<DAZ_mattw> Hello, everyone!
<DAZ_mattw> Wow, this is exciting
<DAZ_chris> We're very excited to have you all here.
<DAZ_mattw> so, we're two people away from breaking our record number of chatters
<DAZ_mattw> this will be fun
<DAZ_Dan> Hi everyone, Thank you for coming out to the chat tonight. Just to paint you a picture, we're all gathered together in Chris' and my office. Jeff, Matt, Ryan, and Jarrod are here too.
<DAZ_mattw> For those who have NOT participated in one of our Artzone featured chats before, you can start queueing your questions now by clicking on QuestionBot on the right hand side
<DAZ_mattw> just send your question as a private message and it will be logged for the moderators
<DAZ_mattw> Our featured guests tonight are Dan Farr and Chris Creek
<DAZ_mattw> the founders of DAZ3D, and Artzone
<DAZ_mattw> They've got a long and storied history in 3d
<DAZ_mattw> going back to when they were at Zygote together
<DAZ_chris> even further back... the old Viewpoint days...
<DAZ_mattw> Since they don't need a great deal of introduction, we'll dive right in!
<DAZ_chris> back in '94 when Dan and I met
<DAZ_Dan> By raise of hands, how many people are here for the free stuff?? How many to talk to Chris and I?
* DAZ_chris counts hands
<DAZ_chris> I think there are at least 5 people...
<DAZ_chris> Here we go...
<DAZ_Dan> Great to be here with everyone, hopefully have some fun information for you tonight.
<Lunastar> Where do you see DAZ in 5 and 10 years?
<DAZ_Dan> That's a good place to start. First of all, we'd like to be in business still.
<DAZ_Dan> LOL
<DAZ_chris> Boy, I sure hope so... :)
<DAZ_Dan> Our biggest goal is the same as the last several years,: Expanding into new markets.
<DAZ_Dan> We'll see a better working relationship between all our software products.
<DAZ_Dan> And we'll probalby be at the Millennium v6 or 7 by then :)
<DAZ_chris> We're also looking at how to create some new original products, and get more great content to our users, customers, etc...
<DAZ_mattw> For people just piling in, please watch your elbows.... and to ask a question via the moderator, click on QuestionBot on the right hand side and send it as a private msg
<james_r> what is the guiding philosophy behind what you've created here with DAZ, et al?
<DAZ_Dan> Keeping the focus on serving customer's needs
<DAZ_chris> we are really trying (as we always have) to make it easier to create great art
<DAZ_chris> we want to enable the artist...
<DAZ_Dan> yes, Continually innovating and finding better ways to get things done
<DAZ_chris> that has been one of our guiding principles since the very beginning
<DAZ_chris> we're researching the "make great art button"
<DAZ_chris> ;)
<DAZ_Dan> heh, yeah.
<DAZ_mattw> 
<Lunastar> How did you financially start with DAZ? Did you have to borrow or was it a small start that grew? Sorry Iif this is a silly question I'm new to all this
<DAZ_Dan> Who put that up? MATT?!?!
<DAZ_mattw> just an average day at the office
* DAZ_mattw ducks
<DAZ_chris> we used to sell apples on the street corner... lol
<DAZ_Dan> Financially we've been able to grow organically, since we spun out from Zygote.
<DAZ_chris> Zygote started in my basement in September of '94
<DAZ_Dan> Since we broke off, it's been something that has been really grass-roots business
<DAZ_Dan> we had to grow with the market.
<DAZ_chris> Daz started with 7 people in December of 2000
<DAZ_chris> fortunately, we've continued to grow ever since
<DAZ_chris> we originally started Zygote to create "edutainment" when that was still a buzzword :)
<mizzthangg> not a question, but comment: THANK YOU for years of HIGH QUALITY products that i've come to rely on in producing my digital art!!!
* DAZ_chris hands out waters to the crowd
<DAZ_chris> It's our pleasure. :)
<DAZ_Dan> No, thank you :)
<DAZ_chris> I think part of what makes DAZ great, is that we all really love what we do
<RAMWolff> I'm sure this is on everyone's lips... V4... when??
<lady_blue> Is there any news concerning V4? It will be very exciting to have it!
<DAZ_chris> V4? never heard of it... lol
<DAZ_Dan> First of all, V4 has been the longest model project we've ever worked on.
<DAZ_Dan> We've been in development for over 2 years now.
<DAZ_chris> she's in beta right now...
<DAZ_Dan> Do you want to see some of the new features?
<DAZ_chris> it's been a lot of work to try and create something that meets everyone's needs and will still be an exceptionally beautiful model
* DAZ_chris starts drum roll
<DAZ_SSS> 
<DAZ_SSS> 
<DAZ_chris> These show two mesh resolutions...
<DAZ_chris> basic low res mesh (10-12k polys)
<DAZ_chris> ...the second is a sub-D mesh from the low-res version
<DAZ_chris> and it quadruples the resolution
<DAZ_Dan> A year and a half ago we hired a group of over 10 models to be scanned. From that data we created the mesh shaping.
<DAZ_chris> we laid the sub-d mesh to optimize the mesh for body and facial morphs
<DAZ_chris> for example...
<DAZ_chris> we've had to rework the mesh over and over to get optimal layout for muscle tone
<DAZ_chris> Every major skeltal muscle group can be defined with this mesh
<DAZ_chris> much better than V3's mesh
<DAZ_Dan> The scanning was my favorite part. Re-working not so much...
<DAZ_Dan> Some other features we have include completely new, digitized hands and feet.
* DAZ_chris sings "isn't she lovely..."
* DAZ_Dan sings "Isn't she beau---tiful!"
<DAZ_chris> lol
* DAZ_chris yells "everybody!"
<DAZ_mattw> FYI, to keep things sane, because we have so many people, I've blocked private msgs to dan and chris - just fyi
<DAZ_mattw> to ask a question, please click QuestionBot on the right hand side to queue it up
<DAZ_mattw> (and send it as a private msg)
<greywolfe1960> Will V4 be backward compatible with the tons of V3 stuff I have now?
<DAZ_chris> Absolutely
<DAZ_chris> That's one of the reason's[sic] it's taken us a long time to get the dev to the point it's at now
<DAZ_Dan> LOL, hopefull spelling is edited in the chat logs.....
<DAZ_chris> and we've been very pleased with the beta feedback so far.
<DAZ_Dan> One of the models we used for scans is a pretty well known model BTW, contracts keep us from naming her unfortunately
<Alphalioness69> Will V4 be able to expand (become heavy large) more naturally than the current model. I would like to make more realistic looking women of size (being 1 myself)
<DAZ_chris> yes, we have some very nice body morphs that will fit the bill nicely
<DAZ_Dan> Some of the other models we used were plus size as well.
<DAZ_chris> they work great in combination
<Partek> will there be a V4-RR? Are Morphs included?
<DAZ_Dan> Technically speaking the pre-subdivided mesh is a reduced res version
<DAZ_Dan> so, yes, all the morphs will apply to both resolutions
<DAZ_Dan> In the future, we will also have a morph compatible REAL-time version (low-res)
<DAZ_Dan> We've seen the proto-types and it's looking great so far.
<DAZ_chris> extremely nice
<elektra> While I was at Siggraph, I asked if V4 would be compatible with V3 products and I was told no.
<DAZ_chris> hmmmm... that's actually not correct, sorry
<DAZ_chris> we'll definitely have a V4 body-fit morph that will fit all of the V3 clothes
<mizzthangg> will V4 be FREE? lol
<DAZ_Dan> Good question. OK, well. Half way through - Ready for some prizes?
<DAZ_Dan> :) (We have to leave some surprises for release day right?)
* DAZ_chris ducks
<DAZ_mattw> ok, then, it is dan and chris
<DAZ_mattw> and seeing as how they can't let a week go by without giving away SOMETHING free...
<manstan> free stuff?
<DAZ_mattw> we've got some freebies
<DAZ_chris> free, Free, FREE!!!
<DAZ_mattw> First, we've got some free copies of Carrara
<DAZ_chris> The winners of Carrara are (selected by random, and audited by Price-Waterhouse Coopers):
<DAZ_mattw> We picked 5 people from our extremely full chat
<DAZ_mattw> Pablo_S, fatheadbo, rmash1948, Alphalioness69, and kaolin fire!
<DAZ_mattw> Congratultions
<DAZ_Dan> Congratulations! :)
<DAZ_mattw> You'll find a free copy of Carrara 5 in your daz account within the next couple hours
<DAZ_chris> BTW, those previous images showing V4 were shown with Quarker's new hairstyle.
* DAZ_chris tips hat to Quarker
* DAZ_chris pats winners on back
<DAZ_Dan> Don't leave yet
<DAZ_Dan> There are still more freebies!
<DAZ_chris> "but wait... that's not all..." lol
<DAZ_Dan> (We have to do somethign to keep you here the whole time)
* DAZ_chris tries to wake up sleepers
<DAZ_chris> just wanted to throw a question out to the crowd...
<DAZ_chris> before another one comes our way...
<DAZ_chris> Would anyone out there be interested in a DAZ/ ArtZone Expo?
<DAZ_chris> we've been thinking we'd try it out in a major city (likely on the west coast)
<DAZ_chris> LA, SF... maybe Vegas
<DAZ_chris> I know you can't answer...
<DAZ_Dan> If yes, send an email to Matt :)
<DAZ_chris> since we're moderated
* DAZ_mattw changes his email address
<DAZ_chris> matt@daz3d.com
* DAZ_chris changes it back
* DAZ_Dan ducks
<DAZ_mattw> ironically, I actually still cannot receive email at my daz address. :D
<DAZ_chris> seriously...
<DAZ_chris> food for thought
<DAZ_Dan> no really, we'll continue this question on the forums later
<DAZ_chris> stop arguing about location, people... LOL
(This was in reesponse to sudden private messages to Matt)
<ubend> How about the Expo in Tucson ;-)
<DAZ_chris> ...or... how about the surface of the sun?! lol
<DAZ_mattw> heh
<theodirk> Is there going to be any easier model translation between DAZ Studio, Bryce, Carrara and Hexagon such as a unified file format?
* DAZ_chris pops open an apple grape juice
<DAZ_chris> all this typing is making me thirsty
<DAZ_Dan> The goal is to have as much harmony as possible between all the different apps
<DAZ_Dan> not necessarily a new format, but standardize the current formats.
<DAZ_mattw> I have advised Dan and Chris there are 250 questions pending
<DAZ_Dan> 250 questions left, you guys got all night?
<theodirk> What is the future of Bryce now that DAZ owns Carrara?
<DAZ_chris> funny you should ask...
<DAZ_chris> Dan?
<DAZ_Dan> Yes Chris?
<DAZ_chris> lol
<DAZ_Dan> We do plan on much better cooperation between the two like we mentioned above
<DAZ_Dan> Bryce 6 will have a boolean to mesh exporter
<DAZ_Dan> that will make it easier right away
<DAZ_Dan> in the future we'll work toward similar code bases between all of them as well
<DAZ_Dan> Chris, what other features are you excited about?
<DAZ_chris> one feature I'M really excited about is the expanded library thumbnails
<DAZ_Dan> LOL
<DAZ_chris> KIDDING
<DAZ_Dan> One big feature is IBL using HDRI
<DAZ_Dan> (Image based lighting) (High Dynamic Range Imaging)
<Digital Daydreams> Any info on B6 render Speed, compared to 5.5?
<DAZ_Dan> Chris?
* DAZ_chris coughs up juice
<DAZ_chris> um, as far as speed goes, we're not entirely sure yet
<DAZ_chris> but it looks promising so far
* DAZ_chris wipes juice off shirt
<DAZ_Dan> On some newer systems. No radical difference yet unfortunately
<DAZ_Dan> Later versions, after merging render technology from Carrara, will be faster
<angusm> What plans do you have - or can you reveal - for Bryce? Is a Universal Binary (for MacIntel computers) a possibility?
<DAZ_Dan> Not in right in the 6.0 release, but in the 6.1 free update
<SndCastle> when will Bryce 6 be out
<DAZ_chris> as soon as we get the damn thing stable
<DAZ_chris> lol
<DAZ_chris> just kidding,
<DAZ_Dan> Chris, that means it has to be stable when it goes out.
<DAZ_chris> we're getting the last few bugs squashed.
<DAZ_Dan> we're in late Beta. about 18-20 or so left.
<DAZ_chris> as with all software development always takes just a bit longer that the programmers say in the beginning
<DAZ_chris> ;)
<DAZ_chris> All we know is what we're told
<theodirk> When are you planning on purchasing Renderosity? :-)
<DAZ_chris> lol
<DAZ_chris> Dan?
<DAZ_Dan> I thought they were buying us? I lose track
<DAZ_chris> lol
* DAZ_chris sings "rumors..."
<rmash1948> I want to say a BIG thank you for DAZ|Studio. It lets me create in a medium I never thought that someone my age (58) could learn how to use. Thank you so very much. *hugs!*
* DAZ_chris can't.. breathe... lungs being crushed...
<DAZ_chris> oh wait, you were hugging Dan
<DAZ_Dan> You're welcome! That was our main goal. To help people get into this who thought they couldn't.
<DAZ_Dan> We really want to reach more new people
<JZArtist3D> How much $$$$ do you and your DAZ site make every month? (Sales, Average)?
<DAZ_chris> Enough to keep us in Ramen and mac and cheese.
<DAZ_Dan> Seriously, we reinvest most of our proceeds back into the business.
<Cdlzt> Will daz studio be expanded for the use of dynamic cloths and what further features are likely to be incorporated into it?
<DAZ_Dan> That's what we invest in :) New innovations in V4, Software, Dynamic Cloth, Figure scaling
<DAZ_Dan> ie - between Mill kids and Freak for example
<DAZ_mattw> that sounds like the lead in for a 3d joke... what do you get when you cross the mill kids and the Freak?
* DAZ_chris hums Jeopardy tune
<DAZ_chris> sorry for the wait
<DAZ_chris> we're tracking down a link to show you some cool new stuff
<DAZ_Rhyno> http://artzone.daz3d.com/BlenderTest.avi
<DAZ_Rhyno> (Video of Figure Scaleing Dan mentioned before)
<Lunastar> I know you did the Christmas book, are there anymore 3D books in the works?
<DAZ_Dan> We have not done anything yet on another book at this time. We are working to get a deal to be able to make an animated movie out of the book.
<DAZ_Dan> That animated movie is the main reason that we worked with Dick Van Dyke for the book.
<rubbermonk> Chris & Dan: Have you ever thought about publishing a DAZ focused magazine?
<DAZ_chris> Hi Monk...
<DAZ_chris> we haven't talked about a magazine, per se, but there has been some discussion on doing an E-Zine
<DAZ_chris> nothing's final on that yet
<shadow_dancer> any idea when we will be able to acess other ppls wish list to buy thing off of them as gifts ?
<DAZ_mattw> I'm going to just take that one :D
<DAZ_mattw> actually, we did the legwork for buying off wishlists a while ago; we'll definitely get it rolled live in time for people to get 3d gifts this season
<DAZ_mattw> you'll be able to maintain a wishlist, people can browse it and buy off it, and the downloads go into the recipients account
<AprilYSH> Hi Dan and Chris, what are your personal pet projects at the moment?
<DAZ_chris> Hi April
<DAZ_Dan> It is hard to decide between so many cool things. I think my most favorite is the figure blender that will come out in Studio with the next gen of mill figures.
<DAZ_chris> I'm starting a butterfly ranch
<DAZ_Dan> We also have a really cool new animation tool with the working title of Puppeteer.
<DAZ_chris> back to Bryce for a second
<DAZ_chris> I think Dan has an announcement to make
<DAZ_Dan> About Bryce?
<DAZ_chris> yessir
<DAZ_Dan> We are going to give everyone here in the room a free copy of Bryce 5.0
* DAZ_chris buys another round for all, as a thank you for sticking around and putting up with our shennanigans
<DAZ_Dan> I know that many of you may already have it. So for you, we will be giving a $5 voucher and discount for 6.0 (not today though).
<DAZ_Dan> We know who you are...
<DAZ_chris> so everyone gets 5.0 and a voucher
<DAZ_mattw> the discount is actually for 5.5
<DAZ_mattw> the bryce 5.0 will show up in everyone's account in the next hour, along with the voucher
<DAZ_mattw> the discount will be along later
<rmash1948> *raises BOTH hands with one half-lowered* I'm here for you guys and the free stuff is the whipped cream on the chocolate sundae.
<DAZ_chris> free, Free, FREE!!!
<DAZ_mattw> I've found their pet project
<DAZ_mattw> 
<DAZ_mattw> it's a refuge for 3d characters!
<DAZ_Dan> This has been a lot of fun. We will get to one more question.
<mrx3010> Given what we have seen so far in this past year. What big news can we expect to hear in the future from DAZ?
<DAZ_Dan> We have already discussed most of them. (I.E.) Bryce 6., V4, Dynamic Cloth Engine, Puppeteer, Figure Mixer. I am sure that we will have some other fun things that come up.
<DAZ_chris> hey everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for coming to the chat and hanging out with us this fine evening
<DAZ_Dan> Sorry that we were not able to get to more questions.
<DAZ_chris> we're grateful for all of you and your support of DAZ and ArtZone
<DAZ_chris> and we hope you had fun learning a bit more about DAZ as well as some of what we've got planned for the road ahead
<DAZ_chris> This has really been a lot of fun and a great experience for me
<DAZ_mattw> Okay, well, that brings out time to a close.
<DAZ_mattw> what a busy chat!
<DAZ_mattw> we had 249 people stop in!
<DAZ_mattw> it's a blowout
<DAZ_Dan> Thanks alot for the time and support of DAZ. We really love this community and the fun here.
<DAZ_chris> We really are grateful for this community
<DAZ_mattw> moderation is off. Thanks for coming everyone!
<tfwall> Awesome guys...thanks
<ImmortalImaging> Thank you Dan & Chris
<Kuanbyr> Thanks Guys!
<Axe Swipe> Thanks Chris &Dan! (oh ya, and matt also) ;-p
<DAZ_Rhyno> Thanks Dan and Chris, Thanks everyone!
<manneristicstudios> thanks
<musicat> thank you very much for everthing & have a great weekend
<kaolin fire> THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<Neo10> thanks
<greywolfe1960> Thank you Dan & Chris & everyone at DAZ!!!!!!
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