**aeilkema,
**sounds like you want a free lunch. You want better quality, but are not willing to pay for it. How do you know, precisely and objectively, that FireFly is underperforming? I am not talking about how it fails to meet your dreams or wishes, I am talking about how it fails to actually perform, based on the demands you feed it. Are you measuring poly throughput and total radiosity bounces and then comparing apples to apples numerically?

Your statement "The only real problem is the way the firefly engine has been implemented seems to be holding Poser back from what it really can do. I personally believe that the firefly engine could be optimized much more" is unfounded in this thread. You have not laid the factual basis for it, therefore it is only your perception until you substantiate. You are, of course, free to state your opinions without providing the foundation, if there is one.

Additionally, you miscast my statement. First, there is an implication I am speaking about "nviatwas images mentality," which is summarily rejected; I am talking about art nudes or clothed character studies in fairly simple settings, as opposed to grand architecture with GI and a crowd and detailed machines etc. Second, it is not 'merely' a single figure, etc., it is a single figure, or small group, with supurb lighting, skin realism, highly detailed hair that casts shadows and interesting shadows/lighting. Third, I am not saying "Poser these days is intended for only that"; I'm saying if you want it to do more than that be ready to pay for it in time. And ask yourself if Poser is REALLY an app intended to render TLSGWGRHASIACAGCWPRSAA? (two lovers saying goodbye with great realistic hair and skin in a crowd at Grand Central with perfect radiant sunbeams all around)

In this paragraph...
"It may sound odd, but whenever I'm rendering larger scenes, I revert back to the P4 render engine. I know the quality is less, but it allows me to render much larger scenes then Firefly. I need to lower the settings of firefly so much that the quality becomes unaccepetable, so instead I use the good old P4 rendering engine. Capable of handling large scenes, quality ok and a lot faster." 
...you do not make it completely clear if Poser actually refuses to render on your system with your 'larger scenes' at great quality or if it just takes a long time to render and you are hurt that it does. In either case, does it occur to you that you need to get a better computer or else have the patience to let it take as long as it is going to take? To pay for your lunch, in other words?

::::: Opera :::::