IDG Iray Hair Essentials Shaders - simple question

XoechZXoechZ Posts: 1,102

Hello!

Simple question about the new IDG Iray Hair Essentials Shaders:

Is this product much different from this: UHT Hair Shaders for Iray?

Or is it enough to have one of these shader packs?

Comments

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,715
    edited February 2016

    I use UHT, I've used it on G3 as well as G2, and may even get the IDG as well. There are usually some differences.

    Post edited by nicstt on
  • DestinysGardenDestinysGarden Posts: 2,553
    edited February 2016

    Hi,

    I actually have Slosh's hair set, so I can answer this for you. UHT has fewer colors, but he included the fine tuning options for shine and backscattering and stuff. I have more colors, all set up, but without the extras. His uses displacement, mine uses normal maps. The surface settings are different too, and you may find one or the other looks better in different types of light. Neither one is "right" or "wrong," just different ways to go about getting a result.

     InaneGlory and I considered the extra options, but while doing our many test renders, we ended up picking the best looking settings for each of the presets, to make it less cluttered to use. Each of our 36 colors comes in an A and B version, which are very subtle changes, meant to be used to give an extra layer of depth by doing half of the hair's mat zones in one version, half in the other.

    I do have a side by side comparison here. The both look good in my opinion, and could certainly be used together for more variety.

    Hope that helps.

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    Post edited by DestinysGarden on
  • XoechZXoechZ Posts: 1,102

    Thank you for your detailed and honest answer!

    I know that your products are always high quality, I was just scared to buy 2 products which do the same. Now I can clearly see the differences.

  • fastbike1fastbike1 Posts: 4,081
    edited February 2016

    DestinysGarden  " InaneGlory and I considered the extra options, but while doing our many test renders, we ended up picking the best looking settings for each of the presets, to make it less cluttered to use. Each of our 36 colors comes in an A and B version, which are very subtle changes, meant to be used to give an extra layer of depth by doing half of the hair's mat zones in one version, half in the other."

     

     

    This is perhaps a key difference. UHT has two variations of each color that can give a similar effect when zones are layered. UHT also has several options for tranparency etc that sometimes are hard to see the difference.

    I love UHT and ami buying IDG today. I am confident that both are greatly superior to the standard hair shaders and one or both will be perfect for any render.

    FWIW the current sale is hard for me since there are very few DG / IG products I don't already have :)

    I have never been disappointed with an IDG product. I also thought the promo for "original texture / IDG texture" was a compelling demonstration.

    Seems like everytime I say I'm done buying content (for a while), another spectacular product comes along.

     

    Post edited by fastbike1 on
  • fastbike1 said:
     

    FWIW the current sale is hard for me since there are very few DG / IG products I don't already have :)

    I have never been disappointed with an IDG product. I also thought the promo for "original texture / IDG texture" was a compelling demonstration.

    Seems like everytime I say I'm done buying content (for a while), another spectacular product comes along.

     

    I know!  Me, too!  You can never go wrong with either vendor and I have most of their products, too.  I have never gotten a bad product or been disappointed with anything with their name on it.  I did manage to find 4 and three of those were DG products.  If they had another sale like this I would have an even more difficult time taking advantage because there won't be any more products to buy.  Which I guess is a good thing depending on how you look at it.  Can't wait to try these out.  I, also, have the UHT product and I'm sure I'll find that I switch back and forth using both often.

    And, DG's response above is another reason why I've found myself a loyal customer.  They are both active on the boards and are always willing to answer questions and give you such honest answers!

  • Thanks for the kind words of support evryone. Don't worry about running out of stuff to buy. We will make more. wink

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,929

    I'm never coming to the forums again.  You people have got to stop enabling me!  I've been so good, I don't need any more models, clothes etc.  But you had to go and put shaders and textrues on sale.  Just...stop already lol!  And darn near all of your stuff is on my wishlist.  Well, at least the wish list is down by 5.  Okay 3 since I found 2 more things to add to it lol.  Great work by the way, can't wait to start using my new goodies.

  • Just got this, always good to have more hair color options. Especially ones designed for Iray. Would have gotten more but I seem to have most of your stuff.

  • SloshSlosh Posts: 2,391

    I haven't bought the IDG product, and probably won't.  But only because the only renders I get to do are for product promos, and I already have my own shader and the UHT2 that I've been working on.  Best of luck to InaneGlory and DestinysGarden on their product.  I didn't realize it would be so similar to mine.  It looks really good, though, and I recommend everyone try it.  As DG said, depending on your lighting, one may work out better than the other and there is no reason both can't be used in a render.  I am responding to this thread because the OP asked how they are different and do you really need both... The answer is, options are always a good thing :)

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    I have neither...yet, but looking at what both do and knowing the vast number of hair sets out there, I'd say yes, both are needed!

    Why?

    Because, while similar, they aren't quite the same and one may not only work better in a specific light/scene...it could well be that one will work (at all) on a hair mesh and the other won't.

  • nemesis10nemesis10 Posts: 3,884

    To Slosh and DestinysGarden, I have both your products now and love them both.  Slosh is quite right in having more good products is better than less and they work together well.

  • mrposermrposer Posts: 1,134

    I now have both products. Together they will increase the options for the multitude of hairs in my runtimes when rendering in DAZ Iray. 

  • Thanks guys. Your comments mean a lot to me.

    IG and I saw this shader set as an "in addition to" and not "instead of." More options means more control over your final pictures.

  • I also have both products now and for me, the way it works is this:  Slosh's product opened the door.  It made it so I could reliably get good results for hair in Iray.   The IDG product simply expanded my options.  When are more options ever a bad thing?   A very heartfelt "thank you" to the creators of both products. 

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