Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 11

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  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    First snow of the year here...

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Right now it's 50 degrees, real feel 39 degrees at 3:30am.  Just wait Gen, it's coming your way. (evil cackle) 

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited November 2018

    Oh my. Regarding one of the fires in California:
    Published in TV Guide.com:   Update 2:50 p.m PT: The Bachelor mansion property has officially caught fire, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The lower house, which usually serves as production headquarters, has been destroyed. The flames already moved on to the back patio and are heading toward the house itself.

    The article says the cast and crew are filming in Portugal and not present. It is the actual home of a family who lets the show use their house.

    It's amazing one of the fires was burning the equivalent of a football field EVERY SECOND. Thoughts and prayers to all affected.

    Post edited by Novica on
  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,834

    Here in SW Ohio 600 miles north of Florida the high will be 38F and the low 22F. Much cooler than normal for this time of the year, but its's been that way all of 2018 - we seem to be consistently on the wrong side of average by a lot.

  • 31c here in OKC.

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479

    In Eugene, Oregon, it's 53°F outside. Inside my office, it's a chilly 61° … The little space heater at my feet is keeping my toes warm. I may have to turn on The Beast just to help warm the room!
    laugh

  • Robert FreiseRobert Freise Posts: 4,444
    edited November 2018

    It's 12:20 pm now and I've been at 50 F since 8:00 AM  with a solid mist and a little rain

    Temp in the house 77F and the heat is turned off last year was the only time I've used the heat in the house, owned the house for three years come St. Paddy's day, I turn it on to be sure it's OK just in case then I turn it off.

    Just doesn't get that cold as a rule here in Harlingen and the computers put out enough heat to keep the house warm very seldom does the inside temp drop below 68F

    Post edited by Robert Freise on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244

    81°F in Brevard County, Florida, on the east coast.

  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,941
    L'Adair said:

    I use Paypal exclusively for 3D content. I've had my debit card compromised too many times. (Although I think I know which site was the risk, and it's not Daz.) But I don't make a lot of small transactions any more. I keep my Store Credit up by purchasing as large a Gift Card I can afford when Daz puts them on sale for 15% or more. I already know I'm going to spend the money here, so investing in discounted store credit makes sense for me.

    But I admit I'd be hopping mad if I was buying a $300 Gift card at 25% off and Paypal cancelled my order! Especially if they'd already taken the money out of my bank account!

    I've never had any of those credit cards I've used at DAZ compromised during the 10 years I've been purchasing here, so I believe DAZ is very safe. Two other cards I used a few times in the other store however were both compromised, so I always use PayPal there now, tired of the hassle with having cards replaced. And PayPal always works there, never had an order "reviewed", canceled or anything.

    I never use PayPal at DAZ though, only use it at sites I don't trust fully.

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479
    Taoz said:
    L'Adair said:

    I use Paypal exclusively for 3D content. I've had my debit card compromised too many times. (Although I think I know which site was the risk, and it's not Daz.) But I don't make a lot of small transactions any more. I keep my Store Credit up by purchasing as large a Gift Card I can afford when Daz puts them on sale for 15% or more. I already know I'm going to spend the money here, so investing in discounted store credit makes sense for me.

    But I admit I'd be hopping mad if I was buying a $300 Gift card at 25% off and Paypal cancelled my order! Especially if they'd already taken the money out of my bank account!

    I've never had any of those credit cards I've used at DAZ compromised during the 10 years I've been purchasing here, so I believe DAZ is very safe. Two other cards I used a few times in the other store however were both compromised, so I always use PayPal there now, tired of the hassle with having cards replaced. And PayPal always works there, never had an order "reviewed", canceled or anything.

    I never use PayPal at DAZ though, only use it at sites I don't trust fully.

    I use Paypal a lot for online shopping. Even when I'm using a credit card. But I also have a Paypal Credit account, and that can come in real handy. Like the time my clothes washer started leaking like a sieve. Literally. I went online and ordered a new one from Home Depot, got a big online-only discount that saved more than delivery and installation costs, and paid with Paypal Credit; 6 months, no payments, no interest. Probably the least painful appliance purchase I've ever made!

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Hey folks, I'm online using my iphone hotspot- there was a major fiber optic line cut earlier today, and internet has been down in parts of Florida, Georgia,and Alabama. They keep saying the next update will be blah blah, and it has done that every two hours since NOON yesterday. 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, etc. Next update at 2am now, and the message just keeps saying three states are out. I don't know if they were trying to fix something in Panama City due to Hurricane Michael and screwed up bigtime, or what, but I won't be online except to occasionally check in. The store will be changing over in a few minutes so I'll shopt then get offline.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    @barbult  You're in Florida, opposite coast- do you have internet?

    @wonderland   You're in California, let us know if you are safe from the fires! 

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    The rocks in the second row of thumbnails, second one,  don't make sense to me. They're dangling over a crevice and don't look realistic. That one rock is definitely just hanging out there in the air without any support.  (Unless it's the camera angle, but  there's more than one doing that.)   Twin Peaks Mountain Cove  Down in the crevice looks a bit wonky too, like an untextured area? 

    The first row, forth render also has some hillside areas of grass that may be stretched. If anyone gets this, would love to see closeups of the terrain. Some areas appear really nice, others, I'd like to see more of it up close.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    The Leni Hair also needs some promos showing it hanging straight and not blowing. Most the renders showing it blowing strongly to one side, it should show the options for both. Anyone who renders it, please share pictures of it hanging straight and with hair on both sides.  Looks like a nice hair. 

  • Carola OCarola O Posts: 3,823

    Heh I was coming in here to the forum with hopes that someone would have rendered it hanging straight. I was a tad bit annoyed with it only having blowing promo pics. Other than that it do look like a nice hair. I do wonder though, if it perhaps is modelled to only be blowing but that makes no sense at all to me

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Yep, I never assume. :)  SWAM always has great morphs but if you look at the list, there doesn't appear to be a lot with the side(s) adjustments. Numerous wind morphs. But there are some side ones. (See the product page, list.) 

  • Novica said:

    @barbult  You're in Florida, opposite coast- do you have internet?

    @wonderland   You're in California, let us know if you are safe from the fires! 

    California has been frightening for a few years now.  I live in the Northeast now, but went to school in Pasadena during the 70s and make regular visits.  The climate has become drier and warmer in Southern Caifornia with more intense Santa Ann winds. We used to joke California had four seasons --  drought, flood, fire and earthquake.   It used to be there was one fire risk season... now it's eight or nine months long.  A friend in Altedena - near the mountains - said his fire insurance went up 300% after the fires last year.  

    The devastation and disruption a big fire causes is beyond imagintion.  Even the animals are acting strangely.  The friend said bears and bobcats are now reglar visitors in their neighborhood with the bears hanging out in people's swiming pools when the fires got close last Summer.

  • OstadanOstadan Posts: 1,125

    Paramount Ranch, which was the home to the original Southern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire from the 1960s through the 1980s, and where I (and a good many other people) personally spent many well-remembered days, has been burnt out; it's also the site of a western town that has been seen in film and television for decades, most recently the HBO 'Westworld' series.  Gone.

     

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548

    Dracorn had family in Paradise.  Luckily her mother in law made it out, and her house is one of only two that are still standing in the neighborhood that her mother in law lived in.  Its all gone.  So scary.  And so sad for the lives lost.

  • Serene NightSerene Night Posts: 17,647

    No fire in my area except for a copycat arsonist. But tons of smoke so I have a vog mask And stay indoors.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    Novica said:

    @barbult  You're in Florida, opposite coast- do you have internet?

    @wonderland   You're in California, let us know if you are safe from the fires! 

    Yes, no problems here.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Dodging tornadoes here the past hour, with more  severe storms on the way over on the other side of Mobile, AL  And of course, I have a doctor's appointment at 2pm about the time everything moves into the area. Pensacola Beach / Gulf Shores just had 70mph winds, and 8" of rain so far this morning. I'm headed out shortly to allow an hour to get to the appointment.  I'll possibly do a render tonight, we did NOT get internet until 10am this morning. SImply ridiculous (2pm one day till 10am the next.) 

    We're fortunate not to have the fire situation and this horrific season of hurricanes (Florence AND Michael) and those fires can't end soon enough. So glad to hear about Dracorn's relatives, but hard to imagine having a home with all the destruction around it. The acrid smell of smoke, the burnt and twisted metal and charred bricks... the little children who just can't comprehend what has happened to their home.  And of course, I worry about all the wildlife. There was nowhere for them to flee as the people fled in their vehicles, and sadly we know people didn't make it out either. So thankful for firefighters and management who always do the best they can.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    Novica said:

    The Leni Hair also needs some promos showing it hanging straight and not blowing. Most the renders showing it blowing strongly to one side, it should show the options for both. Anyone who renders it, please share pictures of it hanging straight and with hair on both sides.  Looks like a nice hair. 

    I haven't found a way to make this hair hang straight.  Its clearly intended to be a blowing in the wind kind of hair. Which it does very well, this will be the perfect hair for action scenes etc. but if you want straight, hanging down hair, this isn't it, unless i missed a dial.  It is a beautiful set of hair though and I will most likely use it quite a bit.

  • Worlds_EdgeWorlds_Edge Posts: 2,152

    I am rendering it now, and it is beautiful.  However, it bows in one direction, not straight, and not in the opposit directtion.  I'll post my render shortly.

  • Worlds_EdgeWorlds_Edge Posts: 2,152

    Here is Martina wearing the Leni hair.  I think the character is beautiful, and the hair is gorgeous.  As noted before, the wind sweeps the hair only in the depicted direction and there is no morph to make it hang straight.  There are morphs for moving parts of the hair, or making the tail fatter or thinner (i.e., changing the spread).  The clothing is Blooming Outfit with a different material/shader.  No special lighting used.  

    Martina Leni hair Blooming outfit.jpg
    1527 x 2471 - 1M
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Here is Martina wearing the Leni hair.  I think the character is beautiful, and the hair is gorgeous.  As noted before, the wind sweeps the hair only in the depicted direction and there is no morph to make it hang straight.  There are morphs for moving parts of the hair, or making the tail fatter or thinner (i.e., changing the spread).  The clothing is Blooming Outfit with a different material/shader.  No special lighting used.  

    Thanks for showing it! It is very pretty. I'm going to pass on it since I want more versatile hair though. It would take a lot of wind to blow all that thick hair to one side which is that length. Martina is very nice too. 

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited November 2018

    Madalina  (Gen8F)        dForce Tropical Day Outfit And Accessories (Gen8F)      Zola Hair (Gen3/8F)     Bokeh Studio HDR

    Madalina has the exceptionally thick eyebrows, which makes her nicely unique. The Zoe Hair was shade 08 which will match Maladina's eyebrows nicely. If you have auburn/copper eyebrows, keep that one in mind. 

    Shown is with my tweaks to the skin, with the increased metallicity, and increased reflectivity for the skin, etc. There's also more bump and reflectivity on the lips. That middle part between the sections on the top lip looks like it could be a bit off, though.  Love the eyes!  She has lovely skin to begin with, as you can tell. 

    The lights are Fabriana's over at Renderosity, called Alter Glow. Used also with the Bokeh Studio HDR sold here (background really shows the Bokehs!) 

    Click to enlarge, click again. These are 1000px

    madalina tropical day zoe hair.png
    680 x 800 - 819K
    madalina tropical day zoe hair2.png
    680 x 1000 - 993K
    madalina tropical day zoe hair3.png
    680 x 1000 - 1M
    madalina tropical day zoe hair4.png
    680 x 1000 - 1M
    Post edited by Novica on
  • nonesuch00nonesuch00 Posts: 18,131

    We have been having very pleasing steady drizzle and about 50 degrees for a few days in Kentucky. That is typical October - March weather with a mix of sunny or cliudy or snow days mixed in but not too excessively. It seems Kentucky is becoming a magnet for people that want to escape places with high population and very monotonous weather. The county I went to high school in has more than doubled populations since the early 80s. There are so many surnames I see in the newpapers that I don't recognize as being surnames from highschool (never mind what for, ahem). Property value are going up to, even the rundown house I'm trying to DIY has went up in value.

    Somethings still are and remain great, like I've been wanting wild huckleberry (cloudberry too) for a while and found some on my mom's land that are abundant enough so that I can transplant a plant or two. The weather is the same but wetter. The moss at my mom's is spreading all over the yard and grown to be two or three inches thick in places. Maybe it's turning into a temperate rain forest like Oregon, Washington, & British Columbia. I will miss the snow though if that happens! frown Global warming is for real. Additional coal burning by newly industrialized countries tipped the levers on to be much, much faster It's like relatively all at once setting free 2 billion years of accumulated sun's heat stored as oil, gas, and coal is now being all put directly back in the earth's atmosphere in a matter of decades. You don't need a scientific genius to figure that out or testing of the atmosphere - calculate how many (potentially billions of) years of sun's energy is stored in the gas, coal, and oil per unit volume burned every year now and calculate the amount of sun's energy being released for that unit volume additively. Coal, gas, and oil don't store 100% of the sun's energy however given the complex nature of the chemical bonds in those compounds and that they were almost 100% created via plants using the sun's energy to store sun energy as fuel that fuel is storing much more of the sun's energy and more efficiently than supposed.

  • We're supposed to get our first bit of snow tonight or in the am hours tomorrow here in New Jersey.  I wish we could send all of our moisture to California.  

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Speaking of California, kudos to Alaska for sending firefighters! Here are the other states who are helping. Note the Carolinas and Florida are absent this time around, due to our own requirements of going through rubble and cleanups from monster impacts from Hurricanes Florence and Michael. (Plus, both states went multiple times prior to that when some of these other states didn't.) It's good to see the states rotating around and helping, depending on what they've got happening in their own state.

    Firefighters are from: (8,000 of them total) 
    Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana, and Georgia. 

This discussion has been closed.