Custom Low-poly characters (How-to)

javier-2684100

Hi!

I'm looking to create my own characters for Daz, in a very low-poly style. I'm talking about really low-poly characters, like Crossy roads and many other games around using this style. The reason to use Daz3D for this is that I'm really used to it and prefer to not have to learn other software as Blender (I've seen tons of tutorials for Blender, for none for daz)

I've also seen the Decimator plugin in the store, and also have played with Hexagon, but I'm not sure any of these would be the way to go. Any suggestion or tutorial to follow? I really appreciate

Thanks!

Javier

kitakoredaz

Hi,, Decimator is good to reduce character  poligon but it turn quad as triangle mesh,with keep weight map and riggings.

then you can export it to other animation 3d tool, or you can  use it in daz studio if you hope so.

 but  it is not you want I feel.

If you hope to make original really Low poly (Mine craft style I feel ^^;) figure,, you have two choice.

if you really hope to make these model with daz stuido only,

 you can use primitive. load primitives which you need, then  adjust, location, lotation,scale them ,

then arrange each primitive as you designed.  then export them as obj, and re-import it. now it should be one OBJ.

after that, you can rig it and color weight (maybe you need genral weight only) in daz studio,

 

BUt,, I really feel you must better use or play a week with blender,, to make actor as you like,,even though it is real low polygons model,,, then export it, with UV , surface group, and vertex group. (it will  help you o color weight easy in daz stuido)

ah,, you already play with hexagon?   if you can modeling  in hexagon, just make actor in hexagon,  and export it to daz studio,  as one obj, (or use hexagon bridge)  too.

after all ,if you hope to move the model as rigging figure in daz stuido, you must need to set rigs and weight map, by your self in daz studio .

(without you have already template actor of real low poligons, which can easy transfer, rigs and weight)

javier-2684100

Hey, thanks a lot kitakoredaz. You perfectly understood me.

Ok, let's say that I model the character in blender and then I import it in daz. Can you guide me a little bit (or point me out to what kind of tutorial should I look for) on how to make it a "real" character? That is, add bones to it and be able to use Daz to animate, scale some body parts, make poses and finally render it from there?

This way I could create a base character and then create different customizations from Daz.

Does this make sense at all or maybe Daz is just not the way to go?

Thanks a lot,

Javier

 

 

3dOutlaw

Why not just make them out of Daz primitives, then export as an OBJ and import, and save as a Prop character?  Makes for low poly and easy texturing!

EDIT:  Whoops, I just saw @kitakoredaz already mentioned this.  :)

kitakoredaz

OK,, (and I have felt, you must need actuall tutorial to rig your obj in daz studio)

but Actually I have not found real good step by step tutorial for user who start daz studio 4.8 or 4.9 for rigging as offical.

there is good product tutorial though, I have only one product about rigging (but it is for ds 4.5 I think,

then some tool name or option change a lot, but you can follow tutoriall most of them)

anyway,  you may better check other tutorial for daz rigging, in you tube or google too.

1. daz official document

http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/userguide/creating_content/rigging/tutorials/start

I do not think ,you need to set up by Figure set-up tools, but If you have time, try samethings

as these tutorials, with real simple primitives. (eg just add two cube, then save it as obj, and rig ,weight in daz studio)

 

2 daz product for rigging

http://www.daz3d.com/rigging-original-figures-in-ds4-pro

it was bible for many daz users before.  but in ds 4.8, 4.9  you may need to serch some tools or option.

Now I can serch some rigging other tutorials,

but I have not bought them, then can not recommend by me.(though it seems interesiting)

maybe other user who bought them or, vendor directly recommend you I think, (i do not know)

3 ovendor or user free tutorials in you tube, or web sight ,, unfortunately I have no link of them at current,

(because I may need not tutorial for rigging any more,, I think  just need time to modeling or sculpting or adjusting weight map more clean)

but I think you can serch them by google. with DAZ rigging etc.

 

 

 

 

javier-2684100

Hey, thanks a lot for the replies and sorry for the delay in my response.

I've found some minecraft-kind of models for Blender. I'll try to export it as kitakoredaz suggests and try to import and rig it in DAZ.

It will take a few days, but will share my results, wichever they are!

 

kitakoredaz

Hi,, if  you need some help, ask it here please. I  almost finish to set-up contents for ds 4.9,

now can play with ds 4.9 as real meaning,,, and now I plan to check  ds rigging system again.

 

(and if your planning model is free bledner model,, tell me please whch mode you are using.

 because I can follow samething, (import to daz studio, with correct size, check material, groups,

and use Figure set up tool, or directly change it as rigged figure, then rig by joint editor ,

which wegith-map you may need or not,,,  etc.. ( for myself to learn ^^), then can help you with each step if I can.

===========

I feel,, first difficulity of you  mabye to improt model.obj , and set-up,, for rigging in daz stuido,  correctly.

if you set group well,, it can reduce your work much. then recommend, after you import model,(with rasonable scaling)

to daz studio, check your model, by Geometry editor tool, first,, then assign each group if you need, with planning how to rig the model.  if the model need many rigs,, you may better use figure set up tool and auto genearte rigs (though you may need to modify postion correctly again,,)but if  you need not so many bones, you can directly change obj to rig figure, then add each bones by joint editor tool. after that color weight by node weight mapping tool.

JakeEdward

Seriously I find I can add an even dozen of my old M3 and V3 characters. Works great low render time for 24 or so