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Really? It seems pretty normal that new releases are sold at hefty discounts to drive lots of impulse sales.
Woot! That's nice. Now if they can just add it on to the actual product pages.....and add an icon to the image in the store lists.....
But don't buy anything encrypted on Monday.....you might have to wait 4 years!
http://www.daz3d.com/02-26-encrypted
How is anyone missing the encrypted warning on this page? I absolutely think they need a store icon, but it's impossible to see the savings on offer without also seeing encrypted written several times in a huge font.
Unless you're going straight to the products and not looking at the banners or email lol (guilty as charged )
Personally, I'm starting on rendering out 5 stories that will likely take the next two years (if I last that long), and I'm buying things that I want for those stories. Every new thing that comes out, I look at it and ask myself if it's something I need - or would just like - for those stories: if it is, I buy or wishlist it, if not I pass. As the stories are long and varied, with many locations and characters and cover a variety of genres, there's quite a lot of new content I might buy, but I am not in any way an impulse buyer. Actually I don't absolutely NEED anything - I can do all the stories just using all the content I've amassed since starting this lark in 2004, with conversions and adaptations as necessary. But I will still buy BETTER versions of things - and especially good new versions of things like particular clothes that are native to the figures I am using if it will save me days, weeks even, carefully converting clothing from another figure to the ones I'm using to the quality I require. (For example, I've been working on and off for several weeks just converting a particular pair of Genesis jeans to G2F, including vertex by vertex straightening out what autofit did to the crotch, waistband etc for the G2F version base mesh, then vertex-by-vertex producing a morph to fit the very morphed figure who needs them, then teaching myself how to Triax weightmap just by experiment and studying good examples, to completely vertex by vertex re-weight the thigh bend and side-to-side main and bulge maps ... retexturing only took a few minutes; I would have very cheerfully bought a new offering in the store that fitted all the requirements for the use they're for and been usable for the purpose 'out of the box'. Sadly, none of the existing G2F - or G2M - jeans actually met all the requirements, and out of the assorted options, converting this particular Genesis pair looked to be easiest and liable to produce the best results over adapting/fixing any of the native G2F/M ones. And the G3F offerings are even worse - I see even PAs who managed G2F jeans with good side-to-side bends out to the G2F limits without texture and mesh stretching at the crotch coudn't do the same with their G3F versions.)
On the general point of the thread:
I have a number of issues with DRM/encryption which I've reheared before. Having the encryption undecrypt itself after 12 months is beter than nothing; and as I work entirely through the content library, no smart content, no categories, but arranged (and re-arranged by me) by the folders on my HD as displayed in the content library file view, the vague talk of something to deal with that would be good ...
But not enough.
I will not buy encrypted content out of principle. Period.
AND I do not use products 'out of the box'. I don't start with thinking 'oh, cool item, what can i render to use it?'. I start from stories in my head (rather like watching a video) that generate with no respect for my content library or what's in the stores, and then have to try and cobble up what I want to render those stories. I don't buy 'characters' - I buy a head morph, a body morph and a texture set to throw into what i have available in each of those ctaegories with no thought I'd actually use them together as the character in the promos (and often just because i want the texture set, not the morphs; I've even bought a Lyoness G2F 'character' just because I wanted only the head morph, and that to be set at 50% mixed with a bunch of other head morphs). I don't buy clothing sets to use as a set together; I buy them as an assortment of items to be available separately to be altered and used with items from other sets (I've even bought clothing sets just because I want one item in the set, and for a different figure, so when I buy it I know I'm going to have to sepnd quite some time carefully converting it, leave aside the fact i also know I'll have to retexture it too). And thats' the thing - I hardly ever can just use content I buy here (or elsewhere) without converting/altering/adapting/enhancing it to be able to do what I got it for (and fixing bugs in the content - so many bugs when you push the content, and don't just use it out the box on or in an unmorphed figure with canned 'model' type poses). And most especially I'm always loading up the data .dsf files of the content into a text editor as part of the process of converting/altering/adapting/enhancing/bug-fixing. I don't have a single work-up session when I'm not spending part of the time with the data dsf files (and sometimes the duf files) in a text editor.
With encrypted content files I won't be able to load the dsf and duf files into my text editor to examine them, learn from them, bug-find and fix them, adapt them, enhance them, cannibalize them, convert them at the quaility I need (or at all, in many cases). Some of the processes I carry out with a text editor I COULD do within the DS interface, but it would take much, much longer, which is unacceptabvle when all use of the computer causes mounting pain through my disability; some I could THEORETICALLY do within the DS interface, but practically I can't (I can often find and fix faulty ERC formulae with the dsfs in a text editor in minutes, even seconds, when in DS I can see there's a fault but just can't see what it is); and some simply can't be done within the DS interface at all.
Nothing I do is outside the TOS - all the adaptations, enhancements, conversions and fixes are purely for my own use, and comes within my right to enjoy fair and full use of my purchase. But with file encryption DAZ are removing my ability to make the full use I wan't to make of the products. Indeed they are taking away ALL the use I want to make of the products. As they are, canned and encrypted they are useless to me: I can only use them as they are 'out of the box' (plus with the bugs in out of the box which i won't even be able to diagnose fully, let alone fix), and there's hardly any content I do use as it comes 'out of the box'.or ever want to.
And, no, I'm not going to buy stuff NOW to have it sitting waiting for 12 months so that I can finally get the dsfs and dufs into a text editor to turn it into what I wanted it for 12 months before (and find and fix the bugs that will be there, just as they've been there in content I've bought over all these years).
Nothing in the DAZ proposal deals with this issue. Using Poser content I'm throwing the cr2s, pz2s and objs into my text editor all the time I'm using it, and have been since 2004 (and, yes, I'm still finding that when I realise I need a whatnot for a scene, a Poser fomrat one i bought in 2004 is both fine and the only one available); DSON content, then it's the dsf and dufs in the editor. It is a regular and NECESSARY part of my work flow.
So, no trust of continued access to encrypted content; arranging and accessing my content my way through HD folder structure (as all the large number of GB of content I've bought since 2004 is arranged and accessed); requirement to read and edit the dufs and dsfs of content to get the use I want out of the content. Three reasons I won't touch the encrypted content. And each is a sifficient reason alone. DAZ addressing two out of the three wins no cigar. I WILL NOT BUY CONTENT WHERE I CAN'T GET THE DATA FILES INTO A TEXT EDITOR. I'm doing it all the time; I was doing it last night, I'll be doing it again later today. I HAVE to be able to do it for the content to have the uses which are the only reason I buy it.
Now, clearly DAZ cannot actually address this problem and retain encryption while letting me read, examine and edit the duf and dsf files. So the bottom line is simple. I will not buy encrypted content. I will not download freebie encrypted content (other than by mistake, which I have done once, and did ask for the 'purcase' to be cancelled out pof principle). And that's it. Make all content encrypted from today and i just won't buy anything ever again ... like I said, I CAN do these 5 stories without anything new: buying nicer, better versions of things I need would be good, but isn't necessary.
That's the practicality. There is also the little matter of the principle I mentioned in passing. And in principle I wll not install a DS that includes encryption/DRM. So I'm still using 4.8. And I will go on using 4.8 until/unless there's a leter version without DAZ Connect (or with a 'Connect-Lite' that does the downloading/updating/installing, but only of unencrypted content and which doesn't contain the encryption/DRM code), whether that is because you've dropped the encryption, or you just give a choice of versions of DS (with encryption, and without) available. And, no, installing 4.9-with-Connect and just nto using Connect is not acceptable to me. Like I said - matter of principle. If I never uipgrade DS past 4.8, so be it.
I wonder if anyone shopping inside the shop tab within DS 4.9 would see the fact that they are encrypted? (I don't have 4.9 installed yet, it is on the TODO list, so I can not check this myself)
But the SAAAAALESSS the sales are always in the banners! Get the bargains!
I don't know but the last time I saw it didn't even have the sales on offer, one of the big reasons I think the in client shop is terrible. I'd be interested to know if it's been updated more recently though.
Today I skipped the new connect encrypted only products. Didn't even put them in my wishlist.
I agree, a hot-button is needed for the store. I'll still look at them, but at least I wouldn't waste valuable time putting an encrypted item in my cart.
1+ Thats funny
Well that is nice to hear, but even though I was going to give the Encrypted Daz Connect a chance, the items they are offering just dont appeal to me. I dont like pose packs unless they are really unique, one out fit is too generic, I am sure I already have soemthing similar, the other is too specific for anything I would even remotely be interested in rendering, and I have more modern/ contemporary living quarters than I need to gag a horse.
Honestly I am pretty grateful when there is stuff on sale I don't want because its much easier to just say no... and I think its actually a good idea to offer a couple days of encrypted only content to see what happens. How else are they really going to know how many people will or will not buy it? If their sales are half today what they were the last 5 days its a good indication of how people are voting with their wallet.
Well they do seem to be going for the frog in boiling water strategy - first freebies each week and then moving into super steep discounts to ease people into using Connect a bit more. I can't imagine they'll get real comparable data until they're selling encrypted items at standard prices. I do like the idea of having an encrypted day though. I know when to save for the next figure, when to check for the new PC+ items, when to watch as everyone screams when the new encrypted items appear...
Well, you do have to admit...its never boring around here....
I just took a look and I could not see anything that indicated DRM was invovled.
Edit: I should add, the whole Store experience through DC looked horrible. Really small icons, the selections presented when I had Keiko/G2F seelcted were worthless, and when I went to remove soemthing from my cart, Interenet Explorer was launched. There is also nothing to indicate there is a special promotion going on. I'm really shocked at how bad the experience was, and it's worthless if you want to actually see what promotions are going on. UGH!!
Ah, so it hasn't changed. Oh well, I did try submitting feedback properly for that particular situation, but I guess it wasn't helpful.
In this case, the PAs aren't going to see anything - these are all DAZ buyouts.
I wishlisted the room; I might have impulse bought it, and one of the close sets I could convert to dynamic with that useful script available elsewhere I might have bought; I didn't however, wishlist that.
Hell, I could buy the clothe set and export it as an object and do what I require - it would be cheap too for a new item. But it's encrypted.
I don't buy DRM items; I don't like hoping they'll always be available to me. Hope is the only option available, as I can't effectively back them up, confident I'll be able to recover them when something goes wrong.
My previous spending versus current - I'm about a thousand dollars better off in the last four months.
I can't help wondering, how obvious has all this Connect/Encryption business been for people who just don't come here to the forums? How easy is it to just not notice what happened when you upgrade to 4.9?
And on the gripping hand, I can remember over the years of following the forums a surprising number of people manage to use the store, browse and buy things, without ever seeing the special offer banners. It's a bit more difficult to do this with the store design we have now, but DAZ seems to have a blind spot when it comes to anyone who doesn't think or browse like the website designers do.
Yep, since we've been repeatedly told very few buyers actually use the forums (in the "big" picture) how is all this news getting out to them?
Followup to what I said above — it's occurred to me that since Connect came out, I've seen a number of posts here from people who don't know what it is, don't understand how it works, haven't noticed the new settings, and have managed to mess up their content folders. So much for "easier to use" and "eliminating the old content problems", DAZ...
Bandolera + the textures and the action pose pack were tempting, but not tempting enough. Bandolera may have been more tempting if it was for G3F. I did a double-take on that. I might be more inclined to go for some of these if DRM'd content had a symbol on the promo thumbnail, ditto for the DC store, and if the de-encryption date was listed with the product. Note: I do not have a problem with non-PC+ benefits/perks freebies are relase encrypted now that I know DAZ plans to decrypt them in the future. I was actually looking forward to another Friday freebie and got hit with this latest DRM testing of the waters. Anyone else have a bad feeling about March Madness? :(
Conversely, I was MORE tempted, seeing it was for Genesis 2. ;)
I think the design is smart. There are 2 G3F products, 2 G2F products, and one environment. So if you were committed to G3F OR G2F, there's a 3-fer for you.
I have the feeling I may save a lot of money
Frogimus: I'll spend the same amount of money, but I'll spend it on the nearly 500 items on my wishlist that are old and more likely to be on sale.
Actually, your (and others) requests to have the store banners visible was noted. It took us by surprise over here because we made a decision not to include those sale banners because it would cause that little store pane to look like we were shoving ads into Daz Studio. I will add a todo item to get the install types added to the in-app shop on the detail pages because that is a useful thing to have.
But since we are talking about it, let me tell you a little story about the in-app store:
The intent of that store pane was to blend it in visually with the Smart Content pane so it didn't upset the visual balance of the program. The idea was that if you were putting items in to a render and just couldn't find an item in your library that suited your vision for the scene it would show some other options that were in the same section of Smart Content to hopefully give some good suggestions at products in the store to look at. Ideas were thrown around early on about having it show the thumbnails and actual files from inside of products instead of just the product, but since we couldn't figure out a way to do that without sending your current selection up to the website we put it aside. If there is enough demand for that feature we could possibly build it, maybe with a little notification about sending data up so we can filter the results correctly.
I assume you mean that you won't buy it on principle -- you could still export it as an object and it would be the same as exporting an unencrypted item, so the "but it's encrypted" doesn't follow from the previous sentence..
Edited: removed some not that important points to focus on the others.
Since that topic has been brought up:
I would rather find it interesting to be able to activate a store search for not purchased items with the allready available cateogries in the Smart content tab.
Why not add the store page as another "install state filter" next to All, Available, Installed also Store?
- - -
It might help to add some optional store and login settings to the DAZ Studio preferences so the users can choose
- if the store filter page is displayed or not next to all, available, installed
- if they are logged in automatically and stay logged in after start of DAZ Studio
- if they are never logged in
- if data is sent to the DAZ3D servers when they switch to the store filter tab
- if data is never sent to DAZ3D servers at all under any circumstances
- - -
Anyone that has been here even a short while knows to check the DAZ website to see what promitions are going on. And maybe check the Fast Grabs and what if anything is free this week. Without at least the banners, the in-app store is at best a way to find potential content. And I have to say, with my experience with Keiko, it didn't even do that well. If you can show me content I want I do not have a problem going to the DAZ website to get it. I think you would be much better served spending time and money on significantly improving search results, including much better meta-data. As an example, if I search on claw, Absenthes Reign won't come up in the search results even though it has them. In genreal, searching for weapons that come with an outfit is painful. Improving the granulairy of the metadata to to the point where it was at that level would help me more than DC ever will. I spent a couple days looking for odd "Hand-to-Hand" or wrist based weapons and knowing the item I am looking for may be there but just never show up in a search is really frustrating.
If you put a "Search DAZ Website" type button in that might be liveable. That is, DS always does just the local search first and the user has to "opt-in" every time to send the scene selection up.
I'm confused. That is pretty much how the store tab works for me now..
I undestand the intention of the store (and really appreciate it not spamming like crazy with advertising suggestions or uploading data) it's just... too much crammed into too small a space and too little needed info given.
I also can't imagine the person who's so desperate for some random additional asset that they can't open a browser. "Art mode with Daz items" is a very different mindset/process to "shopping for Daz deals!" which happens at a specific time each day for me.
- Anyone who shops here for a bit will probably come to realise that there are daily offers on the site. Or they'll probably get an email telling them about it. I know that once I realised this it shifted the way I shopped here.
- Anyone who shops here probably wants to see what they're buying and not just a tiny thumbnail of an art asset.
I said this originally, but I think the store tab would be okay if it was an entire Pane of its own, and was located in the center frame by default so that it could be a big enough size to actually browse and load larger images (and had the banners or just a link to: CURRENT OFFERS / TODAYS OFFERS whatever.
While we're on the topic, things the (otherwise very good) web store needs:
- An accurate listing of which software a product works in, and a way to search for the program you own (Studio, Poser, Bryce, Carrara. Studio lists 4.9 for all store items but only a few actually require 4.9.)
- Some way to reliably search/filter the store to only results for the software package you own.
- Link to the Product Readme page (probably via clicking on the SKU) on the product's store page.
- Icon on the store index for Encrypted files. If you're trying to bring in users of more programs these items will not work for them and they will be (and already are) getting mad because it wasn't clear enough to them that those items would only work in 4.9 specifically.