OK...first we need to put credit where its due...already I can't remember who put the tutorial up on displacement mapping via using top down pics for location....sorry... But that was a great tip. Don't whip me for being so forgetful:) But please respond to this thread and take your well deserved credit :) Anyway... Here's a deal I've tried using said technique...just an experiment yet, but with tons of possibilities.

Neat! The Milkids will have a blast making snow angels. >^_^

Dave-so - I must have missed that one - could you give the rough steps you had to go through to get this effect? TIA - Looks really cool!

Yeah, really cool idea. Too bad that we don't have much to give the kids to wear. There are some winter clothes for the MilGirls, but I do'nt know where to find something warm for the boys, so they stay home... Anyway, great effect. compiler

I'll try :) The original expert had a step by step...but its already way down the message list somewhere.... I've forgotten some key points, but here's the basic thrust. This uses displacement mapping in Poser 5....which, if you don't know, is like using a bump map, but instead of creating the "look" of depth, displacement actually moves the mesh polygons during render according to a height map...black being low, white high. So...the general thrust is you want the deep or high points to be in the correct place, where your character or prop is.... place your characters where desired...use the TOP camera to grab a shot...this will then be used to place or draw the map in Photoshop, PSP, etc.... So open the top camera render or copy picture...create a layer and draw using grayscale the peaks and valleys that you desire using the pic as a position map.... hopefully that makes some sense.... Anyway..then save that map and apply it in the P5 material room to your ground plane, or in my case I used the cloth primitive..to the DISPLACEMENT CHANNEL....the mounds, depressions, and stuff will be in the correct place... There was also information on using the top view to make the textures and stuff as well.... Hopefully that isn't too confusing...and without images to actually see the steps... Hopefully the person that wrote the original will show up...its a great technique.

Nice one, Dave-So! Your friend looks a bit chilly, though, in shorts.

http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1020351

Hmm... I can get it to work...partly...

I can't get the snow to look DEEP though :o( And this is a displacement setting of 10!!! Just to see if THAT would help.

Only difference (I think) to L_D's tutorial is that I used a ground prop and not THE Ground plane. But perhaps it has something to do with it after all?

Impressive... though, I think, the nipples should be a bit harder under the circumstances L

The prop shouldn't matter. At a displacement strength of 10, you should be looking at the Grand Canyon. If you'll post pics of your displacement map, render settings, and Material Room setup, I'll try to troubleshoot it for you.

Thanks for the offering, L_D... but.. As it didn't turn out as I wanted it, I didn't save it :o/ so... I can't show you the settings any more.

I like the pawprints, by the way.

perhaps its the resolution of the mesh ? I used the cloth primitive...not sure what res that is, but probably fairly dense.... I would think the polygons would displace more accurately using a denser mesh. I used 10 as my displacement setting. L_D...it was you :) Sorry...just couldn't remember. Not sure if you guys saw my post prior to this...looking for winter clothes ;)

nipples harder ??? They shrink and hide in that weather :)

Not a problem, Dave-So. Glad to have inspired you. The density of the mesh isn't really important in this situation. P5 will subdivide the mesh at render-time to account for displaced geometry. I've used displacement successfully on the square props, and they're just one or two polygons each.

Dave-so... no, you're thinking of something else, which she doesn't have...

you're right LOL

What a great image! :)