Hi, just got Poser 5, launched it and it looks so difficult.....have just a few hours after dinner as I work all day, will I ever be able to do anything???? Singermatic

Take your time, try something simple at first, like just clothing the P5 male or female and render it, see how it all works. Pull up some tutorials off the site, there are many good ones by geep, svdl, Hmann and others but above all have fun and experiment!! thefixer poser coordinator.

Yeah...you'll be able to do stuff. There's tons of freebies out there that you can use. Never used any of the figs that came with poser5 myself yet, but I'm in the same boat you are (all day job (plus kids and other interests)) It might take more time to build up galleries like others have, or develop the skills to make the images look as nice, but it's certainly possible to get things done with not much time.

Don't worry, you'll be addicted in no time, and YES, it will take you months to create what you're already seeing in your head. However, the learning curve will be spaced with "WOW, did I do that?!?" ...and don't expect to get much sleep for awhile. I think the first thing you should do is figure out how you want to organize your files and libraries. Most people get very frustrated at first because they download tons of stuff, but then can't find anything among the clutter. If you just dump all your downloads into your Runtime folder they will end up in a jumble of folders named "Fred's cute thingy" and "Burts stuff", which of course means nothing to you. Set up some external libraries with folders that make sense to you ( Folder- furniture...sub-folders - livingroom, diningroom, kitchen, etc).....OR One library with all things Judy. Clothes, morphs, poses, etc, Then another for Don, Vic, Mike and all the other characters you collect. There's no "Right Way" to do this, so think about your organization a bit before you get too carried away with downloads. And have fun with it....that's the whole point. One thing to keep in mind is that Poser is a multi faceted program that does a lot of different things. You don't have to learn it all at once....or ever. I've had Poser 5 for a year and never tried an animation...just doesn't interest me so that's a lot of stuff I don't have to figure out. Start simple and work your way up to the more technical stuff as you start to understand things better. Good luck and happy rendering

Thank you all for your help and encouragement, I haven't downloaded anything yet so will start by setting some folders, by the way you metion external libraries with folders and subfolders where do I put these? Does poser work like PSP? Can I redirect poser like I do with psp to the folders I made outside the program itself? Thank you so much.

The simple answer is: Add a new folder to, say, your My Pictures folder. Call it Poser Runtimes,...My External Libraries, or whatever you want. Now inside that, add new folders for each of your proposed new libraries. Furniture, Clothes, Vehicles, Armour and Weapons.....whatever categories you think you might need. Now open Poser, click the Materials room tab, on the right side is a panel containing your library stuff, set up in folders (character, lights, props, etc.) At the top of that panel double click the icon until you get to a place where a red dot appears beside one of the things listed...probably 'Poser' Click the add button and browse your way to the folders you set up. Poser will automaticly add folders for a new library. Then you just load stuff in there instead of your Runtime folder inside Poser. Now when you want to switch to a different library, go back to that place with the red dot, and double click the library you want to open. The red dot will shift to that folder and you continue as usual. Well, I guess that wasn't so short after all. Hope I didn't leave out any steps as I'm just doing this off the top of my head. Also noticed a tutorial by Geep in the forum.check that out. ...and don't forget to read the part about external libraries in the manual a few times. Most things don't make much sense the first time you read them....it gets easier as you go....

Thanks timburr, I've just copied your tips. I hope it's okay with you to send it over here and there to friends that like to watch me working with P5. Every time they see a finished render I hear the same thing: "How I wish I could do this too..." and because they know I'm using poser since years they are immediatly discouraged and some won't even try it out because they think they have to do it as quick as I (clicking here, pushing there, delting, adding, conforming - you know what I mean). And @singermatic: Look out for some light and camera-settings in the freestuff and search for P5-materials and some good skin-textures. You can also search the galleries for the phrases "freestuff" and "free". Start out with something really simple but make use of your collected lights, camera-settings, a few poses and, maybe a bit later materials. How about the free V3/M3 with a nice freebie-texture and Kozaburo's hair? (You may have to switch off the inverse kinematics to make the poses work!). If you managed to set up everything explore the free things. How did the developer made the light, the camera setting? Tweak it a bit to change the effects. And this exactly is the point where cretivity begins! Try to have fun instead of expecting too much at once. And about Dr. Geep's useful articles: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=2096208

Thank you timbur, have printed your suggestions and instructions to have them handy, will also check Geep's tutorial. Eager to start. Thanks again.

Thank you SaintFox I have printed your suggestions and will follow them too, we all want to do things quickly and beautifully but I know it takes time and patience, not expecting too much at once.

I'm downloading some free stuff and I come across to this: Face and body texture for Vic2. Where do I find Victoria 1 or 2 etc:?

just take your time. have fun. dont worry if you cannot get the look you want 1st time, it will come. if you do get in a corner or P5 is play silly buggers, then come to the furom and look to see if any has had the same problems , if not then ask, take my word there are lots of good folk here who have been where you are now and will understand. P5 is not a 5 min trick, its like all art tools it will take a little time to understand. but it can be fun

Victoria3 and Michael 3 are available free at DAZ. (just do a google search for 'daz') They also come with modified geometries so V1&2 and M1&2 clothes and textures will fit.

P.S. You are very welcome. I think there are a lot of people happy to help, so keep asking questions, reading forums and trying things. and pretty soon you'll be as confused as the rest of us.

Trust me it all looks a hell of a lot more complex than it actually is. As soon as you start fiddling around you'll have it figured in no time. I remember a couple of months ago when I didn't know what the hell I was doing, where I got anything from or how I even got the picture out of the program once I completed it. The manual was so complex it made my eyes water, and you're so immersed in fabulous artists here you wonder...will I ever even get a simple render. Trust me it comes, and then watch out. Not only is it as addictive as calorie free chocolate, but I spend so much per month on new things my hubby has had to up my spending money. All other interests have waned and I have ideas for pictures 24/7 relax, enjoy it, you're in for one hell of a ride :)

Calorie free choclate? Where???? This would solve my greatest problem when doing big renders ;o)
Yep sinisterpink, you're right, the handbook is complex and I've got more answers reading the forums then reading the handbook. But guess what: After spending years with Poser (and many hours rebuilduing szenes) I finally discoverd these little UI/Pose/Camera-dots. Can someone be so blind? One can! This just for making clear that even experience does not beware of making mistakes ;o) edited for whiping out funny typos

Message edited on: 03/30/2005 16:14