Well I had a five week paycheck this month so I broke down and picked up DS4A and as soon as my new computer gets here I will install it and see what all of the hubbub is about. The only reason that I picked it up was I do not see DAZ and SM working through the difference in their weight mapping programs. I am not that upset, a little irritated perhaps but not upset because I can understand both points of the argument. Neither company wants to be controled by the other. DAZ has come out with a new figure that does amazing things, and they did offer the tech to SM to make it compatible in Poser, but SM doesn't want to be dependant on someone elses tech for the figure so they both solved the weight mapping issue with by going seperate ways. I keep hearing that V5/M5 will be morphs of the Genesis figure and although I have a lot invested in the Gen4 characters, I will be able to use all of that with the Genesis character thanks to morph packs. Yes it will mean learning a new work flow and yes I did say that I didn't want to do that, but the world is full of things we don't want to do, and I don't want to get left behind because I refused to change. I still plan on using Poser and I will hold out hope that one of the briliant python wizards that create amazing items for poser will be able to crack the code that will allow Genesis to be used to its full potiential in Poser, but until then I will have a foot in each program.

OK for some reason I couldn't upload the images so here are they are via a different route.

[IMG]http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Sierra008/V4andMariko.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv245/Sierra008/test1.jpg[/IMG]

OK here are a couple of renders I made with Mariko. She takes a minute or two to get used to as far as her material zones and how she bends. Being a foot guy she really needs some attention paid to her feet, they are kind of flat. Her morphs are more simplified than Vickies, and that took a coouple of tries to figure out but I don't hold that against the figure, I have just gotten used to V4 and I remember when I was trying to figure her out after switching from V3. Her nail morph is really cool, there is no limit to the length of her nails and you can giver her some really wicked claws if you so desire. The other body morphs are quick and easy to use and to some extent mirror the names on V4's morphing dials. All in all she is a great character and has a lot of potential once some additional content becomes avaialble. I just hope someone creates a morph pack for her feet like I have seen for V4.

Quote - I think it may be zigraphix putting  the documentation together. Try a search at Daz Forum for their username. I am unable to post links using this browser, sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck!

No need to appologize you gave me the info I needed, it is Zigraphix that is doing the documentation for DS4A and CCT. The CCT documentation is out but they are still working on the DS4 info. I found the DAZ youtube area and I was able to watch several videos they had on lighting. It looks like their lighting is similar to Posers but may be a little more user friendly. I guess once I install it and try it out I will know for sure, but from the video's and talking to people the hardest part will be learning the new workflow and there won't be a whole lot of things to unlearn and relearn for the new program.

Thanks for the link! I know there was someone at the DAZ forums that was just asked to to lead a group that was doing the documentation for DS4A and other plug ins but I can not find that thread any more or remember who it was because she had hotlinks in her signature block for the documentation I am looking for. Me and my crummy memory!

I appreciate that,I wish that it had a PDF manual like Poser comes with to look at when you are sitting there scratching your head in confusion.

I have been using Poser since Poser 6 and I have just purchased DS4A in an effort to be able to play with Genesis. I love using Poser Pro 2012 but I see the two programs starting to split over this whole weight mapping thing, and I have heard that V5/M5 will be a morph for the Genesis model so I would like to be able to stay on the cutting edge of models so I will use both and continue to hope that SM and DAZ will find a common ground to make Genesis and future models work equally in both programs.

Quote - Oh and are there any boots in the works for her? I always seem to end up with girls with guns and boots renders.

High heeled ones would be great and high heeled platform ones like Nemain makes would be AWESOME!! Some nice sexy boots and shoes would be COOL!!!

OK, I went ahead and blew my Poser budget for the month and bought Mariko and dress bundle and her pose pack, once I get it downloaded I will install it and post a render with her. I noticed that in the promo's it looked like she was wearing V4's underwear skin. Was this something that you addapted to fit her or will she use the same textures that V4 uses? I know that you say she has her own mesh but it appeared that she was wearing a V4 skin. I am just wanting to be sure.

Quote -  DAZ did want to take a larger step in their own figure development though, which I think is good because I don't know how they could have really improved that much on the fourth generation (V4 and M4) without some major technical changes. Again, I wouldn't rush to say that Genesis will neverwork properly in Poser, but it can't hurt for Poser users to have other figures to fall back on. SnowS

LOL I agree that Genesis is the next step in figures, but to say that Poser has its standard figures to fall back on is not very encouraging! Have you tried to you use them?

I hope that someway or somehow that they develop a Genesis character that will work in Poser, or at least when they release V5 and M5 they will be Poser friendly!

Quote - :sigh:

Shadow seemed to be concerned that DAZ would be moving into gaming and away from making content for 3D artists. I have heard from at least one source at DAZ (take whatever you want from that) that they are not planning on focusing more on gaming than on making content for Poser and Studio.

LOL, you just had to get that little dig in there about not worrying (i.e. caring) about what DAZ does, didn't ya?    ;)

Hi Snow,

Thanks for the info on DAZ. It isn't that I am worried about DAZ leaving its roots to try something new, it is more of a question as to why DAZ would alienate a whole sales base? I understand that DAZ has lived in the shadow of Poser for a while and they are starting to come into their own and they want everyone to know that they are not Poser. But why in the world would they design a new character that can not be used in Poser, which still provides them with a solid income? Like I have also stated I am not a DAZ hater, I just don't understand why they want to cut off their nose to prove a point? I would really like to use Genesis, BUT not at the expense of having to install another program, build my character in this program, buy an exporter, export the figure and then not even be able to get the full use out of it once it is transfered? I am sure that it is not their intent but I see that as a slap in the face for not using their progran in the first place. I can already see suport dropping off for the Gen 4 figures, I have talked to vendors that had projects in the works for V4 and M4 that have shelved them in favor of Genesis, projects that I had already had money set aside for to purchase. Plus why would you make a morph set for the new figure to use the last generations clothes and character morphs? If I were a conspiracy nut I would pull some theory about DAZ trying to force everyone to use their program if they want new content.

Like I have stated before, why is DAZ giving people the impression that they are trying to alienate a whole section of their consumer base? I shop at DAZ almost as much as I shop hhere at Rendo and RDNA as well as some of the more adult sites, and as more and more stuff comes out for Genesis only, the less I will be shopping there.

Sorry everyone, I don't mean to sound mad about all of this, I reall am not, I am just frustrated that a company that I willingly buy product from is by their actions telling me that I am no longer important.

Quote - Daz has a lot of new, exciting ventures on its horizon: Poser user desires and needs factor very low on their priority list. The 3D artist market is tiny compared to the gaming industry and social network system such as 2nd Life, etc. I don't see Daz making bad decisions at all, just not at all with the Poser community's interests at heart.

Fair enough: I don't blame them. They are moving in the right direction... for Daz.

That is cool that DAZ is branching out into Video games 2nd life and social networking but why would they abandon an already established niche in the 3D market? That is like Ford saying they will no longer make trucks. All they have to do is allow their designers to continue to do what they have been doing and sit back and reap the profits. I just don't understand the sudden change in mind set.

I guess that is why I continue to be a working stiff, I just don't understand big business!

Unfortunately I have read some of the same things, and if DAZ can not offer a figure that works the same in Poser as it does DAZ than I will have to turn my back on it and wait for V5/M5 to come out. Yes I have heard that they will be morphs of the Genesis platform but I am betting that DAZ will not turn its back on the thousands of Poser users out there by making it a DAZ only figure like Genesis. That would be poor business sense if they did that, not only would they lose the base figure sales but the hundres of thousands of dollars that would encompas the clothing and poses needed to use those figures would be lost. I truly hope that DAZ and SM get past their "Whose got the biggest pair on the block" issues and come to terms with the rift that is being created by their stuborness!

WOW Thanks for the quick response! I have that hair so I guess I will have to break out the read me and see how it was done. That is good to hear about the shoes now I saw that Nemain over at Synfulmindz has done a pose pack for her, is she planning on doing more and possibly offering props for her? If that is a yes then we have a winner and I will be picking her up. She looks great and even with the issues that I ahve seen pointed out, nothing is perfect, look at how many upgrades were done to V4! I am sure that as time goes on a new and improved model will come out and those that have her will be looked after.

Personally I have nothing for or against DAZ, even though I have used Poser in one form or anither since I started working in 3D art. I tried DAZ and Poser 6 at the same time and liked Poser better, no big deal. The only real issue I am having with the whole Genesis debacle is that if a plug in is made I will have to install DS4 to use it, and that really iritates me, but if SM OR DAZ were to make a plug in for Poser Pro 2012 I would buy it so I could use Genesis, I have seen a lot of great things being done with it over in the DAZ forums, yes I keep one foot in each forum, both have great info and I just ignore all of the negative that both spew out. I am sure that there are a lot of artists that use Poser that would pick up Genesis if there were a Poser plug in that did not require the instilation of DS4 on their computer. For me at this time it is a matter of principle, I do not want to have to learn a new workflow just to use one figure and some of the really cool stuff that has come out for it.

Now if you give me a minute I will done my flame retardant suit and you may fire away!