When is Poser 8 likely to come? What new features will it have?

Is it likely to have true radiosity?

When will Poser have an ability for any surface (not only point sources and parallel sources) to emit light which can illuminate other things (either as set by a color and a value, or as a "luminance map")? What is this ability called? (I can make things shine now, by the "ambience" setting, but that light cannot illuminate other things.)

Will Poser have an ability to make a volume foggy?

I want to know about Poser 8 too!

There are some unplublished 'hooks' in Poser 7 to get radiosity going, but very primitive and not optimized for speed in any way; it is very slow. That is not a 'criticisim' because PoserGI is not officially supported. I only bring it up to note that the "hooks are there."

I sent a note to Stefen about it but have not heard back yet.

:::::: Opera :::::

If my memory dont play me, i think poser 6 and 7 have the radiosity via python scripts, but the computer for that dont exist actually, render time is long log long long long long long long ...

What I was mainly wondering, is how to make an object  (e.g. a cylindrical object used as a raygun beam) emit all along its length light that can illuminate things, and when that will be possible.

 I believe you are talking about converting objects to area lights.  Vue has this ability.  Dream Lounge has a product like this, but it is just a flat square area light.

tony, the effect you describe (causing a posersurface to emit lite and to illuminate
surrounding posersurfaces) is possible in poser 7 and later.  see page 109 of
poser python manual (p. 113 of pdf file) for further info.  this effect is superior to
the fake method that's currently supported (gather node) in that it gives far denser
photon mapping.

we are awaiting word on whether poser 8 will have a rendering engine more
compatible with this effect, as FFRender's calculational abilities are taken to the
limit of all known desktop computers when the variables on page 109 et seq. are
enabled IMVHO.  as always, beta testers are strongly advised not to say anything.

Presumably you mean in the FIREFLY OPTIONS METHODS, pages 113 to 122, but which functions?

gather nodes and ambient material settings. there's threads here about it.

the problem with gather node however is that you can't use other lights except the glowing effect surface...

But please, if MM is a Poser variable, being a list of materials, how do I write a Poser script fragment to set each component  material of MM to emit light that can illuminate other things?

gather nodes and ambient material settings. there's threads here about it.

But this forum has thousands of threads to look through.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3339848&ebot_calc_page#message_3339848

maybe here > http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?message_id=3339132&ebot_calc_page#message_3339132

But please where can I find or download Stefan's script?

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/file.php?fileid=381417

I'd like to see the ability to access the materials library on the library tab without actually having to go to the material room! That'd be real nice!

I'd like to see the whole library thing in poser redone to work like p3d0