aniMate 2 - by GoFigure - Required

Sure, we might get by on a very basic level of animation with the free version that comes with Daz Studio. But to take this course we need to up the game a bit - and this tool is Absolutely Essential!

Being able to write aniBlock data into the timeline is a fantastic asset that Daz 3D gives us for free along with any copy of Daz Studio 4x

aniMate 2 adds a whole lot more - and we need more!

We can quickly send timeline data to aniMate 2 and save aniBlocks that we can use to further tweak this and other animations after we make various changes. Sometimes we only want a custom aniBlock to write a single limb, like the right arm, for example. 

Let's say that we bought something that has a walk cycle. Just one cycle... and it moves the character forward (or backward or to the side, etc.,). To try and blend multiples of those together is doable, but who has that kind of time?

Send it to aniMate 2 and loop it there. aniMate will let the figure just keep on a walkin!

Check out The Power of aniMate 2 for a whole lot more, including the User's Manual that no longer ships with the product.

mcjChangeOrientation - Free Script by mCasual

This handy tool will be a huge benefit to our new way of working with Daz 3D scenes.

Follow the link above and scroll down to the instructions for installation. Just below that is the download itself - right below the Donate button.

If you like, peruse the instructions on your way down, although that is not necessary for this course. This is a very powerful tool that can be quite complex - which is really cool!

But I only use this one way - and I use it All the Time! I'll be showing you exactly how this is done, which is Incredibly easy.

Bone Minion is a special rig that we apply to our figure according to which generation of Daz 3D Figure's pose we'd like transferred to the figure we're using. We also have to consider these things when purchasing our Bone Minions.

Example: Bone Minion for Genesis 2 Poses for Genesis 8 is a Bone Minion that we apply to Genesis 8 Male or Female to transfer Genesis 2 Male or Female Poses to. 

We load our Genesis 8 Female, for example, and then apply the Genesis 2 Male Bone Minion. Select the Bone Minion and apply the Genesis 2 Male pose or animated pose or aniBlock in order to transfer it/them to our Genesis 8 Female. If the poses were in fact Genesis 2 Female poses, we'd apply the Genesis 2 Female Bone Minion instead.

If we want to transfer V4 and/or M4 poses, animated pose, and/or aniBlocks to our Genesis 8 Male, we'd need to buy the Bone Minion for Generation 4 Poses for Genesis 8.

Since I use Genesis 2 as my FBX upload to Mixamo, one of my first Bone Minions was the Bone Minion Genesis 2 Poses Bundle, so that I can apply a Bone Minion to Any Genesis generation and use Genesis 2 poses, animated poses, and aniBlocks!

Riversoft Art's Store at Daz 3D

Also by 3D Universe is the Daz Studio Animation Tools - Set 1

While all of the tools in this pack may become more and more useful as we gain experience in all of this, one in particular stands alone in being Absolutely Essential if we plan to use animations downloaded from Mixamo - and this is called Body2Hip

You see, all Daz 3D aniBlock products come equipped in the way that Daz Studio requires - and that is that the motion data of the figure through 3D space - translation (side-to-side, forward-backward) and rotation - be applied to the Hip of the figure's rig.

Mixamo downloads apply this data to the actual base of the figure instead of the hip.

It will work as a one-off animation, but working with multiples - even of itself, will become a problem.

Body2Hip is the answer. It operates very fast and translates all of the data from the body to the hip - hence its name. After that, it's in the perfect shape for a Daz Studio pose or aniBlock!

Catcher Plus

Also from 3D Universe is a wonderful tool - Catcher Plus.

Useful for being able to render shadows and reflections onto surfaces that will not actually be rendered in the current scene.

Catcher Plus also launches a windows for selecting specific Iray Nodes, so I use this tool to create my own custom Ghost Lights. Very handy!

Again, no need to have this tool for the course. I'll show you how I use it and then you can decide whether it's a good fit for your own toolbox.

I'll be giving you all some of my Ghost Lights that I made using this tool.

HDRI PhotoShoot for Iray (the first in the series) - I've been using this since I discovered it and, it always felt to me that I'd never really need any other alternatives. 

Of course there are really fun new products being born all the time, so I still enjoy trying those too... but this first pack is loaded with a vast variety of cinematographic lighting rigs as HDRI Domes for Iray - and I have always felt that they could be used to cover any and all situations.

Each HDRI comes with a mirrored version, which really makes it perfect for my needs. It's really nice that I can reverse my lighting scheme with the simple swap of a map!

HDRI PhotoShoot 2 was born from Genesis 9's new PBR shaders and offers a whole new collection of entirely different lighting rigs. 

I felt that it was important to mention that because Genesis 9 didn't come out until I was well underway with rendering character animation is this fashion - showing how valuable the first pack has been. 

Having PhotoShoot 2 adds whole new dimensions and possibilities - and includes a nice selection that include under-lighting, which is really fun! 

#24 from Pack 1 (and its mirror) has a really nice under-lighting effect and I really enjoy using it - so I was really happy to see these new options as well. 

HDRI PhotoShoot 3 - Just came out not long ago and I haven't played with it a whole lot just yet. You see, as we work with our stories and the settings into which they take place, we become familiar with certain image map numbers and how they work for various situations.

 So loading maps into the Iray Environment Dome channel becomes a sort of second-nature - hence my muscle-memory just going for what it already knows.

I already know that it granted me a wealth of all-new possibilities from just a few quick perusals through the maps while I was in between projects and was able to mess around a bit.

Those under-lighting maps I mentioned from PhotoShoot 2... PhotoShoot 3 has some of those that are flipped upside-down for a unique new overhead lighting, which is Awesome!!!

dForce Archmage

Now, I've been simulating Rosie's hair and many clothing items in dForce since I came to Daz Studio from Carrara - Linday's Long, Curly Hair with dForce is what forced my hand in making the switch in the first place.

Yes, getting used to dForce took a bit of doing - as it is learning the rope with any physical simulation processes - no matter the software.

dForce is actually pretty straight-forward to use for how sophisticated it is. Yes, there are many places to check for simulation settings, but it all makes sense it a fairly short period of practice with patience. 

Moral of the story - I never felt that I needed some sort of "Tool" to aid me with my dForce.

Dynamic Character Animation Dials - A Bonus Gift 

As seen in my Dynamic Character Animation course, I'm gifting the attendees of this course with my own personal collection of "Anim +" dials that I use for Genesis 8 & 9 figures.

I figured that, since you'll be seeing me use these all the time - since that's how I work - that it would be a great benefit in training if you all had them too.

I've never packaged them up as a product because I felt that it's better to show folks how to make them - hence the Dynamic Character Animation in Daz Studio course.

However, to really help to show how we can successfully start animating and, just as quickly, start producing videos using our renders, it will be Much easier if we all have these tools to work with - so here you go! (They're in the Course Download Pack)

Here's a primer on installing them and a brief overview of what they are and where to find them on the figures. 

As always, if you have questions, please let me know!!!

eR Auto Breast Animator - eReal

This useful tool can add that extra level of realism to our animations.

While it comes with six excellent preset settings options, the Custom option allows us to load any of those presets as a starting point, and allows us to fine tune any of the various parameters for a different physical effect - which is Really Handy!

If I could make one request of the author, it would be to add the ability to save our own custom presets. 

But once we get to using this tool, we get very used to what our 'standard' changes are. It's like writing your own name! :)

This handy tool works on Genesis 3, 8, 8.1, and 9