"I fail to see what Poser 8 has to do with Girl 4"

We're talking about the destination, not the voyage. What's the point of having this nifty software if we're all reduced to... well, this?

Let's put it another way, okay? And this is for the benefit of folks like Coldrake, who, yes, is getting obsessive about "proving Sean wrong" -- as if Sean really cares what Coldrake thinks just as he in turrn probably doesnt give much of a gosh darn what Sean thinks. But anyway...

You got people out there who think GM is the cat's PJs. These are the folks who buy into that whole marketing nonsense about how great those vehicles are when really all they are is a bunch of chrome and fibreglas slathered over a pretty lousy product. One of the best cars I ever owned was a 1971 VW. I bought it used. In the fifteen years I owned it, I could do all my own maintenance. I could customize the motor to my heart's content. Heck, as far as that's concerned, I could take the motor apart and rebuild it in a single afternoon. And it got 34 mpg. In 1976. I added a working heater -- all by myself -- and increased the mileage to 36 by doing some custom work on the pistons. Had it not gotten totalled by a semi that decided it needed my lane more than I did, I'd probably still have it.

Now? We have machines that no one dares touch unless it's a professional mechanic with a degree in computer science. If anything breaks down or needs to be repaired, it costs a small fortune. And the cars are no safer and the engines no more efficient than that car I owned now almost thirty years ago. And God knows, they're a lot blander -- if not flat out uglier -- in design.

Tell me, you seeing the parallels yet?

Well, y'know, in a funny way, that's what's happened to our little program, whether we want to accept it or not. The figures from even five years ago were simpler to use and didnt require a whole package of add-ons to work. I mean, it's pretty sad when you have to spend some pretty serious bucks to get all of M4, isnt it? I"m sure there's a really good reason for that little piece of absurdity, and I'm sure it has everything to do with Draper making money off something they give you for "free". But that's another discussion for another time. Let's go back to the issue of design.

Yeah, you can mix-n-match to your heart's content with the Gen4 girls, but to what end, guys? We're still looking at something that's essentially bland and boring. It's all V4, with hardly any variation save in a direction that just seems to emphasize everything wrong with the mesh. People have said for years that V2 and V3 were ugly as sin, but it generally took another generation for them to actually see it. And I'm sure that when the Gen5 figures are released (n about four separate packages, requiring eight texture plates and even more confusing installation processed, we'll say the same thing about V4 and A4 and maybe you'll even say I'm right about G4 (although you wont say it directly -- you'll simply say at some point, "God G4 was ugly!" in the same way you talk now about V2 and V3). The Gen4 figures have distilled the formula down even more -- to something that's so unappealing and unversatile because the original mesh is so specific in design.

And for this, we want all these great advantages in Poser 8? Seems a little silly to even try if this is what we have to work with once it's released, because you know that no matter how great the figures are that come with the package, no one will support them. We're all too locked into the whole DAZ-does-no-wrong mentalitty. Criticize one of their creations? God forbid! You take your virtual life in your hands when you do so, because the DAZ fanboys will not let anyone besmirch the honour of their fair lady.

So that's it, bud. Hope that answers the question, because it's a trend I've watched for years now, and it shows no sign of changing. As someone told me in an IM about this thread, we have a monopolist with a chokehold on this program, and no one seems to care. Well, there you are.

As for me, I'm asking Jen to lock this thread. I've chosen a winner, and she (I'm assuming it's a she) did a bang-up job. To the winner: you'll find a gift certificate in your account once Rosity has processed it, which may be immediately, for all I know. I hope you enjoy it.

Who is it, you guys ask? If she chooses to share her good fortune with you, that's her business.

Closing off the bots,

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