Hello guys just in case you haven't seen it, they have 2 poser characters in the magazine SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN( April 2008 ). The article is page 110 i think, and it's about Weapon detectors , i think. Or metal detectors?  something like that

Well and guess what, it was DEFAULT POSETTE with the foormal jacket and formal pants.. . The guy is the default Poser guy . Both with the default hairs. 

I wonder why whenver i see Poser chars, it's always the default. Ohhh maybe they need a license to use  DAZ 3d or other characters and they only have permission to use the basic ones?

Nope, not if they bought the DAZ models, or downloaded them from a legitimate source such as downloads.com.  DAZ models can be used commercially. 

The far more likely reason is "What's the point?"  Since they're using it for a simple illustration with no real aesthetic driving the image, why not use the default models?

Same point that Momodot was making a couple of days ago... P4 is
still commercially active. 

I'd say it's not even a matter of aesthetics; after all, the "advancement"
from Posette to Vicky  is completely unknown and irrelevant to people
who are not deeply involved in 3d programs.

For the kind of illustration Sci Am needs, Poser 4 is arguably better,
because it's quicker to get a simple animation done.

Attached Link: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=weapons-revealed&sc=rss

Well, I'd like to know how she got the Dork to look like that. There's some decent folds in that suit, not the usual P4 tin-can legs and arms, and the body structure has been pumped up a bit to make him look like an exec who does indeed sit on his can all day. It's nice work.

Quote - Well, I'd like to know how she got the Dork to look like that. There's some decent folds in that suit, not the usual P4 tin-can legs and arms, and the body structure has been pumped up a bit to make him look like an exec who does indeed sit on his can all day. It's nice work.

Ecto Morph or Meso Morph?

I dunno. It doesnt quite look like just the meso morph. It may have been some extensive post work, actually.

Quote - after all, the "advancement"
from Posette to Vicky  is completely unknown and irrelevant to people
who are not deeply involved in 3d programs.

It's called "NVITWAS tunnel-vision".

I do some forensic illustration & animation and it is a fine line to walk.   Gotta keep it interesting, but if it gets too creative, or "artsy",  the feeling is that the audience tends to drift more to the media than the message.  

In fact, I'll often render stuff in wireframe just because it imparts an impression of "science" as opposed to "art".

I think that this is honestly a perfect illustration of Poser doing exactly what it is designed to do.

Looking at the images it is beyond clear that the figures used are not intended in any way to be the focal points of the graphic. This usage demonstrates one of the mission statements of Poser, to provide simple to understand and easy to use 3d human figures for use in multimedia projects.

The figures used here actually benefit from looking less than realistic, in my opinion at least. I think its a great usage, and again, a perfect example of what Poser is supposed to provide as a part of digital artists tool box.

I feel like its really short sighted to come down on the images based only on the fact that the use the default figures.

>> I feel like its really short sighted to come down on the images based only on the fact that the use the default figures.

Amen. That's not to say that there are times when the DAZ figures can be used, but for this kind of explanatory illustration, there's no point in seeing Vicky in her latest tiny hooker outfit. :-)

Quote - there's no point in seeing Vicky in her latest tiny hooker outfit. :-)

What do you mean, no point?

;*)

Quote - > Quote - there's no point in seeing Vicky in her latest tiny hooker outfit. :-)

What do you mean, no point?

;*)

If she were trying to smuggle in some kind of contraband... well, honestly, with those outfits, where could she possibly hide it? :)

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - there's no point in seeing Vicky in her latest tiny hooker outfit. :-)

What do you mean, no point?

;*)

If she were trying to smuggle in some kind of contraband... well, honestly, with those outfits, where could she possibly hide it? :)

I can think of a place, but she'd FIRST have to be outfitted with Arduino's Magic G.  On the otherhand, PosetteV3wG could do it better, since her's is already built in. :biggrin:
DPH

It's very obvious that they're still using the P4 line of people. They come with a good collection of decent clothing, suitable for such illustrations and don't cost anything extra. If they wanted to use V3 or V4 they would have to pay for the models & clothes and pray & hope they would find some clothes decent enough for such illustrations.

The current DAZ line of people is unsuitable for this kind of work. Whenever serious work is done with Poser, the DAZ people do not get any attention at all, but the Poser people get the spollights. DAZ has never grasped that Poser figures could be used for 'normal' everyday illustrations, they still think that all you can use poser figures for is 'violence & sex'.

Maybe someday Scientific American will need to employ scientific hookers.

If I wanted to illustrate something such as the proper procedure for operating a machine -- where the machine itself is the primary point of the illustration, and not the human model who is using the machine -- then why not use Posette or Dork as the human mannequin?  If I were to use a fetching V4 character for the mannequin, even if she's dressed in conservative 'everyday' clothing: her presence in the picture could actually distract from the central point of the illustration.  In cases where the desired emphasis of an illustration is to be  focused on an inorganic object, then you want the observer to be looking at the machine: and not to be distracted by looking at the girl who is operating the machine.

It's the inverse of the reason why stage magicians use attractive women as their assistants.  The magician wants you to be looking at the girl -- and not at what the machine behind her is doing.

When it comes to "scientific" illustrations -- Posette and Dork can do such a task just fine.  In fact, they might actually do the job better than their more realistic 3D cousins.

On the other hand, if the main point of an illustration is to be the human in the image, and not a machine or some other inorganic item such as a building or a piece of furniture -- then in those cases there isn't any question that V4 or M3 will do the job better than the default Posette or Dork figures can.  So it's Posette and Dork for directions about operating an electron microscope or instructions about pushing a lawn mower -- and it's V4 or M3 for modeling clothing, or for looking pretty / handsome.

Yep. Have to agree with xeno on all points.

(oh wait. did i say that?)

One of the illustrators does have V3. She was used, sans hair and only basic colors (no texture maps) on a Scientific American cover sometime last year.

Here's a semi-related story -- there was a gang of thieves that passed through my local area several years ago.  They hit 2 or 3 major chain electronics / computer stores in the region, IIRC.  After which I assume they moved on to pull the same stunt elsewhere.

Their modus operandi was to first send the only female member of their group into the computer store -- "dressed to kill", beautiful, and a guaranteed instant magnet for anything male in sight.  The girl would go out of her way to put on the "technically clueless damsel in distress -- and badly in need of a hunky computer geek to save her" act.  This behavior quickly riveted the full attention of all of the late-teen-to-20-something sales guys on the floor.  And pretty much all of the computer "sales guys" being male -- it did the trick nicely.  While the lovely, flirtatious, and 'helpless' girl (an absolutely deadly combination) kept the sales crew occupied, her male accomplices -- 5 or 6 in number (IIRC) -- quietly came into the store & quickly made off with a stack of laptops -- with no one noticing the merchandise walking away at the time.  Anyone can say what they like: but the old-fashioned "beautiful girl as a distraction" works like a charm nearly every time that it's tried.

Shortly after that, these sorts of stores started stationing 'guards' at the front doors.

Ya don't want that to happen in a technical illustration.  That's why you use the default Posette instead of V4.

>> Shortly after that, these sorts of stores started stationing 'guards' at the front doors.

Uhm... not to dispute this, but I find it somewhat doubtful that the entire staff would be this idiotic, especially large chains that (gosh) also hire women as well as men. Further to the point, almost all of the large chains have the check out stations right next to the front door, and I cant see how a team of thieves could just walk out with a "stack of laptops" without someone behind the cash register noticing.

Sorry, bud, but this sounds more urban myth than reality, the sort of fantasy geek-boys tell each other in hushed tones as they softly add, "I wish I'd been there....."

Well ... I too find the story a little odd ... but I know of a computer store right here in my home town that is 100% guys, i.e., it started out as a repair shop, but now sells merchandise as well. I have never seen a woman working there ... also their checkout is in the back of the store, i.e., at the opposite end of the front door ...

Just saying.

Quote - Sorry, bud, but this sounds more urban myth than reality, the sort of fantasy geek-boys tell each other in hushed tones as they softly add, "I wish I'd been there....."

Once again, IIRC, the story made the local news at the time. 

Stranger things have happened.  Many stories don't even make the local news -- let alone the national news.  But as to whether or not the story in question is 100% accurate......of course as everyone knows: you can always believe what you see reported on television (especially in the MSM) as being totally true & factual.  So....it follows that items which you read in online forums based upon such reports are just as trustworthy. :sneaky:

BTW - I believe that I heard that the gang was caught later.

>> BTW - I believe that I heard that the gang was caught later.

Yeah, probably when they were in the middle of a robbery, and, while carrying out his new laptop, one of them looked at the girl and said, "Y'know, she really is a knockout", and they all started stuttering and drooling -- and well, before long, the cops showed up... and when they stopped stuttering and drooling, they took the Bad Boys away.

:)

More likely: they made the mistake of robbing a store where a female was working. 

Actually, they probably just got too greedy: and robbed one store too many.  Remember: this was years ago.  Such a ploy probably wouldn't work today, as store security is more sophisticated than it was at one time.  Also -- once a modus operandi becomes known, then the trick doesn't work like it used to.  So the crooks have to think up a new trick.

BTW - it's a common ploy in cons to use attractive women as bait or as a distraction while a robbery or other activity goes on in the background.  Even the 'good guys' use the same ploy -- police, FBI and other law enforcement agencies regularly use female agents to distract or to trap their targets.

IMO it's sleazy -- but I've also seen reports about private investigating agencies who hire their professional services out to women who want to determine whether or not their husbands are cheating on them.  The agency employs one or more very attractive women whose job it is to come on to the men who are under investigation......to see if the allegedly cheating husbands will take the proffered bait.  If he does, then the wife has something else to add to the divorce case in court.  But it is sleazy, IMO -- not a job that most people would want their daughters to aspire to.

However, in each of these situations: the same well-known underlying principle -- and the reasons for it -- appertains.  Even if someone doesn't find the first story recounted up above to be believable.

Personally: I can believe it.

There are a whole lot of stories around that are stranger than most "urban myths" that "geek boys" tell one another ... and are also true. Whoever originally said truth is often stranger than fiction might have been a lot of things, but he or she wasn't wrong.

Attached Link: An Angel on Earth

Look through my gallery and see for yourselves.
DPH

>> I still maintain that Posette is the best oveall Poser figure ever made.

Certainly the best approach. I find it somewhat amusing/strange that the current build of Vicky has almost two and half times more polygons than most of the CG characters in Star Wars, even the most complex ones. I pretty well gave up on Michael with version 3, because it's like shoving molasses around to get the mesh to pose -- and dont even think about animating him, not unless you have considerable time to waste.

It really does come down to good texturing, first and foremost. SnowSultan made a gorgeous texture for Posette called (I think) the VickieBuster: it's arguably one of the very best ever made for any female character, and it really shows off what those sad little default characters are capable of. IMHO, we all really blew it when we started collectively following DAZ's lead on everything. I'm not saying their stuff isnt good, but it's gotten so resource heavy and sometimes clumsy to work with (I'm sorry, but 600 morphs? Isnt that a bit... excessive?), compared to the relative speed and economical elegance of the meshes that come with the software itself. No, they're not gorgeous out of the box, but that's half of the fun right there, to push and prod them into your own particular vision of what's "pretty", not have it dictated to you so that every gallery looks like an all-female and very incestuous family tree.

Just my 0.02. I'm sure the legions of Vicky fans will be ready with torches and pitchforks any second now.

"No, they're not gorgeous out of the box..."

Unlike V2 and V3, Posette actually IS gorgeous right out of the box; and with my remapped version of her (PosetteV3, here in Freestuff), you can use her in the exact same way as you'd use Vicky.  I've remapped the Dork too (P4DukeM3), and even given his alternate hip a seperate material zone, so that it can actually do something usefull, such as simulate a loin cloth, ala Tarzan (See 'Tarzan Returns' in my gallery here). 

As for Vicky 4, she's got more rediculous damned polys between her toes than Posette has in her whole head!  I know, because I remapped her too to take V3 textures, one God damned vertice at a time.  And I still ask, 'Who wants to render a scene between her toes, except perhaps foot fetishest?

David P. Hoadley