• Welcome to the Community Forums at HiveWire 3D! Please note that the user name you choose for our forum will be displayed to the public. Our store was closed as January 4, 2021. You can find HiveWire 3D and Lisa's Botanicals products, as well as many of our Contributing Artists, at Renderosity. This thread lists where many are now selling their products. Renderosity is generously putting products which were purchased at HiveWire 3D and are now sold at their store into customer accounts by gifting them. This is not an overnight process so please be patient, if you have already emailed them about this. If you have NOT emailed them, please see the 2nd post in this thread for instructions on what you need to do

Sparky's products at HiveWire

carmen indorato

Extraordinary
Holy crap! The Carmen seal of approval! :notworthy: How often does that happen? :x3: The werebeast will be for Dawn/Dusk (and, I s'pose Genesis 8) so it'll be able to use all their morphs in addition to any custom morphs I wind up making for it. ;-)
Oh come on Gurrrrrl!
I ALWAYS LOVE YOUR STUFF. I have invested in it and use it all the time. I always promote it here and elsewhere.
So, I am a bit freaking fussy which should be considered as helpful. I offer sound commentary that in my humble opinion.....can serve to help make a more all around better versatile product. Of course it will keep you busy ad nauseum adding stuff to the the final figure, and of course too you may never regain proper compensation for all the extra time and effort.....but, it will be GREAT!!!!!
Seriously though...if I could create my own wouldn't I do that? No one in these forums would probably ever see me or hear from me again for I will fall into the mesh work making my own monsters and chimeras! LOL
 

carmen indorato

Extraordinary
Holy crap! The Carmen seal of approval! :notworthy: How often does that happen? :x3: The werebeast will be for Dawn/Dusk (and, I s'pose Genesis 8) so it'll be able to use all their morphs in addition to any custom morphs I wind up making for it. ;-)
I hope there will be some fur texture add on options for it. I love white/Albino tex...hint....hint....hint as well as knarly wild and nappy furs afterall it is wild and have you ever seen fur from the wild? pretty messed up!
 

carmen indorato

Extraordinary
If I wasn't so old and broken and therefore self conscious I would break out in my happy dance. LOL

.......and what AnthroBoar is FreyFaxi speaking of? You have a new figure set at your store?
 

Sparky

Monster Maker
Contributing Artist
Yeah, I've put the M4/V4/K4 version of the Boar character on my store. ;-)
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
You know Rich, I always wondered what happened to Pan. I remember all the work you were doing on his hair.
I have NO IDEA where the email notifications went, I found this under the New Posts thread.... Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Yea, Pan is still there awaiting for me to get the right info to make his legs work correctly. I see Sparky's post below so I'll read that and see if any of it makes sense to this old brain! lol :p
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Thanks, guys! :x3:



The legs I've made are a morph, and I just adjust the joint centers until they bend reasonably well, then fix any remaining problems with JCMs if necessary. The really long, delicate legs I did for the Deer characters didn't bend well without JCMs, but the beefy Werebeast legs seem to be fine without JCMs. One thing I would recommend when making a really extreme morph like digitigrade legs is to pay attention to where your groups are and making sure you keep the geometry fairly relaxed so it will still bend right with the weight maps on the figure, because you can't alter the weight mapping, in Studio at least. You can make injectable weight maps in Poser, but I still don't think it's best practice to alter them, otherwise third party conformers won't work well with the shape.

If you're rigging a conformer, you'll add a few bones from the donor figure, in the case of conforming legs, probably just the hip/chest/abdomen/pelvis bones. The bones for the legs themselves I would likely choose not to conform to the base figure's leg bones, because I think one of the major problems people had with the Creature Creator legs was that the thighs and shins conformed to M4/V4's legs. Maybe conform the thigh bones, it's a balance between keeping pose information from the base and having easily posed creature legs that don't have the base figure's rotation limits imposed on them (a lot of users don't realise they can turn limits off). So they would need to be named differently from the base figure's leg bones. Group your object with weight mapping in mind, and try to put your groups where you want the influence of the bones to be. When you're adding bones to a figure, I find it helps to visualize where the skeletal bones of the appendage would be, and place the joints there. Weight mapping is pretty darn easy in Studio. Start with the hip and fill the whole figure 100%, then go through each group and fill the corresponding weight map with 100%, copying the weight map from one axis and pasting it into the other two. I seem to recall that newer versions of Studio have a utility for that, but I'm just really used to doing it manually. From there, you just tweak things until you're happy, I tend to make generous use of the smooth brush.

Not exactly a comprehensive tutorial, more of a ramble. I have been thinking about maybe making some training material of some sort, like a video course. Though I don't pretend to be a master of the subject, I think I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that some people might find surprising and useful. ;-)



I was thinking I might try to convert part of my Philosopher's Egg catalogue to modern figures, as well as make some new ones like the Werebeast. The boar test seems to me to be quite promising. I'll have to test out a few projects to see whether there's a market for the rehashed characters, or if it's better to put my effort into new characters, though I have to say, I'm dangerously close to the brink of running out of animals to anthropomorphize on M4/V4 LOL!

I THINK some of that makes sense. I'm just no good at rigging. I forgot that I modeled a set of legs but couldn't figure out how to make them proper conformers so ended up going back and forth with Paul a while back, like over a year ago I think, about having them set up as a prop with bones but then that gets tedious for the end user having to pose "Pan" first and then pose the legs or for me the artist to take the time to make poses that work for both but then that's limiting to the end user so then I was back to wanting to make them proper conformers that will work with Dusk. My thoughts were to model his legs finer than the conforming legs and then set up the bones correctly for the conformer to follow Dusk's legs so things move more naturally. I'd still have to set up poses but it just seems more logical.

Not to steal your thread but here is a screen grab of the Pan morph, one of the set of horns I made for him (there are 4 sets of horns), no tail as it's still sitting in the GoZ projects folder as I was stressing about getting the legs just right) and there is a loin cloth and was planning on doing some other bits for him.... Then I would do a LAMH setting for the blend between human and goat as well as the legs so they have a more shaggy furry look to them..

Pan for Dusk WIP.png
 

Miss B

Drawing Life 1 Pixel at a Time
CV-BEE
I have NO IDEA where the email notifications went, I found this under the New Posts thread.... Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Yea, Pan is still there awaiting for me to get the right info to make his legs work correctly. I see Sparky's post below so I'll read that and see if any of it makes sense to this old brain! lol :p
Good, as it would be good if you could finalize him.
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Awwwwww, I guess because I've not logged in a while I was deleted from your servers Sparky. I still have my log on info but my email address isn't recognized by your system. :cry:
 

RAMWolff

Wolff Playing with Beez!
Contributing Artist
Oh and I use a Start page for my browsers called Start.Me and I like to make my own icons for the links I save. So I just added you to my Arts bookmarks and made this.... :)

Philosopher's Egg.png
 

Sparky

Monster Maker
Contributing Artist
Awwwwww, I guess because I've not logged in a while I was deleted from your servers Sparky. I still have my log on info but my email address isn't recognized by your system. :cry:

Hey, Richard, back in 2012 I had a server crash, and I lost my customer database. I've been restoring everyone's purchase history on a case by case basis, so just create a new account and email me a list of any products you've purchased and I'll get you set up. ;-)

Oh and I use a Start page for my browsers called Start.Me and I like to make my own icons for the links I save. So I just added you to my Arts bookmarks and made this.... :)

View attachment 33162

Nice! :-D
 

Sparky

Monster Maker
Contributing Artist
Just checking in! I've played around with the werebeast a bit more, getting some work done on its skin. It's my first real PBR texture set project, complete with SSS subdermal maps. I think the effect is pretty cool, still needs loads of tweaking, of course. ;-)

WerebeastWIP.png

WerebeastFaceWIP.png
 

carmen indorato

Extraordinary
I THINK some of that makes sense. I'm just no good at rigging. I forgot that I modeled a set of legs but couldn't figure out how to make them proper conformers so ended up going back and forth with Paul a while back, like over a year ago I think, about having them set up as a prop with bones but then that gets tedious for the end user having to pose "Pan" first and then pose the legs or for me the artist to take the time to make poses that work for both but then that's limiting to the end user so then I was back to wanting to make them proper conformers that will work with Dusk. My thoughts were to model his legs finer than the conforming legs and then set up the bones correctly for the conformer to follow Dusk's legs so things move more naturally. I'd still have to set up poses but it just seems more logical.

Not to steal your thread but here is a screen grab of the Pan morph, one of the set of horns I made for him (there are 4 sets of horns), no tail as it's still sitting in the GoZ projects folder as I was stressing about getting the legs just right) and there is a loin cloth and was planning on doing some other bits for him.... Then I would do a LAMH setting for the blend between human and goat as well as the legs so they have a more shaggy furry look to them..

View attachment 33160
Like the idea of anthro figures combining animal and human as most of you may have already surmised based on the ad'nauseum posts I run here! :)
I wondered though how musch more difficult it would be to make it one figure with digitigrade (SP?) legs or goat legs?
There is a similar set of both female and male pans/Satyrs for DAZ's G base figures at Renderosity which I would have given an eye tooth for if available for V4 & M4....of course. I would be encouraged to go to Dusk and Dawn if that were the same case for yours.
I do have two comments about your WIP too if it does npt offend.
1. Please make it so the legs can be made more muscular or thicker. They look skinny and frail and long
2. texturing them so the belly hair of the human part proceeds up the belly and does ont just stop at the waist/hip. I hate using the DAZ creature creator stuff because the time was not taken to study some sense of realism in transitioning the two parts. I think what Hemi did adding a trans mapped piece t go between the horse neck and human waist gicving that transparency to help transition was cool If that could be incorporated in the goat legs would really be nice.
But better yet, what Sparky did with her beautiful anthro figures sets is way cool though I do think it could have used more transition would have been better.
Maybe adding some fibre fur to where they meet to make it look more realistic!?
Love your stuff Sparky and I seel what I love dear! LOL

3. Please add morphs for the hooves too. Split morph for cloven and morphs to adjust the sizes of them hooves too because compared to rest of body they are too large (not sure why but so many content creators create huge hooves and feet for creatures and anthros forgetting golden proportions rules
I know you are struggling to get this figured and the last thing you needed was my annoying two bits but please no offense intended and just my oinion so may not be worth entertaining! GOOD LUCK!
 

carmen indorato

Extraordinary
Just checking in! I've played around with the werebeast a bit more, getting some work done on its skin. It's my first real PBR texture set project, complete with SSS subdermal maps. I think the effect is pretty cool, still needs loads of tweaking, of course. ;-)

View attachment 38468
View attachment 38469
You must know by now even if just from my purchases at your store than for any other reason, that I have loved your stuff.
So with that stated here is my worthless two bits! :)
1. LOVE the figure! Like your other Anthros is it going to be a single mesh figure or two conforming parts Dusk on top and creature parts below?
Would be great if single integral figure. I will buy it! There is a similar figure at Renderosity I have been drooling over since its release but way too expensive for my use for it and never see it on sale.
2. Would be great to add morphs for:
a. change of face length and characteristics
b. size opening of mouth
c. good body adjustments to change age and weight and musculature of creature to allow for characteristics
d. texture maps that will allow the fur look to be more pronounced especially if no hair is going to be included
e. would be GREAT if hair tufts or some fibre or transmapped hair smart props were included on elbows, groin jaws and chin and head lile the Mil Lion1 for instance or your goats set. It add so darn much to a figure having all that
f. and of course no Lycan wants to howl at the moon alone it would be special giving him a mate and/or even a pup! ;)
I know! I am greedy right....but just sayign. looking forward to seeing where this bad boy gets to! ;)
 

Sparky

Monster Maker
Contributing Artist
Thanks, guys!

Very impressive work there Sparky.

Spooky and convincing.

Yikes!!

Is this still a Dusk morph?

The version in the images is the G8M version, but I will be converting it to Dusk/Dawn also! It will look pretty much identical to this on Dusk.

<snip>
I wondered though how much more difficult it would be to make it one figure with digitigrade (SP?) legs or goat legs?
There is a similar set of both female and male pans/Satyrs for DAZ's G base figures at Renderosity which I would have given an eye tooth for if available for V4 & M4....of course. I would be encouraged to go to Dusk and Dawn if that were the same case for yours.
<snip>

That WIP was Richard's project, but I am working on a set of digitigrade legs for M4/V4 that would be an integral morph. That product would be Poser 9+ only, however, since I will have to inject weightmaps to make the project work, and that feature is only available in Poser.

You must know by now even if just from my purchases at your store than for any other reason, that I have loved your stuff.
So with that stated here is my worthless two bits! :)
1. LOVE the figure! Like your other Anthros is it going to be a single mesh figure or two conforming parts Dusk on top and creature parts below?
Would be great if single integral figure. I will buy it! There is a similar figure at Renderosity I have been drooling over since its release but way too expensive for my use for it and never see it on sale.
2. Would be great to add morphs for:
a. change of face length and characteristics
b. size opening of mouth
c. good body adjustments to change age and weight and musculature of creature to allow for characteristics
d. texture maps that will allow the fur look to be more pronounced especially if no hair is going to be included
e. would be GREAT if hair tufts or some fibre or transmapped hair smart props were included on elbows, groin jaws and chin and head lile the Mil Lion1 for instance or your goats set. It add so darn much to a figure having all that
f. and of course no Lycan wants to howl at the moon alone it would be special giving him a mate and/or even a pup! ;)
I know! I am greedy right....but just sayign. looking forward to seeing where this bad boy gets to! ;)

Thanks!

1. It is a single morph on the base figure.
2. I will be including several adjustment morphs for shape and expressions.
e. There is no hair on the texture maps yet. I am considering using L.I.E. presets/material layers for the hair so that the hair color can be changed by the user. I also intend to include dynamic hair presets.
f. I will be porting the character to Dawn as well, so there will be a female version.
 
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