If I just want to create content, is it better to buy iCone 8 and qualify for Character Creator 5, or is Character Creator 4 + the ZBrush tool a better option? Is the latter enough to create the latest content without iCone 8? I don’t plan on spending too much money on everything, since I don’t want to do animations, and RL makes money anyway when I sell something on the marketplace. I’m so undecided and wanted your opinion on this. 
If you want to create and sell assets like morphs, clothing, hair, new materials etc. you basically need an additional 2d graphics and 3d modeling software, like Substance painter, Zbrush, Marvelous Designer, Blender etc.
Then you import everything into CC to get it into the Reallusion ecosystem.
There isn’t much use for iClone if you don’t want to create animations.
I know that, because I have Character Creator 3 and iclone 7, but be not more uptodate. Now I’m wondering if iClone 8 is still necessary. If so, could it buy and I get Character Creator 5 for free with it, or is Character Creator 4 now a standalone program, if yes with Zbrush addon Plus it would also be sufficient for the free Character Creator 5. That would be enough for me but I don’t want to have to buy iClone 8 in retrospect for animation testing, just because I made the wrong decision.
Mensch, Vidi! Long time no see!
I hope you are fine…
You can test any (rlMotion) animation (on a rudimentary way) in CC4, (and later CC5)…
So, in your case, no need for IC8.
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Can you buy IC8 and Zbrush addon and later get free CC5 thus skipping CC4?
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Hi Vidi,
Like you, I only have Iclone 7 and CC3. I find that, if I buy Iclone 8 at the member’s price I should qualify for CC5.
The question for me is one of whether I can invest time to finally create something with that combination, when I have multiple other time-consuming interests and obligations.
If you have Zbrush and a marketplace presence I can understand why you would consider having no need for Iclone 8 and above and I wouldn’t dare to influence your decision.
However, something we both missed, perhaps, by not upgrading to Iclone 8 and CC4 was that 3dXchange was not upgraded at that time. I could be wrong but I seem to recall that 3dXchange’s functionality was divided or shared between Iclone 8 and CC4. (Exporting FBX ???)
If it could help you decide, perhaps be certain that there is nothing in Iclone 8 that was previously handled by 3dXchange that would would turn out to be vital to you. I’m certain that some of the helpful, up to date users would be able to clarify this.
Good luck.
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Hi, nice to see you too @toystorylab. I’ve switched to the 3D printer and laser scene, but the old days of Iclone is still in my mind. 
Thank you, @all, 
for your good tips and suggestions.
It seems all my old content that was made with the older versions is still functional. Maybe I don’t need an update at all. RL products have really exploded in price these days, so I amn’t so quick to keep up with all the updates.
One thing to consider when you make clothing is that there is a change in the character mesh in CC5, which may affect the clothing.
It’s the same between CC3 and CC3+ characters. When you load CC3 clothing on a CC3+ character, you will get a warning that the clothing was for an earlier generation. Usually, that doesn’t pose a problem but as a vendor that’s something to consider.
To add, I hadn’t opened CC3 for a while, but I just did and it gives you at least CC3+ characters, so you may be alright with clothing. It’s something for Peter(RL) to answer.