There is no question that DAZ makes some really nice products. After spending a little over $100 this past weekend on M3 and accessories I am disapointed that DAZ could not include a pdf file that would have helped me to better understand their new product. They had little problem taking my money but they seem to make the assumption that every customer knows what they are doing. NOT TRUE......... some of us are beginners! It wouldn't have been hard to include a simple M3 instructional 4-5 page pdf.

Hmmm! Valid point. Whilst on the subject of Daz 3d, I have always in the past defended Daz's customer service and fast response to any problems I have had. However just recently thinks seem to be slipping :o( I sent Daz 3d an email requesting Customer service and it took somewhere in the region of 10 days to get a reply from them which was as follows: Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 7:39 PM Subject: Re: Backing up of purchases I apologize for the delay with this. Were you able to get this cleared up? Let me know if you still need assistance with this. Thanks, Reba Vest DAZ Productions I immediatly replied saying that I did still need assistance with my problem, but haven't heard a thing since, which is as you see approaching 4 weeks ago. I sent another request for assistance as a reply to the above message on the 12th of this month, still nothing :o( Anybody having similiar problems? MaRv

I'm usually pretty pro-DAZ, partly because I broker through them, but mainly because they do have a lot of good things going for them, compared with most other vendors. However, in the case of the help/info files, I couldn't agree more. For some reason I can't fathom, DAZ seem to be under the impression that help files aren't necessary. To me, this is a big mistake. They're not only necessary, but IMO, should be REQUIRED for all but the most simple products. (I may be a bit biased here. My next product has a 33-page help file with it). Still, even the most basic guide to using a product can save a lot of time and hassle, and it's something DAZ should make a point of including, whenever possible. Re the slow service lately. That could just be due to releasing mike 3 and all the stuff that went with him. mac

*Re the slow service lately. That could just be due to releasing mike 3 and all the stuff that went with him * Could well be Mac :o) Don't get me wrong, I'm not losing any sleep over this and I'm sure sooner or later they'll get me sorted, just making an observation on what appears to be a customer service shortfall all beit temporary. ( we hope ;o)

I don't know the reason, but I've noticed any time I send an Email to DAZ using the "reply to sender" option, I've never gotten a reply, but if I send it using the "contact support" link on their web pages I always do, sooner or later. I've kind of assumed they send their replies from an account that has no in-box, or they just don't check it? I first noticed this about 8 months ago.

Could be :o) Thanks I'll try a direct using contact support directly, nothing to lose and all that ;o)

Attached Link: http://www.daz3d.com

FAQ
http://www.daz3d.com/support/index.php?id=15

README
This product contains everything that you need for the Michael 3 figure to function (pose, animate, etc) correctly. However, it does not contain texture maps or extensive morphs. These are sold separately as add-on products to allow for more personalized customization.

In your Figures Library, under the "DAZ People" tab, you'll find three icons for loading the Michael 3 figures and 1 prop:

• "Michael 3" -- A new figure (with a new mesh, joints and maps), with channels ready for loading M3 morphs.
• "M3 BLANK" -- A version of this same figure, only without the channels for morph loading. This figure is intended to assist developers in providing a clean base for building their own morph targets. Morphs CANNOT be loaded on this figure.
• "Mike 3 to Mike 2" -- A different figure (based on the M3 model), designed for compatibility with the poses and most clothing accessories of Michael 1 and 2, and the head morphs of Michael 3. This character contains no morphs in the body of the figure.
• "Michael 3 Genitals" -- An articulate prop intended to be conformed to the Michael 3.0 model.

In your Poses Library you'll find all of the Michael 3 poses, MAT poses, and morph delta poses grouped together. (The M3 categories all begin with an "!".)

• "!DAZ's Michael 3" -- This category contains 20 specific poses designed for the Michael 3 figure.
• "!MAT M3" -- This category contains 10 Material Pose files for changing the Michael 3 model's material settings in various ways.
• Also, you will find a few new categories that begin with "!M3" and end with either "INJ" or "REM". These categories contain morph delta poses, and more will be added to them when you purchase M3 add-on products such as the Michael 3 Head or Body Morph Paks. The inject (INJ) poses will inject morphs into the "Michael 3" figure, where they will show up as Parameter Dials in the Body and Different Body Parts of the Model. The default setting is 0. No change in the figure will occur until this default value is modified. The remove (REM) poses will remove these injected morphs and again hide their associated dials.

Lastly, you will find a "!DAZ" folder inside the Libraries folder of your Poser Runtime Directory. For those copying the files over by hand, it is important that you do not rename or move this folder. It contains the morph target information used in the Michael 3.0 INJection Poses.

Within the Michael 3 Base Pak product are only a few morphs, primarily those associated with posing the figure. Some of these morphs come already contained on the character (CR2) file, and some are supplied with pose files ready to inject and remove from the character file. The morphs supplied with this product include the joint correction morphs (JCM) that are automatically linked with the rotation of joints, and the morphs for expression and speech (such as the Mimic compatible morphs).

**PLEASE NOTE: The Michael 3 mesh and morphs are proprietary. These morphs CANNOT be redistributed in whole or part, either as injection poses (as purchased) or as deltas within a CR2 file. For information on how to legally distribute Michael 3 derivatives or add-on products, please visit our FAQs page.

In order to really explore the versatility of this model, we recommend that you also purchase the Michael 3 Head and Body Morph Paks, which contain morphs for versatility in the design and form of your Michael 3 character. Also, for understanding and easiest use of all of the Michael 3(and also Victoria 3) morphs, we recommend that you check out the FAQs page at DAZ3D for information on how the morphs are ordered on the figure, and how they are named. (For example, conventions such as "JCM" for automatically applied Joint Correction Morphs, and "p" for partial morphs that are intended to be controlled by dials in other body parts.)

Follow these steps to inject the morphs into the figure.

• Load the Michael 3 figure into the scene from the Figures Library.
• Go to the Poses Library.
• Select the morph(s) you wish to use and double click on the icon to add them to the dials. The Michael 3 Figure must be selected.
• It is possible to save out the figure as a new character (CR2) with these morphs loaded. Please see the FAQ for more information on this. It is not permissible to distibute these CR2 files.

For answers to frequently asked questions about Michael 3(as well as Victoria 3)'s new features, please visit our FAQs page at http://www.daz3d.com/support/index.php

As for the replies to emails, it is true that there has been an increase in customer service requests since the release of Michael 3.0. Other factors may also include the learning curve of new employees hired on to help provide better service. A month for a reply sounds very excessive, I agree. Please feel free to write often to these emails: we will do our best to help you as fasst as we can.

• sales@daz3d.com for help proccessing orders or questions about products.
• tech@daz3d.com for help using our products.
• feedback@daz3d.com as a general suggestion box. (replies to this email are usually pretty short thank-you's, but many people do read them...)

Like I said, I hope this helps. Please feel free to send feedback anytime about anything. Let us know what we can do better! Ryan Bouchbr> webmaster@daz3d.com

Now that's the sort of response I'm talkng about :o) nicely done and thankyou Ryan, much appreciated :o)

I've always gotten great customer support from DAZ, but lately, yes, trying to get a response out of them is frustrating, at best. DAZ, I love you, and I know you're busy, but for heaven's sake, hire another office assistant to deal with customer emails and such! This has been going on for months now, and it's starting to make even the most loyal of customers wonder what the heck is going on. :( bonni

Reba and Anne-Marie are not in the office I think. Didn't they both get a baby lately? Maybe this is the reason that it takes so long to get a response because no one else is doing their jobs?

"However, in the case of the help/info files, I couldn't agree more. For some reason I can't fathom, DAZ seem to be under the impression that help files aren't necessary. To me, this is a big mistake."

Amen, Mac! I'm a huge fan of DAZ and have ALWAYS been impressed by almost every facet of their business. However, if there is one smudge on their otherwise "sparkling diamond of an organization" it is the lack of documentation.

I can't tell you how many seemingly wonderful products I've bought from DAZ only to be frustrated by not knowing how to use some of the features, and knowing I am completely missing out on some of them altogether.

If anyone from DAZ is reading this, PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION FOR ALL OF YOUR PRODUCTS.

I know merchants here at Renderosity who include a handy PDF guide (ala Harvey Mann, etc.) make forking over money for their products all to easy.

-Tim

MarV, you say 'I sent another request for assistance as a reply to the above message on the 12th of this month, still nothing :o(' Anybody having similiar problems?' Oh yes, I have the same problem. I asked a question more than a month ago, sent to daz, and till that day -- no answer. BonBonish

Why not just call them (assuming your in the US of course)? Being an "instant-gratification" kind of person, I always call them (and every other company that has phone support) and have been very happy with them. LD is so cheap right now, why not? And if you're an East-coaster, you get the added benefit of being able to call fairly late and still get in touch with someone ... whoo-hoo! -Tim

You want to see bad customer service? Just wait until Daz releases Daz Studio and to their delight get the 1,000,000 downloads they're after. That will naturally be followed by Daz getting 1,000,000 e-mails of questions, complaints, compliments, etc... Plan to get responses in oh... 15 years :)

DAZ, if you're looking for a tech writer who'll work under contract to produce this documentation... :) Seriously, it should be that hard. Most of the verbiage would be recycled for all products.