Why am I doing this?
Snuggins
Posts: 52
I spend so many hours on this. I think it might be a kind of addiction. My significant other is getting jealous of my characters at this point. This is not a joke we actually argued last night about it. I think I still have a healthy perspective but I have to step back and examine my motivations. Surely I am not the first person to ask this. I admit I didn't know what search terms would be, to check.
Any advice? I might not answer right away but thanks in advance. I will probably be in a "Daz daze" where hours go by and all I have done is adjust the angle of a foot for the hundredth time.
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Comments
Set a sensible limit to your Daz time and stick with it. Have a goal such as rendering your character in a scene wearing some outfit. Avoid fixating on one tiny detail like the angle of a foot, especially if that won't be in your rendered scene. Make peace with your SO.
Well, you can get addicted to this stuff, like video games or kitten videos or whatever. It depends on how it affects your life and your relationships the people around you.
I would take a step back for a week or two cold turkey and invest that time in your relationship with your SO.
well if you use it to create a lot of hot dudes/ gals which your spouse has the feeling they can't compete with, or you're dedicating all your free time on the rendering and nothing left for the partnership I can understand that reaction to a degree. Talk to them what annoys them about you doing DAZ, find the rules you can both live by
I can't say why you do it... lots of people do the same with other pastimes. Look at people who collect stuff or restore things, not for profit but for enjoyment... and of course there are artists who obsess over details or completely get absorbed by whatever it is they are working on.
DAZzing is sort of a combination of both if you think about it... you collect and or modify stuff you buy, then you begin to use it to simulate your vision or express whatever it is you are interested in.
Maybe you've spent time in the past being influenced by the visual impressions of famous artists and illustrators and through this new medium you have found a way to replicate and transmit your own visions in a way that might not have been practical or possible previously.
Basically you finally found an outlet for your creativity.
The voices in my head say the human brain is complicated and its hard to know exactly why it does stuff... but they are just voices in my head, so what do they know?...
I'm not an artist (according to the voices and an invisible purple goat named Greg) but I know I get completely lost in any project I start... I'm not into rendering stuff as much as making things, in real life I make stuff, but that's an entirely different obsession, in 3D I make models... mostly models of things I dream up or invent.
Anything I make I have to try and make it the best I possibly can... often with virtual/3D stuff I'll start something and work myself into a corner where either it's too big (memory-wise), too difficult to export to DAZ or Poser, or I hit a wall where I realize I have to learn something new to do what I want to accomplish because the current method isn't to my liking, and I shelve the thing till a future point (not RL, people don't pay if you don't finish projects).
I have Gigabytes of "90% finished" models in that condition...
I don't know why I obsess over detail, it really bugs me when something isn't coming out the way I want to and it bothers me even more to shelve it.
For work and for entertainment, I've always been that way... that used to really bug my wife and was a sore point, and still is often... but I've learned to set goals for when to back off from something...
One of the things I used to do was spend too long at the computer, not knowing when enough was enough for the day... one reason in part was I didn't like leaving stuff unfinished... like if I was making an ornate window in a building, I'd have to completely finish the window to feel comfortable putting it away, for fear I'd forget where I was, both creatively and location wise because some of my damn models are so complicated and or big... (it's analogous to losing your keys in a mall). If I didn't finish that part I'd lose the vision of it... maybe even the vibe or mojo...
That bugs my wife sometimes and we've actually had an argument where I noted she was "less jealous of a voluptuous nude female figure I sculpted for a client than a bunch of car parts I was making for someone, because I was done with the figure quicker"... I think now I tend to talk to her more about whatever I'm working on... maybe because it makes her feel included or because she'll quickly realize how insane and boring I am and will lose interest in having me continue talking.
I also try to set realistic goals for segments of a project... breaking stuff down into manageable chunks I'll feel comfortable walking away from... thats hard to describe (but I'll gladly do so... as anyone who has read my posts will tell you, I have no problem writing too much), but I think you probably get what I mean... that's a challenge. To figure out how to break up what you are doing into manageable chunks so you don't disappear into another dimension of obsession and end up with invisible purple goats making critiques about you.
I don't know... this probably wasn't really helpful in any significant way other than to say you are not alone, lots of people particularly artists (which I am not, according to Greg)...(the invisible purple goat)...(from earlier in the post)... lots of artists do that...
So the best advice I can offer is... One... don't listen to goats, no matter how purple they are... Two... try to include and discuss with your significant other your visions and ideas more... Three... Learn to manage your time and break up the project into manageable chunks you can walk away from without feeling like you'll lose your vibe/mojo... and Four... I know this isn't relevant to this topic, but never eat 14 year old expired blue cheese dressing... that probably stands to reason, but it happens and it would be negligent if I didn't at least mention it.
Well, good luck and sorry to have wasted any of your time.
@McGyver you are one of a kind, sir. And I mean that in the best way possible
Join the club Snuggins! I have the same DAZ addiction that has taken over my waking day for a decade. A total obsession with a pose or in my case playing with the surfaces editor / lighting for render. I just get totally locked in and before I know it half the day has vanished. Often seems quite pointless and time wasting but maybe I have too much time on my hands. I don't think this is unusual with creativity and gamers often report get locked into their virtual world. I can think of far more harmful addictions although in my case I still know it is addictive. I may seek professional help if I suddenly fell in love with Michael 8 and left my life partner for a polygon mesh. Thankfully with Michael 8.1 thats highly unlikely to happen.
i used to be consumed with my time in DS setting up scenes or creating characters, now I am doing it more in VR. There is a sandbox VR game that uses the licensed G2 figures and uses a similar system as DS with all the morphs that you can use to create your character, only difference is they are life size and I get to use my hands and body motion to do it. Needless to say I can spend hours in VR and can't count how many times my GF has looked over at me creating and posing a figure in VR, but all she sees is me flaying my arms around with the controllers in my hands, LOL
That is such a vivid image in my mind. LOL
Yeah, I'm addicted to this hobby, and I don't care. I'm single and quite an independent person anyway so I only have myself to fuss over. I've always wanted to work on these ideas in my head and despite the frequent frustrations with Daz (and my knowledge of Daz) I get so freaking much satisfaction and enjoyment out of it. I sporadically take brakes though, for like a week or so, rarely longer. And I feel another coming soon.
Get a machine that renders slower. You'll spend a lot less time in front of it. Oh you meant "helpful" advice :P
It is either this or argue politics with the rest of the web!! . This doesn't upset my equalibrium so much.
...this is pretty much where I am with this. As I have mentioned form time to time, I used ot work with the traditional art media until arthritis made it too difficult to continue. Arthritis also took away my ability to physically build or assemble items (I have several of scale model kits still in their boxes and materials for making kites in a closet), along with music (I used to be a rather accomplished performer on the keyboard in classical music and early jazz).
Discovering Daz basically gave me back one of my major creative outlets and supported another, writing stories which I wanted to illustrate. In the 70s and 80s I spent time studying and working with comic art and with the rise of the graphic novel format, developed a major Sci-Fi storyline (which I still have all the notes, outlines, sketches and background details for in a small file cabinet). With digital graphics, I can now do it as a "one person show" and don't need to sell it to a publisher.(who of course would want to change certain aspects to make it more "marketable"). I also developed another storyline over the last decade from a role play game setting I was involved in which I would like to illustrate, but in more of a "storybook" fashion.
Having been formally trained in both visual art and music, I (unfortunately) developed a certain degree of "perfectionism" that is hard to shed. My musical studies probably played biggest part to this end as both accuracy and expression were extremely important in performance. I used to spend a fair amount of time in the practise studios, sometimes to the detriment of my other studies when I was still in college (even my visual art suffered a bit). So yes, I'm still prone to "sweating over the details". To curb this to a point is part of why I stopped at G3 as with each generation I'd end up redesigning characters for my stories all over again. Yes G8 and 8.1 may be better but it was becoming a never ending cycle I had to put a stop to (unfortunately a drive crash a couple years ago set me back more than a bit as I am still reconstructing characters and scenes which were lost).
Granted, being retired and living alone has afforded the luxury of being able to dive headlong into projects (well, were it not for my being a "concerned citizen" which has also grown to take up a serious portion of my mornings) and yes, I have lost track or time only to look up to see it was the early morning hours (a few times even noticing it getting light outside). In spite of this I find myself more relaxed even after such long sessions as I actually have something to show for the time I spend (which also helps to counter the "ire" I sometimes have after my morning "citizen" duties).
I also have a tendency to become so engrossed on my DAZ project, time slips by. I made a rule for myself. I get up and away from the every 15 minutes. That's to stretch, keep my balance, or avoid having my skin fuse to the upholstery. My SO is more likley to ignore me. We're both retired from demanding jobs, so we like being in our little niches. I'll take a break some days to get yard work in, he gets chores done. But I have an excuse to get back to my Dazzing if it's too cold or too hot or windy or raining. All of which we have had in the past month. When I get up for 15 minutes, every 15 minutes or so, well that works out to 1 hour of work accomplished away from keyboard. No jealousy, my SO and I are retired, so we like being in our corners, but we always learn something everyday, and share it. Like Jack Black's mother was a NASA engineer who kept working right up to labor pains. Neither of us knew that. Silly, but we're sharing!
I have definitely felt addicted at times. My husband doesn't get jealous that often, but I do make an effort to keep the man candy out of his way, so he doesn't feel like I'm rubbing in the fact that I am rendering shirtless men with six-packs. I also make an effort to have something to talk about other than Daz, though it's not always easy. The sales months are especially bad.
I would make an effort to talk with your partner. Try to set rules that you both can live with. Maybe a certain amount of time should be dedicated each week to spending together. You could also promise (and then keep that promise) not to let the housework, paid work, and your other friendships suffer. Show your partner that you're still enjoying your other hobbies as well. You might find the break a relief! Doing other things is a great way to get inspiration and gain perspective on any projects you're currently working on.
Additionally, I would be wary of diminishing returns. Sometimes I will agonize over a detail and spend way too much time on it. In the end, though, it's usually not worth the hours of tweaking. So for the most part I try to limit how much time I will spend on a detail. If I'm still not satisfied with something but it seems like I've spent too much time, I will take a break. What I find is that the first version usually looks best, and all that extra time was just a waste and I end up trying to revert my changes.
TL;DR: Talk to your partner and try to strike a balance. You can still enjoy Daz, but it's important to fulfill your obligations and maintain your relationships.
DAZ is as addictive as any video game or TV show. And while it wouldn't be entirely accurate to describe the store here as micro transactions... it's also not inaccurate?
I'd say there's no problem as long as this hobby doesn't interfere with your life in a negative way... but since it does I think it might be time to take a break or limit your time!
I feel borderline addicted sometimes. No actual problems as a direct result in my life so far... but I don't always manage to strike the right balance. There have definitely been situations when I spent time on DAZ that I should have spent with my boyfriend.
The aspect that I tend to struggle with the most is that DAZ tends to occupy my mind a little more than it should while I'm away from the screen. I think about what scenes I could be setting up, or whether or not I really need that new item I saw in the store, etc... this isn't a problem while I'm on my commute or waiting in line at the supermarket, but there are times when I have to force myself to stop thinking about DAZ to be more mentally present for my loved ones or my day job. Also, it makes me not the most interesting person to socialise with if all my thoughts are about this nerdy hobby that barely anybody understands or cares about.
While not so much an addiction, but I do 3D rendering because while I do have a bit of an artistic flair inside me I can't draw to save me..
Although when I am doing rendering I have OCD something chronic, I will do a scene one way look at it and decide to change everything because I didn't like how it looked..
The Studio work is something I too get lost in easily. Same with browsing the store. The latter is additionally dangerous because often when I'm having a bad day and/or have to deal with difficult real life stuff, I feel the urge to just spend a few little hours away from it all, shopping away at DAZ, because that's just sooooo much easier and nicer ... So I need to take care here, too. I usually do that by limiting my spending and setting myself goals to achieve or chores to do before I get to DAZ. Sometimes, I even comply with my own rules
I can so relate to that, with spending that is I reckon over the years I have been buying content from here and other places, that I could buy a new car.. lol
There's a lot of truth to this. I've seen first hand how me playing with overly-sexy females on the computer has made my wife feel less than or not sexy enough for me. An honest and open conversation fixed it, but now I'm much more conscious of it and work to make sure I don't make her feel that way again. I don't see this brought up much, so wanted to point it out.
I think a lot depends on wether you are looking at your creations in a sexual way or an artistic way. If you are creating art and using it solely as a way to express yourself creatively, then I don’t see what your partner would have a problem with. If you are using it to create personal porn, I can understand their frustration. Either way, why not try to sell prints of your work or maybe work on a graphic novel so if you make it a commercial venture, they may be less jealous and you both can benefit from the income?
I don't think getting more involved with DAZ is the solution here.
This is sort of the tack I've taken, it seems like leveraging 8 years or so of developing this skill would be better than abandoning it. But then perhaps the skill transfers, or I should let other parts of myself that have become vestigial grow again and see. I used to be a writer and an athlete, now I am out of shape from sitting all day and can only think visually. I go back and forth between sunk cost argument and just doing something new and different. I would like to say I could find a balance, but I know myself too well. Once I fire it up again I will fall into the same patterns. Sad to have to come to terms with the fact that I have no willpower. I've heard "just don't do that!" so many times it is hard to explain that even if I intellectually know what I am doing, I am almost an observer in my own body watching myself do the thing I know I shouldn't. Sort of classic addiction behavior but maybe I am bringing everyone down, I do love what is possible and have hope. Thanks for all the suggestions and advice!
I really enjoyed reading this McGyver. I appreciate the advice and humor. You did not waste my time.
Sounds like you're really struggling... sorry to hear that.
The only thing I can say is, there was a time when I was spending much too much time on a certain social media platform, to an extent that it was an actual, real problem. LeechBlock really helped me. There's various "productivity tools" (what a horrid name), I'm sure you can find one that will limit your time with DAZ Studio and the various associated websites.
I think Wonderland's commercial venture idea has great merit. It's up to each of us to decide if there is a problem and how we deal with it. For one who thinks visually, a program like Daz can be a powerful tool.
I did state, "It's up to each of us to decide if there is a problem and how we deal with it." If relationship problems exist, one must address relationship problems first. That may entail uninstalling DS and putting content in storage for as long as needed.
I still think it’s odd to get jealous over a creative pursuit and wonder if she’d be jealous if you were painting with oils on canvas or writing a novel? But in any case, maybe you could plan date activities like going to the beach (if there’s one near you) or on a picnic, hike, museum, art galleries, theme park, weekend road trip, out to dinner, or a romantic in home dinner with Netflix, etc.,. Plan specific activities on specific dates and be available at those times and be completely with her with no distractions. And in between you can do your art. And explain to her, it is ART!
I think the jealousy factor might come in if the characters are unusually attractive and the images sexual or romantic at all. The partner might feel like they can't compete and thier own beauty isn't good enough. Not that it makes it true.
My husband has gotten jealous of 3D beefcakes before, so I try to be considerate and not post images of shirtless men where he will see them. Our computers are in separate rooms, so that helps too. I'm not hiding anything, but I also make sure not to rub it in his face.
I think it less likely for someone to get jealous over a landscape, but I suppose if your partner simply feels ignored overall, it could happen.
I agree that date activities could go a long way.
My wife loves the porn I make in DS.