- This topic has 14 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 5 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Any suggestions for a good skin shader? Easy to use and looking good on the eyes. Or shall I just go with the default textures that come with the figures for the best appearance? I need something for both males and females, not just males or females.
I tried to use Anagennesis 2 Revolution, it seems worth a shot but for some reason, the default genesis 8 textures look better. Not sure if the shaders from Anagennesis are like that or just for older Daz models (it's for G1 G2 & G3 only, no G8 yet), which is why I think they still look not so great in comparison to the G8 textures.
I have one other question regarding Daz. One is towards its asset installation. I know of both the manual and DIM install methods. DIM comes handy when you want to uninstall something, when things become cluttered and you realize some asset isn't what you thought or expected it to be. I try to keep things uncluttered, keeping stuff I don't use or won't use out of my sight. Which, manual install doesn't give me. But the problem with manual install is that, I can't uninstall it afterwards, not easily at that. And the problem with DIM install is the multitude of folders it creates, aside from the default ones. Some merchants have a bad habit of putting stuff in some different folder or within their names. Not that I mind that habit, but it's still annoying when you want to look for something and it's not there. That is moreso the practice with custom content creator. Which really sucks, it doesn't help my uncluttered environment at all.
Is there anything I can achieve to have both? Being able to easily uninstall content whenever I want and being able to correct the folder structure of the assets. I tried using the content wizard plugin, but I don't think it allows me to uninstall or change the folder structure of the assets. It's really a pain in the ass, having so much content on your hand.
Thanks @creationz I already had it but was failing to understand how to work with it unfortunately. Figures I was not selecting the proper surfaces, which N.G.S 2 didn't require me to select. So far so, it's giving me some good results with all the skin shades I want it to have, it's sort of a trial and error method. I am no pro, so takes some time.
There are three tools you should definitely have:
Content Gatherer
https://zonegfx.com/content-gatherer/
Content Package Assist
https://zonegfx.com/content-package-assist/
Content Checkup
https://zonegfx.com/content-checkup-2/Content Gatherer is a stand-alone app, and "can be used to analyze and archive content files for DAZ Studio and Poser together with all files that depend on them". This can help you discover all file dependencies for a product so you can manually uninstall.
Content Package Assist is an amazing tool that easily helps you build DIM install packages from scratch. You can even take existing packages (like the zillions of distros from 3DU, Hivewire, Renderotica, etc.) and make DIM-compatible installer packages from them.
The benefit is obvious, there will be no asset you have that doesn't get installed by DIM, therefore uninstalling unneeded content is a one-click task.
The tool is fairly simple to use, the only hard part is going through your huge collection of lazy-producer distros and turning them all into DIM packages (although it DOES have a batch make function too 😛 )Content Checkup runs from within DAZ, and checks the integrity of packages AND installed content. This can help you fix bad installations, or the odd package that DIM refuses to install though it should. Also handy when using Content Package Assist to verify your installers are healthy before using/archiving.
As far as skin shaders, have you tried Ultimate Iray Skin Manager?
Official product discussion:
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/238401/ultimate-iray-skin-manager-commercial
d/l:
https://zonegfx.com/?s=Ultimate+Iray+Skin+Manager
It looks like it would do what you want and more. I haven't tried it, but I might play with it now that I think about it...Thanks @Amber. I am glad you listed these.
I already use Content Gatherer and Content Package assist. My problem was to correct the file paths for the numerous content from Daz and other sites. The core/daz official stuff is usually within correct folder structure, it's the content from other creators, who mess that up. Usually, newer content is alright, but there's one or two that does it, as far as it's from Daz.
Renderosity, oh my god, that one is terrible. 99.99% of the product, it'll come in weird folder structure. And then sometimes, there are characters or stuff with the same name. Happened to me with a character Sase (from Daz) and an artist named Sase (Renderosity), who, again of course packs the files within a folder named Sase. That one got mixed up with that one. In short, I can fix all that up before creating the DIM compatible zip, by editing the duf files and correcting the structure. But that takes too much of time and can't be done for each and every product.
I didn't know about content checkup though. It can definitely help me to look for errors in the installers and all. And didn't know that content gatherer could be used in that purpose. Unfortunately, all of these solutions aren't that one click easy. Which is a total bummer. Also, content wizard is a handy tool too. It certainly did help in the installation and making a content smart content (Although, it all gets clubbed into/as Local Content, which is a little weird. I would think that the assets tagged as smart content would come off as normally, not like that.) Other than that, only if content wizard kept tabs on the files and gave a way to uninstall stuff with one click, that would be more handy and appropriate. I would make him/her a suggestion for it, unfortunately since I didn't buy the actual product, that would be weird.
Edit: Also, I do have Ultimate Skin Manager, but that is way too advanced for me. For now, I am using the Alternate8 with some manual editing with NGS, gives me desired results. At least better than before.
LOL Yeah Rendo has good artists, but they all give a F*** about technicalities like DIM compatibility. I've even read comments from some of those producers to the effect "well you should be manually installing anyway" and DIM is cheating and such. Whatever. It's just plain lazy. Pump out asset, collect bux.
Yeah, as for straightening everything out, I guess there's no tool that actually combs a distro and sorts all the assets where they're supposed to be. I find it annoying too, but as long as it isn't throwing errors, I don't worry about it too much. And if it does, you can drill down to the problem with those tools above and fix it by hand if necessary.I never used to do it, but these days whenever I come across a non-DIM package, I validate and convert it. So far, so good. But I have nearly 2,000 previously downloaded distros that I'll one day need to comb through to make my archive 100% DIM. That way next time my machine dies (like the last few times) I'll avoid 2 weeks worth of drag-n-dropping assets from out of zip files. :p
Oh my god, that's terrible. My machine's acting up too and I am dreading everything up, whether to install windows again or not. My daz installation is on another drive, so fortunately aside from the plugins most things should be intact. All I would need is to correct the libraries and directories for DIM and Daz once installed again. But I know it would still eat up 2 days of mine. Fortunately, I kinda took that DIm thing in mind and had everything converted to DIM from the start. I started out with Daz recently, and like to keep things uncluttered to the best of my abilities. Which the artist from rendo don't help at all.
Got another issue for the skin. I was using Altern8 on a character, but with the genitals it's causing me some issues. For one, no matter what I try the genital area isn't getting darkened much, probably due to the maps/textures used for it. Alternate does some tricks but I think it also changes the color for the skin (overall body) when you try to use the genital options. Or maybe not. And at the end, it can't apply the shin maps to the genital area at all.
It does not look too weird from far away, but in a zoomed up view, one could definitely see the differences. Is there anything I can do about it? I could show the pics but maybe in PMs in case nudity isn't allowed here or in a limited way.
Edit: Also, I tried using the ultimate iray skin manager, but it works overall and not just on the genitals part or individual body parts. Okay, this plugin doesn't even take the genitals into account so far, what I have seen.
Update on the genitals. This character is PHX Dan for Genesis 8 Males (from Pheonix1996 on renderosity)
My issue is with the genitals, I was a bit misguided. The original textures are the ones which look weird in itself from the beginning, and using shaders on it just makes it worse.
Below are the links for the images.
https://lookimg.com/image/P9dGn9
https://lookimg.com/image/P9d0zE
https://lookimg.com/image/P9dqYd
https://lookimg.com/image/P9dYQt
https://lookimg.com/image/P9deT8The first 2 pics are the original textures, one normal and the other from a 90 degree angle. The next 2 are after I made the alterations using Altern8. The last pic titled Outline is sort of me outlining the slightly off texture detail I found. The gen's textures suddenly cut off not matching with the texture bumps on the skin, which is slightly off putting in my views. I am not sure if it looks fine or not, so need some opinions.
After which, I have two questions. First, how can I change the color of the gens, which doesn't look off from the skin and matches with it. I am not good with photoshop so would appreciate if someone could help me out with it. Next, does the genitals bump suddenly stopping look too weird, or shall I just use some other character's textures altogether?
@creationz @amberkat calling on to you guys since you're the ones who responded first.@raex-d The images "do not exist"...
try another host? 😛@amberkat Hey, sorry for that. Guess lookimg doesn't even allow digital nudity. Hopefully imgbb won't do the same, but if it does, guess I'll just upload it to my mega account then.
Anyways, here it is.
https://ibb.co/PCxmnZk
https://ibb.co/c236DrD
https://ibb.co/rMnBzNn
https://ibb.co/3YXV8b7
https://ibb.co/KFwSgBjOK, I see what you mean now, and yes, I see a "line" where the gens texture ends.
Looks like you have a lot of bump dialed in, more than the base figure.
If the bump/displacement of the add-on doesn't match that of the base model, you will get a visible line. Try making sure that the settings for both geometries match. Otherwise, if you really need so much bump, you can always make a copy of the map image, and edit it so that there's zero displacement at the edges.
If this isn't the problem, then I don't know what it could be.
You could always try another add-on, some work better than others.I don't think I am doing anything of the sort. I mean, I can see that line even in the original textures without me doing anything at all to them. Shouldn't that make the textures flawed by itself or is it something I am doing? Aside from applying the textures i am not sure I am doing anything out of ordinary.
Maybe you can give it a show and see for yourself. The character is PhX Dan for genesis 8 males. And by addon if ya mean a different character's texture, then yes. I already tried it. But then I'd have to drop the whole skin entirely. I kind of liked his face textures somewhat.
Edit: How can I lower the bumps or displacement for it? Not sure I am expert enough or knowledged enough to be making changes to the maps or anything of the sort.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
