Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male
Kev914
Posts: 1,129
Was there instructions that came with the product that tell you how to use it? I found a readme, but it didn't really tell me how to use the product. I read that things have to be saved as duf files or something like that. Do you just add the clothing and then click on the icon and it updates and saves it? If there is a help file (instructions) can you tell me where to find it? I let the DIM install everything now, but just runs everything as a batch.
Also, some icons are larger than what displays so you can read everything on the icon. I tried hovering my mouse over it, and right clicking, but I can't see all the verbiage on some icons. Is there a why to see the entire icon so you know what it does?
Thanks
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Here a link to the product docs with the usage info: http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/17664/start
M4 for Genesis 2 Males gives you 3 independent features.
1) It gives you the M4 body shape for genesis 2 male. If you load and select G2M on the Shaping Tab under Actor -> People you should find the Michael 4 body shape. You can fully apply it or mix it with other body shapes. This can be used completely independently of what skin or clothes you use. You could use the M4 body shape with M6 skin and clothes, for example.
2) It gives you Auto Fit capability for Michael 4 clothing and Hair. You do not have to use the Michael 4 body shape to use this auto fit. You should be able to auto fit Michael 4 clothing on to any shape of G2M. Clothing and Hair do not need to be in DUF format. You can just select a G2M based character and load a M4 clothing or hair item. You should get the auto fit dialog.
3) It gives you the Michael 4 UVs for G2M. This allows you use M4 skins on any G2M based character. The UVs control how a 2 dimensional skin textures is mapped onto the 3 dimensional figure. G2M base package supports the G2M base male UVs and the Michael 5 UVs. If you have purchased Michael 6, you also have support for Michael 6 UVs. M4 for Genesis 2 Male adds support for Michael 4 UVs with G2M.
All skins used with G2M need to be in DUF format. Essentially all M4 skins are in some older format. If you have the Michael 4 character, you apply the skin to M4, then with M4 selected do Save as -> Material Preset. This creates a DUF format skin preset. If you don't have Michael 4, you can do the same thing with Genesis 1. I am given to understand it is better to do this with M4, if you have him, but you can do it with Genesis 1, if you don't.
When you load the DUF format material preset, you may not get the UVs set to M4. If this happens you will see gaps on the skin. In the content library panel, go to Daz Studio Formats -> My DAZ 3D Library (or whatever library the product is installed in) -> People -> Genesis 2 Male -> Materials -> Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male. There should be one item there called "Set Michael 4 UV". Apply this with the character selected and it should fix the UVs.
You can also buy the Michael 4 Skins Auto Converter For Genesis 2 Male(s). I don't own this, but my understanding is it is a script that makes it easier to convert M4 skins for use on G2M.
mark128, I didn't use the quote button because your post is so long and right above my response. You have explained the product beautifully. I almost wish I had you write the Readme for me ;) Thank you for explaining it so well.
Kevinh... there is only one icon that comes with my product, the "Set Michael 4 UV" located in the place mark128 described above. Any other icons you see are not directly part of this package, so I have no control over the size of the icons. You also mentioned that the icons sometimes get larger when you hover over them. I personally have never seen this in DAZ Studio, but that might just be me. Maybe in Poser, is that the program you are using?
Thanks for the explanation. I have Michael 4, 5 and 6. I also have the skin converter. I'm going to save your response as a reference.
As far as the icon question, it wasn't in reference to this product. Sorry for the confusion. I tried to find an example of what I was talking about but I wasn't able to this morning. If you can't read all the words on the icon, is there a way to looks at the properties or something so that you can see all the text?
Thanks again.
Well, darn it, I seem to need new glasses! I just made myself an M4 UV-setter (lots of editting of another DUF file) and there was one sitting there waiting for me all along! (I really should read the README sometimes :red:)
Sometimes the lettering for 'new' or file type is placed over the icon by Studio. It's handy but often obscures part of what's underneath. It's actually a feature I like.
What I do is open and Explorer window and navigate to the folder to see the icon. I can double-click it to pull up in the associated viewer but Explorer shows the icon a little larger in the bottom panel.
I have michael 4 and 6 and for the life of me I cannot install michael 4. I have dragged, dropped, reinstalled and no dice. What am I doing wrong?
What problem are you having with Michael 4? It's a Poser-format model and will show up in Content Library > Poser Formats > [content library name] > Figures > DAZ People
I have successfully applied a Michael 4 texture to Genesis 2, although I did have some issues along the way. And have a few questions too.
I used that Batch converter on the Michael 6 all natural high res textures. It made duf files for everything but the genitals. I tried doing just the genitals, but even then all I end up with was an icon but not duf file. Is it not suppose to create a duf file for the genitals? I ended up creating one manually, but it the end it looks like I didn't need it as the procedure has you apply that texture in the surface panel. (Since it is a material converter, I originally tried to use this product on the texture files, but I guess you are suppose to use it on the Material pose files.
In the procedure, it says that the preferred method to apply the textures to the genitals is method 2. But I couldn't follow that method. It said to open the Polygon Group Editor from the tools menu. But I don't have anything called Polygon Group Editor. Was it prehaps renamed to something else in DS 4.8?
So I followed method 1, but had a few hickups along the way. I tried to follow the steps carefully. But somehow I ended up with the hips being invisible. Finally I noticed that somehow the hip area had lost it's texture so I re-added the body texture. But then it looked funny, so I checked and I had to reset it to use the Michael 4 UVs and then all was good. Maybe when I applied the transparancy to the seam cover, I accidentally applied to the hips?
So now that I am done...can I save material poses for the body and the genitals so I won't have to repeat this process for this texture? (I tried this once before, but only body material pose applied anything. Maybe I did something wrong in saving the material pose?)
And how do I know if there are bump and specular maps that need to be applied. Can you tell by the names which one is the bump, spec, etc. The transparancy one is black and has some white on it. Looks sort of like an x-ray or photo negative. The bump is gray. Sometimes just looks like a grey square. But I'm not sure how I tell which are the others.
I am also having major issues with this product. Due to the recommendation in the PDF and also elsewhere in the forum, I also bought the Michael 4 Skins Auto Converter For Genesis 2 Male(s).
But that's where the problem starts. Some are in .mc6 format so don't work at all despite what the PDF says:
Also, it is not possible, with that auto-converter, to multi-select as instructed in the PDF:
That just doesn't work with the auto-converter.
So now, even if I find an M4 character with a .pz2 file, I can't apply the materials to the gens or the hips. I've spent all morning on this and am about to return both the M4 for G2M product and the M4 Skins Auto-Converter (if DAZ will let me) unless I can get some help here.
From the product description for M4 Skins Auto Converter for Genesis 2 Male(s)
Now you know that Genesis 2 Male, a premiere 3D model, has all new surface names. Even though you bought Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male, you have to hand change all of the surface settings to use that huge library of Michael 4 Mat files! Bummer!
But wait!
Now there's a way to do all of the work with only a couple clicks!
This script will read the .DS, .DSA and .PZ2 files and do all of the work for you. No more going cross-eyed and getting carpal tunnel clicking all around your folders and going back and forth checking digital animation settings.
Note that .mc6 is not on the list. Also this is not the multiple version. To do more then one material preset at a time you need to use M4 Skins Batch Converter to Genesis 2 Male(s)
My problem is more one of the two products working together, which is claimed in the PDF but not in my experience. I was hoping for some advice.
By the way, I didn't claim .mc6 is supported, the PDF which comes with the Slosh product makes that claim. That same PDF recommends your Auto Converter when it seems that it should have advised your Batch Converter.
Ok - so I bought the Batch Converter and have created a folder with materials converted from .pz2 to .duf - however, it refuses to convert the gens. Do I need a .duf file to use the gens textures with Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male? If so, do I need to convert the gens manually?
marble (and anyone else)... I apologize for the .pdf saying DraagonStorm's script will convert .mc6 files. In the readme on the wiki for Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male it doesn't list .mc6 as an option (the 2nd bullet point under Additional Details). This was some time ago, so I don't remember if I put .mc6 in the PDF myself or if the person who converted my text document and edited the PDF put it in there on my behalf (maybe they assumed I forgot it). I'm also not sure why the autoconverter script will not convert the gens textures. I just tried it myself, and as you stated it does not convert them. In the description on how to apply the genital textures, I did not use a preset, converted or not. I manually put the textures in as described in the PDF.
To refresh my memory, I followed the PDF step by step to apply genital textures to Genesis 2 Male's gens, and it worked exactly as described. Unless DraagonStorm is able to get the autoconverter to work on the gens presets, then the PDF's claim that her script will convert them is incorrect. For that, I humbly apologize. However, the statement that reads "all texture presets must be in .duf format in order to apply them to Genesis 2 Male or Genesis 2 Male Genitalia" is correct. Only .duf presets will apply the penis texture automatically. Once you have manually applied the textures via my method, you can save them as a .duf material preset. Alternately, you can apply the gens preset to either Genesis (1) or M4, then save a preset that way, which will be in .duf format and will work on G2M. This does defeat the purpose of the autoconverter and the batch converter, but that is out of my hands.
I will wait until I hear from DraagonStorm on whether or not she can modify the script. If she cannot, then I will change the .pdf. I sincerely apologize that you were given misinformation. It was a large project to get a workable solution to use the gens materials, something nobody has bothered to do in the past (for Genesis), and while it is not a perfect or easy solution, it is the best I was able to do. I hope you do not decide to return the products. They do give you the ability to use your M4 Textures and the genitalia textures, just maybe not necessarily the way you were led to believe. I did not intentionally try to mislead you, and again, I am sorry.
Brian (Slosh)
I'm no expert, but...
I don't think the gens convert. At least they didn't for me. I created a duf file of them myself, but I don't think they worked either. I'm pretty sure I had to follow the instructions if the pdf to get the gens applied.
It's been a little while since I completed my first success. I keep meaning to go back and try some others. I think I made the mistake of trying to convert an mc6 with the batch converter the first time too, and it didn't work so at first I thought the batch converter didn't work. But it does indeed work with the right file types.
What is an mc6 file anyway?
Thank you for responding, Brian.
I have, in the meantime, been going through my collection of M4 materials. I have used the Batch converter for the skins and manually converted the gens by loading M4 and M4 Gens and appplying each gen material in turn. This has been quite a project but will afford me some further options going forward, so I won't be returning your product or the batch converter.
One thing that had me in a panic with the batch converter, though - it can't be cancelled (can't even quit from DS once the script has started). I made the mistake of selecting a parent folder, forgetting that all subfolders (containing all my characters) would be converted. I tried to stop it but could find no cancel button so I clicked the red x in the corner. That closed the GUI window but left the script running happily. In a panic I was trying to cancel all the pop-up windows in turn but fighting a losing battle. Thankfully, I've restarted DS and restored the folders to how I want them - no permanent damage done, I think.
By the way, I had a flash of inspiration while doing all these mat conversions. I have (and actually prefer) the Jepe Real Gens for M4 Genitals. This is a prop and not a geo-graft and can be move into place and parented to (but DO NOT use Fit To) G2M. It takes the converted M4 Gen materials perfectly without requiring the procedure in your PDF, Brian.
That's cool, marble. I did this for those who want to use the G2M gens, but if you have another product that you like better, that is great. :) By the way, I just figured out why the Autoconverter and the batch converter do not work on the gens presets... DraagonStorm and I did not work on our two products together, and when I first made Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Males, I did not have a genitals option. That came months later when I received multiple requests to try to make it work. So, when I did that, DraagonStorm was not aware of the change. Her scripts specifically name each material zone and convert it. So, of course, it does not include the material zone "Genitalia" or "Gen_Skin". This is why the hips material from the main preset works, because there is a zone named "Hips" on both the torso and the genitals. Anyway, I will get with DraagonStorm and see what we can come up with.
That would be fantastic.
Sorry if I came across as Mr. Angry - it does get frustrating when you buy something, try to follow the instructions and hit snags. I never, for a moment, thought you tried to mislead - just that perhaps the advice had been given without testing first. Nevertheless, I'm please with what I have now. DAZ refunded the Auto-Converter and I used the credit to buy the batch converter, so no loss there either.
By the way - I realised that some characters are supplied with both .pz2 and .mc6 but that they are installed into different folders so I had to search around my file system for them. I don't use Smart Content so maybe that's why I missed them at first.
If you are still around, Brian ...
I'm trying your method again with the G2M Gens and I'm almost there but can't get the SeamCover textured - it remains grey. I'm not sure what this means (from your PDF):
Which Transparency Preset? I have 5 icons - the first says "Set M4 Gens"and the other 4 are transparency settings of various shapes and sizes. Whichever I choose, I still end up with an area of untextured grey.
I think you missed the step where you choose the G2M, his gens, and the seam cover all at once and apply the Hip Texture (actually just clicking the .duf preset for the body texture will apply the hip texture to all 3 items). Then you choose one of the 4 transparencies that best blends the seam cover with the body and the gens.
In defence of Slosh, the batch converted didn't exsist when Slosh released Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male.
As for the gens... My bad, I tend to forget about them since I don't use them in my renders. I will have to take a look at the code and see what it will take to add them to the conversion process. Pretty busy with stuff at the moment, but I will put that one my list to look into, as I don't think it will be a "quick fix"
I don't think I missed that step and I've been through it several times. I'll try again though.
Wait a sec - do I load the seam cover parented to to G2M or to the Gens?
The seam cover is a smart prop, so it parents to the gens, even if you have the G2M selected. Or, at least it should. LOL, it's been two years since I worked on this product. It's hard to remember :D
If I try to fit it to the gens, DS crashes :(
Dude. Just select G2M and then apply the seam cover. It will go where it needs to go
Nope - I give up. I did as you said and just applied the seam cover to G2M. Then went through your instructions yet again but the seam cover is still grey, except for the transparency mask area.
Do I have to break out Camtasia and make a video? LOL. I'm not sure why you are having so many issues... but we'll get it sorted. Have you tried copying the hip texture from G2M and pasting it to the seam cover? If that doesn't put a texture on it, then there is another issue. Try that and let me know if it's still gray, then we'll go from there
It is goind wrong at the first step. The SeamCover does not get the hip texture applied, no matter what I do. Even if I select it specifically and apply the full body .duf, it remains grey.