Repeatedly I have seen poser exlusive users say that daz doesn't do anything but the most basic shading and material setting. Many of us are aware that is not the case if you either A buy the plug in from daz or B get pendragons shaders. Now my question is this. I know darn well setting up products in Daz is much faster than poser set up. Even adding in time to use the more complex shaders it would be faster in many cases. My question is.. How would daz consumers feel about needing one or the other of those plug ins to use a product to full potential? Ok its a couple of questions.. And which one would be the logical choice do you think? I have a product in the works that due to time constraints may be poser only because I'll have to use tiling rather than be a good girl and do a really super UV map so I started wondering.

I myself have all the plugins. and keep them up to date. I figure its just part of the cost.
you go out and buy (as my brother did) Poser. Well I got DAZ Free. but I need all the
plugins for it to work properly. So in my mind it’s a wash. You still pay, With DAZ its just
how strong of a program do you want. I use it commercially ( FalconArts.Com ) so its
a must to have all the bells and whistles.
I agree DAZ is much faster I kid my brother all the time about How I can set up a scene
in a fraction of the time it takes him with his Poser. He is starting to switch over because of it.

Myself I would say do what you do best. I have very little problem using anyone’s product
I know in the forum I have wound a couple of people up about the tested in DAZ or not
subject in reality I could care less if I want it I get it and make it work. If it uses something
that DAZ does not have just tell me up front that it uses Dynamic whatever and will not work
in DAZ until DAZ ads dynamics to the plugin roster.

So if you make it and we want it well get it and find a way to make it work.

Just my thoughts.

For me it would depend on the product.  Like lighthorse says...if I want it bad enuff I will get it and make it work.  

If the requirement is a FREE plugin or shader then I don't see anyone having a problem with that.
(Pendragons shaders should be a compulsory download for all Studio users anyway :biggrin: ) 

But I would have a problem if I had to buy a plugin specifically for a product.

What did you think of the tiling Pendragon's shader offers?

Smart users of D|S will find a way to adapt, improvise, and overcome... I've done it for the last year. Release something that would be plugin dependant if used in D|S? As long as the proper product advisories are made then I see no problem.

As said before, just use what fits best!

I have nearly all shaders you can find for D|S and use in all my pictures pwSurfaces.

Apart from dynamics, if I want a product, I make it work!

(And anyway, I ALWAYS tweak materials! Be it a Stonemason or Aery-Soul product, I have to tweak the mats.)

As Akhbour said no matter which product you get chances are your going to tweek
it a little here and there any way.
The only plugin I do not have is SDK ( price ) but when I figure out what it can do for me
I might get it.

Attached Link: https://www.lakeworks.com/forums/index.php?f=36

Arien uses pwSurface when she's making Studio settings for her products.  What she does most of the time is make her Poser presets, then the pwSurface presets and then she will make a normal Studio preset set as well so those that don't or will not spend the extra on pwSurface at least have a basic set of presets that work as expected in Studio. 

Besides pwSurface (by Poseworks, sold at DAZ3D.com) Pendragons set is quite nice as well as Laky's free skin shaders.... you can get them from Lakeworks.com

As much as I like Pendragons shader, pwSurface is easier to use, less guessing "What does this slider do?".

But in the end, you might (I am not sure) reach more people when using a free shader. But I think, there are a lot of D|S-user who have invested into pwShaders and I can't imagine that I am the only one who uses them in every render.

OK now I have all plugins I just got SDK

Just to show the difference, here is a basic render of Stonemason's The Arc (the D|S version) with the default light:

www.zimagez.com/zimage/thearcnopw.php

And here is the same scene with pwSurfaces applied, AO enabled and quality set to Production, the render time tripled:

www.zimagez.com/zimage/thearcpw.php

Its very rare I wish I did have more shader options really. Most people don't even take advantage of all the map use options (one of my current secret gripes) in DS or Poser. You can create some really fab effects with extra maps. In fact if daz would just make tiling standard I suspect I would be a happy camper. I admit I've tried to do some lamp sets and was frustrated by the lack of translucence and occasionally yes a good alternate gloss setting would be handy. Procedurals have limited use but there is occasional time it is a better choice. Just one of those points I have been pondering really. -grin-

Akhbour,
I have checked your two renders.  Actually, I like the one done with pw. I have it and have never used it. It made the arch look more real. I guess I am going to have to learn how to use it now. Thanks for the examples.
-smile-