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SubD

melaniemelanie Posts: 790
in The Commons

I keep seeing posts where people are mentioning "SubD," but even though I've been working with DAZ Studio for a long time, I have no idea what this is or where to find it. Can someone please enlighten a lost DAZ dunce? Thanks.

Comments

  • AllenArtAllenArt Posts: 7,169
    edited February 2019

    If it's applied to the figure or object, it'll be under General (Mesh Resolution) in the Parameters tab when the item is highlighted in the scene tab. If not, you can apply it from the scene tab by clicking on the thing you want to subdivide, going to the hamburger menu in the upper right of the window and choosing Edit/Geometry/Convert to SubD

    Laurie

    Post edited by AllenArt on
  • TaozTaoz Posts: 9,941
    edited February 2019

    Select object or figure then: Edit > Object/Figure > Geometry > Convert to SubD

    It will subdivide the mesh so sharp edges get smoothed. I use it a lot on hair which often have jagged strands. You can adjust the subD levels under Parameters > Mesh Resolution.

    Post edited by Taoz on
  • ZippyGuitarZippyGuitar Posts: 846
    Taoz said:

    Select object or figure then: Edit > Object/Figure > Geometry > Convert to SubD

    Sometimes results can be distastrous though. It can improve an item in the scene or pretty much trash it. Generally, I have good luck with it. I alway save first and then use the Convert to SubD option. If it destroys the mesh I can reload the scene without issue.

  • FSMCDesignsFSMCDesigns Posts: 12,755
    melanie said:

    I keep seeing posts where people are mentioning "SubD," but even though I've been working with DAZ Studio for a long time, I have no idea what this is or where to find it. Can someone please enlighten a lost DAZ dunce? Thanks.

    Since it makes the mesh more dense it will also help in bringing out the details more from displacement and normal maps.. Keep in mind that the higher the subdivision, the more resoirces it will use.

  • AllenArtAllenArt Posts: 7,169
    GlenWebb said:
    Taoz said:

    Select object or figure then: Edit > Object/Figure > Geometry > Convert to SubD

    Sometimes results can be distastrous though. It can improve an item in the scene or pretty much trash it. Generally, I have good luck with it. I alway save first and then use the Convert to SubD option. If it destroys the mesh I can reload the scene without issue.

    Yes...this. Words to live by. LOL

    Laurie

  • Oso3DOso3D Posts: 15,014

    Note that if subdivision trashes the mesh, all you need to do is go into parameters and change Resolution from High to Basic, you don't have to reload.

    (You can sometimes get better results by changing the subdivision mode... but not often)

     

  • RobotHeadArtRobotHeadArt Posts: 917

    SubD is short for subdivision.  One method is Catmull-Clark https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catmull%E2%80%93Clark_subdivision_surface  which is implemented in DAZ Studio.  When a mesh is subdivided there are two settings that control how that subdivision/smoothing is displayed.  One is Subdivision Level and the other is Render SubD Level.  The Subdivision Level controls the subdivisions for the object in the viewport and Render SubD Level controls the subdivision level at render time.  This allows you to have a low SubD object in the viewport for faster responsiveness in navigating and assembling your scene and then higher subdivided object at render time when your computer can devote all its resources to the rendering.

    Subdividing exponentially grows the number of polygons (and therefore consumes more of your computer's memory resources).  One polygon (assuming a quad) becomes four polygons at one level of subd but at two levels of subd one polygon becomes 16 polygons.  Setting a very high level of viewport or render subd can crash DAZ studio as it runs out of memory.

  • ZippyGuitarZippyGuitar Posts: 846
    edited February 2019
    Oso3D said:

    Note that if subdivision trashes the mesh, all you need to do is go into parameters and change Resolution from High to Basic, you don't have to reload.

    (You can sometimes get better results by changing the subdivision mode... but not often)

     

    Hmm, Will, thank you for that bit of info. Honestly, I didn't trust that so I had to try it. Destroyed a tree and fixed it with Base Resolution. Never knew that was an option. 

    Post edited by ZippyGuitar on
  • melaniemelanie Posts: 790

    Thanks for all the responses. Even though I've been using DAZ Studio for a long time, I just haven't learned as much as I should have.

  • 3D Sugar3D Sugar Posts: 4

    Oso3D said:

    Note that if subdivision trashes the mesh, all you need to do is go into parameters and change Resolution from High to Basic, you don't have to reload.

    (You can sometimes get better results by changing the subdivision mode... but not often)

    I can't express my gratitude enough for this!! thank you SO much

  • Lyrra MadrilLyrra Madril Posts: 277

    the SubD in DS is a virtual subdivision - it does not permanently alter the mesh. You can adjust it higher or lower as needed. It will however impact your speed and render times. Not all mesh is made to be subdivided - weird things may happen.

    Normals and bump are not affected by the mesh density. Displacement IS affected as it works on the mesh. More vertices (virtual or not), means more and sharper displacement. And slower render times.  If you have 'Santas's NormalMaker' script by Totte you can convert displacement maps to normal maps on the fly inside DS. This is usually a better option thank cranking subd to 5. Or you can go and convert the map using another method.

    LM

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