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[Released] Now-Crowd Utilities [Commercial]

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  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    edited May 2020
    inquire said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    I don't have that create menu (4.12.1.117, Macintosh version). How does one Update and Merge menus?

    Read the posts above. It turns out that billboard menu item was installed by another product. It is not part of Daz Studio.

    Update and Merge Menus is on the DS Window/Workspace menu.

    Post edited by barbult on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    edited May 2020
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Post edited by RiverSoft Art on
  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

  • FishtalesFishtales Posts: 6,119
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

     

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

    If you mean rearranging the figures after they are loaded then you can select each instance and move it or reset the angle.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

     

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

    If you mean rearranging the figures after they are loaded then you can select each instance and move it or reset the angle.

    Yes, thanks, I've moved some around. I meant a way to regenerate the crowd Like the way UltraScatterPro allows you to rerun the script on a previous scatter and it remembers all the original settings and lets you modify any you want to, without having to start all over from scratch. I see there is a billboard script to change the crowd formation, but it doesn't have all the options of the original crowd generator and doesn't seem to be aware of what the current options already are. So now I have blurted it out without studying the documentation first.

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    barbult said:
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

     

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

    If you mean rearranging the figures after they are loaded then you can select each instance and move it or reset the angle.

    Yes, thanks, I've moved some around. I meant a way to regenerate the crowd Like the way UltraScatterPro allows you to rerun the script on a previous scatter and it remembers all the original settings and lets you modify any you want to, without having to start all over from scratch. I see there is a billboard script to change the crowd formation, but it doesn't have all the options of the original crowd generator and doesn't seem to be aware of what the current options already are. So now I have blurted it out without studying the documentation first.

    The Crowd Maker does remember everything you did the last time you executed it.  As long as you don't change the random seed, you can rerun it and get the exact same result.  If you mean after you have create a different crowd, selecting another crowd and redoing it, then no, it cannot do that. 

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,196
    barbult said:
    inquire said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    @Fishtales would you post a screenshot of what your Create menu looks like so I can submit it along with a screenshot of mine in my help request, please?

    Here is a screenshot of my menu

    Thanks for that screenshot. I've checked my husbands installation of DS 4.12.1.117 and he doesn't have the New Billboard on his menu either.

    This is what my menu look like

    I don't have that create menu (4.12.1.117, Macintosh version). How does one Update and Merge menus?

    Read the posts above. It turns out that billboard menu item was installed by another product. It is not part of Daz Studio.

    Update and Merge Menus is on the DS Window/Workspace menu.

    OK. Thank you. I couldn't find it.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

     

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

    If you mean rearranging the figures after they are loaded then you can select each instance and move it or reset the angle.

    Yes, thanks, I've moved some around. I meant a way to regenerate the crowd Like the way UltraScatterPro allows you to rerun the script on a previous scatter and it remembers all the original settings and lets you modify any you want to, without having to start all over from scratch. I see there is a billboard script to change the crowd formation, but it doesn't have all the options of the original crowd generator and doesn't seem to be aware of what the current options already are. So now I have blurted it out without studying the documentation first.

    The Crowd Maker does remember everything you did the last time you executed it.  As long as you don't change the random seed, you can rerun it and get the exact same result.  If you mean after you have create a different crowd, selecting another crowd and redoing it, then no, it cannot do that. 

    When I select a crowd (the most recently built crowd) and run the formation script, is it supposed to start from the settings that were used to build the crowd? It doesn't do that for me. For example, if I created a round mob, the formation script opens as a rectangular mob. Other settings don't match either. It makes it difficult to make a small change, because everything seems to be reset to some value unrelated to the crowd I just created. 

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    edited May 2020

    I made a crowd of 1, since that was an option. It was easier than looking through my content library for a particular billboard product. Look how well that beach chair blended into my UltraScenery! I dropped the "crowd" to the UltraScene surface and it worked great.

    I needed some foreground interest and this was quick and easy.

    UltraScenery river flows to sea with weeds sunbather Camera view.jpg
    2000 x 1500 - 3M
    Post edited by barbult on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:
    Fishtales said:
    barbult said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    barbult said:

    Here is a scene with some people wandering the street (pre lockdown, LOL). I learned quite a bit about the tools while creating this. I took advantage of the filter to select "walking" poses and chose top to bottom selection (not random), because I didn't like getting duplicates.

     

    Looks good!  I had the same reaction making the beach shot for the promos. laugh

    Did you find everything easy to use?  Any suggestions?

    Creating a new crowd was pretty easy and understandable so far. I am struggling with how to modify an existing crowd. I need to study the user guide and video some more before I ask questions or make suggestions. (I don't want to start another silly thing like the black mirrored instance discussion that was already documented.)

    If you mean rearranging the figures after they are loaded then you can select each instance and move it or reset the angle.

    Yes, thanks, I've moved some around. I meant a way to regenerate the crowd Like the way UltraScatterPro allows you to rerun the script on a previous scatter and it remembers all the original settings and lets you modify any you want to, without having to start all over from scratch. I see there is a billboard script to change the crowd formation, but it doesn't have all the options of the original crowd generator and doesn't seem to be aware of what the current options already are. So now I have blurted it out without studying the documentation first.

    The Crowd Maker does remember everything you did the last time you executed it.  As long as you don't change the random seed, you can rerun it and get the exact same result.  If you mean after you have create a different crowd, selecting another crowd and redoing it, then no, it cannot do that. 

    When I select a crowd (the most recently built crowd) and run the formation script, is it supposed to start from the settings that were used to build the crowd? It doesn't do that for me. For example, if I created a round mob, the formation script opens as a rectangular mob. Other settings don't match either. It makes it difficult to make a small change, because everything seems to be reset to some value unrelated to the crowd I just created. 

    Crowd Formation is separate from Crowd Maker, so no, they won't match.  

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    barbult said:

    I made a crowd of 1, since that was an option. It was easier than looking through my content library for a particular billboard product. Look how well that beach chair blended into my UltraScenery! I dropped the "crowd" to the UltraScene surface and it worked great.

    I needed some foreground interest and this was quick and easy.

    That's amazing.  That worked really well.  Nice image! 

  • Eggs ActlyEggs Actly Posts: 168
    edited May 2020

    Now-Crowd Utilities doesn't recognize my latest billboards, "Sailing the Seven Seas" when I use the crowd-maker utility. Tried to uninstall/reinstall both the Utilities and the "Sailing the Seven Seas", but that didn't work.

    Post edited by Eggs Actly on
  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583
    Eggs Actly said:

    Now-Crowd Utilities doesn't recognize my latest billboards, "Sailing the Seven Seas" when I use the crowd-maker utility. Tried to uninstall/reinstall both the Utilities and the "Sailing the Seven Seas", but that didn't work.

    I see the same, Conquistadors is there but not Sailing the Seven Seas.

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583

    It may be because of the corrupt file in the first zip?

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573

     

    Fixmypcmike said:

    It may be because of the corrupt file in the first zip?

    Possibly, the script looks for folders under Props/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/.  If the props are not there, they won't show up.

     

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583
    RiverSoftArt said:

     

    Fixmypcmike said:

    It may be because of the corrupt file in the first zip?

    Possibly, the script looks for folders under Props/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/.  If the props are not there, they won't show up.

     

    Yes, that was it.  I know I installed them manually (except for the bad file), but somehow they were deleted.  I wouldn't think DIM would have done that because of the bad package, but perhaps it did.

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    Fixmypcmike said:
    RiverSoftArt said:

     

    Fixmypcmike said:

    It may be because of the corrupt file in the first zip?

    Possibly, the script looks for folders under Props/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/.  If the props are not there, they won't show up.

     

    Yes, that was it.  I know I installed them manually (except for the bad file), but somehow they were deleted.  I wouldn't think DIM would have done that because of the bad package, but perhaps it did.

    Great!  I am glad it is working for you now.

  • 31415926543141592654 Posts: 975
    edited May 2020

    Achievement unlocked !! ... I had previously bought 4 of the billboards. I like how well they work for background crowds (see sample below). And I knew what I was in for when I finally splurged and bought all the rest with the 2 new ones. The achievement ???  I have downloaded 182 Gb of billboards. It is finished.  Despite the file sizes, great product.

    This is my first test I didthat made me decide these were worth it.

    Castle Billoards

    Post edited by 3141592654 on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    3141592654 said:

    Achievement unlocked !! ... I had previously bought 4 of the billboards. I like how well they work for background crowds (see sample below). And I knew what I was in for when I finally splurged and bought all the rest with the 2 new ones. The achievement ???  I have downloaded 182 Gb of billboards. It is finished.  Despite the file sizes, great product.

    This is my first test I didthat made me decide these were worth it.

    Castle Billoards

    Thanks.  I am glad you like them.  They do test your downloading prowess laugh

  • cstrauss42acstrauss42a Posts: 83

    I am trying to create my own billboards and following an earlier post in this thread using a 72 frame animation to render the different angles. The only problem I am having is the camera. How do I get the camera to properly rotate around the figures?

    For example, I got my figures set up to render at the 0 0 positions but when I move the camera on the y Rotate the figures seem to move off the center of the shot. I tried grouping the figures, Pointing a camera at a figure, using the aim at the feature and things tend to move off the original point. Does it matter that it moves or is it important they stay locked in place?

    Anyone have any tips to help rotate the camera around keeping the figures in the center shot?

     

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    edited May 2020
    cstrauss42a said:

    I am trying to create my own billboards and following an earlier post in this thread using a 72 frame animation to render the different angles. The only problem I am having is the camera. How do I get the camera to properly rotate around the figures?

    For example, I got my figures set up to render at the 0 0 positions but when I move the camera on the y Rotate the figures seem to move off the center of the shot. I tried grouping the figures, Pointing a camera at a figure, using the aim at the feature and things tend to move off the original point. Does it matter that it moves or is it important they stay locked in place?

    Anyone have any tips to help rotate the camera around keeping the figures in the center shot?

     

    Usually, I would parent the camera to a null and then just rotate the null.  HOWEVER, for this you don't need to do that.  You don't want to rotate the camera, except to move it up and down to get high or low shots, as you want the lighting to stay the same.  You rotate the figure.

    Post edited by RiverSoft Art on
  • cstrauss42acstrauss42a Posts: 83
    RiverSoftArt said:
    cstrauss42a said:

    I am trying to create my own billboards and following an earlier post in this thread using a 72 frame animation to render the different angles. The only problem I am having is the camera. How do I get the camera to properly rotate around the figures?

    For example, I got my figures set up to render at the 0 0 positions but when I move the camera on the y Rotate the figures seem to move off the center of the shot. I tried grouping the figures, Pointing a camera at a figure, using the aim at the feature and things tend to move off the original point. Does it matter that it moves or is it important they stay locked in place?

    Anyone have any tips to help rotate the camera around keeping the figures in the center shot?

     

    Usually, I would parent the camera to a null and then just rotate the null.  HOWEVER, for this you don't need to do that.  You don't want to rotate the camera, except to move it up and down to get high or low shots, as you want the lighting to stay the same.  You rotate the figure.

    Okay so in my current case I have two figures so I am on the right path by grouping the figures then just rotating the group correct? 

    Thanks for the quick reply 

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    cstrauss42a said:
    RiverSoftArt said:
    cstrauss42a said:

    I am trying to create my own billboards and following an earlier post in this thread using a 72 frame animation to render the different angles. The only problem I am having is the camera. How do I get the camera to properly rotate around the figures?

    For example, I got my figures set up to render at the 0 0 positions but when I move the camera on the y Rotate the figures seem to move off the center of the shot. I tried grouping the figures, Pointing a camera at a figure, using the aim at the feature and things tend to move off the original point. Does it matter that it moves or is it important they stay locked in place?

    Anyone have any tips to help rotate the camera around keeping the figures in the center shot?

     

    Usually, I would parent the camera to a null and then just rotate the null.  HOWEVER, for this you don't need to do that.  You don't want to rotate the camera, except to move it up and down to get high or low shots, as you want the lighting to stay the same.  You rotate the figure.

    Okay so in my current case I have two figures so I am on the right path by grouping the figures then just rotating the group correct? 

    Thanks for the quick reply 

    Yes.

    No problem!

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    edited May 2020

    I see an update in DIM today. And I see that you explained what the update does in the product readme! Thank you for both of those efforts. So many times readmes give no clue about what changed, so it was great to see a real explanation.

    Post edited by barbult on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573
    barbult said:

    I see an update in DIM today. And I see that you explained what the update does in the product readme! Thank you for both of those efforts. So many times readmes give no clue about what changed, so it was great to see a real explanation.

    You're welcome.  I actually always provide what I changed.  The question is whether QA copies it to the readme, which they do not always do.

  • barbultbarbult Posts: 24,244
    edited June 2020

    Deleted - wrong thread for post

    Post edited by barbult on
  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573

    Adding a post to reference the product: https://www.daz3d.com/now-crowd-utilities  This will make it show up in the Forum references part of the product.

  • Harald SchusterHarald Schuster Posts: 5

    Hi,

    I have a weird problem when trying to use the Utilities with my own billboards. I must be doing something very basic wrong. I guess I figured out how to name the images since using my own billboard and using the "Change Billboard Angle" script works. But when I try to use the billboard in the Crowd Maker script, I get an error that the file cannot be found. What is weird is that the error message always shows an additional .duf appended to the filename. So it is not looking for My Billbord.duf (which exists) but for My Billboard.duf.duf - which does not exist. Renaming the billboard to .duf.duf then throws the error with .duf.duf.duf ...

    So I assume I do something wrong when I save the prop and I admit I cannot wrap my head aroudn how and where DAZ likes to store things. I have my working plane with the texture from 0 0 and the .solidalpha applied. Then select it, choose File -> Save as -> Support Asset -> Figure/Prop Assets. In the following Dialog I go to ExtremelyLongPath/Props/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/My Own little Directory
    I choose My Test Billboard.duf as Filename with DSON File as file tyxpe selected (no other option) and hit save
    The following dialog has me 100% confused - I choose the 1st entry of 3 under Asset Directory (I tried the other 2 but the error remained)
    I gave it a fantasy product name and left the item name unchanged
    Content Type: Prop, the other 3 boxes unchecked
    Asset definitions: Everything checked and Compress File is also checked

    When I use the crowd maker, I get a tab with my directory and the billboard is listed but when I try to add it, I get the .duf.duf problem ... any help would be apprechiated
     

     

     

  • RiverSoft ArtRiverSoft Art Posts: 6,573

    Harald Schuster said:

    Hi,

    I have a weird problem when trying to use the Utilities with my own billboards. I must be doing something very basic wrong. I guess I figured out how to name the images since using my own billboard and using the "Change Billboard Angle" script works. But when I try to use the billboard in the Crowd Maker script, I get an error that the file cannot be found. What is weird is that the error message always shows an additional .duf appended to the filename. So it is not looking for My Billbord.duf (which exists) but for My Billboard.duf.duf - which does not exist. Renaming the billboard to .duf.duf then throws the error with .duf.duf.duf ...

    So I assume I do something wrong when I save the prop and I admit I cannot wrap my head aroudn how and where DAZ likes to store things. I have my working plane with the texture from 0 0 and the .solidalpha applied. Then select it, choose File -> Save as -> Support Asset -> Figure/Prop Assets. In the following Dialog I go to ExtremelyLongPath/Props/RiverSoft Art/Now-Crowd Billboards/My Own little Directory
    I choose My Test Billboard.duf as Filename with DSON File as file tyxpe selected (no other option) and hit save
    The following dialog has me 100% confused - I choose the 1st entry of 3 under Asset Directory (I tried the other 2 but the error remained)
    I gave it a fantasy product name and left the item name unchanged
    Content Type: Prop, the other 3 boxes unchecked
    Asset definitions: Everything checked and Compress File is also checked

    When I use the crowd maker, I get a tab with my directory and the billboard is listed but when I try to add it, I get the .duf.duf problem ... any help would be apprechiated
     

    I forget why but in the manual, it states "This script only works with Now-Crowd Billboard products." I don't remember if it is because of metadata, file locations, or what.

     

  • Harald SchusterHarald Schuster Posts: 5

    Thanks for the fast reply. In the beginning of this thread you kindly provided some information how to use it for non Now-Crowd Billboards so I had my hopes up. :) The scenes I needed people for isn't likely to be hosted by DAZ (let's say nightclub interior), so I knew I am kinda stuck with this. I found a workaround - if I put a copy of that billboard in the folder and delete the .duf extension, it seems to work. So filename.duf with filename.duf.png and filename. So the three essential utilities - crowd maker with angle option, angle changer and align to camera work and that's all I need (still puzzled by the .duf.duf thing, though).

    Thanks for the great product and your excellent line of Billboards, though I had a bit of a hard time getting the Modern City Life Set downloaded - it seems the DAZ servers are quite busy at the moment and 15 parts á 1 GB produced many failed downloads. But it's all complete now, so I can mix in regular people outside of the club. :)

    Is there a post somewhere to see what other Billboard scenes you are working on and which might arrive in the shop? Office looks interesting and if I decide to burn the club down one day, there are excellent options to fill the scene with reporters, police and fire fighters.

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