Well just wonder... when the new version of Studio comes out.. the talk is all about it being cloud based how will this effect the props and so forth that we have gether up over the years.... will they still work

Ian

per Daz, in the thread on their site, its all optional in the next release...and it won't affect already installed stuff.

But will you still be able to load and use new 3rd party stuff

Yes, as I understand it. you probably want to read here for more detail

If you are using the new DAZ Connect system and the product is encrypted, no. DIM and manual downloads and installations will be okay for the time being. Anything you have already bought and installed is supposed to be okay. When DAZ starts with content that is Connect only, then you cannot use it without signing on through Connect. It's very involved and confusing.

Personally, I'm just staying away from 4.9 like it's the plague. 4.8.0.59 is more than sufficient for my needs and abilities. To get a better picture, read the forum posts over at DAZ.

According to Daz Spooky, thats not true. You can use it offline, as long as you have at least once connected and downloaded your Auth key, which is what will be used to unlock products downloaded from Daz Connect. It's a new method of keeping content safe...very similar to how iClone or Unity does it.

2. For users that want a single file they can download for a product we are building that option right now. It is my fault that this feature has not yet been implemented, I prioritized features that would improve the online experience first. You will be able to download (and backup) a package file (I don't want to call it a zip because the contents are encrypted) and an authorization file (that is unique to your user) which will let you install products while offline. You will have to connect any new machine at least once to download your user key to that machine but after that these package and authorization files can be used without ever connecting again.

@3doutlaw Thanks for your level headed comments regarding this. There does appear to be a lot of incorrect details being thrown in the air. I have used iClone for years and also Unity and Ue4 etc If the Daz system is similar to these then Daz users have absolutely nothing to worry about. I trust Reallusion completely since time is proof and they have always protected their product (iClone content/vendor content) without incident or affecting me with its use. No incidents with the other two either. I have never had a issue with Daz where I would not extend to them the same respect and trust to do the right thing and I am sure they will.

Personally, I have no idea if this new content protection scheme is good or bad since I've never encountered it before, but I'm willing to give Daz the benefit of the doubt and give it a chance. I suspect it might be a lot of worry over nothing. When Daz 4.9 comes out I'll give it a try (but I'll hang on to my 4.8 installer for the first little while till I decide if I'm going to keep 4.9...

@wheatpenny I installed 4.9 and kept 4.8 as this happens while in Beta you get the 4.9 as a separate install same as I did from 4.7 to 4.8. You can run either and any new purchases show up in both of course. I find it is good for comparison (Render times load speed improvements are very noticeable on this update little shop in my pane is not going to rain on my parade)

On official public release as you stated keep a copy of the 4.8 installer because a public release of Daz Studio 4.9 will go straight over the top of your 4.8 and replace it.

I would think you have encountered DRM before unless you were not online and hiding under a rock. It is only because this is an announcement of change from Daz in their practice as a company. Actually they are very late in adopting this tech so chances are they sat back at watched others go first to ensure they could get it right. Even if they could have handled the announcement better I think misunderstanding and speculation was always going to run wild. You probably use software unaffected each and every day that uses this method it is just they didn't wave a banner in front of your face telling you and it was in place already ;-)

Ok, so I probably have used it, but just never noticed. If that is the case then this new thing is even less of a worry for me, as the only difference between this and the other ones is that this time I know it's there :lol:

Quote from Ronin (1998): "Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt".

On DAZ forums, more and more people are realizing that, as long as exports are available, the DRM scheme works as much as Blazing Saddles Toll Booth and are therefore are asking for explanations. The various DAZ guys stubbornly refuse to provide anything vaguely resembling an answer.

To me, the story stinks every day more of a ruse to push down the users throats (or UP another "channel") the use of DAZ Connect which is nothing but the first step towards a cloud-only "solution" (b.t.w., since it autonomously "suggests" products examining your scene, it is already a push technology and not just a pull one, as the DAZ guys still pretend it to be). The conclusion that a cloud-only architecture is DAZ final objective is becoming every day more inescapable.

Anyone with any sense should back-up ALL of their content that they purchased from DAZ NOW. I myself have two 1 TB external hard-drives that are duplicates of each other -- one that sits on my desk and that I use just about every day, and the other sits in a water & fire-proof strong box, just in case. If the files on one go bad, I can rebuild them from the other, and should the unforseen ever occur, I wouldn't lose more than a few days worth of downloads. I'm telling you this now because I think it's foolish to trust that DAZ will honor their promises that the ZIPs and DIM downloads will remain beyond the immediate future -- they keep saying that there are "no immediate plans" to discontinue them, but in the next sentence, they'll tell you that they "can't make any promises about future developments". If you're the type who doesn't keep a copy stored safely and close at hand, and thinks that you'll always be able to download something via ZIP or DIM should you ever want or need it, you may be sadly disappointed in the not-so-distant future, when your only option will be through DAZ Connect and that same content is downloaded to your hard-drive in encrypted form. (My guess is that DAZ will come up with some song-and-dance about how it was a waste of resources to keep three separate download systems running simultaneously, or that the code from one or both of the older systems interferes with the code for DAZ Connect so they're taking it out -- something to that effect that gives them an opening to scuttle it, and when people start to complain, they'll already have plausible deniability by reminding everyone that they "can't make promises about future developments".)

wheatpenny posted at 9:20PM Wed, 04 November 2015 - #4236940

(but I'll hang on to my 4.8 installer for the first little while till I decide if I'm going to keep 4.9...

This brings up an interesting question. Are there places to get the older version installers still? I happen to have my 4.5 installer, but neither 4.6 or 4.7. Also, what were the specific last version numbers of 4.5, 4.6, and 4.7?

Black__Days posted at 5:31PM Wed, 04 November 2015 - #4236968

wheatpenny posted at 9:20PM Wed, 04 November 2015 - #4236940

(but I'll hang on to my 4.8 installer for the first little while till I decide if I'm going to keep 4.9...

This brings up an interesting question. Are there places to get the older version installers still? I happen to have my 4.5 installer, but neither 4.6 or 4.7. Also, what were the specific last version numbers of 4.5, 4.6, and 4.7?

You should be able to download the current 4.8 build from your Content Library. Do it soon before DAZ releases the Public Build of DS 4.9, and the 4.8 build is gone for good. Earlier versions are gone for good from the DAZ site. (You can probably still find them somewhere, but telling you where and how to look for them might get me in trouble with the moderators here -- the DAZ moderators weren't too happy when I gave the same advice to someone there once.)

Morpheon posted at 9:34PM Wed, 04 November 2015 - #4236969

You should be able to download the current 4.8 build from your Content Library. Do it soon before DAZ releases the Public Build of DS 4.9, and the 4.8 build is gone for good. Earlier versions are gone for good from the DAZ site. (You can probably still find them somewhere, but telling you where and how to look for them might get me in trouble with the moderators here -- the DAZ moderators weren't too happy when I gave the same advice to someone there once.)

Roger that. Just the way you said that tells me what I'll need to do. Time to dig out my hazmat suit...

Many thanks to all off you.... As things stand it's will be 4.8 for an while just wait to see how things go... Some of the programs I use for my video editting have up dated their new versions to the pie in the sky... workin... you have to buy the programs and then pay every year for the right to use them... not good I stay with the versions I brought out right

Radioham