How much is it normal to spend when starting out with Daz Studio?

kyoto kid

LeatherGryphon said:

DAZ content addiction is insidious.  However, I've found that the itch can be scratched by going "ooh, and ahh" for 5 minutes while you examine all the pictures and bragging points of the latest new shiny thing in the catalog or the current price of something on sale.  Then with deliberate, though thoughtful caution, put it on your wishlist for at least a day.  If you're lucky the instant gratification urge will be abated the next time you look at your wishlist, or the sale will be over in a day and the full price would scare away all but the most pitiful addicts.  Then you can watch your wishlist grow and grow, and grow and ... until months later when that new item comes up on sale for 70% off and you can start the whole oohing and ahhing all over again. 

Moral of the story:  You don't need to buy to get some of the pleasure.

..this has been my "SOP" for a while now.  Even had a couple items become freebies. 

kyoto kid

MeneerWolfman said:

I think spending goes down the longer you're at it. I've been at it for just shy of 10 years and the spending in general has gone down overall. Partially because you have a larger back catalog of stuff to go through and partially because you usually have some skills at that point to do your own building or at least kitbashing. I tend to only buy something now if I have a specific need and don't have something in my back catalog that I can't repurpose. I'm also more likely now to go to Turbosquid or CG Trader and buy small bits and pieces for a few bucks to kitbash something than spend $20 at Daz for something.

To add on what the others have said, sign up for PC+, especially next month when they'll drop the price. Besides the discounts, you also get 64 free products over the course of the year's subscription. 52 weekly products and 12 monthly products for free. Also watch the Flash Sales section, that's gonna probably be the cheapest your going to get the product for outside of some weird sales month promo. Shaders are also great because you can take old products, give them a new "coat of paint" and turn them into something.

Good luck and enjoy your hobby, it's here for your fun!

...QFT.  Particularly the first paragraph.  

I even have taken to cross-generation "kitbashing" characters using GenX.

duckbomb

Pixel8ted said:

Cybersox said:

The only way to use DAZ economically is to only do nude renders of bald people. 

Except they make you buy a pro bundle for each sex just so you got their anatomical parts....unless you are going for renders of bald manniquins.

Mine just wear pants.

NylonGirl

MeneerWolfman said:

To add on what the others have said, sign up for PC+, especially next month when they'll drop the price. Besides the discounts, you also get 64 free products over the course of the year's subscription. 52 weekly products and 12 monthly products for free. Also watch the Flash Sales section, that's gonna probably be the cheapest your going to get the product for outside of some weird sales month promo. Shaders are also great because you can take old products, give them a new "coat of paint" and turn them into something.

It should be noted that those free items rarely, or maybe never, include human figures or clothing. And they're often very niche products from the same few categories.

nomad-ads_8ecd56922e

I have a self-imposed monthly Daz budget of $200.... and usually wind up spending $300 to $400 a month instead. :D

SickleYield

I spend a lot now because it's my job and content is deductible. But when I was new, I bought the morphs++ (the Head and Body Morphs, now) and managed to do promos with tutorial info and freebies until I could build a budget from my store for selling content.

My first product that sold more than 2 copies is no longer at Rendo, but it's at Turbosquid, Wrath of Athene V4. There's nothing in the main promo but my outfit, the free Valens Hair from Sharecg and custom lights I did myself. My first Daz products were also done with freebies and a lot of partner advice on lighting. The Business Suit for Genesis still does ok!

After that I started aggregating cheap props and hairs from the Platinum Club as I was able to afford it.  

So in summary: Start with Sharecg, Renderosity Freebies, and Daz3d freebies, and nose around on deviantart too, there's a thread here on dA freebs.  You can get some pretty decent sets from ShareCG by Shredder at the moment if you're willing to import the objs and adjust some material zones (they usually import with the textures already assigned if you make sure the mtl is unzipped in the same folder as the obj).

Graduate to cheaper Rendo and Plat Club products.  Get a Plat Club membership when you can afford it.  
Don't even worry about buying big sets and big bundles until you know you can afford it.

And I say that even though it hurts me as a PA who does extremely few buyouts. :D

lilweep

using only freebies is boring.

my first render got over 2k likes on twitter.  it would have got zero likes if i just used freebies, i tell you hwat.

there's a risk of quitting if you dont have cool stuff to use

 

Torquinox

SickleYield said:

I spend a lot now because it's my job and content is deductible. But when I was new, I bought the morphs++ (the Head and Body Morphs, now) and managed to do promos with tutorial info and freebies until I could build a budget from my store for selling content.

My first product that sold more than 2 copies is no longer at Rendo, but it's at Turbosquid, Wrath of Athene V4. There's nothing in the main promo but my outfit, the free Valens Hair from Sharecg and custom lights I did myself. My first Daz products were also done with freebies and a lot of partner advice on lighting. The Business Suit for Genesis still does ok!

After that I started aggregating cheap props and hairs from the Platinum Club as I was able to afford it.  

So in summary: Start with Sharecg, Renderosity Freebies, and Daz3d freebies, and nose around on deviantart too, there's a thread here on dA freebs.  You can get some pretty decent sets from ShareCG by Shredder at the moment if you're willing to import the objs and adjust some material zones (they usually import with the textures already assigned if you make sure the mtl is unzipped in the same folder as the obj).

Graduate to cheaper Rendo and Plat Club products.  Get a Plat Club membership when you can afford it.  
Don't even worry about buying big sets and big bundles until you know you can afford it.

And I say that even though it hurts me as a PA who does extremely few buyouts. :D

As always, thanks for sharing your words of wisdom, @Sickleyield . It makes sense.

Torquinox

lilweep said:

using only freebies is boring.

my first render got over 2k likes on twitter.  it would have got zero likes if i just used freebies, i tell you hwat.

there's a risk of quitting if you dont have cool stuff to use

 

In fairness, there is an overwhelming quantity of cool free stuff!

lilweep

Torquinox said:

lilweep said:

using only freebies is boring.

my first render got over 2k likes on twitter.  it would have got zero likes if i just used freebies, i tell you hwat.

there's a risk of quitting if you dont have cool stuff to use

 

In fairness, there is an overwhelming quantity of cool free stuff!

yes I have collected hundreds of cool (mostly) free items into collections https://sketchfab.com/peen.wolf/collections

But most of the good characters need to be purchased.  And i think there are many things on Daz store, like complex environments, that would take forever to piecemeal together from random freebies if it could even be done in the first place.

daveso

as much as you can afford to spend. #1 - PC+ Club

RorrKonn

It not about buying or spending. It's about the Art. Make the renders you want to make ,to hang on your walls or to share with your crew. Make your own renders.

fred9803

I misread this thread as how much time, as in hours, is it normal to spend when starting out. Perhaps that would have been a better question. In my case quite a few months before I knew what I was doing after coming across from Poser, and learn how to do it more efficiently.

nicstt

Ron Knights said:

If you're starting out, you can get the best, most economical start by joining the Platinum Club. You get 30% discounts on DAZ Originals. Sometimes DAZ has sales that drastically reduce the price of a Pro Pack. At times, I've paid less than $50 for a Pro Pack that normally costs closer to $100. You also get Platinum Club+ items at very inexpensive prices. Again, you can really increase your product library by taking advantages of sales, and PC Club coupon discounts, etc.d

One bit of strategy: look at what you buy, and see if other items are required to get the best use of the items. For instance, you might have head and body morphs, but you still need to get an expression package. Many or most products list the requirements to make them work. However, some packages assume you already know the facts. For instance, expressions morphs.

Ha!

You will pay less for many items but spend more overall; you decide if that is a benefit or not.

LeatherGryphon said:

DAZ content addiction is insidious.  However, I've found that the itch can be scratched by going "ooh, and ahh" for 5 minutes while you examine all the pictures and bragging points of the latest new shiny thing in the catalog or the current price of something on sale.  Then with deliberate, though thoughtful caution, put it on your wishlist for at least a day.  If you're lucky the instant gratification urge will be abated the next time you look at your wishlist, or the sale will be over in a day and the full price would scare away all but the most pitiful addicts.  Then you can watch your wishlist grow and grow, and grow and ... until months later when that new item comes up on sale for 70% off and you can start the whole oohing and ahhing all over again. 

Moral of the story:  You don't need to buy to get some of the pleasure.

I practice Shopping-Cart Simulation.

I add it to my cart and then wait; I find the urge to buy goes away after a while and I've enjoyed the feeling of being about to buy it without it costing anything.

Fungible User

I went 'Hell for Leather' when I first started and now wish I could go back in a time machine and smack myself silly. I bought like a kid in a candy shop and thinking half the stuff I bought was actually essential...BEFORE I knew the difference between 3DL and Iray, and why the Gen charcters and Michael and Victoria had all these crazy numbers that didn't seem to coincide (and who was David?)...madness!  But now I only buy if there is a sale on gift cards at 30% off. I still spend oodles, but it at least gives my spending a bit of gravitas.

duckbomb

nicstt said:

Ron Knights said:

If you're starting out, you can get the best, most economical start by joining the Platinum Club. You get 30% discounts on DAZ Originals. Sometimes DAZ has sales that drastically reduce the price of a Pro Pack. At times, I've paid less than $50 for a Pro Pack that normally costs closer to $100. You also get Platinum Club+ items at very inexpensive prices. Again, you can really increase your product library by taking advantages of sales, and PC Club coupon discounts, etc.d

One bit of strategy: look at what you buy, and see if other items are required to get the best use of the items. For instance, you might have head and body morphs, but you still need to get an expression package. Many or most products list the requirements to make them work. However, some packages assume you already know the facts. For instance, expressions morphs.

Ha!

You will pay less for many items but spend more overall; you decide if that is a benefit or not.

This is exactly right for me... I'm actually very happily NOT a PC+ member because I actually felt pressured to try to take advantage of all of the sales.  It's why Kohl's gives you "Kohl's Cash" for just walking in the door..  If you arlready needed it, then it's great, but if not then the existence of a good deal or price does not neccisity to purchase create ;).

It comes down to individual situations, however.  As a NEW DAZZER, I can see where it may be a benefit, and so in this situation I'd certainlly reccomend looking at the beneifits and deciding if it's worth it...

1gecko

Cybersox said:

The only way to use DAZ economically is to only do nude renders of bald people. 

... on a featureless plain.

WendyLuvsCatz

they don't have to be bald though

Strand-based Hair

LeatherGryphon

1gecko said:

Cybersox said:

The only way to use DAZ economically is to only do nude renders of bald people. 

... on a featureless plain.

Black cat, in a coal bin.

FirstBastion

If you have the creativity to become a PA, it can certainly help with extra spending money for acquiring 3D content.

MKDAWUSS

I'd probably wince if I saw how much money I spent on 3D assets over the past decade or so.

Ivy

You could ask the same question on how much have you invested in your computer so you can render the daz 3d content your buying , the cost of getting the latest greatest graphic card  at $1000 plus a card can sure buy you a lot of  daz content couldn't it? . So its kind of that chicken & egg theory , as far as what good is all that new shiny daz 3d content if your system does not render it.  But on the flip side if you spend $2500 on 2 new high end gpu's there goes the 3d content budge out the window.

ghastlycomic

mojoturnip said:

Hi all,

First, apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong place or if this thread has been done before (I did try a quick search but couldn't see anything).

I was wondering how much money everyone spent originally when they were first starting to use Daz Studio.

I spent zero dollars on Daz Studio just starting out. Daz Studio and Hexagon were how I started. Later I spent some money to buy 3DCoat, Graphmate, Keymate, Animate2, and Marvelous Designer.

I don't spend any money on content as I prefer to create my own. But I do buy content creation tools.

AJ2112

From my experience, venturing into 3D graphics, content purchase has never been an issue for me.  What I've learned over the years is uprgading my comp to use content I purchase is expensive.  I'm sure many can relate, I'm always happy to delve into new products I purchase only to discover, my comp can't handle !  Going from Geforce 6, 7, 9 and now 10,.  What's next Geforce 20 and 30 series.  Upgrading memory, upgrading cpu, etc.....  Fast moving technology has revert my 3D experience from super fun to frustrating. 

Another issue I've had is, while learning a specific new base figure another comes out.  I purchase content for creating with base figure, textures, shaders, etc.... then another comes out.  So, over the years alot of content I purchased, hair, clothing, shader, is no longer used, I haven't used any base or content beginning V4, G2, G3.....  With each new base, I clean out content library just for that specific base figure such as now G8,.  

So, I agree with those suggesting freebies, I've found most to work wonderful, specially poses.  I've used Wilmap fashion since I first began.  I use freebies in alot of my renders, kit bashing, etc....  Art is putting ideas on canvas.   

I believe if technology slows down, most 3D artist can spend more time learning and creating, opposed to shopping and upgrading.  Then Daz store wouldn't be bombarded with support tickets, it's been a week, still no response on prop I recently purchased          . 

chris-2599934

Something I wish I'd been told when starting out is

Never buy anything at full price

Every single thing in the store will be discounted at some point in the next few months, whether it be a store-wide 50% off sale, or a "buy any three items at 60% off" offer, or whatever else. If you can just wait awhile (you can, really) you should be able to secure a discount of at least 50% on anything.

dennisgray41

How much do you have to your name? Double that. That should get you throufh the first week.

 

kyoto kid

FirstBastion said:

If you have the creativity to become a PA, it can certainly help with extra spending money for acquiring 3D content.

...the creativity is there, alas the aptitude as well as technical skill for modelling and texturing is lagging woefully behind.  By the time I get good enough at both to be a PA, DNI (Direct Neural Interface) will be available allowing us to simply "plug in" and make art with our thoughts. 

LeatherGryphon

kyoto kid said:

FirstBastion said:

If you have the creativity to become a PA, it can certainly help with extra spending money for acquiring 3D content.

...the creativity is there, alas the aptitude as well as technical skill for modelling and texturing is lagging woefully behind.  By the time I get good enough at both to be a PA, DNI (Direct Neural Interface) will be available allowing us to simply "plug in" and make art with our thoughts. 

I've already warned you about heeding the fate of the Krell.

NylonGirl

This Porefectionist product is the kind of thing I think new people should look at.

https://www.daz3d.com/porefectionist-hd-skin-details-for-genesis-8-females

I don't ever buy the HD add-on for characters because I think it's offensive that it's sold seperately, and it's the same price as the character. But if this Porefectionist product is any good, then it will replace every G8 HD add-on with a one-time cost.

scorpio

NylonGirl said:

This Porefectionist product is the kind of thing I think new people should look at.

https://www.daz3d.com/porefectionist-hd-skin-details-for-genesis-8-females

I don't ever buy the HD add-on for characters because I think it's offensive that it's sold seperately, and it's the same price as the character. But if this Porefectionist product is any good, then it will replace every G8 HD add-on with a one-time cost.

Except its only for G8F and only for the face, the G8 HD contain a lot lot more.