Wow. Is that Victoria 3? This is some very early Poser work from me. Very early, but I've done much worse art that this since then too! LOL

I am probably terribly boring. When I like something, it stays liked. https://www.daz3d.com/glamorous-vicki-set-for-victoria-3-0

Regards,

Richard.

Best I could whip up. Michelle's texture, so I tried dialing in a bit of her head as well, didn't look quite right. Added in a bit of the Tara 2 (same vendor as Michelle) head morph as well. Looks close, but not quite. Those expressions in the promos really set it off, and they're hard to duplicate.

65% Michelle's head, 32.5% Tara 2 - it's not DEAD ON, but it's in the ballpark.

I decided to test a few characters under the pure white hdri at .50/single white spotlight setup I mentioned. Under this lighting, most of the textures tested do actually look good and would look OK if placed in the same scene. Exposure is still 13, no other adjustments except I turned off Burn Highlights and Crush Blacks (no idea why those are on by default, they make a gigantic difference in the look of everything). If DAZ and PAs are in fact creating their textures under pure white lights, then my thanks to them for their consistency thus far.

Probably will make this my new default lighting setup if these results continue and hold with clothing and environments as well. At least starting a scene from this sort of a base will give me an idea as to what, if any adjustments are necessary.

This seems strangely apropos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGZiLMGdCE0

Not sure exactly what Morpheus is trying to indicate with his hands there, but . . . lol. All kidding aside, I agree that the opportunity for normalization of DAZ assets has been missed a bit. Consistency is key.

I would like to thank both of you for the taking the time to post on this topic - especially this thread:

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/371716/genesis-8-female-example-and-improvement-discussion

It's a fantastic reference. Also, I'd like to add a little something by sharing my construct. It's something that I've been doing for years with characters, and that is to make reference renders using the sun/sky at 3 different angles. Here's Leony by @Raiya (https://www.daz3d.com/leony-hd-for-victoria-8):

I like seeing how the skin reacts to the warm/cool components of the lighting when it is coming from different angles. Also, I always make the figure looking at the camera. When combined with a bit of DOF, this seems to make things a bit more natural looking.

- Greg

Victoria 9?

Mostly:

 

I'd like a stylized male figure ala Tom of Finland. With proportions and everything else to match

Hey... I'd love for there to be Tom of Finland fetish bear bundle on the G8M side, plus a less-conservative/return-to-Genesis-2-attitude Lilith 8.

Those would pair well together. (Well, except for Tom of Finland being totally homosexual, NTTAWWT.)

I'm trying to restore victoria 8 and 2 after deleting the data directories.    Basically I simply want to start over as when I do uninstall and reinstall right now it does the same thing, installs *some* of the characters, but not all.   Going to essential doesn't seem to work.   

Is there a trick to do a complete fresh install?   I just unstalled on central then deleted the actual directories.

All right.  Taking my best run at following the directions.  

There are two systems to set up - the I (Internet) system and the O (Offline) system. Download and install DIM (Daz Install Manager) on both systems.
On the I system:

Start DIM.  Click the Add Account' button and fill in your DAZ Store user name and  email address.  Click 'Accept'. Now select 'Work Offline' and click Start.

I have a crippled Win7 laptop and DIM 1.4.0.46, which starts with a login window demanding my account's email and password, no 'Accept'.  Logging in leads to a window that will not connect until I allow an automatic update.  (I hate forced updates.  They break things that ain't broke.)  Once updated (1.4.0.58), I'm allowed to work offline.

Click on the gear icon, top right, for the settings menu - select Advanced Settings.
Click on the 'Downloads' tab and set your download directory on the USB drive- I use G:/dim-download on my laptop; then scroll through the data types to select what you actually want to see as available downloads - DAZ Studio 4.5+, Install Manager, General, Software, Plugin, Windows (either or both bit levels) are probably what you'll want. Include Public Build if you want to be able to get the Studio beta(s) when they come out. Also include 'Connect Avaiable', as some products end up with this as the only tag. Click on 'Accept'.

Now click on your user name, top right, to get back the account logon popup. Fill in your password - optionally, click the 'Remember Me' checkbox as well - and click 'Start'.

DIM will now contact Daz and build a list of all downloadable products you've purchased (You have 'purchased' Studio I assume?) When the list is complete you have two options - download everything, or just download Studio and Postgres; I recommend just the two for now, so click on the little magnifier next to the filter box, select 'Filter by Tag' ->  'Software' -> 'All'.

Select DAZ Studio and Postgres SQL CMS for now and click 'Start Queue'

'Filter by Tag' does not appear on the filter popup, but I found the files anyhow and downloaded.  A rather persistent window keeps reappearing, offering a basic auto-install of the starter package.  I've been closing it.  I also downloaded some of the Victoria 8 products, for testing.  I think I'm getting it so far.

Shut down DIM when the downloads finish and move the drive to O system.

Now, on O system, Start DIM and repeat the configuration steps from the I system - using the O system path for the download directory; do not click 'Accept' at this point. Switch to the 'Installation' tab to tell DIM where to put things.

Pick the 64-bit and (if desired) 32-bit directories you want to install Studio to. Be aware that the final path for the install will be "<32-bit>/DAZ 3D/Studio4" and "<64-bit>/DAZ 3D/Studio4" I'm using D:/bits-32 and D:/bits-64 on my O system. Now, to add an installation directory - click on the '+' bottom left, pick a label, and browse to the path you want. I used gen5 (label) and D:/S4stuff/gen5 (path). Once you have that path defined you can click on the default path definition and the '-' button bottom left to delete it. I also have a 'general' path G:/general (most tutorials are 'general' data type).

I think I understand.  These are where my installed content will eventually go, ready for Studio to make full use of it.

You may want to change the Content Database Base path; I left it on my C: drive - I have nearly 15,000 items installed and the CMS is only 3.06 GB; my C: drive is a 500 GB SSD. Also, you may want to change the path to the 'Manifest Archive' - DIM puts a file here for each item installed - this is how it tracks what has been installed. Wherever you have it, make a backup after each install run. On my system this is 589 MB; tiny, in the great scheme of things.

You only need to worry about the 'Applications' tab if you have Photoshop, Hexagon, or Zbrush - this is where you tell DIM where they live.

When you're done, click on 'Accept' and DIM is set -- but you need to tell Studio about the changes. Which means that it's time to install Studio and Postgres. Dim should have propagated the 'Ready to Install' tab when you exited the setup; if not, click on the rotating arrows left of the account name.

Select Studio and Postres SQL and 'Start Queue'.

Fire up Studio and select 'work offline' and then Edit -> Preferences -> Content and click on 'Content Directory Manager' at the bottom.

Click the '+' by DAZ Studio Formats to expand the list, then click on 'DAZ Studio Formats' itself; this gives you the option to Add a directory. Click the 'Add' button and browse to your DIM installation directory (in my case above, D:\S4stuff\gen5 - in DAZ terminology, gen5 is a 'content' directory; in Poser terminology it is a directory that contains a Runtime directory). This will put the directory at the bottom of the list; you'll want to move it to the top - click on it and use the move button. You can add non-DIM directories here as well; I have an D:/S4stuff/3rd-party that I dump things not from DAZ into. You may want to also add your Poser directories here, after the Studio directories. Note that my 'general' directory  is NOT defined - none of the items that go into it are used by Studio.

So, these tutorials typically contain no installable 3D assets?

Repeat the above for the Poser Formats group, as some of the items DIM installs (older items, for the most part) are Poser format and will be found by this directory path.

Click on 'Accept'

Shut down DIM and Studio.

From here on out the sequence is - put drive on I system, start DIM, log into account. Select products to download and Start Queue.
Shut down DIM, move drive to O system, start DIM on O system, select 'Work Offline', select products to install on 'Ready to Install' tab and Start Queue.

If you decide to split some products to a different drive at some point, just add the directory to DIM and Studio - and make sure to 'Show Details' on the Installation Tab - this gives you a drop-down for the content path selection.

Buggered up the format a bit, but I think I sorted it.

It appears you've guided me safely to the shore.  D|S runs, and I can load a Genesis 8 figure and render Iray images of the interior scenes I need.  I can proceed.  Some things still have me puzzled.

• Copying/pasting settings between surfaces has no effect. (Answered)
• I installed keyMate and graphMate but their control panes still aren't listed. (Answered)
• V4 won't take INJ pose morphs. (Answered)
• dForce won't go until compiled, and it wants the wrong GPU as its target. (Answered)
• All cameras are forced to share the same pixel size and aspect. (Answered)
• Saving an image from a render in progress shuts down the render.
• Only 8-bit options are available for saving images.
• I'd like to assign Iray to my GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, and I still need to try DIM-installing non-DAZ packages.

Procedures like this should be DAZ's job, to make the directions easy to find and straightforward to do.  Was I just missing the obvious?  I remember how they used to survey the customer base and request input regarding improvements.  Does that happen these days?

Still, I'm getting useful results, so thank you all heartily.  Here are two of the first renders, an apartment backdrop and V8 marching for human rights.

Hallelujah!

Disciple

This is Amy-Lee for Victoria 8 you also need the Body- and Head-Morphs!

See the full resolution on DA: http://fav.me/de2hgk0

I find the Pro Bundles to be less interesting than they used to be. Safer? Very middle of the road, and we have so many "middle of the road" outfits. It wears you out.

Even with Kayo being Wrasslin, the unitards were so safe. AND I LIKE WRASSLIN. With the wrasslin ring renders I've been doing, I'm digging into the clothing collection to find interesting clothes rather than the safe choices I got out of the Pro bundle. (Aside from CB's Take Down outfit, which is both functional (with the knee/elbow pads) and sexy.) Unless you LOVE wrasslin, you weren't necessarily going to love those safe Kayo outfits because they didn't push many boundaries.

When someone asked about Tears of the Gods (out of Olympia 7's Pro Bundle)... I just wonder, what happened to outfits like that?

I don't need more Generic Fantasy outfits, and half of Celani's bundle looked like that to me. Suitable for generic fantasy world or generic apocalyptic world. There's nothing really Mad Max about it. Nothing over the top, theatrical, Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah. It's just not there. Where did edgier outfits like Tears of the Gods go? There's also not much Walking Dead about it, like the Wall Ranger outfit (also Genesis 3 era) or the Post-Apoc one that came with Victoria 7. It's just a strange, generic fantasy of an apocalypse there.

I'm rendering Wrasslin, but the thrill comes from mixing in pieces that had nothing to do with Kayo or Kwan's bundles. There are just too many safe releases in Genesis 8, and not enough thrill... and I LIKE Genesis 8 more than the previous ones. It's just that the pro bundles don't grab me like they used to.

Hello, I'm still pretty new to this software and 3d modeling/rendering in general. So the answer might be incredibly simple. But when rendering an image on a genesis 8 female figure there is always these blackish burn looking marks that appear on the forehead in various places and sizes. It only seems to happen when using this hair "vertigo ponytail for genesis 8 female" any help could be appreciated. I included a render to show exactly what i'm talking about.

Thanks everyone!
 

This usually does not seem to be a problem with the Vertigo Ponytail. I checked several characters and did not see the problem. However in the past I was able to get rid of this by adding a so called Smoothing modifier to the hair.

In this case however it is already in place and activated after loading the hair.

Which character are you using?

I was using victoria 8 messing with the sliders (i had some aiko 8 sliders in use mixed in) I'll try using smoothing and see if that helps.

Hi everyone,

I was trying to transfer some poses / animation from G3M/F or G8M/F back to Victoria4 in Poser.

Now there are couple of tools out there to convert G2 / G3 pose to G8. (and vice versa). But to get victoria 4 into the party, there seems to be limited article about it.

Although I can open a victoria 4 in daz studio, and apply a pose / animation based on G3F on her, I am not sure if that V4 can be imported into Poser somehow.

Has anyone come across this topic or have some suggestions?

Many thanks in advance :)

 

The MeToo movement is about very real women speaking up about very real and terrible abuse that they have endured... perhaps it's not very sensitive to link that with an argument about 3D women not being overtly sexy enough and the sex appeal/footwear of 3D women...

 

Not trying to censor or be thought police or suggest anyone has had unkind intentions here, but just courteous to the MANY for whom MeToo has been incredibly meaningful... the movement is about standing up to ABUSE... it has nothing to do with clothes or being sexy...

 

 

The #MeToo movement is about men in power using that power to abuse and control women, especially in Hollywood. I myself have been a victim of this MANY times as both a young wannabe actress and as a film exec.  I’m all for the #MeToo movement. The problem is that there is a backlash that seems to make it wrong now for women to express their sexuality. I feel guilty now, as a woman, doing sexy art as this can be construed as demeaning women, but I think it’s just the opposite. Women are STRONG in their sexuality and should not be ashamed of it, when THEY choose it’s right for them for themselves. It’s about not letting men in power use or control you! I’m so glad that women now can complain to HR or SAG or whatever and be heard without retribution. 

Men are going to be men and I’d rather they lust after my renders of non-existent women than real girls who have been coerced by sleazy photographers “Just unbutton one more button, honey” or “Everyone does it, honey, that’s just Hollywood, grow up.” I am so sick of these men. But I guess creating sexy art is a way for me to express sexuality without having to do anything myself. And at the same time, give men what they want without a real girl being coerced into doing something she doesn’t want to do. But somehow the movement has made it wrong to be sexy at all, affecting Victoria’s Secret stage shows (and those models CHOOSE to do what they are doing) and other women or artists who CHOOSE to express sexuality. 

Well that's just another form of abuse.

Sasly, some of those in power will always abuse those with less.

and now a test render of celani in blender. eevee so it took 8 seconds wheeeeeee

I just need to decide what I'm doing for a backdrop

 

Gorgeous!

Yeh, an appropriate backdrop would be good, but agree - great render.

 

The MeToo movement is about very real women speaking up about very real and terrible abuse that they have endured... perhaps it's not very sensitive to link that with an argument about 3D women not being overtly sexy enough and the sex appeal/footwear of 3D women...

 

Not trying to censor or be thought police or suggest anyone has had unkind intentions here, but just courteous to the MANY for whom MeToo has been incredibly meaningful... the movement is about standing up to ABUSE... it has nothing to do with clothes or being sexy...

 

 

somehow the movement has made it wrong to be sexy at all

ROFL ...No. Just no. Victoria's Secret was declining before #MeToo and their fashion show being effected was more their doing and their refusal to change with the times than anything else. Women want to be represented or they aren't going to be interested, Victoria's Secret has refused to properly represent women's diversity. When the marketing officer for Victoria's Secret says they have “no interest” in plus-sized models for their fashion show, you can't blame #MeToo or anyone else for the backlash that follows. Over 60% of the women in the US are size 14 and above, and similar percentages are reflected in many other countries that Victoria's Secret markets to, yet their continued act of looking down their noses at more than half the population by refusing to be inclusive of body diversity has only gotten more prevalent over the years and many women have had it and refuse to buy from a company that refuses to represent them. Victoria's Secret did that to themselves. Don't blame #MeToo for that BS. And their sales were free-falling for years before the MeToo movement simply because their ideas of what is and isn't sexy is becoming outdated. People can either get with the times or be left behind. Modern ideas of sexiness and beauty aren't the same as they were 40 years ago and companies who refuse to accept that aren't going to make it.

 

The MeToo movement is about very real women speaking up about very real and terrible abuse that they have endured... perhaps it's not very sensitive to link that with an argument about 3D women not being overtly sexy enough and the sex appeal/footwear of 3D women...

 

Not trying to censor or be thought police or suggest anyone has had unkind intentions here, but just courteous to the MANY for whom MeToo has been incredibly meaningful... the movement is about standing up to ABUSE... it has nothing to do with clothes or being sexy...

 

 

somehow the movement has made it wrong to be sexy at all

ROFL ...No. Just no. Victoria's Secret was declining before #MeToo and their fashion show being effected was more their doing and their refusal to change with the times than anything else. Women want to be represented or they aren't going to be interested, Victoria's Secret has refused to properly represent women's diversity. When the marketing officer for Victoria's Secret says they have “no interest” in plus-sized models for their fashion show, you can't blame #MeToo or anyone else for the backlash that follows. Over 60% of the women in the US are size 14 and above, and similar percentages are reflected in many other countries that Victoria's Secret markets to, yet their continued act of looking down their noses at more than half the population by refusing to be inclusive of body diversity has only gotten more prevalent over the years and many women have had it and refuse to buy from a company that refuses to represent them. Victoria's Secret did that to themselves. Don't blame #MeToo for that BS. And their sales were free-falling for years before the MeToo movement simply because their ideas of what is and isn't sexy is becoming outdated. People can either get with the times or be left behind. Modern ideas of sexiness and beauty aren't the same as they were 40 years ago and companies who refuse to accept that aren't going to make it.

The MeToo movement is about very real women speaking up about very real and terrible abuse that they have endured... perhaps it's not very sensitive to link that with an argument about 3D women not being overtly sexy enough and the sex appeal/footwear of 3D women...

 

Not trying to censor or be thought police or suggest anyone has had unkind intentions here, but just courteous to the MANY for whom MeToo has been incredibly meaningful... the movement is about standing up to ABUSE... it has nothing to do with clothes or being sexy...

 

 

The #MeToo movement is about men in power using that power to abuse and control women, especially in Hollywood. I myself have been a victim of this MANY times as both a young wannabe actress and as a film exec.  I’m all for the #MeToo movement. The problem is that there is a backlash that seems to make it wrong now for women to express their sexuality. I feel guilty now, as a woman, doing sexy art as this can be construed as demeaning women, but I think it’s just the opposite. Women are STRONG in their sexuality and should not be ashamed of it, when THEY choose it’s right for them for themselves. It’s about not letting men in power use or control you! I’m so glad that women now can complain to HR or SAG or whatever and be heard without retribution. 

Men are going to be men and I’d rather they lust after my renders of non-existent women than real girls who have been coerced by sleazy photographers “Just unbutton one more button, honey” or “Everyone does it, honey, that’s just Hollywood, grow up.” I am so sick of these men. But I guess creating sexy art is a way for me to express sexuality without having to do anything myself. And at the same time, give men what they want without a real girl being coerced into doing something she doesn’t want to do. But somehow the movement has made it wrong to be sexy at all, affecting Victoria’s Secret stage shows (and those models CHOOSE to do what they are doing) and other women or artists who CHOOSE to express sexuality. 

How about suits of armor with no helm or helmet?  Useful headgear is outnumbered by dForce capes.  At least their shoulders stay warm while their head gets caved in.  

A cape stops your brains getting on your leather jumpsuit, e.g is HIGHLY practical in a war zone where laundrettes are traditionally sparse. 

It goes behind the back. Everyone knows in the cartoon world you just reach behind your back to get whatever.

 

Unless you're fortunate enough to be a female in the cartoon world, and then you have the additional options of keeping whatever in your bra or thigh holster 

Victoria's Secret compartment 

LOL! But what about Michael's secret compartment?! Or maybe let's not ask that question... 

It goes behind the back. Everyone knows in the cartoon world you just reach behind your back to get whatever.

 

Unless you're fortunate enough to be a female in the cartoon world, and then you have the additional options of keeping whatever in your bra or thigh holster 

Victoria's Secret compartment 

I can agree with a lot of the sentiment in this thread.  I just did a count up and I have 63 Genesis 8 pro bundles and a lot of Genesis 3 pro bundles that I got free when I first came back to Daz after a long break.  I think I've bought two pro bundles in the past five months.

I do have to wonder though what it is like for someone coming new to Daz - they could build a small library of core figures, clothing and hair from a huge choice of pro bundle content, a lot of it often on sale.  Perhaps part of the reason that I don't buy a lot of content lately is that when I start building a scene and realise that I need something, I can search through content that I bought years ago for Michael 3, Victoria 3, Victoria 4 etc and then adapt it with iray shaders to look good enough for a one-use still image render.

Right now, I can't see what Daz can add to a Genesis 9 figure to make me want to buy it, given the existing technology within Daz Studio - it really would have to be a massive leap forward.  But, when they do eventually start a new Genesis series, I plan to buy a couple of core bundles and then be much more selective in what I buy after that - likely adding just a few PA figures to the mix instead of the core Daz figures.

https://vrchat.com/

Thanks - not for me. Curmudgeon that I am, I've been on-line since 1983 and I've avoided real-time interaction the entire time.

If it is well modded and a non-toxic community, it can be absolutely wonderful.

Agreed, wish I could spend more time in there than i do.

It's funny seeing some of the reactions to VR (virtual reality) in this thread and to be honest, it sounds like me to a point before i got my headset last year. Since then my Steam game library has increased to over a hundred games, I don't play any non VR games any more and I get into VR almost daily (I am typing this right now in my virtual beach room).

I truly wish DAZ would get involved more into VR other than avatars for VRchat. I already use DAZ models in other VR apps (which is amazing working with lifesize victoria), but would love a VR option for DS.

i just preordered a new HP Reverb G2 and if it lives up to the hype, it will be a game changer for me.

Update for my Beginner's Challenge

Victoria the 1st

Shortened her hair on the right side to eliminate (I hope!) clipping... gonna be a busy week, so I suspect this is my "final" entry... but i'm still interested in advice, comments, and critiques.

~ Andy

Shortening the hair really changes her look.  It is softening and eliminating some of the shadows.  It isn't always easy to deal with hair clipping.

Thank you very much for your comments, Kismet2012...

Not that I'll have the time (or skill) to do anything about it, but do you have any suggestions on how do deal with the issue? I played around a bit trying to move her hair without shortening - but those still had clipping issues except moving the hair back, which totally changed the look and practically eliminated the shadows all together...

maybe move/mess/add/change the lighting? Right now there's just the HDRI (stock) and a single spot, coming from her right and above...

 

~ Andy

Hair can be tricky and I can understand you not wanting to lose the shadows the hair created on her face.

A deformer might have moved those strands just enough to prevent the clipping.  A push modifier might work.  No one tool seems to work in every instance.  Sometimes, if you have the time and patience, you have to experiment with different things to see what might work in any given situation.