Ok, I'm trying to put a face map image on the Millenium pre-teen with Poser 5.0. I've attached a 2d image_map node to the figure's skinhead material, and connected the diffuse and specular colors. Now I see parts of the original image map on the figure's skin (like the cheeks), but the Millenium model's original, grotesque, WalMart-mannikin eyebrows, eyes, and lips remain superimposed over the new map. How do I get rid of the original Millenium face features? I'm gonna scream if I see those gloss-painted eyebrows, decal eyes, and liver-lips one more time! Any good online tutorials? The Poser manual and help are a little thin here.

Pazu - If I am correct you have to assign the head material (the 2D image map) to all the head surfaces, so for the head that would include the eyebrows, lips, and things like lacrimals and nostrils too!! If I am wrong - someone else will be along soon ;-)

You have to put the new map on lips, eyebrows, and eyes, too. I believe they are separate on the PT. Basically, check the pull-down menu in the material room, and make sure you're applying the new map to all the material zones.

Poser figures have many material zones other than SkinHead and SkinBody. You need to apply your new material to each and every material zone in the figure in order to completely replace the drfault ones. The zones have slightly different names in each figure, and how you apply materials to them depends on which version of Poser you are using. Generally you can see the entire list of materials in a drop-list within the material editor of your version of Poser.

PS - Pazu - if you have a look at the image map you are applying you should see that everything is there - including the eyes.

Also - trans maps help a lot in making brows, lips, and lashes look natural. I suspect the reason your PT looks like a mannikin is that you didn't buy DAZ's MilGirl textures, which are sold separately. You don't have to get DAZ's textures; a lot of different merchants sell character packs for the PT that include trans maps. Check them out. But you will probably be a lot more satisfied if you buy some good textures to go with this model. On the left is the PT with no textures. On the right are the textures DAZ sells for her. Rendered in draft mode, with the default Poser 5 lighting.

If you get the DAZ textures, it's really easy to apply the textures, since they include MAT files. One click, and you're done. I think any character pack you buy in the MP here will also include MAT files.

The Mill Kid sez...Thanks fer tha' skin! It's nice not to feel like a dummy any more! I took randym77's pragmatic advice and just got the Mill kid textures...immediate problem solved, no brainwork involved. But I still can't get that Maya Studio "Ludivine" head to map onto the Mill Kid pre-teen, those basic painted-on surface features just won't take a powder! I tried mapping the image onto the eyebrows, lips etc...no deal, doesn't change anything! Ludivine is a full map image with all the features in place, very cute churlish kid. Oh, well, someday... Man, it's not easy for a newby to come up to speed on this Poser thing!

Are you sure it's meant for the Millennium PT? And have you tried it now that have you trans maps? Try posting the URL of the texture you're using. Perhaps we'll be able to figure out what's wrong.

Okay, I Googled around a bit and found Ludivine. She comes with MAT poses. If you installed her right, you should see a "Ludivine" folder in the "Poses" section of your Library, with a MAT pose that applies the textures and MOR pose that applies the character morphs to her face.

I suspect you did not install her correctly. It won't install correctly if you unzip it to the Poser directory, as the files you DL from Rosity will. Sometimes files you DL from other sites have to be unzipped to either the Runtime or the root directory -- one level higher or lower than Rosity's standard. Move the files to the right places, and you should find Ludivine's MATs and clothing in your library.

Also, the readme file that comes with the file says that textures that comes with the character are low-res, and recommends buying $35 high-res textures from ZetaStudios. So if you saw this character in a gallery image or something, they may have been using different textures.

The image is Ludivine, with her default textures, rendered in Poser 5, with the default lighting.

This is Ludivine wearing the DAZ textures. I think I like this combo.

Search the MP on "preteen" and several textures will turn up. Most of them are older-looking and "prettier" than the DAZ ones.

Thanks randym77 for all the effort you've expended on this issue! Yeah, it's probably some sort of directory thing, although Ludivine does show up in the Pose pulldown, and I can get her morphs loaded. It's really helpful that you verified that there's no problem with the download. I'll take a look at it again tomorrow with a fresh brain. What I like about the Ludivine model is that the morphs are centered on a tomboy look. I also have a Britani model, but that one doesn't morph younger or plainer very well. I want to do a character piece on gossiping ten-year-olds with lots of exaggerated expressions and postures, and need some expressive characters a tad on the cartoony side. I'll work on developing a few new characters by Photoshopping up a couple of new textures.

Well, I didn't know that " Ludivine " was a product of Maya Studio! They make some beautiful characters! LOL Valentin

So you do have the Ludivine MAT pose in the Pose section of your Library, and it just doesn't work? It may be that the textures are not in the right directory. Also, Poser 5 sometimes has odd problems with MAT files. Sometimes, if you've changed MAT files too often, they stop working right. The solution is to re-load the figure and start over.

I am a little lost on the Ludivine being a Maya product...the original Ludivine girl is a creation of Clem Valentin. Check out this site for more Valentin girls and adult fem...some very nice work and Serge Marck has clothes there also designed for the characters. http://valentin3d.free.fr/

Doh! Ludivine is NOT a Maya Studio character! She someshow wound up in my Maya Studio folder. You have watch these kids constantly. Like I said, Stupid Newby! Wonderful character, much more expression and range than any of her uptight Mill Kid sisters. An old character animator's dream. OK, I got her to load and map OK by loading the MAT files from the Poses pulldown, hadn't seen those before. Like a dope, I was trying to just overlay the texture .jpg's by creating a node in the Materials Room. The Poser manual makes only the most oblique reference to MAT files, but now I see the light. Let's hear it for MAT files! Also learned that it's best to load the MAT's in the base pose.

You still watching this thread, Valentin? I just wondered when the lovely Goowin texture listed as 'coming soon' on you site is going to hit the boards? Like all your gals she is a beauty.

I know, I know.. I implied myself in RDV3D, the French site. What has me took all my time and is himself ill finished. Now, I am going to be able to take my works that slept in my drawer. I don't yet know if I am going to distribute them as I made for Gale, Looma, Ludivine, Valerie etc... I think that I would only give them on demand. Sorry for my English Valentin

Your English is good...I understand what you are saying. I will keep checking your site for news of Goowin release. I am signed up at RDV3D as well, I can not read French but will know from pictures. Thanks for your reply.

Glad you finally got it to work, Pazu. MAT files are very convenient for complex textures where there may be trans maps, bump maps, multiple material zones, etc. And I hope you don't regret buying the DAZ textures. Even though you bought them out of desperation, I think they're probably the best ones you could have gotten, for what you want to do. Very tomboyish. :-) However, if you do regret buying them, you can return them. DAZ offers a 30-day money back guarantee. Just e-mail them and tell them you want your money back and are deleting the product from your hard drive, and they will refund your money.

Silly pazu! Ludivine sends a little kiss to her true creator, M. Valentin.

No, I don't regret buying the Daz textures. They're very Nordic whereas Ludivine is very Mediterranean - that gives a good range of complexions. I suppose the smooth, light skinned DAZ textures would also make a good canvas for evolving other character textures. The basic Mill kid faces are definitely hard to model in an interesting way. They're sort of chubby, which prevents them from having a lot of angular face planes. Face planes (or bone structure) contributes a lot to facial expression, and in this way Valentin's scrawny Ludivine morphs are truly excellent. The stock Mill Kids get a lot more interesting with the Ludivine morphs. No, I won't ask for my money back unless a product is misrepresented. The Mill kids are well represented on the DAZ site, and I feel if I got what I expected. Thanks once again to all for their input! And special thanks to Valentin! You are a genius!

Thank you very much pazu :o) Excellent render! Brabo!