Hiya! The modeling phase for Zelda's dress is done! Check out the screenshot above; any comments/suggestions? Now, it's time to turn it into a figure, after which I'll start texturing it. Here, I've run into some problems, and was hoping I could get some help. This will require a couple of posts to explain.

In the previous post's screenshot, notice the gold jewelry hanging from the belt. Those things are actually supposed to hold up the blue sash that hangs down the front of the dress. But I'm having some trouble making them bend correctly. I decided to make the gold jewelry (both the belt and shoulder jewelry) a separate figure called Dress_Gold, to more easily edit its joints. I have the belt itself assigned to the Abdomen, and the jewels hanging from it are assigned to the Hip. Now, when I spin the Bend dial in Zelda's abdomen, I find the jewelry does not behave correctly. If I allow bending in Dress_Gold's Hip area (the hanging jewels), then the jewels get totally warped out of shape. If I DON'T allow bending, then they don't get warped, but they don't follow the movements of the belt either! Here's a screenshot to demonstrate what I mean. In the top half, bending was turned on; in the bottom, it was turned off.

I also tried assigning both the jewels AND the belt to the Abdomen area, but didn't get good results there either. What I WANT to happen is this. When I bend Zelda's abdomen, the jewels should move and rotate, so that they stay connected to the belt, but are still visible above the dress; but their SHAPE should NOT change. Here's a screenshot to demonstrate what I WANT to happen; I used separately imported jewel props so I could rotate them into the right position. Is there any way to achieve this effect?

This one just involves the dress, not the jewels. When Zelda bends her thigh forward or backward, the dress's entire Thigh section follows the movement, as if it were the leg of a pair of pants. The screenshot above shows what I mean. But that isn't how a real dress would move. When Zelda bends her leg upward, the FRONT of the dress should bend upward with it, but the BACK should stay hanging straight down. Similarly, if she bent her leg backward, the BACK of the dress would bend upward with her leg, but the FRONT would stay straight! Is there any way to get this effect?

Attached Link: http://iso.power.ne.jp/Judypro.htm

The blue sash should probly be a seperate body part(parts). The jewels could be seperate with bending off and then the sash would not be effected by the hip or thighs. The second one is tougher. ISOP has some dresses that I found work better. Its a different set up. No thighs. Just the "hip" body part with dummy thighbones that effect the hip. Causes better bending in the dress. You should have a look at it from the link.

Thanx for the link; but I don't think you understand my first problem. I wasn't concerned so much about the SASH being affected. It's the jewels that hold up the sash which I can't get to bend correctly. I thought I explained it pretty thoroughly; see how, in the first shot of the jewels, how they get all warped out of shape in the top half, and don't move at all in the bottom? I'm trying to find a way to get them to move and rotate, but not stretch out of shape.

Also, the ISOP dress seems to have been made for P5's Judy; Zelda is made from Vicky 2, so I doubt they'd be compatible :-(

I was thinking jewels would not bend. But i still think if they where seperate with there own center of rotation it would be better. There centers should be right around the area that they meat with the belt. (like in real life) I would even make the belt a seperate part with bending off as well. (like in real life) As far as the ISOP dress being compatable. Its just an example of a different way to set-up a dress. He made the dress for Vicky but its not on his site any more. You should check out how the dress is set-up. The set up can work with a dress for vicky, judy, posette, or who ever. Its just a better way of boneing a dress. In your first post you asked for comments/suggestions. These are just my opinions.

Some quick renders of the ISOP dress on Vicky2.

Easy to do for Poser 5, though- put the jewels in the "rigid decorated" group in the cloth room... though I guess you want to keep it a figure for Poser 4 compatability.

lynnJonathan: That's exactly what I've been saying! The jewels ARE separate from the belt, and they should rotate about the point where they meet the belt. But I can't get them to actually do that, at least not without also deforming their shape. As for the dress, that looks pretty much like what I already have. Do you see, in the far right picture, the woman is bending her thigh forward? See how the entire right side of the dress ALSO bends forward, following her leg? That's not how a real dress would move! In real life, as the leg bends upward, it pushes against the FRONT of the dress, causing it to also bend upward; but the BACK of the dress is NOT affected, and should continue to hang straight down. Likewise, if the woman bent her leg backward, it would push up against the BACK of the dress, which would also bend up and back; but the FRONT of the dress would not change its shape. EsnRedshirt: I don't have Poser 5 :-(

Looking great, Megajar. Wish I knew how to help with your "draping" problem. I do see what you mean though. The ISOP dress looks good, but it also is a closer fitting dress and so would behave differently in draping. Zelda's dress is a bit fuller and has more "folds".

Where is the rotation point on the jewels? I had a similar problem with a character and using the joint editor I moved the actual rotation point to top of item and then moved the line in which it should move when rotated. (dr. geep tutorial on this which I followed to the tee!)

The rotation center...ya know, that sounds like it could be just what I need! Thanx! :-) But, what do you mean "moved the line in which it should move when rotated"?

well when item is selected - you get one cross which is green and one that is red. I had something that I needed to bend forward only on its own so I put the green cross at very edge on lower part of item where it needed to rotate from then moved the red cross out to create a line of rotation. Not sure of the words to describe but is one of dr. geeps tutorials here regarding props. I just followed his instrucs to tee and it worked perfectly.