Shaders and distribution
Karibou
Posts: 1,325
I've never made much content for DS, but I'm starting to think about it. I have questions about how to correctly use/package advanced shaders without breaking any laws.
1) Can I use AOI's SSS shaders or ubersurface in a material for a distributed product? They are both free with DS4.6.
2) If I do use them, do I need to so something special besides the "save material preset" step?
3) If I do use them, do I need to specify that the end user have them installed? Will they simply not work if the shaders aren't installed?
I'm not sure I'm asking all the right questions, but DS's shader system is so different from Poser's material room. In Poser, if you create a node structure with your own maps, then anyone with the same version of poser (or higher) can use the material and there are no copyright issues when redistributing. In DS, you need a specific shader (or advanced knowledge of the Shader Mixer, which I seriously lack!) to create some of the more advanced materials. And since someone else created the shader.... I just don't want to break any laws, lol!
Help?
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Comments
If you use them then they usually will require that its installed if I remember correctly. I know the subsurface shaders do.
If it's a shader you want to save as shader and not material preset.
No, I want to use the shaders on a material that will be redistributed. I don't want to save the shader. I want to use it in a material.
Say I created a texture set for some clothing. I want to use ubershader or SSS. So I make the material, using the shaders, and I save a material preset. When I do this for personal use, I don't have to worry. First, I OWN the shaders and I'm not DISTRUBUTING them to anyone. Second, I have them installed.
If I packaged that material set, which has the shaders in it, and distributed it to someone else...
1) am I breaking copyright law?
2) do I need to instruct my end user to have the shaders installed, because it won't work unless they do?
It seems like if #2 is yes, then #1 is no. If #2 is no, then #1 makes me nervous.
Ok so you want to apply it to a material then save the settings on that material. As far as I am aware, I have not used uber shader much but I have the subsurface scattering. It will still require the user to have it installed. So you can redistribute your personal settings using that shader. But have it as a required item, What I would do is create your shader, then unmap the directory that has the shader you are using in it, keeping your directory with your working shader (having it in a different directory would be good so you can see dependancies) then load that shader and see if it comes up with an error.
The subsurface one will tell you it can't find the files for it.
You can also file a support ticket asking DAZ these same questions but number two would be yes the end user would have to have them, but I believe they are included with DAZ Studio so most people would have them.
I like your idea for testing it. And the reason I get nervous is that, sure, the shaders are free NOW, but the developer (Daz/AOI/Omnifreaker) still owns all the rights to it, so free or not, you can't give it away without consent.
I'll try to track down a PA -- I beta test for a few. If not, opening a ticket is a good idea.
Thanks!
Redistributing the shaders themselves would be a no no. That would involve sharing codeish stuff that belongs to DAZ or the creator. However, there is no issue with doing presets that use those shaders and never has been. So material presets and shader presets are fine for distribution.
I think she just wants to make sure that the shader code/nodes themselves don't get saved in the preset, thereby making the preset a copy of the actual shader itself.
I think she just wants to make sure that the shader code/nodes themselves don't get saved in the preset, thereby making the preset a copy of the actual shader itself.
Exactly.
So, if I make a material preset that USES the shader, it won't work if someone doesn't already HAVE the shader? Therefore, I am not distributing it?
There is a setting in the shader mixer/builder that will stop the shader from being saved in the preset so that its only a preset. I am not sure what it is but i do know it excists. I believe that AoA know what it is.
SSS has been saved as a shader asset, so just as Genesis is a figure asset and therefore doesn't get embedded in the scene file the shader will be saved as a reference only and won't be in the preset. uberSurface isn't a Shader Miser shader anyway, it has always had actual shader files that are linked to and not stored in presets and scenes. So yes, as long as you didn't chnage the network, just the settings in the Surfaces pane, you can safely distribute SSS shader/materials presets and you can certainly distribute uberSurface shader/materials prsets.
Correct. If the user does not have the shader installed, they get a pop up box saying the "whatever shader asset" cannot be found, and usually the surface goes all wonky.
I don't know if it has been said here, but if you set up the materials using AoA SSS or any other shader and then save a Material(s) Preset, the Material(s) Preset will apply the shader. If the user doesn't have the actual Shader installed then like Richard said they will get a message saying they don't have the shader. Since AoA SSS is included with DS 4.6 almost everyone who would use a .duf file will have the shader installed.
Long story short if you are using the AoA SSS to setup your surfaces just save a Material(s) Preset and distribute that. Keep in mind the associated textures will need to be distributed as well. I'm assuming you own distribution rights to the textures.
Perfect! Thank you everyone! You're all very helpful! :D