Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 13

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Comments

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    @memcneil70   Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. I can unfortunately join that club too. I'm taking 3,000-5,000 mg of Vitamin C, (Get EmergenC orange drink and add a bit of sugar, it's like an orange soda. I hate large pills or tart chewables!)  Potassium, Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamins B6, B12, D, and a minimum of two hours of exercise in the sunshine. (Six miles yesterday. I'd just feel worse sitting around.)  TONS of water.  I'm fighting whatever it is with keeping the lungs active, and flushing the system. I have the deep cough and chest congestion, haven't been tested.  This is with wearing a mask, Purell-ing my hands every time I went out (before I touched my car door handle and did the handle, did the plastic handles on the bags, my key fob, you name it.)  I haven't been around anyone who is congested or sneezing, so I don't think this is a simple cold, it appears to be something that was highly contagious unfortunately. 

    This isn't medical advice, this is just something I'm doing, and I shared the articles below. You should, of course, consult your doctor, see if what I'm telling you about counteracts other drugs, etc.  I have to agree more research is needed, I made my purchase based on the fact I'm already sick so I'm going to try it. Okay, headed out to walk before it's 95 degrees.

    Note the dates on the articles. One is back in April.
    https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/09/health/famotidine-covid-19-correlation-study/index.html

    https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/new-york-clinical-trial-quietly-tests-heartburn-remedy-against-coronavirus#

    https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/27/health/famotidine-coronavirus-northwell-trial/index.html

    https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/04/health/famotidine-covid-19-case-series-study/?hpt=ob_blogfooterold

     

     

  • GordigGordig Posts: 10,058

    I rendered out an image series of the morph between adult and child, and it's interesting how you see the sides of that hair gradually fade out of existence Marty McFly style. I didn't have time to convert them into a gif before work, but I'll do it when I get home.

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited June 2020

    I didn't buy the bundle today, I looked at it and I don't need poses, or a skirt outfit, I don't like shoulder plates that get in the way, etc. Got the two Mousso characters which were $5.58 and 71% off, then did my PC+ DO coupon and they went to $2.58 apiece, at 86% off. So got what I wanted for $5.17. When I checked on getting the bundle, they went down to $4.24 and 78% off, but I had to get the bundle (Can't recall what that dropped to, but $20+ I think?)  So a $5.17 spending day is a good day for me. (All those other categories have only things I don't want now.) 

    Post edited by Novica on
  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    @Novica, thank you for the information. I have a compromised immune system and after being sick in February, my asthma kicked back up worse than it ever was. I was given a pneumonia innoculation last month. We are out of the flu season. So summer cold or what? No idea. Compounding everything, when winter hit last year in September, my arthritis went crazy. All the gains I made in PT were lost. Trying to regroup on that now. 

    I have been testing hair and focused at first on Goldtassel's, then moved on to other PA's products. Some of the children I have bought from Angel Wings, included morphs to use specific hairs designed for adults. Maybe that is what is needed in these cases where the hairs go sadly weird? 

    Other than using morphs to resize the forehead depth so those weird black lines won't show up, I did not try to adjust the hairs. Although with the Liberty Hair, it sticks through the hat brim area and I did try to adjust the hat, but was not successful. I haven't used the hat part of the hair that often. The hair names are on the pictures and I tried an assortment that were appropriate for the age range.

    My best suggestion to someone, this is a great reason to build a large library of various hairs by different PAs of similar styles. Then when you need one style, and it won't work on the morph you are using, another PA's might. 

    It would be great if there were built-in resizing for a Growing-Up morph adjustment. 

    Mary

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    G8F Anise Texture Wild Wind Hair.png
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    G8F Anise Texture Liberty Hair.png
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  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Double Tails Hair is adorable for a child!  Thanks for showing those. :) 

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    No problem. Double Tails is the hair that Angel Wings made the morphs for, with her Laura character.

  • SimonJMSimonJM Posts: 5,982
    Novica said:

    Possibly silly question, but was the hair subject to a dForce simulation run?  Seems very unnatural looking as straight and rigid as it appears to be. 

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244

    @Novica, I hope you are feeling better soon, too. It sounds like you are taking care of yourself. Have you considered getting Covid-19 test like Mary did?

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    @Novica or anyone else,

    This is the link to the CDC and Google site that had the symptom list for Covid-19 that I went to first. https://landing.google.com/screener/covid19

    After I answered the questions, it advised me to contact my medical practioner, so I called the Urgent Care at the clinic I go to. They advised me to call the main hospital for a Tele-Health visit for an initial evaluation. The PA issued me a test script and I was able to get it within the time it took me to drive across town. (And that was the iffy part, I was pretty out of it that day.) There was one car ahead of me, with someone being tested. So, a few minutes wait, done, then able to drive home. (After I sneezed violently, it itched.) Next morning, the results came in over the hospital's messaging system's test results and then a nurse called me from the Urgent Care for a personal check on how I was doing.

    Being cautious is not bad. Most states are trying to get folks to test, so tests are free. I know both Medicare and Tricare For Life are covering Covid-19 testing if prescribed. And right now, with as many people that were out and about after Memorial Day and subsequent demonstrations, it is too easy to be near someone who has no apparent symptoms 'yet'. 

     

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    edited June 2020

    There's NO WAY they're sticking something deep into my nose and down my throat, I have a horrid gag reflex and won't let the doctor anywhere near me with a popsicle stick. If I have it, I have it. Unless they give me a cure for it, I'm doing more for myself than they will, and am just staying home. There's no need to do contact tracing, as I've already checked/told the people I had been around. They're fine so far, and they social distance and wear masks. When I was around them, we did that too, so if it's the virus, it had to be a surface and the virus is long gone from it at this point. I'm staying home to err on the side of caution for everyone else.

    But the main reason?  I'm more apt to get the virus from those people doing the testing, than staying home with the probably-not-the-virus. (I'd already walked 4 miles by 1:30pm and am almost to 5 miles now. The exercise, sunshine (UV and vitamin D), sweating / drinking a lot of water to flush the system,  are definitely helping. Aiming for 6 miles again today.

    Post edited by Novica on
  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887
    SimonJM said:

    Possibly silly question, but was the hair subject to a dForce simulation run?  Seems very unnatural looking as straight and rigid as it appears to be. 

    Not a silly question :)  I didn't simulate it, I'm honestly not focusing much on the hair. When/if I do the B characters (I'm just checking faces) I am not even doing hair or clothes. It's taking way too long to check characters to see what I want to use in projects. Took a week and a half just for the A's, and I don't have 26 weeks or more to do this. 

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479
    Novica said:
    SimonJM said:

    Possibly silly question, but was the hair subject to a dForce simulation run?  Seems very unnatural looking as straight and rigid as it appears to be. 

    Not a silly question :)  I didn't simulate it, I'm honestly not focusing much on the hair. When/if I do the B characters (I'm just checking faces) I am not even doing hair or clothes. It's taking way too long to check characters to see what I want to use in projects. Took a week and a half just for the A's, and I don't have 26 weeks or more to do this. 

    I buy males and females based on their faces, most of the time. Except for creatures and such, I can dial in, (or out,) whatever I need to. Materials are important, too, and I really like it when the character includes fiber mesh brows that are the same as the painted brows, so I get the same look whichever I use.

    I've been working with Asher, creating a review. I'll post it in here soon, if you don't mind a male in the midst of all your gals.
    angel

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    @ladair  Post away!  I've got Ayane to do sometime later today/tonight but then I'm done with the A gals. 

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479
    edited June 2020

    Asher HD for G8M          Luc Hair for G8          dForce Street Blade Outfit for G8M

    The last thing I need is another female character, but I can't seem to say no to the ladies released by Mousso. Needless to say, I was delighted when Mousso started releasing male characters!

    With a wealth of overly buff males in the store, Asher is a nice change of pace with more of a "boy next door" appeal. He comes with fiber mesh eyebrows with the same shape as the "painted on" brows, and fiber mesh beard stubble. There are three overall material settings. The default load is cleanshaven with the painted on brows. You can also choose materials with painted on stubble or a No Brow version, (which is cleanshaven.) For the main renders below, I'm using the No Brow materials with the fiber mesh brows and stubble.

    The Luc Hair was quite the surprise. From Lady Littlefox and apparently created to go with her most recent trio of toonish lads, I wasn't expecting it to look so realistic. Luc Hair includes several morphs, but it is also set up for dForce, using the "cloth" version. There are a lot of color variations, but only a few that are "normal" hair colors. However, LLF provides four material zones as well as a separate cap, so you have a lot of control over changing colors using the Base Color parameter or any of several hair coloring products. I used the light brown hair preset, but added a light gray to the Base Color to both main hair and scalp zones, leaving the two "strands" zones alone, creating subtle highlights. (And it fits both G8M and G8F.)

    The Street Blade Outfit has some issues. There are a pair of "boxers" under the jeans that do not dForce and interfere with the jeans in the sitting pose I chose. I had to hide them and redo the simulation. The jacket also does not dForce, so it doesn't hang realistically. The jeans use a weight map to prevent influence on the waist, buttocks, and crotch. That might be fine for standing poses, (standing, walking, running, etc.,) but left the materials stretched and hanging well below the buttocks, intersecting with the stool, even though I left room between Asher and the stool for the "cloth."

    As an aside, the boxers are skin tight without a "pouch", so they could easily be used as swim trunks, with new materials or shaders applied. And I really like the fact the laces of the shoes have a bow! I also did not use the shoulder pads for the jacket, I think it looks fine without them, or the blade weapons that came with the set.

    I ran dForce on the hair and clothing at the same time, without making any tweaks to the dForce settings.

    Asher portrait, by L'Adair

    Asher, full body shot, by L'Adair

    Here is the Luc Hair, before and after simulation. (The lighting is different because the head is in a different position, though I'd parented the camera to the head.)

    Luc Hair Before Dforce Cloth Simulation, by L'AdairLuc Hair After Dforce Cloth Simulation

    I did several of just the face with the different options. Here are links to those renders.

    (I used the last option for my artistic renders above.)

    ETA: Corrected the text links. They now go to the full-size images, as I had intended.

    Post edited by L'Adair on
  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    @L'Adair, that is so wonderful. I feel like I am looking at a RealReal commercial. You added a dimension to Asher that I missed, and your work with the hair and outfit, blows me away. Just fantastic.

    Mary

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    I was trying a landscape today and Daz Studio crashed my computer 'AGAIN'. I have been having a lot of trouble for weeks. So when i brought the system back up, I checked my Nvidia app, and yep, an update Version 446.14, has been sitting there since 27 May and I never got a notification. Neither of my Windows computers. Checked with my flatmate, and he didn't get one either. So I just wanted to give anyone a head's up if you need it.

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115
    edited June 2020

    I managed to finish the landscape. I had the Long Stretch of Deserted Road, then bought the add-on Long Stretch of Forrested Road both by First Bastion, and added Skies of Gaia Vol 2. I have Vol 1 and have used them extensively. Of course by DimensionTheory. 

    Driving in the Western United States is not flat, there are undulations that hide hazards: washouts, cattle crossings, wrecks, and on coming vehicles that pop up over the hill, just as you start to pass some old farmer's truck. And of course the tailgating SUV who is speeding.

    Click on the attachment for the full size.

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    Post edited by memcneil70 on
  • GordigGordig Posts: 10,058
    edited June 2020

    Apparently I can't embed this, but here is the transformation on the Julissa hair. 

    https://imgur.com/gallery/rorjxup

    As you can see, it's receiving rave reviews.

    Post edited by Gordig on
  • genarisgenaris Posts: 324

    @memcneil70  - I love the sense of light & air in this, Mary!   The Skies of Gaia vol 2 really adds a great sense of depth here and you've blended the set and hdri well -- you've sold me on getting that item, BTW!
    PS: hope you'll be feeling better soon!
      ~Gen

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    Very nicely done Mary!  I feel like I'm on an overpass looking down at the road, it's very realistic. 

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

     

    Thank you @genaris and @Novica, I appreciate the comments. It was the 4th attempt, the 1st being the crash, others where I saw something and changed it and something else. I had no idea of the light, as I was afraid of switching to Iray preview. That caused the initial crash. 

    @Gordig, that is totally wild. 

  • dawnbladedawnblade Posts: 1,723

    Hi @Novica, you're welcome to use any of my renders for your Mom. Here are a few she might like. So sorry to hear about Jiggs.

    Tulips by the River

     

     

    Meet and Greet

     

    A Surprise Visitor!

     

  • NovicaNovica Posts: 23,887

    @ladair  I agree, the Luc Hair doesn't look cartoonish at all, you did a wonderful job with it.

    @dawnblade   thanks so much! I've ordered some more print cartridges and they'll be delivered in about five days, then I can print some more out.  :) 

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115

    I just want to highlight a great render by @barbult from 2016, 'Hey Neighbor - Have a Donut'. It came up when I was looking at one of theitems in the list of products used. I was very impressed at the work you did on George and the rest of the scene. Just excellent.

    Mary

     

  • Charlie JudgeCharlie Judge Posts: 12,737

    FWIW Check you 'My Messages'.  If you bought a recent Pro Bundle and bought the Age of Heroes Bundle yesterday there may be two seperate new Purple Banner discounts both of which stack to apply to the new Age of  Monsters Bundle. Net result is I got the Age of Monsters Bundle for $8.47 with a cheap PC+ Still New release in my cart. Even if you are like me and don't want the Age of Monsters Bundle the other items you can get free may be worth the price of admission.

  • FishtalesFishtales Posts: 6,119

    Trying out some odds and ends from my Runtime.

    Willow Creek and Mouse with Catalyzer Fur

    Now, what did I come up here for?

    2020-06-13 13:21:52.097 Total Rendering Time: 23 minutes 10.91 seconds

    Click on image for full size.

  • L'AdairL'Adair Posts: 9,479

    @memcneil70, Thank you. (I corrected the text links since you posted. I had inadvertenly used the gallery page links, which won't open as those images are in a private gallery. The links now go directly to the full-size images. Just thought you'd want to know, if you'd like to see those.)

    @Novica, Thank you. I can see that hair looking really good with action poses, too.

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

    Trying out some odds and ends from my Runtime.

    Willow Creek and Mouse with Catalyzer Fur

    Now, what did I come up here for?

    2020-06-13 13:21:52.097 Total Rendering Time: 23 minutes 10.91 seconds

    Click on image for full size.

    That's really cute!

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,115
    edited June 2020

    LOL, @Fishtales, I think the funny bone is going around. 

    This is UltraScenery with the Pines add-on, and some friends, B-23, CLR, B-Bot, CyberD. This is 'Did We Get the Right Beam Coordinates?'.

    But before I could even start, I found on both my computers, I had to uninstall and reinstall UltraScenery, because after the last update, although it was installed by DIM, it wasn't accepted by Das Studio, it either broke the data or deleted the file totally. I am getting just a little peeved with updates and initial installs that don't work. Or finding old files that have stopped working.

    Click on the attachment for the full size.

    Did We Get the Right Beam Coordinates.png
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    Post edited by memcneil70 on
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