I found a wonderful trove of Japanese style items, but they are all in .m3d format }-( anyone have any ideas?

It's a propietary format used in a Japanese modelling software. I've tried to find a translator for it for about a year and a half, with no success. Apparently, a m3d is like a Bryce file: can't be exported and can't be read by anything except bryce. Real shame because those are gorgeous props.

Honey's work is all top notch. i have sent her an email asking if she would consider converting them to .obj. One can hope!

Damn! Let me know if she does! That would be great!

Actually there is TONS of great Japanese props in Poser format- all kinds of traditional and cultural items for Bon Dances, Mochi Making, Tea Ceremonies, Japanese Flower Shop, Sushi Bar, Shinto Shrine, Buddhist Temple, etc. Just go to one of the good Japanese websites and start following the links. But you may have to do a little bit of digging around as they often don't "actively" promote these in English. It is probably because they don't want to have to SUPPORT them- and some people DEMAND that all kinds of things be done for them for a FREE model. Also using a Japanese operating system (Mac or Win) throws in strange characters. (I don't mind doing this since I have worked with Japanese graphics software programs for about 15 years- --but not actively for the past 5 years! Don't IM Me!.) That's why I stopped posting links to these good ones. It's better that the people who REALLY WANT THEM go and find them. Then maybe they will be a little more patient with model makers who often aren't techies and speak very little English.

No question about it, Veritas, but this stuff is truly spectacular. I'd downloaded almost 300 megs of the stuff before I knew it was useless in Poser; it really is that good.

you got my curiosity going! got an addy for us?

RealToVirtual3D modeler uses .m3d as it's proprietary format, perhaps this is the one you're thinking of. http://www.real2virtual.co.uk/m3spec.htm There's a demo available on that page, you could always see if it opens the .m3d file correctly. The demo won't save or export. If it works the software is $80 for single user non-commercial.

Apparently .m3d is also an Everquest file format. Perhaps a game object? I should have noted above that RealToVirtual3D makes VRML objects. I'm not sure what the retail version has as export formats but it may turn out to be just VRML related and of no use in other 3D apps. But hey, I don't know for sure, so somebody else pick up the ball and run with it.

I 'second' an earlier motion for the URL link to this site...I would like to see this stuff even if it is not useable in Poser.

OK...the ball was stuck to my hand. It appears RealToVirtual also exports to .stl, so an app that supports import/export of an .stl file and say, an .obj file could then be used to convert the file for Poser usage. Randym77 posted a link to Accu-Trans, a file converter, in another thread. It claims to import/export .stl and .obj files. Here's the link. http://www.micromouse.ca/ Now my work is here is through. ;)

Attached Link: http://homepage1.nifty.com/hakka/edo/index.html

Here is Honey-san's URL. The site is in Japanese, and I just received a wonderful email from her. She has read this thread and stated that she would rather remake her .m3d models as Poser models rather than convert. Of course, that will take much time. She does have a wonderful bunch of great Japanese models including a HUGE castle, some traditional hairs, and a growing number a Poser ready props. Go check it out and be sure to thank her }-) And don't forget to check her gallery!

Some great props and traditional Japanese hairstyles there, thanks for the link.

Attached Link: http://www21.ocn.ne.jp/~mizno/metaseq/index.html

I'm betting .m3d is for Metasequoia, a tool tons of Japanese modelers use but isn't sold outside of Japan.

Attached Link: http://edogoyomi.page.ne.jp/download/3dmodels/nihongami/index.html

oh! and i think one of the coolest things here are the different hair styles, which are in poser format (link above). if you want to cruise the japanese 3d sites, check out the links at [Poser Nightmare](http://mad.zombie.jp/).