Working a scene with a single figure, mirror prop and four lights. After three poses noticed this neat backlight effect coming from the reflection of the mirror and set a fourth pose just to capture this effect. In this image what we are seeing is the figure's reflection only. The camera was placed in such a way so as to only show the reflection of the figure.

Image raytraced using P5, Casting Shadows, Smooth polygons, Pixel samples 9, Raytrace bounces 4, Post filter size 1, gaussian Post filter type.

Taylor's Shelly texture for V2, April's Nissa Hair -- P6 version of the image to follow.

Here is the Poser 6 version: file simply loaded into P6 with no changes.

Notice the backlight coming through the figure's hair in the P5 version. That's what I thought was so cool. But something really strange is happening in the Poser 6 version: the trans maps do not seem to be tracing properly. Any idea's as to how to set P6 to trace more like unto the version 5 software? I include here the material settings for the Mirror prop used in the scene as well as a capture of my light settings. Best Wishes, Rance

I think for P5 pz3 files to work in P6, you must change the units from PNU to inches...

Thanks for stopping by PapaBlueMarlin, Are you saying I should change the display units under the Edit menu, General Preferences? Or do I need to re-create the reflection texture? The transparency issue I most certainly need to sort out. If I'm unable to reproduce the back light effect ... I'll try the 'inches' thing under General Prefs. Thanks again, Rance

It's under general preferences. I haven't tried this myself. But it's what I've picked up from another thread...

I did try to change the display units without much effect. Not sure if the backlight came through better or not but DID not help with the Trans mapping. Her hair line, eyebrows and lashes look terrible. I had started this project using P5 right about the time that P6 came out. When I picked up P6 I actually removed P5 and, at long last, P4 ProPack. I wonder if there's a better way to make a mirror material. That simple Alternate_Diffuse reflection used to work fine in Poser 5. Note too that the mirror material does look alright when the camera is set away from the mirror. In the above pics the camera is VERY close to the mirror surface. Best Wishes, Rance

The eyebrows look really odd in your P6 image. Is this the render or just the preview mode?

as far as the trans maps go, in the material room click on the area your trans mapping (ie eyebrow) then click on show (eyeball) icon on the transmap image node. I've had a few of mine that I moved from P5 to P6 show an all white image here instead of the mat even if the right file was being pointed to in the node. To fix this I add another image map node, find the transmap and connect that to trasparency and delete the original node. I've tried clicking on reload textures and stuff like that but for me this is the only thing that works. Don't know if thats whats happening here, but it sure looks like it,

If this is loaded from P5, the transmaps should already be loaded properly in the materials room. They just look wrong to me. I've never had any moving transmaps changing from P5 to P6. Is AO turned on?

One thing that I seem to have to do in P6 to ensure that transmaps are completely transparent where they are supposed to be (such as the eyebrow trans when it isn't being used) is to turn the diffuse and specular colors to black, and set the values to 0. Also make sure the transparency falloff is 0 as well.

There is a bug in reflections and refractions in Poser 6.
I had the same problem and emailed Curious Labs about it.
They said is a known bug and they said it will be fixed
in the service release. Sorry, but all these tips and hints
won't help any. Just have to wait until Curious Labs releases
the fix.

Thanks Everyone, PapaBlueMarlin, the above are actual renders, settings above, and are NOT previews. No AO being used. As I said I started this file using Poser 5 and used the same render settings for both versions of the software. Zenman, I too have noted the transparency issues but mostly between P4 PP and P5. The falloff issue has been talked about before. I'm pretty sure that when I created this V2 character I was careful about setting the trans values. It wouldn't hurt for me to go back and check her though ... Fazzel, this I had not heard before and is good news indeed. While others have complained about P6 I hadn't really had any problems with the software before this. I don't seem to have any memory problems that some others are reporting. I hope the Service Release does indeed take care of the trans map problems. Still and all I shall miss that back light effect that is taking place in the April's Nissa Hair (top post). The effect only occurred in the reflection of the figure. I've three other poses and it happened in each render. Don't know if I might simply rotate all lights 180 degrees and achieve the effect without the benefit of the mirror - using no reflections at all. Well, thanks everyone, I guess we must needs wait for the Service Pack. Best Wishes, Rance