Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 9

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  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    Happy Birthday Astracadia!

    Cartoon - Bugs Bunny of course, all of the Looney Toon characters. The Jetsons, Hong Kong Fuey, Scooby Doo, Jabberjaws, The Great Grape Ape show, Josie & the Pussycats, The Flinstones, Super Friends, My Favorite Marshian, Yogi Bear. 

    We also really looked forward to Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, the 6 Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman,Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,  Planet of the Apes, Thunderbirds.

     

  • zombietaggerungzombietaggerung Posts: 3,726
    Novica said:

    I used my Plat Club + (for DO's) which took $6 off the library, and the bikini, so they were each 66% off. I don't need long sleeve clothes, or too-short pants/cartoony style, so I'm staying focused on what I can actually use.

    And some of Tesla is 70% off in Fast Grab. I got the little laundryroom/bathroom, and the lecture hall. I've got another lecture hall, but if you're doing a university setting, many times the halls are different. (full time faculty five years, had an auditorium class and I really liked it. Fun being on stage with a clip on microphone, I didn't have to project as much as a normal class. I'll never forget I was just leaving home to teach that auditorium class when the news about the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 came on television, no one had cell phones so the students heard the news from me. )  

    Anyway, I think Fast Grab just changed late this evening as those weren't there earlier.

    One thing about the kitchen- Modern Kitchen and Dining- I don't need anymore kitchens, but note this one doesn't say anything about doors opening and closing, or drawers. Does anyone have it that can check that for other people?

    EDIT: Also, one of Mely's products that is a Daz3d and old item (so you can use either coupon) is the Sci-Fi Square. (There may be others, this is just showing what I haven't bought, and I found it in my wishlist because the coupon requires $18 of stuff. Those two fast grabs (lecture hall and bathroom/laundry room)  and this come to $19.79, then minus $6, so all that for $13.79!  (66% overall)

    I seem to recall when that Lecture Hall first came out, people were having issues with the seats not being scaled properly for the figures. I don't know it that ever got fixed, so I'd watch out for that.

  • sueyasueya Posts: 832

    This shows the result of applying the FWSA Gabriel HD for Tween Ryan 7 character to the basic Genesis 3 Male (I don't have Tween Ryan).I think this gives a healthy tan to the figure. I have used the "Tilak" face marking option (The Tilaka is a face marking worn by Hindus). There are also plain, freckled and spotty facial options. 

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  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I have the sci fi square, it came out last year.  Its a really nice set, although, as with so much of my other stuff, I haven't really had a chance to render much with it....

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479
    edited July 2017

    Happy Birthday Astracadia!

    Cartoon - Bugs Bunny of course, all of the Looney Toon characters. The Jetsons, Hong Kong Fuey, Scooby Doo, Jabberjaws, The Great Grape Ape show, Josie & the Pussycats, The Flinstones, Super Friends, My Favorite Marshian, Yogi Bear. 

    We also really looked forward to Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, the 6 Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman,Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,  Planet of the Apes, Thunderbirds.

    I can't believe you forgot The Beatles! (As long as you're listing old Saturday morning cartoons...) You couldn't tear me away from the TV when they were on.

    The Beatles, cartoon still

    Magilla Gorilla, The Roadrunner, (Beep, beep,) Mighty Mouse,  Tom and Jerry, The Underdog Show... Okay, some of these may be from the 60's...

    Anybody remember the The Monkees? Long before then, Micky Dolenz was a child actor in a little series called, Circus Boy. I loved that show! I had to have been all of 4 or 5, and I can still remember snippets! (63 last February. I know you were dying to ask...! lol)

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    Post edited by L'Adair on
  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I will probably be scalped but I'm not a big fan of the Beatles..... lol.  LOVED Tom and Jerry!  Oh and Popeye!

  • Worlds_EdgeWorlds_Edge Posts: 2,152

    How about grammar rock, I'm just a bill, and OMG that "yuck mouth" commercial?  Heh heh.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

     Machina by GKDantas.  

    This is really detailed! Cool concept. I like the color of the hair, goes with the reflective tint of the outfit.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    Novica said:

     Machina by GKDantas.  

    This is really detailed! Cool concept. I like the color of the hair, goes with the reflective tint of the outfit.

    Thank you! I wanted to humanize her despite the evidence to the contrary lol.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    How about grammar rock, I'm just a bill, and OMG that "yuck mouth" commercial?  Heh heh.

    Ah those were the days.... lol.

  • jakibluejakiblue Posts: 7,281

    oh i remember pot plants and picture frames on top of the telly! And of course, it was the favourite sleeping spot for a cat, and they'd swing their tail down over the tv screen so you were always yelling at the cat to move her tail! LOL

    I'm so old I can remember when we had to actually GET UP OUT OF OUR CHAIR to change the channel!!! LOL 

    Novica, you share the same birthday as my mum! She's 72 though, so much older than you are :) I'm 53 today, and when all my kids were round earlier I was telling them about when they raised the Mary Rose in the eighties and we were all glued to the screen watching nothing more than the sea for the best part of a day in case something happened - none of the instant news you get today. I also mentioned how we were advised not to put pot plants on top of the TV because of the risk of water running into the electrics. They all looked at our flat screen model, flush against the wall. 'Uh? Pot plants? On top of the telly?!' I think I've just cemented my dinosaur status around here :)

     

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited July 2017

    And remember running to the kitchen or bathroom during commercial breaks? No pausing the show. And people would make quick telephone calls during the break, and say, "Gotta go, show's back on." 

    It was SUCH a lovely evening at the barn tonight. It had been about two weeks since mom fell/cleaned out apartment and other reasons I just didn't have time to go or just didn't feel like it. So Stetson's hair had come unbraided and a mangled mess over his eyes, so the barn owner and I just spent a couple hours chatting while I was brushing and just enjoying the evening. Well, I told her she really needed to see what it was like to tackle a long tail like his, so she accepted the challenge (after I had gotten the tangles out) and love the long sweeping motion of brushing a tail that is longer that to-the-ground. Then I said it was a shame that horse's hair wasn't used for kids with cancer wigs, because trust me, some of the horse hair is SO soft and silky, you just want to play with it all day. She agreed, then I could tell that gave her an idea.

    So then she lifted Stetson's tail, (immaculate, with Infusion 23 human hair product on it and beautifully brushed)  then divided it in two, plopped it on her head, and said, "Hair by Stetson."  Now keep in mind she's a vibrant blonde, and Stetson is jet black, so she looked like Crystal Gayle. (type in that name .com and you'll get a great refresher of what she looks like.)   We laughed so hard when we saw the picture I took. I'll see if I can get it off my phone and show you. 

    Post edited by Novica on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited July 2017

    I checked to see if she would mind me sharing it online and she laughed and said she'd already shared it on Instagram (I had given her a copy, and yes, she has) so here she is, courtesy of the Stetson Salon. That hair goes all the way to the ground, even when placed up and over her head!  (She's off to the side of him too)  It was a fun night and I needed that, after concentrating on getting Mom settled in her new specialized care room. BTW, birds are now flocking to her feeder, and when I asked how she was doing and if she liked her room she said, "I love it!"  So things are going well.

    Hope this gives you a chuckle to brighten your day. We sure had a good time! (Stetson didn't care, either. He was getting carrots and horse treats the entire time, as was the entire barn.) 

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  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Hellloooo Olympia 8.  I wonder if they do  these character releases when they figure you've already used your Plat Club coupon for Daz Originals for the month. Anyway, off to check her out. Your thoughts?

  • NathNath Posts: 2,809

    Weird eyebrows, and the bow and archery poses in the pro-bundle hurt just looking at them, but I like her better than Victoria 8, so I'll probably get her.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    Nath said:

    Weird eyebrows, and the bow and archery poses in the pro-bundle hurt just looking at them, but I like her better than Victoria 8, so I'll probably get her.

    I totally agree- I'm known for being eyebrow picky and these seem like such a step backward, the painted on look and in some promos, downright shiny. I like the Daphne character's eyebrows (not the overall shape of the face from the 3/4 view though, will fill out the cheek slightly I think)  so I may pick her up and just put her on Gen8F. I won't use the outfits, nor the poses, so I don't see getting any bundles. Lethal Rogue outfit looks okay but again, I don't need it anytime soon.

    I'm wondering if an orange banner will pop up later this morning for owners of the previous versions, so even if I were going to buy, I think I'd wait for a few hours until the employees get to work.

  • NathNath Posts: 2,809

    I'm definitely waiting until later in the day ;-) (okay, that's mostly because I'm at work right now...)

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Sorry to say it but I think Sharah's eyebrows seem like the strokes painted on a porcelain doll. (I had a paint your own pottery ceramics studio.)  It could be the light color, but they  just don't appeal to me. I clicked the first thumbnail to enlarge, and there's no depth to them whatsoever.  I really like the irises and the morphs, but definitely not the overall materials. 

  • NathNath Posts: 2,809

    Oh, those are bad... even if kudos for lighter-coloured brows. Oh well, I already have Brow Remover. Looks like it'll be getting a workout on these characters.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited July 2017

    Raziel and Silver did brows that have the individual hairs in Phoebe, so I think that one is better (but I still like thicker brows.)  Kacia lacks that detail where the brows start, but has individual hair above the brows- but I don't like brows to be that sharp/ dominant on the face. It's just personal preference and other folks will feel exactly the opposite. I do have Daphne in the cart and that puts the Knight Armor down to a  whopping 72% off and only $6.99, so it's worth picking up Phoebe. The Restaurant Waiter uniform (and waitress, but HATE the short skirt. I'd prefer a bit more practical!)  go to $5.59 and I like the pants on the waiter, good length and nice folds. Probably get the waitress and hide the skirt length in renders.

    And woot, Nancy isn't new anymore. Click to see her eyebrows- I likee better than the Genesis 8 ones from today. She goes down to $5.31 with a new release in cart!!!

    Post edited by Novica on
  • isidornisidorn Posts: 1,601
    edited July 2017

    Catching up on the thread, you all make me think of Monty Python. wink

    As for Olympia, I've been expecting her as there's been a number of products already with fits for her. Not sure I'll get her though. Not much in the bundles that I really want and I already have the O6 and O7 pro bundles so the only free bundle I'd get with the pro bundle would be the add on bundle for Olympia 6. I'll have to think about it. I still haven't got anything rendered this month, so it doesn't feel particulary urgent to expand my library.

    Something interesting with the products though. In the pro bundle there's two products that comes with bow and arrow and one that comes with a knife. It's not that usual DAZ character bundles comes with products with props, is it?

    Post edited by isidorn on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    @isidorn lol    I call dibbs on being the one who lives in the lake. It's as close to tropical as I could get from that four. 

    I don't usually look at the poses in the Pro Bundles because they're just there- I focus on the clothing, hair, and characters and figure the poses are a nice bonus. So I don't really recall props one way or the other. 

    In my cart, I have Daphne for Olympia 8 at 63% off and $6.97,  Knight Armor for Genesis 3 Females (nice and sleek, and only $6.99 and 72% off) ,  both the restaurant worker outfits (waiter and waitress), Rescue Equipment (which goes with the Fire Truck, based on the M Truck, both of which I just got on sale a few days ago. I mentioned it at the time. The promo shows the equipment in the Fire Truck, looks good. Also got Double Trouble Braids, I like the loose style. Chamber of Sorrows is 72% off and $6.43 so picking up that set. I emptied the rest of my cart, had a lot of characters and just sticking to my goal of getting unique things/ things that compliment what I have or are practical. 

     

  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770

     Thank you for posting this, Novica! I am one of those people who have always struggled with GenX2. I did finally get it to work on an M4 about a year ago. A couple of months ago I needed to do another and ran into the same thing. Couldn't get it to work, didn't know what I was doing wrong, spent hours trying to find the solution. I'm bookmarking this and clipping it into my Evernote folder to refer back to! 

     

    Novica said:

    I'm going to do a "may wanna try this" post for those who are getting back to GenX2 from a prolonged absence (me) and who need some refresher tips.

    First, there's a lot of videos but here's one that really nails it, with perhaps a couple areas which you can tweak. So, let's start with my experiences last night and how I finally ended up tackling it. Feel free to provide your thoughts/ how you do it. Before you watch the video and get started, DO THIS: 

    1.)  First make sure you have GenX2 installed. I did, but somehow when I went from studio 4.8 to 4.9, only GenX was installed. I KNOW I had GenX2 installed previously, because I discussed what I was doing on the GenX2 thread with Ralf, and in PMs- and posted my results in my threads! So whacky.  How do you check? If you use DIM, just go type in Genesis Generation X2  and be sure it's installed.

    2.) In the studio, go to Help>About Installed Plug Ins> and click on Genesis Generation X2. At the bottom, it will tell you the version number.  2.1.1.0 is the latest.

    3.) I recommend this Black Sun Comics video: and start at 3:15    Here's some more helpful tips when watching that:
    You find the GenX tool in Window (Panes/Tabs)  then after you click on it, you can drag it wherever you want.

    4.) He doesn't change settings at the bottom. If you're going to do that, do it first so you don't forget. I changed Resolution to a lower number, which means sharper details. The official thread said not to get that ultra low (You can go to 0) and last time I used this, I had 30 and the results were very good. Default is 50, but the pdf mentions lowering it. What do you folks use?  I also changed the limits to -20 and 20.  I also compress the files, as per the discussion in the Commons. 

    5.)  Note your generation 4 figures probably won't be in the dropdown for source, you can Load Source and track it down, or drag and drop. After you do it once, they will appear in the source choices.

    For dragging over the first time for V4 and M4:
    Content Library>Poser Formats>Daz>Figures> DAZ People  then get the cr2   (base model)
    Content Library>Poser Formats>Daz>Pose>DAZ's Victoria 4 (or Michael 4) >Morph Injections>INJ Morphs+++    (get the morphs you need. See Tip, next line.) 

    TIP: Check all your characters BEFORE YOU START to see if they need addtional morphs, some of your muscular ones may need those. Just go to Product Library and the individual product pages, it's fast and easy.  WHAT I DID: I loaded up the muscularity and the Morphs+++ because those two are common. If you're doing aged people or fantasy, you'll need the others, but I picked the two I think will be most commonly used, then I don't have to worry about it.

    If loading the source and doing it from Load Files,  in my studio it's Content>Runtime>Libraries for both of these, then:
    Character>DAZ People>(Victoria 4, etc)  for the base
    Pose>(DAZ's Victoria 4,etc) >Morph Injections>INJ Morphs++  for the morphs.

    After you do these Generation 4 people once, they now appear in the Source dropdown list. 

    6.) Generally speaking- Select Edges if you are using a Generation 4 as the source. Use Smooth for the others. The explanation for this is in the official thread.

    7.)  Don't forget to use Select  and  choose Transfer On for all Non-Zero Values

    8.)  Doing complete vs head then body: after watching the video, I'm a firm believer in doing heads and bodies separately, due to getting a separate slider for the head and really maximizing morphs- you get sliders for each head and mixing morphs with other ones is SOOOOO easy. The way I named mine was to identify
    a) character    Tiffany (which would be the body one)   OR    TiffanyHead
    b) where it came from    REN   (Renderosity)
    c) what figure it came from   V4
    so the identifier would be Tiffany_REN_V4  for the body, or TiffanyHead_REN_V4 for just the head. The Name would be the same, without the underscores (_) 

    Choose Actor for the body (in Region) and don't forget to choose HEAD for the head!

    9.) To find the body-  (Target, like Genesis 3 Female)  > Actor > Generation X

    10.)  And in the Shaping pane, the head will be: Genesis 3 Female (whatever your target is) > Head > Generation X> VIctoria 4 (whatever your source was)  

    Hope this helps, you should breeze right along!

     

  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770
    edited July 2017

    I love Cayman's UV products. So easy to use. I've found it's easier (at least for me) to run the Iray converters on V4 or M4 or whoever before I save as material presets. Otherwise, I end up with blotches on the skin if I run it after applying to G3F/G3M, etc.

    I mainly use Anagenesis, though V3D's products work great too. Sometimes I'll save the non-Iray version of the skin as a preset and then the Iray version, though I rarely use 3Delight any more.

    Novica said:

    Next, newbies want to know. How do you apply the skin materials from your V4 source to the Genesis 3 target?

    You can load them onto V4 and save as a material preset (a duf)  then use Cayman's Legacy UVs for Genesis 3  Volume 2: Victoria 4, from Rendo, or Draagonstorm's Batch Converter. 

    So using the first method, I loaded the V4 materials on V4 and saved it as a material preset so it's a duf, into Daz Studio Formats > Daz  > Materials > Genesis 3 Female   I name all of them with RENDO and V4 in the name, matching the GenX2 morph.

    Then Cayman's product is located in Daz Studio formats>Daz>People>Genesis 3 Female>Anatomy>Legacy UVs.
    Load up Genesis 3 Female. Select in Scene. Click the Prepare G3F, that only takes a couple seconds. 
    Apply legacy duf materials that you made. If the maps are wonky, click the Apply V4 UVs. (or I think I'd just go ahead and do this first.) 

    Next, Iray'ing your V4 UV that is sitting on top of Genesis 3 Female. Using the Surface Tool (and this is very important) make sure ALL the skin areas are selected. Then I used my go-to source the V3Digitimes Iray Converter for Generation 4.  I also make my own changes in the Surface pane.
    Location of the converter:      Daz Studio Formats>Daz>People>Generation 4>Materials

    And then you're done!  Here's Dublin, a Victoria 4.2 character from Rendo, on Genesis 3. I darkened her skin from the original, she is VERY pale, added more gloss, etc. Rendered with Mitchell filteration of 1.25. She is wearing Anjou Hair, and Isidora Dress for Genesis 3 Females. Very simple, classy, and elegant all at the same time. I increased the bump.

    And here's a tutorial I did for doing V4 onto Genesis 2 Females, using Victoria 4 for Genesis 2 Female.

    So I tackled GenX2 doing a legacy figure up to Genesis 3, and Irayed it. Wheee!  And keeping my notes as to where all of this is so I can breeze right to it.

    Post edited by Llynara on
  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770
    edited July 2017
    Novica said:

    I'm probably just a bit foggy from working will all this for hours yesterday, and just getting back "into it" today-  but how would that be easier? The shoulders and other parts of the Cayman UVs that provide the "fill in gaps"  wouldn't match your already Iray-ed material preset being applied. (You'd have to select the Cayman UVs such as the shoulders, and match those completely. 

    I would think selecting all the skin, including the applied UVs, and doing the Iray at the same time, would be easier. What am I not following? I'm all for easier  wink

    However Cayman has it set up, it works fine with the extra surfaces. Here's one I did where I "Irayed" the skin on V4, saved as material preset, loaded Cayman's UV's and then just applied it. This is MDD's wonderful Water Elemental for V4. She looks awesome in Iray: (By the way, I think this is the one I was struggling with in GenX2 a couple of months ago. I didn't bring her morphs over.) Click for bigger pics and more details.

    V4: 

    G3F: 

     

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    Post edited by Llynara on
  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770

    I think I'm skipping Olympia 8 for now. I have so many character already, including Olympia 6 and 7, I prefer Olympia 7 and Ophelia 7 to the new gal. I'm on a pretty tight budget right now, not picking up much new stuff. I just can't spare 50 or 60 bucks for a new character that I'm not crazy about. PA and PC+ sales are coming, I'd rather wait. 

    Also, there are some incredible characters coming out on Rendo for G3F, G8F and G3M. Check out Mousso, Anagord and Tempesta3D over there. Wonderful and very photorealistic. Sithlordsims has also put out his first character. I've always loved his male renders, and his new guy, Benicio, looks pretty good.

    This is Ottilia for G3F by Mousso. And my first book cover that I'll be selling on my website. Much more to come if I can survive summer with the kids! 

  • LlynaraLlynara Posts: 4,770

    Ok, after catching up on this thread, I now want all the Simple Details fixes for V4 and M4, and unfortunately the Gnarly pack is no longer available, but cool idea.

    Happy birthday to Astracadia, Novica and anyone else I may have missed! 

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    I actually really like Olympia 8 but I won't be picking her up anytime soon either.  No incentive to drop that much money on a pro bundle, I have 6 and 7 and wile I might not have everything from those three bundles they are giving for free, I have most of it.  I don't need anymore characters, although if i was going to pick up a G8 character, she would be a likely candidate.  I liker her body and her face, she's much more *real* than most of the super beautiful, fashion models we normally get.  I just don't need her right now and the incentive to buy the pro bundle (which, I actually like most of) is just not there...I have so many characters I need to bring up through the generations coupled with the randomizer and the skin builder products, I could concievably never buy another character. 

  • Serene NightSerene Night Posts: 17,651

    My issue with Olympia is the head doesn't match the curvy build. Her face on the base  is rather raw boned and her build is curvaceous. I would expect rounder features with a higher percentage of body fat to go with the curves. That said I like the head and bod as separate parts just not the combo

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    I am picking up the Daphne to trigger the discount on the others, and the difference will probably pay for Daphne (only 6.97)  I want to see how she looks just on G8F as I'm not getting Olympia 8 either.  It's so weird not to drop $35 or more the release day of a main character. That's the first time in almost five years!  I am adding two characters which are unique with the skin mats and will add some fun morphs to the gene pool.  Phyrra for Mika 7 (I own Mika, might as well use her)  and follow my train of thought here- Grutilda can be used on G3F and Genevieve, so imagine her mats on the characters in the Genevieve bundles like FWSA Pepper (I'm definitely inflating the cheeks a bit) and Valiona. And for  $7.58 I'll give it a try. 

    @Llynara- if you get stuck on the GenX2, just ask. Someone will know the answer. And the book cover is exquisite! 
    @icedragonart   Yeah, when I started looking at all my Rendo stuff, plus the hundreds of characters from here, things have to be very different to get my attention now.  Unique.

This discussion has been closed.