Upgrade 3D Models
This may be a ridiculous suggestion, as I am new to DAZ, but couldn't we just pay to upgrade the 3D (genesis) models as opposed to purchasing them over and over for basically different versions? And can they not be backward compatible? As a newcomer I'm finding it difficult to determine which models and add-ons to purchase. Sometimes the prerequisites are confusing and costly. Why can't there be one model that can be morphed to man or women at all ages? Or at least just one male and one female model? Is that what the Genesis models are about? I remind you I'm new, so go easy on me .. Thanks! :)
Example:
Genesis Female
Victoria 4.2 Base
Victoria 4 Skeleton
Victoria 4 for Genesis 2 Female
Victoria 4 GW3 Male Texture
Victoria 5
Victoria 6
Is Victoria 5 even used much? I haven't noticed many products requiring it, as of yet. And what about Stephanie and Gia? :)
Comments
Often there is an upgrade option when things are identical except for the figure they go with, but it does vary a bit. In any event, the only way to have items truly backward (or forward) compatible would be to keep that aspect of the figure unchanged - which ultimately would mean it was the same figure.
Software is usually backward compatible so I would hope they could do that with models as well. Wouldn't that simplify things for the user? And if they go to a new version do we have to pay full price when we move from Victoria 4 to Victoria 6? To me that suggests a different product.
It is a different product. V4 is a standalone product. V6 is a character for Genesis 2 Female. Genesis 2 Female is free with DS4.6, as is Genesis.
Am I the only one confused by this? ;) Do you know of a link that will demystify how the models are organized? I want to purchase some products that require certain models, but I don't want to buy all the models due to the costs. I'm trying to figure out which is the most economical to buy, based on what I have, what I need, and future products.
I would like to buy the newest Genesis 2 Victoria 6 since she is enhanced, but the products I want to purchase require the soon-to-be-obsolete Victoria 4.2. I hope if I invest in this Studio that I don't find myself in this predicament often as it would seem more costly than necessary. Should Genesis 2 resolve this problem for the future or will there be a Genesis 3 with new Victoria model to purchase as well? :)
Well V 4.2 is far from being in danger of becoming obsolete.
In the main, each new generation of figures has required a completely different set of add ons in the way of morphs and clothing etc.
So Generation 3 clothing did not fit Generation 2 without the aid of a third party app, and so on down the line. V4 did have a hybrid V4 that could wear V3 clothing, but you could not morph the body at all if you did this, only the head, so clotjhing would ony fit the default body shape in the hybrid.
Genesis does have less compatibility problems than the older generations
There is a brief history of the various generations here, which may help you http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/24257/
I assume the new Victoria 4 for Genesis 2 Female product is only for accessories like clothes and shoes? Thanks for your responses!
If the products for Victoria 4 you want to buy are clothing, you should be able to autofit them to Genesis 2. But I think you would need this product by Mallen Lane: http://www.daz3d.com/victoria-4-for-genesis-2-female .
Also you should distinguish between Victoria 4, 5 or 6. Victoria 4 is a base figure (as is the older Victoria 3), whereas Vicky´s 5 and 6 are not base figures - they are morphs for base figures Genesis (Vicky 5) and Genesis 2 Female (Vicky 6).
Thanks for all the great feedback! So I gather that although the V4 is not as enhanced as the newer Genesis model, it probably is required by more products since it's been around longer, therefore I think I'll go with V4 for my needs right now. It's too bad the models aren't backward compatible, as this would be a non-issue. Products that support V4 will be purchased less too as users migrate to the new Genesis versions. Kind of slows down the wheel. Maybe the Genesis model structure will overcome this challenge with their future products.
It allows Victoria 4 clothes (and figure hair) to be converted to Genesis 2 Female, and it allows the Genesis 2 female to use the Victoria 4 textures.
Well, Genesis (1) is backward compatible in a lot of ways (I won´t speak here for Genesis 2, which I don´t use, so I don´t have any experience with it). Genesis can wear clothing of previous generation figures via autofit. It can also wear skins of characters made for Victoria 4 and Michael 4. Characters made for older figures (Generation 3 and 4 = Victoria 4, Michael 3 etc.) can be transferred to Genesis via GenX (for sale in DAZ store). Poses created for older figures can be used on Genesis but will need some adjustments.
A good question would be what program are you using?
If you're using DAZ3D, you'll automatically get both Genesis and Genesis 2, as well as some basic content for both - some hairs, clothing items, props, etc.
Poser, on the other hand, has a huge library of content built in, made up of both the current release figures and content as well as most of the legacy figures and content.
Both programs give you a good bit to start off with, but not knowing what you are using or what you're trying to do makes it hard to suggest which model to invest in.
It can get confusing, because there are still multiple generations of products in the store. And there are downward compatibility products that allow previous generation products to work with the current Genesis generations.
But the single, most versatile character figure is Genesis which come included in the DAZ Studio download. The genesis figure can be basic male,basic female, child, fat, emancipated, superhero etc. without any other purchases, and any clothing that is fitted to genesis will follow every single one of those morphs.
Now you can add to the "gene pool" of Genesis additional morphs with product purchases, everything from werewolves to monsters to toon characters to teens, and supermodels, and each of these can be added incrementally or fully with sliders to create literally thousands of variations, and in DAZ Studio any piece of clothing fitted to that same Genesis will fit.
V4 is two generations old and is called a Generation 4 figure. (It is still the most widely used product with POSER users)
Genesis is generation 5 (Michael5, Victoria5, Stphanie5,Troll for genesis, Fiend, etc...... )
Genesis 2 (two) Female (G2F) is Generation 6 (Gia Victoria6 Girl6 ) The male has not been released yet.
http://www.daz3d.com/products/genesis/genesis-what-is-genesis
Now for example, you download DAZ Studio 4.x and you have Genesis included, if for example you really like some Victoria4 clothing items, you would purchase those clothing items, and you would purchase Victoria4 shapes clone, which will effectively morph Genesis into the exact shape of V4, then when you fit the clothing that was originally made for Victoria4 (V4) it will autofit to Genesis. That clothing will now follow the morphs of Genesis, through all the shapes, including monsters, teens, child, and toons.
http://www.daz3d.com/v4-and-m4-shapes-for-genesis
You don't have to buy the v4/m4 shapes to use v4 clothing with genesis, that comes built-in to DS 4.6
Generation 4 - like V4 or M4 - and all previous numbers are what they are: male or female humans. They can be morphed into various versions of such characters, but not into something entirely different. Gen2 is a base model for creating realistic females. Genesis is the real hero with the thousand faces you're looking for. Search for Genesis SHAPES - you'll get two different versions of Victoria (V4 and V5 for Genesis), the same with Michael, Aiko 3 (only anime shape from A3 LE), 4 and 5, the same with Hiro, Girl 4 or 5 and Freak 4 or 5. There are also Davids 3 and 5 (interesting gap, because the staff decided M4 caters for young males too) and Stephanies 3, 4 and 5. However, Genesis has also other shapes like the very versatile (and generally recommended with Genesis Evolution Bundle as must-haves) Creature Creator Bundle, my favourite Gorilla and Anubis. I'd suggest you start out with Genesis, because this model is free (Basic Child, Female and Male shipped with DS) and incredibly versatile. There is also a lot of freebies for Genesis.