I am trying to follow the Character Creator tutorial for doing some simple appearance modification by providing custom decals and/or learning to use the RGB masks.

The problem that I have run into is that the tutorial seems to be for a previous version of CC or something because a lot of the references don't seem to appear in my CC...or maybe I am doing something wrong. For example, I cannot find where I can actually provide my decal texture file.

Below is a snapshot of the tutorial and my screen...

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There is reference to "Open Texture Editor". I don't see that. I am assuming that is "Load Appearance Editor".
Then there is reference to RL_G6_Body which does not exist in my the tree view of my CC character parts. Okay...skip that.
However, my Skin_Body does not have a Decal sub-section and none of the sections in my CC have an icon that could be double clicked to provide a texture file.

75% of original size (was 671x19) - Click to enlarge

What am I doing wrong?

"We often compare ourselves to the U.S. and often they come out the best, but they only have the right to bear arms while we have the right to bare breasts"
Bowser and Blue, Busting The Breast

You are not doing anything "wrong" you just need to purchase most of the extra packs that I listed for another user in this post.

Total cost about $550.00, add about another $200.00 if you wish to export and sell some of the stuff.


Gerry

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System: Win 10 Pro (21H2), Asus X99-E WS, CPU i7-5930K -3,5 GHz, 32 GB DDR4 2666-16 RAM, NVidia GTX 1080 Ti GPU - 11 GB VRAM(Driver Studio-536.99), Samsung 850 Pro 512 GB SSD, 6 TB HD storage.

@Lord Ashes
Without Essential Package You can not see the input masks.
They do not exist. You can not change the texture (age etc but goes)
Greeting Postfrosch
PS. I got this package. Shown in Figure TUT G6 Body does not exist here. It Gerth just click on "Body" - "Body skin" and "skin"


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Well in that case, the User Manuals for CC should be updated. I open the User Manual for CC provided on this forum and tried to follow it but could not because, apparently, I need the Essentials Pack.

It seems every time RL adds something that would draw me to using CC instead of G6 or DAZ imported characters there is always a catch...

1. Initially you could not modify CC meshes. Apparently this was a bug because, as far as I know, this now works.
2. We can use CC bases but can't make our own...if you want more than the skimpy few that come with CC, you need to buy them.
3. We can use CC morphs but we can't make them. This has been resolved in version 1.4 where users can finally make their own morphs.
4. We can modify materials but not decal them or create custom substances.

I have a project that I am going to be working on. It involves 4 characters of different ethnic backgrounds. With CC and some work I can get the ethic face shapes but the number of hair styles and clothing that comes with the free CC is too limiting to make descent characters and  not all of us have the kinds of budget to be able to drop $550 to $750 just to get some variety. So, for now, once again RL has pushed me back to using DAZ characters imported into iClone. Sure, I am not allowed to re-sell them (as per the DAZ EULA) but my project results will be private use only so it does not matter. And using DAZ characters I can get tonnes of free (legit) morphs and clothing. I know...I know...this is where someone is going to swoop in and tell to stop complaining and just use DAZ Studio if I like it so much. Well, I don't want to go back to DAZ. Did that...it was fun...but iClone does have benefits...I don't disagree with that (after all that is why I bought it). I just keep pointing out that DAZ gives away all of these options for free and (as far as I know) their Content Store is still doing well...I wish RL would use that model instead of making us pay for everything.

I understand that RL is in this business to make money and I respect that. However, if options like Decal and Textures are available to all users, it won't, likely, reduce Essential Pack sales significantly (after all most users probably want to do things the easy way, i.e. buy the morph or substance) and it could actually open up additional revenue from the few users that want to do things the hard way (probably because they are on a budget) and then sell it in the marketplace (from which RL takes a cut). Same with CC clothing bases. RL can still sell their clothing bases but having other user be able to make new bases just increases the likelihood that users will use RL iClone content as opposed to importing other content.


Just my 2 frustrated cents :D


"We often compare ourselves to the U.S. and often they come out the best, but they only have the right to bear arms while we have the right to bare breasts"
Bowser and Blue, Busting The Breast

I hear you. I have not bought anything since they released the Essential pack. I think I'll need to upgrade to 3DX6 soon though.

The Essentials pack is very good, and actually gets updated with additional morphs occasionally. We got half-a-dozen new "Essential" morphs with CC 1.4.

If you have 3DX6 Pro or Pipeline, then you can export and re-import modified body meshes directly in CC. But yeah. DAZzies are still a very good option, Especially if you have the decimator to reduce the clothing poly-count.

And here's some free DAZ hair I converted to CC accessories. Drop the folder into your CC/Accessories folder (template or custom).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3nsNVGroEz6TG1tX1JjUFZEQU0/view?usp=sharing

I do have 3DX6 Pro...and the move to allow us to make our own morphs was a big one and I really appreciated that. That why it seems almost petty that they would allow that but not give us custom texture/decal options.

I mean, realistically, all the Substance editor does is generate, in the end, the texture, opacity, bump and so on files that have been always used by iClone so I suppose you can create the material without the decal and then add it in iClone by exporting, modifying and re-applying the texture file...but being able to do it in CC would be much nicer.  

"We often compare ourselves to the U.S. and often they come out the best, but they only have the right to bear arms while we have the right to bare breasts"
Bowser and Blue, Busting The Breast

I believe the Essential package is $99, which suffices to extend the functionality of CC, so I don't where the $500 to $750 comes from.

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From this list of extras for CC:


CC Essentials Complete Bundle  $199.00 Export $299.00

Party Fun Hairs & Accessories Pack  $99.00 Export $159.00

You could also take a look at the G6 4 in 1 Empowerment Pack  $119.00 Export $299.00

as well as the Stylized Starter Pack  $149.00 Export $149.00

Total cost without Export:

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With Export:

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The totals are even much higher than my first guess. :w00t::blush:




Gerry

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System: Win 10 Pro (21H2), Asus X99-E WS, CPU i7-5930K -3,5 GHz, 32 GB DDR4 2666-16 RAM, NVidia GTX 1080 Ti GPU - 11 GB VRAM(Driver Studio-536.99), Samsung 850 Pro 512 GB SSD, 6 TB HD storage.

Not for nothing, & I know y'all are having fun playing with CC, but for me it is a lot less tedious to just do my own thing in 3ds max, Maya & Mudbox.... & then just generate a non-standard human (which will work in almost ANY version of iClone - cause there are lots of folks who don't have iC6 out there)   Heck with what you have to spend on all export add ons, (& I am sure when they finally get to a full cloth package that won't be cheap either)....  you should bank the bucks towards 3ds max or even Maya....  For general users, videographers & animators, etc., DAZ has a wide range of inventory that you can easily bring into iClone with Pipeline (but you will need to decimate those meshes cause they are hefty)....

Would really like to know when the developer bases for iC6/CC are going to be released.....  I've got cloth meshes made & ready to go if/when we get the bases (was originally supposed to be 3rd quarter 2015- but that didn't happen).....  If RL takes much longer, I will just use them for non-standards and be done with it..

I don't know why RL is "locking out" certain functions that a lot of developers could really do some great stuff with (& usually in a shorter trun-around time).....  It's their company & their right to do as they please - but we don't have to like the approach   :hehe::w00t: 

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iClone Certified Content Developer and Author of the Pinky Frink® Adventure Series & the Pinky Frink® Learning Books
site: Granny J's 3D Attic SKYPE = grannyjsplace email: grannyj@grannyjs3dattic.com
MY RIG: GPU: Dual GeForce GTX 970M | CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)i7-5930K @3.50GHz| 32.00 GB RAM | OS: Win 7 Pro SP1 | DX11

@Granny: the "extra bucks" are not as bad as it seems (if you buy wisely and at the right time) and to get well-versed in Maya or 3DS Max takes quite an investment in time, as with any software. I found out long ago that I have no particular flair for modeling from scratch, so I'm not a content developer except for my own purposes, and I'm really pleased with the possibilities that Character Creator offers me. For me it's about tools that help me make my films, so I put my energy in learning how to make better movies, which is good for developers like yourself, because I rather buy if it saves me time...:P

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75% of original size (was 671x19) - Click to enlarge