Hi. I've never used Daz Studio, I've used Poser and Carrara quite a bit. I'm considering learning how to use DS and adding it to my tool box, I'm curious whether Daz Studio Pro is free and if so does it contain all the tools I'd need for figure creation? rigging etc.

Additionally, how's the documentation now? I recall it was rather hit or miss in the past.

I don't know much about figure creation and rigging, so I can't be of much help there, but yes, Daz Studio is completely free.

Hi Jeff,

But is Pro free?

I have 4.x Pro in my Daz products library... I'm also curious if this is the latest version.

I believe there is only one version of DAZ Studio. And it is free. As far as figure creation, I believe that Hexagon is available free also. As far as documentation, it is better, actually I think much better, but still hit or miss. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube that help. My DAZ Studio is at 4.12.0.86 Pro and it was free.

So I guess my question should be

Is 4.x Pro the latest version? How's the documentation? Does it include the rigging tools?

Thanks

Jack238 posted at 8:23PM Thu, 09 April 2020 - #4385841

I believe there is only one version of DAZ Studio. And it is free. As far as figure creation, I believe that Hexagon is available free also. As far as documentation, it is better, actually I think much better, but still hit or miss. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube that help.

Hi. I use Blender, Mudbox, and Wings. Another modeling tool isn't needed. Hexagon is dead in the water and unstable. I would be using DS for rigging and Iray.

Hexagon had an update which made it much more stable. But you asked about model creation and all the tools you mentioned do that well. There are rigging tools in DAZ3D. I have never used them but have seen them. Hopefully someone else can provide you more information here on that topic.

Thanks Jack238. I think it was just semantics.

Yes, hopefully.

The current version of Daz is 4.12

Cool. Thanks wheatpenny...

You should also download the DAZ Install Manager, you will need it to update DS and install any freebies and purchases directly from their website. It is also useful for installing Poser related items conveniently although it takes some setting up.

There's is only DS Pro now, rigging tools etc are all included, along with instancing, strand based hair and dforce dynamics. There are numerous videos and lots of information in the Daz forums on how to do pretty much anything.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looking forward to (slowly) learning how to make DS compatible stuff and finally getting to use all that cool Genesis content that's available, especially the monster type things. Now if I only had more free time for all my hobbies...

There are a couple of functions restricted to DAZ PA's currently, but the majority of content creation tools are free and included with DS 4.12.

What's not included in the box:

Functions Restricted to DAZ PA's include:

Conversion of strand base hair to Dynamic hair.

Importing High Definition Morphs (This function allows sculpting on higher levels of subdivision in 3rd party apps and loading as a morph onto a base figure.)

What's not free

Most 3rd Party content and plugins.

The majority of Daz 3D or Daz 0 content. Base figures and a stack of other content are currently free.

...

Documentation

One thing to keep in mind as far as documentation goes is that it tends to come in levels, from a range of sources. With the fairly rapid development of Daz Studio's functionality the creation of an all encompassing manual has become a practical impossibility. Daz 3D does have quite a bit of info on there information centre page, but some of it is outdated and it doesn't cover every aspect of the software. http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/start

What you will find is:

General user and basic functionality: Highly documented with online documentation and supporting Youtube videos and tutorials. Daz Studio also has a Lesson mode for some basic tutorials.

Intermediate user and functionality: Pretty well documented with online documentation, tutorials and supporting Youtube videos

Advanced user and functionality: Somewhat documented with some online documentation and tutorials(Some already a little outdated) and some paid tutorials alongside Youtube videos and 3rd party sites offering guides/tuts. Forums are also a good place to find info with advanced technical issues.

Emerging functionality: Forums are the best place to glean information about newly added functionality especially change logs and public Beta threads, where new functions are explored and tested before widespread public release. New functions are generally introduced in videos by Daz 3D, but generally don't go into a great deal of detail as to what this or that widget does but give a general overview of the new function. Tutorials and more detailed videos generally emerge as time progresses.

Some good introductory reference material: This covers most of the new features introduced alongside of the Iray engine in DS 4.8. http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/new_features/4_8/start

This covers the new surface settings using the Daz Iray Uber Shader http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/referenceguide/interface/panes/surfaces/shaders/iray_uber_shader/shader_general_concepts/start

The Daz 3D Youtube channel also has a lot of tutorial and introduction videos. https://www.youtube.com/user/WWWDAZ3DCOM

DS is a crack candy obsession. That's not a complaint. Giving away the software with a generous starter pack of content is actually brilliant. The Daz site has free content on offer all the time, too. DS is more of a destination for content than a source of content. New content creation is better accomplished in an external program. DS includes very little in the way of modelling tools. Hexagon is an interesting modeller, but a lot of people making Daz stuff work in Blender, 3DS Max, Z-brush etc.

When I say "content creation with DS" I'm referring to the character rigging system utilized by DS. I'm all covered with modeling tools as you'll see by my sig line, I've been doing this off and on for years. Prior to my obsession with 3d modeling I was a sculptor and painter with traditional media, gallery contracted. I still do quite a bit of drawing.

Just so happens I like the "hobbyist" apps along with the "professional" ones. Poser was one of my intros to 3d, way back at Poser 3.

Hexagon is toast, sorry.

I like your gallery Torquinox. You might like some of my stuff...

Thanks :) Cool! You should start a gallery here. Are you on DA?

Hi Torquinox. No, I used to be. They compress the images too much. Frankly I start to feel overwhelmed if I put my stuff up on too many sites. I'd rather toil in obscurity over at ShareCG lol. Plus I get very cranky and moody with 'communities' and troll-like behaviors start to surface ha ha.

Anyway, nice meeting you.

I understand. Nice meeting you, too, EldritchCellar.

Cool style and images Eldritch!

Thank you Razor42