DAZ Studio slowly falling behind a paywall?
daveso
Posts: 7,163
in The Commons
There are more features being placed behind the paywall of a Premier Membership. How long before the entire program ends up there? Or the less than full featured version, the "free" version, just lingers like an ugly step child?
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supposedly the 'early access' perks may possibly filter down to the non-premier users. However my experience with other places doing 'early access' has shown that the 'early access' period can last for years, if not indefinitely.
It did happen before, when the 'pro' version was paid for. Must admit I wasn't playing with 3D figures at that point, so can't say whether the experience was nice or not. However DAZ obviously had reasons for getting rid of the different program standards having introduced them. It'd be hard to imagine that much has changed in user attitude since, however shareholder financial pressures on the company could well be reflecting a more demanding and return driven external environment.
Regards,
Richard
While nothing has been said, as far as I ama are, I would naively expect the early access features to become available to all when the public build becomes a general release.
It's just a poor term to use given how it's been abused on Steam and other places.
They will be accessible to anyone, but no ETA was provided:
https://www.daz3d.com/blog/daz-studio-4-23-1-27-public-build
With Premier, I'm only in it for the discounts and the coupons, and only when it makes sense to pay the fee for a month. I think maybe it really is time to start riding the content export bus and doing my rendering somewhere else.
This one is an early access. Even still, having the plugins separately available in the store is good because there will be users who won't ever sub to Premier, so there's still value in having them for purchase and updated by the developer.
There are legitimate concerns about plugins (or any product being only available through a paywall), but this one isn't an example of that. I think, generally, they need to stop with the Premier exclusive products as it's just not a good thing. Keep the discounts and coupons but stop with this stuff (And I'm a dedicated Premier user advocating for this, just for the record).
The way I see it, Premier members get to find all the glitches before it gets released to the user base at large. Maybe DAZ is trying a limited "field test" approach.
I think "falling" implies that this is happening by accident. Perhaps "placed behind a paywall" is a more apt phrase.
I'm almost certain that there will be a functional version of Daz Studio available for free in the future because of (1) The need to attract new customers (most of whom won't be willing to pay for an unfamiliar program, and because (2) customers who aren't willing to pay a monthly fee but who are willing to pay for content can still be profitable.
Those new content filter features and GUI HID features are only tested on Premier members first, they will be released to all DAZ users.
I don't like that autosave, a basic function in other programs, is being called Premiere Exclusive. That one isn't listed under things we will all get eventually. IMO, that's not OK.
I have been dying/screaming, when deep into the creative zone and lost yet another worked for hs/ds scene, for an autosave for ys, now it's behind a SUBCRIPTION PAYWALL?
If pay once then it's mine 4ever - still not ok but better - if I have to subcribe to be able to have my work auto saved - that really, sorry, sucks. Not a happy Daz customer. Been a loyal customer for ys and this is the thanks I get. The other new features - keep it - just give me the autosave.
Needless to say - not subcribing. My daz + runs out soon, then I'm a level one member, could have been a happy pay 4 a year at a time daz + member 4 many more years, now that's over.
Daz Studio is free. Premier has additional perks but it isn't required to use it.
Here's a product that allows Autosaving you can get right now without subscribing: https://www.daz3d.com/md-autosave-suite--windows
The version for Daz Studio is early access, so it'll be rolled out in a future version.
But it will be Premier Only still, it isn't listed as being a Premier Preview. But as you say, there is an alternative and the SDK is available for others to make another if desired.
Thank you so much for the reply❤️❤️, I will look into that product, if it is what I need, have seen it but not looked into it. I still think an autosave should be for everyone.
the model they used when I first jstarted using DAZ studio was quite good
paid pro and advanced versions, free basic version AND the option to buy the extra plugins for the free base version
they generously made it all free to everyone later which caused a big backlash among those who paid for the pro version
they didn't have to but did in fact refund many
so I sort of understand why a subscription service is preferred as nobody gets ripped off if made free later
so there still remains the possibility of making things free later
if not, one could always subscribe if needed
Hmm, so the Advanced Filtering is early access but not the AutoSave?
I have Premier for the discounts, tokens and coupons-I don't like products behind a paywall. Maybe after a certain number of months being subbed you can keep them, but yeah, not a fan.
But I AM a fan of things like getting both Lucas Bundles with 8 tokens and the free bundle coupon for $16. So there's that.
That's right. Premier Exclusive means the final version will still be Premier only, Premier Preview means Premier gets first go but the release version will be available to all.
well neither do I
I won't subscribe to Premier
but I fully understand why they did it because of what happened in the past
having pay to own options for individual features and content would be nice though
even for subscribers in regards to some of the exclusive characters they might not want to lose when they leave
Regarding the Premiere-exclusive status of Autosave: If I said what I really think, my post would get deleted, so I'll just stick with something I've said before. "Your new business model is bad, and you should feel bad."
Buying a pro version?
Why not?
Subscribing to a paywall?
Forget it, NO!
The only version of DS that I would pay $$ for would be the one where I could import content without jumping through a bunch of painful, time consuming hoops. For example, easily import Kitbash3D assets? I would pay for that. Autosave? Seriously?
So far the only premier/paywall related option that has bothered me is that the advanced mesh grabber got paywalled. All the other paywalled features so far I don't care about. But I'm watching this development with apprehension, I don't like it at all.
The version of DS that I paid for in order to easily import Kitbash3D assets was called Poser 11 Pro. As far as autosave, I taught my brain that feature back when 128 MB was a lot of memory. My Daz+ lasts for 12 more months. Afterwards, God willing, I'll consider Premier for March, October, & November.
This.
Mesh Grabber instantly proved to be the most valuable plugin I've ever bought for DS. I will never subscribe to Premier unless a discounted annual plan is offered. Otherwise, 4.22 is the last version of DS I will ever use, and that's not a principled position I've taken, either - it is soley budgetary. I own and operate an adults-only message board for artists and writers who specialize in dark art and fiction. I can't afford both Premier and the cost of running my board ($450/yr). I had to choose, and my board won.
I'm on the free plan as of last month. I canceled Daz Plus, partly because even it's more expensive than the original member tier was, and partly out of spite for Daz and their new pricing structure.
When I heard the new Meshgrabber getting locked behind Premier I went oh heck no. And because of that I refuse to pay for premier, I am not gonna pay over $30 AUD a month for the privilege, I just got away from using Adobe CC last year.
Why would budget stop you using 4.23.x.x? It's free and doesn't break any existing plug-ins etc. - the older Mesh Grabbers still work, and should until we move to the enxt major version 9at which point the latest version of 4.x.x.x will still be available).
My understanding is that Mesh Grabber 4 had been under development by the original author. It was then bought buy Daz and renamed Geometry Sculpter, which was then built into DS 4.23 and made available only with a Premier sub, making Mesh Grabber 3 incompatible with 4.23.
EDIT: The product pages for Mesh Grabber - including the morph editor and rotations - say they're all compatible with DS 4.23, so I happily stand corrected on that point, but I'm still never subscribing to Premier until a (much) cheaper annual plan is made available.