Please help - trying to create a child model

msamet-2556083

Hi,

I'm *brand new* to DAZ Studio. I'm trying to create a character identical to "Jade for The Kids 4" located here:

http://www.daz3d.com/jade-for-the-kids-4

I have the latest versions of DAZ Studio installed, and I purchased and successfully installed:
The Kids 4 Base
The Kids 4 Morphs++
Millenium Kids Preschoolers
Preschoolers Morphs
Jade for The Kids 4
Kids' Fashion
Matt & Maddie Ahoy!
Duke Hair
Aryelle Hair

(I know some of those don't pertain to "Jade" but I need to make a few different characters.)

I know extremely little so far, and have been trying to wade through the endless screens, panels, and confusing options of DAZ Studio in an effort to simply recreate Jade as she is in the screenshot from the link above.

I realize that DAZ is an a la carte program, and you need to buy clothes, hair, accessories, and props separately from the base model. (This wasn't apparent to me when looking at the Jade product page in the store). I also realize that content in DAZ builds upon each other, like base + morphs + more morphs etc. That's basically all I know. Is there a tutorial someone can point me to, or can reply here, that would explain step by step how to achieve a result similar to Jade in the screenshot? I don't care about poses, or backgrounds, or animations, or props. All I need is Jade, as she appears in the screenshot, in a T-pose with nothing else in the scene. (with clothing on obviously)

So far, I've created a "Basic Child" Genesis model (this seems to be the only way I can start with having a child base model), and changed a few morph sliders so that it's female, etc. Beyond this I have no idea what to do. The "Smart Content" pane seems to not have any of the content I purchased, I only found some of it in the "Content Library" on the right. And in there, there's 9 billion different hierarchical items stored in a myriad of different categories and directories. Some have script icons on the thumbnails, looks like others are different textures or poses, etc. It would seem that I need a texture set for the body and face, a specific hair item, and clothes. To get her appearing as in the screenshot, is there anything else I need to buy? And of what I've bought already, how do I find the proper things to double-click (sometimes, I've found that double clicking an item in the Content Library does absolutely nothing?)

Anyway, if someone can help that would be great!

Thanks!

fixmypcmike

Kids 4 is an older generation model than Genesis (Genesis is generation 5, Kids 4 is generation 4). Figures before Genesis were in Poser format. In the Content Library pane go to "Poser Formats > [your library name] > Figures > DAZ People" to find the icon to load Kids 4. If you've installed the Powerloader you'll get a window in which you can check off the morphs you want to load with the figure -- make sure Morphs++ is checked. Then go to "Poser Formats > [your library name] > Pose > Thorneworks > Jade". The icon "!_Jade_INJ" will inject the shape (morph) for the figure; "2_MAT" and "3_MAT" will apply the skin texture (one is nude, the other has underwear 'painted on').

Chohole

Also note, in your list of purchases you have

Millenium Kids Preschoolers
Preschoolers Morphs
Matt & Maddie Ahoy!

These are all generation 3 of the DAZ figures: so predate K4 which is generation 4.

msamet-2556083

Thanks for the replies. I was able to successfully create Jade (without hair or clothes), thanks!

I have 2 questions:

1) I now need to create Matt and Maddie from the Millenium preschoolers products I bought. So far, I've double clicked "Matt 3" and he appeared as a scene object. I can't figure out how to apply any hair or clothes to him, such as from "Kids' Fashion" -- for example, double clicking "_Matt 02 Shirt" doesn't seem to do anything. I'd also like to apply the Duke hair. Am I doing this wrong?

2) (in response to the 2nd reply) So if Millenium Preschoolers (Matt and Maddie) are actually generation 3, what issues will that cause? If I can find 3 characters that are up to date with the latest Genesis technology that fit my requirements (see below), please let me know! I'm sure that will also expand the options as far as clothes/hair.

I needed to export 3 FBX files for use in Unity. I am aware of the licensing. I have Decimator and know that entire side of the process. I just need 3 separate child models (ages 8 to 11) that look different, a male and two females, or two males and a female. I also was looking for black / African characters. The only children models that appeared to be for sale on the DAZ Store that fit what I needed were The Kids 4 and Millenium Preschoolers. Jade specifically was accurate, but then I realized she didn't come with any hair or clothing. I also could NOT find the hair or clothing that was in the promotional image on her product page.

Let me ask this a different way -- my requirements are that I need to find 3 kid models, age 8-11, ideally African ethnicity, with casual / modern clothing on and hairstyles that are not outrageous or ridiculous. They all need to look different, and have different clothes on. What products would fit this requirement? If I can buy the same product and customize them all to look different, that would work too. I then need to take the characters and export them as FBX files for Unity. I've so far successfully done that with a test Jade export and have her animated with Mixamo.

Thanks for any help!

fixmypcmike

Make sure that the clothes and hair items you are applying are in Poser Formats > Figures, Hair, or Props. If they are in DAZ Studio Formats, or in Poser Formats > Pose or Materials, then they are the material settings that need to be applied to the hair or clothing after you load it.

Herald of Fire

msamet said:

If I can buy the same product and customize them all to look different, that would work too. I then need to take the characters and export them as FBX files for Unity. I've so far successfully done that with a test Jade export and have her animated with Mixamo.

Make sure you have an extended license if you intend to use the figures in Unity. Whether you intend to sell the game or not, you will need a Game Developer's License to proceed with that.

Also, be advised that the FBX export is... well, not terribly great. It can sometimes give unexpected results or fail altogether so don't expect miracles.

Genesis can be formed into all kinds of ethnicities and shapes, due to it being able to blend multiple morphs together. There's also Brothers and Sisters for the Genesis 2 figures, designed to be used with the Growing Up morphs which give you multiple child morph options.

fixmypcmike

Genesis can also use Textures from the 4th Generation figures, as well as clothes (although shoes in particular can be problematic). There are add-ons to use 3rd Generation clothes on Genesis, and to use 4th Generation textures and clothes on Genesis 2.