Daz Studio vs Carrara for Animation
Deke
Posts: 1,631
I'm relatively new to animation in Daz, and wondered what the major benefits of Carrara are over Daz Studio. I'm not creating models, but using figures off the shelf, so the modeling parts of Carrara aren't much use to me. It seems with Keymate and Keygraph and animate 2 there are plenty of keyfram control in Daz Studio. So what am I missing in Carrara?
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Real physix engine, particle effects and animated textures/shaders , just for starters. I have not installed my Carrara yet, the learning curve is not something I'm ready to jump into yet. But I plan to move to using it in the future.
Thanks. I've been exporting Daz Studio layers into After Effects and adding a variety of things like particle effect there. It seems then that Carrara is more of a total package along the lines of Maya or Cinema 4D? What are "animated textures/shaders?"
I don't know “Studio”, I tried to learn it but that seems too difficult compared to the approach of the inventors of Carrara.
What I know, according to my experiment and that of much of others, it's that “Studio” is made to use things put on sale by DAZ and that Carrara can, moreover, to create almost all that you can imagine.
Unfortunately, it's that DAZ doesn't want, or isn't able, to make evolve this extraordinary program…
You are welcome on the Carrara discussion forum !
Maybe that lack of support is why they don't offer a test version of Carrara for free (at least I haven't found one). I'd like to try Carrara before I get too deep into this project. I'm not ambitious enough to create all the people, sets, vehicle, props from scratch so I'm happy using the off the shelf stuff in a mix and match form. I assume that is still possible in Carrara.
All the users of Carrara use the stuff DAZ but we have many of other personal possibilities of creation.
There are all the tools for that, vertex modeling, spline, metaballs, bullet physic, dynamic hair, particles, plant and terrains creators, etc, etc… If you want to do serious work of creation, don't hesitate, it's Carrara which you need!
It is same line as Poser, C4D, Lightwave..., finally, all the serious softwares!
I have done animation using both .
C8.5 is a lot faster at renders .
As for price DS free or C8.5 ( I got it for about $60 ) members price - you can't go wrong for the money .
It just depends on what kind you want to do .
I am pretty much in the same position as you, wanting to create short animations with off the shelf models. I have tried a number of programs, but settled on the combination of Carrara and Poser format 3D elements (characters, scenes, props, etc.) Carrara handles Poser format elements seamlessly, loading them directly from it browser (no "import"). I use the Gen4 characters (M4 and V4) since I have a LOT of add-ons (clothes, hair, characters, etc.) The latest version of Carrara, V 8.5, allows use of later characters, but I have not tried it with those.
And its overall features are much better than Poser itself in my experience, especially for large scenes with lots of lights, etc. The rendering features offer a nice range to allow balancing quality and speed. I use the modelling features primarily to modify off the shelf models, e.g. to cut a hole in a ground plane if there is a stairway going below ground.
On the downside, I agree with Dudu above (and others in similar posts), "Unfortunately, it’s that DAZ doesn’t want, or isn’t able, to make evolve this extraordinary program…". My V.8.5 upgrade came with V.7 documentation, which means a lot of undocumented featureslike those listed here by tbwoq (a year old, maybe some have been added):
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/25968/P75
There is a lot of user help here in the forums, e.g. Dartanback has done a lot.
Regarding DAZ Studio, I gave up on it several versions back, I just got frustrated. You might want to see a recent experience by Ivy here:
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/42508/
At one point she asked DAZ, "Please stop advertizing Daz as a Animation software because I can assure you it is not a software that can be taken seriously for animation." She switched to Poser Pro.
I have some animations on YouTube done with Carrara, the one most people (and some contest judges) seemed to like best is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1pXYvEqIc
Like you say, I don't think there is a trial version of Carrara, but in the long run I think you'll be much happier.
You have to hunt for it, but there is a 30 day trial of Carrara 8.5 on cnet: http://download.cnet.com/Carrara-8-Pro/3000-6677_4-10782148.html
I have downloaded but not installed it as yet.
Actually, it says its Version 8.1.1.12 from 2011. Still, a nice find, I used that version happily for the last several years with Gen4 content, no problems. I was actually a little reluctant to install V.8.5 (after waiting to buy it until the price got briefly down to what I think its worth), since I recall a few mentions of new bugs ... but having run it a few times, it seems reasonably solid. So far.
But yes, that demo should give anyone a nice feel for what Carrara can do.
Actually, it says its Version 8.1.1.12 from 2011. Still, a nice find, I used that version happily for the last several years with Gen4 content, no problems. I was actually a little reluctant to install V.8.5 (after waiting to buy it until the price got briefly down to what I think its worth), since I recall a few mentions of new bugs ... but having run it a few times, it seems reasonably solid. So far.
But yes, that demo should give anyone a nice feel for what Carrara can do.
Oh, my bad, sorry.
I've now installed and tried it, and to be honest, I'm really not impressed. Why the hell does a Daz product have Poser-style controls? Part of why I use Daz is that I despise the clunky Poser interface. I'm hoping against hope here, but is there an option somewhere I haven't found yet to turn it into a Daz-ish GUI? I know the GUI isn't everything, but I just don't know if I can get past that.
I've been using it so long its become second nature, I haven't thought about the interface for a long time. But I agree the interface is important, e.g. a lot of people really don't like the Bryce interface, where a lot of things are "tucked away". Somewhere. That may be the same style you are talking about in Poser (which I don't like either).
One suggestion, if its the track ball and arrow type camera controls at the left that are a bother, there are hot keys that avoid using them. You can hold down the "Alt" key so that the left and right mouse buttons control the camera. I do this exclusively, so that I've forgotten about the track ball/arrows. I have a printed summary of all the Carrara hot keys that I think came from here, a free download that originally came from 3D World Magazine:
http://www.3dbuzz.com/forum/threads/170353-Keyboard-Shortcuts-for-Max-Maya-Bryce-Carrara-Motionbuilder-Maxwell-Modo-Daz-Studio
The interface… it' s what made me choose Carrara at the beginning (more than ten years ago)!
I tested and I still test the other 3D programs and Carrara remains always most convivial of all.
I like Poser with excellent and very powerful tools, but I hate his timeline.
If I were to choose another, it would be C4D, but Carrara is so much well integrated with all the Poser characters and DAZ (except Genesis), that I can't think for another software.
You will see, if you want it, you will very quickly have Carrara in hand with very little practice.
Yup. It works for me, too. As I mentioned, I'm not a modeller, but for short animations with Gen4 content, I feel Carrara does everything I need. Well, almost everything, I like Particle Illusion for effects, and I do use Vue for the occasional landscape and a few very nice models from Peter Pohle that are only available for Vue, more here:
http://www.cornucopia3d.com/portfolio/peterpohle
But 95% of the work I do is in Carrara.
To say the truth, I had choose “Vue” like software at the beginning, I discovered the 3D with “Cool 3D” and I found “Vue” more advanced but more difficult to handle.
Moreover, the renders were not extraordinary but my goal was to make animations for my documentaries.
When I discovered the possibilities and the extreme user-friendliness of Carrara 1, I found the way which I was to follow and I am always above !
I still tested the last versions of “Vue”, but there is not much evolution (like Carrara), but it's true that for the landscapes, it's a very good program.
Carrara. I'm still using 7.2 and I'd use that any day over DAZ. DAZ has improved with some of its puppeteer stuff, but I still prefer Carrara's timeline interface. Just feels more natural.
When one tasted in Carrara, one doesn't want anything else any more!
Hmmm…, I see an answer of Jaderail at the beginning of this thread… I'm very sad of your disappearance... Bye Jaderail, we will miss you, and thank you so much!
Did he die?
Yes, he passed away. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/44104/
Thanks for the link. I tried to find out by going to his screen name and his more popular forums but couldn't find anything.
Thanks again.
I'm sorry to hear about Jaderail, we had some good conversations.