Need Big Help Here!

[Steve Conway]

Ok....was trying to not let this program get the better of me, but am about to ban this most annoying program from my computer and use the two hundred seventy something page manual for a doorstop.

Which program can make a fairly sane individual want to leap off a tall building, or go beserk in any number of other ways?

DAZ 3D STUDIO!!!!!

Has anyone out there used this most confusing, (at least to me), of programs?

I think it was assembled, like a camel, by a committee. No files are in any order. Seems everyone just makes up their own system of file location and goes from there. Almost impossible to tell which accessories go with which model etc.

I may be a bit dense, but have worked with this program for about a month and have yet to get a decent model to use, (Iwas hoping), in PSP for a painting.

Can anyone help? Is anyone familiar with this program? Does anyone care? If not I can't blame them

Anyway thanks for my time to rant a bit.

Steve

[Doug Nelson]

I bought Bryce, which comes with this software. I'd tend to agree with you on all points. It's essentially a tool to get you to buy their models. I've bought some of their models, but won't go near 3D Studio.

You're probably already there, but I'd suggest renderosity.com for all things 3D.

The entire 3D marketplace is not nearly as warm and fuzzy as the 2D market. With absolutely no outside corroboration I've taken to assuming it's due to the different brain wiring necessary to be comfortable with 3D modeling.

As for painting 3D models, take a look at this:
http://www.righthemisphere.com/products/dp3d/

[Steve Conway]

Certainly relieved to know that I am not alone in my frustration with Daz. Even as a freebie it ain't worth it.

Everyone who tried to answer my questions re. Daz approached things in a different way. I must have five or six tutorials all of which take you in a different direction.

As for Bryce, probably a bit involved for me. I have no trouble posing models and fitting them to a scene, but it looks like you build everything from scratch in Bryce. That's gets a bit out of my field of expertise.

Thanks for your info.

Steve

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

I bought Bryce, which comes with this software. I'd tend to agree with you on all points. It's essentially a tool to get you to buy their models. I've bought some of their models, but won't go near 3D Studio.

You're probably already there, but I'd suggest renderosity.com for all things 3D.

The entire 3D marketplace is not nearly as warm and fuzzy as the 2D market. With absolutely no outside corroboration I've taken to assuming it's due to the different brain wiring necessary to be comfortable with 3D modeling.

As for painting 3D models, take a look at this:
http://www.righthemisphere.com/products/dp3d/

[byRo]

I tried using DAZ Studio but my video card had some issues with it.
What I did manage to see didn't impress me much so I stayed with Poser.

Poser in not perfect, but for posing scenes with 3-D models it is pretty much the standard - which, by itself, is a good reason to use it.
Like Excel (R) and Word (R) etc., they may not be the best possible app., but everybody knows their way around them.

Rô

[Steve Conway]

Have given some thought to Poser, but have heard that Daz is a sort of simplified Poser. Hence more beginner-friendly. If poser is more complicated than Daz, I would be in big trouble with it. 8-)

Was looking for a good beginner program to learn on when I got Daz. How steep is the learning curve on Poser?

This stuff is supposed to be fun, and Daz is not.

Steve

Originally Posted by byRo

I tried using DAZ Studio but my video card had some issues with it.
What I did manage to see didn't impress me much so I stayed with Poser.

Poser in not perfect, but for posing scenes with 3-D models it is pretty much the standard - which, by itself, is a good reason to use it.
Like Excel (R) and Word (R) etc., they may not be the best possible app., but everybody knows their way around them.

Rô

[byRo]

I didn't get far enough with DAZ to be able to compare them properly.
It did seem that DAZ tried to organize things a bit more - like using tree structures.
Poser is not at all easy stuff for beginners but, like I said, being mainstream, you can find good tutorials all over the Web.

Rô
P.S. You need a big fast machine, otherwise nothing 3D is going to be fun!

[Doug Nelson]

Poser is much easier than Daz Studio (not that it's in any way simple). It also has one of the best 3D rendering engines available, though it's limited to rendering small spaces. Some people use it for non-figure work for that reason.

[Steve Conway]

Organization seems to me to be one of Daz's problems. It will place downloaded files in the strangest places. For example. I loaded hair samples in my V3 folder and it comes up under Vicky "poses." And is not listed as hair, but under the name of the company that made it. So you have to search for everything. I only have a few accessories for one model as of now. I can imagine the problem when it's several models and multiple outfits for each.

I'll probably just opt to keep looking. Am pretty happy with 2d and not in a big hurry to add this unless it can add to the enjoyment of photo art. Not thus far.

I thank you again for your help.

Steve

Originally Posted by byRo

I didn't get far enough with DAZ to be able to compare them properly.
It did seem that DAZ tried to organize things a bit more - like using tree structures.
Poser is not at all easy stuff for beginners but, like I said, being mainstream, you can find good tutorials all over the Web.

Rô
P.S. You need a big fast machine, otherwise nothing 3D is going to be fun!

[Doug Nelson]

Check out the Digital Element 3D plugins for Photoshop. I have their Aurora, it adds some incredible water and skies to 2D photos (search here for Aurora, I posted some).

http://www.digi-element.com/index.htm

[byRo]

Originally Posted by Steve Conway

.... but under the name of the company that made it.

Like Doug said....

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

The entire 3D marketplace is not nearly as warm and fuzzy as the 2D market.

(bolding mine)

3D stuff ain't easy to make and the folks who do the models want some return. Very little (good) stuff is free and 3D world is exactly that - a marketplace.
For example, one of Poser's main tabs leads you directly to a commercial 3D site.

So that's why things are organized by "merchant" and not by their function.

Rô

[Steve Conway]

Yes, it's a commercial world we live it. Sure makes it tough on us sometimes though.

Thanks for all the good input on this. As I said to begin with, I was just trying to get my feet wet in 3d since it was a freebie program. And that's about what it's worth unfortunately.

Steve

Originally Posted by byRo

Like Doug said....
(bolding mine)

3D stuff ain't easy to make and the folks who do the models want some return. Very little (good) stuff is free and 3D world is exactly that - a marketplace.
For example, one of Poser's main tabs leads you directly to a commercial 3D site.

So that's why things are organized by "merchant" and not by their function.

Rô

[Steve Conway]

I have been using Terragen some and have had pretty good results with it for BG stuff. Wish there was a Photoshop-type plugin that would allow some working with 3d models. The kind of models that are found in Poser and Daz. Guess I'm dreaming.

I think Aurora is for Photoshop only. I don't have PS. Been happy with PSP since version 6, and just keep adding things to it.

Appreciate the help.

Steve

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

Check out the Digital Element 3D plugins for Photoshop. I have their Aurora, it adds some incredible water and skies to 2D photos (search here for Aurora, I posted some).

http://www.digi-element.com/index.htm

[Doug Nelson]

PSP can use PS filters, no? Take a look at their ModelShop.

[Steve Conway]

Yes, PSP uses Photoshop 8BF filters. But not familiar with PSP's model shop. What's the deal on this? Is it a Corel thing?

Steve

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

PSP can use PS filters, no? Take a look at their ModelShop.

[Doug Nelson]

Modelshop is from Digital Elements (see link above)

[Steve Conway]

OK, got it. Looks good, but doesn't say if it works with PSP.

Steve

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

Modelshop is from Digital Elements (see link above)