Here I am to help you, Surody!

Alberto is right, but just those adjustements won't suffice for a nice, narrow jet.

Here's what you have to do:

Create a Domain and a Source. In the Source parameters enable "Is Cuboid" and make all three sizes like 0.050 or less. Set your preferred velocity as you please but use only one direction. Since the source is going to be very small, I suggest you to create a "Placeholder" using a plane and parenting the source to it (Not the opposite!), this way you can see where it is and reposition it.

Now, in the domain set the Cell Size to 0.50 (Lower parameters will take way longer calculation times), Subdivision 2,  Marker Particle Scale 3 (you can play a bit with that to change results), Surface Smoothing Value 1, Smoothing interation 10 to 15 (depends on how much you want the drops to be one single stream) CFL Condition 2 and PIC/FLIP Ratio 1.

These are the basic settings for a narrow, unbroken single stream of water. No need to use doubled FPS, these will work fine with 30 FPS!

If you make 10 or 15 identical Sources and position them in the right array, you can make a really nice shower. You can also make a water-pistol spray adding the Diffuse particles.

One thing to keep in mind is that the drops will look "crazy" once they lay on a static surface like the bottom of the domain on a horizontal obstacle. To mitigate it (if you need) it's necessary to increase Subdivision level at cost of longer calculations. A solution for showering scenes is to create a very flat cube on the bottom of the domain, make it Fluid Mass and add a small Sink (matching incoming fluid amount) on the side to cancel the crazy drops and also have the effect of the water dripping on the wet surface.

Starting from these base values, it's enough increase the size of the source to have a thicker flow, for example a bottle or a kettle pouring fluid.

Works perfectly, thank you alot! I improved little bit on your idea with the placeholder and used a null object.

 

Nice!

Forgot to tell you that those values let you use up to Velocity 300.

Thanks for these settings. I've been trying for weeks (off and on) to get a steady stream, but was just missing the mark. Your tips brought everything together.

However, I'm now in pursuit of further refinement, and am trying to figure out how to make a short-duration burst from the emitter which results in a splatter, and continues following a surface based on viscosity.

I've tried reducing the number of frames in the Domain (120 frame animation, Domain set to 60) but all that does is shorten the overall duration of the stream and subsequent collision and cascade effect. 

(This next section is being typed as it pops into my head, so it may seem to be rambling, or it may actually reach a conclusion - we'll find out eventually. It's easier to talk it out than set up and render test scenes.)

I suppose it could be done if the emitter were attached to an animated null parented to the Domain; the null moves from the point of origin to the intended surface, whereupon it begins emitting. The emitter can be set to begin at the frame where the null contacts the surface (or is in position just above, allowing room for the emitter to emit onto the surface), however, there's still the missing projectile.

In the extreme, one could set a series of emitters along an arc (discovered by setting it to the aforementioned stream settings, then placing subsequent emitters along the relevant points in that arc), and set each one to begin when the previous one ends, so it gives the illusion of a projectile. But that's a ton of work, and may exceed the engine's capabilities.

Alternatively, if the emitter were parented to a null placed at a central point between the source and the target surface and at the base of the scene, and the null were rotated on an axis, and the emitter left "snail trails" as the null rotated, then you'd have the arcing projectile, which would then emit onto the target surface once the rotation ended. However, the trouble there is that the emissions would collide with themselves during the rotation. Perhaps if it was set for a very low velocity, and set to emit away from the direction of travel? However, that may result in something similar to the plumes of smoke coming from the engines of a rocket as it ascends. I guess the question here is: will an emitter attached to a moving object whilst emitting cause the emission to scatter, as if one were flinging a paint brush at a canvas, or the classic "woman rising from the water and flinging her hair backwards" causing a water arc.

• 32nd Daz3D Bryce Render challenge

•  

• Now Sponsored by Daz 3D

•  

•  Theme for this challenge is   ###  "In The Dark Of The Night"  ###

• ---

  

                                                                           Another theme with so many different interpretations
It can just be nighttime, it can be scary, or spooky full of ghosts or things that go bump in the night.  Or it can be a nice starry starry night, or nights can be romantic.

                                                                                                                 The Choice is yours
                                                                                                        Your imagination is the only limit

This thread is the WIP thread, so you can post here to show us how things are coming along before the render is transferred to the actual Contest thread for judging. You don't have to do that.we collect up all the finished ones and make the thread, with each render given a number and title, but no artist name shown, so it's a blind judging thread for the judging panel.

Rules

• All renders must be new renders.

• You can enter up to 3 renders.

• You must abide by the DAZ 3D forum TOS

• Imported content is allowed, but the render must be obviously a Bryce render.

• Post Work permitted, but please keep it to a minimum.

• Rules may be changed for subsequent Challenges, depending on the theme and the person who has selected it.
•  

Please don't post your entry renders anywhere else until after the Challenge is judged, as judging is done in a blind judging thread, so the Judges don't know who has done which image.

Challenge ends Nov 30th 2018:- Midnight DAZ 3D time. 

DAZ 3D Sponsorship, in the form of Store credit

Ist place $30     2nd place $20     3rd place $15

In addition DAZ 3D Store Credit will be given to the people whose renders are selected as the Honourable mentions,
$10 for each of 3 honorable mentions

We will also be offering a special prize for the render judged the best from a Bryce New User. DAZ 3D will add $10.

Judged by a poll which will be set up at closure of the challenge.

By entering this contest, you agree to allow DAZ3D to use any artwork you submit in any promotional materials they may choose.

:sport:

Those once "lovable losers", the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs 3 - 1 juat a short while ago today in a winner take all 1 game tiebreaker to win the National League Central Division and home field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

They looked to be fading out a couple weeks ago and even in danger of missing the playoffs again (last year they missed the postseason by one game), but suddenly woke up winning their last 8 games. and going 9 - 1 in the last ten games. 

Love seeing the underdog on top.

/sport

Before I vote, just want to express my deep gratitude to Eric Winemiller for the DCG supplements to Carrara over the years.  Always amazing.  Special thanks for the recent decision to make so many plugins free and open source.  Alberto, your choice to make DCG plugins central to this challenge inspired great results.  Appreciate your time and effort.

As always, choosing was very difficult.  My votes are:

Entry: 1, Title:  colonising Atlantis, Artist: th3Digit

Entry:  # 12, Title:  In honour of Alfred P. Southwick (1826–1898) inventor of the Electric Chair , Artist: Headwax

Entry 17, Title: Bruce Lee -- Like Water, Artist: LightofHeavem

I found a 2 inch long scorpion in my shower this morning so I was late for work.  I dumped my crappy shampoo on it

Where do you live? So I can never, ever go there.

I live in Central Texas, but that is the first time in my life I have EVER seen one.. I don't know if the shampoo killed him.. I think it was bedhead shampoo ..i don't use it cuz it dries my hair out, I shouldv'e taken a picture of him.  McGyver  hahah yeah, I wonder if there is a toon scorpion I could put in a scene... with bedhead hair

I have lived in Austin since 1989 and haven't seen any scorpions at my house.  Stay away from Krause Springs though.  Scorpions love the bathrooms there.

I found a 2 inch long scorpion in my shower this morning so I was late for work.  I dumped my crappy shampoo on it

Where do you live? So I can never, ever go there.

I live in Central Texas, but that is the first time in my life I have EVER seen one.. I don't know if the shampoo killed him.. I think it was bedhead shampoo ..i don't use it cuz it dries my hair out, I shouldv'e taken a picture of him.  McGyver  hahah yeah, I wonder if there is a toon scorpion I could put in a scene... with bedhead hair

Thanks to the Army, I spent three fun filled months in the Mohave desert and I never saw a single scorpion, thank goodness. I did see one tarantula though and I probably didn't sleep that night. I don't like the creepy crawlies. I'm not judging you on the shampoo either. I'm a logical person normally, but if I see a huge bug/spider and there's no bug spray nearby, I'm using whatever chemical I have handy "Tile cleaner? Yeah, maybe that'll blind him till I can go get the bug spray"

...this is just one reason  why I could never live in Arizona. the others are the heat and lousy transit.

I found a 2 inch long scorpion in my shower this morning so I was late for work.  I dumped my crappy shampoo on it

Where do you live? So I can never, ever go there.

I live in Central Texas, but that is the first time in my life I have EVER seen one.. I don't know if the shampoo killed him.. I think it was bedhead shampoo ..i don't use it cuz it dries my hair out, I shouldv'e taken a picture of him.  McGyver  hahah yeah, I wonder if there is a toon scorpion I could put in a scene... with bedhead hair

Thanks to the Army, I spent three fun filled months in the Mohave desert and I never saw a single scorpion, thank goodness. I did see one tarantula though and I probably didn't sleep that night. I don't like the creepy crawlies. I'm not judging you on the shampoo either. I'm a logical person normally, but if I see a huge bug/spider and there's no bug spray nearby, I'm using whatever chemical I have handy "Tile cleaner? Yeah, maybe that'll blind him till I can go get the bug spray"

Ugg, i wouldn't want to camp in the desert!! .. My roomie also confirmed never saw any scorpions here .. and telling me I dragged them in from helping my friends move a few weeks ago.. then howed it get in the bathtub... so the roomies also confirmed that they didn't kill him.  I assumed yesterday that maybe they did, so its confirmed that soap doesn't kill a scorpion..but I did have a little hair gel/spray that I used too before I had dumped the shampoo in on him thinking that would stop him in his tracks.. so maybe he crawled off and croaked somewhere.. I went looking for his skeleton with a flash light and couldn't find him.  Usually hairspray works on cock roaches and hair gel/sprays..

I found a 2 inch long scorpion in my shower this morning so I was late for work.  I dumped my crappy shampoo on it

Where do you live? So I can never, ever go there.

I live in Central Texas, but that is the first time in my life I have EVER seen one.. I don't know if the shampoo killed him.. I think it was bedhead shampoo ..i don't use it cuz it dries my hair out, I shouldv'e taken a picture of him.  McGyver  hahah yeah, I wonder if there is a toon scorpion I could put in a scene... with bedhead hair

Thanks to the Army, I spent three fun filled months in the Mohave desert and I never saw a single scorpion, thank goodness. I did see one tarantula though and I probably didn't sleep that night. I don't like the creepy crawlies. I'm not judging you on the shampoo either. I'm a logical person normally, but if I see a huge bug/spider and there's no bug spray nearby, I'm using whatever chemical I have handy "Tile cleaner? Yeah, maybe that'll blind him till I can go get the bug spray"

I found a 2 inch long scorpion in my shower this morning so I was late for work.  I dumped my crappy shampoo on it

Where do you live? So I can never, ever go there.

I live in Central Texas, but that is the first time in my life I have EVER seen one.. I don't know if the shampoo killed him.. I think it was bedhead shampoo ..i don't use it cuz it dries my hair out, I shouldv'e taken a picture of him.  McGyver  hahah yeah, I wonder if there is a toon scorpion I could put in a scene... with bedhead hair

I got onre today and it was several hours later than usual. i'm in Central time, USA

I finally got mine too.  I usually get mine around 1 to 2 AM Central time.  Got todays at 10:44 AM this morning.  Never got yesterdays sale email.

Wow, Mindsong, you too are more than generous but many thanks - I'm very pleased that you like it.

Just before the final image I thought I had finished but realised that two of the mushrooms needed moving out of alignment with the central figure.  Before making that change, I put the image through fotosketcher filters.  This one is the Bilateral filter:

 It's also not like Twi'leks have been hinted to see in UV or IR in any way more than generic humans, and the bipedal biology appears to hint at many other interesting possibilities. For the sake of this not being a multi-page post akin to the article, Kettu linked to about the electron, I will amend my more in-depth thoughts on that till later on (like cognitive ability vs complex nerve networks vs simplicity of nerve system in an octopus vs skull vs no skull around a brain, and why I don't think it is feasible for a non-aquatic creature to have an active part of the central nervous system not encased in a rigid support structure.)

I personally never bought into the "brain tail" thing.

Seeing into UV does not even need anything extra in the brain BTW - people who have had their eye lens removed because of cataracts will often gain some UV sensitivity because the lens acts like a UV filter. IR is trickier because it's basically warmth, so you need to cool your sensors constantly... it's interesting how the snakes do it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_sensing_in_snakes#Anatomy

Does SW EU ever explain where the non-human humanoids come from? Some "alien races" are canonically "mutant humans" (Thrawn's race was one IIRC), but there's a good number of races that look like humans with funny heads running around; there's no way it's all due to convergent evolution =)

As far as the overheating comments, yea, sadly guys, I only have 1 fan blowing outwards inside my comp on top of the CPU fan. I know that is not enough, especially in my bedroom where my PC is where it is hot even with my central air on. -I don't get it either, my room is the only one in the entire house that stays hot in summer/fall!- So, I assume that is not helping my PC and is the reason why it is overheating, shutting down. How many fans would you recommend and will it help is it is hot in my room throughout the day? (sometimes it can clock at 80-90F in here) Sadly though, there is nothing I can do about the extreme heat in my room, thank goodness fall is right around the corner.

Also, I think I will stay with the DDR3 Memory sticks, since there is really no big difference between D3 and D4, as to not have to replace the entire system.

I would like to upgrade to IRAY if this card will allow me to but I would be okay with 3DL too. :)

I have my computers in a room where the temperature is between 80-90F / 27-32C most of the time, and have no problems with CPU/GPU overheating. Currently it's 29C / 84 F, I'm running a CPU and GPU stress test and CPU remains stable at about 52C /126F, GPU at 68C / 154F. See screenshot. CPU shut down threshold is around 100C / 212 F and GPU is 90C /194F AFAIK, so it's way below that.

CPU is a first generation Intel Quad and they generate a lot of heat (65 nm technology). GPU is a GTX 1070.

The case has 2 x 8" fans for disk cooling (in), plus 1 x 12" back and 2 x 14" top (out). It has a switch for low/high speed of the 14" fans, it's normally at low but when I render I switch to high. It's also been on high during this test.

Hello everything,

Thank you so much for all the replies, they were all very helpful in helping me decide on my decision to purchase a 1080TI card. For me, I have been using DAZStudio since 2009 and have really liked using 3DL. -although IRAY looks incredible, its very taxing on my system- I would prefer IRAY, no doubt, and if I can use that instead of 3DL, I'd be more then happy with the upgrade. I also agree that it would probably be a good idea to add more RAM to my system, which I will definitely look into purchasing next. (I have 3x4GBs=12gbs atm installed)

To answer Kyoto Kid's question, I have a AMD FX 6100 Six-Core 3300mhz Processor, my MB is 970 Pro Gaming/Aura and my video card is a Nvidia Geforce 760GTX 1GB and my PSU is Kentek 100/240V 1000W. (Wow, that looks like a pretty spiffy upgraded comp Kyoto Kid!) 

As far as the overheating comments, yea, sadly guys, I only have 1 fan blowing outwards inside my comp on top of the CPU fan. I know that is not enough, especially in my bedroom where my PC is where it is hot even with my central air on. -I don't get it either, my room is the only one in the entire house that stays hot in summer/fall!- So, I assume that is not helping my PC and is the reason why it is overheating, shutting down. How many fans would you recommend and will it help is it is hot in my room throughout the day? (sometimes it can clock at 80-90F in here) Sadly though, there is nothing I can do about the extreme heat in my room, thank goodness fall is right around the corner.

Also, I think I will stay with the DDR3 Memory sticks, since there is really no big difference between D3 and D4, as to not have to replace the entire system.

I would like to upgrade to IRAY if this card will allow me to but I would be okay with 3DL too. :)

Thanks guys!

Merc

I went to a variety of sites and really loved newegg.com  because of the "compare" function and you can do up to five. Then what stood out was the seller HIDevolution had the option to choose the upgrades right there on the page. It did lock other things in, but it must be because of what is compatible. I called to ask several questions and they were SO nice (and this was after I had made the purchase)  I just got an email telling me they had pulled all the components and would work the rest of today and Monday- and try to ship it Monday! (they have 3 ratings which isn't many, but all are 5 eggs. (LOL) and sending it fast was a perfect score.)  It had said to allow 3-5 days after a day to process it.

 Here's what got my attention- all their upgrades are approved and warrantied :) and on the page is this:

A product that passes through our hands has a much lower chance of DOA (defect on arrival). Your laptop has better reliability with thorough QC (quality control) checks.

We perform a full quality check - ensure the latest stable BIOS firmware and drivers are installed, burn-in stress testing for temperature, benchmark testing to ensure it is functioning to standard, keyboard and touchpad test, check of ports for functionality, display check for abnormalities, and a physical inspection of the chassis.

The HIDevolution Benefit

We research and develop our laptops in-house and only offer upgrades that work to benefit performance and reliability. We provide unique upgrades and services such as high thermal conductivity TIM (thermal interface materials) upgrades, and cherry picking a display panel with minimal backlight bleed.

1. Cooler system temperatures for the CPU (central processor) and GPU (graphics processor) through Gelid GC Extreme TIM (thermal interface materials) upgrades. Lower system temperatures, prevent throttling during CPU and GPU intensive tasks, minimize fan noise, and maximize reliability with upgraded thermal interface materials.

The Alienware51 I'd have to pull out and see the exact model, I'll try to do that tomorrow :) There's an R model, etc and I'm not sure what I've got. The Titan is going be a beast compared to it, due to the i9, the chipset, etc. Not sure about the RAM. 

I got my computer at New Egg during Black Friday deals. If you can hold out, it may be worth it!

even if you consider an electron to be nothing more than an energy level of a standing wave around a given force of an atom nucleus, as said, for a dozen reasons, lol. It matters not that according to some maths a wave will always have a given speed and time to go full cycle, Despite the simple fact a laser works, you can't measure it, for a dozen reasons. That is a great link to what amounts to dipping your toes in what would be over 8 years of post masters in such things.

Well, I was working a tad more on the head fit shape, and started to get a tad interesting thought, given generic biology, and I know many will say I'm oversimplifying some things, tho I feel it still has some merit. Initially, I felt some pity for Twi'lek's given how the core worlds treated them, and after looking over a few examples and one site that dove deep into the shape of the Tekku (head tales), I'm starting to wonder just how feasible this would be.

The extra weight on the neck aside, simply the support tendons and such alone would consume a lot of the back of the head, and I don't think that would allow for a larger visual cortex, not necessarily smaller, just not larger given the extra width the tails add to the back of the head. And that is not in itself a bad thing, just an observation. And it appears that the front of the head is also limited by simply not having more size. One can point out the density of nerve cells in a wale brain vs a human despite the wale brain being much larger, and given that it's not like a Twi'lek couldn't have more nerve cells in the same volume, just that the volume in those two locations is not that much larger than a human head.

Now that most have probably started uttering things I did not imply by that, lol, I do think it is quite feasible that a Twi'lek is at least as intelligent as a human with equally as good eyesight. The interesting bit is when we look at the middle of the head between the front and where the Tekku attaches, that area would allow for more volume. And in most creatures that I have read about, that area is associated with motor control. I don't think the extra head tales would require that much more motor control nerve cells directly, so it is more than reasonable to assume that a Twi'lek may have far better coordination than a human.

In a way, I almost think that Lucas inadvertently made a more feasible Elf, with that walk on snow or air ability, as Shadiversity had jokingly referred to in a few episodes, lol. It's also not like Twi'leks have been hinted to see in UV or IR in any way more than generic humans, and the bipedal biology appears to hint at many other interesting possibilities. For the sake of this not being a multi-page post akin to the article, Kettu linked to about the electron, I will amend my more in-depth thoughts on that till later on (like cognitive ability vs complex nerve networks vs simplicity of nerve system in an octopus vs skull vs no skull around a brain, and why I don't think it is feasible for a non-aquatic creature to have an active part of the central nervous system not encased in a rigid support structure.)

So, I am fooling around with the head fit shape, and still working out the shape of the Tekku. And yes I spun a few more shaping dials here than the former renders, shorter wider neck for the Twi'lek and a tad more muscle for the Mirialan.

I do think I'm getting close enough with the shape. And let's face it, some consider Twi'lek's attractive not just because they can be incredibly graceful and acrobatic, some just think that Tekku are sexy and they do not need another reason for being, lol. Just like the eyestalks of the Teleopsis dalmanni.

Oh, and thanks whoever fixed the attachment upload thumbs for Firefox, no more guessing what I missed or not, lol.

I was uncertain whether I could offer any advice here but I'll offer the following anyway:  It should be possible to create one object consisting of the plane to be draped and also the shape underneath which it will drape over.  The 'plane' could be a circular disc, rather than a square.

Apply a 'soft body' modifier to this two-part object.

Now apply a 'soft body attach' modifier to it and paint the vertices of the sphere, or whatever shape is going to be underneath.  You will probably need the brush to be tiny to reach underneath if the two parts are close together.  Set the object to self-collide.

Alternatively you could try it with two objects.  This time, the plane or circle probably needs a few central vertices painted as soft body attach and the shape underneath is an ordinary object   'Soft body attached'  vertices, if not attached to anything just attach to world space and these vertices are exempt from the simulation.  But you could attach the aformentioned few vertices of the plane/circle object to a cone or something similar.  The cone could be slowly lowered along the timeline so that the cloth, during the simulation gets lowered with it.

The cloth will swish back and forward, probably, depending on stiffness, number of vertices it has, etc. but will settle in time.

Regarding the videos Selina mentioned, I was surprised when I looked that I am the guilty culprit who made them when I was an almost complete beginner in Carrara.  I went on and on with the topic in a long thread as a newcomer to forum posting and am quite embarrassed looking back at that and at the poor quality of the videos (and most others since).

I've been meaning for a long time to delete all my YouTube videos and start again as a slightly more experienced hobbyist but I don't know now if the physics vids should be kept.  They should come with a 'seriously tedious and boring to watch' warning, I think!  

Edited for spelling

I went to a variety of sites and really loved newegg.com  because of the "compare" function and you can do up to five. Then what stood out was the seller HIDevolution had the option to choose the upgrades right there on the page. It did lock other things in, but it must be because of what is compatible. I called to ask several questions and they were SO nice (and this was after I had made the purchase)  I just got an email telling me they had pulled all the components and would work the rest of today and Monday- and try to ship it Monday! (they have 3 ratings which isn't many, but all are 5 eggs. (LOL) and sending it fast was a perfect score.)  It had said to allow 3-5 days after a day to process it.

 Here's what got my attention- all their upgrades are approved and warrantied :) and on the page is this:

A product that passes through our hands has a much lower chance of DOA (defect on arrival). Your laptop has better reliability with thorough QC (quality control) checks.

We perform a full quality check - ensure the latest stable BIOS firmware and drivers are installed, burn-in stress testing for temperature, benchmark testing to ensure it is functioning to standard, keyboard and touchpad test, check of ports for functionality, display check for abnormalities, and a physical inspection of the chassis.

The HIDevolution Benefit

We research and develop our laptops in-house and only offer upgrades that work to benefit performance and reliability. We provide unique upgrades and services such as high thermal conductivity TIM (thermal interface materials) upgrades, and cherry picking a display panel with minimal backlight bleed.

1. Cooler system temperatures for the CPU (central processor) and GPU (graphics processor) through Gelid GC Extreme TIM (thermal interface materials) upgrades. Lower system temperatures, prevent throttling during CPU and GPU intensive tasks, minimize fan noise, and maximize reliability with upgraded thermal interface materials.

The Alienware51 I'd have to pull out and see the exact model, I'll try to do that tomorrow :) There's an R model, etc and I'm not sure what I've got. The Titan is going be a beast compared to it, due to the i9, the chipset, etc. Not sure about the RAM. 

Well I really decided to research every nit picky detail on laptops, I wanted one which wouldn't get obsolete quickly.  In case anyone else is looking for a laptop, I thought I'd share what I read.  I am NOT a technical person and can't explain all the specifics on these, but I'll be sharing some great articles for you which will assist in comparing those apples and oranges. I concentrated on LAPTOPS.

The MSI GT75 Titan RG is what I bought, with 32GB RAM and several more upgrades  (better cooling, remove Windows bloat, pixel perfection check, eliminate backlight bleed)  Here is the post regarding  bloatware. 

These bits and pieces have to be considered when buying a laptop no matter which one you are considering. And of course, this is just my logic and the conclusions I arrived at, and I can't possibly type all the findings which helped merge all this together.This is how I made my decision after I spent 6 days comparing laptops and researching all those crazy abbreviations. UGH. My first problem was not knowing if what I was seeing was the latest thing, or what I should be comparing it TO.   So here's what I found to help with "compared to?" and "Is that good? Worth paying for?"  and "What would be the best combination to maximize the output?" The goal was to blend aspects which complemented each other.

First, the operating system. I looked at Intel Core i7 7th or 8th generation  or Intel Core i9 8th generation. Expect your price to increase of course for the i9. But if you want a most up to date system, this is where it starts.   There are not a lot of laptops offering this but many allow upgrades. The i9 was released last summer and that link has a few explanations. This one by LaptopMag has a great comparison and read the section on Which One To Get? where it mentions doing art.

Edit: I also looked up another i9 which has 32% better performance (cost $1,800 just for it!) The i9 7980XE is one to watch in the future when prices drop. Here are the benchmarks between  i9-8950HK (mine) and i9 7980XE   This has the best comparison/pros and cons.
 
I also thought you may be interested in seeing how some of the i5, i7's do for gaming (bottom of page) and the best CPU's for gaming and an explanation of what they are.

Here's another aspect-  I looked at the GHz and the i9 was 2.90, while the i7's were 2.20 OR  2.60 for the CPU. The higher, the better. So if it  was an  i7, I looked at the GHz too. (Think speed.)  I did go with the Intel Core i9 2.90.

Edit: But cores (CPU) and clock speeds- confusing at best when trying to decide what to prioritize, or what they mean. This is a great article!

Operating System- some offer Windows 10 Pro. (mine did) Find out if it is 64 bit (ASK) if you want that, as some may not be.

To get good results, the graphics card and operating system both need a healthy balance.  So  I went with the NVIDIA GeForce 1080.  The 1080ti is even better- and costs more, and hard to find as a default, and I didn't see any options on the pages to upgrade. I think it requires calling and asking.  Price difference here. (Shows benchmarks too.)  Google says  "the 1080 Ti is NVIDIA's latest flagship 4K VR ready GPU. It supersedes last years GTX 1080, offering a 30% increase in performance for a 40% premium."  The other cards which are also very good are the 1060 and 1070.

Something to look for- I only went with dedicated graphics cards. This means they are not soddered into the motherboard and you can upgrade the graphics more easily. Can't  afford a 1080, 1070, etc?  Have to make a decision on RAM (memory) and graphics? Get a dedicated graphics laptop and you can get more RAM, then upgrade graphics later.

Screen:  For the screen, most are 120Hz.  Look for some with 144Hz, but those aren't the norm.  Mine is 120Hz.

RAM/Memory: An explanation and those DDR's! This is a great article.
Here's another thought from SimonJM

Memory: This is  where you do NOT want to scrimp, the RAM.  32GB  is worth getting. Note DDR4 is the latest for laptops. DDR5 is not available for the memory, according to a few sites. This "allows higher clock speeds and therefore performs faster."  When buying a laptop, if DDR4 isn't listed (mine says 32GB DDR4) call and ASK about the DDR. 

BTW, want to check to see if your RAM is still good?  Here.  
Cores: This relates to the processor. The CPU is the Central Processing Unit. How many cores determines the speed.  Every program you open will work on its own core, so if the tasks are shared, the speeds are faster. I would recommend quad (4) or 6 Cores.  I went with 6)

Video Memory: Mine is 8GB GDDR5X  The explanation of GDDR5X is here.  
MemorySpeed  This one, I read about in different forums. They tested it and said not that much difference in the DDR4 2400, 2666, etc. Mine is 2666
Memory Spec: What I read- It is better to split the memory into different channels so if one fails, everything isn't lost.  You will see 16GB x 2  if it is split. This is a good thing

Storage: When listing the GB or TB (gigabyte/terabyte)  Look for SSD (Solid State Drive) or SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive, not as good)  SATA is the least desirable. And even better, PCIe/NVIe   I didn't even consider laptops without SSDs AND the PCIe or NVIe designations. 

CPUs  Cache  L1, L2, L3 explained here.   Mine has L3 listed with 12MB which apparently is a good size. 

Chipset  I definitely wanted the Intel CM246 and not HM370.  One site said it is used by the new 8th generation core laptops having Xeon-E processors and is a "beefed up" version of the  HM370. It supports 24 PCIe lanes, six USB 3.1 ports, 8 SATA ports etc Why the chipset is important- "it is the backbone of the motherboard- it's quality and capabilities define the qualities and capabilities of the computer." 

Resolution: HD: 1366 x 768 is standard  on mainstream laptops     HD+  1600 x 900h is fine for casual gaming/watching movies 
1920 x 1080  is Full HD so you can see every detail.  (Most laptops I saw were this)
QHD is even better,  either 256s0 x 1440 or 3200 x 1800
Then there's 4k Ultra HD    It has 4x the pixels as the 1080p (3840 x 2160) EDIT: Note I found conflicting information on if this does or does not have the G sync which stops flutter and lag.)

LCD Features  The higher the NTSC value, the better, so far as matching RGB colors. (Mine is 94%)

HDD RPM   (Revolutions Per Minute)  The higher the number, the faster the system works. This will be betweeen 5400 and 7200    (Mine is 7200)  

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LAN  This is just other forum sites' people testing it  - the Killer Gaming Network tests showed little improvements over standard LAN. I didn't spend  excess time on this. The AQC107 came across as more desirable but this quickly went out of my comfort zone. From businesswire.com- 

About the AQtion AQC107

The Aquantia AQC107 Multi-Gig Ethernet controller easily handles 10GbE performance with a x4/x2/x1 PCI Express interface. It incorporates Aquantia’s industry proven AQrate® PHY technology to deliver up to 10 GbE network connectivity speed through 100 meters of Cat 6a cabling enabling higher data rates with zero change to legacy cabling.

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Turbo Frequency Wide range, it's a feature  that automatically raises certain parts of the operating frequency and performance when demanding tasks are running. The higher ends I saw were 3.90 to 4.80GHz    (Mine is 4.80)

USB  Look for Type C as that is going to be the "fits all" for the future. Also look for 3.1 instead of 3.0 as it doubles the  transfer rate to 10Gbps. Try to get the 3.1 Generation 2
Bluetooth:  Ask if it doesn't say 5.0  (the latest)
Other info/ terms you might encounter:
Difference in Windows and Windows 10 Pro
SPDIF   in audio ports  (A good thing)
Thunderbolt 3  transfer speeds up to 40Gbps for a port. Great for plug and play.
Subwoofers  Better than just internal speakers
G sync Synchronizes display refresh rates to the GPU and eliminates stutter and input lag

Gaming Laptops- Best Brands   (I got MCI)  
Edit: This post explains all the Letters and Numbers  in the MCI titles 
Do you need a laptop cooling pad? Do they work? (One does, a LOT!)  The link to the reviews are on that page.

So with all that in my checklists, I ended up with  MSI GT75 8RG TITAN 17.3” FHD 120Hz G-Sync Gaming Laptop | 2.9 GHz i9-8950HK, GTX 1080, 32GB DDR4/2666MHz RAM, PCIe 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD 

See the reviews (videos)  HERE  and  HERE  Found these after I bought it, so I made a great choice apparently :)  This one  explains in more technical detail. Here's a written review of the GT75 8RG Titan. Another review comparing to other gaming computers.  Another review
And another

Keeping in mind the pricetag, I'd suggest cherry-picking and getting the aspects which give you the best bang for your buck. I wanted that chipset as it gives a "hefty" boost in performance over HM370's (which apparently many laptops have)  You definitely want SSD or SSHD (hybrid) and NVIe/PCIe, a minimum 16GB RAM, and a dedicated graphics card. 

Secondary would be the intel i9- if you get i7 look at the GHz and try for 2.60 instead of 2.20  You don't need a 4.80 Turbo Boost either, lesser amounts will do,  and the Pro version of  Windows 10 isn't needed. The quad cores instead of six will drop the price, and I'm really guessing but I think the CM246 chipset (if available for quad cores) would help make up for that.

Breaking all that down-In red are the things which made the decision for me:

It has the intel 9  2.90 GHz    i9-8950 HK (that 8950HK is rated awesome!) 
GTX 1080          32GB DDR4 / 2666MHz RAM    Memory Spec-  16GB x 2 (two channels) 
NVIe/PCIe  512GB  SSD +  1TB  HDDl
Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit                         Video Memory 8GB GDDR5X                     6 core processor                 turbo boost 4.80GHz
Chipset  Intel CM246                            NTSC 94%                                                   Graphics- Dedicated card
HDD RPM  7200                                  LAN MultiGig AQC107                                Bluetooth 5.0                    (5) USB  3.1 Generation 2
Video Port  Thunderbolt 3, MiniDisplay Port 2.1    Has the Thunderbolt, G-Sync, AQC107 

Edit: If you are wondering about the competition, the closest thing is the Aorus X9   with again, the same folks' review on the MSI GT75 Titan RG.
The Aorus runs HOT (130 degrees on the bottom after 15 minutes of extreme use compared to 113 of the Titan), the fans are loud and whiny, and the display is dark and not nearly as vibrant. But the Aorus does better at some things so it depends on what you like.