layingback:
Well, actually, if you read a little closely, you'll note that we do talk about that. But it's been discussed enough that CL is more than aware of it (sorta decayed horse there), and I'm willing to bet that the windows system it's been installed on isn't quite up to snuff itself -- most OOB systems are designed for anything but 3D art, and sometimes worse for it. But even more to the point is that that port took advantage of SR3 being built into it directly, which gave it the advantages of stability that the windows users didn't have initially.

And we all do expect those things to be fixed -- have for a while, and we actually believe it will happen -- just as you do.

Should we continue to rag on the companies for the same thing day in and day out?

Right now, no. Ragging on DAZ for the joint issues with Mike3 is not going to get them fixed, and I'll bet DAZ knows all too well about them. CL knows about their issues, and they have addressed them to some point so far and acknowledged them in posts. Given what they had to run with, I think they did a good job. Do I expect them to fix the rest in Poser 6 -- or maybe even in the SR (silent prayer) -- heck yes. Will it do any more good now? no -- just keeps the pissing and moaning alive -- the sort of stuff this thread is NOT about.

This isn't about what's wrong with P5 or D|S. This thread is about where we are going with them, and where we are going as communities.

Now, onto the rest:

Are we going to see DAZ close themselves up and become their own vertical market? I think there is a bit too much suspicion and too little examination of the engines that drive this. At this point, DAZ cannot afford to make content only for D|S, and that day is going to be quite far off -- the product has to be finished, a firm user base of very loyal and very invested users has to be built up, and they have to be sure of their role.

I think it may be jumping the gun by at least a year, if not more, to expect them to even begin to put out their product in D|S format. And odds are they will do both formats -- why should they only limit themselves to a single user base, when they can draw from both? They've long wanted to move into other realms as well, supplying content for programs other than poser -- this just happens to be where their money has been made.

It is not in the interests of either CL or DAZ to try and corner the market, so to speak, and I don't expect either of them will do so -- there is too much to lose, and not enough to gain.

Will partisanship play a role in the future of our communities? Likely. Should it? Only to the extent that it fosters good, friendly competition.

Soulhuntre brought up an interesting observation that broke things into three tiers. His lines were rather simple, but not precise, though that wasn't his intent.

I've never viewed DAZ as a bigger cheese than Rosity. yes, they are the makers of the most popular figures for poser, and they have some nice stuff, but they are, ultimately, little more than a bunch of poserholics themselves who've banded together to bring cool stuff out. DAZ was started by poserholics -- they bought themselves out of Zygote (and a really smart move it was, as well).

However, they are facing stiff, stiff compettion in that arean, and it's likely only going to get worse. LaRoo, Mayadoll, Alexa, Neftoon, Linlin & Adam, DinaV -- there are other figures out there now, and how many of them have come out recently. Look at Cubed -- those babies are phenomenal, and if they do folks again, well...

Let's not simply discount the great sites out there. RDNA is a thoughtful home to some outstanding artists, and is exceptionally high quality stuff. PoserPros may have started as a sort of alt.rosity, but they certainly have their own style and voice now. 3DCommune might not have the support it once did, but the folks there are loyal and true to it (just, hey, c'mon, redesign a little, guys, lol), and with Alexa, they've really created a figure that I think is superior to a lot of what's out there right now.

There's the developing specialty stores -- Mec4D, Polymage, 3d-Arena -- lord you all know how large the list is.

CL, DAZ, and Renderosity do too. And each of them knows that they cannot go it alone anytime soon. Daz may be the largest now, but have ya'll looked at what RDNA has of late (ok, yeah, I'm a booster, lol, come visit me)? Seriously! Microcosm is a product that literally changes the way you use poser like nothing else out there. The whole store is filled with incredible products that are fully competitive with anything DAZ has to offer -- and often at better quality. I dont say that lightly, either -- I'm just as picky as the next person. Moreso, perhaps, because I look for flaws from experience.

Other folks see that as well. And RDNA isn't the only one out there. There is some outstanding quality here, at Poser Pros, at 3D Commune. Junk as well, yes, but all of it shows that DAZ isn't the only game in town -- just the best known.

Rosity isn't the only game either -- just the biggest. But with all these other places around, they can't simply rest. They grow and evolve and adapt. Not always the way we like them too (hey, this whole place was once the Poser Forum -- what's all this other stuff about? lol), but then, nothing ever does.

CL might be the source right now, but with competition, they can't rely on it alone. And they know that -- they are business folk, who also need a constant revenue stream that supplements the standard one from Poser.

So yes, there will be some blending of those zones -- the community as a whole has matured to a point where the time is ripe for it. I say yes, let D|S be great, Let Poser 6 be awesome, let CL get some good content, let DAZ slug away.

but let us share in it all.

thou and I, my friend, can, in the most flunkey world, make, each of us, one non-flunkey, one hero, if we like: that will be two heroes to begin with. (Carlyle)