Well I'm sure someone has but my question is really "Has anyone gotten good results with Dystopia yet?'. I thought it would be the coolest freebie for D|S ever when I first found Blocks 1-10 and then 11-20 but all my efforts are downright embaressing. I can't seem to find the magic shading touch and I'm about ready to give up.

Anybody have any luck with it?

Hi I did a test render in Carrara yesterday... its very cool but need some changes in the surfaces (I didnt try it in Poser or Daz Studio). The windows dont have a reflection and the lights dont have a glow channel...so with a little work in the textures you can get a cool result:

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I had a go.using the Light Dome Pro plugin in DS but had a better effect using HDRI in Bryce shown here

Yes... global illumination its a must to get a better look at Dystopia... I used it in my scene in Carrara, but I get a 1H 18 min render time to this image...

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Are you using the DAZ materials that came with it or the poser ones?

Its all the original material... I just touch up the windows (more reflexive) and the lights (a glow channel was added).

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I don't know what you'd consider a good result, but I used Dystopia here:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/40705206

Renders made in D|S, postwork in PS. If you like, I'll share what I did to make 'em look that way :-)

"...and the earth becomes my throne
I adapt to the unknown
Under wandering stars I've grown
By myself but not alone"

I consider that a great result, very stylish work. Please share!

Allright, then :-) I did four important things, basically.

First of all, I changed the windows so they glow red instead of what they were. Secondly, I set up the lighting; went for a blue-ish infinite light.

Last two bits were done through postwork: I applied the diffuse glow filter on a seperate layer, lowered it's opacity. Then I blurred the bits of the scene that were further back.

Any other questions? :-)

"...and the earth becomes my throne
I adapt to the unknown
Under wandering stars I've grown
By myself but not alone"

shotgun, i have the same problem as you - i've got the free blocks and every time i use them, i want to poke my eyes out. ;) no matter what i do, i can't get them to look right. i really really dislike the mats that come with them (yep, I'm using the DAZ Studio ones) - they just don't look real (or obviously it's cos i'm doing something wrong) - and when I try and put a figure in the scene, using the scaling...well, let's just say i'm a nincompoop and can't figure it out. :) I wish i could find a tut somewhere where someone talks you through them step by step.

I'm bad at making tuts, but if anyone has a specific question about 'em, feel free to contact me and I'll try to answer :)

"...and the earth becomes my throne
I adapt to the unknown
Under wandering stars I've grown
By myself but not alone"