Unfortunately, what is most recognizable about a lot of dog breeds, of all sizes, isn't the shape of the dog, but the shape of the hair. *Small* dog, no problem. Just scale it. But scaling it down won't make it a believable toy dog breed. And a lot of popular small dogs are mostly recognizable by their hair.

DAZ actually did fairly well with the original rollout of DAZ Dog 8 when they included morphs for the French Bulldog and the Dashund. Bit of those are small-to-medium breeds. 

But a Yorkshire terrier? A Shitzu (or any of those small white yappers)? Not going to recognize it without the fur. Same thing with a number of variable sized dogs. You could probably morph a recognizable poodle dog shape, but it's not going to look like a poodle without that poodle coat. Or a collie, either.

Frankly, I'm astonished that it took so long to get a chihuahua, since that one doesn't need distinguishing fur. 

Richard Haseltine said:

Richard Haseltine said:

I'm not sure that Morph loader pro is exposed to scripting, so you'd have to write your own attenuation code - you should be able to get the deltas and attenuate them (that is, reduce them - though from your description I suspect you just need to seelctively zero them) and use the verteices' position to figure out if they are left or right. Shape Splitter can do it, and I think that's a script rather than a plug-in (or was initially). I did once start a similar splitting script in DS 3 and although it didn't get far it was possible, or at least looking possible.

I was wrong to say that Morph Loader isn't exposed to scripting:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/file_io/import_obj_morph_loader_silent/start
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/object_index/morphloaderbatch_dz
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/object_index/morphloader_dz

Thanks again for your time.
And yeah, I was aware of those (I had been using the import_obj_morph_loader_silent as a reference), but technically your statement was that the "Morph Loader Pro" (rather than just Morph Loader) wasn't exposed to scripting, and I think that's technically correct (at least I currently don't know how to run "Morph Loader Pro" itself via Daz scripting).
As I detailed in my previous post, my issue boils down to not knowing how to feed a "Morph Loader Pro" setting into DzMorphLoader.

You can block all morphs, that aren't currently in the item, from projecting into areas of a fitted item with a Rigidity Map - switch to the Geometry Editor tool, use the Tool Settings pane to put it into Vertex Selection mode, select vertices, and right-click>Geometry Assignment>Create Rigidity Group (you can also set reference vertices which would then control how the rigid area behaved, using some on the chin might work here).

Alternatively you can block certain morphs while elaving others free to project by creating a new property in the beard with the same name as the morph - DS will then not try to create a new morph. That obviously  requires that you work out which morphs are causing the issue, get their named from the Parameter Settings dialogue (the gear icon on the slider), then load your beard without fitting it, right-click in the Parameters pane and put it in Edit mode (if it isn't), then right-click>Create New Property asnd give it the name of oen of the morphs you need to block.

Trying to make a morph in marvelous designer (wrinkles in leggings).  I exported the leggings at base resolution and imported OBJ as garment to Marvelous Designer.  If I do nothing but export that mesh back again, the vertex count is different (the exported file is larger), so I cannot use it as a morph.  Has anyone had this issue before?

Richard Haseltine said:

I'm not sure that Morph loader pro is exposed to scripting, so you'd have to write your own attenuation code - you should be able to get the deltas and attenuate them (that is, reduce them - though from your description I suspect you just need to seelctively zero them) and use the verteices' position to figure out if they are left or right. Shape Splitter can do it, and I think that's a script rather than a plug-in (or was initially). I did once start a similar splitting script in DS 3 and although it didn't get far it was possible, or at least looking possible.

I was wrong to say that Morph Loader isn't exposed to scripting:

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/samples/file_io/import_obj_morph_loader_silent/start
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/object_index/morphloaderbatch_dz
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/scripting/api_reference/object_index/morphloader_dz

Hello All,

Have spent a lot of time (days) trying to find the answer to this.

This is a character with a lot of morphs on it.

I added a beard. The specific type of beard does not seem to matter here, but, it is the 'Ryanno beard'.

I tested other long beards and the same distortion happens, so, don't think it is the beard.

The beard is distorted when it should not be. You can see this in the man wth the hat in the foreground.

If I take it and put it on Genesis 8 with no shaping on it, the beard is fine. You can see that in the character in the background.

This problem is caused by morph/shapes.

Can I make the beard not be affected by the morphs? If so, how?

Also, is there anyone on here that knows DAZ well that I could hire to ask a variety of questions to?

This would include being able to answer questions about moving models back and forth between Zbrush and DAZ and Maya and DAZ.

I have used DAZ for about three years. If so, private message me to set that up.
Thank you. :-D

Hi Richard, thanks for your time and insight.
After playing around with this, I'm half convinced that internally the Morph Loader Pro is just passing settings to the DzMorphLoader() object, for the following reasons: most settings in Morph Loader Pro correspond to DzMorphLoader settings in obvious ways and; when setting up a morph incorrectly (either due to wrong settings or incompatible geometry in the obj file), one gets the exact same error messages in Morph Loader Pro as in DzMorphLoader().
The only non-obvious part is how to feed the "Attenuate By" data from a weight map into DzMorphLoader(). The natural (and only) guess is that this is done via the setAttenuateMapPath method for DzMorphLoader(), but this method requires as input a string "mapPath", and I could find no usable information as to what this path should look like.
So after banging my head on the wall trying to see if I could find a mapPath somewhere for reference, I went along the lines of what you suggested and wrote my own attenuation code. The keys were a MCasual script, which taught me how to modify morphs at the level of deltas, and a bit more digging on the documentation to track down how to read weights.
In the hopes that this will help the next guy who runs into a similar issue, here's a no frills script for attenuating an already existing morph by an existing weight map in a DFormer.
P.S.: After some testing, it seems like the code below attenuates a morph in the exact same way as the Morph Loader Pro does (i.e. this code and "Attenuate By" produce exactly the same morph), so that's neat.
 

// Script for attenuating an existing morph
// according to a weight map stored on a DFormer

// With the figure/prop selected,
// the following finds the deltas for
// an existing morph "initial_morph"
var node = Scene.getPrimarySelection();
var obj = node.getObject();
var morph = obj.findModifier( "initial_morph" );
var deltas = morph.getDeltas();

// Given the DFormer "my_DFormer" (not the base nor the field),
// the following finds the weights associated to the DFormer
var deformer = Scene.findNodeByLabel("my_DFormer")
var modifier = deformer.getModifier(0)
var weights = modifier.getInfluenceWeights()

// The following creates the deltas for the new morph "new_morph",
// attenuated by the field on the DFormer
var newDeltas = new DzMorphDeltas();
for (i=0; i<deltas.getNumDeltas(); i++){
var idx = deltas.getDeltaIndex( i ); // this converts the indexing on the deltas to the index on vertices
var v = deltas. getDeltaVec( i );
v.x *= weights.getFloatWeight(idx)
v.y *= weights.getFloatWeight(idx)
v.z *= weights.getFloatWeight(idx)
newDeltas.addDelta(idx, v );
};

// This creates the attenuated morph from the new deltas
var mod = new DzMorph( newDeltas );
mod.setLabel( "new_morph" );
mod.setName( "new_morph" );
obj.addModifier( mod );

sandmanmax said:

Ok - I caved and bought Michael 8.1 with my PC+ coupon (I really wanted the shader and body hair).  So I've been testing various stuff and noticed the body hair seems to stick out a lot.  Is it dforce and do I need to run it thru a simulation to get it to lie flat? Is there a morph I didn't notice?

It is dforce hair. 

Bundle was entirely too expensive, but I bought the Bulldog morph and poses separately. The jacket is in my wishlist. 

Thank you very much for your hard work. Daz to Unity bringed me to the Daz3D word and convinced me to drop my own human base in order to use the cloths library from Daz3D store in unity. It wouldn't have happens if there wer'nt a tool like this one at the first place, so perfect timing.

If I had to make a feedback that would be to allow somehow to export models alone without the main base in unity, and keeping their morphs along with their rigging. Actually it doesn't support it and I only have been able to use this bridge to get the base model in Unity (Which is already super cool). For bringing all the cloths separately and keeping the morphs of the model I had to use a project morph in the software and to export them as .FBX, before importing them back in Unity.

That would also be nice to allow the user to choose to export to Unity multiples materials for a single mesh, if they exist. Actually I have to export as FBX the same piece of cloths multiple time under different names in order to have all the textures available in a folder outside of the software.

But whatever, I can only see a bright future for this bridge. Thank you for making me come in Daz3D and keep up the good work, you are awesome !

Charlie Judge said:

Novica said:

Rod Wise Driggo said:

Are the prices finally through the roof? I mean "Baxter's Puppy Love Bundle" contains only 8 items but is listed for a massive $156.95 list price.

If I put all the single items (including Dog 8 & Spacesuit) in my cart I end up at $51.28.
If I put just the 6 items I do not own yet in my cart I end up at $38.68.

So I guess the base price must have been entered wrong.

I bought the individual items (minus the parka, the Daz dog) and got about what you did. Buying separately was a better deal. The price is jumping around because I just tested the bundle and it was $76.91 and 50% just now. It was better than that previously, as you mentioned. (Slightly over $50)

Same thing happened to me. The minute I bought the bulldog seperately the extra 30% for owning the DAZ Dog and the Dog Spacesuit disappeared. So, I guess if they fix the bundle price later I will be out of luck.

It's a grotesquely overpriced bundle, especially since it's extremely unlikely that the spacesuit will even work on the bulldog morph well.  The idea that a less than pro-quality Bundle now has a base price of over $156.95 is beyond price gouging even before one factors in the fact that it's partially filled with previously sold item.

I'm not sure that Morph loader pro is exposed to scripting, so you'd have to write your own attenuation code - you should be able to get the deltas and attenuate them (that is, reduce them - though from your description I suspect you just need to seelctively zero them) and use the verteices' position to figure out if they are left or right. Shape Splitter can do it, and I think that's a script rather than a plug-in (or was initially). I did once start a similar splitting script in DS 3 and although it didn't get far it was possible, or at least looking possible.

Ok - I caved and bought Michael 8.1 with my PC+ coupon (I really wanted the shader and body hair).  So I've been testing various stuff and noticed the body hair seems to stick out a lot.  Is it dforce and do I need to run it thru a simulation to get it to lie flat? Is there a morph I didn't notice?

I need a kitsune (anthrpomorphed fox) for a piece of art, does anyone know where i could get one, preferably free but i can pay for one  assuming it isn't too expensive

empty said:

Yep, me again - hoping the squeky wheel gets the oil. I know, I know, it ain't probably gonna happen, but there's no harm in pushing the narrative. Maybe a PA might create a collab line of 'Retro Daz Stars of Yesteryear' and bring back some time honored classic figures for the 8.1 series as a one-off.  Anything is possible. 

Hey, you never know. Maybe the reason he got pulled after we saw a morph fit for him -- assuming it wasn't an outright error -- was because they thought, "You know, we already have The Brute planned as a sort of muscleman type, if a lot more stylized than realistic. Maybe we should hold Gianni for the planned 8.1 generation, since we probably won't repeat Brute for that."

My suspicion, based on nothing besides history, is that for 8.1 they'll probably repeat all the characters that have repeated from Genesis 2 through Genesis 8 (I think that's Michael, Victoria, Olympia, Gia, Darius, Monique, Aiko, The Girl, Lee, Mei Lin and Teen Josie -- the other repeats, like Stephanie, Eva, Mika, either didn't start until Genesis 3 or skipped Genesis 3). And it's not out of the question that some of the others might repeat as well (especially Stephanie, I'd think). But depending on how long they plan for G8.1 to run -- at least a year, probably longer, I'd guess -- they'll need other characters to fill in for the biweekly tempo they've tried to maintain. Yes, some of them will be nonhumans and minibundles, like Baxter the Bulldog this week, but most will be human. So why not stick Gianni in one of those slots?

Hi, 

Recently I've been creating joint controlled morphs that affect both the base figure and a graft on that figure.
Moreover, as I want the morphs to be controlled by both left and right joints, this effectively means that each obj file needs to be processed into 4 separate morphs (i.e. left and right versions for both the base and the graft).
After a good deal of experience doing this manually (and still having more morphs planned), I've decided to try to automate this process.

After some time learning about Daz scripting (this is my first time scripting in Daz, but I'm fairly proficient with Python, and have non negligible experience with Javascript), I think I've figured out how to automate most steps, but I'm having trouble with spliting morphs into left and right versions. More precisely, the way I do this manually is by using the "Attenuate By" option in Morph Loader Pro with the attenuation given by a weight map on a DFormer on the figure. However, the Daz script documentation on how to attenuate morphs seems rather lacking.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.
 

It's going to be a year of prehistoric fantasy from me this year. Creatures, characters, outfits, props, and environments. I have six products headed your way during the first quarter and possibly more before the end of the quarter. Let's begin with the Gnasher and two expansive products (textures and poses).

Behold the Gnasher...

The HH Gnasher is a fully rigged, fantasy-based dinosaur. This ferocious carnivore comes with different variations (Head Crest/Horn/Basic), and the horn's length can be adjusted. The Quill Spikes and Saliva are also included add-ons but can be removed if you prefer without. The eyes can be closed too. 

Multiple levels of detail can be changed by adjusting the subdivision levels (0-2) and the differences are shown in one of the store images. Included is a base hierarchical material set that applies to the figure and all add-ons. A bonus preset is also included, adding scars to the figure, which changes the skin texture and turns on the scars morph for extra 3D details.

4 full-body poses are included, as well as their flipped versions (8 total). 

All images were rendered inside Daz Studio using NVIDIA Iray. 

Add a prehistoric flair to your renders with the HH Gnasher!

--------------------

Textures & Poses products are releasing with this one at the same time. Here's a look at the additional textures.

-------------------------------

and soon the the Gnasher will have a worthy opponent... the Colossadon.

Mart1n71 said:

 

I have Zbrush, but I'm just a beginner. Is there a tutorial you could recommend to show how to do this? Or would you be able to do a quick tutorial?

+1 on quick tutorial. Just record your screen while doing those adjustments add some basic commentary and upload to youtube. That of course would be super helpful.

Here's a quick video then. https://youtu.be/5Dm0cc0FtDA   I have no mic so no commentary unfortunately. Sorry.

So step 1, Load your G8 Character, delete any attchmets, hair/eyelashes/brows/anatomical elements etc. Add any morphs you want included. I use D.Masters Auto Shape Enhancer and Zevos Skin Crease Controller so have included both. (this would also be a good time to set a material preset if you havn't already) Set mesh resolution base resolution and open the figures mouth to 50% (following D.Masters recommendation below) and export as on OBJ using Daz default settings.

Step 2, Add AFE attachment so it follows the shape of your charcter. Loads of mesh artifacts as the higher res AFE is following the base resolution of G8. Turn off the visiblity of G8, set the resolution of AFE to 0 and export as OBJ, again using Daz default settings. (DO NOT CLOSE HER MOUTH)

Step 3, In Zbrush import the G8 obj you saved first. Open the 'Geometry tab in the tools menu and click 'Divide' 2 times to get SubD level 3. Open the subdivision tool tab and click copy.

Step 4, import the AFE OBJ.

Step 5, In the subtool tab click paste. The G8 mesh should be visible in the layer below the AFE mesh.

Step 6, Scroll down the Subtool tab and open the 'Project' tool. I used the settings in the video, not sure if they are the best, but the worked ok enough for me, Click 'ProjectAll'

Step 7, In the subtool tab, turn off the visibility of the G8 subtool and inspect the resulting AFE Mesh. If you encounter any issues with the ears or eye sockets defroming, CTRL-Z and adjust the Project settings by making SMALL adjustments to the Distance/Mean/PABlur sliders until you are happy.

Step 8, Export AFE mesh as OBJ.

Step 9, Back in DAZ, select AFE, Edit>Figure>Morph Loader Pro. Select the AFE mesh you've just exportd from ZBrush. In the advanced options set Reverse Deformations to 'Yes' and Accept.

Step 10, In the properties tab, select Morphs and dial the morph in to see how it works.

Step 11, (optional) Click the properties gear icon and open the Parameter Settings tab. Set the minimum limit to zero, change the morph location. I used Actor>People.

Step 12, File>Save as>Support Assets>Morph Assets. Expand the selction tree until you find your new morph, and tick the check box to save the morph to AFE so you can dial it in manually whenever needed.

Step 13, Add meterials and enjoy.

 

DMaster said:

Thank you, Mart. That's about how I do it. Update to above.

1.export AFE + G8 out at base level. Do have the mouth open and eye closed at 50 percent. (Hold this pose in Daz3d, save it, because you will need to bring AFE back at this same pose)

2. In ZBrush add sub_d to G8 div by 2 to 3 times.

3. Import AFE and add the projection on the AFE. Doing it this way helps the inner mouth from messing up and move away from the base shape.

Note: see image for import and export object out. remember to hide G8 or AFE mesh on export. else you have 2 objects. Not a good idea to separate them in the 3D App.

You can also smooth it out using blender's shrinkwrap. it basically does the same thing as zbrush's projection.

steps:

1. load g8. close eyes 50% and open mouth 50%. turn off AFE powerpose. export to an obj on base resolution

2. wear AFE attachment, export that only (by hiding everything else) on base resolution

3. in blender, import both with keep vertex order checked

4. apply subdivision surface modifier level 3 on g8 obj, then apply shrinkwrap modifier to AFE obj with default settings and target set to g8 obj

5. export AFE obj with apply modifiers and keep vertex orders checked

6. in DAZ, select AFE attachment and import AFE obj from advanced morph loader with reverse deformations checked. the morph will appear in the AFE attachment as the filename

before:

after:

 all fixed

thanks again dmaster this is still my favorite product in the whole store

The grafts are just there to keep her body rendering a smoothly as possible under all conditions... the neck especially had some weird geometry that just wouldn't smooth out reliably for some poses, and the limbs and torso had a lot of compression artifacts that would show up now and then in renders from the mesh being forced so tiny....   That said the graft should auto follow any morph you put in the body underneath it, so additional morphs shouldn't be a problem,  just build them on G8 and go ;)

Diomede said:

Finally got enough sustained access to download and install the 'essentials' files necessary for the presets to work on my laptop.  Thanks again for all your hard work on these.

Bunyip, to get the morphs working properly, are you first using the free plugin, Daz Studio, to shape the figure and then save as a scene subset?  Or are you directly loading in Carrara?

I will reserve some time to do some more experimenting.

First of all I still have DAZ Studio 4.10 loaded on my computer, someone with 4.15 needs to check to see if the character morphs are loading in Carrara.

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/6430491/#Comment_6430491

My workflow is to do the character morph on Misty's preset in DAZ Studio, once done save it as a Character Preset. Clothes and hair converted to blended weight are saved as a Scene Subset.

Next I open the Character Preset in Carrara. I have found with my workflow that body morphs that are larger/smaller than the default figure have skeleton/bone problems when posing in Carrara.