Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 13
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Glad you figured it out. I didn't want to suggest any drive problems as I just had to replace one of my mirrored backups. I was having the occasional file copy error, but I attributed it to a bad download. Hah! After the third or fourth time in one week, I ran chkdsk and sure enough, cross-linked files and other errors. Tried to repair, but five days (!) later chkdsk said it ran out of space to recover any more files. Time to replace both disks (the second was just as old as the first, so not taking any chances it will happen again any time soon). Copied everything from the good disk over to a new one, tested the archives, found a few dozen with errors, re-downloaded them. Copied to the second new disk, and finally got back to normal. Took almost two weeks of my time, but now, when I refresh DIM, it only takes about 5-6 minutes where it used to take about 20+ minutes before. Moral of the story, check your disk for errors. I would have thought SMART status would notify me somehow without having to ask.
I don't have V8.1, so no comment on the new shader. But I think the 8.1 base character is great!
The backwards compatibility is fantastic. So far, basically everything I've tried has worked. Expressions are of course the big exception and there are some other hick-ups, but so far nothing I couldn't find a work-around for.
About those expressions... for me this is the most significant improvement. I've played around with 8.1 only a little bit but I can already see that her expressions are more natural.
Just look at the promos of Zeddicuss' latest expression set and compare them to this older set. It looks so much better!
On the downside I haven't quite figured out how the new expression sliders work and relearning evertything anew is a little frustrating.
I also don't love how Face Control has been implemented. Saving an expression that was made by combining both Face Control and pre-made expressions (such as "Smile Open Full Face") is borderline impossible... and it really shouldn't be.
I'm a little irritated by the new UV and material zones. They cause some compatibility issues with geografts and geoshells. Nothing that can't be fixed manually, I think... but it's extra work and it's annoying. I can't see the benefit of the new UV so it just feels like an unnecessary complication.
But as I said, overall I'm all for 8.1. I'm looking forward to seeing more expression sets released. I actually don't mind spending a little bit of money there because making my characters crack a smile or have a cry without tumbling down the uncanny valley has always been such a pain.
I'm just seeing a trend of more and more poses in the bundles being released, more old content being put into new bundles, and the discounts offered via banners often don't make sense with that. For instance, thanks for offering "a 30% discount" when I own EVERYTHING in the bundle. So I'm drifting away from bundles, as someone said on the store sale thread- voting with my wallet.
I did vote with it today- Lady Littlefox's releases are adorable, and I got 51% off because I wanted to buy quite a few of them anyway. I think mixing her in with other characters, as shown in the promos, will be quite interesting. Anyone else get Bugga Boo?
I looked at her for a bit, but cute as she is, decided against her; too much older stuff in my runtime I have barely played with...
@Novica
Don't know if you have seen this.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/467821/bugga-boo-hair-fits-freebies-and-other-stuff#latest
Bugga Boo is sitting in my cart atm. Im on the fence because while I find her total adorable but I don't do many renders with those type of figures. That might change tho if I had her! The outfits and hair are all just too cute and I can see them being useful beyond just for Bugga Boo.
As for V8.1 i did get the 2nd bundle because of the outfits, even the older one has been in my wishlist so overall I was able to justify the cost. I do not count expression or pose packs in that decision because I don't care about those. I like her and I really like how the expressions look more natural. I don't like that it doesn't work with a bunch of older expression packs. Faux3D I think it was stated it follows the facs expressions/movements but I dont understand why they had to change a bunch of the names and remove some of them. Like for example brow squeeze, I do this with my own face so why is it not concidered a facial movement! But yet you can use the G8 Face Controls he released on G8.1F and do a brow squeeze.....
I like the shader but I don't feel at this point its a step up more closer to lateral with some tweaks that may change as more PA's release figures. The eyes though, they did an excellent job on them. The teeth maps look better too.
And to lead by example to renders. First one no expression added, second one I did the expression with the controls. I had to change the SSS/Transmitted color to make the blue lines go away with spectural rendering on the second one and I also tweaked her chin because it looked huge in the render. First is straight out of the box no changes to the character or the materials. The first one is with Spectral rendering off I think she looks more pink without. I did do some touchup on the hair (first) but the faces were only some tonal adjustment and slight sharping. I did have some issues with saving the render on the second one, I have a thread up in the Troublshooting forum. This didn't happen with the first one (it was rendered second) so I have no idea what that was about. (This is what lead to the first one being done because I was trying to repeat the problem)
Sorry for being so long winded
I purchased Bugga Boo. DIM is working on the downloads. The cute mixes demonstrated, were a key factor. It was disappointing that the cute rabbit outfit by Ryverthorn was not included in today's promo.
I, too, have been "voting" with my wallet this month. At this rate, my store credit may last half a year or more. The Prime Freebies make it look like a shop weekly though.
As for Genesis 8.1. I downloaded what was present in DIM, but skipped Victoria. I have plenty of female characters and am unlikely to use all of them in my lifetime. When I have free time, I am weeding through my content and uninstalling products that I have no inclination to use; keeping the install files on an external hard drive, so that if the need arises.
Forgive me, I am not going back through 600+ comments in the 8..1 thread. Did you say you tried 8.1 and are not using 4.15? I am using 4.12 and 8.1 loads with no issues. Materials from 8.0 characters apply with no issues, as well. However, 8.1 doesn't acknowledge any of the morphs. I could tell, literally, in a second, because she loaded sooooo fast. Restarted DS, but the situation remains the same. Thanks for any tips, you may have!
You need 4.15 for G8.1 to be able to see all the G8 morphs.
The G8.1/V8.1 thread over in commons moves at lightning speed and I'm only skimming it. But I thought this comment by Matt_Castle was worth pointing out; aparently there's two folders that you can remove and if you do so, all G8 expressions become available to G8.1. Do this at your own risk! I haven't tried it myself and I'm still deciding whether or not it's a good idea. But I thought it's information worth having.
Thanks Hylas. I will check with Catherine3678ab. Her post indicates that she has it working with 4.12.
For some reason it doesnt work for me, even if I do it in the Freebie forum. It just clicks off. I swore I wouldn't buy anything for awhile, still havent used some of the stuff I've already bought, but she's just too cute.
I did remove those 2 files to my desktop ( easy to put back if any isssues) and so far so good, I can now use all my expressions, at least what I have installed as I am doing a comlete overhaul of my content, All my basic morphs for G8 work and the new ones for g8.1 plus I have dark fairie morphs for Daisy 8 installed to test and they all work fine both with the preset and the dials. I have tried loading different morphs and expressions, DS is running like a dream. I am using DS 4.15
Is it easy to tell the new 8.1 expression sliders from the old 8.0 ones or are they all dumped together?
@fishtales Thanks, I had not. It's not working for me, but I'm sure it will get fixed. :) Appreciate you pointing it out, I haven't been surfing the forums much other than store sale thread and store problem thread.
Wow, the store turned over first of November, so we have Nov, Dec, Jan. I've not been real good at checking when the store first turns over, does it seem better than it was?
If I were going to redo a store, I would have added reward points like Renderosity does, and Hive Wire did. There weren't any new features here, were there? Just a new layout. I don't need little icons to tell me someone is a character, and if you look at today's offerings, many don't have anything. BellaRosa is a character and she has nothing, for example. The off the shoulder dress doesn't have an icon either. So if you're going to redo something, be consistent.
Glad to see Kharma on the thread. I was just getting ready to post a link to her specific post on what files to remove so the expressions work on the 8.1 I haven't played with anything, so I'm a bit in the dark. @kharma I notice you are on 4.15 and that's what I am using.
To be honest, I can see they are all there but I think depending on which character you have loaded 8 or 8.1 they are calling the poses specific to that one? I do know that since I moved those 2 files out the Visemes for V8.1 are now available. My Dark Fairie poses for Daisy work just fine on V8.1
Okay, I just did what Kharma did, and I'll explore V8 expressions after I run a few errands. Thanks for the specific info, @kharma I must admit it was a bit nerve wracking to remove files, but I put them in a folder called (don't laugh) Daz Removed 8.1 GF so 8.0 Exprsns Work I don't want to come back months from now and go, "What are these?"
One thing I have to observe- if we know these block the expressions from working, Daz would know. It only took us a day to figure out, so I think it's meant to do what it did. Like others said on the V8.1 thread, maybe those files do things we just don't know about yet. If so, when that happens, I'll put them back.
this is a new test I did of V8.1 with a bit of of Carra for G8 dialled in and a modified pose from Dark Fairie for G8 plus a touch of Viseme AA to open the mouth a bit. I am not a fan of the eyebrow attachment, it seems stuck on but first time I've tried different eyebrows other than what came with the material preset. I also think that the bump is maybe too high or something, it is the default settings for V8.1 but I think the skin should be smoother , looks a bit like sandpaper? maybe I am suppposed to modify it or it depends on the lighting as to how it looks? The lighting here is Painter lights as its the only one I have installed at the moment. I really like the way the expressions look and love the eyes. Also like the teeth, they aren't that glaring white shade.
Try using right click save as that worked for me
I bought V8.1 and on my desktop I waited for 17 minutes for her to load. I really like her. I tried to load G8.1F on my laptop one night and I had to kill DS after 25 minutes. After looking at the log, it was checking every lash morph for every G8 character I owned (I have a lot of males and females in G8). So I tried to find the Dev version of G8.1F and found her in G8M PowerPose Template folder! Her load still took well over 15 minutes to load. I had to use V8.1's skin mats. Not sure where G8.1F's skin mats are. On the fence about her. That is a pity. G8F is actually one of my favorite figures to work with. The facial poses are a bit of a challenge for me. I seem to be too subtle or twitch right into extreme fright face.
I am still cleaning up the mess on my laptop's DS files, I am in the 'Ss' right now. Having to look at every item I have bought or downloaded is reminding me what I use often, less often, or never. A great way to be cautious on future buying. Before this, I might have done a clean sweep of Bugga Boo right away. Adorable. I have wishlisted for now. I am wishlisting a lot and hoping the products will still be in the store when I am ready to buy again. (I also had an unexpected expense for my car, to the tune of over $1000.00 this month.)
@memcneil70 Well, at least you're in the S's :) Sorry to hear about the car. When expenses hit, seems like it's never the cheap ones.
Here's Bugga Boo! in The Private Garden
Great Bugga render. It's going to be expensive when I check out - I got all the related products. From what I understand, more will be released too. I haven't bought bundles lately because of the mixing of old and new products and not liking to break my head with calculations regarding whether it is still a good deal etc. This works out as a pick your own bundle sale :)
I haven't tried G8.1 yet. I do like the more subtle expressions I'm seeing in renders of her and V8.1.
Okay, need some creative input on how you do hair to fit these enlarged heads. The hair I used btw on Bugga Boo was Fawne Twin Buns, the hair went on perfectly. I haven't messed with hair in a long time, and ever since these stupid hair products have gone to having to mess with tessalation for it to even show in the viewport, I've been rendering less. Don't know why vendors have to make things more difficult. If it makes the product "better" then still give us the option to get another view of it without having to fiddle with this, fiddle with that. Am I making sense? I'm cranky.
So I thought about Emma and Jordi, since they have so many morphs and sure enough, Peyton Hair has a Head Enlarge and other morphs to help. But the hair doesn't look like Peyton Hair. At least it went on the head! So how do you tackle this, and please share any hair you get to work.
This skin is Blaze. (G8F)
A hair I got to work is Kenji Hair. The materials are BD Aspen
I didn't touch anything up, you can see you'll have to do a bit of that for the hair on the forehead, right where the part is. I wanted you to see out of the box with only the morph adjustments available.
THIS IS IMPORTANT. Do not assume materials on other characters will be the same when you apply them to Bugga Boo. I wanted to show you Aspen. See how much taller the eyebrows are on BB? Compare to Aspen. Wow, was I surprised. It makes sense with the stretched forehead, but I hadn't thought about it.
Briareth Hair also works fairly well on Buggga Boo. Right as the render was finishing, the studio "blooped" and everything went kaput. I hadn't saved it and have to get busy doing other things, but wanted you to know about that one. :)
LadyLittleFox has put up some free hair morphs to work with Bugga Boo. My iPad is refusing to copy the link but it is in the freebies forum. Also the vendor's commercial thread has a link to it.
Thanks, forgot about that because at first, no one could get the link to open. It says data, then has the folders with the different hairs. How do I install that? Just under data? Then each of those hairs will have a separate section that shows up saying Bugga Boo?
Unfortunately I don't know the answer to that. I saved it and thought I would ask for instructions in the thread. Will do that now.
The improved cap is done and is making its way through the system. Im sorry guys for making you wait so long. I was swamped! It should be available very soon :)