I've been working with poser 7 for a little while, though I'd still rate myself as a beginner, I have a decent grasp of posing and using IK. I find myself presently with the need to create animations for a two handed sword.

While I could guess the sword's position in each animation, it seems like it would work a lot better if I had an approximation of it in poser to work with. I can't figure out how to do this though.

So, i have 3 questions:

1. How do I generally use props. I can't see any obvious way to create them with a cursory glance over the sea of menus.
2. How can I use inverse kinematics to lock the figure's hand(s) to a prop, so that they move properly with it
3. Where can I find a two handed sword to use here. Looks are completely irrelevant, all I need is the basic shape. Alternatively, how to make my own ?

1. check freestuff here , search "sword"
2. parent the sword to the hand . IK not required to do that.
3. You can parent the primitives , as well as scale them , or deform with magnets , but Poser isnt a modelling application . Try wings3d or blender which are free.

WarKirby

To question 1... the default Poser 7 library includes a few primitives (in the Props 'Primitives' folder). You could use the cane or a cylinder (adjusted to size) until you find or make the sword you want.

Load a prop into the scene, position it in relation to a hand (for example), then with the prop still selected choose from the top menu Object --> Change parent, and select the hand from the hierarchy list. The prop will then move with the hand.

You are not able to parent both hands to a prop, or a prop to both hands. You will need to manually pose the second hand according to the position of the first hand and its child prop.

Forgot to mention something I learnt recently...

If you get a sword, for example, it might be what is known as a 'Smart Prop'. In this case, you select any part of the figure that will be holding it, load the prop, and it is automatically parented to the appropriate part of that figure (appropriate meaning whichever part it was designed for). For this reason, such smart props often come in pairs, one for each hand.

I have my sword mae in blnder, so I suppose I could just import that. What format does it need to be in for use as a poser prop ?

.obj works best

Attached Link: Blender2Poser

Quote -
You are not able to parent both hands to a prop, or a prop to both hands. You will need to manually pose the second hand according to the position of the first hand and its child prop.

I remember in another thread I made here afew months ago on a different subject, someone mentioned it was possible to use IK to link the figure to an object

Would it be possible to parent the right hand, and use IK for the left?

Adjusting manually will probably lead to strangeness and inconsistency.

The second hand can be parented to the prop (I think IK must be turned on for that to be an option) even though the prop is parented to the other hand.  Before doing this, save your file.  It sometimes does weird things to the hand's pose when this is done.

 This is a small tutorial I found while browsing a while back on liking both hands to a prop. Don't know if it works as I haven't tried it but hope it helps.
Can't remember where I found it though

"LINKING BOTH HANDS TO A PROP WITH MOTION CAPTURE 
 
  This tutorial shows you how to link one hand to a prop that has been parented to another hand. An 
 essential technique for motion capture sequences where the imported motion capture is driving the IK 
 of both arms and hands. This is applicable to sequences which require both hands holding an object 
 such as a gun,axe, sword, staff, etc. To achieve a realistic animation, both hands need to grip the 
 object and not move or slide, an effect that is pretty much impossible without using the following 
 technique.
 
 This tutorial includes a sample motion file in Poser .pz2 pose format, and 2 animation clips
 showing Michael 3 with a rifle parented to the right hand, before and after the technique is appled. 
 
 
  Essentially, the objective is to parent a prop to the arm and hand which will be driven by the imported motion 
 capture, parent a prop to that hand, delete the keys for the other arm and hand,and link that hand to the prop. 
 This technique works best where the motion in the key cleared arm
 isn't too extreme.
 
 For this tutorial assume you have a motion capture BVH or pose animation of a man walking with a rifle. The effect 
 you want to achieve is both hands gripping and staying fixed to the rifle as he walks.
 You import he BVH and parent your rifle prop to the right hand. Problem is, the left hand and arm are
 driven by the motion capture and are out of sync with the motion.
 [ Note: If using this technique with a .BVH file. It is advisable to import onto the character and
 save as a .pz2 pose file before proceeding.]
 
 Follow the these steps exactly as described.
 1. Load character.
 2. Load animated pose .In the animation palette, select and delete
  all keys for both hands and fingers.
 3. Load Prop
 4. Adjust and pose the hands to fit the prop at frame 1
 ( The sample motion file already has the hands posed and aligned with the rifle.)
 5. Parent prop to right hand. ( Prop will follow motion of right hand during sequence)
 6.Turn on IK for left hand.
 7.Select Change Parent under Object menu, and choose prop as parent.
 8. Select and delete all keys for the left arm, forearm, shoulder hand etc
 
 Wala!!
 The left hand is parented to the prop, the prop is parented to the right hand."

Thank you. That sounds perfect :D

Booked marked this. Sounds like might be useful info for later on (or when ever I get back into animating).

I'm having some odd problems with this solution. The left hand changes size when I enable IK and parent it to the sword. It becomes tiny for some reason.

Any idea why? It looks really silly.

And I can't scale it up, because doing that makes the forearm expand too, until my figure's arm looks like a balloon on a stick o.o

Use "phantom" prop in the middle.
I had similar problems.

Loaded any low poly primitive (for example low res ball) set ball material full transparent. Set your prop (sword, gun or sth) as a balls parent. Fix ball in correct place (on the handle?) but not change any scale. Later set ball as a hand parent.

In case you changed figure scale but your prop is still 100% scale, set figure scaling parameter on ball.

On your render ball will be invisible.

Maybe not in English but I hope clear ;)

Ohh, I see

I did scale the sword down to fit my figure. that explains it.

thank you