UltraScenery for DAZ Studio is a powerful 3D environment creation tool that enables artists to design, customize, and render detailed and realistic landscapes and ecosystems for their digital scenes and animations. This tutorial video guide is based on how published artist Martin J Frost uses UltraScenery in both his artwork and content creation work where he gives super useful shortcuts, optimization tips and recommendations for using your UltraScenery.
Dive deep into the extensive environments and robust instancing technology of UltraScenery, enhancing your virtual worlds with meticulous customization capabilities, from dynamic terrains to interactive ecosystems. The tutorial not only unveils the systematic four-step scene creation process but also explores the enhancement of terrain meshes and optimization of various environmental elements to deliver a more picture-perfect aesthetic.
Explore the add-ons including the UltraScenery Accelerator, demonstrated with practical examples and navigational guidance in the tutorial.
Get hands-on with the UltraScenery Tools as the tutorial unveils the range of functionalities and creative liberties of the UltraScenery Toolbox Volumes. From navigating through the Height Map Generator, and managing the Mask Builder for Ecologies, to exploring capabilities like the Alienator Pro for enhanced scene adaptation, this guide is your shortcut to making the most of UltraScenery!
Introduction to Ultra Scenery
Ultra Scenery Basics
Customizing a Landscape
Ultra scenery Accelerator
What’s Available – Add-Ons and Ecologies
Ultra Scenery Tools
Tips, Tricks, Do’s and Don’ts
Putting It All Together
Video 1 : US-Introduction : 19 minutes (.MP4)
What is UltraScenery?
Advantages of using UltraScenery
How US is ideal for placing DAZ characters or buildings into compelling, realistic backdrops
The extensive ecosystems and environments
Objectives and aims of this tutorial set
About instancing technology and how US utilises this
Pros and Cons of Instancing
The four-step scene creation process
About customization capabilities of US
Ability to add features like rivers, ponds, roads, fences, and bridges which impact the generated terrain mesh.
Availability of sets of rocks, bridges, walkways, roads, and path features for enhanced customization.
Video 2 : Add-ons for US : 16 minutes (.MP4)
How add-ons enhance UltraScenery by providing additional items, textures, and features.
How various add-ons, such as ecologies and landscape features, can be purchased to expand the UltraScenery’s capabilities, providing options like different ecologies (desert, tropical, etc.) and landscape features (bridges, paths)
How to access add-on facilities in US
How ecologies add-on offer sets of trees, plants, grasses, and rocks, which UltraScenery utilizes to populate landscapes, sometimes coming with their own specific terrain and road textures.
Landscape feature add-ons such as roads, rock formations, and water features
Texture add-ons
Water material add-ons – adding visual appeal to your scenes
A mention on bundles and UltraScenery XT
Video 2a : Understanding the UltaScenery Accelerator : 3 minutes (.MP4)
What is the US Accelerator and why to use it. Typical examples of time saved using this product.
Installing US Accelerator.
Importance of verifying the installation. About the DIM settings.
Indication that US Accelerator is active.
Video 3 : Ultrascenery Setup Part 1 : 17 minutes (.MP4)
Before creating an UltraScenery scene : what to consider
Preparation and setup
Scene saving strategy : incremental strategy recommended by Martin
Recommended graphics and render settings. What to avoid.
Optimisation render setting recommendation
US should be installed by DAZ install manager
Using the US creator interface
Features and Ecologies section
Water settings and surfaces editor
Building the scene : about the build plane
Building the scene : ecology seed for plant positioning variability
Controlling water body volume
Potentially extend forest for additional backdrop
Post-build adjustment recommendations
Video 4 : Ultrascenery Setup Part 2 : 4 minutes (.MP4)
Optimizing Lighting and Environment Settings for the test render just done
What the user can do to modify the created scene : height maps, ecologies and water color.
Alterations (such as restricting instances to camera and modifying features or topography) are possible
Video 5 : Ultrascenery Setup Part 3 : 3 minutes (.MP4)
Demonstrates refining the terrain of a scene to achieve a more polished look and utilizes the feature of populating details only in the camera view
experiment with the positioning of objects and utilize established reference points (like the sphere) for accurate placements
Video 6 : Ultrascenery Setup Part 4 : 5 minutes (.MP4)
Adjusting water levels within UltraScenery is showcased with examples at various levels
Adjusting water parameters like refraction, absorption, and scattering, along with altering the ripple strength and size
How changing color values can morph the water to desired aesthetics
Video 7 : Final Tips and Tricks for Scene Setup : 3 minutes (.MP4)
Optimizing Instancing and Scene Navigation
Effective Use of Reference Objects
Adjusting Water Settings and Properties – top tips
Video 8 : UltraScenery tools : 23 minutes (.MP4)
Utilization of Ultra Scenery Toolbox Volume One :learn to use tools from US Toolbox Vol 1
Height Map Generator Usage
Show/Hide and Adjust Ecologies – using for simplified scene working
How to be strategic with mask placement
Managing the Mask Builder for Ecologies
Clearing an area within a dense jungle to potentially position buildings or characters.
Intro to UltraScenery Toolbox Volume 2
The Ecology Engineer
About unpacking instances and editing instances
Using Alienator Pro for enhanced scene adaption
Swap or add various plants or elements from the user’s library
Replacing or adding specific flora to a scene to introduce varying aesthetics
Video 9 : Summary : 7 minutes (.MP4)
Utilize the UltraScenery tool in DAZ Studio to create dynamic and immersive 3D scenes
Edit and place elements (trees, shrubs, etc.) for balanced and compelling scene composition, and utilize volumetric effects for enhanced realism3
Make specific adjustments to individual elements (like scaling and placement) to enhance the narrative and visual appeal of a scene
About employing a blend of realistic and stylized components, manipulating biomes, and using depth blur
Leveraging Community Knowledge and Online Resources
Documentation: (.PDF)
Ultrascenery Guide Searchable Version
