Novica & Invited Guest Contributors Tips & Product Reviews Pt 4
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Actually that didn't really answer my questions,
What is HD, vs just regular G2* with finer details in some spots (face, hands, etc)?
what minimum requirement justifies getting that "HD" thumbnail in the store?
I was going to go into that skirt (renders and stuff) "Evaleene Outfit" after the "net" in a few seconds... It's Wednesday again, lol.
It didn't take much effort at all to do that kneeling pose, to my pleasant surprise.
(edit)
"O" and don't forget the cookware... I guess there going fast at that limited-time price, lol.
http://www.daz3d.com/cookware-set
(Edited 'new' out of old link 01:31UTC 09AUG2014)
HD is a second level of mesh that is only seen at render time. This second more detailed mesh is a heavy sub division mesh offering the artist the ability to sculpt in to it a second level of very high detail that at render time see's the figure textures and surface settings as it's own as in in reality to the Render engine only one mesh is in the program as far as the engine sees. As Far as RAM and the Render engine knows that full HIGH detail mesh is there and that causes the DAZ Studio program to take the RAM hit needed to do the now much more complicated computations for lighting and shadowing the new MESH requires. HD is in my view going to become more of a standard as time passes and PA's learn it's various uses which I'm sure we have not seen all of yet. To me the Zevo HD Aging set and the New Mec4D clothing sets are both very good examples of HD used well.
so that is what that "3" thing in the surface tab is all about. I vaguely remember something about "sub dividing" polygons in a Z-brush vid, months ago, is that all it is? more polygons?
Mec4D stuff, Like the "Hoplite Soldier for" G2M, yet there is no "HD" thumbnails anywhere in Mec4D's store? (attached pic)
http://www.daz3d.com/mec4d
And that raises a significant doubt regarding the second half of that question. I could create a figure with nothing more then Base mesh resolution, crank that up to three mesh-whatever in the surface tab, adjust a single sub-poly, and call the entire thing HD? I honestly don't think that would qualify as such. Yet, What minimum is required to get that HD badge? Is it simply having more polygons anywhere then the base Genesis 2 has out of the box?
couldn't allot of that finer detail be done with a displacement map?
P.S.
I'm going to need that 2-stick 128GB DDR3 memory kit sooner rather then later, lol.
(edit)
Is that why it takes over 30 minutes before anything happens when trying to do a test-render (Progressive Scan) with "Serena HD"?
That doesn't happen with Phoeb HD???
The HD modeler is only in the PA's hands and as I thought I implied only HD creates the Second level mesh. SudD on a standard mesh is not the same function at all really. And the level of HD used is up to the PA at the time it is used. I may be 100% wrong and Mec4D is not using HD but some other method for the high detail on sets like the new Dragonisa set, but to my eyes it looks to have some level of HD in use.
EDIT: For high detail using only Displacement and bump the Mesh has to be Dense enough to support SMOOTH small changes. I can see using Normal maps at HIGH detail but again then in the mesh you will still need a good mesh density for good details.
WildDesigns Evaleene Outfit.
http://www.daz3d.com/evaleene-outfit-for-genesis-2-female-s
Staring Nidale and Kori.
Well to do a proper dance, the high-heals have got to go...
http://www.daz3d.com/patchwork-shoes-1
in short, these things come in two parts, the top webbing part, and then the souls. They even come with a few stock orange colors to compliment the Roman themes. Now granted there not exactly dancing shews, there better then the stratosphere-high boots the Evaleene Outfit came with for dancing. Enough about the shoes that substituted the included boots. There is a joke in that somewhere, lol.
The simple leg lift, the dread of any CG skirt.
It would be nice if there was a handle to adjust just the edge of the skirt regardless of length, rather then the entire surface length of that side. Simply dialing the Dress Thigh bone another 'fourteen' up and 'eleven' out to the side, was all that was needed for a '90' leg lift. Left (Nidale) is unadjusted, and right (Kori ) is with the extra nudge.
Part 1 of 2, (I'll work on part two later tonight, after supper. The thread can continue without me, lol)
Invited Guest Contributor
I mentioned a few days ago that I'd picked up a few FWArt people on Fastgrab and thought I'd drop by and show a few trial renders.
I'll start with FW Naida and Nalin for G2F by FWArt. The first render shows Naida out-of-the-box (with blue eyes, basic lashes and no makeup). One of the nice things is that you have the option of light eyebrows or dark - the second render shows the dark option (I also gave her the thicker lashes and brown eyes options). There are also a number of makeup colours but I stayed with the "natural" Naida here.
I gave Naida Thalia Hair by DAZ3D, Foxy Stripe Shirt by DAZ3D/Karth, jeans from Casual Jeans and T-Shirt for Genesis and G2F by DAZ3D/Ravnehair and sandals from Patchwork Shoes 2 by esha.
Next is Nalin - the first render shows him out-of-the-box. The second has alternative eye colour and beard/hairy options (he doesn't have an alternative eyebrow colour).
I gave him Micah Hair by DAZ3D/AprilYSH and clothes from Town and Country for Genesis by DAZ3D/Mada (autofit).
Finally the full-length shows Naida (with makeup options) and Nalin (with beard) together. There is no scaling to Nalin when he loads, so the pair are the same height.
For all these images, the lighting is a mix of Age of Armour's Advanced Ambient Light and Advanced Spotlight and the backdrop is from InaneGlory's Photo Studio.
Nice Job Melanie l. I remember how excited I was when nalin came out. We badly needed a male figure.
Melanie, they look like such different characters with just the eye and hair changes! I really like the Thalia hair. It seems to be able to work with both casual and elegant clothing/settings. Renders so nicely too! Nalin looks good scruffy :) VERY nice lighting.
Jaderail- thanks so much for the additional explanation of HD. Another question- in your experences, do you find it slows down the render very much? I couldn't tell when they first came out if it was the figure or the hair I was using, I think it was when the V5 HD was introduced. Any settings that should be tweaked for HD? My shading rate is always .20 and the other settings also on very good/excellent, but do you find gamma off/on or anything in particular that makes a difference?
zarcondeegrissom- the gals look good- understand what you mean about the bent knees. I find that sometimes when there's poke-through that takes a LOT of tweaking, I just bend the limb as much as possible, adjust my camera angle and cheat, lol.
Congratulations to the winners of the RRRR contest- you can see them here. FYI, 6 out of 8 were ones I voted for- I have extremely good taste lol! And Jindi, good to see you rockin' a win- a fairly recent "newbie" to the competition. And Luci45, a well-deserved grand prize winner! :)
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/42985/#631686
WildDesigns Evaleene Outfit. part 2.
Round-house, The impossible position to get a skirt to do, Hmmm.
A lot of skirts only seam to have the two basic bones (left and right leg), few if any have separate bones for the front and back of each leg. I've only found one skirt that includes bones for the side of the skirt, and the skirt dose not fit genesis (1 or 2) correctly in Daz Studio at all.
So often times I'm forced to use the leg to the side handle with twist to get it close, and find a camera angle that dose not show the ugly truth of the lacking skirt controls.
If I absolutely must take the shot from one spot, and the figure must be facing that one way, it's a time consuming D-Form brush nightmare, that quite frankly, I've only attempted once with marginal results. I fussed with it for a week non-stop, and gave up.
As for the Evaleene Outfit skirt, the forward handle starts to go wild at about "+17.5", making it more interesting to pose. The side-to-side movement didn't need any adjustment that I have noticed so far (the left leg going back). I will need to try another pose, to be sure (perhaps a simple stretch pose). For now it's a signal to launch, another example of where a center handle would be really useful. And again, Left (Nidale) is unadjusted, and right (Kori ) is with the extra nudge.
Evaline Outfit in closing, for now.
Other poses, Choosing your battles.
One never needs to worry about stuff out of view of the camera in CG, it's just not in the render. You can always change the orientation of the figure, the camera view angle, or even try another outfit if it is giving you to much grief.
Some curse trying to pose long skirts, and I don't blame them, it's a lot of work. Tho In my few months of using Daz Studio (or anything CG), I found the shorter skirts to be even more difficult, as allot of more comprehensive adjustments are just not there (for whatever reason). Finding a decent knee-length pleated skirt is difficult enough, Finding one with enough handles to do any kind of acrobatics, well, I'm still looking for that.
The Evaline outfit has some nice parts, the gloves, leggings, and the dress. The boots would be nice if they were more adjustable in the toes as they don't bend at all. There is a foot pose for them, and that's what your stuck using. I discovered the necklace (choker?) a tad later on, and haven't done much with it yet (other then put it on the boots in the first render)
End of part 2 of 2.
Not intending to 'Ignore' y'all. Just got caught up in doing renders ("O" it's still in the leg, need more adjustment, render again, etc)
That hair & makeup thing, is why I try to use the style and color as close as possible to the one used in the promo pics... When I can figure out what was used. Except when the renders are not preview ones, or Purchase verify test renders. When I do a Purchase verify test render, I want to see on my screen the same thing that is in the Promo pic (just to be sure the product is all there and working).
So HD is more polygons (some do add to render time, others don't as much), and there is no 'Standard minimum' set by Daz3D. Refraining from the abuse of calling "V4 figures" native G2F products simply by using the V4-for-G2F add-on rant.
I actually had that skirt thing written up yesterday, I was just working on the examples. I have yet to do a pose with a skirt, where I'm not hiding something, lol. Like the back of the Evaline skirt going into the floor, a side affect of no center handles to make the skirt sit on the floor.
MelanieL, I have a few FW/FWSA figures. I am pleased with them. Perhaps I should bring out Wachiwi, as I remember a comment somewhere that mentioned the lack of 'Good' renders of her.
Serena HD, is difficult to work with, as even the cam-preview-thing (Spot Render) falls on it's face for thirty minutes before doing anything. That's why I haven't done anything with her yet. yet.
I forgot about FW Diana, came with "Olympia6 Pro".
Eve, and Phoeb HD, I've done a few renders with by now. I had them for a while.
(Edit; "O" and FW Courtney HD, is in my wishlist)
http://www.daz3d.com/fw-courtney-hd
Hmmm
Aeon Soul, is at Daz now?! Perhaps the store will let me buy "Classic Fantasy" now, lol. I wanted the bracers/bracelet-things from the outfit.
For the past two month, the other site was down.
not this outfit... It's a hell of a start tho.
http://www.daz3d.com/fantasy-ornaments-for-genesis-2-female-s
Miss Fisher's Wardrobe
http://www.daz3d.com/miss-fishers-wardrobe-fabulous-dress
I remember watching the vid, and thinking, it would be great If that included dance move "Morphs". I have another skirt that uses the same scheme to bypass, actual handles and bones, and the morphs affect both legs at once (there is no lift one leg morph). So you can say I'm hesitant to consider that set, especially as it is not native G2F wear. I would much prefer a skirt with eight bones so I can do any pose I happen to think of, rather then be limited to a hand-full of "Canned Poses".
Morphing Fantasy Dress for Genesis 2 Female(s), is another with the same setup, and the ability to do anything not pree-programed is almost impossible.
http://www.daz3d.com/morphing-fantasy-dress-for-genesis-2-females
I got that dress for the arm sleeves of this ad-on
http://www.daz3d.com/reign
Only to find out, I cant just use the sleeves. There a trick of the Opacity map, and not a separate part.
Well it looks like that Evaleene Outfit, is far better at out to the side, then a leg-lift to the side. And like every CG skirt, stretching is out of the question, as the skirt engages some kind of anti-gravity, lol. The outfit is allot better then others I've 'Purchased' in the past (Not Wilmap stuff).
I think I need to cobble together a set of "Rotation based" poses for a skirt "Acid test" of sorts, lol.
Enough with the WildDesigns outfit, I've picked at this enough, and I have two other skirts people indicated might work for my needs. Bow Skirt For G2F, and Flirty Summer for G2F.
Invited Guest Contributor
"Anabelle Lin"
Products used:
FW Lin
http://www.daz3d.com/fw-lin
Bloomingwood Hair
http://www.daz3d.com/bloomingwood-hair
Anabelle Outfit for Genesis 2 Female(s)
http://www.daz3d.com/anabelle-outfit-for-genesis-2-female-s
Cherish For Anabelle Outfit
http://www.daz3d.com/cherish-for-anabelle-outfit
Ron's Background Images and Textures
http://www.daz3d.com/ron-s-background-images-and-textures
Love this character. :)
The Anabelle Outfit is nice, too.
John
Wow, love the detail in the hands- the knuckles and the slight bends of the fingers look really nice. The background goes well with her. Very nice lighting too- realistic. I can see why you had fun rendering her. :)
I just took a travel back to the first part of this thread, and there is allot of stuff. Not just in the thread, it's all the off-shoot links and vids.
I only made it to the forth vid, from a second page link. "DAZ Studio Beginner Tutorials: Video 3~Parameters Tab, Body Morphs, Genesis"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lvg6LfcCvA
tjohn, Lin looks really good there, nice. And as Novica mentioned way back in part one about bundles, Lin is is included with the Aiko6 Pro pack.
http://www.daz3d.com/aiko-6-pro-bundle/
Aiko6 is a requirement for Lin anyway, so if others are considering the purchase, why not go for the Aiko6 Pro pack.
@TJohn: Nice hair and background on that. FW lin' has nice skin as well
Pop over and see the discussions in Zarcondeegrissoms thread! He's asking some great questions and Richard and DestinysGarden are a big help.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/43719/
Anyone heard about when the new character Lee is going to be released? I figured sometime in July. I pop in occasionally to the Lee discussion (can't remember if it was members only section) but wanted to know the general buzz about him. I want more dudes! (wow, that sounds tacky...)
I was hoping next week. Usually these figures are released the 3rd week or so.
No preview thread yet. But... Since we've had a lot of ladies lately, maybe that means they are saving the guy stuff for the lee release. At least I can hope.=-)
As far as I can tell there are several levels of HD and which is used in any given product does effect render speeds, Even a lower level HD file if not optimized well can take as much time to calculate as a well done High Rez HD file. At least to me that is what appears to happen. So In short most of my Render settings as yours will mean some increase in render times. The real question becomes, for me anyway, does the HD Details add to the final render enough to justify it's use. My answer, not all do but many I just need that extra detail it adds. It's a per render per figure choice. Besides HD is noticeable in Draft Mode renders and that is always my first look at most renders, I run many test renders as I do set ups.
Thanks for the input Jaderail. :)
I'll have to putz with the HD more. When I'm adding a character to an HD figure, I remember wondering if the HD was still going to be noticeable. One of these days I'll have to experiment (do a larger render and let it run all night.) One with HD and a character added on, and another with just the HD character. (Or if anyone has already done that and knows a link to the posts/renders, that would be appreciated.) I don't think we've done it on this thread yet, but it does sound vaguely familiar.
Glad to hear you're feeling better. We've had a lot of rain down here in the Panhandle (Florida) and I've had a few quickie sinus headaches the past couple of days when the pressure drops so fast because these big boomers roll in out of nowhere. Once they leave, my head goes back to normal. Two days ago I was out at the barn and there wasn't a darned thing on radar then BAMM. I felt it before I saw the wind even kick up, then the sky turned black as the storm came in. I see the weather up north is rather nasty tonight, but you and I seem out of the zone at the moment.
yea, my hands get a little 'stiff and ache' when the weather gets bad. It's why I cant use mice or game-controller-pad-things
(MIB “navigational star”, lol).
Thanks Jaderail for the HD insight.
As for the guys, well. M5 and D5 were on sail last month, and I have yet to mess with them much. Lee? as in the Elite Texture, or a brand new base figure (counterpart for A6)?
http://www.daz3d.com/m4-elite-texture-lee
Either way, sounds fascinating.
Hey All.....I have a question does anyone own this??? and does it make lighting any easier??? thank you so much...Trish
Studio Light PRO DS 4.6 Edition
http://www.daz3d.com/studio-light-pro-ds-4-6-edition
well there is this vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL1MruJKhkw
I really like product demo/walk-threw vids like that.
I don't have it my self. Perhaps some one else?
"easier" can be a relative term, lol. Complete ready to render easy, or some light preset control easy?
zarcondeegrissom: Thanks so much for the link to you tube did not even think of that....LOL easy like...the lights tell me where to put them...which will never happen...LOL Trish
yea, If I'm curious about a product, and the description is lacking, I check a web search engine.
I see a discussion of people lost looking for the manual, and grumbling about former versions being discontinued.
There is also a question of weather this one needs Photoshop to work properly.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/40197/
(edit)
I need some shuteye, and I think I've helped all I can. Your welcome, and perhaps later we'll chat.
Curious Pub (DAZ3D / Jack Tomalin)
Curious Bank (DAZ3D / Jack Tomalin)
Curious Chapel (DAZ3D / Jack Tomalin)
Hilly Surround (FirstBastion)
Infinite Gardens (Merlin Studios)
BWC Skies (Sedor)
The Secret Graveyard By Merlin (Merlin Studios)
http://www.daz3d.com/a-curious-pub
http://www.daz3d.com/a-curious-bank
http://www.daz3d.com/a-curious-chapel
http://www.daz3d.com/hilly-surround
http://www.daz3d.com/infinite-gardens
http://www.daz3d.com/bwc-skies
http://www.daz3d.com/the-secret-graveyard-by-merlin
I have the entire Curious series and have never used them, so wanted to putz around a bit and do some size comparisons and see how they render in general. I would suggest upping the bump (in Surfaces) and shown is the bump at (positive and negative) 0.65 and -0.65
The BWC Skies option is option 04, and the only thing changed was the UberEnvironment2 light was increased to 52.6%. I think originally it was 45%. If you don't have BWC Skies, wishlist it because you get a great variety of skies (lights included.) You don't have to tweak at all, they're good "out of the box."
Had some fun combining things for the ground. The fence and ground grass are from Infinite Gardens, but the ground plane is from The Secret Graveyard by Merlin. Those two go together really well as both are from Merlin. :) The background is Hilly Surround and it was rotated and tipped forward- if you use it with buildings in the foreground, I'd recommend trying that because you can get the edge where you want it (where it meets the buildings.) You don't want them to line up. (Watch getting the corner of the building in line with the grass. You want it to be noticed.)
I would change the diffuse for the fence to a more rustic color, to match the buildings; these are my test renders primarily for the sky and ground.
This wouldn't be a completed scene, I'd add a tree behind the fence and some other items in front of the fence (taller weeds, flowers) etc to give it more depth.
Reminder: Experiment with the Opacity to mist/fog/recess your backgrounds so it adds distance or morning haziness. The plano of trees is only on opacity 63.1%.
EDIT: Changed it from "church" to "chapel."
I'll be adding some closeups of the buildings here in the next few hours, so check back. :) I have to go help my sister load her car, she's heading back to Jacksonville (getting an early start at 6:30am) So I have one rendering now that's finishing up and I'll post that (the church, great detail!) then I'll start another and post in a few hours. Going out to the stables while it's still cool this morning.
Rendering now: The Pub sign. It's wonderful! The Pub is very large compared to the Chapel. (But of course- more people go there! Couldn't resist.)
Image 3: (2000 pixel, click to enlarge and click again.)
For the Pub, I took out the bank and put the Pub there, as it's directly facing the light source. Keep in mind these are all a big orange/rust based on the sky- if you used blue lights the stones would be more gray. Note the fence in the background, I did change the diffuse to a rustic brown so it would match the stones in the building. It is not part of the Curious set, it's with Infinite Gardens. This is still with the increased bumps, and you can see the ground plane mixed with the grass a bit better.