Add bones to non-Genesis figure and use Genesis clothes on non-Genesis figures

Matronius

Hi!!! I have quite a few 3d models created in Blender/other software (including STL files for 3d prints). I would like to be able to do the following:

1) Import them in Daz3d (FBX format? OBJ?)

2) Convert them into a non-Genesis figure (I think there is an option in Daz3d that allows you to do that?)

3) Add bones to this non-Genesis figure, so I can bend the different parts of the body like I do with Genesis figures

4) If possible, use Genesis clothes on the non-Genesis figure, and ideally do the same with poses etc.

5) Add textures to the clothes

I am still pretty inexperienced with Daz3d. Could you please help me and explain the different steps? 

Thanks a lot, best wishes,

G

FSMCDesigns

As for import, OBJ works best for me. I find FBX import to not work at all. As for adding bones, I have never added them, just adjusted, so I assume you will need to use the joint editor tool in Daz Studio. There are tutorials you can get in the store that focus on rigging (adding bones), There is also a way to transfer the rigging from DAZ figures, but this can only be used for personal use and not shared or sold since the rigging belongs to DAZ.

Unless the rigging you create matches the rigging of the DAZ figures, you won't be able to use any DAZ clothing , hair or shoes on your new figure. You can try creating a clone for your new figure that might help with fitting clothing, but I doubt it.

Richard Haseltine

While you can import the model, Edit>Object>Rigging>Convert To Figure, and then use the Joint Editor's right-click menu to add bones it probably isn't optimal - especially if the geometry already has face groups and is in, or can be converted to, OBJ. If you have a grouped OBJ you can use the Figure Setup pane - import the OBJ via right-click in the groups ara, then drag it into the Relationships area, arrange the bone hierarchy by drag and drop, use right-click in the Rotation order column to set the rotation order - the order in which the x, y, and z rotations are applied, which you want to go twist - minor Bend - Major bend (so the first would be the oen running along the bone, the second would be the one that made smaller bends, and the last (if needed) would be the oen that made big bends - this is to avoid gimbal lock, where the two axes become aligned and so you can't bend in one dierction), then hit the Create button. However you apply bones, you then have to use the Node Weightmap brush tool to paint on their influence on the model, and almost certainly you will also need to add morphs to improve the bends.

As for converting clotjing, you can either use a modeller (or dForms etc. in DS) to adjust the shape to fit your figure, then use the Transfer Utiltity to copy the rigging from your figure (Source) to the model (Target) or you can create a clone shape for the Genesis figure and let AutoFit do that - either way there will be a lot of tidying up to do in many cases. Note that you can't share the clone shape or converted clothes with others.

richardandtracy

Sounds to me as if you might benefit from this: https://www.daz3d.com/rigging-original-figures-in-ds4-pro I got it a couple of days ago when on sale and can recommend it. I have rigged mechanical objects bu always felt a bit nervous about things that bend as opposed to rotate & translate without affecting anything else.

Regards,

Richard

 

crosswind

TBH, OP's expected workflow will be complex and cumbersome in DS... If you really wanna make a stand alone figure rather than a Genesis figure with full compatabilities, you may go for it. But you really have to learn a lot and spend quite a lot of time on the workflow, while you don't always get good results.  The most optimal way is to Wrap the 3rd party models with Genesis figure...

Matronius

@crosswind how can you wrap them please? I found this old advice from ReDave:

Load the OBJ of your Poser/ZBrush/whatever figure, load a Genesis if it isn't already in the scene, scale Genesis so that bones roughly match and that Genesis is *all* contained just inside your new figure (actually may work best the other way around); with Genesis selected Edit->Figure->Geometry->Apply Smoothing modifier. Go in Parameters tab and select the Mesh Smoothing option and give it a fiddle. With a little luck Genesis will take the shape of the other figure. Export as OBJ and reimport through Morph Loader Pro.
Works best if the other figure doesn't have any innards like teeth.

But it doesn't seem to work. Can you explain the different steps to wrap a 3rd party model with Genesis 8? I am fairly new to Daz3d. Thanks!

WendyLuvsCatz

what I do is move the genesis figure of choice's bones around to approximate the obj without changing the root position then with the bone editing tool selected rightclick and choose edit bake joint rotations

then I use the transfer utility to transfer rigging 

unfit the imported figure from the donor rig and delete that

edit adjust rigging to shape

run erc freeze

then save as support asset figue making sure no reference to the genesis figure included as to not overwite anything 

it cannot wear the clothing but you can again use a genesis figue to approximate it's shape then convert any clothing to a prop

use transfer utility to fit it to the other figure 

smoothing modifier and dforce can help

I have rigged game rips this way for personal use

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

@crosswind how can you wrap them please? I found this old advice from ReDave:

Load the OBJ of your Poser/ZBrush/whatever figure, load a Genesis if it isn't already in the scene, scale Genesis so that bones roughly match and that Genesis is *all* contained just inside your new figure (actually may work best the other way around); with Genesis selected Edit->Figure->Geometry->Apply Smoothing modifier. Go in Parameters tab and select the Mesh Smoothing option and give it a fiddle. With a little luck Genesis will take the shape of the other figure. Export as OBJ and reimport through Morph Loader Pro.
Works best if the other figure doesn't have any innards like teeth.

But it doesn't seem to work. Can you explain the different steps to wrap a 3rd party model with Genesis 8? I am fairly new to Daz3d. Thanks!

The way I mentioned is to use Faceform Wrap (used to be R3DS Wrap) . That's my workflow. - https://faceform.com/

Matronius

Thanks a lot @crosswind, I will definitely try!!! How can you import the Genesis 9 figure in Wrap please? Do you need to import both the .obj and the Genesis figure in Wrap, fix the face, and then export the Genesis model again? Could you tell me a bit more please, or tell me if there are any tutorials on the process?

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

Thanks a lot @crosswind, I will definitely try!!! How can you import the Genesis 9 figure in Wrap please? Do you need to import both the .obj and the Genesis figure in Wrap, fix the face, and then export the Genesis model again? Could you tell me a bit more please, or tell me if there are any tutorials on the process?

Yes, import 3rd-party obj as fixed geometry and Genesis x Base figure as floating geometry. Set up the nodes and wrap. Export the result to DS as a full morph (or split into Head and Body) on Genesis figure. I recommend Kelvin Jin's channel on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@Shinteo5/videos You may check his tutorial on how to wrap full body and head only.

2 examples for your reference. One is using G9 as floating geometry, another is using G8. You may try the latter first as it's much easier in terms of post-fixing...  You may convert texture maps as well but the settings may be complex depending on the case you have...

Matronius

Thanks a lot for the fantastic tips!!! One last thing: how can I export the Genesis 8 base figure from Daz please? 

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

Thanks a lot for the fantastic tips!!! One last thing: how can I export the Genesis 8 base figure from Daz please? 

Load a Genesis 8.x F or M Dev Load from Genesis 8 Starter Essentials product. Select the figure and set its Resolution Level to 'Base'. File - Export... to Wavefront obj format. 

Matronius

thanks a lot!!!!

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

thanks a lot!!!!

You're welcome!

Matronius

Thanks a lot again @crosswind!!! What version of Wrap are you using? Is the nodelocked one good enough? It is quite expensive already!!!

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

Thanks a lot again @crosswind!!! What version of Wrap are you using? Is the nodelocked one good enough? It is quite expensive already!!!

I'm using a 2021 nodelocked version. All the versions are fully funtional and featured regardless of the license type. Since it's the leading software in that domain, yes, not cheap... 

Matronius

@crosswind is it a lifetime subscription, or do you need a yearly payment?

crosswind

giorgiogentile_8181b49452 said:

@crosswind is it a lifetime subscription, or do you need a yearly payment?

It's a perpetual license but only with 1 year's free update. Since its new official site was just built for a while, you better contact them for an inquiry.