Are "HD add on's" Used in promo images?

myotherworld

So im looking at buying some original figures ( I think thats what they are called) and I am really impressed by the detail in the face (most noteably)

and then I look at the HD add on.

On the "HD add on" page it shows the face before and after. mmm the after face looks very much like the original figures face in the promo images, But nowhere dose it say that the HD add on is used on the original figures page?

So i have to ask, Am i being had, when I buy original figures. Am i not getting what i am seeing?

Is thsi the answer as to why my renders never really like as good at the promo images?

Gordig

Bump and normal maps can be used to achieve a lot of the same visual effects as HD morphs. The HD addon product pages show figures untextured so that you can see the difference in geometry, but if normal maps work well enough for your purposes, then feel free to skip the HD addon.

As far as why your renders don't look as good as promo images, rendering is a skill, and you need a good understanding of lighting and camera and render settings to get high-quality renders.

DustRider

I've often wondered that myself. I don't have very many of the DAZ core characters,  and even fewer HD addons for them (just to expensive for me). So in general I not sure of the answer. But I do believe (or I'm very sure) that most of the promos for Topsy used the HD addon. I've also noticed the more recent (most of Genesis 8?) promos look like they use the HD addon. That's another reason I don't buy many core characters. Getting the character and the HD addon is usually more than I'm willing to pay. DAZ should specify if the HD addon is or isn't being used in the character promos, because if it isn't I might buy more of them.

PixelSploiting

HD addons and normalmaps give very similar results unless the characters are rendered in a very sharp rim lightning. Generation 8.1 characters started a trend where a figure is sold with two sets of normalmaps - the regular ones that are more explicit and the ones with lower intensity (supposed to be used with HD addons).  No HD addon + more intense normalmaps versus HD addon + less intense normalmaps gives very little difference unless the skin is shiny and there's strong rim/backlight; and the render is close enough to show that details are only textured (if there's no HD addon).

Characters in promo shots are rendered with all textures. Including normalmaps. But characters in promo shots for separate HD addons are rendered with no textures.

HD details are nice, but unless you do a lot of close up shots and sharp lightning you may or may not need them.

 

 

richardandtracy

There are quite a few characters sold by PA's, like Mousso, that have HD morphs as part of the base package too. It has left me wondering what possible reason I could have (on a limited budget) to spend twice to get what's bundled up in other PA's base package. So far, I have failed to come up with the reason, and as a result avoid such add-ons and (usually) the base figure too. Regards, Richard.

DustRider

richardandtracy said:

There are quite a few characters sold by PA's, like Mousso, that have HD morphs as part of the base package too. It has left me wondering what possible reason I could have (on a limited budget) to spend twice to get what's bundled up in other PA's base package. So far, I have failed to come up with the reason, and as a result avoid such add-ons and (usually) the base figure too. Regards, Richard.

+1 

Hylas

I've long suspected that the promo images for core characters use the HD! But I obviously don't know for sure. If so, then it doesn't seem right to me.

As for the difference between the HD of core characters and non-core charactres: Faber said here that core character HD's are sculpted at level 4 while non-core character HD's can be sculpted at any level. I wish DAZ were a little more transparent with their information and include the level of the HD sculpt with each figure.