I note DAZ say the latest DS release is required for G8F, and here at Rendo, G8F products have 'Software: DAZ Studio 4.9.4 (Needed for G8F) ' slapped on them.

Funny - I'm finding G8F works fine in DS 4.8. The figure loads, poses, accepts materials ... everything a figure needs to do.

There are 3 and only 3 'problems':

1. The new version of Iray materials won't work properly with earlier DS. Well. duh! But any 3Delight materials or earlier versions of Iray materials an earlier DS 4.9 or 4.8 supports will work fine (as G8F takes G3F textures, having the same UVs apart from the eyes, but they are still compatible), and you can still use the new maps just by applying one of those older materials with ignore maps selected.

2. Autofit and the 'normal' Transfer Utility workflow don't work (on anything with shoulderbend and thighbend joints - many hairs will be fine and if it's G3F hair etc it doesn't even need to change the shape at all as G8F is exactly the same shape as G3F, just has a different zero pose (arm shoulderbend bend down 45, leg thighbend side-to-side out 6 compared with G3F's t-pose zero). But Transfer Utility is a powerful beast, and it took me all of two minutes to find a Transfer Utility workflow that WILL transfer all the G3F (and other figures) clothes, hair, morphs and whatnot to G8F perfectly fine, different zero pose and all. It's a few more clicks then the 'normal' TU workflow - but not enough to make it take much longer. After checking it worked, took me less than a minute to use Transfer Uitlity to convert a G3F jacket and pants and boots to G8F - in DS 4.8.

3. DAZ have been a bit naughty. On loading the main G8F, a warning comes up saying the content won't load in a DS before 4.9.4 - although G8F then loads anyway and works. Users may think that warning refers to G8F; it doesn't. What that warning is about is that in the supplied user facing G8F-loading .duf, DAZ have it call an ENCRYPTED script that ... loads the separate eyelashes. And DS won't load/run encrypted scripts from a higher version of DS. So the eyelashes don't load automatically. But you can just go to the G8F Anatomy folder and load the eyelashes (like the 3rd party fibremesh eyelashes for G3F sold here). At which point there's another ' won't load in this version' message - but the eyelashes load, conform and work just fine. THAT warning message is because the eyelash .duf ALSO calls an encrypted script to apply a swanky Iray shader, and that isn't run in a lower version DS. But as i said, the eyelashes load and work - with a default material with transparency maps and all, and of course you can then apply any other G3F eyelash material, or 'ignore maps' with another material and keep the new maps. Load G8F, ignoring the warning (which is about the eyelash loading script) and save as a character and you'll have a base G8F that loads without warning messages. Same if you load then save the eyelashes as a wearable - new eyelashes in the library to load without meaningless warning. And of course you can load G8F, load the eyelashes so they fit to, then save G8F with eyelashes to use each time. No actual usability lost at all.

Now: there is no reason for those to be encrypted scripts - other than to have them trigger the 'won't work except in latest DS' messages to, from DAZ's point of view, make users THINK they can't use G8F in earlier DS 4.9 or 4.8 to hopefully make those of us who haven't, and in many cases have reasons why they won't upgrade to the latest 4.9 change our minds. Basically it is a cheat, misinformation. I can even see why DAZ might do it and want to give the impression G8F doesn't work in earlier DS 4.9s and 4.8. Newbies might be confused having to use a different Transfer Utility workflow, not understand about different Iray versions and materials etc, meaning more work for DAZ customer support. But it's still not literally true. You CAN use G8F in earlier DS 4.9s and 4.8.

So the bottom line is, provided you understand you need to use material settings for your earlier Iray or any 3Delight materials, and how to do that, and can learn not to use Autofit but a particular workflow in Transfer utility, G8F works fine in DS 4.8 and earlier 4.9s.

As I won't upgrade from 4.8 until/unless DAZ meets a certain condition in future DS versions they've shown no signs of being prepared to give in on (officially - they appear to have pretty much given in in practice, but this is a matter of principle for me) it's just as well; if G8F really didn't work in DS 4.8 I wouldn't use it, so wouldn't buy any products for it from those of you who are PAs/merchants who will create stuff for it. But it does, so i will - provided your product meet 3 conditions: (1) it's something I otherwise want; (2) it's not encrypted content; and (3) if your product is anything with materials (props, environments, vehicles, hair, clothes, weapons, a character etc) you provide at least basic 3Delight materials that apply all the maps, not just Iray ones (I don't like Iray renders, use 3Delight, and if you can't be bothered supplying at least basic 3Delight materials that load all the maps into the standard 3Delight shader channels, I can't be bothered giving you money, basically).