I send a lot of people here who want to get started with poser and have a million questions but the only forum I can suggest to get most questions answered is this general forum. I was thinking it mightbe helpful to have a specific newbie forum with some prewritten fact sheets, some myth buster fact sheets etc. That way people don't get swamped with the overwhelming posts in this forum and don't feel dumb asking beginner questions.

Oh I would love that!

look up Poser Forum FAQ

This forum is at least partly for newbies anyway or to share your knowledge about poser. The only newbie questions that annoy me are ones that are answered in the manual. I.E. How to use conforming clothes.

I think a central location for newbies is a great idea. That way it makes all those type of questions in one area leaving the rest of Poser forum for those who consider themselves experts to share their tips and ideas. After all, in the galleries there is a beginner section, why not on the boards too? That way people new to Poser won't feel intimidated or overwhelmed when they have to sift through all the advanced questions and stuff.

Well for the experts there's always the Poser Technical forum. This IS the "newbie" forum. I like it here, gives me an opportunity to appear like there's actually something I KNOW GG That said, some sort of coding like all the php forums have, where you get some sort of ranking depending on your participation could help. Perhaps. Some people are actually more or less Poser experts but they may not post much. And such a ranking would make them appear as noobs eventhough they're not. But I think there's enough forums here as is. One more will only make information harder to find and it will potentially get lost. How many of you look in the Poser Technical forum?

If you called it the newbie forum, it might be that only newbies would ever visit it.

Part of the problem is that the Backroom is totally obscured here. Who clicks on a banner that says "Poser Forum"? naah.. you're IN the Poser forum so why bother to click?!

As much as I like the various banners I think they should be exchanged by some that loud and clear said Poser Backroom or FAQ or something. Not a Poser FORUM FAQ but a POSER FAQ!

Event though I KNOW there's a lot of interesting stuff hidden in the Backroom, I forget to look in it. Hard to get into a room when you don't even know where to look for the door ;o)

Message edited on: 08/20/2004 06:12

I agree with ernyoka1 about the poser backroom and the FAQ.
I didn`t even know about the FAQ till I had been here for about a year.

Message edited on: 08/20/2004 06:24

You can click on that banner? Oh, wow... click

D'oh. There are some of my tutorials in there already, but I'd forgotten; that's how confusing it is. Just to make it more confusing, the tutorials link at the top of the backroom takes you to a different place from the tutorials link at the side of the backroom. Sorry, getting OT now...

In general, newbies don't read manuals, FAQs or do searches of old messages, so it's probably best just to ask the questions here. I don't see why there should be required reading, when it's easier and friendlier just to introduce yourself and ask the question. Yes, we know that the same question was asked yesterday or last week, but it's called conversation, communication. You don't get to know people, you don't get a sense of community, by reading FAQs, which are there for those who want to skip the formalities and get down to business.

Well I'm not suggesting required reading. The problem is a newbie comes here and the poser forum doesn't automatically pop up at them to ask questions. They have to kind of hunt around. I've seen a lot of multiple cross posts by newbies who don't know where to start. And, yes, I'd make it a habit to visit the newbie section everytime I visit here. I'm sure others like Geep would do the same.

Attached Link: http://groups.msn.com/PoserQAArchive

Excellent idea but when does someone stop becoming a nubee though? I've had Poser 5 for just over a year and still find new things by having a browse through the posts here.

...I think it could even help to write more specific titles: HEELP! or 'I need help' or so are obscure... 'I need some help with the new alligator wristcutters found at www.amidumb.duh' is quite more clear, and if someone else needs some help with that they can dive in the thread too... :)