Beta - G8F Carrara preset

Mistara

i almost can't stand it, not knowing if the Olympia 8 morph has toes issues.

a medebil tavern or olympia 8.

Mistara

aww major bummer.  olympia has booboo toes too.  

not as drastic as Victoria 8.  
it looks like the same verts area affected. around the toe nails on toe 1,3,5

 

 

Dartanbeck

Bummer!

Dartanbeck

Okay, I've finally had some time to play with this wonderful Beta that Mistara has so generously shared. Wow... It's awesome!

Loads fast, is fun to work with... very impressed = Me!!! Thanks Misty!

So I made some stuff to share. First is a full scene with lights, shaders, sky, and a simple set of render settings to get us going with playing with this wonderful creature. The second (below) is a Multi-Shader preset of all the shaders to load with one drag n' drop, but doing it that way we don't get the appropriate names of the shaders, like we do if we use the first option (scene file has all shaders needed, with names)

 

Genesis 8 Female - Basic Shaders and Lights

for Mistara's awesome G8F for Carrara Preset figure

 

The scene file includes several shaders based on the G8F Basic Female, using the maps included with that product, which is free, and that is required for the shaders to work. Here's how the scene file works:

Installation:

Download the scene file HERE

Drop the G8F_for_Carrara_Shaders_Lights.car file into your My Docs > Daz3d > Carrara > My Presets > My Object (and any category folder you may have) and the file will show up in your browser. 

I suggest renaming the file once it's in your computer. I did all those underscores "_" to avoid issues downloading. The actual name doesn't matter, just makes sure you recognize it in your browser. Mine is the same name but without the underscores, and the word "and" included between Shaders and Lights: "G8F for Carrara Shaders and Lights"

Using the scene:

• Open the scene file in Carrara
• Load Mistara's G8F for Carrara beta into the scene
• Drag the figure into the group "Put Character in this Group" (so the lights work on it)
• Edit > Remove Unused Masters > Consolidate Duplicate Shaders
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT Remove Unused Shaders yet!!!!
• Select "Actor" and go to the Texture Room
• Use the drop-down selectors by each domain and load the appropriate shader

Example 

0_G8F_Torso goes in the Torso domain, 0_G8F_Face goes in Face, Eye socket, Lips, and Ears domains, 0_G8F_Cornea goes in both Cornea and Eye Moisture domains, etc.,   it should be self-explanitory, but if you have trouble, below is a Multi-Shader preset to download, which will load them all in the correct positions, but won't have the convenient names.

Now you'll have two render cameras to choose from right away: G8F Face, and G8F Full

Note that Global Illumination and Indirect Lighting > Ambient Occlusion Only are turned on, and that some of the lights (Key and Rim 1) have soft shadows turned on. These things add more time to renders, so feel free to turn them off and experiment with different lighting, whatever. I really like the clouds in this scene! :)

Here are some sample renders. I wanted to show how the raw render look, so no post was added.

Face Camera, no facial expression

Face Camera, Surprised

Face Camera, Smile Open Full Face, Mouth Open

Genesis 8 Female - Basic Multi-Shader Preset

for Mistara's awesome G8F for Carrara Preset figure

 

If you wish to have the Multi-Shader Preset:

• Download the preset HERE
• Drop the "G8F_Basic.cbr" file into your My Docs > Daz3d > Carrara > My Presets > My Shaders so that you may access it from your browser
• Select Actor and go to the Texture Room
• Drag the G8F_Basic shader file from the browser onto the big multi-colored ball above the list of domains in the texture room
• Edit > Remove Unused Masters > Consolidate Duplicate Shaders
• Edit > Remove Unused Masters > Remove Unused Shaders

Dartanbeck

Note: Iris, Pupil, Sclera each have their own shaders.

Dartanbeck

Note: Argh, download links just aren't what they used to be.

Don't worry, you do NOT need a DropBox account to download the above files. In the upper right corner of the new page that opens (the page that says it can not preview .car or .cbr files), click the three little dots and select the "Download" option as shown in this image >>>

Dartanbeck

Have fun experimenting with different lighting and render settings as well as mixing in your own shader techniques. Basic Female for Genesis 8 Female doesn't exactly come with many maps to play with. 

Try turning off soft shadows (Key and Rim 1) and/or Global Illumination (Sky Light in the Render Room) and/or Ambient Occlusion (Scene Effects Ambient level in Assemble Room and Indirect Lighting option in Render Room) or even try bumping those settings even higher for even longer, more realistic renders.

If the skin appears to glossy for your taste, lower the Brightness slider under the Texture Map in the Highlight Channel.

The value in the Shininess channel can be used to alter the dryness (or wetness) of the skin. Lower values of shininess with a lower brightness in the Highlight will create a dryer look, while leaving the Highlight as it is and increasing the value of the Shininess channel will provide a more wet appearance.

We may also alter the color of the skin in many ways. One might be to use the multi-layer function to add a color gradient controlled by the bump of highlight map, for example. To do this, simply choose Multi-Layer for the color channel, then use the "+" button to add a Multi-Layer Element, and drag the existing Texture Map (color channel) into that element's Shader slot (so that it can be controlled by the top-level Multi-Layer option, now in the color channel), then (+) add another Multi-Layer Element and select "Color Gradient" for its Shader slot, then copy (Ctrl + Drag) the bump or highlight map into the Shader slot of the Color Gradient and set the gradient to subtle hues to add to the skin. The closer to white the colors, the more subtle the effect, but can easily and quickly add dramatic changes!

If anyone is aware of existing Daz3d Figure texture maps that work with G8F's UV set (like V7?), let me know and I'll make a shader set using those maps, if I have them.

ProPose

these are great, thank you Dart

Dartanbeck

My pleasure ;}

nonesuch00

I am doing tutorials now from the Carrara Cafe site. I have Misty's Genesis 3 Blended Weight Mapping Product & applied to the clothing and hair my characters are wearing. My chaacters and Johnathan & Janette with Genesis 3 morphs applied.

So I save this scene and try to import the DAZ Studio Beta *.122 scene into Carrara 8.5 Pro it fails but it does not crash. Should I instead export the entire scene as a car file from DAZ Studio? Is that even possible?

I guess I should just finish the tutorials (I also downloaded them for Johnathan & Janette) but I have a render running and it's monopolizing my computer's power so I was bored waiting. 

Or should I re-build the entire scene in Carrara? Is it possible to apply my Genesis 3 morphs directly to Janette & Johnathon, they include Toon Generations 2 & the Girl 7 morphs and also DAZ Originals head, body, & expressions for G3F & G3M. Also the clothing is Genesis and Genesis 2 Male clothing. Autofit does it work in Carrara? Hair & eyebrows lucky is both Genesis 3.

Mistara

for j&j yoo could dress them in ds, save it as a scene subset in ds, then in carrara, load the subset from your content tab.

yoo can see the morph sliders in carrara, when yoo highlight actor,
to see the pose controls highlight the line above actor

autofit is hit or miss.

if saving as a subset doesnt seem to do the trick, try saving the g2 transferred to g3 clothes as a "save as product" in ds *careful not to overwrite original*

i do the save as product when fitting g3f skimpwear to g3m  
(high heeled boots a pita lol. perfectly good archer outfit, he'll break an ankle running through the woods on spiked heels

Mistara

ProPose said:

these are great, thank you Dart

 

+1

Mistara

the new g8 stuff, they using their ds layering for make-up.

make up for V8, Olympia 8 are png overlays.

i like the idea of png versatility,

for us, it's either bake the pngs on to texture
or,
layer in carrara shader?
multiply mebbe?

nonesuch00

Thanks, I will try your instructions.

BrianP21361

Mistara said:

for j&j yoo could dress them in ds, save it as a scene subset in ds, then in carrara, load the subset from your content tab.

yoo can see the morph sliders in carrara, when yoo highlight actor,
to see the pose controls highlight the line above actor

autofit is hit or miss.

if saving as a subset doesnt seem to do the trick, try saving the g2 transferred to g3 clothes as a "save as product" in ds *careful not to overwrite original*

i do the save as product when fitting g3f skimpwear to g3m  
(high heeled boots a pita lol. perfectly good archer outfit, he'll break an ankle running through the woods on spiked heels

Misty,

I'm trying to use a G3M bodysuit on G3F in Carrara. I go to Studio and autofit the suit to Janette then export it as a scene subset as you suggested. The morphs work, but the suit doesn't follow the figure when it's posed. I went back to Studio to try "save as product", but I can't find it in the Save As menu. I'm using DS 4.8. Is that the problem?

Mistara

BrianP21361 said:

Mistara said:

for j&j yoo could dress them in ds, save it as a scene subset in ds, then in carrara, load the subset from your content tab.

yoo can see the morph sliders in carrara, when yoo highlight actor,
to see the pose controls highlight the line above actor

autofit is hit or miss.

if saving as a subset doesnt seem to do the trick, try saving the g2 transferred to g3 clothes as a "save as product" in ds *careful not to overwrite original*

i do the save as product when fitting g3f skimpwear to g3m  
(high heeled boots a pita lol. perfectly good archer outfit, he'll break an ankle running through the woods on spiked heels

Misty,

I'm trying to use a G3M bodysuit on G3F in Carrara. I go to Studio and autofit the suit to Janette then export it as a scene subset as you suggested. The morphs work, but the suit doesn't follow the figure when it's posed. I went back to Studio to try "save as product", but I can't find it in the Save As menu. I'm using DS 4.8. Is that the problem?

convert suit to blended before saving the subset

there's like a cascaded menu off the save as menu
 the save product is under ... i think says prop/figure
2 dialogs pop up, 1st is to save duf file, 2nd creates the data folder and dsf files.

i usually add a B to the vendor name to denote blended.  if they ever come out with a carrara update to understand "general", will be easy to cleanup the data folder

 

BrianP21361

Blended worked. I don't know why I didn't do that before. All G3 clothes have to be converted. Duh.

Thanks very much.

Dartanbeck

Mistara said:

the new g8 stuff, they using their ds layering for make-up.

make up for V8, Olympia 8 are png overlays.

i like the idea of png versatility,

for us, it's either bake the pngs on to texture
or,
layer in carrara shader?
multiply mebbe?

Right. We can easily use Carrara's Multi-Layer function, as I intend to do for a future supplement. Here's an easy path:

If the added layer is already a png with alpha, a Normal layer function will be fine. If we don't want to, or know how to make a png with Alpha, we can simply paint our new layer elements onto a white (pure white) background and use the "Multiply" layer function. If we need to layer white onto the skin, use a black (pure black) background and use the "Add" layer function.

Mistara

BrianP21361 said:

Blended worked. I don't know why I didn't do that before. All G3 clothes have to be converted. Duh.

Thanks very much.

cheers

Mistara

Dartanbeck said:

Mistara said:

the new g8 stuff, they using their ds layering for make-up.

make up for V8, Olympia 8 are png overlays.

i like the idea of png versatility,

for us, it's either bake the pngs on to texture
or,
layer in carrara shader?
multiply mebbe?

Right. We can easily use Carrara's Multi-Layer function, as I intend to do for a future supplement. Here's an easy path:

If the added layer is already a png with alpha, a Normal layer function will be fine. If we don't want to, or know how to make a png with Alpha, we can simply paint our new layer elements onto a white (pure white) background and use the "Multiply" layer function. If we need to layer white onto the skin, use a black (pure black) background and use the "Add" layer function.

 

"add layer"

thanks!

 

thinkin i'll just hide olympia's toes and put slippers on her. lol

Dartanbeck

Well, there's Add Layer, and then there's the "Add" function for a layer ;)

Dartanbeck

Okay, so you folks who work with Genesis figures, how do you get Auto-fit to work from one Genesis generation to another in Carrara, or do you have to do that in Studio first?

If I try "Fit to" on a Genesis (1) item to Genesis 2 or 8, it won't give me the dialog asking what the item was intended for... then it gets it wrong. It the item isn't made for Genesis (any version), I get the dialog.

Mistara

Dartanbeck said:

Well, there's Add Layer, and then there's the "Add" function for a layer ;)

 

huuh  2 add layers,  safety tip.  thanks

  concentration a lil gone right naos  lol

 

kwdaddlayer

Dartanbeck

Nope. As many "Add Layer" (looks like a + sign) as you need/want. 

"Add" function looks at the new image data and Adds anything brighter than black to the previous result ;)

Mistara

Dartanbeck said:

Nope. As many "Add Layer" (looks like a + sign) as you need/want. 

"Add" function looks at the new image data and Adds anything brighter than black to the previous result ;)

 

kewl!

what if the png has transparent layer, not black area?

Dartanbeck

Mistara said:

Dartanbeck said:

Nope. As many "Add Layer" (looks like a + sign) as you need/want. 

"Add" function looks at the new image data and Adds anything brighter than black to the previous result ;)

 

kewl!

what if the png has transparent layer, not black area?

Then we use "Normal"

Dartanbeck

...and if the image is white, where we want it to be transparent, then we use Multiply

PhilW

Just be careful of using multiply, if you are doing that over skin then the makeup color will be multiplied by the skin color and will most likely end up looking too dark. I think the G8 makeups are all on PNG with Alpha, so a simple layer is all that is required.

Dartanbeck

It's easy in Howler, since I can just make a white layer, set it to Multiply, and paint over the original map. Then, when brought into Carrara and multiplied, it turns out the same. 

But, yes... you are correct. Well... as always ;) 

I've been practicing VFX techniques so much that I suppose some of what I do in here seems a little strange - also since I'm a Howler user instead of PS. I'm actually quite proud of the latter, and will never go back!

For the more PS-like stuff that I cannot do in Howler, I have PaintShop Pro, and am wanting to upgrade that to the latest Ultimate version fairly soon here. It's not really as good as PS, of course, but does what I need it to for a fraction of the cost - Fraction!

I also like the Gimp, but I still don't use that as often as I should to be really acquainted with the workflow - but when I do need to, there's always somebody willing to lead me the way.

Mistara

our last major hurtle the HD morphs?

bake into a bump map somehow?

 

read the ds map transfer utility doesnt do g3  

the g3 vascular maps hd morphs not maps.