Quicksand Fans

This is a request for information from those people who make regular use of Poser, Daz, or similar 3D modelling and animation software. I have two question, one dependent on the other. First, is it possible to start with one of the more sophisticated female character models and modify its features so as to resemble, more or less, a real person. I am referring to things such as hair color, hair style, eye color, body type, and facial features.

Second, if the answer to the above is more or less in the affirmative, is it possible and legal under the terms by which the original model was acquired, to provide another Poser or Daz user with the modified character files. A follow up to the second in the case that the second user must have acquired the original character figure (which I suspect will be the case) is it possible to provide the second user with the needed changes so that the second user can immediately apply them?

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schlamm wrote:redistribution of the DAZ characters in ANY form as a CR2 file (native format) is expressly prohibited and © by DAZ.
While I could send you a setup file, you would need to have the matching items in your inventory for every single thing included in that file.
A character in native format DAZ provides has hair and a bikini 'painted' right onto the skin, the end results you see when I (or anyone else for that matter) post something is upwards of HUNDREDS of dollars worth of subtle additions to get that 'look'

If you are willing to purchase everything to attain a character's looks, then yes, it is possible.....but with that being said, please consider that I currently have 12GB worth of DAZ items and at a value that I truly do not care to think about as it was acquired over the years.

to enlighten yourself further, have a look at http://www.daz3d.com at the different types of hair, clothing and characters which are offered, it is literally in the thousands

Thnks. I have neither Daz nor Poser and was not asking to actually acquire anything. I was under the impression that character characteristcs were user-modifiable and was going to suggest that members of the Daz/poser/quicksand community develop, by sharing, a sort of common set of characters and that perhaps those characters could have some resemblence to real people, such as actresses who have played in variou scenes. If every modification is a cmmercial product then that is not viable.

*

Understood. Totaly impractical.

schlamm wrote:It isn't Fred...but everyone who wished to share a mod or 'setup' would have to have identical items in inventory, so to speak.

Say for example that I wished to share a chemical formula with you and the algorithm would require that you had certain properties in your computer in order for them to run properly. Without the properties for something mentioned in what I sent to you, the algorithm would stop at that point having only processed part of the formula.
The DAZ files for a 'setup' require each and every item stored in them to load correctly, my having sent the setup to you would not provide the required items, only list them much like a recipe or formula.
It will indeed replicate exactly what is in it, but only if you have all of the 'ingredients' in your possession as well.

P.S. I have 36,818 items totaling 10.8GB for one character, Victoria 4......the likelihood of having matching inventories for everything required in a complex setup is insanely remote at best

Fred,

In Poser and Daz, there are two ways to create a new character from an old one. You can either buy a character that will inject new geometry and/or new pose dial settings into your base V4 character, or you can use the controls on the character to create a new face, body, and so forth. With hair, you can change the colors and texture files on the hair model and create a new style.

As Schlamm said, you can't simply send copies of the DAZ content to another person, but if both you and another person have the same DAZ files, you can go in and change the setting on V4 controls and then send those setting to another person as a pose file or character file. As long as they have paid for the same model, exchanging characters, poses, modified textures, everything is okay.

Your idea of communal characters can work. For example, if you and somebody else both have V4, the V4 morph set, and you have the artistic talent, one could change the controls and try to make a V4 poser model that looks like Paris. You can save the Paris character to your library and give it to other legally. As long as somebody in the community also has the V4 and Morph set, they will be able to use it.

Same with the hair. If two people have the same hair model, then you can make a customized hair color and style and share that between you.

Hope this helps,

This is what I thought I was asking about, so now the water is muddier than ever with conflicting information.

For myself, I do not have either Poser or Daz (although I did have an earlier version of Poser) so I was not, and am not, asking for myself. Nor do I have much understanding of how either system works, as you can probably tell.

Anyway, since we have one reply saying its not practical and one saying it is, I will assume that perhaps its a question of interpretation of my original request. Let me try, then, to re-state it.

Let's assume that there are two (or sixteen) members here who have the Poser or Daz program and that they also have the same base V4 character.

1. Can one of those people use just the built in controls to cause the character to take on characteristics that could be described as a "new" person? For example, can the hair style be altered, the hair color altered, the hair lengthened, cheek bones made more or less prominent, etc.?

2. If the above can be done by one member, can that member send the settings to another so that that person would see the same character?

Qsvgitguy wrote:Fred,

In Poser and Daz, there are two ways to create a new character from an old one. You can either buy a character that will inject new geometry and/or new pose dial settings into your base V4 character, or you can use the controls on the character to create a new face, body, and so forth. With hair, you can change the colors and texture files on the hair model and create a new style.

As Schlamm said, you can't simply send copies of the DAZ content to another person, but if both you and another person have the same DAZ files, you can go in and change the setting on V4 controls and then send those setting to another person as a pose file or character file. As long as they have paid for the same model, exchanging characters, poses, modified textures, everything is okay.

Your idea of communal characters can work. For example, if you and somebody else both have V4, the V4 morph set, and you have the artistic talent, one could change the controls and try to make a V4 poser model that looks like Paris. You can save the Paris character to your library and give it to other legally. As long as somebody in the community also has the V4 and Morph set, they will be able to use it.

Same with the hair. If two people have the same hair model, then you can make a customized hair color and style and share that between you.

Hope this helps,

Yes and Yes

Fred588 wrote:This is what I thought I was asking about, so now the water is muddier than ever with conflicting information.

For myself, I do not have either Poser or Daz (although I did have an earlier version of Poser) so I was not, and am not, asking for myself. Nor do I have much understanding of how either system works, as you can probably tell.

Anyway, since we have one reply saying its not practical and one saying it is, I will assume that perhaps its a question of interpretation of my original request. Let me try, then, to re-state it.

Let's assume that there are two (or sixteen) members here who have the Poser or Daz program and that they also have the same base V4 character.

1. Can one of those people use just the built in controls to cause the character to take on characteristics that could be described as a "new" person? For example, can the hair style be altered, the hair color altered, the hair lengthened, cheek bones made more or less prominent, etc.?

2. If the above can be done by one member, can that member send the settings to another so that that person would see the same character?

Qsvgitguy wrote:Fred,

In Poser and Daz, there are two ways to create a new character from an old one. You can either buy a character that will inject new geometry and/or new pose dial settings into your base V4 character, or you can use the controls on the character to create a new face, body, and so forth. With hair, you can change the colors and texture files on the hair model and create a new style.

As Schlamm said, you can't simply send copies of the DAZ content to another person, but if both you and another person have the same DAZ files, you can go in and change the setting on V4 controls and then send those setting to another person as a pose file or character file. As long as they have paid for the same model, exchanging characters, poses, modified textures, everything is okay.

Your idea of communal characters can work. For example, if you and somebody else both have V4, the V4 morph set, and you have the artistic talent, one could change the controls and try to make a V4 poser model that looks like Paris. You can save the Paris character to your library and give it to other legally. As long as somebody in the community also has the V4 and Morph set, they will be able to use it.

Same with the hair. If two people have the same hair model, then you can make a customized hair color and style and share that between you.

Hope this helps,

Hmmm, this is looking more favorable.

In that case, let me ask another question to get an idea of how many might be interested and properly equipped. I will ask three questions and request reponses from anyone here with an affirmative response to either:

1. Do yu have either Daz or Poser and at least one V4 character? (I am assuming that V4 characters are intercangeable as I have no idea what the designation actually means).

2. Assuming you said yes to number 1, are you interested in creating one or more "new" one and sharing it with others appropriately equipped.

3. Assuming you said yes to number 1, are you interested in receiving any new ones that might be created?

As a separate question, if the 3D model that one obtains commercially is called a "character" what is the proper term for one that is specifically morphed as we have been discussing? would "derived character" be correct?