Update:
Holy Hell! Hexagon is fantastic! This is so much easier to work with than 3D StudioMax...

Who else among you is using Hexagon?

If I remember the issue here though, booleans don't carry-over to other applications (esp. Poser & D|S) well. I have pulled D|S scenes into Bryce, but complex scenes really pull it down.

*Raises Hand*
Working on it.

My experience runs on the low side, but here goes. As noted, I own Hexagon and am working to learn to use it for modeling. It appears that to rig the models, Poser is the only choice out there. Given the tutorials and various forum entries I've read, UV-Mapper is the category killer for creating UV maps, while zBrush seems to be the defacto standard for creating bump maps and the like. Daz Studio (D|S) is definitely easier for setting and posing scenes than Poser, though lighting, shading & effects really require 3rd Party Plugins for realistic/professional results. Finally, the camps are definitely divided between Gimp, Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro for post-work editing.

Here is my latest render. I have to admit, despite the price, I am pretty happy with LDP.
*nods to Kyoto-Kid* I wouldn't have bought it without your praise of it.

is that the swat outfit from Planet vixens?
LDP? Light Dome Pro?

Yes. Looks good, eh? M3 has the Privateer and the Ingram Mac-10.

Yes.

yeah i thought I recognized it
I've used it some
I like it

Alright so I'm mucking around in Hexagon and have discovered the pure joy that this symmetries. I'm still having some trouble with the interface and I'm trying to figure out how to get more precise controls over er... rounding? That thing where it adds in extra faces to make things look nicer? I'm also having trouble working with multi-object symmetries, like car tires. I've figured out how to make clones but I haven't figured out how to clone movement translations (ie. I want these 2 tires to both move 2 inches outboard, not move one tire 4 inches and try to recenter it on my vehicle)

So... rigging. If I model a vehicle or a weapon I have to go to Poser to properly rig it? Or is poser mostly for rigging people? Any recommendation on tutorials or are the ones included with Poser pretty good?

Also, rendering options. If I recall, older versions of Bryce allowed for distributed computing. You could hook up a bunch of old machines and have them shoulder the load of animating or rendering. Do all the DAZ3D products still do that? My current desktops no speed daemon but I do have some old parts laying around.

...LDP really makes for some realistic lighting like the sunset I used in Captive Audience and the late afternoon light i used here:

The Welcoming Committee

ONk not SR but a god example of hw exellent LDP is. After "conversing" with Michael from Dreamlight Studios, I picked up on a few tricks to make shadows appear more real and change the angle of the sun without screwing up the shadow maps.

Again this was done on the low setting and I added a hint of very light yellow to the sun. I now need to work with the ambients to get a little more fill light on Leela's face.

Also if you have either the UberEnvironment or Pendragon's light shaders, they do work with LDP contrary to what I have heard some say (this again from DreamLight).

BTW, Just picked up on Studio Light Pro during the weekend blitz as well as a nice 3 storey frame house that has interior detail.

OK a little off the topic of lights, I definitely find Hexagon way easier to grasp than Blender. Even before I downloaded the tutorials I felt I was much more in control of things. One feature I like (and I wish they added to D|S) is the active viewport where you can select a camera control and then move around the model by placing the cursor in the viewport . I also like having a good undo function.

Never tried 3DS (I find demos for pricey software are just malicious teases when you can't afford it to begin with) so I have nothing else to compare to, though I hear a lot of people saying good things about modo (1/3 the cost of 3DS).

As to rigging, Carrara will do rigging but only for figures in Carrara. It will not transfer over to D|S like Poser's rigging does (which explains why a fair number of people on the Daz forums have taken to working in Carrara). Carrara is more the "do everything" tool in one package . Very powerful especially when you consider the price compared to the higher end tools. However, for creating quick of on the fly scenes (save for rendering) D|S still has everyone beat hands down. I created a piece as a joke for a thread the other day in about 6 min (including render time) Later I spent about another 10 or so updating it (the Drooling cat on the Stonemason Contest announcement thread).

As to rigging, anything can be rigged in Poser to make "poseable" props (e.g. car doors and windows that open). These of course would still need to be modelled in in an application like Hex. Again I have just started down the modelling road myself so I can't say exactly how this would be done.

What KK fails to mentions is that 1/3 of 3 grand is still a grand (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) But yeah, modo looks interesting but I don't think I'm anywhere near ready for 900 bucks worth of graphics modeling.

That and my computer is already starting to chug on rendering.

i wish I could have taken advantage of the big sale they had on software but... just couldnt swing it, it's a bad time for money

Here's my latest ==> Sword Practice. Sam visits Tir Tairgire to learn the art of the sword.

I got the Humvee model so I think I'll use that in my next render.

...yeah it's still out of my budget too (even having just received my Federal kicker cheque) but I mentioned it as an alternative to a multi thousand $ software tool that a lot of CG artists fawn over which also requires you to renew your license every 12 - 14 months (for even more $). Just infuriating that a lot of good vehicle and aircraft content is only available in 3DS format. Heck even Daz in their latest sale is offering three 3DS car models. Like 3DS users go "slumming" in the Daz store. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sarcastic.gif)

If I were to step up to the next level, modo would be my choice over any of it's competitors. It's like having Hex, Carrara, Poser, and Bryce on steroids all in one programme with the bonus of a kick butt render engine, intuitive interface and sensible license agreement.

Long render times are not necessarily only the fault of the hardware but also the render engine in the software. There is a discussion concerning Bryce development by Daz that includes how its render engine is inferior compared to Carrara and even D|S (well maybe with the exception of 2.1.1.3).

...ouch, glad I wasn't at work then I clicked on the link. Very nice (hope she isn't going to slice that poor birdie though).

Small technical detail, It appears she's wielding a Ninja-to or Wakasashi (hard to tell from the angle). Considering the ice cold relations between the TT and Japan I'm surprised she isn't training with a western styled blade.

I gave Sam a heavier, longsword type blade. I also gave her a variant of her long hair back. I also included an elven swordmaster, so it doesn't look like Sam is about to do harm to the birdie.

Sword Practice - take two

come on Sam... kick Legolas ass!!!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

...wow, that is a large image. Much better. The lighting works very well with the sky. Including the swordmaster really makes the scene work as now Sam has something to focus her attention on. Before she seemed to have that characteristic "blank CG" stare.

...and yes, he does kind of look like a buff version of Legolas

You should seriously consider submitting this to the Daz June Monthly Gallery.

I debuffed "Legolas" a bit (his face is a character named Sebastian from Renderosity), gave Sam a more balanced stance, and balanced the whole composition a bit, trying to approximate the Rule of Thirds... and I submitted this version to the DAZ June Monthly Gallery.

Sword Practice take three

...definitely better. For one, the bird soedn't look like it's flying directly between them (and still risking losing a wing or two). Sam's pose gives her more power and her eyes are now totally focused on her sparring partner. I like the hint of confidence (maybe a bit of overconfidence?) in her expression.

@Redjack, just saw your entry in the Stonemason contest. Very nice. A Johnson who may have hosed a one too many runners or his boss perhaps?.

This was going to be my entry before I learned that posting the image somewhere else disqualified it (I posted it as a demonstration on using V4.2 to create children in another thread). Not quite Shadowrun though it is from Leela's past.

The Welcoming Committee

When I finish it (Need to play with the lighting some) I'll most likely post it to the June Gallery as well.

Not really a shadowrun render, but here is: Outgunned

LDP does wonders for realistic lighting...

KK, you render cats real good like (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I guess I'll have to grab LDP, your lighting is very uhm... warm. That's pretty cool. I'm sorry but I think I missed it earlier, is this in Poser or Carrera?


And just some clarification. Can I do decent rigging in Carrera? I want to make vehicles with trunks that can be opened (you know, so I don't have to the tie the bodies to the hood), as well as some more complicated things (like gimbaled weapon mounts) at a later date.

D|S (Daz Studio)

...you should post that in the Unfeasible Heroes thread. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

@DocTaotsu: Actually it was done in D|S believe it or not (after two render runtime crashes). The "warmth" is because I added a light straw colour to the sun light itself.

Yeah been a cat person for since I was a kid. Also did an in depth study of felines while developing a science fiction story (still a WIP) which is why I have their mannerisms down so well (and why I chose the Mil Cat Bundle with my D|S 2.0 coupon over the Freak and Sci Fi ones). Just ordered the V4.2 Creature morphs which is the first step to doing renders of the feline characters from the aforementioned story (and no thy aren't just "catgirls" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) )

Female Sabrinno Sketch (2D)

Hehe... No that clearly is a feline hybrid... not a creature borne of the unholy union of a creepy fanboy, puberty, and a manga kitty.


Oh and I just spent 2 hours pushing edges, faces and points around in Hexagon instead of sleeping or studying.

Thanks guys, first ones free huh? Bastards.

The worst part is that it's a freakin fan blade in a ducted fan... I have a serious problem with wing like structures... I just can't stop... playing with them.

yeah, its hard to stop playing with those damn rotors/fans There are soooo many options.

...the development of the Sabrinno spanned a number of years. I was tired of the anthropomorphic upright standing animal alien and "furry" fandom basically gave me the creeps. I have several milk crates and paper ream boxes full of notebooks and sketch pads which are slowly being transferred over to digital format.

In my studies of felines I noticed for one, that with the right evolutionary turn, the forepaws could easily become hands as there is a vestigial opposed digit which in some cats almost does become a sort of thumb. Watch the way a cat grasps at something dangled in front of it. It appears to try and wrap it's toes around the object. Besides being efficient hunters, felines are almost natural born explorers (particularly when in the kitten stage). Despite the general view that felines are solitary creatures, they can become very sociable depending on the environment they are placed in. Felines also have a short childhood and venerable stage in relation to their adult stage (not too unlike SR elves though the comparison mercifully stops there).

When I set out to design the Sabrinno species, I wanted to base them more on the more subtle feline traits. No tails, no fur coat, no animal muzzle. They still of course retain the large eyes and movable ears as well as some unique features (such as the whisker like eyelashes, mane along the spine, and sensing pits on the bridge of the nose). In working up the physical model and evolutionary track I was also assisted by a graduate biologist and ecologist. Their language is a blend of verbal, feline sounds, and subtle gesture.

...oh, and Sabirnno love water (on the home-world, the capital is like a much larger version of Venice).