Orestes seems to hiccup - some things are 79% http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-graphics

Not a hiccup, those are the ones in mega fastgrab, and with the way things are stacking those can go to 91% off!

Orestes seems to hiccup - some things are 79% http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-graphics

...speaking of 'learning by buying' from our great Daz 3d Artists, here are a few more, but this is certainly not a conclusive list, but more of an 'off-the-top-of-my-head highlight showcase. 

For something more like a comprehensive list of Carrara resources, Please see ►►► CARRARA Resources ◄◄◄

There are some immaculate examples of how to create hard-core Sci Fi interiors directly in Carrara by our very own 3DLUST, via his products <<< RADIUS and SIRUS LABS >>>!

They use top notch shaders, great use of Anything Glows lighting, reflective surfaces, mechanical modeling... and they're just gorgeous sets for your characters to have fun get examined in! ;)

His Dragonfly AMU is also Carrara compatible ;)

Ever want to have more presets for cool landscape pieces, instead of having to make your own? Or do you just want to see some more really cool examples of how we can make cool terrain pieces? 

Orestes Graphix' Tectonics Evolved Vol's 2 & 3 are just the thing!

Tectonics Evolved Volume 2 - Sci Fi has 25 Highly Detailed Terrains for Carrara (.CAR) - 5 Alien Mounds, 5 Craters, 5 Cybertron, 5 Melted Hills, and 5 Strange Eggs. Each terrain is 2049 x 2049 in size for the best quality. Each terrain also has its own texture map tailored to its unique geology, so no fooling around with difficult shaders to get awesome results.

Tectonics Evolved Volume 3 - Fantasy has 25 Highly Detailed Terrains for Carrara (.CAR) - 5 Arathi Mountans, 5 Emerald Loch, 5 Desolace, 5 Mordor, and 5 Searing Mesa. Each terrain is 2049 x 2049 in size for the best quality. Each terrain also has its own texture map tailored to its unique geology, so no fooling around with difficult shaders to get awesome results.

Both kits include presets for Carrara, Bryce and Vue, so no matter what your favorite software is, you'll be able to use Tectonics with zero effort!

New User's Contest - August 2016

Sponsored by DAZ 3D and OrestesGraphics

OrestesGraphics is offering 1 product to each winner in this month's contest.

Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest contest...

"It's all fun and games (until someone loses an eye)"

This month's contest is a general render contest (based on a having fun) where you should focus on the different aspects of 3D that you have learned so far. For information and help, take a look at in the previous contests that you may have entered. This whole theme is to have some fun with your renders as well as practice the skills that you have been learning over the previous months, so have fun and show us what you can do.

I will be checking in on the WIP thread, as will the rest of the Community Volunteers, to try and help with anything you may need, so feel free to ask questions there.

For a list of the current contest rules, please see this thread : Contest Rules

When working on your submissions, if you would like to get feedback as you work or before posting your final image, please post your image to the WIP thread. People will be popping into the WIP thread to give you some critique and advice on your entry and help along the way.

Please keep all comments on entries in the WIP thread as well, because comments or requests for help/feedback/advice will be removed from the contest entry thread and merged into the WIP thread. This entry thread is only for posting final contest submissions.

For those veterans of the forums that would like to help, because this contest is designed for the beginner to learn from, we will be randomly selecting posts offering helpful tips and/or critiques to receive a special voucher as well so, whether you are a seasoned artist or an aspiring one, there is fun for everyone!

Closing Date: August 31, 2016

New User's Contest - August 2016
 

Sponsored by DAZ 3D and OrestesGraphics

OrestesGraphics is offering 1 product to each winner in this month's contest.

Are you new to the 3D World? Are you at the beginning stages of learning 3D rendering? Have you been around for a little bit but feel you could benefit from some feedback or instruction? Have you been around awhile and would like to help other members start their creative journey? Well then come and join the fun as we host our newest contest...
 

"It's all fun and games (until someone loses an eye)"

This contest is a general render contest (based on a having fun) where you should focus on the different aspects of 3D that you have learned so far.For information and help, take a look at in the previous contests that you may have entered. This whole theme is to have some fun with your renders as well as practice the skills that you have been learning over the previous months, so have fun and show us what you can do.

I will be checking in on the WIP thread as will the rest of the Community Volunteers to try and help with anything you may need, so feel free to ask questions.

Don't forget to look at previous themed contests where information and hints are available.

For a list of the current contest rules, please see this thread : Contest Rules.
To enter the contest, please post your completed image to the Entry Thread.
 

For those veterans of the forums that would like to help, because this contest is designed for the beginner to learn from, we will be randomly selecting posts offering helpful tips and/or critiques to receive a special voucher as well so whether you are a seasoned artist or an aspiring one, there is fun for everyone!

Closing Date: August 31, 2016

Does anyone have falling leaves? http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-falling-leaves

I admit I'm curious how it renders in iray.

I do.  They look the same color wise in Iray as they do in 3Delight, but it uses bump maps and they don't convert exactly.  For some reason, the Iray Uber Shader changes the bump down to .98 for the bump maps.  However, changing back up to 98.1 which is what they are set for in 3Delight doesn't actually do much for the bump.  I thought, since Iray does better with normal maps, that I'd take the images and make normal maps.  These are easy to do in GIMP, but the normal maps don't seem to help the bump either and, while the leaves look great when it comes to color, they look flat in renders.  I mostly use them when I DOF on and most of the leaves are going to be blurry anyway.  I don't know if there is a way to convert them to Iray so they look more three dimensional.  I used them in here if you want to take a look at them in an Iray render.  Not my best render, but you can tell what the leaves look like.

Does anyone have falling leaves? http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-falling-leaves

I admit I'm curious how it renders in iray.

I do. Hang on.

LOL Fishtales, you just HAD to add a shark!

Does anyone have falling leaves? http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-falling-leaves

I admit I'm curious how it renders in iray.

Maybe a bit off-topic here but I have to get it off my chest at last.
For me, the image (perception) of a company/vendor or whatever is an essential part of the purchase decision.
Most important for sure is the question if I like a specific product and want to buy it.
But next questions are:
- Do I like the company/vendor ?
- Do I have the impression that I'm a valued customer ?
- Does the company/vendor care about their customers (or just want to make max. profit) ?
If one of the above questions is negative I'll reconsider the purchase and/or check alternatives.

Some examples:
- Sony products
I was a big Sony fan 30 years ago but then quality of their products decreased and they distributed root kits and such stuff ...
-> No more buys from Sony since more than 20 Years or so.

- DAZ3D:
Yeah, they made me (a bit) angry a few times but over all I think it's a cool company with some cool people there :-)
-> Will continue to buy here.

- Jepe's ...Z products
Wow, free Iray upgrade. I love it and his generosity.
-> Sure will buy more of his stuff even if I don't need it.

- Some other vendors here at DAZ3D.
I observed that some vendors try to sell the same product for different genesis generations for the full price and think it's not ok.
-> I will not support this behaviour.

- Orestes Graphics - Them Bones (back on-topic)
Bought 66 of 88 products currently in his store and I'm not happy with the fact that Them Bones buyers shall pay the full price for the upgraded version.
From my (customers) point of view it's in the best case just an upgrade and not a newly developed product.
-> Well, sure will continue to buy his products but only if they are "must have" in my opinion.

To make things short - an appeal to vendors:
Take care about the image (perception) you create of yourself in the heads of your customers ... it may influence your sales ;-)

No, not off-topic. I agree with you... ;)

Maybe a bit off-topic here but I have to get it off my chest at last.
For me, the image (perception) of a company/vendor or whatever is an essential part of the purchase decision.
Most important for sure is the question if I like a specific product and want to buy it.
But next questions are:
- Do I like the company/vendor ?
- Do I have the impression that I'm a valued customer ?
- Does the company/vendor care about their customers (or just want to make max. profit) ?
If one of the above questions is negative I'll reconsider the purchase and/or check alternatives.

Some examples:
- Sony products
I was a big Sony fan 30 years ago but then quality of their products decreased and they distributed root kits and such stuff ...
-> No more buys from Sony since more than 20 Years or so.

- DAZ3D:
Yeah, they made me (a bit) angry a few times but over all I think it's a cool company with some cool people there :-)
-> Will continue to buy here.

- Jepe's ...Z products
Wow, free Iray upgrade. I love it and his generosity.
-> Sure will buy more of his stuff even if I don't need it.

- Some other vendors here at DAZ3D.
I observed that some vendors try to sell the same product for different genesis generations for the full price and think it's not ok.
-> I will not support this behaviour.

- Orestes Graphics - Them Bones (back on-topic)
Bought 66 of 88 products currently in his store and I'm not happy with the fact that Them Bones buyers shall pay the full price for the upgraded version.
From my (customers) point of view it's in the best case just an upgrade and not a newly developed product.
-> Well, sure will continue to buy his products but only if they are "must have" in my opinion.

To make things short - an appeal to vendors:
Take care about the image (perception) you create of yourself in the heads of your customers ... it may influence your sales ;-)

Heya everyone, I'll try to clear some things up.

First, Everything in the older products ( Them Bones, More of  Them Bones, Them Bones 3, Them Bloody Bones) is in the new release. 

Second, no, there will be no updates for the older sets in this 'bundle' All the updates are only in this new set.  If it were up to me, the old ones would be removed from the store and replaced with this single product.  If you don't own the original products, then this one is the one to purchase. Doing it this way makes things much simpler. Due to the way the original Bones products  were released caused requirement confusion. Them Bones was stand alone, but Them Bones 2 required mats form the first, Them Bones 3 had a new mat set, that could work with the other two, and Them Bloody Bones required any one of the first 3. I can't tell you how often I'd see them in renders with no textures on them. So this way, all content, all meshes, all mat and textures, all in one product.

As for changes, the set has just about been redone from the ground up. files have been recreated to current standards (DUF, MC6) the figures in the sets weight mapped, A new texture set that wasn't in the old sets.  The old sets had everything in a Poser Runtime setup, and either had old -school scripted auto loading DS mats, or Mats that you'd have to re-apply manually. This set has separate DS and Poser installers. Then there is the Iray mats for DS. Function just find in 3DL, for that matter, a couple of them are 3DL instead of iray, I found that they rendered faster and looked better in my testing.

I think I've covered everything! If I missed something let me know, feel free to ask me!

 

Thanks!

-David

Thank you for the clear reply, David/Orestes Graphics. I am a long time supporter of your products but from now on I think that I should better say that I was.

I anyway rarely buy the same things twice (unless there is an update even if it is not free...) and there will probably be no exception for this pack unless it would be offered for free or for extremely cheap in the future. I feel that a clear answer from me was also necessary since I opened this thread.

Your decision at least made another vendor happy because I bought this pack instead of yours: http://www.daz3d.com/medieval-hall-and-garden

New blink sales:
http://www.daz3d.com/posermocap
http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-graphics
http://www.daz3d.com/ignisserpentus

Just added: Buy any "Drop Dead Gorgeous" new release and get 65% off Orestes Graphics premier artist catalog.

I "really" need to stop glancing at this thread.

Just added: Buy any "Drop Dead Gorgeous" new release and get 65% off Orestes Graphics premier artist catalog.

*Discount excludes new releases and PC+ items.

http://www.daz3d.com/04-27-drop-dead-gorgeous

http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-graphics

I found Gardens of Poseidon - Super Bundle   which has some of the things I mentions earler for Sea Fauna. Sadly it's PC+ free so a few of it's items will have to wait for a future purchase probably next month or so.

He let me use that set for my Underwater Realms promo renders - I bought it. Excellent set! I have some chapters that will be delving the depths, but those scenes won't come into the render shelf for a while yet. Orestes Graphics has quite a few really, Really cool products that I just love!

I know Spanish and understand very little French, barely enough to figure out what is what. Better grab all the forumlas for objects and texture formulas when I need a break.

That French site is an excellent one, which was why I linked to that thread. There are others, but that one is awesome, and the translation turns out quite well. But that whole thread (second link about Seashells is in that thread) is a worthy scan of anyone wanting to look into doing Formulae in Carrara. Perhaps even wake it up with some new posts, if more discussion is necessary ;)

Man... I babble too much! LOL

Another one: http://www.daz3d.com/orestes-graphics

not sure I'd call any of those older trees fast rendering, it's really only in the last year or two that I've started making trees that are all geometry based and make no use of transparency maps.the transparency is what makes most trees render so slowly,and yes,shrubs and smaller plants are on the to-do list 

"plus obj's included for import to other engines"

Thank you! 

Last night I was poaching trees from every set of yours I own, from US2 to Cloud Temple to Abandoned City to the Enchanted Forests, because you're one of only a handful of modellers (Orestes Graphics, E-Arkham, and a couple of others) who seems to make a point of creating FAST rendering trees. And I was wishing you'd make something like a simple tree/shrub pack. But these sets will be gorgeous. :)

Being a Poser user, I'll miss out on the lovely shaders. But fortunately Caisson and Colm have made some great shaders for Poser. So with the obj's it should work out very well. Look forward to seeing them in the store.

Edit: But you might want to edit your posts: you appear to have mistakenly uploaded one of your photo references. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/6d/fa2381973bef0a65a1469e421408c3.jpg

:D

 

I know, right. Transparencies are killer, especially using IDL.

And yet, even with your older sets that use transparencies, you are still so efficient with the poly count, that there aren't as *many* transparencies, so -- faster render.  Much, much faster, in fact. And, with only 12 GB of RAM on my machine, those low poly old trees are an excellent way to fill out a scene. In many scenes, you don't need every single tree to have branches fully laden with leaves. Just a hint of them, here and there, can do wonders, which is why the Enchanted Forest sets turn out to be surprisingly useful for adding background elements that also create the perfect forest shadows.

Anyway, I'm off to play with the Fern Lake bundle!!

not sure I'd call any of those older trees fast rendering, it's really only in the last year or two that I've started making trees that are all geometry based and make no use of transparency maps.the transparency is what makes most trees render so slowly,and yes,shrubs and smaller plants are on the to-do list 

"plus obj's included for import to other engines"

Thank you! 

Last night I was poaching trees from every set of yours I own, from US2 to Cloud Temple to Abandoned City to the Enchanted Forests, because you're one of only a handful of modellers (Orestes Graphics, E-Arkham, and a couple of others) who seems to make a point of creating FAST rendering trees. And I was wishing you'd make something like a simple tree/shrub pack. But these sets will be gorgeous. :)

Being a Poser user, I'll miss out on the lovely shaders. But fortunately Caisson and Colm have made some great shaders for Poser. So with the obj's it should work out very well. Look forward to seeing them in the store.

Edit: But you might want to edit your posts: you appear to have mistakenly uploaded one of your photo references. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/6d/fa2381973bef0a65a1469e421408c3.jpg

:D

"plus obj's included for import to other engines"

Thank you! 

Last night I was poaching trees from every set of yours I own, from US2 to Cloud Temple to Abandoned City to the Enchanted Forests, because you're one of only a handful of modellers (Orestes Graphics, E-Arkham, and a couple of others) who seems to make a point of creating FAST rendering trees. And I was wishing you'd make something like a simple tree/shrub pack. But these sets will be gorgeous. :)

Being a Poser user, I'll miss out on the lovely shaders. But fortunately Caisson and Colm have made some great shaders for Poser. So with the obj's it should work out very well. Look forward to seeing them in the store.

Edit: But you might want to edit your posts: you appear to have mistakenly uploaded one of your photo references. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/uploads/FileUpload/6d/fa2381973bef0a65a1469e421408c3.jpg

:D