Hi,

I would like to experiment with some nice backgrounds. I've seen several tools available

Nerd's Backdrop Tool
MicroCosm
Millennium Environment
Multiplane Cyclorama
Worldbase-Xtreme-Kit

I'm looking for something that

1. Is easy to use and has good documentation
2. Can use any reasonable background picture and doesn't require specially prepred pictures
    
   Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Helmer

If you don't want to use "specially prepared pictures", then your best bet would be to use a single side square in poser.  Apply the background to it in the material room, and in the pose room resize the square to the dimensions of the picture.  Use the XYZ dials to move the square around and back, and use the scale dial to enlarge the square as needed.

OK, thanks!

Helmer

what acadia said.  those you listed, except for nerd's, are overkill if all you want is display some image in the background.  nerd's is useful because it also gives you a seamless (flat) ground along with your backdrop, which tends to add to realism, but you need to prepare images for it if you want to use your own.  but if you consider buying nerd's, you might also look at RDNA's infinity cove 2.

Hi Pleonastic,

Thanks! Yes, that was my impression. I'll take a closer look at Nerd's and Infinity Cove and forget about the DAZ ones for now.

Helmer

I think 3DCritters Amphi set holds up well with the others and it's very easy to apply background pictures to. 3D gives a really nice little tut in the readme on how to do that in the Material Room.

I

Thanks!

Any thoughts on how Nerd's Backrop, 3DCritter's Amphi and RDNA's IC compare in terms of ease of use?

Thanks!

Helmer

Do you have any modeling apps? If so which ones. There are quick easy ways to make your own.

I've only had experience with Multiplane Cyclorama and I found it very easy to set up and use. There also seems to be heaps of freestuff available for this. One thing, I've found that photographic backgrounds, ie. photos of real scenes, just don't look good with 3D renders, possible due to lighting issues - direction, intensity etc.

Quote - One thing, I've found that photographic backgrounds, ie. photos of real scenes, just don't look good with 3D renders, possible due to lighting issues - direction, intensity etc.

Photographic backgrounds CAN look good with 3D renders - but only if one matches the background's perspective, camera focal length and lighting.  Below are two examples that I think prove this point:

http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=1059839

and

http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=834541

I concur, sorry for being so hastey. Nice renders BTW. "Elf on guard" is excellent.

Hi beryld, ashley9803 and ju8nkm9l,

Thanks!

Ju8nkm9l, "Elf on guard" was spectacular!

Ashley9803, iIs it easy to use your own pictures with Multiplane Cyclorama, or is it best to use the ready made stuff? I found some in the free stuff section on Renderocity. Any other good sources?

Beryld, which modeling app has the lowest learning curve?

Thanks!

Helmer

Only using the Cyclorama when I'm feeling a bit lazy. Really, for the best effect,  I use props for most of my backgrounds (buildings, trees, walls etc) and only leave a small space for the imported sky background. Most of my stuff is urban. Takes a lot of time but I think it looks better unless you really need open expances of terrain like beach or mountains. Terrigan is good for this. It's FREE and simple to use.

Are there any good Cyclorama urban backdrops? I want to do urban scenes, and I was attracted to the Mega City Backdrop Pack

Thanks!

Helmer

You could also model your own backdrop by deforming a rectangle or square in a modeler, creating several instances of it, and turning then into a group (Map the first square before creating instaces). This will give you a backdrop with as many layers as you need to apply background, alpha, specular, grunge/dirt textures etc. to produce the background atmosphere you need for
your scene.
You could create a  ground plane for your backdrop using a sperical or square base object and the same process. Using deformers in your modeler, displacement painting, etc. create morphs to simulate the type of land mass that suits your needs.

Sebastian

I don't think there is a small learning curve for modeling apps. It's what ui works best for you. It's a personal thing. You may need to try all the free ones and demos of paid ones .

Free, my favorite is Wings3D. It has a very good forum here and I found very easy to learn. Paid, I have Shade but the learning curve is much higher and the ui could be better. I now use Hexagon2 and it's great. It's like Wings on steroids. So it works well for me.

There's always Terragen (great landscapes, skies, and water..just no trees..sigh) free program from Planetside. Bryce 5.0 (as I understand) is about $20 at Daz right now (if only I'd waited 4 years, how much I coulda saved..;) Mojoworld and World builder were offered on the 3d Brit mags

3d World, Digit, Computer Art

but you had to be there; I'm told that if you get back-ordered issues, you don't get the software. Older versions, but for about $15 US, you can get a complete package. Always worth scopin' out, if not buying or getting  a subscription.

Just some other avenues to drive down..;)

Thanks everybody. I'm Platinum Club at DAZ, so I just splurged $3.98 on Hexagon2 and Cyclorama! :-)

BUt I plan to try out Nerd's, too.

Helmer

bkmrk

Umm, Bryce 5.5.

Can Bryce 5.5 create landscapes and then export into Obj format so I can use into Poser?

I use Cyclorama, Millenium environment and Infinity Cove 3 for inside Poser, but lately I just purchased Vue 5 Infinite and from now on my outdoor scenes will probably be done with that, much more realistic IMVHO!

Vue5I is quite a bit of money, specialy if someone is getting started. Good software though.

As a Plat member, Carrara and Transposer would be a cheeper and just as good alternative. 30% extra off kind of thing. Not to mention the Daz voucher that you get. I think it works out to around $100 for the apps. You would need to check to see if the deals are still going on.

pakled has some good ideals.

Congrates on the Hex 2. There are lots of tutorials and more on the way. Drop into PoserPros Hex forum and say Hi.

well, Bryce can export landscapes..from what I've been told (something to do with Ctrl+D, if'n I remember right). Not sure what you would do with them in Poser (importing from Poser and to Poser involves a lot of scaling), but it could be done.

What you can do with any program that makes landscapes is to render, save the jpg, then import the file as a background. As long as you match lighting angles and color, you can get away with it (Doc Geep has a background tut out there...somewhere..;)

If you do Sci-Fi, or space, a coupla other freebies are Universe (diard software..basic version is free, better version costs a pittance..;) or Celestia, both of which make starfields. Just a thought..

yay, hexagon!  it's a lovely modeller.  building your own paperroll is a great early project because its geometry is very simple, and so is the uvmapping.

it's also very educational to look at professional models and their uvmapping.