I am using Poser 7 . Just a quick question about versions 5 and 6. Can you import multiple runtimes into these versions or just Poser 7?

P5 was the first version to support external runtimes, so the answer is Yes, you can.

Ok great, Im going back to Poser 5.

The biggest problem with P5 is that it doesn't support the deep shader nodes a lot of us are using now.  My latest character, doing promos for her right now, has a folder specifically for P5 users and, while the render results are similar, the shader tree is quite limited compared to the shader trees for P6/P7.

If you've got P6, I'd be inclined to go back to this rather than P5.
On the issue of stability, P6 was  (is) much better.
P6 is where they ironed the bugs out of P5.
P7 is really just a beta version of Poser. (though some would say alpha)

Instead of "going back," watch the Cararra announcements. DAZ is about to make Poser obsolete.

i seriously doubt Cararra will take the place of poser

Quote - i seriously doubt Cararra will take the place of poser

C5P took the place of the p5/p6 renderer without even trying. Check out the previews in the Cararra forum. Even if it's 50% hype, I'd be losing sleep at eF.

M

it seems that Poser is striking back with Poser Pro

"It seems that Poser is striking back with Poser Pro"
Is this a jole about Poser Pro Pack, or is there a new release iminant?

According to e-Frontier, this is a new, high-end version of Poser aimed more at professionals rather than we lowly hobbyists.

Ta

C5P is a slick, powerful, rock-steady piece of software that's about to morph into something better. Adding more chrome to Poser isn't competing, it's distracting. What difference does network rendering make, if IK pulls people's legs off?

M

Well, the problem I have with Poser is it's not really good at the one thing it exists to do.  I have never had half of the problems with Poser 7 other people seem to.  I've had it Poof away a few times, and it hangs and freezes on some operations, but my biggest headache has always been it's inability to find associated textures on its own if something gets moved or saved in a different format.  Maybe because I'm not using those high-end 3rd party figures everyone else seems to be that P7's always worked so well for me.  So, no, I don't think P7 is a bad program, especially not for its price...

HOWEVER, for a program called Poser and pitched as a character specific tool, there are some glaring deficiencies I've never been able to get my head around.  Horrible rigging tools, hugely inadequate joint bending system with no weight mapping, no soft bodies (even something basic like "Jiggles" could be part of the program but isn't), and of course problematic self-shadowing that misses entire features such as nostrils.  All of the animation tools in the world would be wasted on figures that only look (halfway) real while sitting still.

I'm not giving up on Poser just yet.  That said, Carrara6 looks too good to pass up.

One thing that C5P definitely isn't is "rock-steady".   I have seen no end of crashes with it, especially during imports, but also during some renders - gets so far and then gets that "unknown error" business.   C5 is worse than Poser or Vue at memory management (and neither of those is anything to write home about), so I'd be surprised if all these new C6 features turn out to be genuinely usable for anyone lacking a 64-bit OS and the memory to exploit it properly (i.e. something a long way north of 2Gb).   As an existing user, I expect to get an offer to upgrade at something less than the full price, so I may well do so, but I probably shan't bother installing C6 until I have a much more powerful system to run it on.   I expect that Poser Pro will make similar demands..   For people with more modest systems, which would include me for the time being, P5, P6 and P7 remain the choices.

Quote - Well, the problem I have with Poser is it's not really good at the one thing it exists to do. 

Well, going way back, poser was an artist tool to have a model in leiu of live bodies.  Still works for that lol.

Quote - > Quote - Well, the problem I have with Poser is it's not really good at the one thing it exists to do. 

Well, going way back, poser was an artist tool to have a model in leiu of live bodies.  Still works for that lol.

 

Assuming the user is enough of an artist to know when a pose is or isn't accurate.  There are just so many natural motions, that when applied to a majority of figures, produce unnatural deformations which are the result of an oversimplified joint system.  I'm not saying it's that bad, but it could use an overhaul given that the focus of the program is posing.  Now I wish they'd just called it "Mannequin" instead.  I'd rather be a mannequin than a poser, lol.

LOL agreed!

Sometime all the programs look like one big blur, huh.. lol

Think I will stick with Poser, after all I can keep going to the next level (upgrades) for like $124. At 6 now :P

And since I'm and old guy, and my Mommy don't give me mad money for toys anymore..I got to watch the change..hehe

Not to mention it is what I have learned to use over the years, and new stuff gives me headaches

I've bought too much stuff this year, but I think I'm pretty happy.  I'm sticking with Poser in the sense that I expect to use it for what it does well, and I'm looking forward to future versions in hopes that they will address my needs with regard to improvements.  If I actually had time to learn the programs I have well enough to use them together it'd work like this.

Hexagon: Low poly figures, vehicles and mechanical stuff.
zBrush: for sculpting and detailing Hex meshes into high res figures
Poser: for rigging figures, posing, animation, some rendering
Truespace 7.5: Photoreal renderer for quick, high quality animating
Carrara 6: High quality rendering, posing of figures, environments

Unfortunately, there are still alot of hurdles preventing these programs from working well together.  I can't get Poser figures into Truespace yet, and while both Carrara and TS will eventually export Collada, neither of them will import it.  Anyways, that's probably the last software I'll ever buy.  Aside from upgrading those programs, I can't imagine anything I'd ever need not being in there somewhere.  I would like to learn blender though for its fluid sim.

That will always be the case for any 3D apps. It's part of the master plan to never let them coincide..lol

If you take time, heck you can even find open source or freeware that will play just as well with them ;)

No matter what route I think almost all will continue supporting the standards like 3ds, and obj.

But I like Poser too because of places like this (Renderosity), even if EF drags their butts to support you or answer a question..someone in the forums here will do it, more patiently,  and before you die of old age waiting.. :P

Besides look around at all these talented people that support Poser stuff with great products, also some good py script writers onboard too that continue making Poser better and easier to use.

Anyhow back to the thread..I myself used Poser 4 / PP for a long long time..didn't really want to let it go..for 2 reasons..I was use to it, and I payed a rediculus amount to have it. During that time too, I was sitting back watching all the horror stories about 5. but once I got 5 (which was ot that long ago) it seemed pretty good..I still dont like the materials thing as much as PP just slap on the texture.. 6 is on it's way..bought it at ebay..but it was still direct from EF..was the only place there was still a version in English I could find available from them..plus I know I am getting the real deal..not somethng maybe pirated. So with 6, we will see. Then I will watch 7 get the bugs out and go for it..maybe  :)

By the way moogal, if you can handle Hex..you can probably figure out blender..Hex is the commercial version of blender to me..what a mess .. LOL

edited coz my typing sux

Blender failed my most importabt test, and that's if I can do anything with it without reading how.  I couldn't.  From the first time I ran it and said to myself  "Why am I looking down on a purple cube?" I knew it was a little different.  I check blendernation a few times a week, even bought an excellent book on character animation using blender.  I thought I could learn the hardest, strangest parts of it, but I could never even get comfortable just changing my viewpoint.  It wants me to have a hand on the keyboard at all times and uses the mouse in a totally alien way.  I wish Kai Krause would overhaul their UI so I could actually use the thing!

"Blender failed my most important test, and that's if I can do anything with it without reading how."

That's the critical point, and you've stated it perfectly.  A successful app in any
area, text, math, graphics, whatever, must be able to do something for you
as soon as you click its icon.  After you get past the something, you can read 
the help files or manuals to reach something fancy or *something new and
original. * But if you can't do anything at all before reading, it's not worth carrying on.

Naw Kai is living happily in his Germany castle (Byteburg) now, reaping the benefits from Bryce.. :P

I agree..I have attempted 3 or 4 times to give Blender another shot, and gave up again.

I am sure it can do a lot of great stuff, but the auther really needs to do a sweep of that layout.

I have read lots of stuff it can do, but I ask the same question again.. how?

I did at least figure out how to get rid of that cube though.. LOL

I recall my first Poser..it was the Fractal Design version 2 I think.. all I managed was to get the nekkid girl to move her arm up and down, and bend her in half the wrong way..and eek the manual.. heh.. so maybe someday blender will mature as well :)

Hmm I wonder if Larry Weinberg still gives technical support to the EF people ;)

Blender is a very very, but very ugly boy (or girl) with a great heart  inside him(her).