In Poser 5 my figures begin to do (more or less) what I want them to do and it might be a time that I begun to think about backgrounds.... Trouble is that while simple "painting" type backgrounds are not much of a problem there is astonishing variety of "set" type backgrounds: Cyclorama, Microcosm, Transpond, 3D-Worlds.... Would any of the more experienced users be kind enough to reveal which would be a background set of their particular choice and (briefly) why??? Your imput will be greatly appreciated.

Difficult to answer unless you can tell us what kinds of images you want to render. I use anything and everything as necessary but as a rule I tend to use sets which consist of objects rather than flat backdrops. If I need something really simple I use Nerd's Backdrop Tool, which can be textured to give photographic backgrounds, weird effects or just plain colours. I have most of the DAZ Environments and a heck of a lot of textures for 'em but I don't tend to use them much. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to use scenes that are made up of "stuff" because I like the interaction between the scenery and the possibilities of interesting lighting effects. They can be heavy on resources but worth persevering with. I will often combine a "real" scene prop with a background image for added depth.

Can you give a link to Nerds Backdrop Tool?

Dr. Geep (dang, this guy turns up more than a process server..;) has a tutorial on backgrounds..made my renders better..;) Do a search in the forum, should come up..(one trick is to match the lighting in the background with the lighting in Poser..direction, color, etc..;)

Attached Link: http://market.renderosity.com/softgood.ez?ViewSoftgood=2480

I prefer to buy "real life" scenes or sets. Renderosity seems to have more of what I want than other online stores. Recent purchases are the Talk Show Set, Bachelor's Pad (Apartment?), Big Office. I haven't used all the stuff I've bought, even in the past 2 years. I get caught up in other things. (Years ago I just loved the Nerd Backdrop tool, but people kept complaining my renders were pixelated, or just plain bad. Maybe it was just my own stupidity, but I stopped useing the backdrop tool.) I bought all the DAZ Millennium Environment stuff during one of their recent Platinum Club open enrollment periods, but haven't used any of it yet.

Message edited on: 12/15/2004 20:55

I am exactly after what you are doing Sam, a mixture of flat backgrounds to create an illusion of depth with objects (props) in the middle and foreground. Let's say I want something like a fantasy castle "painted" background with the gate, trees and shrubs props or a forest where the majotiry of it is a "painted" background with grass and few trees props in middleground and foreground

Message edited on: 12/15/2004 21:19

lol, I was just unsucessfully looking for this tut yesterday! Thanks Geep, appreciated!

;=]