Cut it out

Distant_Star

From a member since 2008 - Shout out to all of those who keep that Carrara fire alive.
ALSO give it up for the actual DAZ family - from the software engineers to Victoria herself!!

There are many posts about a possible Carrara v.9.  These post range from software improvement 'wishlists' to rational and guesses to what is happening behind the scenes at Daz.

Yes, v.9 software improvements would be great - but even better would be the celebration from die hard Carrara fans!
...even an email from Daz (or partner company) about development would send many users into the clouds.

"Carrara don't ever change for me." - you are already great.

Each new software feature adds to the already crowded interface, plus requires more user knowledge.
and..."Don't you dare say node based system."

While software development does take work behind the scenes --
Here are some suggestions that reduce the existing Carrara software footprint and improve function WITHOUT additonal User learning curves:

#1. Make Modifiers able to drag and drop reorder with on/off checkbox.  Requires no new user knowledge.  Improves existing user experience.
#2. Remove Storyboard.  - This reduces software resources and development.  Clears UI space. Requires less user knowledge.
#3. Combine the Primative and Vertex model experience.  - Many of these features overlap.

Keeping new features to a minimum and streamlining what already exists is the key to v.9. 

Its not a wishlist it's a checklist. - CARRARA NEXT

Distant_Star

**note** - The 'Cut it out' title refers to removing unused / unpopular sections of the Carrara software.

- This is not in reference to user wishlists and new feature requests. (which we certainly need.)

***also note *** 'I said what I said about nodes'!

mschack

Carrara was only a few updates away from being great, to becoming spectacular, and that was what 8-9 yrs ago?

Sure there are clunky bits but we all work around them. 

When i wanted to get back into 3d a couple years ago I went immediately to Blender, new tech, up to date, FREE!  But alas, there was no button for plants, terrains, skies, particles, clouds, hair, lights, forces, bones...

All this stuff buried in hidden tabs and menus and requiring a vast knowledge of multiple concepts arranged in different, unintuitive areas.

I'm back again, want to keep it alive, want people to know how good it really is, want the community to grow, so maybe one day...

 

WendyLuvsCatz

it is too good for creating stuff yourself instead of buying content to do it 

a victim of its own capabilities 

Distant_Star

Exactly mschack.

I also recently made the rounds to the other 3d platforms - only to come back... try DAZ Studio again - then 'know' Carrara is the best.

The puppeteer and NLA system are unmatched - a few improvements to the graph editor and overall timeline navigation - BOOM!

It's ALL here.

PerttiA

WendyLuvsCatz said:

it is too good for creating stuff yourself instead of buying content to do it 

a victim of its own capabilities 

I would wait for the DS 5, now that the pressure for early release (stripped down version) is no longer an issue.

In my mind there is just one reason for a company to sit on a product for 8 years, without releasing updates or selling it to someone else.

Distant_Star

Isn't that the truth WendyLuvsCatz - too good.

...If you have ever seen the end credits to Star Wars - I intend to replace them all with Carrara! haa

__________

Money PerttiA - it's about Money!

 

Distant_Star

and also mschack...

that is the reason I started posting after all these years.

THIS PROGRAM IS TOO GOOD - to die!

The other programs have lost the plot... they are going nowhere fast.

My dream is that the DAZ company will see how much value they have with "our product focus group" - This Carrara Community!!

Hello DAZ - WE ARE STILL HERE! - Your product works.

Dartanbeck

Yep, agreed with Distant Star.

In fact, I'd be happy if all they did was to keep it working on the modern OS. 

 

Of course, it's always beneficial to have nice lures to the new release but even just updates are really nice!

I also offer my services to donate any new presets that the company would like to employ. If they wanted such a thing, I would work night and day to complete the task(s).

 

Some things that might be fun additions if they could employ them into Carrara:

• GeoShell
• The ability to key frame parenting (parent/unparent along the timeline)
• DUF Export (would be awesome, not necessary - but a real boon!)
• I'd love Daz 3d modern figure support, but if that's out of the question, I also don't mind that having to be a DS-only thing. Carrara would really rock at animating those new facial controls, however!

 

Bucket List for me

I'd like to create a generic facial controller for Genesis 1 using Fenric's Enhanced Remote Control for Carrara and offer that up as a preset for our browsers. It'll take a lot of time so I have to put that off until I get my main focus work done. I might also add to that support for generation 4 figures. When Daz 3d updates to newer generation Genesis, I'd do those too.

Once done I'd move on to more helpful animation tools, starting with a hand-pose controller for each hand, followed by controllers for limbs and torso. 

These will all be free to the public (and to Daz 3d) when completed, and will also have a video demonstrating their use.

 

Community requests

I would love to get my hands on more shader presets and/or tutorials for things like DCG, Fenric, Shoestring (now DCG), Philemo and Sparrowhawke (and so on) plugins

Examples to work off of seem to be easier for me to grasp, but even just written or video tutorials could really help. There are so many options available now that many times I just don't know where/how to begin. 

 

I have a DCG page with links to the shader downloads and their pages/tutorials, and they are Great. But I could still use a lot more - especially when it comes to things like Enhance C, Shader Ops 1 and 2, and Shaders Plus - but also others and those from other authors as well.

Anyone up for it, if it would be okay, I'd be happy to (and Love to) host or link to them from my site.

Distant_Star

Can anyone answer this?

I made a suggestion to make the Modifiers be able to drag and drop & reorder...

In general... would this be possible using the current developer access to the code??  or is this source code level??

Dartanbeck

I don't know about the coding part, but if we make a modifer and add it to the Misc browser as a modifier, we can drag them in from the browser.

WendyLuvsCatz

I wish it was easier to delete modifiers, I click and click on the grey bar trying to make it go lighter grey so I can delete it to no avail then I accidentally delete my model. 

sometimes clicking the little mouse icon gets it to change but not often, I think its there to give false hope.

I decided to RTFM 

 

To remove a modifier from an object or group:

1. Select the object or group that carries the modification.

2. Click Properties tray: Modifiers tab.

3. Click to select the title of the modifier you want to remove. The title bar changes color to indicate it is selected.

4. Click the minus (-) icon or press the Delete key. The modifier is removed from the list.

is a lie

Distant_Star

The 'sweet-spot' to grab Modifiers is located under the first letter - on the line.

Shown in red on the picture.

WendyLuvsCatz

oh thanks and I see that icon is an angled cube not a mouse, I better visit Specsavers

Jonstark

Distant_Star said:

The 'sweet-spot' to grab Modifiers is located under the first letter - on the line.

Shown in red on the picture.

Sweet!  Great tip, Distant Star, thanks  :)  Like Wendy, I've also often had trouble clicking in just the right spot.  Gets frustrating. 

Jonstark

Dartanbeck said:

I don't know about the coding part, but if we make a modifer and add it to the Misc browser as a modifier, we can drag them in from the browser.

 

Seriously?  Had no idea we could save modifiers in the Misc browser.  That's going to be useful, thanks Dart! 

Jonstark

Oh and I also had the idea of making a facial controller rig for Genesis1 using Fenric's ERC (just to prove it can be done lol).  The only thing stopping me so far is my massive level of laziness, and my absolute lack of any clue of how to use Fenric's ERC.  :)  But someday...

WendyLuvsCatz

another way might be to use target helpers, I haven't really studied the FACS controller because it crashes DAZ studio for me but it is just a conformer so it might even be able to be converted to general weightmapping or something.

Distant_Star

Thanks for the suggestion Dartanbeck - I did just now try that.  It seems like what I am looking may need access to the root code.

Even a toggle on/off for the Modifier would be a great start.

***Side note -- I myself have limited programing skills.

 

 

 

Steve K

Dartanbeck said:

...

In fact, I'd be happy if all they did was to keep it working on the modern OS. 

I agree with that, I'm using it daily basis and don't feel I'm missing much since I have other programs like Particle Illusion as supplements.  Somebody here reported it works on Win11, so we should have a long time ahead with no problems.  I hope.

Jonstark

I'm getting more crashes lately on Win10.  Of course some of that is down to bad workflow on my part (never deleting test renders, letting them pile up and up into the hundreds, having several different instances of Carrara open and running at the same time...) but I don't remember any crashes at all back on Win8.  I mean, I'm sure there must have been, because everything crashes from time to time, but I literally cannot recall a single instance of Carrara crashing on win8 at all, and back then I was doing some pretty lengthy animations and hair simulations, particle and physics sims...  

So I'm actually thinking of getting rid of my Win10 and going back down to Win8, or maybe even Win7 (which I also don't remember any crashes on, come to think of it...)

Distant_Star

Carrara does lock up on Win10 - These crashes are random and hard to pre-spot.

Using mimic can trigger a random crash.  Large Toon! Pro renders can also crash.

 

Win10 can crunch high hair renders with ease. - often straight on the character without a haircap or proxy.

Also Win10 calculates physics with less crashes.

Distant_Star

.... less crashes than Win7

Distant_Star

Daz Studio and Carrara were always partners AND competition.

Two separate animals at different price points.

Then somewhere along the line Daz Studio lost touch with its people and thought it was too good for the streets.

so... if it's a Render Battle you're looking for 'studio' - remember your roots. haa

 

a price exists DAZ, a price exists.

 

WendyLuvsCatz

dunno, DAZ studio crashes or freezes up at least as much if not more than Carrara on Win10 for me, Carrara recovers more often after freezing.

Steve K

I'm running Carra Pro on Win10, a fast AMD 12core CPU.  I recall a crash or two, but more often a saved car file that won't load.  So I save all car files with a new number (castle2.car, castle3.car, etc) after any change. And I don't delete the previous version until I know the new one will load.  More importantly, I run "Casper" which backs up the entire hard disk to a second hard disk (now SSD drives) which is bootable.  It is smart enough to know to back up only changes, so usually takes only a minute or so.   Of course, you gotta have that second SSD (2TB!)

I've mentioned the 48 Hour Film Contest, where a crash can be fatal.  So I'm particularly careful.  As in I have another older Core i7/Win10 machine running Carrara, and saved car files on flash drive.  "Belt and Suspenders" ha!  Now if I can just come up with a good story ... 

Distant_Star

I have always used the default settings - with very steady file loading.

-Use local settings

-Compress file

Steve K ---- are you changing any of these settings when saving?

Steve K

Distant_Star said:

I have always used the default settings - with very steady file loading.

-Use local settings

-Compress file

Steve K ---- are you changing any of these settings when saving?

Yes.  I use "Save All Internally" so I can continue on another computer if needed.  

Distant_Star

Steve K ---  "Save All Internally" may be what is triggering the file load problem.

I do not have a simple work around.

--But if too many projects are unable to open and become unusable:

...you might try -

Copy the materials to matching disk locations on the second computer - use default save settings.

Dartanbeck

Steve K said:

Distant_Star said:

I have always used the default settings - with very steady file loading.

-Use local settings

-Compress file

Steve K ---- are you changing any of these settings when saving?

Yes.  I use "Save All Internally" so I can continue on another computer if needed.  

Yikes!!! 

Distant_Star

Carrara can create texture maps from many different image formats.

You may also observe that the file load problem occurs when exporting/ compressing a particular texture map format - jpg,bmp,png,gif ....