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daveso
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Post edited by daveso on
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There is already a very lengthy forum thread on this product.
To my knowledge, you are limited to SubD 3 when using it (even though pretty much all HD add-on's require SubD 4).
I'd also like to note that an alternative you might want to try is simply turning your HD add-on up past 100%. I'm not sure folks realize they can do this, and how much more definition it can add without any additional product.
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Here is a link to a gallery with 7 renders I did using AFE as a test:
https://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#galleries/6198286/
You can see that the implied locations of the muscles isn't 100% anatomically correct when you use these products but they are by far the best products in the DAZ 3D that lets you make believable expressions.
You don't have to use the AFE at 100% because as you'll see it's easy to apply an expression too exaggerated when you use PowerPose. You also don't have to use or buy the Skin HD Details. I don't own either of the Skin HD Details yet although I intend to buy them both. The Skin HD Details are a good way to imply a lot of aging by applying them with less than 100% of expression applied.
Also this thread has examples of AFE in action.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/317856/auto-face-enhancer-commercial/p1
It is better for older characters or toon characters. It adds a geoshell to the face that increases wrinkles which is good for older characters but too much for young ones. You also have to use the expressions and power pose VERY lightly because otherwise it is too much and looks like a toon character. If you're going for realistic characters, you have to be very subtle with power pose or the dials.
Because I already owned it, I got a purple banner offer to get the new expressions free. From the description, it's unclear if they have dials or are one click. If they are one click, I'll never use them. MUCH too exaggerated as you can see by the promos. I'm guessing this product is really meant for non-realistic facial animation.
I showed some images on Novica's thread here where I tried to keep it realistic... https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/321881/novica-forum-members-tips-product-reviews-pt-12/p70
I'm honestly not seeing anything I can't do with the Daz Originals HD Expressions for G8F/G8M along with the various HD add-on's dialed above 100%. (And I could do even more if I knew PowerPose, but I don't.) And the big thing with the HD add-on's is that each one is different and can give different looks to the same character depending on what you're going for...versus with AFE there is just that one HD geograft.
And to add to that, Zev0 has a wonderful product that covers both G8F and G8M in the same package that can both increase or decrease the "wrinkle effect" of the Daz Originals HD expressions - https://www.daz3d.com/expression-smoother-for-genesis-8-female-and-male
Lastly, I had asked in the past about AFE's limitation on SubD...which originally it was limited to SubD 2. Now I believe it's limited to SubD 3. That's still not enough for me. Most HD characters require SubD 4.
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Personally I find the product amazing and it takes G8 characters to the next level if you're striving for realism and less 'robotic' expressions. All of D.Master's products are evolutionary -- wouldn't be surprised to see his works rolled into Genesis 9 when it comes out... Example of the 'Smile Closed Mouth' expression using AFE...
I agree and those that buy should buy the pre-canned HD expressions (with expression presets too!) that D.Master made. They are awsome!
Sorry to use this thread instead of the commerical thread but that thread is busy with technical support.
Opinions on AFE seem to be all by people pushing subD to the max. My GPU can only do SubD 2 or below, otherwise it dumps to CPU. Will I see any benefit using AFE without going to SubD 3+? I am looking for realism and very much would like to see some screenshot comps of those who have it at subD 2.
I also asked on the commerical thread about expression sets that are not made for AFE and D.Master said there is a little improvement but I should turn AFE off. No sure I understand what he meant by that.
That's a technical question that D.Master likely knows already so it's more appropriate in the technical thread and more likely to get a correct answer quicker than this thread too. Personally I've only used it at subD 3 or subD 4 sorry. D.Master though recommends one does the initial expression at a subD of 2 or less and then change the subD higher when ready to render when one isn't animating an expression.
I've been using it. I've also been using other expression packs with it. It's a brilliant item. The only draw-back I can find, is that the forehead of my favourite model is starting to break apart, but only while rendering. If I don't use the Enhancer, it doesn't happen. I'd say wait until a sale (unless you're absolutely desperate to buy it). Plus, if you're not happy with it, you can still get a refund.
This bundle moves hidden sliders (Morph Controlled Morphs) that, we have to trust, will "enhance" our expressions.
I installed it a long time ago and only today realized that a weird issue I had for a while was linked to those hidden MCM : I couldn't close eyes properly. I thought for a long time that it was issues with girls bundles. But nope.
I got rid today of Auto Face Enhancer (and Auto Shape Enhancer too, just to be on the safe side) and suddenly my facial expressions, not just the eyes, looked MUCH cleaner. I had issues with weird wrinkles on the neck and so many little problems that I now realize came from that bundle. I mean... I'm sure that the bundle has some qualities, but the fact that the controlled morph sliders are locked + hidden away and that we have to trust that they'll be at the best % at all times is just wrong.
On big scenes, I can now feel a very significan improvement in the overall speed without those Auto MCM "improving" the default DAZ skinning. I can now move in the timeline in real time when before i had to wait minutes just to move from a frame to another. Loading a girl preset takes 1 or 2 seconds, when before I was used to wait minutes for that. It's impressive the difference.
Zev0 does similar shape enhancing tools but at least we can decide to use them or not, and we can act on the sliders (as they are not hidden and locked by default) if for some reason the impact was not the one expected. It's a much more respectful approach to improved facial and body morphs than this "Auto" bundle that does things without us knowing about it and slows down DAZ tremendously (I mean it, again the difference is incredible).