Comparing Skin enhancing products....

Bare with me cause I know this can be exhausting.

The Issue: I want to step my character creation up - with some better skin work. Right now, I'm making many people with FacsGen and facegen makes it's own skin texture based on the face you grab.

I'd like to use the shape from faceGen, but use my own skins...so now I'm on the hunt for what to get to edit/create/enhance skins or materials textures etc ....

The aim is more realistic people (not super-photo-real) just more real than clay-skin and of course consitency across peoples....

While hunting through threads and the store, I came across many products- some haven't been mentioned recently and some are mentioned often.

Here's my list so far. I'm hoping for some suggestions on what to grab next to help with the skins on the peoples.

N.G.S. Anagenessis for Genesis 3

https://www.daz3d.com/n-g-s-anagenessis-for-genesis-3

Looks like the leader so far as Will supports it...and I read good things.....

Beautiful Skin Genesis 3 Bundle (and it's a bundle)

https://www.daz3d.com/beautiful-skin-genesis-3-bundle

This looks promising

EcVh0 Iray Skin Shader for Genesis 3 Female(s)

https://www.daz3d.com/ecvh0-iray-skin-shader-for-genesis-3-female-s

This looks sexy but the pronos are all in the dark so i can't really see the skin so well....

And I didn't see any info on it...

Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Managers for Genesis 3

https://www.daz3d.com/iray-smart-converter-and-advanced-skin-managers-for-genesis-3

This looked a little intimidating but very comprehensive. Plus it's unisex.

Skin Builder 3 for Genesis 3 Female(s)

https://www.daz3d.com/skin-builder-3-for-genesis-3-female-s

This looks like the whole tool-box but not sure if it's overkill (is there such a thing?) I could grow into this one over time.

 

Any others? What about these?

Comments

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 14,878

    I, obviously, highly recommend the first. Although I have NGS Anagenessis 2, which works on almost anything (heck, I've used the manual script to put it on dinosaurs, dragons, horses...) I don't know if there's a difference between it and the one for Genesis 3 other than price.

    I also have Skin Builder, and what I really like about it is plugging any gaps you might have of not having the 'right' shader. Also, I find it reasonably good at making male skins (with the ability to put G3F maps on G3M figures). Mind you, you miss a few things like stubble or whatnot, but I've found a lot of good skin detail is often born out by having decent HD morphs. I should do a test of that. Hmm.

    I THINK I've used earlier versions of some of the other products, but I tend to get a bit meh about products that are too specific to figure targets.

     

     

  • Noah LGPNoah LGP Posts: 2,556

    Honestly I don't really understand how to use them properly.

    NGS Anagenessis 2 give less of settings, it removes the suntan of the skin, for example Fujio become pale almost like Kenji 7.

    Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Managers gives more of settings, you can set several parameters. I prefer this one because the black skins are better and I can control the glossiness.

     

    Actually I apply NGS Anagenessis 2 to improve the skin and after Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Managers to restore the suntan or black skin and add glossiness

  • GatorGator Posts: 1,268
    edited December 2017
    Oso3D said:

    I, obviously, highly recommend the first. Although I have NGS Anagenessis 2, which works on almost anything (heck, I've used the manual script to put it on dinosaurs, dragons, horses...) I don't know if there's a difference between it and the one for Genesis 3 other than price.

    I also have Skin Builder, and what I really like about it is plugging any gaps you might have of not having the 'right' shader. Also, I find it reasonably good at making male skins (with the ability to put G3F maps on G3M figures). Mind you, you miss a few things like stubble or whatnot, but I've found a lot of good skin detail is often born out by having decent HD morphs. I should do a test of that. Hmm.

    I THINK I've used earlier versions of some of the other products, but I tend to get a bit meh about products that are too specific to figure targets.

     

     

    There's a big difference between Anagenessis for Genesis 3 Females and Anagenessis 2.  Anagenessis 2 works on just about anything, and only uses the diffuse map where Anagenessis for Gen3F uses all the figure's maps I believe (at least more than the diffuse).  

    I prefer Anagenessis, and I get better results with it and also better results much more consistently.  It typically doesn't change the tone much, generally slightly lighter.  I really like the metallic flakes material with it too & I think it does a great job for sweaty skin.  It can be used for Genesis 3 males too, but I find that good results are less consistent and needs some tweaking to use on gen maps.  Anagenessis 2 I've found can change the tone a lot, and requires a bit more technical how-to (or fiddling around with settings) to get to my liking.  

     

    FWIW, I like the Anagenessis for Genesis 3 Females a lot and use it the most, but I don't have the other products listed.

    Post edited by Gator on
  • nemesis10nemesis10 Posts: 3,239
    edited December 2017
    avxp said:

    Bare with me cause I know this can be exhausting.

    The Issue: I want to step my character creation up - with some better skin work. Right now, I'm making many people with FacsGen and facegen makes it's own skin texture based on the face you grab.

    I'd like to use the shape from faceGen, but use my own skins...so now I'm on the hunt for what to get to edit/create/enhance skins or materials textures etc ....

    The aim is more realistic people (not super-photo-real) just more real than clay-skin and of course consitency across peoples....

    While hunting through threads and the store, I came across many products- some haven't been mentioned recently and some are mentioned often.

    Here's my list so far. I'm hoping for some suggestions on what to grab next to help with the skins on the peoples.

    N.G.S. Anagenessis for Genesis 3

    https://www.daz3d.com/n-g-s-anagenessis-for-genesis-3

    Looks like the leader so far as Will supports it...and I read good things.....

    Beautiful Skin Genesis 3 Bundle (and it's a bundle)

    https://www.daz3d.com/beautiful-skin-genesis-3-bundle

    This looks promising

    EcVh0 Iray Skin Shader for Genesis 3 Female(s)

    https://www.daz3d.com/ecvh0-iray-skin-shader-for-genesis-3-female-s

    This looks sexy but the pronos are all in the dark so i can't really see the skin so well....

    And I didn't see any info on it...

    Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Managers for Genesis 3

    https://www.daz3d.com/iray-smart-converter-and-advanced-skin-managers-for-genesis-3

    This looked a little intimidating but very comprehensive. Plus it's unisex.

    Skin Builder 3 for Genesis 3 Female(s)

    https://www.daz3d.com/skin-builder-3-for-genesis-3-female-s

    This looks like the whole tool-box but not sure if it's overkill (is there such a thing?) I could grow into this one over time.

     

    Any others? What about these?

    I love the EcVho products.  One thing the new Daz Studio brought was the dual lobe attribute which looks so nice with skin; the older shader looks a bit more plastic like.  For another thread, I compare products from a single PA showing a G7 character with the traditional iray settings and a G8 character with the dual lobe settings. For example, these two from Raiya:

    c759ca2e4e9885c88530c3a05a841f.jpg
    1651 x 1273 - 180K
    Post edited by nemesis10 on
  • frankrblowfrankrblow Posts: 2,052

    Have you looked at Biscuit's Skin Tiles over at Rendo? These can be really useful, especially if you have several generations of figures, where you want skin to match, for Studio or Poser, and I suspect they will work in Carrara and Bryce, too.

  • nicsttnicstt Posts: 11,714
    edited December 2017

    Like Will, I use Argenesis on other things besides skin, I convert new MDL released figures to Argensis 2; I just prefer how they look - and they look the same under the same lighting conditions. This means that when grouping figures I don't get any surprises... Well fewer of them.

    Post edited by nicstt on
  • Noah LGPNoah LGP Posts: 2,556
    edited December 2017

    Note: You don't obtain the same thing between the different generations.

     

    Michael 6 HD (Bjorn) textures

    1. Original
    2. NGS Anagenessis 2 (NGSA2): Genesis 2 script
    3. Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Manager (ISCASM): G2 Main Converter script, Caucasian, Preset 2

     

    Michael 7 textures

    1. Original
    2. NGS Anagenessis 2 (NGSA2): Genesis 3 script
    3. Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Manager (ISCASM): G3 Main Converter script, Caucasian, Cold Skin, Preset 2
    4. Iray Smart Converter and Advanced Skin Manager (ISCASM): G3 Main Converter script, Caucasian, Warm Skin, Preset 2

     

    NGSA2 + ISCASM (Warm Skin)

     

     

    Michael 4 (HiRes) textures + NGSA2 (Genesis script) + ISCASM (Generation 4)

    (Material preset loaded on Michael 8 figure with Legacy UVs for Genesis 8)

     

    SkinTest_Genesis2.png
    1369 x 832 - 2M
    SkinTest_Genesis3.png
    1859 x 832 - 3M
    SkinTest_M7.png
    562 x 832 - 717K
    Post edited by Noah LGP on
  • Noah LGPNoah LGP Posts: 2,556
    edited December 2017
    • NGSA2 - all generations from Gen. 5 to Gen. 7 and both genders (Total: 1 product)
    • ISCASM - one product for each generation from Gen. 4 to Gen. 7 and both genders (Total: 4 products)
    • Beautiful Skin - one product for each gender (or one bundle) and for each generation from Gen. 6 to Gen. 8 (Total: 6 products or 3 bundles)
    • Iray Skin Shader - one product for each gender and for each generation from Gen. 7 to Gen. 8 (Total: 4 products)
    • Skin Builder - one gender (female). (Total: 2 products, Genesis 3 and Genesis/Genesis 2)

     

    I don't own the other products and I didn't explore all possibilities yet but NGSA2 and ISCASM seem to be complementary, NGSA2 prepares the figure for me and ISCASM lets me to adjust the settings.

     

    NGSA2 is an easy tool which provides 5 major scripts :

    • Main script
    • Dark Skin
    • Brightness Level
    • Lips Gloss
    • Pores Level

    ISCASM is an advanced tool which provides several scripts :

    • Main Converter
    • Base Color Manager
    • Gloss Weight Manager (glossy layered weight)
    • Gloss Base Manager (layered weight, reflectivity, roughness, top coat weight)
    • Translucency Base Manager (scattering effects, translucency color)
    • Bump and Normal Manager
    • Transfert Anatomy

     

     

    Post edited by Noah LGP on
  • kyoto kidkyoto kid Posts: 40,517

    ...my two "go to" products are Beautiful Skins and Skin Builder Pro/Skin Builder Pro 3.  SBP3 is nice in that it has added overlays that are baked into the texture on rendering rather than using the LIE (which can cause long load times for saved characters).  True, the one downside of SBP is there is no male counterpart (particularly since G2 divided the genders again). 

    The nice thing about Skin Builder Pro (both editions) is it works with both Iray and 3DL.

  • Mart1n71Mart1n71 Posts: 123

    For what its worth. On the left, Michael 8 as loaded, on the right NGS Anagenesis 2 with some minor tweaks. Glossy colour was changed to a lighter blue (0.68 0.90 1.00) so the skin isnt so pale. The top coat bump was changed to normal mapping and i transplanted the orginal normal maps over. A similar result can be achieved by changing the NGS default top coat bump value from +10 to -10. I also turned off the dual lobe specularity, and removed the map as i find the skin far too glossy with it. The main advantage with the NGS2 is the reduction in the ammount of maps used. For distance renders where the Normal maps can be removed only the diffuse map and the included Micros map are needed, and have had 8 G3F characters in one scene on my 8GB 1070 without running out of memory by using the same maps for each, and just making very minor changes to the Glossy Colour value to give them all a slightly different skin tone.

    M8.jpg
    2560 x 1440 - 478K
  • Noah LGPNoah LGP Posts: 2,556
    edited March 2018

    Michael 8 Base textures

    1. Original
    2. NGSA2 (Genesis 3 script)
    3. NGSA2 (Genesis 3 script) + ISCASM for Genesis 3 (Caucasian, Warm Skin, Preset 2)

    Post edited by Noah LGP on
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