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Questions about skins

CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
edited September 2015 in New Users

1. Where can I find G, G2 and G3's default skins in my folders so I can use them as base for the skins I want to make?

2. After I save it, anybody has a good guide on how the folders should look like so other people can download and install in their daz studio?

3. Anyone has a good tutorial on skin making and also making hair meshes and textures etc? (I have been noticing the quality of free items is very poor, so I would like to make them myself and put out there for people to download :))

Post edited by Cherubit on

Comments

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511

    You can't share the default skins if you make your own textures. So keep that in mind. There are merchant resources and UV guides available that you can use to make textures to share however. If you do use the default skins as a base, you need to make sure no part of them are in your final product.

    Easiest way to find the textures is to apply them in DS, then use the surfaces tab to find where each of the materials are in your Runtime.

     

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    edited September 2015
    larsmidnatt said:

    You can't share the default skins if you make your own textures. So keep that in mind. There are merchant resources and UV guides available that you can use to make textures to share however. If you do use the default skins as a base, you need to make sure no part of them are in your final product.

    Easiest way to find the textures is to apply them in DS, then use the surfaces tab to find where each of the materials are in your Runtime.

    Oh, I didn't know! I'm happy I asked :P So where can I get those guides. "merchant resources" and "UV guides" are still foreign words to me hehe... Btw thank you for your answer!

    Post edited by Cherubit on
  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2015

    Merchant resources are tools provided that can be used to make content you can sell typically. Most of the time you can't give them away for free, but it depends on the merchant and where you get them. Idea is they tend to be a starting point for your work. Here is one example

    http://www.daz3d.com/xtreme-merchant-resources-set-01

    I don't have this one myself but it was the first one to come up. it's just a product that you would paint your on textures on top of. Again This one probably requires you sell the texture and not give it away for free. You need to check rules. I think this gives you an idea though.

    Regarding basic templates, you can get some in your account library. For example i went and saw the Genesis 3 female starter essentials in my product library. One of the downloads was Genesis 3 Female (Templates). You can use these templates as guides to paint. They look like simple wireframes of the legs, chest face etc. Also called UV guides. UV are a mapping system to transfer 2D textures to 3D space.

    Post edited by larsmidnatt on
  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    larsmidnatt said:

    Merchant resources are tools provided that can be used to make content you can sell typically. Most of the time you can't give them away for free, but it depends on the merchant and where you get them. Idea is they tend to be a starting point for your work. Here is one example

    http://www.daz3d.com/xtreme-merchant-resources-set-01

    I don't have this one myself but it was the first one to come up. it's just a product that you would paint your on textures on top of. Again This one probably requires you sell the texture and not give it away for free. You need to check rules. I think this gives you an idea though.

    Regarding basic templates, you can get some in your account library. For example i went and saw the Genesis 3 female starter essentials in my product library. One of the downloads was Genesis 3 Female (Templates). You can use these templates as guides to paint. They look like simple wireframes of the legs, chest face etc. Also called UV guides. UV are a mapping system to transfer 2D textures to 3D space.

    I think I get it: so, if I use those that come is daz, and can't have a single part of it remaining in my own painting, or I can use the guides to start mine from scratch, right?

    I fear if I do something like that, the skin will not be seamless? I looked for tutorials, and I didn't find any *cries*

    I don't plan to buy things so soon in Daz, first I wanna play with it fully free and later, if I become good in rendering, I will start buying things :)

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2015

    The templates i mentioned called "Genesis 3 Female (Templates)" are free. They are just a black guides on a white picture. You could use those to get started. However...

    To make images seemless, most artists nowadays use 3D painting applications. There are lots to choose from, but I don't know if any are free.

    Instead of trying to create content to share, I think you may want to first make stuff for yourself and get familiar. For example you could use the Daz basic texture and edit that for your own images. This way you don't have to worry about making a full seemless texture. Just add makeup or some tattoos. Get practice. Then worry about more difficult things. :)

    Post edited by larsmidnatt on
  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    larsmidnatt said:

    The templates i mentioned called "Genesis 3 Female (Templates)" are free. They are just a black guides on a white picture. You could use those to get started. However...

    To make images seemless, most artists nowadays use 3D painting applications. There are lots to choose from, but I don't know if any are free.

    Instead of trying to create content to share, I think you may want to first make stuff for yourself and get familiar. For example you could use the Daz basic texture and edit that for your own images. This way you don't have to worry about making a full seemless texture. Just add makeup or some tattoos. Get practice. Then worry about more difficult things. :)

    That's a good idea! smiley you are right, what if my skins end up looking really ugly right? haha... thank you very much!

    Oh I have one more question! I got the Content Creator Toolkit the other day when it was free, but when I go to my serial numbers it is not listed there... So I can't active it... Can you please help me? :(

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2015

    I didn't think you needed to activate it anymore? What are you trying to do exactly?

    All those features should be active by default in the current versions of Daz studio. I just confirmed there is no serial number field inside the plugin menu for those fatures anymore. You should be good to go.

    And yes, everyone starts off with ugly stuff. So don't be discouraged if that is the case :)

    CCT.png
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    Post edited by larsmidnatt on
  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    larsmidnatt said:

    I didn't think you needed to activate it anymore? What are you trying to do exactly?

    All those features should be active by default in the current versions of Daz studio. I just confirmed there is no serial number field inside the plugin menu for those fatures anymore. You should be good to go.

    And yes, everyone starts off with ugly stuff. So don't be discouraged if that is the case :)

    oh so i can use it! I guess I got an old instalation guide then :P haha

    About the UV map, mine comes as .duf file. How can I open it? my image editing softwares dont recognize it :(

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2015

    Yes back in the day the CCT was for pros only. Now everyone can join in the fun(for free).

    DUF file is a daz file. It can do a lot of things depending. Like load a figure, apply clothes, change materials. It's not a UV map in it's own right.

    I think what you are saying is you have a DUF for the materials yes? If so apply that to the figure. Then go to the surfaces tab. Then you will see for each surface a diffuse texture. if you click on the small thumbnail image you can see what folder all the stuff is stored in. IMO this is the easiest way to find stuff when you are first starting.

    Take a look at this provactive bare arm and fingernails. You can see the path for me is

    C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\Runtime\Textures\Raiya\Jeane

    Yours maybe a bit different. But if you click the thumbnail and do "Browse" you will go to the folder with all the textures for that particular preset.

    fingernails.png
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    Post edited by larsmidnatt on
  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994

    @larsmidnatt even though I have that plugin I didn't find what it does and where to find it in DS *sigh*

    Yes, that's what i meant for .duf file... I was able to edit Genesis Female skin and it looked so cute and I edited the eye color too! But when I put a hait in her and visualized, the white part in her eye would show the hair inside of her head hehe... So I gave up :P Maybe in the future!

    Thank you for showing me the path! Thanks to you I was able to find the skins :)

    Something else has been very confusing to me... For example, if I find a hair for V4, does it mean it also works for Genesis? (v4 is genesis right? Just as v6 is g2f and v7 g3f?). (It's been really hard to find good free hairstyles... Im becoming kind of frustrated... crying)

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,613

    No, V5 is Genesis, but V4 hair usually works on Genesis.

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    Fixmypcmike said:

    No, V5 is Genesis, but V4 hair usually works on Genesis.

    V4 is what then? sad

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994

    I see lots of hairs for V4 but I never download because I feel like they won't work, I didn't buy any Victoria

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,613

    Most hair can be used on different figures -- you can always use the scale/rotate/translate dials to get it into position, parent it to the head, and add a smoothing modifier to eliminate any poke-through.

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    Fixmypcmike said:

    Most hair can be used on different figures -- you can always use the scale/rotate/translate dials to get it into position, parent it to the head, and add a smoothing modifier to eliminate any poke-through.

    clothes too? I only have daz base. clothes for v4 v6 v7 i can use in g1 g2 g3?

     

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,613

    Each figure comes with autofit for the previous generation, so Genesis1/V5 can wear V4 clothes, G2F/V6 can wear G1 clothes, and G3F/V7 can wear G2F clothes.  You can also buy additional autofit clones.  Autofit sometimes has trouble with shoes or long flowing clothes (skirts, dangling sleeves).

    And anything for V5 is also for G1, V6 is G2F, V7 is G3F.

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511

    If you are using Genesis, then much of V4 stuff will work as mike said. Hair that isn't long will be fine, longer hair works but may have some quirks at times. Skirts are OK but longer dresses maybe not so great. You can use V4 skins on Genesis. 

    V4 is pregenesis, but has a lot of content. If you  use Genesis, you can leverage much of V4's assortment. However it won't work exactly like it used to. If it's free try it, might be fine :)

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    Fixmypcmike said:

    Each figure comes with autofit for the previous generation, so Genesis1/V5 can wear V4 clothes, G2F/V6 can wear G1 clothes, and G3F/V7 can wear G2F clothes.  You can also buy additional autofit clones.  Autofit sometimes has trouble with shoes or long flowing clothes (skirts, dangling sleeves).

    And anything for V5 is also for G1, V6 is G2F, V7 is G3F.

    larsmidnatt said:

    If you are using Genesis, then much of V4 stuff will work as mike said. Hair that isn't long will be fine, longer hair works but may have some quirks at times. Skirts are OK but longer dresses maybe not so great. You can use V4 skins on Genesis. 

    V4 is pregenesis, but has a lot of content. If you  use Genesis, you can leverage much of V4's assortment. However it won't work exactly like it used to. If it's free try it, might be fine :)

    Thank you, you two, for the answer and sorry for the late reply :) i found some hairs for v1-v3 made by a japanese guy, will they even work? they looked nice in the preview renders...

  • larsmidnattlarsmidnatt Posts: 4,511
    edited September 2015

    Hair won't have auto fit from that old. But hair can be scaled to fit the head you want so I would give it a shot. U would move the hair into place, scale it then parent it to the head before posing figure. Don't fit the hair to figure if it is from V1-V3 (as in don't use the FIT TO function)

    V4 is basically the one genesis has a auto fit for

    Post edited by larsmidnatt on
  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001

    If you are talking about StudioMaya/MayaX hairs, yes, they still work...and some of them have V4 fits, that if you apply can then work with the transfer utility and maybe autofit.

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    larsmidnatt said:

    Hair won't have auto fit from that old. But hair can be scaled to fit the head you want so I would give it a shot. U would move the hair into place, scale it then parent it to the head before posing figure. Don't fit the hair to figure if it is from V1-V3 (as in don't use the FIT TO function)

    V4 is basically the one genesis has a auto fit for

    I see, I had to do it once with one hair, maybe for a similar reason? I was guessing cause it was a freebie for Poser... Is it my impression or some poser items don't work as it should? I have a dress which skirt goes a bit below the knees. My characters can only stand because the skirt doesn't "follow" the movement... Is there a way to fix it? About the hair, I haven't tried yet but I'll surely give it a try :) I;ve been DLing so many freebies after I realized Poser items work too! Thank you very much for the hints!

     

    mjc1016 said:

    If you are talking about StudioMaya/MayaX hairs, yes, they still work...and some of them have V4 fits, that if you apply can then work with the transfer utility and maybe autofit.

    Oh, I wouldnt know if it's studio Maya or maya x... all I know is they are V1-V3 and even though those models look a bit ancient, the hairs are pretty well made!

  • XaatXuunXaatXuun Posts: 873

    I'm kinda curious, are you talking about the Kozaburo hair's, my Favorites

    it's easier to fit them while in the T-Pose, and once in place Parent to Head.

    what I do to fit, is I turn Opacity off on everything but the Cap/Base, then I just fit the cap, first I try the fit morphs if any come with it, then from there I use th scaling dials, and Transits.

    I have not tried but I would guess one could use a deform on the cap, to have a better fit

    here are some of the Kozaburo hair's I did

    LongHair_evo_V3  and another of the same

    short hair evolution  

     

     

     

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    XaatXuun said:

    I'm kinda curious, are you talking about the Kozaburo hair's, my Favorites

    it's easier to fit them while in the T-Pose, and once in place Parent to Head.

    what I do to fit, is I turn Opacity off on everything but the Cap/Base, then I just fit the cap, first I try the fit morphs if any come with it, then from there I use th scaling dials, and Transits.

    I have not tried but I would guess one could use a deform on the cap, to have a better fit

    here are some of the Kozaburo hair's I did

    LongHair_evo_V3  and another of the same

    short hair evolution  

     

     

     

    The Koz hairs have V4, M4 and just about everything else '4' fits...so they are actually pretty easy to do an autofit transfer for. 

  • CherubitCherubit Posts: 994
    edited September 2015
    XaatXuun said:

    I'm kinda curious, are you talking about the Kozaburo hair's, my Favorites

    it's easier to fit them while in the T-Pose, and once in place Parent to Head.

    what I do to fit, is I turn Opacity off on everything but the Cap/Base, then I just fit the cap, first I try the fit morphs if any come with it, then from there I use th scaling dials, and Transits.

    I have not tried but I would guess one could use a deform on the cap, to have a better fit

    here are some of the Kozaburo hair's I did

    LongHair_evo_V3  and another of the same

    short hair evolution  

    No, it's this website http://digitalbabes.jp/

    The ones you sent are way more pretty actually!

    Post edited by Cherubit on
  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    taemimun said:
    XaatXuun said:

    I'm kinda curious, are you talking about the Kozaburo hair's, my Favorites

    it's easier to fit them while in the T-Pose, and once in place Parent to Head.

    what I do to fit, is I turn Opacity off on everything but the Cap/Base, then I just fit the cap, first I try the fit morphs if any come with it, then from there I use th scaling dials, and Transits.

    I have not tried but I would guess one could use a deform on the cap, to have a better fit

    here are some of the Kozaburo hair's I did

    LongHair_evo_V3  and another of the same

    short hair evolution  

    No, it's this website http://digitalbabes.jp/

    The ones you sent are way more pretty actually!

    If you click on "Downloads" from the menu in tiny writing at the left side you can see all of Kozaboro's hairs.  DigitalBabes is hos website.

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