Stezza said:

Bunyip02 said:

a couple of programs are refusing to work on Win 11 - the price of progress I guess .....

what programs are they? 

Steel Panthers - World at War, is a computer war game that has not been updated in ages. Other uses on the forums report it is not working in Win 11.

Zotero - a search reference program, don't know why this one is not working. EDIT-got it working !

Also had a problem with the installation of my CAD program when it came up with Activation Code out of date.

Have not installed Carrara or Bryce yet, with 256GB of Hard Drive I am watching how much space I have used up.

Bunyip02 said:

Finished doing most of the app downloads, a couple of programs are refusing to work on Win 11 - the price of progress I guess .....

Frightening words to me as a user of numerous "old" software, even "abandonware".  Hopefully Carrara works on Win11 as some have stated here.  

cosmicdawnseries said:

thanks :) yeah i just got to play around with the lighting. I think it's hard though xD

Yes, I was confused by DAZ Studio for a long time (I'm a Carrara holdout).  But the great iRay renders and great iRay products made me bite the bullet and start to learn it.  It gets easier with time. 

Carrara rigging is Carrara only, what I exported was obj files with polygon groups

which is what Richard was saying to do using a modeling program 

you should be able to actually do this in D|S4 too using the geometry editor to create groups then export an obj

I am not really the one to help here though as it's not my area of expertise 

Ii have only done simple things such butterflies and other insects

a Carrara lobster model and ropes

and as I said, not DS3, just DS4 to Poser7

Hmmmm.....Wendy.  I guess i could attempt to rig in DS4 and then import to Poser/DS3 to see if that works.  I 'm don't know much DS below 3.  You mentioned Carrara, which i believe i may have.  Does items rigged in Carrara work in older version of DS?  The character I want to rig is for a comic book.  I have tossed around the idea of just rigging in another program and then rendering him on a transparent background.  Then photoshopping him in scenes with my older DS3 content.  Only issue is this being a major character and i would be stuck with doing a lot of postwork.  That is my main backup plan.  I did watch the tutorial and it did give me confidence that i could pull this of in Poser.  Of course there is a big difference between watching and doing.

https://youtu.be/kn1Bed1jwHU?si=kQ5Nm9NCOv5OJ2sx maybe

there is a playlist of tutorials 

I admit, I have only legacy rigged simple things I made in Carrara with groups

in D|S 4 and exported as cr2 files which loaded in Poser7 and then resaved them there

I am no expert and fluff around a lot making mistakes 

saving something rigged in D|S 4 using weightmapping and converted to legacy rigging as a cr2 may possibly work, they certainly work in Poser7 with a message about being for a later version of Poser, unsure of D|S3 as not tried

Beginner Challenge:

"Lighting"

This month's focus will be on how you light your image. Lighting is what defines and enhances the viewer's experience when looking at an image. Lighting helps a viewer to "see" the story. The presence of light, or the lack thereof, provides us with the ability to believe the world we are looking at. It can tell us if an object is round, whether it is close or far away, what colors were used and even if the surface is reflective. As an artist, it will be your ability to master the use of light, that will set you apart from the others. Below is a source list of lighting tutorials, articles and videos that will help you understand how to use your software, the different techniques used to light a scene, and the theory behind why lighting is needed. This list is not comprehensive; it is just a starting point.

Also, keep in mind the topics we've covered during previous challenges. Build upon what you have learned to create a compelling image to light this month.

This year of New User challenges is just getting started. So far this year we have covered :

Composition

Other Helpful Links:

When following tutorials, be cognizant of the different applications (Bryce, Daz Studio, Poser, Carrara Blender, etc.) and different render engines (3Delight, Iray, Reality, etc). Techniques for one may not apply directly to another.

How to Use Your Software:
DAZ Studio
VII - Lights
Daz 101: Lighting (video)
Point Lights, the Basics

DAZ Studio Lights Tutorial - Presets - 3D Software (this contains undressed characters that's why it has a warning at the start, just so you know)
Iray
Creating and Lighting a Scene with Iray in DAZ Studio by SickleYield  
Lighting and Tone Mapping in Iray by SickleYield

Regarding ghostlights which had some changes since DAZ studio updated: https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/551301/ghost-lights-what-s-happening-and-what-s-next/p1
Poser
Poser Pro 11 Tutorial: Lighting, Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCkDHWX6VM
Poser Pro 11 Tutorial: Lighting, Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_paY90kz40
POSER Tutorial Lesson 3: Lights  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3m4Xy5lPrE
Bryce
Artist’s guide page 125
Thoughts on Lighting in Bryce 7.1 by Rashad
Bryce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C772CuZ6RgI
Bryce: http://www.bryce-tutorials.info/bryce-tutorials/lighting-and-skies.html#
Bryce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Pe-IVp_dY
Theory:
Mastering Lighting in Blender the first 25 minutes of the video is relevant for everyone not just blender users.
Lighting Basics:
http://www.3drender.com/light/3point.html
http://bensimonds.com/2010/06/03/lighting-tips-from-the-masters/

I will be showing you examples of how to use lights during the month, without any purchase required

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

Closing Date: February 29, 2026

Are you feeling sad and powerless? Chin up, you got this - you're stronger than you think!
Do you need help carrying this up the stairs? No, it's ok, I'm stronger than you think!
Do you think she's going to get the position? Do not discount her - she's a stronger candidate than you think!
Do you think you can handle this Russian liqor? Be careful, it's stronger than you think!
Tell us a story about someone or something that showed unexpected strength.
Do you have what it takes to win 1st place in this challenge? Of course you do - you're stronger than you think!

Some freebie suggestions to get you started. No obligation to use them, but perhaps you find them helpful!

https://lab108.x0.com/lab108/sports.html
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/75730/posable-punching-bag
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/64475/carnival-test-your-strength-game
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/79046/clothing-morphs-and-poses-fantasy-amazon-bundle-for-g8f
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/65400/20ft-easy-pose-chain
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/71281/kettlebell
https://www.most-digital-creations.com/g8f_warrior_outfit.php
https://www.patreon.com/posts/wonder-woman-for-47331825
https://www.patreon.com/posts/superman-for-g8m-49236362
https://3dshards.com/product/yara-flor-cosplay-outfit-for-genesis-8-8-1-female/
https://polyhaven.com/a/gym_01
https://www.deviantart.com/sedartonfokcaj/art/Mila-s-Headgear-for-Genesis-441118753
https://www.deviantart.com/sedartonfokcaj/art/Freebie-Crowd-Background-569639918
https://www.deviantart.com/sedartonfokcaj/art/Wrestling-Title-Belt-for-DAZ-Studio-516278782
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/69884/the-wrestling-set
https://www.renderosity.com/freestuff/items/73748/academy-in-the-round

BONUS RULE FOR FEBRUARY: You may use one of these six items and count it as a freebie:
https://www.daz3d.com/pyromantix--volumetric-infernos
https://www.daz3d.com/sci-fi-doomsday-device
https://www.daz3d.com/sci-fi-small-explosive
https://www.daz3d.com/sci-fi-explosives
https://www.daz3d.com/fireworks_19727
https://www.daz3d.com/explosives-pack

The rules of the contest are:

• Your entry must be a new render, especially made for this challenge.

• Your entry must follow the DAZ TOS.

• You may enter a maximum of 4 entries.

• A minimum of five (5) Freebies must be included in your image

• All Daz Bi-Weekly Freebies are allowed throughout the entire month in which they are free, as well as the following month (for a total of 2 months).

• You may use a maximum of 5 paid items.

• Base figures (Genesis 9, Genesis 8, etc.) as well as their basic morph packs may be used as needed. They do not count as either paid items or freebies.

• DAZ Studio, Poser, Bryce, Carrara, Hexagon, and Blender are allowed.

• DAZ AI Studio is not allowed. The use of image generating AI technology (midjourney, stable diffusion, etc.) is not allowed in any form.

• Postwork is allowed. You must also include the raw render (before postwork) of your entry.

• For a more detailed version of the rules see the PDF attached to this post; or ask your question in this thread, we're always happy to clarify!

• Let's have fun and be creative with all the amazing resources that are available for free!

This contest ends on February 28th 2026.

Post your images and freebie links in this thread for link verification.
Once the links are verified, you can post your image and links in Entries Thread for judging.

First Place: $15 store credit from KindredArts
Second Place: $10 store credit from KindredArts
Third Place: $5 store credit from KindredArts

Past Freebie Contests:

January 2022 - Around and around and around...

February 2022 - Mysteries of the heart

March 2022- Luck Of The Draw

April 2022 - New Beginnings

May 2022 - Cozy Corner

June/July 2022 - The Secret Life Of...

August 2022- Sniff, sniff... what's that smell?

September 2022-Cars Cars and More Cars

October 2022 - Horror Movies

November 2022 - Thieves, Robbers, and Fraudsters all around!

December 2022 - The Night is Darkest...

January 2023 Speed Demons and Slowpokes

February 2023- I See Red

March / April 2023 Magical

May 2023 - Sweet Music

June/July 2023  Holes, Gaps, Caves, Tunnels

August 2023 Fabulous Pink

September 2023 Gardening

October 2023 Hallowed Night

November 2023 Wobble, jiggle, sway, and shake

December 2023 / January 2024 Driving Home For...

February 2024 The Glow Up

March 2024 Power Source

April/Mai 2024 Soft as Plush, Smooth as Silk

June 2024 An Octopus' Garden

July/August 2024 Take A Break

September 2024 Fake Smiles and Real Joy

October 2024 "Monster Mash '24!" 

November 2024 - Dreams

December 2024 - A Curious Christmas

January 2025 - Thank you, Saphirewild!

February 2025 - My Hallowed Valentine

March 2025 - Pride, Prejudice and other Shenanigans

April 2025 - The Little Ball of Calm

May 2025 - To Be Beautiful

June 2025 - Summer and Piracy

July 2025 - Design a Book Cover

August 2025 - Pure Cinema

September 2025 - Holiday Memories

October 2025 - Monster Mash!

November 2025 - The Winter Witch

December 2025 - Christmas!

January 2026 - When One Door Closes, Another Opens

WendyLuvsCatz said:

another frustration with this set

AND DAZ Studio

why oh why is animating textures in D|S such a chore?
I created image series and matching cutout opacity for the crowd billboards 

for nothing 

unusable 

both Texanim AND ABAS only do one object one surface and no copy past apply to other surfaces with the same maps

Are unwieldy, impossible to use on these billboards with their dedicated shader

grrrrrrr

set doesn't work in Carrara, the easy option 

the only other way I could do this maybe is create my own single surface billboard and painfully instance it

It would be a great benefit to have a series loader for texture images. 3D programs have had that ability for decades.

another frustration with this set

AND DAZ Studio

why oh why is animating textures in D|S such a chore?
I created image series and matching cutout opacity for the crowd billboards 

for nothing 

unusable 

both Texanim AND ABAS only do one object one surface and no copy past apply to other surfaces with the same maps

Are unwieldy, impossible to use on these billboards with their dedicated shader

grrrrrrr

set doesn't work in Carrara, the easy option 

the only other way I could do this maybe is create my own single surface billboard and painfully instance it

WendyLuvsCatz said:

ah the move to Blender 

I wasn't trying to steal your thread BTW, just showed I hadn't abandoned Carrara quite yet for Ai  or DAZ studio but using both

but

Blender is definitly a more worthy challenge to move on to

Nova said:

Dartanbeck said:

Amazing that one person can keep this whole thing alive! Kudos! :)

 

Thank you for your perspective. For me, it is almost a matter of principle to continue using a tool as small yet remarkably efficient as Hexagon and to keep exploring its possibilities. Its strength lies precisely in its simplicity and focus.

I do not need an overloaded feature set or unnecessary technical distractions. What I am looking for is a pure modeling tool that concentrates entirely on the essentials, and that is exactly what Hexagon provides. It does not force complex workflows or constant context switching, but instead allows complete focus on form, topology, and the act of modeling itself.

In a time when software is becoming increasingly complex and multifunctional, I find this clarity refreshing. Hexagon is not an all-in-one solution, and that is precisely its value. For my purposes, it remains the right tool.

Bravo!

I agree. Someone who used to frequent the Carrara forum (Fifth Element) was a Silo user and he loved it for all those same reasons. The elegance of using software purity adds a particular charm and feel to how we work.

So I started watching Silo videos and eventually wish listed it. Then I asked myself why I would ever want to do that - I already have Hexagon. I never really used it because I was happy with Carrara, yet my using Carrara makes me feel pretty close to home when I launch Hexagon. As a modeler, I do believe that Hexagon wins. 

And none of that really matters anyways, right? We use what we use because that's what we use. 

well done everyone... congrats to the winning entries 

and thankyou for picking my Carrara entry 

I combine hairs often 

adding Carrara hair to the haircap for fine flyaways is also an option 

Dorothy is Awesome, looks as good as a DAZ figure 

Diomede said:

Great to see you posting, Mike.  

Here are a couple of my Carrara models being animated with AI, dancing to a reportedly public domain music video from the early 1950s by Yvonne Decarlo (Lilly Munster from The Munsters).

Hey Diomede , nice to see your name again...  Nice dancing clip.   I am almost done an animation that used the dog and girl models I did in Blender with AI,  I will post in the thread that Wendy mentioned as it is more appropriate there.

Here is a thread I have in the Art Studio forum related to the short clip.

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/9307766/#Comment_9307766

Whether its true or not, I haven't felt comfortable posting AI-related stuff, but I still use Carrara, especially to create references for depth maps or poses

Great to see you posting, Mike.  

Here are a couple of my Carrara models being animated with AI, dancing to a reportedly public domain music video from the early 1950s by Yvonne Decarlo (Lilly Munster from The Munsters).

Hey , I know some people really detest AI but I did an experiment after Wendy mentioned this. I had this in mind before hand as what AI could be used to do.  Anyways, I modeled the dog in blender  and heavily modified a make human character to make the girl.These models were part of a project that went nowhere so I thought they were good models to use.   I think the animations looks okay.   You could model your entire set in Carrara or whatever 3d program you use and animate it in ai. 

Stezza said:

from the rusty old Carrara cube the TinMan arises...

boned with a couple of morphs 

So cool, hoping for a full set! 

from the rusty old Carrara cube the TinMan arises...

boned with a couple of morphs