Best Way to Save A Character in DAZ Studio?
Fauvist
Posts: 2,219
There's so many ways to save stuff in Studio - Actor, Preset, Character, etc. If I have a figure like Genesis, and I apply character morphs from a vendor, then I adjust sliders to give it a cusom shape, then I apply different texture maps from different characters - eyes, lips, skin, etc. and adjust the shader settings for each, and apply a hair model --------- what is the best way to save this kind of creation? So that the whole thing is together in one file? And where do I save it to?
Oh, and could I save another file that is just the head of the figure - so I can apply it to other bodies?
Thanks!
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I usually would save this type of thing as a Scene Subset & just tick off to save the character, hair & any clothing.
Thanks. Can I use the "scene subset" in Poser too?
I just save it as a scene and then if needed merge it with the new scene I am working on..
I always save as a scene subset first. That's my backup in case the next step fails which I've had happen more than once when I was first learning the ropes. Then, I try saving as a character preset. That should keep all shaping and material presets for you. It will ask if you want to keep materials as that is optional. What it won't keep is hair, posing and clothing. Another reason to save as a scene subset, if you have a particular hairstyle you want to always use with that particular figure. That's just what I do. I have a folder in my save files just for those characters that I have created.
For some reason, I saw
and thought: don't make her run from the bad guy in high heels.
To get back on topic: I use scene subset, but character preset would work too. Scene subset seems to have more freedom in what can be saved with the character (hair, clothes, and props).
When I manage to create a character I like, I sometimes push Knittingmommy's advice to extremes. I'll add maybe a couple of most-likely hairstyles, a few different outfits (casual, dress, school, etc.) and group those all together. Then I put everything inside a master group with the character's name. and make sure the figure is at 0,0,0, with no global rotations inside the group. Then I save just that group out as a subscene.
When I merge the file into a new scene later, that gives me a new character that's already isolated inside a group (for global-level visibility & selectability). If I think one of the preloaded outfits is a good match, I turn it on and ditto with hairstyle; otherwise, I load something new. Depending on likely storyboard I can either just turn off or delete the unused items.
Little bit of an extra PITA to set up. But totally worth it to me when I'm trying to storyboard a series of scenes.
A character preset will save shaping and materials, and allows you to select what getss aved (so you could save just the head settings, for example, or only certain materials). A Properties preset can save any combination of pose, shape and material settings. A wearables preset can save pose and clothing/hair/props, as long as they are parented to the figure.
+1
I usually save as either a morph (custom sculpts) or character preset (dial spun) first, then either a character or scene subset.
I save characters two ways. If I just want to save the mats and shape/morphs I save it as a Character Preset. If I want to save the hair and outfit as well as the shape and mats I save it as a Scene Subset.
However, if I have used Cayman Studios' product (like the "Genesis 3 UVs for Genesis 2 Female(s)" product) that adds a geoshell to the character I have to save it as a Scene Subset. As saving it as a "Character Preset" tends to mess up the geoshell's shader/settings.
Saving as a Scene Subset and a Character Preset takes up about the same amount of memory. I just tested it. I saved a character as a Character Preset/Actor and it takes up 91 Kb. I then saved her as a Scene Subset and it takes up 92 Kb.
I really like this idea! I may well borrow the idea the next time I create a character and group it. I've just started using Groups more in the last three or four months since I discovered how useful they are. Grouping is one of the first things I do when setting up lights now almost automatically. Usually, I just group in scenes because I know there will be times I want the entire character to be hidden, but I'm not as consistent when I'm first creating a character and know I'm saving as a scene subset. I really like your reasoning behind doing that for ease of use later when merging into a scene later! Thanks for the idea about setting up several hairs and outfits, too, as that had not occurred to me.
Isn't there a way to save the character (morphs, materials, etc.) along with the hair, props/clothing, and the pose all in one? Other than a sub scene? The problem is that it's saved as a "set" instead of a figure/prop–if you accidentally double click it versus merge into scene, it replaces everything without a second warning to save your current scene.
(a) that should only happen if you save it as a scene - not as a scene-subset (the latter should load added to your scene) - A scene-subset is marked as a 'set' but one that loads into a current scene (I use them in my products all the time).
(b) Check your preferences as there should also be an option to ask you to save any changes before closing DS / opening a new scene
In my experience, a Scene Subset will always merge rather than replace the scene. That's why I use them. Occasionally I save a Scene and a Subset in the same folder and accidentally click the Scene instead of the Subset and then I shout at my screen because it does as you describe.