Is there a comprehensive "Guide to Daz"?

Blando Calrissian

It occurred to me today that I've been working with Daz pretty regularly over the past 13-14 months, and I still have no idea what half of the available buttons and sliders do. Render settings, Tonemapper settings, shaders and top coats... the list goes on and on. And while it's easy enough to do an Internet search to find out more about one particular thing, it would be awfully handy if there were a central source that discussed what all of these tweaks and adjustments actually do

(A great example is SickleYield's guide to Iray shaders: https://www.deviantart.com/sickleyield/journal/Iray-Surfaces-And-What-They-Mean-519346747)

Does such a guide exist? I know that Daz diocumentation can be poor at times, but I refuse to give up...

Richard Haseltine

Unfortunately not, no.

WendyLuvsCatz

you mean ... a manual 

it's been requested for over a decade by many

Kainjy

https://www.packtpub.com/product/the-complete-guide-to-daz-studio-4/9781849694087

This book is very old (early of Iray) so the rendering part is useless but it's a starting point.

WendyLuvsCatz

I have this glossy book 

it is for D|S3 though

FSMCDesigns

I use this manual, it's called 'push buttons, see what happens"

PerttiA

FSMCDesigns said:

I use this manual, it's called 'push buttons, see what happens"

Hey, that's the same manual I use with people  

cridgit

Redacted

jestmart

That book is out of date and wasn't that great at decribing the ins and outs of the programs functions even then.

FSMCDesigns

PerttiA said:

FSMCDesigns said:

I use this manual, it's called 'push buttons, see what happens"

Hey, that's the same manual I use with people  

LOL, same, especially on social media 

gfdamron1

The lack of information about how to use DAZ almost caused me to give up in frustration. DAZ is complex enough that some sort of compiled information would be a huge benefit to helping new users learn basic DAZ functions and processes. Some form of online information base that can be easily updated as the software changes doesn't seem like a lot to expect. DAZ is not alone in this respect, several software companies rely on forums instead of actually explaining their software. This is not an efficient way to learn how to use fairly complex software.

 

What has helped me come up to speed are videos, especially by this artist: https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/332431/daz-studio-beginner-tutorials-updated-every-sunday#latest ; His videos are almost like a course for newbies, and have saved me a huge amount of time and frustration.

Paintbox

I come from software like 3DMax, Cinema4D and Blender and for me DAZ Studio is like LEGO, easy peasy for the most part. But I can imagine it can be very difficult, and certainly overwhelming when you start. There are so many topics you need knowledge of to make it work for you. And even if you get the tech right, you also need to learn the art fundamentals and so on. Not something you can do in one lazy afternoon methinks. It's good DAZ has a got a lot of tutorials in the shop though.

 

Taoz

I've been considering writing one, but the problems with writing a 3rd party manual are:

1. Where do you get a complete set of information from in the first place?  Only the DAZ developers know it all, and they probably don't have time to keep you updated.

2. It needs to be updated regularly in order to sell.  Prepare for a tedious life time (as long as DAZ exist) job.