DAZ3D - Beginner Questions

[Mortze]

There are improvements, for sure.
But I feel that picture is incomplete, and when you ask us what do we think about the composition and lighting I feel I have incomplete material to form an opinion.
1/ The model isn't looking at the camera. That is OK when it's meant to be part of the story. Maybe the girl is smiling at someone, or at something. But without context it's hard to comment about it. I feel like if you just changed her eyes to look into the camera the same picture would feel a lot better.
2/ Same about the lighting. I guess there is a key light at the front left, and another one directed at her face. I see a strong shadow at the back of her legs. Perhaps a fill light pointing to her back from the right would be good to avoid such a strong shadow. See, the overall picture is full of light but there is that strong shadow there that feels kind of odd, unwelcome.
That is clearly a high-key lighting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-key_lighting and usually you can't have strong contrasting shadows with that technique.

She's a pretty girl though . I would have to see more skin to form a more erudite opinion.

[lydia02]

There are improvements, for sure.
But I feel that picture is incomplete, and when you ask us what do we think about the composition and lighting I feel I have incomplete material to form an opinion.
1/ The model isn't looking at the camera. That is OK when it's meant to be part of the story. Maybe the girl is smiling at someone, or at something. But without context it's hard to comment about it. I feel like if you just changed her eyes to look into the camera the same picture would feel a lot better.
2/ Same about the lighting. I guess there is a key light at the front left, and another one directed at her face. I see a strong shadow at the back of her legs. Perhaps a fill light pointing to her back from the right would be good to avoid such a strong shadow. See, the overall picture is full of light but there is that strong shadow there that feels kind of odd, unwelcome.
That is clearly a high-key lighting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-key_lighting and usually you can't have strong contrasting shadows with that technique.

She's a pretty girl though . I would have to see more skin to form a more erudite opinion.

Thanks again for all the help and feedback. Still working on renders. Came across various victoria 3 items but couldn't get the victoria 3 base exe files to run. The exe file would start and then I get a message that the file isn't responding and it closes. Same results from two different source files. Any ideas as to why the exe file doesn't work? Thanks.

[MaxCarna]

Lydia,

Victoria 3 is a very old model, did you mean Genesis 3/Victoria 7?

Victoria 3.0 https://www.daz3d.com/victoria-3-0-base it uses an old .cr2 format.

In the case of Victoria 7 the file are located on ...\My DAZ 3D Library\People\Genesis 3 Female\Characters file "Victoria 7.duf". Never heard about a .exe file

[fleet]

Thanks again for all the help and feedback. Still working on renders. Came across various victoria 3 items but couldn't get the victoria 3 base exe files to run. The exe file would start and then I get a message that the file isn't responding and it closes. Same results from two different source files. Any ideas as to why the exe file doesn't work? Thanks.

I have "Victoria 3 RR LE" from back when I installed DAZ Studio 2. I can't get that specific version of Victoria 3 to open in DAZ 4.9, but it will open in DAZ 3.2. DAZ 4.9 will open "Victoria 3 RR" and "Victoria 3 SAE" In addition to the structure of the CR2 files being different, DAZ Studio 2 used a different installation path than newer versions.

What's the name of the exe file that you are unable to run?

I suggest you log onto DAZ, open your account and go to the product library. Find Victoria 3 base and manually download it. The zipped file will consist of a content folder which you can then install by copying and pasting.
If that doesn;t work, enter a help ticket at the DAZ web site.

[lydia02]

Lydia,

Victoria 3 is a very old model, did you mean Genesis 3/Victoria 7?

Victoria 3.0 https://www.daz3d.com/victoria-3-0-base it uses an old .cr2 format.

In the case of Victoria 7 the file are located on ...\My DAZ 3D Library\People\Genesis 3 Female\Characters file "Victoria 7.duf". Never heard about a .exe file

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I went very old school. Came across assets for victoria 3 & 4. But couldn't get the victoria 3 base model to install so thought I'd try and post here to see if someone would know what I was doing wrong.

[lydia02]

Thanks again for all the help and feedback. Still working on renders. Came across various victoria 3 items but couldn't get the victoria 3 base exe files to run. The exe file would start and then I get a message that the file isn't responding and it closes. Same results from two different source files. Any ideas as to why the exe file doesn't work? Thanks.

I have "Victoria 3 RR LE" from back when I installed DAZ Studio 2. I can't get that specific version of Victoria 3 to open in DAZ 4.9, but it will open in DAZ 3.2. DAZ 4.9 will open "Victoria 3 RR" and "Victoria 3 SAE" In addition to the structure of the CR2 files being different, DAZ Studio 2 used a different installation path than newer versions.

What's the name of the exe file that you are unable to run?

I suggest you log onto DAZ, open your account and go to the product library. Find Victoria 3 base and manually download it. The zipped file will consist of a content folder which you can then install by copying and pasting.
If that doesn;t work, enter a help ticket at the DAZ web site.

Thanks for the response. The files are working today. Not sure what I did any differently. Sorry.

[Eldormain]

Hello All,

Recently, I think I fat-fingered a keyboard command and got this blue background instead of the usual gray in DAZ3D 4.9. I've googled this and haven't found a way to turn off this effect/setting. Does anyone have an idea what this is? That would at least give me the correct name for the setting to look for. I haven't noticed any difference in renders. Most of the renders I have been working on lately are indoor scenes but when I add a figure, as in the screen below, the figure is silhouetted.

Eldormain

[fleet]

Hello All,

Recently, I think I fat-fingered a keyboard command and got this blue background instead of the usual gray in DAZ3D 4.9. I've googled this and haven't found a way to turn off this effect/setting. Does anyone have an idea what this is? That would at least give me the correct name for the setting to look for. I haven't noticed any difference in renders. Most of the renders I have been working on lately are indoor scenes but when I add a figure, as in the screen below, the figure is silhouetted.

Eldormain

Find the line at the top of your screen that says File Edit Create Tools Render Connect Window Help
Select Window from that line. A pop up menu will appear
Select Panes (tabs)
Select Environment
For Type, Change it from None to Backdrop.

From there you can select the color you desire for your backdrop.

[Mortze]

If it's the Backdrop colour that's blue then you follow what Fleet just said.
Keep in mind that a Backdrop colour will render that colour in the background if you don't have an HDRI dome enabled.

It may be that you also changed your Viewport colour. For that you go to Window, Style, Costumize Style, and select the number 6 Viewports and choose your colour.

The silhoueted figure when you load it may be because you have your Light's preview on. A usefull shortcut to memorize (really, until it's in your head) is CTRL + L (or CMD + L for Macs I suppose).
That turns Light preview view on or off. It only works the moment you have either a light on your scene or a camera with the headlight on.

[Eldormain]

And there it is, the solution. Thank you both. Not only was I able to fix the issue but I learned more about the program.

It turned out to be the Viewport color. Now my mind will percolate on ways to use the Background color. Also, I can see that knowing the Preview Lights shortcut will be super handy.

I'm glad to have an answer to that. It's been bugging me for about a week.

Cheers,

Eldormain