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Uses / Strengths of DAZ Products

cjreynoldscjreynolds Posts: 155
edited December 1969 in New Users

I realize this is probably the type of post that you see a lot of here, but I couldn't find a really relevant thread by searching...

I'm really a novice at 3D art - I've been using Bryce since version 2, and have done a few nice images over the years, but never devoted an extended amount of time to it.

Now I'm about to dig into these free goodies (Bryce 7, DAZ Studio, Hexagon), but aside from what I read in the product info and tutes, I can't find anything that really addresses the differences between the DAZ products.

From what I can gather, Bryce is good for terrains and atmospheric lighting ("world-building"), Studio is more for character modeling, and Hexagon is for irregular and organic (non-humaniod) shapes. I know there are overlapping capabilities between them, but do I have the basic idea?

If so, I've seen scenes (landscapes, etc.) that were done in Studio. Are they done entirely in studio? Is this because the rendering engine in Studio is better? Is Studio as capable of landscapes as Bryce?

If I were to use Studio, Hexagon, and, say, Carrera, would I even need Bryce?

I hope these questions aren't too common or inane, or posted in the wrong forum - If so, I plead "newbie" and take my lumps :)

Comments

  • JimmyC_2009JimmyC_2009 Posts: 8,891
    edited December 1969

    cjreynolds said:
    I realize this is probably the type of post that you see a lot of here, but I couldn't find a really relevant thread by searching...

    I'm really a novice at 3D art - I've been using Bryce since version 2, and have done a few nice images over the years, but never devoted an extended amount of time to it.

    Now I'm about to dig into these free goodies (Bryce 7, DAZ Studio, Hexagon), but aside from what I read in the product info and tutes, I can't find anything that really addresses the differences between the DAZ products.

    From what I can gather, Bryce is good for terrains and atmospheric lighting ("world-building"), Studio is more for character modeling, and Hexagon is for irregular and organic (non-humaniod) shapes. I know there are overlapping capabilities between them, but do I have the basic idea?

    If so, I've seen scenes (landscapes, etc.) that were done in Studio. Are they done entirely in studio? Is this because the rendering engine in Studio is better? Is Studio as capable of landscapes as Bryce?

    If I were to use Studio, Hexagon, and, say, Carrera, would I even need Bryce?

    I hope these questions aren't too common or inane, or posted in the wrong forum - If so, I plead "newbie" and take my lumps :)

    First of all, DAZ Studio is not a modeller of any kind, and you cannot model figures or anything else in DS4 It cannot generate terrains on it's own, but it can with a plugin called Infinito, but it would be much easier to do in Bryce. You can however, morph figures into different shapes and characters. Genesis can take many forms with the right morph packages.

    Hexagon is modelling application, and you can create characters in it if you know how to model them. It is not an organic modeller for creating wierd shapes or metablobs or anything, it is a polygon modeller for making basic mesh forms.

    There are terrain products for sale in the store which PAs have made in other applications, but they work well inside DS, perhaps that is what you saw.

    Carrara can produce landscapes, and use characters from DS4 to create scenes, but it is not a free application.

    Why not download the free ones for now, and see how you get on. There are tutorials that come with DS4, and there is also a Bridge to Bryce and Hexagon for sending itmes to both applications directly from insde DAZ Studio.

  • cjreynoldscjreynolds Posts: 155
    edited December 1969

    Thanks! Much clearer now. I have always really liked Bryce, but seen a lot of good review and nice images from Carrera, thought it might integrate better with other DAZ products, but it sounds like Bryce does that well, too.

    I have, however, been a little nervous about Bryce going away in recent years - seems like rumors have been around for years that Bryce's days were numbered, especially since acquired by DAZ. But then, those are rumors...

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604
    edited December 1969

    Well I can reply on the Bryce part of the question.

    Bryce is a landscaping program, but it is also far more than a landscaping program. In the hands of experts it can do many things.

    Daz Studio does not make landscapes, in the same was as Bryce does.

    Added to that the current offer of Software at 100% discount does include, as you say, 3 programs which together are billed as a Software suite, because they do work well with each other. There is a bridge from DS to Bryce, and also a bridge from DS to Hexagon.

    the idea is that you set up your characters, be they human animal or fantasy and also props in DS, transfer them over the bridge into a Bryce scene to composite and render, using Bryce lighting set ups which are very good and varied, and the Bryce render engine, which is imo far superior.

    Hexagon is a modelling app, basically.

    Carrara is a paid for program.

    I give you a demo of what can be done in Bryce. The buildings were built in Bryce, using primitives as building blocks and boolean tecniques, the jaunting cart was modeled in a modeling app, and imported into Poser (which is similar to DS in what it does) and posed with the human figures and the horse, these were then transferred into Bryce for rendering.

    homecoming.jpg
    1024 x 768 - 364K
  • cjreynoldscjreynolds Posts: 155
    edited December 1969

    Nice... really nice! Really like the stone textures.

    As for the free suite, I snatched that up the minute I saw the email! :)

    I've done some Bryce stuff over the years and always thought is was a great program, but I never used other apps with it (except Photoshop, occasionally).

    Lookin forward to diving into DS and Hexagon :)

    Thanks!

    joe

  • DAZ_bfurnerDAZ_bfurner Posts: 62
    edited December 1969

    There is a great page on the DAZ site called User Stories. It shows what people are doing with the software and content. Browse the list on the left to see what the topics are and how that artist is using the tools.

    Here is the link: http://www.daz3d.com/shop/explore/user-stories/explore-shannon-maer/

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited December 1969

    That reminds me DAZ_bfurner, no Hobbist section in User Stories yet. ;)

  • cjreynoldscjreynolds Posts: 155
    edited December 1969

    DAZ_bfurner said:
    There is a great page on the DAZ site called User Stories. It shows what people are doing with the software and content. Browse the list on the left to see what the topics are and how that artist is using the tools.

    Here is the link: http://www.daz3d.com/shop/explore/user-stories/explore-shannon-maer/

    Thanks! Inspiring - gettin stoked up now... Where's those install files, I'm on a roll now! :)

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