functions of DS 4, Genesis is far more versatile than the previous Poser-based figures ever were.
Emphasis was added to quote, above.
DS4 isn’t magic, it’s programming. And Daz dev’s would undoubtedly work with,e.g, Maya, as they did with SM.
So Poser users have been confronted by two narratives from DAZ:
1) Genesis is a multiplatform offering. Indeed some of the original hype around Genesis would be it was designed be use in other systems beyond DAZ Studio. Dan Farr (DAZ Founder) mentioned several times in public forums that DAZ was working with other system makers to bring Genesis to those platforms. To date, DS4 and later is the sole platform for Genesis.
2) Genesis is inseparable from the DAZ Studio platform; this is largely due to the advanced technical requirements of the platform (subdivision, smoothng modifier, weightmaps, etc.) Some of these represent greater barriers than others to implementing Genesis in a 3rd party system.
These two positions are somewhat incompatible, and the change in narrative induces some skepticism on the part Poser users. The dropped hints about poser users being in heaven suggest that a technical solution may be in the works. I think some of us are waiting for DAZ to state clearly their position for the future.
The positions are incompatible when they are oversimplified. People oversimplify in almost every circumstance, but it’s ok, because they are speaking in context. The problem is when the listener oversimplifies (a universal human weakness, which we all succumb to from time to time). Listener oversimplification is nigh-inevitable if they aren’t aware of the full relevant context. It’s extremely common for a listener to grow weary of a long explanation and read hastily, or fail to absorb/retain various details and/or qualifiers in the statement. (Nothing personal).
The 2 narratives are actually one, stated in oversimplified manner, according to 2 sets of circumstance.
(The quote in terms of using Genesis in Poser is from August 2011 where DAZ_Rand wrote on DAZ’s forums; “We have also done ‘Our Part’ by having a CR2 exporter that will be free to everyone. This will allow limited “Baked” Genesis forms in Poser… so dial up Anubis, export, open in poser… use Anubis.”)
Spin. That’s one of his skills, and a major part of his job.
But his meaning was clear in the larger context.
They did as much of their job, as they could, under the circumstances. More functionality would require more participation on SM’s part.
Now, with Poser’ SR3 plugin system, there is the distinct possibility of Daz doing more.
That SR3 plugin system is what I understand to be what has already brought/bringing Reality for Poser, Animate2 for Poser, and I think another once-exclusive-to-Daz plugin…
But Genesis can’t be as quick, as those, simply because so many functions have to be exported.
