I am not one for male characters as I prefer to make female ones.  I will say that I like the new Michael 8.1 though. His look is MUCH better than Michael 8, and the only reason why I picked up the latter was because he was needed as a prerequisite for other characters and I picked him up for free.   So far I am liking the look of these new 8.1 characters as I also like Victoria 8.1  BUT, I am a bit partial to Vicky 8 and still like her more.

InTheFlesh said:

Excited to see the changes that come with 8.1, though I still need to test incorporating it into my character creation workflow.

I was asked by a friend about improving the Victoria 8.1 tattoos though, so I gave it a quick go. Before is first, after is second (view full images to see in more detail):

I probably went a bit too far with reducing the colors, but i'm pretty happy otherwise. I've incorporated layered blurring and density variation for the ink under the surface, as well as lightly layered the base skin back over the top to simulate an older tattoo. I then added some of the original skin details back over the top using a highpass filter to break up the solid colors further. A custom normal map gives a slight overall bump with the black outlines being raised higher still, which has been incorportated into the roughness map too. This is because tattoo outlines are usually done with a tight grouping of needles like a pointed paint brush which tends to cause more scar tissue. Large shaded areas are usually done using a wide grouping of needles like a flat paintbrush which allows for smoother blending between colors, and less overall damage to the underlying skin surface.

In general I'm happy with the improvements, and look forward to using it for custom pieces in the future. This process would be much better with access to the original source files to pull the tattoo components apart for individual treatment, but this was just a quick play around.

Because I directly edited the original textures, I cannot share the source files. I had to do this in an image editor instead of using L.I.E, because L.I.E is far too slow for multiple layers and doesn't support enough image blending modes to create the same result.

I hope that is something that Daz may improve on in the future to allow more complex texture tweaks directly in Daz Studio.

Cheers,

Daniel

That is so much better then the original. Actually DAZ should ask you for your altered textures to provide an update. It's probably too much to ask but once you might have done this in Photoshop, would it be possible to share the PSD without the original textures so one who owns the figure can just place them on the correct layers to get similar results by using the blending modes you've applied? 

Saffron for Victoria 7 and the bundle that she came with.

https://www.daz3d.com/fwsa-saffron-hd-for-victoria-7

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075V56SLW?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks

Honestly I think Michael 8.1 looks more like a high schooler than a university student. He looks extremely young... maybe even too young to have a genital prop included in his bundle, LOL. But nobody cares about that since he is a boy.

All this talk about more realistic skin...Daz you can't just claim it, you have to show it. These promos fail to show it. And like I said with Victoria 8.1, these claims of improved skin are not exclusive to 8.1. They are merely textures. Textures that can be used on any model. The singular improvement with 8.1 is the new face rigging.

InTheFlesh said:

Excited to see the changes that come with 8.1, though I still need to test incorporating it into my character creation workflow.

I was asked by a friend about improving the Victoria 8.1 tattoos though, so I gave it a quick go. Before is first, after is second (view full images to see in more detail):

I probably went a bit too far with reducing the colors, but i'm pretty happy otherwise. I've incorporated layered blurring and density variation for the ink under the surface, as well as lightly layered the base skin back over the top to simulate an older tattoo. I then added some of the original skin details back over the top using a highpass filter to break up the solid colors further. A custom normal map gives a slight overall bump with the black outlines being raised higher still, which has been incorportated into the roughness map too. This is because tattoo outlines are usually done with a tight grouping of needles like a pointed paint brush which tends to cause more scar tissue. Large shaded areas are usually done using a wide grouping of needles like a flat paintbrush which allows for smoother blending between colors, and less overall damage to the underlying skin surface.

In general I'm happy with the improvements, and look forward to using it for custom pieces in the future. This process would be much better with access to the original source files to pull the tattoo components apart for individual treatment, but this was just a quick play around.

Because I directly edited the original textures, I cannot share the source files. I had to do this in an image editor instead of using L.I.E, because L.I.E is far too slow for multiple layers and doesn't support enough image blending modes to create the same result.

I hope that is something that Daz may improve on in the future to allow more complex texture tweaks directly in Daz Studio.

Cheers,

Daniel

 

 

Much better! I always have to shake my head when I see so many sticker tattoos. I look down at the tattoo I've had on the inside of my wrist for 10+ years and then at the sticker-like finish on the screen and just *sighs all around*

Day One for me was a shiny sticker. A very itchy shiny sticker. But that doesn't last long at all.Tattoos will always lose their sharpness and brightness over time, even well cared for tattoos. That's because skin heals. The ink stays there, but the skin still heals around it, thus effecting the edging and overal density of the tattoo. How much the tattoo changes over time depends on the individual's skin composition, the location of the tattoo, and the overall care. Many folks find themselves having to get pieces touched up eventually (thankfully I haven't yet). UV exposure only makes things worse which is why every tattoo artist will tell folks to keep their ink out of the sun! 

Everyone can pick up a camera and make snapshots, but the pro's still blow any amateur out of the water. The classical skills of composition, light, framing, conveying mood, etc. etc. are creative endeavours, and as Bob Ross said "a pursuit interest"

Daz Studio is a lovely sandbox where you can endlessly tweak and learn how it comes together. I have no doubt Victoria 8.1 / G8.1F is gonna help deliver great portraits. It also seems a move designed to fall more in line with other pipelines (especially FACS for animation, dedicated head UV for close-ups, and a PBR shader to work better with the PBR system of shading)

Ippotamus said:

Interested in the eyes for sure.

But I doubt this update is going to change the fact that a skilled 3D Artist can make Aiko 3 jump off the screen to life.

While an everyday hack like myself will be able to make Victoria 8.1 look like a lump of high gloss plastic with something resembling a face.

Well, glad to see some people recognize hype.  Most people buy upgrades because they think it will allow them to skip developing skills and make them a pro.  In some cases in technology that happens, but in most cases you can still differentiate the people who know what their doing with the tools from people who are running on automatic.     I'm still seeing people who make Genesis 4.2 characters look as good as the current models.
I'll give the 8.1 a shot, but I still understand that getting the most out of it still requires you to really learn the software, and the other 3D tools out there.

I bought Victoria 8.1, too. And I have all the hair except for arm hair. Probably it's just Daz's typical sloppy ad copy.

Wicked Whomp said:

Leana said:

Barubary said:

I wonder, are the Male and Female Anatomical Elements in the Varsity Bundle the same that are in the Victoria 8.1 Bundles? Or are they the specific versions for only Genesis 8.1 Male?

Geografts are figure-specific, so they would be the version for G8M.

The Genesis 8.1 page that lists the updates specifically mentions that male anatomical elements will now work on females. Conversely, female anatomical elements will work on males.
If this isn't actually the case, then Daz needs to update their page.

I read that blurb as "there's now a version of the male elements which works on the female", not "the add-on made for G8M works for G8F too".

I just redownloaded the anatomical elements to check and each of the zips now includes 2 items :

• The G8F Anatomical elements zip includes "Genesis 8 Female Genitalia" and "Genesis 8.1 Female Genitalia for Male"
• The G8M one includes "Genesis 8 Male Genitalia" and "Genesis 8.1 Male Genitalia for Female".

 Items for male and female are separate, they're probably made so that the UVs are the same and they can use the same morphs though.

Leana said:

Barubary said:

I wonder, are the Male and Female Anatomical Elements in the Varsity Bundle the same that are in the Victoria 8.1 Bundles? Or are they the specific versions for only Genesis 8.1 Male?

Geografts are figure-specific, so they would be the version for G8M.

The Genesis 8.1 page that lists the updates specifically mentions that male anatomical elements will now work on females. Conversely, female anatomical elements will work on males.
If this isn't actually the case, then Daz needs to update their page.
I just checked. I own the Aiko 8 pro bundle, but the anatomical geografts now works on Genesis 8 males (including the 8.1 base male), though without any materials (as far as I can see).

Barubary said:

I wonder, are the Male and Female Anatomical Elements in the Varsity Bundle the same that are in the Victoria 8.1 Bundles? Or are they the specific versions for only Genesis 8.1 Male?

Geografts are figure-specific, so they would be the version for G8M.

I wonder, are the Male and Female Anatomical Elements in the Varsity Bundle the same that are in the Victoria 8.1 Bundles? Or are they the specific versions for only Genesis 8.1 Male?

Wicked Whomp said:

MimicMolly said:

I like this bundle a lot, but the deal isn't good for me. :'3

Unlike most of y'all, I like these younger airbrushed dudes because they're the only ones that compliment all the airbrushed young women characters that are released practically every day.

I'm the oppoiste. As much as I really like the way Michael 8.1 looks from the promos and from another users post, I'm entirely uninterested in everything but Michael 8.1, the sneaker collection and the casual outfit. The freebie to pick if buying the bundle isn't even for Michael 8.1. Here's hoping Michael 8.1 has a second bundle like Victoria 8.1, and that it has more that I'm interested in to warrant myself buying the bundle. If not, I'll likely only pick up his model along with Victoria 8.1

I agree with this. I like Michael 8.1 himself, but I wonder if I should wait since this bundle could be offered for a lot less later.

The good thing about 8.1 is that I can start enjoying it with what I have whenever I get the chance to download the update. So I'll wait for him, like I waited for Twoset 8.

Thanks! Is this with or without HD Morph?

 

plasma_ring said:

vwrangler said:

A puzzling thing: according to his product page, Michael 8.1 includes 3Delight settings, and Victoria didn't. He also includes an add-on character in his first bundle, and Victoria didn't include a character in either of her bundles.

Beyond that, he's MUCH younger looking than Michael 8, and not nearly as lantern-jawed.

Mostly, I just kind of want Trance, though.

Huh, he doesn't include 3Delight in his materials folder. 

Here he is as he loads, under default settings. Actually much more realistic than in the promos IMO. His skin texture has hair stubble on the scalp. 

MimicMolly said:

I like this bundle a lot, but the deal isn't good for me. :'3

Unlike most of y'all, I like these younger airbrushed dudes because they're the only ones that compliment all the airbrushed young women characters that are released practically every day.

I'm the oppoiste. As much as I really like the way Michael 8.1 looks from the promos and from another users post, I'm entirely uninterested in everything but Michael 8.1, the sneaker collection and the casual outfit. The freebie to pick if buying the bundle isn't even for Michael 8.1. Here's hoping Michael 8.1 has a second bundle like Victoria 8.1, and that it has more that I'm interested in to warrant myself buying the bundle. If not, I'll likely only pick up his model along with Victoria 8.1

Those who bought Vic 8.1 noted it is part of that product. So, as it seems DAZ asks us to buy Victoria 8.1 but the advertizing says it is part of the Genesis 8.1 base. A lot of confusion about this in the forum. As it seems we need to wait for an official answer.

Mark_e593e0a5 said:

Wicked Whomp said:

I'm genuinely confused. 2 of the Michael 8.1 Add-ons can't be used with Michael 8.1, and the bonus freebie for purchasing the Michael 8.1 bundle (which you choose between those same 2 Add-ons), are again not usebale for Michael 8.1. I can't imagine this being intentional?

I suppose it was meant to complete the baskeball-themed bundle. You can choose your favorite cheerleader from the add-ons  

So then was the reason there weren't any male model Add-ons for Victoria 8.1 and the bundles because they think guys don't go to "university", or "loving life"? That's ridiculous. As I mentioned on the Michael 8.1 thread, out of all the product options they could have gone with to incentivize purchasing the new Michael 8.1 character, they went with 2 products that aren't for it? This is why I'm genuinely confused, this can't have been intentional, can it?

AllenArt said:

I do like his sculpt. I find his skin a little flat and featureless tho. And his eyes don't look nearly as good as Vicky 8.1's do.

Laurie

i was just thinking to myself that his eyes didnt look anywhere as good as Victoria 8.1's eyes. 

I feel like the quality of G8.1M was not as good as the female counterpart purely for that reason as that was one of the greatest things about Victoria 8.1

Anim said:

Please send a ticket to DAZ. I also did. Maybe if enough users tell them the vellus hair is advertized as being part of G 8.1 they add it instead of hiding it behing a pay wall (or at least make it a seperate product for those who don't like this Victoria figure).

im assuming daz will only include with g8.1 base figures in future.

as to OP's question, someone else mentioned missing vellus arm hair in another thread, so presumably it doesnt exist or was not packaged properly.

gerster said:

CHWT said:

gerster said:

Leana said:

gerster said:

I'm disappointed that there's ni banner for owning lot if g8 bundles or Michael pre generations

There wasn't any for Victoria, so I wouldn't expect one for Michael.

I was also disappointed that there wasn't such a banner for Victoria 8.1
but the Victoria 8.1 bundle was $32.83 while Michael 8.1 is $57.71 in my card.

It's ＄75 in my cart... how did you get that extra discount?

You have to add 3 addons the get some additional discounts. See my screenshot on the page before.

Well, then I will pass it now. Not justified! And I agree M8.1 looks a little bit like M6, that's why I like him as I like M6