Tutorial: Creating A Primitive Plane / Changing Background Color / Adding Pred One Grass

Novica

Here's how to set up a plane (in case you need one to use grass, create a set) and get a background color (keeping it simple)

Go up to the upper left and click on Create > New Primitive>and select Plane. Photo 1 and 2. Change the plane to a smaller size, you can experiment- mine is set at 100 x 100 and I dropped it down to 40 x 40 (not shown)

Now before we color the plane, let's do a light blue background color for the sky. Skip this paragraph if you want to continue with the plane, you'll skip photo 3/4, go to photo 5.) Go to Viewport Options, which is at the upper right corner of the viewport (photo 3) Click and select "Change Background Color." (Go to next set of photos. ) Photo 4: Pick a blue or bluish gray. I go subtle at first.

Select the plane in the Scene tab. (Photo 5)

Photo 6: You will go to the top of the viewport and select the Surface Selection Tool. It looks like three black sheets of paper. Open the Surfaces Tab (if you are in the original setup, it will be on your left.)

Next set of photos:
Photo 7 Be sure you are in EDITOR in the Surfaces Tab. If your plane isn't selected, all you have to do is click on it. (All/Currently Used/Plane is in gold.) We'll change the diffuse color (your "base" color.) Click on the black arrowhead (to the right of the last 255)
and it will open a color chart. (Photo 8) By moving your mouse around where the + is, you change the color. And if you move that vertical slider (the up and down one to the right) you can make your color lighter or darker.) I went with dark green.

Photo 9 Then click OK and your color is applied to your plane surface.

Novica

Next set of images.

Novica

Last set. I had to break up the images as they were put side by side and were screwy.

Novica

Here is where you will find your Pred Grass One after you load it. ENLARGE THE PHOTO BY CLICKING ON IT. There is a thread on which files you need, and screenshots (which initiated this thread) so surf in here to see what files to download: http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/18771/#330345

Let me elaborate:- although the Grass One has bases for the grass, you need to "load it onto an object" so you need a plane. That is what we just created.

Here is where you will find the BASE.
SIDE NOTE: Remember, if your main file is a DIM with a second DIM file a STUDIO CF (companion file) that means the first DIM is POSER. So your main thing-a-ma-jiggy will be in the Poser Library if using Smart Content tab. I have a video tutorial about DIM files- if you have a STUDIO CF, the first DIM is Poser file. If you have a POSER CF, the first file is a DAZ Studio file. They are always going to be opposites.

Since this has a STUDIO CF, I need to go to the Poser Library to grab my base. (thanks fixmypcmike- I did miss that the P3DA was this vendor and not spelled out!)

Novica

So to summarize, you create a plane, use the Surfaces tab to change the color of the plane (optional, if covered with grass you wouldn't need to) then load up your grass. Below is the screenshot for where the materials are located. (I didn't use them.)

Next post for the final result.

Novica

And here's your grass. :)

Jaderail

Pretty good... I had to jump in. After I did this I noticed that like you the Mat file for the Ground planes does not load to any Prop. I was going to show how to Tile it for bigger ground Planes. I will report the error to Daz now that I know. I did not know you went off to do a Tutorial or I would not have done this one. I'm going to post it anyway. Two heads are always better than one.

Step 1.Load one of the six provided ground planes that comes with the set from the POSER Props folder.
Step 2.This would be how to apply the DS material to the Poser loaded ground plane, we now know they are broke.
Step 3.Now you go back to Poser Props and load your Grass prop to the Ground plane.
Step 4.Now you go to DS Formats and apply the DS texture (Mat) to the Grass.
Step 5.You now add your lights and render. Watch Close up because the grass will go inside the Figure you load.

When the Error is fixed I will go into detail on Tiling the ground texture and how to use Deformers fix the grass poke through problems.

Novica

:) :) :)
Love the input!

Kerya

Nice!!! Thanks for these!

BlumBlumShub

Brilliant, guys, thanks for that.

I can't believe I haven't got that Predatron Grass, looks like the kind of thing I should have bought immediately!

Novica

It REALLY is versatile. It has the long and short grass, and tufts of grass- I agree with you, it's a must have :)

This is not rendered, nor is the lighting done (just what came with the Skull Cove dome, I used the sky) But here's a closeup of the grass. I wanted you to see how wispy it is, not stiff at all. Love it! The white in the grass is a light coming from somewhere, I'll figure it out later lol. I honestly know you'll love the variety and the different materials (there is mixed grass, dead grass if I recall...)

Jaderail

Novica, that white is your OpenGL doing the Reflection and Specular in basic mode. It will render properly in a full 3Delight render.

hermana5

Loving the info you keep supplying, makes my life so much easier Thanks. NOTE The Grass you have used is on sale now 40% off so for anyone else following your thread could save a few $.Advert shows Predatron Sale 40% off not showing all items discounted BUT the grass is sorry can't link ;)

Novica

Thanks for pointing that out to people! :) It makes scenes go SO much faster to have thick grass. Now all we need is a goat and a horse to come in and mow it...oh wait, there IS a lawn mower...