Need someone to check something- I have FW Nails (Fred Winkler) in Parameters>Actor>Hands>Real World>FW Nails (it's near the top, only three down for me)  and I have, as mentioned, Lune Nails. I'm not sure if that is the Lune Nails or nails from one of the Fred girls. Can someone who does not have Lune Nails, who has an FW gal, check to see if they have that? It works GREAT to shorten nails (you undo the limits.)   I want to show this to you, but we need to know what I'm using.

I do not have Lune Nails, but I have several FW girls. The "FW Nails" morph is there for me in the path you specified, so I guess it came with one (or more) of the FW girls (I have about 16 of them, so it's not easy to say which one or ones it came with).
I see what you mean about shortening the nails - you can get one of those ex-nailbiter-hand looks really easily.

but from genesis on figures included all the morphs in the data file which is getting rather large.

Terminology check here — do you mean "data file" as in the individual morph files stored in the /data/ folder, or do you mean the figure's subfolder inside the /data/ folder itself, which contains all the mesh, UV and morph data files? It might not seem much of a difference, but it can cause confusion.

snip

I will admit I am approaching it as a Carrara user where the saved car file result is a vast file over 2GB for a single figure as it carries self contained all the morphs as read from the data folder with all the UV information as well, in fact loading new from duf format every scene has become a necessity if using these figures ( not Genesis 3 as that does not work in Carrara), I also occasionally use Poser, probably it is less of an issue in D|S and with Genesis 3.

I am coming to the new user contest to learn Studio, which I have not really opened except to use the transfer utility.  This challenge is great as it is.  Even just lurking for a week or two I have learned a lot. However,  I support any changes that y'all think will provide encouragement to participants.  I intend to try a Studio project for the next new user challenge.  I  can already tell that I will want to experiment wth the bridges to Hexagon and Bryce - so I'll have questions for those programs as well.  Therefore, I like the idea of promoting all of Daz's software, not just Studio.  And I really mean "promoting," not just permitting.  

Thanks.

Thank You all for your interest in my question. SpottedKitty, your mentioning of morph support assets is exactly the way Daz Studio should work... But, my impression is that most vendors do not work that way. I really would like to load a light G3F and "insert" the saved character. How can one regain this "virgin" G3F or avoid polluting one with unnecessary morphs ? Should I reinstall Studio (oh no...) and rebuild my whole complex file system (I use only manual install with specialized folders). I understand now that my habit of saving characters in scene presets is bad but maybe due to my bloated G3F... I also wondered if compressing the saved files (automatic by default) had an impact ?

Found a few videos on YouTube for Carrara Morph Targets.

Carrara Morph Targets. First try.  This is very short. It shows the effect of adding a morph to a wall, a vertex object, only.

Making Morph Targets  This shows how to actually create a morph to a figure or clothing. Any object AFAIK can have a morph... A DAZ figure, props etc. or any object that you create. Once a morph is created it can be turned on when needed.

but from genesis on figures included all the morphs in the data file which is getting rather large.

Terminology check here — do you mean "data file" as in the individual morph files stored in the /data/ folder, or do you mean the figure's subfolder inside the /data/ folder itself, which contains all the mesh, UV and morph data files? It might not seem much of a difference, but it can cause confusion.

Remember what I said upthread — if a morph applied to a figure has a default value of zero, the morph data will not be loaded into your scene unless the morph dial is adjusted, and the dial data is much smaller than the morph data. Loading a completely zeroed G3 figure should take about the same time, no matter how many morphs you have installed.

Exactly the same thing happened in pre-Genesis days, the difference was that the morph data was stored in separate folders that were almost never alongside the figure data. The current arrangement of keeping everything in the /data/ folder together as much as possible is much more logical, simplifies some D|S functions, and is less accident-prone.

I remember this prolbem, I has seen same thing,,, actually it worked after merged figures, untill you save and re-open it.

 but Actually I can not expect ,loaded scene ,  merged figure, keep all morphs data. and can not call  morphs from morph  directory of genesis3 (and genetaria) 

because when I  merge Figure , geometry should change already. (vertex count) , morphs data were stored for each figures (geometry)  morph directories as DSF.

if DS save all morphs geometry data in the saved scene.duf,,,  the scene is too large enough .

At leaset,, you may need to save the merged figure as new figure, to keep all morphs ,  then need to save each morphs for the merged figure directories. 

  though  if you save the merged figure as new figure, I can not confrim  it actually work or not. but once you save the merged figure, as figure,, 

you can transfer morphs by transfer utility , I believe.

You know, DAZ_ann0314, I like this idea very much.  I have learned considerable over the months that I have been participating in these contests.  More importantly, I have really had fun with the opportunity to both give and receive feedback. 

I think that participation is important to encourage, especially from the contestants.  There are always a few entries during the contest where the artists posted the finished work without asking for any feedback in the WIP thread.  I would have loved to make some comments/suggestions to these individuals, but as the Entry thread doesn't allow comments, I wasn't able to. 

Also, the change in the rules allows for other individuals to be recognized who don't have the perfect render - I really like the Most Improved and Most Revisions idea.  Best Answer/Comment/Suggestion is a great way to encourage feedback participation. 

Here are some category suggestions (yours are included):

Most Improved

Most Revisions

Best Question

Best Answer.​  There were some great tutorials in the October contest. 

Best Encouragement. (I say this because someone once commented that he/she wouldn't bother with entering because some renders were so good.  I encouraged him/her to enter anyway because the point of the contest is to learn).

Most Unique/Unusual.  Something for a really cool idea that you just don't see everyday.

Best Shader Replacement.  This is for replacing materials that are designed for the software/render engine you are using. 

Best Kit-Bashing. This could be an outfit/props or environment - but the idea is combining items into a unit and making them look like they belong together. 

Best Background.  You will need to decide if this includes photos.  But there is definitely a challenge to make the subjects look like they belong in a photo (lighting, etc), and making a seamless transition from the render to the photo. 

Best Material Conversion.  Daz Studio: 3Delight to Iray and vise versa.  Poser has 2 render engines as well.  Items originally designed for Daz Studio used and optimized in other software (Vue, Bryce, Poser, etc), and items designed for other software and converted to Daz Studio or other application.  It's always a challenge to convert items and make them look good in your software/render engine and I feel this is a good category to be recognized.

Best Problem-Solving.  If there is a problem in a render that requires more work to fix, like deforming or importing a piece of clothing into a modeling program to create your own morph when there isn't one available. 

I like several of these categories.  Kit-bashing, material conversion and deforming wouldn't be among beginning skills though, would they? I would have also said that about shader replacement but I just bought shaders in the store today.

Thank you!  It is Daz Dragon three.  I have no idea how to add a morph but I clearly need to set a weekend aside and go check out the links in your thread for Carrara.  I keep trying to get to it and then get interupted.  Need to just take like a whole Saturday from morning coffee to dinner time and just do it.

I am almost done with my second entry into the newbie contest so that will clear up a bit of time as well. So much to learn, so little time!

Really I hope I have missed an important step somewhere.

My first guess would be that all those G3F morphs have been saved directly into the G3F figure, instead of saving properly as a Morph Support Asset.

The difference is that leaving the morph data in the base G3F figure will bloat the files used to load the figure into your scene. If you save as a Support Asset, then the morph data is saved properly into the /data/ folder (the same way as morphs you buy in the DAZ store, or the ones built into the figure) — in this case, only the morph dial is added to the figure when you load it, the morph data is not loaded unless the morph's default value is non-zero. This allows a base Genesis figure with lotsandlotsandlots of morphs... like mine... to load quickly, because the morph dials have a tiny storage overhead compared to the actual morph data.

You know, DAZ_ann0314, I like this idea very much.  I have learned considerable over the months that I have been participating in these contests.  More importantly, I have really had fun with the opportunity to both give and receive feedback. 

I think that participation is important to encourage, especially from the contestants.  There are always a few entries during the contest where the artists posted the finished work without asking for any feedback in the WIP thread.  I would have loved to make some comments/suggestions to these individuals, but as the Entry thread doesn't allow comments, I wasn't able to. 

Also, the change in the rules allows for other individuals to be recognized who don't have the perfect render - I really like the Most Improved and Most Revisions idea.  Best Answer/Comment/Suggestion is a great way to encourage feedback participation. 

Here are some category suggestions (yours are included):

Most Improved

Most Revisions

Best Question

Best Answer.​  There were some great tutorials in the October contest. 

Best Encouragement. (I say this because someone once commented that he/she wouldn't bother with entering because some renders were so good.  I encouraged him/her to enter anyway because the point of the contest is to learn).

Most Unique/Unusual.  Something for a really cool idea that you just don't see everyday.

Best Shader Replacement.  This is for replacing materials that are designed for the software/render engine you are using. 

Best Kit-Bashing. This could be an outfit/props or environment - but the idea is combining items into a unit and making them look like they belong together. 

Best Background.  You will need to decide if this includes photos.  But there is definitely a challenge to make the subjects look like they belong in a photo (lighting, etc), and making a seamless transition from the render to the photo. 

Best Material Conversion.  Daz Studio: 3Delight to Iray and vise versa.  Poser has 2 render engines as well.  Items originally designed for Daz Studio used and optimized in other software (Vue, Bryce, Poser, etc), and items designed for other software and converted to Daz Studio or other application.  It's always a challenge to convert items and make them look good in your software/render engine and I feel this is a good category to be recognized.

Best Problem-Solving.  If there is a problem in a render that requires more work to fix, like deforming or importing a piece of clothing into a modeling program to create your own morph when there isn't one available. 

While I like the look of both, I really can't see getting either as the use vs the cost is prohibited for me since I can only see a couple of uses in my workflow

I got Lavinia and Lucille. Ill probably get the creature morph packs as well. I figured that I had made enough of an investment into G3 to warrant the seperate purchases. HOWEVER... (i say that alot:)) I wont be repeating this for G4. Since the daz marketing strategy seems to be to cut up complete packs and sell them in bites and pieces for G3, I can only assume that G4 will be the same if not worse. To be perfectly honest, G3 might be it for me. As ive indicated in other posts, its going to take a major advance in the technology to get me interested in another model. That goes for hair and clothing as well. If G4 is still using the same autofit, then forget it.

By the way, if anyone wants to see comparisons between the Lavinia and Lucille, just let me know.

Agreed. I get really put off by a released product with limited textures also selling additional textures for it as a seperate product when it could easily have been included. I rarely purchase any additional textures for any product, that is what photoshop is for, LOL.

Yep, G4 will have to be a HUGE step forward for me to invest what i am investing in G3 right now for me to jump on that bandwagon.

I got Lavinia and Lucille. Ill probably get the creature morph packs as well. I figured that I had made enough of an investment into G3 to warrant the seperate purchases. HOWEVER... (i say that alot:)) I wont be repeating this for G4. Since the daz marketing strategy seems to be to cut up complete packs and sell them in bites and pieces for G3, I can only assume that G4 will be the same if not worse. To be perfectly honest, G3 might be it for me. As ive indicated in other posts, its going to take a major advance in the technology to get me interested in another model. That goes for hair and clothing as well. If G4 is still using the same autofit, then forget it.

By the way, if anyone wants to see comparisons between the Lavinia and Lucille, just let me know.

Okay, mmoir, I ran into a gazillion gotchas, but managed to get the cat in the scene. I attached a zip file and he should open on the fallen tree trunk right behind FifthElement's kitty.

So, I attempted to rig the cat - he has IK on all four legs plus his tail. I've never animated a quadraped before, and barely a human, so I have no idea if it is correct or a disaster.  According to the script he walks along the fallen trunk, arches his back and turns his head towards the witch. He can arch his back with a morph if you select the "cat" in the grouped object, and if you rotate his "Neck" bone his head should turn. It could probably use a corrective morph there, but maybe it will be so dark no one will notice.

And well, while typing this I went AWOL with several other problems. You can no longer rotate the eyes, sorry. A mysterious disaster I couldn't resolve...

Cool DesertDude! We'll see what we can get him doing! ;)

Okay, mmoir, I ran into a gazillion gotchas, but managed to get the cat in the scene. I attached a zip file and he should open on the fallen tree trunk right behind FifthElement's kitty.

So, I attempted to rig the cat - he has IK on all four legs plus his tail. I've never animated a quadraped before, and barely a human, so I have no idea if it is correct or a disaster.  According to the script he walks along the fallen trunk, arches his back and turns his head towards the witch. He can arch his back with a morph if you select the "cat" in the grouped object, and if you rotate his "Neck" bone his head should turn. It could probably use a corrective morph there, but maybe it will be so dark no one will notice.

And well, while typing this I went AWOL with several other problems. You can no longer rotate the eyes, sorry. A mysterious disaster I couldn't resolve...

For some time now I have been writing a PDF that contains information on rigging tools in DAZ Studio and wanted to ask something before finalizing it since its nearing completion.

So, the Guide is NOT A VIDEO. It's a PDF file with an extensive Table of Contents. It contains the following topics:

• The Basics
  • What is a Rig?
  • Naming Conventions for Bones
  • Bone Hierarchy
  • What are limits and why use them?
  • What is a weight map?
• Tools
• Joint Editor Tool
  • Preparation
  • Joint Editor Window
    • The Shared Tab
    • The General Tab
    • The Bulges Tab
    • The Display Tab
  • Joint Editor Additional Options Menu
    • Customize Drawing
    • Create
    • Edit
    • Delete
    • Rotation Order
    • Align
    • Snap
    • Memorize
    • Restore
• Geometry Editor Tool
  • Selection Types and Radius Tab
  • Grouping Tab
  • Details Tab
  • Geometry Editor Additional Options Menu
    • Selection Type
    • Selection Mode
    • Geometry Selection
    • Geometry Visibility
    • Geometry Locking
    • Geometry Editing
    • Geometry Assignment
    • Morph Editing
    • Subdivision Weight
• Node Weight Map Brush
  • Selection Types and Brush Modes
    • Geometry Selection Mode
    • Paint Brush and Smooth Brush Modes
    • Directional Gradient Mode
    • Sphere Gradient Mode
  • Weight Maps Tab
    • Map Types
    • Bulge Maps
  • Locking Tab
  • Selection Analysis Tab
    • How to use Selection Analysis
  • Binding Tab
  • Normalize Tab
  • Node Weight Map Brush Additional Options Menu
    • Brush Mode
    • Brush Falloff
    • Gradient Falloff
    • Gradient Handles
    • Gradient Editing
    • Selection Type
    • Selection Mode
    • Geometry Selection
    • Geometry Visibility
    • Geometry Locking
    • Weight Display
    • Weight Editing
• Figure Setup
  • Rigging Type
    • TriAx Weighted
    • Parametric (Legacy)
  • Content Type
  • Geometry List
  • Relationships
    • Creating and Assigning Bones
    • Rotation Order and Weight Maps
    • Regions
  • Figure Setup Additional Options Menu
  • Finalizing Options
• Transfer Utility
• Property Hierarchy 
  • What are Pose Controls?
  • Creating Pose Controls
• Process Overview
• FAQ

The guide is currently counting over 100 pages, describing what each option in each tool does.
Also contains tips, how to use them properly and how to avoid certain problems and errors. 

Originally this was just a text file that contained how to use the options, since searching the net and videos for that one, freaking, slight mention of the tool usage was becoming TEDIOUS. Nobody lately writes PDF guides anymore... and the exisitng guides in the store seemed a bit outdated.

I literally describe every option there is in the tools, with minor exceptions if an option for some reason was giving virtually no effects no matter where I checked for it and how I used the figures. I can already say that these exceptions are the A few of the "Cuztomize Drawing" options in the Joint Editor Right click menu and the "Blended TriAx/General" weight mode which for some reason does not do the blending.  

EDIT:
Forgot to mention - the Parametric (legacy) rigging is not described here. It's only mentioned. 

Also, the guide contains an FAQ that answers some of the questions I saw asked on the forums and which are not obviously answered by the tool descriptions and their usage. 

My question would be this though:
The Property Hierarchy happens to be a huge topic and would delay the guide by a lot (maybe an extra month or so in my case even). Since not all of its options are related to rigging, would it be ok to only explain the options utilized for it and describe the full tool in a later guide down the line? Would the guide still be helpful to you if Property Hierarchy only described the creation of Pose Controls?

Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. 
If even one person would find such a PDF file worth having - then it was already worth the effort. 

...that used the old Wanted DOA set which I saved as a Genesis wearable preset (there is not M4 to G2F transfer)  Also used the hat and gloves from Outlaw for G2M.  The big nasty gun is a freebie Colt Anaconda I picked up up off of Turbosquid and retextured (the character uses a huge futuristic revolver which this comes the closest to in appearance). The Tin Cup is from Western Bric-a-Brac (rescaled and again retextured).

The Doc Holliday reference is accident as the character has a strong interest in the old west and Tombstone is one of her favourite "classic" films.

Actually re-rendering the scene as I forgot to change the lighting model on the dumpster (default plastic) which gave it a glossy surface.

 

 

After I graduated college for my 1st job I moved to Fort Worth, Texas and on Saturday evenings at the right entertainment joints the guys would show up in that 'almost' tuxedo but with cowboy boots, a cowboy belt buckle, and a cowboy hat - sans the duster coat though. The gals would show up in a less 'bell' shaped Southern Belle type dress, sort of like a prom dress in style and color choices (think pastels) but the bell part was for practical reason more leg clinging or droppy. It was pretty neat, most places in US is t-shirt and jeans or very nearly that.

...that used the old Wanted DOA set which I saved as a Genesis wearable preset (there is not M4 to G2F transfer)  Also used the hat and gloves from Outlaw for G2M.  The big nasty gun is a freebie Colt Anaconda I picked up up off of Turbosquid and retextured (the character uses a huge futuristic revolver which this comes the closest to in appearance). The Tin Cup is from Western Bric-a-Brac (rescaled and again retextured).

The Doc Holliday reference is accident as the character has a strong interest in the old west and Tombstone is one of her favourite "classic" films.

Actually re-rendering the scene as I forgot to change the lighting model on the dumpster (default plastic) which gave it a glossy surface.

It seems a bit sad that there are many morphs to control breasts but none that deal with facial muscles. I'd love to have a pose-driven morph set for expressive eyebrows like Emelia Clarke (whose eyebrows are so fantastically emotive there are videos devoted to them, allows noses to scrunch up with the little pinch above the nostrils, etc.. 

Just look at how many muscles are working in Clarke's face here:

It would be wonderful to have the ability to simulate even 10% of that.

Marionette Lines and nasolabial folds are similar but different. Nasolabial folds are the lines that run from the corners of the nose to the corner of the mouth and are also called smile lines. Marionette Lines are the lines that run from the corner of the mouth down towards the chin (think ventriloquist doll) and are more common in older people, while smile lines are all ages.

Marionette Lines morph is a daz morph.  I am pretty sure V4 had Nasolabial folds as a Daz morph, no idea about g1/g2 as I jumped from V4 to G3, I feel like having smile lines is so common it really should be a standard morph.