DAZ Studio Pro BETA [Project Iradium] - RELEASE CANDIDATE 3 - version 4.8.0.53! **UPDATED**

DAZ_BrianDAZ_Brian Posts: 345
edited May 2015 in Daz Studio Discussion

DAZ 3D is pleased to announce the next public version of the DAZ Studio Pro BETA - RELEASE CANDIDATE 3 - version 4.8.0.53! (UPDATED - 2015 May 15)

What is a Release Candidate?

A Release Candidate is a BETA version that has the potential to replace the current General Release, unless significant "show-stopper" caliber bugs emerge. A Release Candidate suggests that a General Release is relatively close.

What is a BETA?

Despite our best efforts, DAZ 3D cannot possibly test the software under all possible conditions. So, we are providing a version of the application to the general public in order to uncover problems that were not discovered during internal/private testing. We expect that there will still be problems and we hope that when users encounter any problems, they will report them to the Bug Tracker so that they can be validated, prioritized and fixed.

As with any software classified as being in the BETA phase of development, you should expect to encounter bugs. Any bugs you do encounter while using BETA software can vary in terms of severity, from minor features that do not work correctly to problems that cause your computer to crash. Before choosing to use BETA software for production purposes, you should decide whether the benefit of new features and bug fixes provided by the BETA version outweighs the risk of instability you may encounter.

Public Build, BETA, what is the difference?

Public Build is a release channel, while BETA is a phase of development.

DAZ Studio is distributed through four separate channels:

- Production Build - This is where the General Release build is distributed and is open to the general public.

- Public Build - This is where the builds that are not considered stable yet are provided for testing by the general public; this channel typically provides a build that is in the BETA phase of development, but technically can provide a build in the ALPHA phase.

- Private Build - This is similar to the Public Build channel, except it is limited to a select group of individuals that serve as the "front line" or the "canary in a coal mine" for a time before the build is promoted to a less restricted channel; this channel is more likely to see an ALPHA build than the Public Build channel is.

- Dev Build - This is for a much smaller group of individuals; this channel provides "bleeding edge" ALPHA builds; sometimes referred to as "nightly", although the builds are not limited to one per night nor to strictly occurring at night.

Will this Public Build replace the General Release?

While builds in the Public Build channel do eventually replace the build in the Production Build channel, the existence of a public build does not preclude builds that are currently in the Private Build channel from replacing the General Release before one in the Public Build channel does. One of the reasons we provide a Public Build channel is to gain broader coverage of the various fixes/additions. Sometimes fixes/additions in the Public Build channel are validated more quickly than others and can be integrated into the Production Build channel while the remaining, more risky, changes are allowed to "bake" a while longer.

What is new in this version? Do I need to update my copy?

The 4.8.0.53 version resolves many issues and implements many improvements since the 4.7.0.12 General Release. More detail on specific fixes/changes/improvements can be found in the Change Log, which can be viewed online within the Documentation Center portion of our site. All new downloads of the DAZ Studio Pro BETA product (SKU: 12000) will be of this version.

Public BETA 1 highlights: Thread
Public BETA 2 highlights: Thread
Public BETA 3 (RC) highlights: Change Log
Public BETA 4 (RC2) highlights: Change Log
Public BETA 5 (RC3) highlights: Change Log

Has the Content Management Service (CMS) been improved?
If you are already using the PostgreSQL based service, no.

If you are still using the Valentina based service, yes it has. The existing Valentina based service is still included and supported, however a new PostgreSQL based service is proving itself to be much more stable and much less prone to the data corruption issues that many have experienced in the past. The new PostgreSQL based service has also proven to be somewhat faster.

With this new solution, there is no longer a need to start a service that runs in the background. Normally, the PostgreSQL server starts when the application starts and stops when the application stops; unless another application, like Install Manager, is connected to it - in which case it will stop when the last application connected to it closes. Explicit control to start the service is provided via an action [in the Content Library pane option menu] and a button [in the Smart Content pane] without ever needing to leave the application. Explicit control to stop the service is also provided via an action [in the Content Library pane option menu].

To help get you up and running with the new PostgreSQL service, we've added a separate package in Install Manager that will automatically migrate any existing data from your Valentina database; you simply install it after the PostgreSQL server is installed. We've also included an "Import Metadata from Valentina" script with the Built-In content. The amount of time required to migrate the data will vary depending on the amount of data you have and your system specs.

*Note: While the PostgreSQL server is installed, Install Manager will not install any data to the Valentina database.

What is the Application Improvement Program about?
It's about improving the DAZ Studio user experience. Support tickets and bug reports provide important clues as to the needs of you the customer, but they are only hints. This improvement program will allow us to to "see" how the features of DAZ Studio are actually performing and where users are getting hung up.

If you choose to participate in the program, the statistics we will collect are anonymous and contain no personally identifiable information. We respect your right to privacy. That said, if you choose not to participate, we respect that too.

We encourage you to participate. In doing so, your use of the application will have a greater influence on where we focus our efforts.

Has the Genesis Starter Essentials, the Genesis 2 Starter Essentials (Male/Female), or the Default Lights and Shaders packages been updated too?

"Genesis 2 Starter Essentials", "Genesis Starter Essentials" and "Default Lights and Shaders" have not been updated beyond what is already currently available with the previous beta or general release.

A "Public Beta Iray Support Content" package, which contains materials specifically intended for use with NVIDIA Iray, was added with the previous beta.

*Note: Install Manager users are notified of product updates when they occur.

How do I get the latest version?

If you have previously added the DAZ Studio Pro BETA product to your account, launch Install Manager, log into your account and type "DAZ Studio * Public Build" into the filter field to filter out anything else. Then simply download and install as you would normally.

*Note: The current version of Install Manager has a new Public Build download filter that is disabled by default. You must enable this download filter to see packages in your Ready to Download list that are tagged PublicBuild.

Optionally, you can locate, download and install the BETA from the Product Library [once you are logged into your account] by entering "DAZ Studio Pro BETA" into the text field near the top left of the page and clicking the "Filter" button, or by clicking here. Then, simply click the "download & install" button.

If this is your first time downloading DAZ Studio Pro BETA, simply follow this link, click the "Add to Cart" button on the page and then follow the checkout process.

*Note: This BETA version is not available as a standalone installer. It must be downloaded and installed using Install Manager. This does not impact the General Release, which will be made available through Install Manager as well as a standalone installer.

Can I have the General Release and the BETA installed at the same time?

Yes! You can have both the General Release and a Public Build (as well as a Private Build, for those involved in that endeavor), of the same major version, installed at the same time. Please be aware that the settings for each of the builds are stored independent of each other. This includes mapped content directories, layout, style and style colors, among many others.

What about the plugins I have?

The DAZ Studio 4.5 SDK has not changed in any way that causes it to be binary incompatible, which means that any plugins created for a previous version of DAZ Studio (4.5.0.114+) should continue to load and function with this build. That said, as with any new release, there is always the possibility that a plugin has had bugs fixed or features added, so the latest versions should be downloaded and installed if they are provided.

Plugins that are currently built/produced by DAZ 3D will provide a separate package specifically intended for the Public Build. 3rd party plugins that DAZ 3D creates install packages for will be updated to allow simultaneous installation into the General Release and the Public/Private builds. These packages will display as "Product Updates" within Install Manager once they have been updated.

Is there any documentation?

Yes, there is. And we're actively working on more.

Check out the User Guide and QuickStart Guide that we've posted in the DAZ Studio 4.x Documentation section.

The Reference Guide is also in the process of being populated/updated; updates will be posted over the course of the beta.

- Render Settings Pane : Editor Page : NVIDIA Iray
- Surfaces Pane : Editor Page : Iray Uber Shader

*Note: Some pages are still being built. If you see "permission denied" for a page, that page is not live yet.

Post edited by rbtwhiz on
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Comments

  • rbtwhizrbtwhiz Posts: 2,171
    edited December 1969

    Note: The change log indicates bug fixes and minor [risk] improvements that have occurred in builds later than the Release Candidate (4.8.0.44) being announced in this thread. These later builds may not be available through the Public Build channel prior to the General Release. However, they are certain to be tested via the Private Build channel prior to the General Release.

    -Rob

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited May 2015

    rbtwhiz said:
    Note: The change log indicates bug fixes and minor [risk] improvements that have occurred in builds later than the Release Candidate (4.8.0.44) being announced in this thread. These later builds may not be available through the Public Build channel prior to the General Release. However, they are certain to be tested via the Private Build channel prior to the General Release.

    -Rob

    So the ShaderBuilder fix and the Tiler brick fix aren't in this release...but, from what you said, Rob, will be in the final/general release?

    And we are getting a real 'sleep' for scripting???

    Rob, I'd send you a beer or pizza or whatever...

    Post edited by mjc1016 on
  • bitwelderbitwelder Posts: 212
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for the update!

    Great stuff in there...I especially like the "Implemented the ability to resume canceled/finished NVIDIA Iray renders; in render window, until closed" feature.

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  • rbtwhizrbtwhiz Posts: 2,171
    edited December 1969

    mjc1016 said:
    So the ShaderBuilder fix and the Tiler brick fix aren't in this release...but, from what you said, Rob, will be in the final/general release?

    And we are getting a real 'sleep' for scripting???

    Rob, I'd send you a beer or pizza or whatever...

    Correct, the Shader Builder compile error fix, along with a guard/notification when trying to compile RSL shader and the active renderer doesn't support the language [and so cannot compile it], will be in the General Release [and the Private Build channel before that].

    For that matter, all of the entries currently under the Private Build Channel header will be in the General Release build. The only ones that wouldn't be are any that introduce [stability] risk that we are not absolutely confident can be tested well enough via the Private Build channel, in time for the General Release. And before I'm asked, no, I will not say when the General Release lands. You'll just have to keep watching. ;)>

    Yes, I added a sleep function to the global namespace yesterday. See my response in the related DAZ Script Developer Discussion thread for more information.

    My vice of choice is whiskey... but, I've got plenty, thanks. ;)>

    -Rob

  • 8eos88eos8 Posts: 170
    edited May 2015

    I can now move/rotate the view in real-time while it's on Iray render! Thanks!!! :D

    I can't seem to get the image in the Environment Map to display now, though. And when I render a figure it's on a checkered background, like it's an alpha channel (?).

    (Never mind, I figured it out...Draw Dome needs to be turned on, it got turned off when I installed the new beta.)

    Post edited by 8eos8 on
  • Ghosty12Ghosty12 Posts: 1,955
    edited December 1969

    What I am most interested in with this version is the addition of Cloud Rendering under the advanced tab.. Be interesting to see how that will work.. :)

  • j cadej cade Posts: 2,310
    edited December 1969

    Holy Jumpin' (to quote my favorite announcer) the resume render option is unadulterated awesome. It not just resume your render, its you started and canceled this render a while ago, you've since changed your scene and rendered some other things since, but you feel like finishing that render now... okay, no problem. So far it doesn't seem like it take up any extra memory to keep those prospective scenes floating in the ether either.

  • rbtwhizrbtwhiz Posts: 2,171
    edited December 1969

    Kamion99 said:
    It not just resume your render, its you started and canceled this render a while ago, you've since changed your scene and rendered some other things since, but you feel like finishing that render now... okay, no problem. So far it doesn't seem like it take up any extra memory to keep those prospective scenes floating in the ether either.

    As long as the Render Window for a given [NVIDIA Iray] render is open, that render can be resumed. As soon as the Render Window is closed, the ability to resume that render is gone with it. While a given Render Window is open, a copy of that scene [in its simplified render-able state, not its fully editable in the scene/viewport state] remains in memory.

    -Rob

  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,142
    edited May 2015

    Can we PLEASE have tiling Normal Maps, PLEASE!

    Looking forward to the General release.... Thanks for all your hard work.

    Post edited by RAMWolff on
  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    RAMWolff said:

    Also, can we PLEASE have tiling Normal Maps, PLEASE!

    Not sure how useful that would really be, since the normal maps for most things are tied to the UV layout...and short of a brick wall, is there much use in repeating the UV'd texture?

    And it is doable, now...just need to bring the surface into ShaderMixer and connect a tiler brick to the NormalMap brick. You can even use the same output from the existing tiler brick.

    Works fine for simple repetitive things.

  • DAZ_cjonesDAZ_cjones Posts: 637
    edited December 1969

    mjc1016 said:
    RAMWolff said:

    Also, can we PLEASE have tiling Normal Maps, PLEASE!

    Not sure how useful that would really be, since the normal maps for most things are tied to the UV layout...and short of a brick wall, is there much use in repeating the UV'd texture?

    And it is doable, now...just need to bring the surface into ShaderMixer and connect a tiler brick to the NormalMap brick. You can even use the same output from the existing tiler brick.

    Works fine for simple repetitive things.

    All the maps on the Iray Uber material can be tiled independently and/or globaly. Individual map tiling setting can be seen by selecting the "Image Editor..." menu option when you click to browse for an image. The Leather sample preset does this on the normal map.

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 14,878
    edited December 1969

    !!!!!!!!!!!!!

    All maps can be tiled independently?? Holy poot, thanks for saying so! I hadn't realized and was grumping about that before.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    All the maps on the Iray Uber material can be tiled independently and/or globaly. Individual map tiling setting can be seen by selecting the "Image Editor..." menu option when you click to browse for an image. The Leather sample preset does this on the normal map.

    If I can ever get Studio 64 bit to run in Wine, then I'll be able to play around with Iray more...as it is, I didn't realize that, because I have, maybe, 12 hrs of using 4.8 since the first beta. It sucks having it on the same machine as is being used for the HTPC. (and there's no way my wife would let me put it on her new laptop...although I'm not sure I want to deal with Win8 THAT much...)

    I was surprised at how much a 1 GB 440 could handle in GPU mode. Yeah, it was a bit slow, for a GPU render (not too many cores on that 440), but it was faster than CPU mode and did complete.

    So, for the Iray side of things, ShaderMixer isn't even needed to tile them.

  • kitakoredazkitakoredaz Posts: 3,526
    edited May 2015

    Hi thank you to remove the problem of image editor gamma adjustment. now it work with iray too.:-)
    and I can adjust each texture gamma for iray test render without problem.

    (but I could not find about it in change log,, I miss something?

    and I have question why for some user ds image editor gamma worked with iray, before?
    (they said it work)

    because I tested manytime same thing with beta2, it could not work.
    (it cause no difference about render image, when I set iray render , though I only test with iray shader ,
    image editor gamma.

    the problem only for cpu or PC or AMD user etc?)

    then install this beta, now image editor gamma work as expected.
    the renderd image show me clear difference.

    my request is, (now it is beta, the cancell and resume render way may change in product build I hope)
    the canceled render image will be seen in render album too.

    at current, if I cancell I ray render, render album not keep the image I think.
    I often use render editor and render album without save image, so that I hope if it will work)

    Post edited by kitakoredaz on
  • RAMWolffRAMWolff Posts: 10,142
    edited December 1969

    I've read other render engines allow for tiling of normal maps, not just iRay. I was asking about good old fashioned 3Delight. I was talking to someone on another forum about normal maps not tiling in DAZ Studio and they were surprised as what ever software they were using allowed for tiling the normal maps. Just seems like a little road block is all. I'm sure once I get my thick numb skull around iRay I won't complain but that will be a while for me as I'm a slow learner when it comes to all this technical stuff.

    Thanks for the info just the same.

    Don't forget about the ZB Bridge request .. purty please...

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    RAMWolff said:
    I've read other render engines allow for tiling of normal maps, not just iRay. I was asking about good old fashioned 3Delight. I was talking to someone on another forum about normal maps not tiling in DAZ Studio and they were surprised as what ever software they were using allowed for tiling the normal maps. Just seems like a little road block is all. I'm sure once I get my thick numb skull around iRay I won't complain but that will be a while for me as I'm a slow learner when it comes to all this technical stuff.

    Thanks for the info just the same.

    Don't forget about the ZB Bridge request .. purty please...

    For 3DL, you can use the Shader Mixer trick...it's actually one of the easier things to do, in spaghetti land.

  • jpb06tjpb06t Posts: 272
    edited December 1969

    RAMWolff said:
    I've read other render engines allow for tiling of normal maps

    Tiling normal maps makes sense only for structures like walls or floors and even then only if the structure was originally ment to be tileable. You might find content made that way or build it yourself but frankly it is a very niche scenario.

  • linvanchenelinvanchene Posts: 1,303
    edited May 2015

    post edited and removed by user because official DAZ staff asked not to post requests in this thread

    Post edited by linvanchene on
  • MEC4DMEC4D Posts: 5,249
    edited December 1969

    My maps are always imported from Zbrush to DS via GOZ with the correct values too, it can only working if you sent your model it will take all your generated maps with it ... and because genesis have more maps due to layered UVs only one set can be imported at once , but at last you getting the right values for displacement that can be copy to the rest

    RAMWolff said:
    Can I request something Rob?

    it would be AWESOME to have the bridge that goes from DAZ Studio to ZBrush have the ability to transfer maps from ZBrush to DS to test. Not sure if that's some weird thing that breaks a rule or what ever but it would be cool.

  • MEC4DMEC4D Posts: 5,249
    edited December 1969

    @Rob I have one thing that bother me in the Beta version and I am not sure why, when I create a plane in the scene and rotate it the Environment hdri map get scaled dawn.
    Scenario : Imported HDRI maps , in background building , now after creating 10m plane for a wall , and rendering it the HDRI environment map get scaled down and I see only sky in the render as I believe the Finite sphere is shut off the moment the plane was created or scaled up , since if I scale the plane down the sphere dome scale back to normal , my friend Alex experienced the same so it is not just me

    thanks for your time
    Cath

  • MEC4DMEC4D Posts: 5,249
    edited December 1969

    My favorite now is CALCULATING EXPOSURE in real time rendering between the dome lighting and models in the scene so cool !!!! everything looks perfect

  • StonemasonStonemason Posts: 1,160
    edited December 1969

    hey guys..what's the basic workflow for canvases? i'm getting some weird results

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  • linvanchenelinvanchene Posts: 1,303
    edited May 2015

    post edited and removed by user because official DAZ staff asked not to post requests in this thread

    Post edited by linvanchene on
  • HoleHole Posts: 119
    edited December 1969

    hey guys..what's the basic workflow for canvases? i'm getting some weird results

    EXRs will look like that before tonemaping.

    http://blog.irayrender.com/post/76948894710/compositing-with-light-path-expressions


    Grab Fusion if you really want to get into it:
    https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ca/products/fusion

  • tomtom.wtomtom.w Posts: 138
    edited May 2015

    One feature I wish DAZ Studio had is a progress bar in the tool bar of Windows when rendering (like when downloading using Google Chrome), so that you can keep the render window on top but still see how far the render has progressed, from start to completion, even from some distance away. I use two computers, one desktop for fun stuff, including DS, and a laptop for other work, and often want to know how far the render has progressed, so that I know when I can use the desktop again. And I would like to be able to do that without having to move to the desktop computer and minimize the render window to see the progress bar.

    A feature that is even more needed now, since the latest beta no longer has a rotating ring above the mouse pointer indicating that the render hasn't finished yet...

    Post edited by tomtom.w on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,219
    edited December 1969

    Hole said:
    hey guys..what's the basic workflow for canvases? i'm getting some weird results

    EXRs will look like that before tonemaping.

    http://blog.irayrender.com/post/76948894710/compositing-with-light-path-expressions


    Grab Fusion if you really want to get into it:
    https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ca/products/fusion


    Actually I haven't managed to open an .exr in Photoshop - from what I've read in an incidental discussion on the Foundry forums even the extended version os PS CS6 won't open many exrs correctly, it just gives the alpha. Try using a compositing application (Autodesk has Composite, or Black magic Fusion should work I think).

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,219
    edited December 1969

    tomtom.w said:
    One feature I wish DAZ Studio had is a progress bar in the tool bar of Windows when rendering (like when downloading using Google Chrome), so that you can keep the render window on top but still see how far the render has progressed, from start to completion, even from some distance away. I use two computers, one desktop for fun stuff, including DS, and a laptop for other work, and often want to know how far the render has progressed, so that I know when I can use the desktop again. And I would like to be able to do that without having to move to the desktop computer and minimize the render window to see the progress bar.

    Switch to the main application window and move the progress bar to one side, so it won't be covered by the render window.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,219
    edited December 1969

    This is a DAZ Studio beta thread, it is not a suitable venue for lobbying for the HD morph plug-in to be made generally available.

  • StonemasonStonemason Posts: 1,160
    edited December 1969

    Hole said:
    hey guys..what's the basic workflow for canvases? i'm getting some weird results

    EXRs will look like that before tonemaping.

    http://blog.irayrender.com/post/76948894710/compositing-with-light-path-expressions


    Grab Fusion if you really want to get into it:
    https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ca/products/fusion


    thanks..I actually grabbed Fusion earlier tonight, but also grabbed the allegorithmic toolset and then the new DS beta ..so haven't tried fusion yet, was trying to work with the exr's in photoshop using a plugin called proexr.

    I was expecting regular looking render passes like I'd get from max using render elements, when I render to exr in max I get a layered file that Photoshop displays as I expected(attached image show what the 3dsmax exr gives me)

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  • tomtom.wtomtom.w Posts: 138
    edited December 1969

    tomtom.w said:
    One feature I wish DAZ Studio had is a progress bar in the tool bar of Windows when rendering (like when downloading using Google Chrome), so that you can keep the render window on top but still see how far the render has progressed, from start to completion, even from some distance away. I use two computers, one desktop for fun stuff, including DS, and a laptop for other work, and often want to know how far the render has progressed, so that I know when I can use the desktop again. And I would like to be able to do that without having to move to the desktop computer and minimize the render window to see the progress bar.

    Switch to the main application window and move the progress bar to one side, so it won't be covered by the render window.

    I always maximize the render window to see more of it since I always render images with a higher resolution than the 1920x1080 resolution of the monitor...

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