I'm totally ignorant
Hi,
I've some real beginner questions here, so please bear with me,
First off, I see Daz Studio is available to download for free so was thinking of doing so. Am I right in thinking that to do anything with it, I need to download other packages, which I'll need to pay for. (That's not a problem, I just don't understand how any of this works.)
I know nothing about 3D modelling and, though I'm not computer-illiterate, I'm not the most technically gifted person around.
I'm not sure what I'd like to do with a modelling program, though I wouldn't mind trying to create a graphic novel, or similar.
Can I create images with the free program without buying anything else? (I ask that, because I don't want to spend a lot of money then find I'm rubbish at it.)
Is it difficult? Any advice for a total beginner?
Many thanks in advance.
Len
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Hello Len, and welcome to the forums
DAZ Studio Pro is completely free to download, and use, and the rendered images that you produce are yours to do with what you will. The restrictions apply to the base meshes, but not the renders, and that applies for paid for items as well as the free ones. You can sell or use renders for your own needs, but you cannot give away the mesh items themselves, like in a game for example, but a comic is OK.
When you 'buy' DS4.5 through the store, you will find a file called Genesis Starter Essentials there as well, and it contains all of the free items that come with DS4.5. You can use these to create your characters, but DS is NOT a modelling program. Genesis can be a man, woman, child etc, and is very versatile.
The store page will encourage you to download the DIM (DAZ Install Manager) which is a great tool, but it cannot download the main application for you, just the content, so download the main program from My Account > My Available Downloads first, then use the DIM to install the content. There are loads of free items on ShareCG which you can download and use in DS, so no need to buy anything to begin with.
Have fun with DS4.5, and if you have any further questions, just ask on this forum, and we'll do our best to help you.
Since you say you know nothing about modeling, perhaps you are confused as to just what that word means in this context, and how it applies (or doesn't) to a program like Studio. In this context, 'modeling' is basically the creation of a 3D mesh to represent an object. It's analogous to sculpting with clay -- altough there is more involved, such as creating predefined changes to the mesh such as posing and shape changing; 'painting' the surface (and deciding which parts of the surface will get what paint) may also be involved. DAZ Studio does not provide any facilities for modeling (although you can deform existing meshes within Studio). DAZ provides 'Hexagon' for this, and there are free offerings on other sites such as 'Blender' that have extensive modeling capabilities.
What Studio does is allows you to take the models that others have designed, light them, perhaps 'repaint' them -- you can do your own painting or use others' works -- pose them, position them, select which models (clothes, hair, people) and shapes for those models you wish to use, and render the result as a still or animated work. The name 'Studio' is a pretty good one, I think - it suggests a photographer's or movie studio, in which you choose actors, make-up, hair, costume, backdrops, props, lighting, poses and so on to tell the story you want to tell.
Thanks, Jimmy.
Sorry to ask what's probably a daft question, but am I right in thinking there are no images as such in Daz Studio 4.5 - which I've now downloaded. And that that's why I need the Genesis package?
I downloaded DS4.5 from http://download.cnet.com - simply because that's where I usually go. I'm guessing that means I don't have the Genesis bundle. I opened up DS4.5, and couldn't do much with it. Again, this might be because I'm currently hopeless - or possibly because I have no images to do anything with.
Thanks for the ShareCG tip. I've had a look, but am again a little bit unsure. If, say, I just want to experiment with a simple background and some human shapes, can I download something simple from there to get started? The DAZ bundles look good but I wanted to make sure I could actually do something first before spending any money. (From what you say, I should be able to do this. Hopefully, once I get started I'll be OK - it's just the 'getting started' I seem to be having a problem with.)
Thanks again, and I appreciate you taking the trouble to reply..
Len
Thanks, Ostadan.
Your post appeared while I was typing my previous one and I think you've answered my question about whether there are any items in the package., Presumably, from what you say, there aren't.
I'm one of those people who can generally grasp something eventually, but sometimes need everything spelt out. Especially if it's technical. I see there are tutorials available, so I made need to use some of those.
But, first off, I guess I need to download some 'actors' etc from DAZ - or ShareCG while I'm still trying to learn.
Many thanks for the response.
Len
Well, downloading it from Cnet was a bad decision. I had a look there, and it is not the latest version, and if DS4.5 Pro is ever charged for again, you will need to buy it, whereas if you bought for free through the store, you just need to reset your downloads to get the latest version, and it will still be free.
They say their download is about 670 MB, so Genesis Starter Essentials may be in that download too, but I would urge you to buy it through the store, and to download the DIM from th site here too. The latest version of DS4.5 is 4.5.1.56, and that is what you will get from here. There is no catch, quite the opposite in fact.
The first thing to do, is to download and install the program, then the DIM, then download and install Genesis Starter Essentials, that way you will have the content in the correct place, and you can start straight away.
DAZ Studio uses 3D models, and as has been said, you can pose them, light them, add hair and clothing etc, and then you can create a 2D rendered image to use in whatever way you like. Untill you get DS4.5 and Genesis installed, you wont really know what you need, and it will be hard to advise you. ShareCG is a great source for Genesis stuff, but make sure you have the base installed correctly first before trying to install freebies.
Please use the forum here when you need help, that is what the New Users Forum is for. Nobody will be nasty to you in here, we all had to learn once.
Many thanks, again, Jimmy. I'll do as you say and download again.
Many thanks!
I recently wrote a guide to downloading and installing DAZ Studio which you may find useful. http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/19194/
Feel free to ask here in the forum if you have any questions about getting set up, or about using the software. :)
If you find video tutorials helpful for you, I really recommend going to DAZ3D's channel, particularly the part about how to use DAZ3d 4.5 pro, which you'll find here. I highly recommend the first 3 tutorials in that list to start off with.
Another great place for free tutorials is in Dreamlight's store at DAZ3d. Just sort his store based on price, starting at free and going up in price. After you set up your account, just add the free items to your cart and check out. It won't ask for credit card information for an order that doesn't cost anything. You won't be able to download these through DIM, the install manager. But I highly recommend using for anything you get at DAZ3D's store. It makes life so much easier, I can't even tell you how much easier. :)
There is a free section of DAZ3D's store here, but I think these days you need to buy something in order to get the free stuff. In which case, you add the product you're buying and the free stuff all at once. Come to think of it, this may apply to Dreamlight's tutorial's too. I don't know.
If you decide you want to use DAZ3d Studio 4.5, then I'd recommend getting a PC membership. It's $30 for the first month, then $8 each month after that. You get 30% off all DAZ original products, thousands of $1.99 items, many of which are quite nice. It's a great deal, and you can cancel it whenever you want. Also, you get all free items for free without purchasing anything, including the weekly freebies available to everyone subscribed to the weekly newsletter as well as the monthly freebies for PC members. And then on top of that, you get a monthly $6.00 voucher you can use on DAZ originals - excluding the 1.99 PC items.
Something else that you may find confusing. The current generation is Genesis. Genesis has different shapes with extra stuff under the hood. These are Victoria 5, Michael 5, Stephanie 5, The Young Teens, Aiko 5, and Freak 5. Everything else you'll see are characters. These characters will have names, such as Riley for Stephanie 5. Riley is a Genesis character with it's own skin, makeup, eye colors, and shape. Riley's shape is modified from the Stephanie 5 Genesis shape. You'll also see that the Genesis Head and Body Evolutionary Morphs are required for this product as well. This is quite common. These morphs are additional head and body shaping morphs that allow you greater control over the Genesis shape.
And the last thing to know is that there are lots and lots of sales. As a PC member, I could get the Genesis Evolution Morph Bundle for 65-70% off if I waited a month or two. So, if this is a direction you decide to go, be patient and look for the sales. We're in the middle of a big one right now in the month of March, and they usually end with a bang, so it's something to keep your eye on.
Hello again,
Before I sign off for the night (evening UK time), I just wanted to say thanks again for all the helpful and friendly advice. If I get it wrong, it won't be your fault!
Since my previous email, I've downloaded the Genesis files via the download manager (again - having deleted the first lot). They downloaded much faster, but, when I opened up DS4.5 I still couldn't access them. However, that might just be me not doing something I should.
I know I have a lot to learn.
Still, I can make the cube go round - which is a start!
All the best for now,
L
While I certainly can't help with the "install" issues, I will make a strong suggestion to you. I highly reccommend you pic up this freebie morph set: Die Trying's 182 V4 Morphs for Genesis by SickleYield. It's a great set of morphs, particularly as a "Starter" set. Another good set is Ramwolf's Geneisis morphs, which can be downloaded from his Freebie thread on these very boards.
What you need to do, is to enter the paths to the content in BOTH DAZ Studio Formats and Poser Formats in the Content Directory Manager. (Edit > Preferences > Content Library > Content Directory Manager) as shown below. Make sure that you enter the path that the DIM used to install the content. It should be in C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library if you used the default setting.
Add these paths to DS and Poser content, and the stuff will appear in the Content Library pane, the Genesis items will be in DAZ Studio Formats. The Smart Content pane should also show content, but the CMS (Content Management Service) needs to be running for this to display anything. Check that it is working in the Windows Task manager under Processes (and Services).
EDIT:
Forgot the image :red:
Many thanks Tramp - and JimmyC. (Very clear instructions. Thank you.)
I did as you said and managed to find the Genesis files. I started playing around and had some problems which I was going to ask about.
Basically, when I clicked on a figure, what happened was that I would get the figure in cube format only. Also, if I tried to add clothes etc, an error box kept appearing, telling me that something couldn't be read.
I was going to make a note of the exact error message when I ran into a bigger problem.
While playing with the various buttons to see how things worked, I managed to lose my starting page (ie the one with the Genesis images showing up.) At present, I'm unable to do anything at all with the program because nothing is visible.
I'm attaching a screenshot to show what I'm looking at. Sorry to be a nuisance, but if you could help me get back to where I should be, that would be a great help.
And if you could tell me why I'm getting a cubed figure, that would be great, too.
I'm in no hurry - but many thanks for anything you can do.
It's OK - I've found everything again! :)
However, this is the message I get when I try to load a figure - and just get a cube.
Sounds like you haven't installed the Genesis starter. Try running the installer again so that it puts the files in the right place.
Hi, and thanks.
I've just done as you suggested, but, unfortunately, the same error box is coming up.
Going back to a previous email, I'm attaching a screenshot of my Content Directory Manager. Is this what it should look like with all the items opened? Though I thought I'd added the path as suggested by Jimmy, possibly I've done something wrong.
Thanks to everyone for bearing with me!
(I did try ticking the final three boxes, but it had no effect.)
In Install Manager, where does it say it's installing products to?
Hi,
It says it's installing to:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library
You need to add that path under "DAZ Studio Formats" and "Poser Formats" in DAZ Studio.
Hello, and many thanks.
Sorry to ask, but exactly how do I add the path?
Last time round, I think I typed those words into the 'search programs and paths' box and it took me to where 'Studio' was to be found. I then selected the 'Studio' folder and it inserted the path that's showing up at present. (Which I now appreciate is the wrong one.)
Go to Edit > Preferences > Content Library > Content Directory Manager
If you click on DAZ Studio Formats, you will see a box called 'Add' appear under Directory on the left. Use it to add your new folder.
Do exactly the same in the Poser Formats area as well
Thanks, Jimmy.
Unfortunately, that's what I've already done - as per your previous helpful post.
What happens is that I'm told 'the path chosen is already mapped' [see attached screenshot].
If I try the same for 'Poser', I'm told that the directory is not a 'runtime' directory [see attached screenshot].
Just to make it clear - in case I'm doing something wrong (which I guess I must be) - when I click 'Add', I'm taken to 'Select a directory', which contains the 'Studio' folder' . I select it - at which point the error message comes up. [See attached screenshot]
Is it that I'm going to the wrong place?
Sorry to be causing you so much trouble - I am very grateful for your continued help.
Do you think it might be best if I deleted everything and downloaded all over again?
First select then remove those 'New Content Set'. Now click on the little triangles beside 'DAZ Studio Formats' and 'Poser Formats' to expand them. Post new screen capture of the expanded list.
Many thanks. This is what it now looks like. (Hope this is what you meant.)
A couple of your paths overlap, that can confuse Studio.
C:/Users/James/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio (Remove this one)
and
C:/Users/James/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library (Keep this one)
Change
C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library/People/Genesis
to
C:/Users/Public/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library (Always stop at My Library)
Finally you need to move everything in...
C:/ProgramData/DAZ 3D/Studio/My DAZ Library
to a new folder like...
C:/Users/James/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My DAZ Library
Starting with Windows Vista MicroSoft made the Program Files folders protected system folders. The ProgramData is almost as bad as the Program Files folders for storing user data, thus the User/{user name}/Documents folder.
Hi - and many thanks for the advice.
I've removed the files as you suggested, and can now see a human figure when I click on any of the 'Basic' models. Progress! (It sounds daft, I know, but I think I was more excited than if everything had gone right from the start! :) )
I seem to be able to manipulate the figure, in that I can get it to move around by clicking on those little arrows etc that appear around the body.
I can't do anything else, eg dress the body with hair/clothes etc.
That may be because I haven't yet done everything you asked me to.
I know I'm showing my ignorance - again - but how do I move the folder?
Again, many thanks.
I assume you are using Windows. Open Windows Explorer, should be the little folder icon in the Task Bar. This part depends a lot on your computer's set up. You will probably expand "Computer" by clicking on the little triangle. Continue expanding any sub-folder until you see the "Users" folder. Now you have to make a choice, do you want your new library in the "Public" folder or your user name ( I assume James based on your posts) folder. Once you decide expand that folder til you see the "Documents" folder. Right-click on "Documents" and in the pop-up click "New" then "Folder". Type the name for your library (again I assume "My DAZ Library" based on your posts). This the tricky part, in the far left directory window navigate to and open (select, click on) the C:/ProgramData/DAZ 3D/Studio/My DAZ Library folder. With the mouse pointer in the big window press Ctrl-a to select all, right click on any of the selected files/folders and click "Copy". Navigate back to your new library and open it, in the big, and presumably empty, window right-click and then "Paste". Once you are sure this worked you can delete DAZ 3D/Studio/My DAZ Library from the ProgramData folder.
Thanks for the advice. When you say 'Documents', do you mean 'My Documents' (ie where I have many other folders/files.) ? If I expand my user name folder I don't see a 'Documents' folder. I'm guessing this is right, but thought I'd better make sure before going further.
I'm confused! How do you have a C:/Users/James/Documents/DAZ 3D/Studio/My Library folder if you don't have a Documents?
Depending on the exact view in Windows, it's sometimes called "Documents" and sometimes "My Documents" -- they're the same.
ETA: In addition, it might also show up as "Public Documents" or "Shared Documents" for Public, or "[username]'s Documents" for a particular username.