Daz Studio Pro BETA - version 4.9.0.21!
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This.
I put off upgrading to DS4 for years because a great little utility that is still available in the store called Finder 2 was not going to be upgraded from DS3. With this great little utility called Finder 2 I was able to find, quickly and efficiently, any item in my runtime/library. Not only that, when I clicked on the found item it took me straight to the item's folder in Content Library and away I went. But not with DS4. There I was, back to hunting around and not finding what I wanted. So came the huge reorganisation of all my stuff, and there was s#%tloads of it. But finally I could find stuff again and with a great little external database called Everything, I have been as happy as a pig in poo. Please don't make the pig an unhappy, angry pig...it's not a pretty sight.
So what you are telling me, with DAZ Connect, I'm going to stuck with one gigantic folder with every DAZ purchased I've made since 2007? I shudder at the thought. I can fill almost a 1Tb of data. The texture folder alone would be a bloated monster. Am I stuck having my Giant Folder in a "network"?
I am not computer savvy, I didn't understand Smart Content so I don't use it, plus I didn't want to mix my character folders with Scenes and settings. Besides the files were just too messy and all over the place. I do use the Content Downloader which downloads to a temp folder, then I inspect the folder names and place it where I want. I don't mind the DAZ Connect if I can choose where it will download in my computer. I have an external harddrive just for content. I dislike using my "network" on windows 8, since I have no clue where it is physically.
So no word on whether Daz connect will ever work with Carrara (ditto on Genesis 3).
how then will Carrara users access updates to products we've already purchased? I'm assuming the same level of service as other customers for these products at least?
The fix for that is to remove the default content mapping, and give it only the spaces you want content installed. I have exactly one content location mapped for Studio, and everyone seems to be respecting it thus far.
As for putting things in various places, I got tired of having six different Aiko 3 /V4 folders, so I parsed them out to Generation 3, Generation 4, Genesis, Genesis 2, etc, and stuck the stuff for various figures in there. It's worked for me thus far, at least. I'll not be happy if I have to go back to several entries for Aiko 3 because someone ten years ago didn't name directories according to a standard.
Apple abandoned DRM in 2009, so we could argue that DAZ are still living in 2009, not as bad as 1995 maybe, but they are still living in the past.
I'm not sure if there's any point in posting my opinions... I'm not as angry as the time we paid for DAZ 4 Pro to then see it given away less than 6 months later, but there are things I find hard to swallow.
DRM protection? I don't actually have a problem with it in principle, so long as the reality does not hinder my workflow.
Cloud-based delivery of purchases? I can live with that. I actually work very will with DIM - so if it was simply a case of DIM being integrated into DAZ Studio itself, that would be just fine by me.
But a system that will not let me customize locations of installed content? Are you kidding me? Seriously, your advice is that we "get with it" and become librarians to manually add our own smart content data just so we can find something - except that smart content will always screw up... A L W A Y S... which is why I will never use smart content through choice... which is why we needed to customize our content folders in the first place - just so we can actually find things when we need them.
But change is inevitable, even if it's a hinderance rather than an improvement for many loyal customers, it will still be happening... and I appreciate the efforts of the DAZ forum staff in trying to reply to evrything as if it's a positive despite it being clear that some of it is not.
Question: What can you do to keep me as a customer?
Answer: Implement a way for me to be able to click on a thumbnail in my normal content library that will load the new encrypted content i.e. give me a shortcut or whatever it needs to be that simply looks like the normal icons that loads the purchased item when I click on it (in my content library tab, not jerking around in the smart content tab)... If this was implemented as a shortcut, we could simply move the shortcut to a custom location if we wanted to, which is what most of us vets are looking for (well, that and easy to find texture folders for customization, but if I understand correctly from several posts that this side of things won't actually change).
I'm an artist, not a librarian. If I wanted to spend my time buried in categorizing assets and praying that smart content doesn't bork on us after weeks of work, then I'm sure your advice is spot-on... but I would much rather spend my time creating art instead - and all I need to do that is as mentioned above - implement some sort of way to see DAZ Connect purchases via the Content Library tab that I can sit next to my existing content.
Of course, that all having been said, if the content that is sold exclusively via DAZ Connect is so amazingly kickass, then suddenly I'll become a convert... but I'm talking some serious improvements i.e. movie-quality stuff, not just a tweak here and there. Until then, I'll stick to DIM, so I suppose it boils down to how quickly the transition to exclusive items via DAZ Connect takes place.
I want to be a believer, but I'm nervous about what's happeing and don't exactly trust that this has anything to do with improving the customer experience.
Ah, OK, thanks so much for explaining that to me!
.... :-) i write from Italy .... 2015 was the best period of my Daz addiction, I was liking this program since I was discovering it (per coincidence) some years ago (was the age of Vicky 4.2 I think). now I am 61 y.o. and still I like to learn things about 3d content. What I was never liking during my 30 years of work experience with computers? Those puritan fights against innovations and upgrades (doesn't matter if concerning hardware or software).... BUT this last Daz release sounds to me like a funeral bell for the future of this people, Please DAZ team go back to reason and PLEASE don't mask this "upgrade" anti piracy like a benefit for users. My best wishes to all, but today, really, everything looks sad (and also pathetically puritan) in this Daz thing.
Looking at the worst multinational behaviour (like Apple, Sony, RCA etc.) it's not a welcome for us old and new users. We can survive good also without DAz3d in the next. Bye.
I had dropped my PC membership some time back, do to there not being of anything of intrest at the time. I come back as a PC member and find this Studio 4.9 coming out with that DRM. When it comes out I too will drop my PC membership again. But, I won't be coming back. Sorry to say, I love my Daz, I will just have to find another place to spend my money. If we have to log in through Daz connect that uses Cloud, they will have our log in information and access to credit card info too. After all it is saved to our accounts. Hope things works out for you all. I will stick with Daz 4.8.
I think we need a detailed explanation of extactly what the new content structure is...
Is it just dump everything, by sku in one big folder and let the database (user or metadata/Smart Content) sort and categorize it?
Or is it some sort of immutable variation of the current structure.
What would a clean install of 4.9 on a machine that never had Studio installed on before have as a content folder structure, with just Connect installed content on it?
DIM / Product Library will still work to download updated versions of any of your current content. There will be content in the future that can only be downloaded through Daz Connect (nothing planned so far), but anything that wants to retain compatibility with Carrara or other third party software will still be released with un-encrypted versions that you can download through DIM.
I'm not going to confirm or deny anything at this point, but a promising workaound I have tried works very close to this shortcut / symlink idea. But once again, I am neither confirming or denying that I may or may not be looking in to that thing.
If you extracted all of the zips from a product into a directroy that was named with the SKU, stash that in the data/clound subdirectory of a mapped location and you would end up with something super close to how Daz Connect stores it.
On a clean install of 4.9, if you only install products through Daz Connect everything will end up in the data/cloud subdirectory of your mapped path.
Since "Daz Connect" content isn't easily accessable though the file browser in content library we throw things in the "Lost and Found" that should be user facing and accessable but aren't listed in metadata. It's also a flag for our "Librarian" that this content needs to be properly tagged/categorized to make it accessible in smart content in sensible locations. When those files get proper smart content data they will disappear from that section.
Like I said before pick one method and stick to it...and this is actually something that I prefer (other than the possibility of duplicated texture files). It could be very well the simplest to actually manage, if the database is completely reliable. Because there can now be an infinite number of organization schemes and nothing will break. But it does require a fully functioning database...
please I think I will borrow your sentence about cloud-storage (FOG-STORAGE!) for a meeting at work next week. Thanks a lot.
100% agree with you, kisses from Italy, Key.
DAZ, this is NOT acceptable.
I use your content in everything but DAZ Studio. I mostly use Carrara, Vue and Modo. I even use Poser once in a while. If you limit the content you sell to just DAZ Studio via DRM, I have no reason to buy anything here ever again.
I also like to be in control of my content's organization so that I can use it effectively across several applications. I have my own content management system involving a structure that suits MY workflow managed by a bunch of scripts on my private Linux server. It works very well for me and I'm not about to give it up.
If you want to effectively own my content after I pay for it, you can forget it. You keep your content nice and safe in your store and I'll keep my money in my wallet.
Let's imagine this scenario: I have an encrypted DRMed Genesis 4 for Studio Alcatraz version (aka DS 5).
What does prevent me from writing a script which exports the base mesh, then for each morph dials it, exporting the modified mesh and then another script that imports the lot and creates a cracked Genesis 4? I used the morph example but with scripting and the SDK I can do the whole thing (bones, weight maps... even the kitchen sink).
For this DRM scheme to work it is mandatory that DAZ removes all exports and embargoes the SDK availabily to anybody who is not a DAZ PA. So the options are either:
1-a DRM scheme which aggravates legitimate users and delays crackers only for the time it takes them to stop laughing at DAZ or...
2-an ADX Florence supermax ('muricans know what I am talking about) which makes impossible for people to use Studio in a pipeline.
Any comments?
You are correct that is two different issues. The first one which is Security is still going to be a very serious issue to me, As long as this 'daz connect' is going to be a no go for me. Not only for the security aspect but also because I will no longer be able to use purchased content anywhere other than this program, which will lock me into using studio, even in the unlikely event that Poser begins to offer Genesis 2 & 3 compatability. How will this be addressed?
This encryption... Is this going to prevent us from being able to modify the content? Is it going to lock us out of the ability to save out independent versions of it for our own personal use? (I often re-save items independently which I modify (I modify almost everything I render), it prevents me destroying the original and I can completely change the base shape or even the topology. I also like to re-save things separate when making them natively fit a different figure or when changing the rigging, not to mention fix content that imo could use improvements). Are we still going to be able to view and modify content in notepad? Is everything doomed to be DS only unless Daz Studio has a bridge to the software we use? and finally... What is the point of having these bought "assets" if we cant modify them or even use them outside DS? come the inevitable time you daz_people decide we wont support DIM any longer nor provide unencrypted zips.
Its fine to say all this is to help prevent the piracy, but all this is doing is hurting the good honest people, while the pirates will just crack it and continue doing what they do.
Well... after reading a lot of posts on the subject of DAZ Connect, I'm feeling much better about 4.9. My initial fear was about DAZ pushing ad content within the application. Doesn't look like that is going to happen.
But I do have another concern. I don't have a super fast connection, (DSL with only 1.5mbps down,) so I like/need the ability to pause my downloads, in order to do something else, like open a webpage, or download my email. I can do that with DIM. Will I be able to pause the product download(s) through DAZ Connect if I need the bandwidth for something else?
Totally unrelated to DAZ Connect, I was wondering if 4.9 will resolve the issue I had recently where saving a figure/prop support asset put that G2F figure's morphs into every G2F figure I used from that point on. While ticket #201577 is considered Solved, the solution was to delete the saved asset and the morphs it stored in the directory where I save my own presets and such, C:\Users\Admin\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library.
I feel I have to comment on this as I agree with the OP regarding Daz not organising content well and it really annoys me as it doesn't match with standards for other things Daz do so well. I've bought tons of content to use over the years. Yes, the readme info is online but it's essentially hidden because if you are not using DIM , or hadn't thought to look there, you wouldn't know it exists - there is no reference to the readme file on the product page where it should be (and also sometimes you want to see the readme to perhaps clarify a question before buying - the vendor may have extra info there you need not on the store page. I've found that a few times, so DIM doesn't even come into the picture in that scenario) .
All it needs is a line of text on each product page saying "..you can find the readme by searching with the product code in the readme section here....link..." or something to that effect. I've been a user since version 1. something and it took me a long time before I realized that readmes were actually here on Daz in the Docoumentation section. I can't be the only one. And now that they are not included in the product files, even more reason to have that link on the product page. The user shouldn't be expected to have to hunt down readme information - access should be obvious and easy.
As I positively hate THE CLOUD and any kind of online activation (bad customer experience), I will stay with DAZ4.8, buy my zipped content as long as this is possible, and then I'm gone as a DAZ customer.
As for the DRM, I'm a publisher, I sell Ebooks, I decided against DRM, as the stuff is pirated anyway and DRM only aggrevates paying customers. DAZ should reconsider.
I keep reading the questions that pop up here and the answers given. Daz peeps, you can pimp up 4.9 with road spinners and gold-plated bumpers all you like, it really shows that many people won't get in the car. You keep advertising all the "great" improvements you've made to the thing, the fact remains that there is ONE feature people don't want in the very vast majority: Daz Connect. Are you trying to design your own little orwellian dystopia? If this is the only way you found to keep your customers from using your content inside anythingf else than DS, it's wrong. I would expect that from Apple, but you? Listen to us, the plebeians. We like the stuff you sell, we REALLY do. We simply don't like the idea of buying and using with a gun to our face.
A friend of mine once explained to me his views on Apple. It went like this: "Imagine Apple is Ikea. You go to Ikea's and buy a nice swedish armchair, the Glïkünblükht. You bring the crate home, you build the thing, it looks great and comfy. Only now, before you can sit, you need to phone Ikea for their blessing. Also, the label on the crate states that you are to put that chair where you're being told to, not where you'd like to."
It's ridiculous, it's invasive and makes the customer unhappy. The chair being beautifully painted with the most sophisiticated blend of swedish paints won't change the fact that' you're getting shafted. Period.
Greetings,
I just can't leave this unchallenged. I invite you to try and copy an app from your iPhone to someone else's iPhone, and then talk to me about how Apple 'abandoned' DRM. They made DRM so slick you don't even notice it anymore, but Apple's entire downloadable app business is built on on a bedrock of STRONG DRM.
If DAZ can make encrypted content at rest on my system even half as slick and transparent as that, then heck yeah, it'll be fine.
-- Morgan
OK! I'm old. I was computer savvy back in the DOS days, but I'm barely past a rookie these days. What settings in Avast do I have to change in order to be able to allow the postgreSQL to run? It says it's quarantined, but the last quarantine date on my computer is from 2014.
I remember the days, when our one and only Computer was as big as a whole room and needed to be fed with cards where we had to punch holes for information .. Then came DOS ... Then came WINDOWS ... Have tried UNIX, LINUX, BEOS, everything. There has still to be developed a system and a program which is really, really safe. There will never be one ... So-called safe system were either safe because they were so obscure that nobody cared to crack them, or they were safe for ... hours ... days ... some even for months ... but none was safe in the long run.
So, you can't get a safe system, as long as people from the outside are able to reach the system, or as long as people from the inside can reacht the outside world.
So you never will be able to create a safe DRM in the long run.
You just get angry customers.
No, the license for using everything is the same, this is just to make it a little more difficult to redistribute the files in an easy way, if all people that buy content would keep it to themself and not redistribute it this would not happen, it's pretty understandable that DAZ want to minimize this as much as possible (se quote from FAQ below).
You have everything available in DS just as before you can export to OBJ, save objects to DUF files and so on, no difference at all, and you do not have to use DAZ Connect if you don't want.
Note: Carrara and DSON (Poser) will not work with Connect.
I don't use Avast, but perhaps this guide will help you:
http://www.getavast.net/support/managing-exceptions
Will we still be able to buy things DIRECT from the Daz store, as we do now? Then download via DIM or DazConnect.