Hello - I keep coming back! I need some serious help as I just found out that I have no idea what I'm doing. I downloaded Michael 3 from DAZ3d because that figure has some cool "add-ons" like FREAK etc. OK, so then I purchased one of the "Michael 3 compatible" figres from here and unzipped it. (I have a Mac btw) - so now I see the character in my "Poses" menu with the letters "INJ" and "REM" - I'm assuming that doesn't mean one Pose is "INJured" and the other has the "REMedy" (ba-dum) - but when I double click on one of the poses it asks me to open another file (PMB somthing) that doesn't seem to exist on my machine. How would/should this be applied? Is there a simple step by step anywhere? Can anyone give it to me straight in a handful of steps?? and I thought it would be so easy... wrong again!

first off, welcome to the wonderful world of characters. secondly, you downloaded Michael, but you didn't purchase (yes, as in spend money) on his morph pack, which the INJ(ection) and REM(ove) poses need installed in order for him to be able to change shape via them. If you look on the required items list for the cahracter you purchased, there should have been a listing for Michael 3 morphs. If not, complain. Otherwise, off to daz with your cc in hand... Once you install those, however, when you click on the poses it should change the figure to match your expectations. as a side note -- the pmd files being sought indicate that you are using poser 6. If so, you need to make a change to your preferences to turn of the pdm options, or it might cause issues with DAZ's injection system (two different ways to get to the same place) in the short run, alhtough long run, both will work fine side by side. Hope this helps.

when you purchased your M3-compatible figure, did it warn you that you need the Daz M3 Morph package? The free download from Daz of M3 does not come with the extensive morphs. ::::: Opera :::::

M3 is free but not really cheap ;-))

You mean Daz didn't give me M3 free of charge because I was such a well rounded and pleasant person?? The nerve. - Thanks for telling me about the Michael Morphs, looks like I'll be buying some more stuff. About that, is there anything that allow me to tranform Michael 3's face in as many different ways as I can "tranform" Don's (the standard poser dudes) face? With the eyeballs and the moving mouth and the eybrows etc. Or am I stuck with the generic facial expressions from M3 and his compatible figures? And I actually have Poser 5. Does this mean those PMD files my Mac is asking for will never be found? I'm hoping the "Morph Pack" clears this up. But if not, any suggestions?

Mike has a lot of Facial morphs but he isnt compatible to the Faceroom. PMD files are only for Poser 6, if your PC is asking for them then you have bought a morphset for P 6 only.

ttheterr never mentioned PMD files... He said it was asking for PBM files (PartialBodyMorphs IIRC - the ones that ARE in the morph packs) and yes, Mike will have LOTS of facial options with the face morph pak. And if that's not enough, there are more morph (face sculpt) packs you can buy. Of course, you can also download my Five Free Faces and my Muscle morph for Mike.. Gives you a few extra options ;o)

another suggestion is to upgrade to Poser6 and work with the free, included, great model: James. ::::: Opera :::::

Hey thanks a bunch, getting ready to purchase the "Michael Face/Body Morph bundle" from Daz... someone mentioned "face sculpt" for more faces? Any idea where I can find that or any other software that allows you to transform faces? (When I say this I don't mean transform INTO other characters, I just mean sneers, smiles, frowns etc.) I'd rather spend my hard earned cash on specific things rather than packs and software I'll use once or not at all once I get them. Thanks... learing poser is actually kinda fun when you can ask questions and actually get good answers! :)

I'd rather spend my hard earned cash on specific things rather than packs and software I'll use once or not at all once I get them. >>> Then upgrade to Poser6, get to know James, learn the face room (free and included with Poser), learn how to use the included morphs, learn to make your own morphs in Wings (free) and your own clothes. You'll not have to purchase anything else and you'll get all the character differentiation you'll ever need, male-wise. It is my rational opinion that James is a superior model to Michael. ::::: Opera :::::

The Face Sculpt pack is (or at least was?) at Daz as well. But the morphs in the Head Morph package will give you lots of sneers and such. The morphs are sjust grouped a little differently than Don's morphs, there's not the "full face" morphs you may be used to from Don. James is a good model, the main problem is that he has NO support (or at least as good as none) so getting new clothes and things for him is more than tricky. Even textures are sparce. It's a shame, because he IS a nice character (and so is Don btw) - but the native Poser characters, except for the Poser 4 woman, has never been supported much. And especially not the males :o(

Is James Face-Room compatible?

Yes, that's what I've noticed. After getting Poser and searching for cool clothes etc. what seemed like 80% of after-market features (clothes, gargoyles the FREAK etc.) Read: "Requirement - M3 OR V3" so that's why I downloaded those two. Now I get to use all of those cool characters. Don (P5) has lots of cool faces etc. but I've found zilch for him thus far and unless I plan on making films where ALL of the characters are Don then well... looks like I'll be dipping into the M3/V3 pool. The head/body morph combo sets for both M3 & V3 was only $49 - seems worth it if I can take that and make 50 different characters with it. :o)

Well, if you goal is to purchase everything you ever use for your model [$$$] instead of learning the tools to get results for free, and you don't mind the inferior rigging of M3, then Michael is an option. When people say M3 is supported, all they mean is: THERE ARE TONS OF THINGS TO PURCHASE FOR HIM. However, regarding CLOTHING: James can wear anything made for M3, including freebies, by putting the clothing thru Wardrobe Wizzard, a tool (not a one-time use kit) that you can purchase for $59.99 from Philc. Yes bantha, James is one of the models that work in the face room. ::::: Opera :::::

Well, that's not a whole truth though. Some clothes look like utter shite when it has been thru WardrobeWizard. It's a GREAT program (and expensive, $59 - even if it's a one time amount) but it's not a cure-all for clothing your characters. It's not just a question of clothes. There is close to ZERO textures for James and Don - and while you CAN sit down and learn to make photorealistic textures yourself - just as you can sit down and use a few years to learn to model clothes... Well... I LIKE James and Don and even the P4 dork. And I love David, who bends better than Mike3, AND Mike, I like to have DIFFERENT males in my pictures, and since I do mostly male pics.. But telling someone they should upgrade and get Poser 6 for the sake of James.. Well, he's good, but he's not THAT good IMO...

sorry, i did not tell him to upgrade strictly for the sake of James. In fact, I told him to going with M3 "is an option." The only time I "told" him to upgrade was in post10, and it was DIRECTLY in response to him saying ">>>I'd rather spend my hard earned cash on specific things rather than packs and software I'll use once or not at all once I get them." And I stand by that advice. And more to the point...why do you need many textures for your model? You really only need one or two good ones, from which you can derive hundreds of different skin looks. Buying texture after texture is a sign of not getting right with the tools. ::::: Opera :::::

Hello again, thanks for the advice. I have another question. I've spent about 3 hours tinkering with a figure (add on for M3) and I got him just the way I want.. but now I can't seem to SAVE the figure as a "Figure" (or whatever) so I can use him again - the next time I launch poser. So now the next time I turn on my machine I'll have to do it all over again.. There MUST be a way to SAVE a figure after you've altered them - you know, when you put the shades and the clothes etc. on them... should I have to do that everytime I want to use my figure? that would SUCK! Does anyone know of a nice 1,2,3 way of saving figures?? BTW - this " instructional" manual that came with the software is pure CRUD!! I've learned very little from it. Thanks! A frustrated Poser!

Just click the little + in the Figures palette (where you load Mike3 from) - that will save him, in his present state, so that you can use him later :o) If he's got hair and clothes on, you can even save it all (just say yes to the "multiple figure" thing it tells you)

Sorry, I must correct you ttheterr, but the user manual is NOT crud. It is excellent. But it is not a training manual, only a REFERENCE manual; it only tells you what each item, room, feature DOES. Since you already admitted "that I have no idea what I'm doing", and your chosen method of learning is posting in this forum high-beginner questions, which obviously we have generously answered, and will continue to answer, please have some respect. Frankly, everyone here is being very civil to you, but objectively you are asking questions that are easily solved by the manual and tutorials. I don't have the Poser5 Manual, or I'd look up the page where it tells you how to do some of the things you are asking. And....on my Poser6 Manual it clearly states "Reference Manual." Did Poser5 come with an "instructional manual" as you post implies? Second, what did you think of the tutorials that came with Poser5? Did you get a lot out of them? ::::: Opera :::::

WTF is this? It's not like this is the first time anyone has asked how to save a character. Should we just answer all those questions with a snotty RTFM? I don't think so. I didn't like the Poser 5 manual much either. IMO it IS crud. Actually, the Poser 4 manual is better in a lot of ways, although it of course doesn't cover the P5 specifics. I'm STILL waiting for a GOOD explanation of the nodes. I've read the Poser 5 AND Poser 6 manual, and I still have no idea of what all the math nodes do. I guess you have to be math savvy to understand them, and I'm NOT. A few examples would be nice. ttheterr. Please don't think people here in general won't answer your questions. Ask away, that's IMO the whole idea of this forum.

Haha thanks ernyoka1 for the answer and the defense - I come here for answers, not lectures. I'm looking at the Poser manual right now and it's not helping - so I ask here. If someone can supply the answer I need (like you) then all the thanks in the world - in fact, the forum has been more than helpful and I will contribute the same way minus the condscending tone if I have something to add to a question. I wouldn't twist anyone's arm to answer any questions therefore, if one does not want to answer such "petty" questions - they shouldn't. Very simple, this forum is not a ditactorship or a regime as far as I know. Oh, and thanks again for the nice simple answer... found out what I needed to know without receiving a demerit from the principal. Rock on! :o)

the typical reaction! so predictable. enjoy each other.