Have you tried porting characters from Daz, only to have eyeball issues, deformed joints, and/or quirky facial features? If so, your solution is below (with luck, anyway).
First, this guide is simply an addendum to 2 others, one by donkilluminatti, which is here: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/import-genesis-8-character-only-morph-to-vam-with-pictures.6260/
The other is by Chokaphi, found here: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/daz-to-var-2.13686/
You will need both. My contribution wouldn’t be possible without their work and expertise. So, all credit goes to them.
I came from Daz to Vam last year after purchasing a Quest 3. I had a few characters I’ve always wanted to port over to Vam, but ran into rigging issues. Then, last month (Feb 2025) I found both guides mentioned above. And after much testing, I’ve finally succeeded in porting over nearly flawless characters (only females, though. Haven’t tried males, which I understand is another can of worms).
You should follow both guides mentioned above, namely donkilluminatti’s. It has screenshots and will help to clarify points I’ll be making below.
If all this appears daunting, (both guides), just take your time. They’re simple once you get the hang of it.
Now, I can port any character in 5 minutes. I spend more time shaping them in Daz than I do porting them over.
Below, Colored Text is important.
White: Follow donkilluminatti and Chokaphi’s guides as is.
Green: My contributions to tweak the settings for near perfect characters.
Red: Warnings, changes or anything important (mainly due to Daz’s newer versions. I’m using 4.23
The numbered steps below correspond to donkilluminatti’s guide. My contributions are numbered to match his, but with a letter, as in 14a (the “a” is my part).
Again, once you get the hang of it, this process only takes 5 minutes.
1) Download T-Pose-Gen2.zip
2) Unzip to C:\Users\%USER%\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Presets\Poses
3) Open DAZ3D
4) Add genesis 8 character to the scene
5) Adjust to your liking
5a) Delete lashes/brows/clothing/hair (This doesn’t need to be done with the other characters (gen 2s) you’ll add later. Only the gen 8).
6) Set scale to 100%
Important: Scale is separate from a character’s height, arms or torso length. You can still adjust to your liking: thicker, taller, shorter. Make adjustment to individual body parts in step 5, but then ensure scale is 100. (Also, I zero the character’s position, x,y,z, though I’m not sure if this matters.)
7) Set gen8 to T-Pose-Gen2
8) Add a new genesis 2 character to the scene
9) Select "fit genesis 2 to..." with settings (uncheck Parent To Target and select Genesis 2 Male\Female with Full-Body)
10) Go to genesis 2 parameters and change the Resolution Level to Base
12) Hide genesis 8 and all its nodes. In step 5a, I delete lashes/brows/clothing/hair, leaving only the gen8 to hide.
13) Export genesis 2 as an obj file (File->Export->.obj) with these parameters (To: DAZ Studio)
Check that the size of the obj file is less than 4 mb. If more - check that the Resolution Level is set to Base and only the figure genesis 2 is visible on the scene
14) Add a new genesis 2 to the scene (Or create a new scene and add a new genesis 2 to it)
15) Choose genesis 2(2)
16) Open Morph Loader Pro (Edit -> Figure -> Morph Loader Pro)
17) Select our obj file and set its Reverse Deformations to yes. Hover mouse over “No” and right click to choose “Yes”.
18) Set up a new parameter (Parameters -> Morphs -> Morph Loaded) Set min value to Zero. You can also name your Morph here if you choose and specify where Daz will store it. Apparently, Daz recognizes certain naming schemes better, as explained by The WP Guru here:
. I don’t think the naming is critical, though I follow it. Also, the name you give it here will be the morph’s name in Vam. It will show up in the morphs tab with all the others, and can be applied to any character, though use caution. Funny things can happen.
18a) Scale the slider on your new morph up to 100% for the Gen2(2) character. In testing, ported characters appear to have less issues by adding this step. Also, by sliding it to100 now, you’ll notice in step 19 below, Daz “thinks” less when applying the rigging.
19) Adjust the rig (Edit - Figure - Rigging - Adjust Rigging To Shape)
20) Enabling Edit Mode (Parameters->Morphs -> Morph Loaded -> RMB -> Edit Mode)
21) Setting up the ERC Freeze... (Parameters->Morphs -> Morph Loaded -> RMB ->ERC Freeze)
Some people need to uncheck restore figure to prevent reverts rigging to the premorph state.
The Morph Loaded section is the default location in Daz. If you changed its location in step 18 above, you’ll find your new morph there. This step (21) works well for me. Important Note: After unchecking Restore Figure, if you don’t proceed directly to step 22, Daz reverts ERC and adds the checkmark back. For instance, I’ve fumbled around with other menus after unchecking the box, only to find the box checked again after checking to ensure it was unchecked. Not sure how or why, but just go right to saving the asset and everything should be fine.
22) Saving a new morph (File - Save As - Support Asset - Morph Asset). In newer Daz versions, Morph Asset is now Modifier Asset. Be sure to drill down to your newly created morph and only check that box. If other morphs/characters are checked, those will be added to your new one, resulting in some very unsettling characters in Vam – stuff right out horror movies.
At this point, I divert from donkilluminatti’s guide and click Save As > Character Preset (as a .duf file). Give it a name – I just pick the same one as the morph, i.e., Test, or Woman1, or Amanda…
Remember where you saved this file. You’ll need it.
Now, I switch to Chokaphi’s. Don’t worry, it’s very short and easy, but critical, I think for great characters. At least in my testing. Your mileage may vary. The conversion from .duf to .var is important, apparently.
First, use his guide to easily setup DaztoVarConverter2.exe. This will tell the program where your Vam directory is and where to save the .var file.
1) You’ve already saved your Daz character as a .duf file.
2) Open (double click) DaztoVarConverter2.exe
3) Add your .duf file (again, I’ve only worked with females without skins, so for me, it’s just one file).
4) Click convert. You’re done.
In total the whole process to import into Vam takes only 5 minutes.
Now…
5) Open Vam – the newly created scene will have a very crude-looking thumbnail.
6) Open scene and refine your new character. There’s a little work to be done. Remember, you have a new morph which you've named to the converted .duf file. Check the Morphs tab and search for it. It should already be at 100%, but you can test it on other Vam characters.
Things to note: Small iris artifacts can appear. You can easily fix this by adjusting IrisDepth, or Iris Depth_DD. If the irises are misshapen, adjust them with the two morphs just above Depth_DD: G2F_Iris_X and Y.
7) Enjoy.
Important notes about Chokaphi’s guide and things I’ve learned in testing.
You’ll find 4 files in the Assets folder you download, but I’ve only worked with one: Save.json (it’s a default scene for female characters). I haven’t fiddled with males, or Material Presets, so I can only address what I’ve worked with.
The Save.json works and you can use each time. Chokaphi mentions you can further customize the incoming morph (Daz character) by editing it. I experimented with it, but it can result in unintended consequences if precautions aren’t taken, as Chokaphi states.
If you simply want the newly created character to import with default Vam settings, which is easiest, (and best for your first time), then skip this step.
But if you want to change defaults so your new character loads with different hair and clothes, then follow below.
1) Create a default scene in Vam just for Daz character imports. I named mine DazCharacters. In it, I’ve added my own props, lights, outfit and hair, but more importantly, left out any character morphs, leaving her as Vam’s default, the brunette who normally loads wearing the grey gym outfit.
Any morphs will be added to the incoming morphs, which could result in interesting things – again, horror movie stuff.
So, in the Assets folder from Chokaphi, I moved the original Save.json (saving it as backup) into another directory, then copied my new Vam scene, DazCharacters, from the Vam directory and placed it into the Assets folder. You must rename it, Save.json, or the conversion won’t work.
Now, when you convert new characters, they will appear in your new scene. Again, this isn’t necessary. The original Save.json is fine and works.
One last thing that will definitely help you…
Any adjustments made to your gen 8 character in Daz (haven’t tried gen 8.1 or 9. Not sure if that’s possible) seem to get amplified in Vam. For instance, if you prefer larger glutes, or lips, they can quickly get exaggerated in Vam. What looks “perfect” in Daz, might not be in Vam. Start with small adjustments until you get the hang of it.
If you have any advice or something to add, leave it in the comments. It’s amazing how much I’ve leaned just by reading comments, here and elsewhere. Again, thanks to Chokaphi and donkilluminatti for your contributions.
First, this guide is simply an addendum to 2 others, one by donkilluminatti, which is here: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/import-genesis-8-character-only-morph-to-vam-with-pictures.6260/
The other is by Chokaphi, found here: https://hub.virtamate.com/resources/daz-to-var-2.13686/
You will need both. My contribution wouldn’t be possible without their work and expertise. So, all credit goes to them.
I came from Daz to Vam last year after purchasing a Quest 3. I had a few characters I’ve always wanted to port over to Vam, but ran into rigging issues. Then, last month (Feb 2025) I found both guides mentioned above. And after much testing, I’ve finally succeeded in porting over nearly flawless characters (only females, though. Haven’t tried males, which I understand is another can of worms).
You should follow both guides mentioned above, namely donkilluminatti’s. It has screenshots and will help to clarify points I’ll be making below.
If all this appears daunting, (both guides), just take your time. They’re simple once you get the hang of it.
Now, I can port any character in 5 minutes. I spend more time shaping them in Daz than I do porting them over.
Below, Colored Text is important.
White: Follow donkilluminatti and Chokaphi’s guides as is.
Green: My contributions to tweak the settings for near perfect characters.
Red: Warnings, changes or anything important (mainly due to Daz’s newer versions. I’m using 4.23
The numbered steps below correspond to donkilluminatti’s guide. My contributions are numbered to match his, but with a letter, as in 14a (the “a” is my part).
Again, once you get the hang of it, this process only takes 5 minutes.
1) Download T-Pose-Gen2.zip
2) Unzip to C:\Users\%USER%\Documents\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Presets\Poses
3) Open DAZ3D
4) Add genesis 8 character to the scene
5) Adjust to your liking
5a) Delete lashes/brows/clothing/hair (This doesn’t need to be done with the other characters (gen 2s) you’ll add later. Only the gen 8).
6) Set scale to 100%
Important: Scale is separate from a character’s height, arms or torso length. You can still adjust to your liking: thicker, taller, shorter. Make adjustment to individual body parts in step 5, but then ensure scale is 100. (Also, I zero the character’s position, x,y,z, though I’m not sure if this matters.)
7) Set gen8 to T-Pose-Gen2
8) Add a new genesis 2 character to the scene
9) Select "fit genesis 2 to..." with settings (uncheck Parent To Target and select Genesis 2 Male\Female with Full-Body)
10) Go to genesis 2 parameters and change the Resolution Level to Base
12) Hide genesis 8 and all its nodes. In step 5a, I delete lashes/brows/clothing/hair, leaving only the gen8 to hide.
13) Export genesis 2 as an obj file (File->Export->.obj) with these parameters (To: DAZ Studio)
Check that the size of the obj file is less than 4 mb. If more - check that the Resolution Level is set to Base and only the figure genesis 2 is visible on the scene
14) Add a new genesis 2 to the scene (Or create a new scene and add a new genesis 2 to it)
15) Choose genesis 2(2)
16) Open Morph Loader Pro (Edit -> Figure -> Morph Loader Pro)
17) Select our obj file and set its Reverse Deformations to yes. Hover mouse over “No” and right click to choose “Yes”.
18) Set up a new parameter (Parameters -> Morphs -> Morph Loaded) Set min value to Zero. You can also name your Morph here if you choose and specify where Daz will store it. Apparently, Daz recognizes certain naming schemes better, as explained by The WP Guru here:
18a) Scale the slider on your new morph up to 100% for the Gen2(2) character. In testing, ported characters appear to have less issues by adding this step. Also, by sliding it to100 now, you’ll notice in step 19 below, Daz “thinks” less when applying the rigging.
19) Adjust the rig (Edit - Figure - Rigging - Adjust Rigging To Shape)
20) Enabling Edit Mode (Parameters->Morphs -> Morph Loaded -> RMB -> Edit Mode)
21) Setting up the ERC Freeze... (Parameters->Morphs -> Morph Loaded -> RMB ->ERC Freeze)
Some people need to uncheck restore figure to prevent reverts rigging to the premorph state.
The Morph Loaded section is the default location in Daz. If you changed its location in step 18 above, you’ll find your new morph there. This step (21) works well for me. Important Note: After unchecking Restore Figure, if you don’t proceed directly to step 22, Daz reverts ERC and adds the checkmark back. For instance, I’ve fumbled around with other menus after unchecking the box, only to find the box checked again after checking to ensure it was unchecked. Not sure how or why, but just go right to saving the asset and everything should be fine.
22) Saving a new morph (File - Save As - Support Asset - Morph Asset). In newer Daz versions, Morph Asset is now Modifier Asset. Be sure to drill down to your newly created morph and only check that box. If other morphs/characters are checked, those will be added to your new one, resulting in some very unsettling characters in Vam – stuff right out horror movies.
At this point, I divert from donkilluminatti’s guide and click Save As > Character Preset (as a .duf file). Give it a name – I just pick the same one as the morph, i.e., Test, or Woman1, or Amanda…
Remember where you saved this file. You’ll need it.
Now, I switch to Chokaphi’s. Don’t worry, it’s very short and easy, but critical, I think for great characters. At least in my testing. Your mileage may vary. The conversion from .duf to .var is important, apparently.
First, use his guide to easily setup DaztoVarConverter2.exe. This will tell the program where your Vam directory is and where to save the .var file.
1) You’ve already saved your Daz character as a .duf file.
2) Open (double click) DaztoVarConverter2.exe
3) Add your .duf file (again, I’ve only worked with females without skins, so for me, it’s just one file).
4) Click convert. You’re done.
In total the whole process to import into Vam takes only 5 minutes.
Now…
5) Open Vam – the newly created scene will have a very crude-looking thumbnail.
6) Open scene and refine your new character. There’s a little work to be done. Remember, you have a new morph which you've named to the converted .duf file. Check the Morphs tab and search for it. It should already be at 100%, but you can test it on other Vam characters.
Things to note: Small iris artifacts can appear. You can easily fix this by adjusting IrisDepth, or Iris Depth_DD. If the irises are misshapen, adjust them with the two morphs just above Depth_DD: G2F_Iris_X and Y.
7) Enjoy.
Important notes about Chokaphi’s guide and things I’ve learned in testing.
You’ll find 4 files in the Assets folder you download, but I’ve only worked with one: Save.json (it’s a default scene for female characters). I haven’t fiddled with males, or Material Presets, so I can only address what I’ve worked with.
The Save.json works and you can use each time. Chokaphi mentions you can further customize the incoming morph (Daz character) by editing it. I experimented with it, but it can result in unintended consequences if precautions aren’t taken, as Chokaphi states.
If you simply want the newly created character to import with default Vam settings, which is easiest, (and best for your first time), then skip this step.
But if you want to change defaults so your new character loads with different hair and clothes, then follow below.
1) Create a default scene in Vam just for Daz character imports. I named mine DazCharacters. In it, I’ve added my own props, lights, outfit and hair, but more importantly, left out any character morphs, leaving her as Vam’s default, the brunette who normally loads wearing the grey gym outfit.
Any morphs will be added to the incoming morphs, which could result in interesting things – again, horror movie stuff.
So, in the Assets folder from Chokaphi, I moved the original Save.json (saving it as backup) into another directory, then copied my new Vam scene, DazCharacters, from the Vam directory and placed it into the Assets folder. You must rename it, Save.json, or the conversion won’t work.
Now, when you convert new characters, they will appear in your new scene. Again, this isn’t necessary. The original Save.json is fine and works.
One last thing that will definitely help you…
Any adjustments made to your gen 8 character in Daz (haven’t tried gen 8.1 or 9. Not sure if that’s possible) seem to get amplified in Vam. For instance, if you prefer larger glutes, or lips, they can quickly get exaggerated in Vam. What looks “perfect” in Daz, might not be in Vam. Start with small adjustments until you get the hang of it.
If you have any advice or something to add, leave it in the comments. It’s amazing how much I’ve leaned just by reading comments, here and elsewhere. Again, thanks to Chokaphi and donkilluminatti for your contributions.
