User:Robkelk/sandbox/A Brief History of DAZ3D Characters

'DRAFT DOCUMENT - Please do not link to it yet. Besides, it'll be moved out of my sandbox once it's ready.'

Pre-Millennium
Most of the Zygote figures are long out-of-print. ...

...more - if any are still available, list them

Millennium Figures
Generation 1 and 2 figures are ...

...more

The Generation 2 figures are the Generation 1 figures with improved, expanded morphs, and some other changes.

Unimesh Figures
The Unimesh figures are DAZ3D's third generation of Millennium figures. They were designed from the same base figure and share the same UV map, allowing each Unimesh figure to use Materials and Shaders made for any other Unimesh figure. This was the last Millennium generation to have separate figures for the base characters.

Unfortunately, the "anime" figures Aiko 3 and Hiro 3 had slightly different implementations of the UV map on their legs, which means that the textures are not completely cross-compatible. To fix this, you can copy the SkinLeg material to the SkinKnee, SkinThigh and a SkinShin material zones manually in the Poser Material Room or in the DazStudio Surface tab. Don't forget to credit Kerya there. Daz Studio users can use the Gen3 Leg Material Fixer Scripts for Daz Studio script to automate this.

This wiki lists the Unimesh textures on two pages:
 * Unimesh Female 3/Materials and Shaders
 * Unimesh Male 3/Materials and Shaders

...more

Later Figures
Beginning with the fourth generation of Millennium figures, DAZ3D would make single male and female figures for each generation (except for the unisex fifth generation Genesis figure), making various iconic characters morphs of the base male and female. This allows each generation of figures to share not only textures, but also wardrobe, hair, and parented props.

The Generation 5 figure Genesis was the first to be weight-mapped. It was also the first to be released to the pubic as a unisex figure instead of a pair of male and female figures.

Generation 6 went back to a pair of male and female figures: Genesis 2 Female and Genesis 2 Male.

Generation 7 (Genesis 3 Female and Genesis 3 Male) is the current generation.

''What makes it better than Genesis 2? "Newer" is not synonymous with "better".''

Iconic Characters
Not every iconic character has appeared in every generation.

So far, Victoria and Michael have always been represented - they were the base characters in Generation 4 and have had morphs in Generations 5, 6, and 7. Victoria has always been the first character released in each generation.

Aiko has also appeared in every generation double-check this, although she has shifted from the "anime" style of Aiko 1-2 to a "videogame" style of Aiko 7.

Generation 1-2: each character is a separate figure

...more

Generation 3: each character is a separate figure
 * Aiko 3
 * David 3
 * The Freak 3
 * The Girl 3
 * Hiro 3
 * Laura
 * Luke
 * Maddie
 * Matt
 * Michael 3
 * Millennium Baby 3
 * Stephanie Petite 3
 * Victoria 3

Generation 4: The Kids 4, Michael 4, and Victoria 4
 * Aiko 4
 * The Freak 4
 * The Girl 4
 * Hiro 4
 * The Kids 4
 * Michael 4
 * She-Freak 4
 * Stephanie 4
 * Victoria 4

Generation 5: Genesis ...more
 * Michael 5
 * Victoria 5
 * The Freak 5

Generation 6: Genesis 2 Female and Genesis 2 Male ...many, many more
 * Michael 6
 * Victoria 6

Generation 7: Genesis 3 Female and Genesis 3 Male ''I think that's all of them. That might be too many, in fact, but they're all listed as Daz Originals.''
 * Aiko 7
 * Arabella 7
 * Bethany 7
 * Eva 7
 * Gia 7
 * Gianni 7
 * The Girl 7
 * The Guy 7
 * Ivan 7
 * Izabella 7
 * Kalea 7
 * Karen 7
 * Kenji 7
 * Kimo 7
 * Lee 7
 * Leo 7
 * Mei Lin 7
 * Michael 7
 * Olympia 7
 * Rune 7
 * Teen Josie 7
 * Tween Julie 7
 * Tween Ryan 7
 * Victoria 7