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DAZ 3D Has Launched DAZ Premier. Thoughts?
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A few weeks ago, I got one of DAZ's customer surveys, and one of the questions was about the likelihood of me signing up for a new kind of subscription service, should one ever become available. I told them "no fucking way" (or words to that effect). Tonight I logged onto the DAZ store page to see what today's new products were, and SURPRISE -- DAZ is launching DAZ Premier (along with DAZ Base and DAZ Plus), a monthly subscription service (didn't see an annual plan) that gives enhanced discounts and bonuses, one of which is an expanded version of DAZ Studio with additional tools instead of the free version everyone has access to.
I'm curious to see what everyone thinks of this.
LINK: https://www.daz3d.com/daz-premier
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Right now I'm giving it a hearty 'meh'. I can go months without buying anything at all from DAZ, or here, or the other render sites, depending on what I'm currently playing with or what I have a need for. I'm not about to give them money every month 'just because'. I look at Prime which is offered by the 'other render site' the same way. Discounts or not, I know in the long term I'll just end up spending more.
I am curious what Studio Premier is, though. Would the so-called upgrades make it better, or would I even make use of them? They need to tell us more than it just 'better'.
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The modeling tool directly in daz studio is interesting. I think they won't allow you to work on the mesh in high definition anyway... I don't know... for now I'll wait, they've already taken a lot of my money. 
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I get the impression that sales are falling and the teams at Daz are trying new ways to keep capital flowing. They raised prices quite a bit, but then instituted tokens, frequent buyer discounts and code offers to knock down the prices to where they were before. They poached vendors away from 'rocity to add to their stable, while culling the older or problematic unproductive artists. The website shop page now has a footnote on each product telling you how much you can save buying at the discounted price. I have noticed my tickets being looked at for the first time in months on the Daz support page, with a note saying they were behind but are now circling back. It all points to softening sales.
I buy things when the price seems reasonable, and I have quite a few items now. I wish Daz continued success, I wouldn't want them to go under, but I appreciate the deals to be had and the increased focus on customer support. It also seems like new products keep streaming in. Hopefully they will integrate AI into their model, but it will contribute to the homogenization of the artwork watering down the distinctive look each artist has. Edited by user Tuesday, October 8, 2024 12:31:25 AM(UTC)
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 1 user thanked Zeppelin for this useful post.
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Since Gen 9 released I bought the base set morph package bundle and a few things to do promos for, since then I have spent like maybe 50 bucks on Gen 8 or props there since, because the pricing, ditching their sub plan. I have just lost interest in Gen 9. I use to spend a few hundred a month between there and here.
Seems as if their sales are faltering, they are up against the new AI gen, as well as economies and inflation keeping the dollar elsewhere. Having to pay more for food and medical and being the only income source has kept me from spulging on 3d as well as other things. I making approx what I was making as pandemic started but now it feels like I make as much when I worked at Wal Mart because the pricing of everyday items, where as before I could justify a few hundred in 3d or getting equipment for our physical shop.
Do you get to pick the pro figure from all they have or is it just set to the same few that rotate, that within a few months becomes irrelevant? I just looked at the email and clicked the link to the page but I didn't explore it since my attention went more to Fallout 76 than figuring out the ins and outs of their new pet project to pull in funds.
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Since I buy a lot of stuff, I decided to give it a try. Covered more than a month's cost on the first day, but with sales having been running for ages, I don't know if it's more than I'd have got at the old rate.
As usual, their implementation was a bit shaky. While my account said Premier, the Basket showed Daz+ account and pricing until quite late in the day.
It might be a while before I get a chance to properly look at the new tools. If the conversion of my favourite characters from G8 to G9 works properly and easily, it could open up some possibilities.
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It's just an additional, higher tier from Daz Plus with more benefits. Nothing really changed.
For some people, the free content or Plus is enough, but I tend to spend regularly, so Premiere pays for itself and it's a great deal. It's just more options to adapt to different user's needs.
I just wish there was an annual subscription, because I prefer to pay a lower price upfront than monthly.  DAZ STUDIO USER SINCE 2006
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I've already submitted my request to have them downgrade me from DAZ Plus (formerly DAZ+) to DAZ Base (the free option). I'm not sticking around to be a part of this BS. I need access to my content library until I finish backing everything up, and then I'm out for good. I'm not going to be buying anything from them in the meantime, so I don't give a rat's ass about giving up the perks and discounts, and I sure as hell don't want to get billed for it every month, either. I gave DAZ a second chance after they dropped their attempt at content encryption, but I think I'm done with them for good, this time.
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Originally Posted by: Hellboy 
I just wish there was an annual subscription, because I prefer to pay a lower price upfront than monthly.
Same here, and I'm not happy that the annual subscription has disappeared from Daz+ either. And especially as in the past this Month (Anniversary of the Platinum Club) usually meant we could pick up the Annual Subscription at a discount, but now going monthly only, the discounts are likely gone.
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Don't know if it's due to Premier or the amount of stuff I've bought since I started with Daz, but I number of freebies I didn't order seem to have been added to my library.
They showed up on DIM yesterday and just show as "Manually Added" on my account
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Originally Posted by: Katsuyaki
I'm curious to see what everyone thinks of this.
Well, yesterday I finally upgraded to Daz 4.23 and also checked the changelogs and what not when I discovered the whole Premier thing. Well, can't say I'm very impressed, it's just yet another subscription tier and honestly.. software subscriptions are the worst way to spent your money, for the simple reason that you pay per calendar month, so every day you're not using the software you're essentially wasting money.
No pressure there! :P
Alas Premier... "Exclusive content", I don't buy hollow phrases like that anymore. It's just generic stuff meant to lure you in; I've been a Daz+ member for a few years which also had "weekly" and "monthly" freebies and discounts. Well, the amount of freebies I still have can be counted on one hand. Most of it was barely impressive. And sure, a free character bundle sounds nice. Thing is... there's a lot of difference between character vendors and what not, and there's even more generic material out there. Satisfaction is not guaranteed and well... I have some serious doubts there.
Next... exporting tools. Fun and all, but most software which supports Daz Studio usually provides their own import methods. So why would you pay for an "exclusive export" option? ;)
Honestly... for $20 / month I'd expect a lot more than just savings and some generic features.
Then again... I am definitely a little biased because "advanced modeling tools" doesn't mean much for me, courtesy of my ZBrush license.
When software companies start to push subscriptions then all I see are frantic options to try and gross in more money. No more and no less. Same here... I'm not impressed.
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What really gets me is when they offer the free stuff. It's usually just texture sets for a model ya have to pay for. I get it helps those who have the model, and that it is trying to upsell something. But just my opinion if you're paying for the tier at least have the balls to offer up newer Gen stuff especially charging 20 a month instead of 21 every 3 months, What I am interested in knowing is the free bundles are they for older models like Gen 3 or they pushing Gen 9. I can see use if it is the newer models. But to offer up the Rtime DNA back catalog and older models that are no longer in their heyday, or texture sets to models I don't care to use, is in my opinion, a non starter to pay that tier.
I don't know. It just seems to me that Daz thinks they are OpenAI. And just feels like someone there was like ChatGPT can charge 20 a month for features, why can't we bandwagon that.
I really am trying not to bash Daz. Don't get me wrong, I love Studio, and making content for it. But I often wonder what exactly drives their decisions. Other than the chase for the dollar. It honestly makes me think the thought process in the sales department's motto is "There's a sucker born each minute."
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Originally Posted by: Chaosophia
What really gets me is when they offer the free stuff. It's usually just texture sets for a model ya have to pay for.
^ SO much this, I had completely forgotten about it but you're oh so right. That also seriously rubbed me the wrong way too back in the day, and I dare say that it was one of the reasons why I started diverting my attention to other markets.
Good call!
Originally Posted by: Chaosophia
I really am trying not to bash Daz. Don't get me wrong, I love Studio, and making content for it.
^ Understatement of the year there ;) Sorry Chaos, just teasing a little but darn right, and your content is IMO quite impressive. Even if it is a shitty product (sorry, sorry, but that one still has grinning to this very day! Best add a link I think ;)).
Originally Posted by: Chaosophia
But I often wonder what exactly drives their decisions. Other than the chase for the dollar. It honestly makes me think the thought process in the sales department's motto is "There's a sucker born each minute."
Yah, I mean.. the idea is not totally wrong I think but ... they also may be overplaying their hand a little. I'm by far an expert on this matter mind you, but from all the things I see and hear... Take Genesis 9. I am convinced that it's hardly as well received as Daz anticipated. And it's so... obvious.
Take morphs... when looking at my G8 male/female characters then they account for quite a few morphs. I'm not even sure how well it would work out if you'd combine the whole lot, yet that's exactly what Daz is somehow aiming for with G9.
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Originally Posted by: ZenMaster3D Take Genesis 9. I am convinced that it's hardly as well received as Daz anticipated. And it's so... obvious.
I've been hearing that since Genesis 1, but... no. My sales reflect the contrary.
I's just a higher tier, because people are spending in different amounts, and Plus only is falling short. Just the $20 off in coupons alone already pays for the $19 subscription. Works for me because I'm one of those who spend that. But free and Plus remain the same. The software is free. Nothing is changing, it's just an extra option. DAZ STUDIO USER SINCE 2006
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Originally Posted by: Chaosophia
What I am interested in knowing is the free bundles are they for older models like Gen 3 or they pushing Gen 9. I can see use if it is the newer models. But to offer up the Rtime DNA back catalog and older models that are no longer in their heyday, or texture sets to models I don't care to use, is in my opinion, a non starter to pay that tier.
All the current Free Character bundles are G9 based (Ghengis Khan 9, Walter 9, Lawrence 9, Lahr 9, Tara 9, and Pixie 9) they even added the brand new Vicky 9 Character Bundle for those who hadn't used their coupon this month yet. (I had so no free Vicky 9 for me)
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It really feels like their 8,000th cash grab attempt that will fizzle and be rolled back. NFT's, Avatar, Game Assets, AI, that short lived subscription service, encrypted content, etc...
I have been spending less as time goes on at Daz. It used to feel like the premiere store and the content there was always going to be of the best quality. But these days it feels like a flea market. Especially after the Renderosity store vendors were brought over. Oh yay, more "touchable" hair texture add-ons. If anything, it made Renderosity less of a slog to look through. Sales are so f'ing confusing and complex, and the store filtering is crap. Who has time to go through 400 pages of old crap in order to find the three things that might be useful on the umpteenth sale of the month.
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Well I would absolutely prefer a
DAZ Studio MX (with every Meipe product on board by default)
over
DAZ Studio Premier (with ManFridays plugins included)
Altough I use both :-)
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On the fence at this point, but I haven't seen any real motivation to pay the $20 monthly as I already have the plug-ins that have been rolled into the Premiere version, so not much of a draw there. Might reconsider once I see actual full demo's of the "new" features. So far, all I've seen is marketing fluff.
If the "free" content bundles turn out to be existing content, not interested. I already have all of the Daz bundles that I am interested in, random stuff that I passed on in the past isn't going to pull me in. If Daz leans hard into the sub model, I may keep the free tier, and finally make the move to Unreal and pop for a Cargo sub, something that has clear benefit and not a bunch of vacuous marketing like what Daz is posting.
The Premiere roll-out was totally botched. Daz should have ramped up info over a couple of weeks, with videos by people like Jay V showing new features and building some hype. A cold drop with limited info was a bad move. Its like Daz assumed everyone would buy in without question.
It didn't help that their "personal offers" to switch were complete BS. I'm supposed to swap 8 months of Daz+ for one lousy month of Premiere?
I'm paying $10 a month for my Photoshop sub, and frequently get significant new features. Can Daz meet that bar, or just pony up old existing content in lieu of real substance?
On a positive note, I saw that the new Vicky 9 toon was free for Premiere.
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I think I'll eventually deactivate my Daz+ subscription. I still work with g8. Since G9 came out, my purchases have drastically dropped (I'm very happy about that).
The only benefit I get, therefore, are the weekly gifts, almost always plants or flowers that end up stuck in my Install Manager.
Their commercial policy is shameless, it reminds me of a sofa company in my area... Hurry! It's clearance week! It's always Christmas...
You have to have a strong soul not to slip into "compulsive buying"... eheh
Daz is not responsible for this, obviously, but I don't find this sales technique worthy of a serious company.
Okay... I accept all of this. What I really can't accept is the limit that Daz has imposed regarding the export of models in HD.
The premiere version seems to give modeling tools but from what little I've seen they seem very basic and always usable only on the basic mash. If they gave this possibility I would gladly give 20$ per month but this will never happen... it would be counterproductive for Daz's business
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Originally Posted by: Eroqua
The premiere version seems to give modeling tools but from what little I've seen they seem very basic and always usable only on the basic mash. If they gave this possibility I would gladly give 20$ per month but this will never happen... it would be counterproductive for Daz's business
If you are looking for modelling tools Wings3d is free and open source. And goes beyond just the basic meshing.
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DAZ 3D Has Launched DAZ Premier. Thoughts?
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