RELEASED Hivewire Big Cat Has Begun!

[JOdel]

I think the original MilCat was the best of the DAZ non-hooved animals. It still holds up pretty well in renders, particularly if you can get fur onto it. But it's definitely old tech. The MilHorse isn't a bad model either. But the rigging lets it down.

I swear the original MilBigCat was a better model to work with than the BigCat 2. There is no way to get around those horrible feet than to hide them in the tall grass or something.

And the cougar maps are gorgeous. Cougars are one of my favorite of the big cats. They have such lovely faces.

 

[Lyne]

Good grief, Chris... that drives me nuts about others reactions to HW content, too... sigh... I simply can't understand why more don't even try!?

 

[HaiGan]

I worry how many people don't realise that what they are looking at is wrong (or, at least, a long way from perfect), Lyne, having been surrounded by low-poly gaming models and inaccurate imagery, and at things created as a derivative of something which is already inaccurate or overly simplified. (Not to criticize the games modellers, people have done some incredible low-poly models, but they are amazing in context, not when placed next to high-detail equivalents). Many, many people have no appreciation of anatomy, knowledge which seems to me to be essential for good rigging. Many people create things without ever having had hands-on experience of them (although some at least make great efforts to get as much quality reference material as possible and are unable to access the real thing even if they want to). But then, that's not a new phenomenon. Ever taken a look at a medieval bestiary? Ever tried to imagine what a 3D model elephant would be like if it was based purely off medieval images of elephants?

 

[Rae134]

I think a lot of the time HaiGan, that people have heeeaaaps of content for one character they don't want to change. (no excuse tho when Dusk is still free not to try in my opinion)

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Oh my gosh. The comparison really shows just how advanced the HiveWire Big Cat is. Yeah, I know. Not supposed to end a sentence with a word like is

Gosh Chris. Thanks for the mention!

I really do not get the attitude that HiveWire content is somehow inferior to that from other stores. Especially, when those people are basing their opinion on what they may have seen in the early days or what they've heard others say ... who also may never have used our content!


You know ... I absolutely hate liver. But ... I base that opinion on trying liver ... and promptly spitting it out. Beer, on the other hand, I've never tried. But I still hate it. In that case, it's the smell ... and perhaps to a small degree ... the fact I come from an environment where it wasn't acceptable for women to drink beer. Oh, like that stopped me from doing other things that weren't acceptable for women to do

 

[VortigensBane]

I have to admit, for human renders, the Genesis 3 characters are my favorite, probably due to all of the add-ons and tweaks and HD morphs that so many different artists have put out (and I do have Dawn and Dusk). However, the HiveWire animals beat any other 3D animals hands down. Unless, of course, you want to spend five or six hundred dollars for a Maya model... (and four or five thousand more for the software itself!).

 

[Chris]

I think so much of this is human nature, unfortunately. Though some and even many, and certainly the folks here that visit HiveWire, have tried our human figures and then can make a sound conclusion. We simply don't have the artist support for our core humans as of yet. We do have some support, but not to where it needs to be. We've made improvements on Dawn with the Service releases and the Special Edition made a big jump with Virtual Worlds map quality added in. We have a wide array of supporting morphs now too.

I like Satira's examples of eating liver or drinking beer. It's similar to religion and politics also. Many are comfortable where they're at and will accept what others close to them have to say negatively about another religion or political party as being factual. But in reality perhaps, and with further self discovery, enlightenment and understanding can be unfolded, and a new way can be revealed.

I like what VortigensBane has to say about Dawn and Dusk. He still has not disparaged them, but has his preferences based on the immense level of support of the Genesis line up. Many of those artist supporting Genesis are simply attracted to it because of habit, many because of quality, many because of contracts with DAZ, many because of buyouts, and still even many because of potential revenue. But we are the only figure creators now that support and create figure and animal content for both Poser and Studio. Quality work at that. And like VortigensBane further states, and it is very true that "the HiveWire animals beat any other 3D animals hand down." Love that statement and it happens to be true. Even with fur or without fur based add ons.

 

[VortigensBane]

I'd still like to get fur and fur based add ons, though...

 

[tparo]

As far as your first question goes, I would suspect that your Ambient Color is white (or another light color) and the Ambient Strength is set to 100% or another high percentage. Try using white with a strength setting of 15%. That's what I usually use.

I'd still like to get fur and fur based add ons, though...

Yes so would I, I'd also love to see some more morph add ons for the big cat and the domestic cat, unfortunately love them as I do I find them rather limited because I can't change them much.

 

[VortigensBane]

Second that! Need lots and lots of morph add ons! But we'll be patient and settle for a kitten for starters...

 

[Chris]

Yeah, yeah. We all want more from this end too. It's coming. Good thing we have Sparky too. She's submitted her Zombie cat and skeleton too.

We do have the Cub out. There are a bunch of morphs on the Cat and more to come.

The kitten has been submitted to Beta and Paul is working on Kitten poses now. So Kitten isn't too far out now.

 

[Pendraia]

Me too VB...I wonder how Paul is going with it?

 

[Freyfaxi]

Honestly, and don't get me wrong here, I think some of the reason some folks discount the models here on Hivewire is that they don't look past the shopfront renders of the products. To me, the illustrations for the products here look a bit flat and washed out . Yes..I *know* that's not the case in many of the renders shown here and in the forums generally - I'm only commenting to whats shown on the shop pages. I'll give just one example..look at the shop room images on the DAZ site, and then look at similar ones here, especially the human ones. Honestly, I don't think the genesis figures are all that superior to Dawn or Dusk. it's just that they are presented better?

 

[VortigensBane]

Amazing promo work does help. I actually went and downloaded all the tips that they list on the DAZ content submission page, just so if I ever get around to having a product market-worthy, I'll know how to put together a series of promo images that will grab attention... They list some really good tips.

 

[Chris]

There is definite improvement that can and needs to be done with product imagery. I believe that HiveWire product shots look solid. Some of the older stuff could be freshened up though. On the front page of our site, under Submit a Product (at the bottom) we have provided CA Guidelines for Submitting Content. In that extensive document is a list of things to consider to make compelling product imagery. Any artist can see great imagery on any site and be inspired by that. We do get some flat and washed out product shots that don't show the product off the best, and that will hurt potential sales for sure.

When I was at DAZ we'd buy product, and every product we purchased we had several artists that we'd pay to redo the product imagery. If we were going to buy it out, we knew that it needed to be shown in the best light, so we'd have them all re-rendered.

We do make suggestions on imagery as it comes in, and some times not accept products unless imagery can be improved. Still then, we may have to make adjustments to enhance the contrast, or pick a pop up image that we feel looks better to include in our newsletters. But it is an ongoing challenge and concern to properly showcase any product.

 

[Dakorillon (IMArts)]

I know that I'm working hard to improve both my texturing skills and my Promo ability. Some of that I'm doing by making Stock Cover art for ebooks/print books, which forces me to keep improving my artistic eye with 3d content (I do pretty good with 2D already), it's a learning curve, but I think it's worth it. Sometimes I wish I had a mentor to work with, because you can often learn a little faster with direct feedback, instead of just videos and pdf tutorials (Which I've gone through a lot of!) I taught myself 2D art, along with a few workshops, and now with 3D I've taken a couple of workshops/webinars, and they help, but I'm not advanced enough for them to really "stick" at least insofar as the little tips and tricks that improve you faster.

My modelling skills are not up to creating content for the base characters, but, I'm working on that, too. And it's exciting, though sometimes frustrating, to see the amazing stuff that the artists do here! So, texturing for me for the moment.

I'm hoping by next December, I'll have made another leap of ability. Until then.. Encourage others, do my best, keep learning, trying new stuff and reminding myself of things that I forget because they aren't part of my workflow, yet.

 

[CWRW]

Working on the cub coat for the Cougar now I have the main cougar texture done! Here is a couple of WIPs. (the cougar cub coat and eye will be included with the Cougar)

(Edited to add- this is the base cub- no cougar morph in these)

 

[Gadget Girl]

Awwww. So cute. Look at those eyes.

 

[Dakorillon (IMArts)]

Awww. So sweet! I love his/her eyes!

 

[CWRW]

Thanks! One more WIP for now Just about there...