Poser 8 Hotfix 8.0.0.10199
This small Hotfix is an important update for both Mac OS X and Windows versions of Poser 8. Simply download the Hotfix, launch the installer and your copy of Poser 8 will be updated to version 8.0.0.10199.

Important note: This update will only work on an installed copy of Poser 8. You will need to fully install Poser 8 before applying this Hotfix.

What does the Hotfix address?
This Hotfix enables Normal Maps, improves Indirect Light rendering quality, improves Wardrobe Wizard functionality and addresses an issue with saving Walk Paths.

MAC Hotfix available here:
my.smithmicro.com/mac/poser/updates.html

Windows Hotfix available here:
my.smithmicro.com/win/poser/updates.html

Steve Cooper
Poser Product Manager

WooHoo! Thank you thank you.

Whichway

thanks very much.

This update does not improve the Indirect Light artifacts I've been getting in many scenes.  Renders also still have garbage around the border of the image, not related to Indirect Light.  Should I make a ticket on the support page?

Quote - This update does not improve the Indirect Light artifacts I've been getting in many scenes.  Renders also still have garbage around the border of the image, not related to Indirect Light.  Should I make a ticket on the support page?

Please.

We have an SR1 targetted collection of rendering improvements with changes to the logic that will better address the artifacts you're seeing as well as IDL improvements.

Today's Hotfix deals primarily with an IDL rendering issue related to eyelashes and transmapped hair. Stefan has already optimized the IDL rendering logic, and will be further improving in prep for the SR1 release. I don't have a formal schedule, but if the Hotfix could serve as an indication - we'll be rolling out our improvements quickly.

Cheers,

Cooper

Very well.

Thanks Steve :)

Much Appreciated!

 Good going, Koopa! Thanks!

 Hotfix's in days of release. Support answers at near mid-night Watsonville time zone. Man you guys are all over this big time. Thanks a ton.

 Thanks so much.  I have been trying to get those eyelashes to show.  Sharen

The hot fix messed with my tabs. The scrolling bounces to the bottom of list and you can't click on anything above it. Anyone else have this problem? need to know before I re-install P8 and hot fix and send a bug report.

 Have you rebooted?  Sometimes that fixes updates like this.  Sharen

Thanks. I found the problem. Either the hotfix or the P7sr3 had changed settings on my wireless keyboard and mouse.

It's all working fine now.

It says the hotfix "enables normal maps".
That's really one of the top things I was looking forward to in Poser 8; the ability to use normal maps.

So does it work well? Can anyone please show me a normal map used on a Poser figure? Preferably one made in Zbrush.

Not to derail the thread or anything like that...

Cooper, I'm glad to see Poser appears to be finally beginning to get the attention it's deserved for so long. :-)

that was a quick one ... its hot !
makes me want to buy P8, seeing the rapid response and the fact SR1 is already being staged. Very good.

Thanks so much for such a quick update.
cheerio
lululee

MikeJ, I get back in from Siggraph tomorrow. I'd be more than happy to do a render or two for you using ZBrush created normal maps on a few of  the P8 figures if you like.  If someone beats me to it, that's fine too.  Just looking to help.

Excellent, Teyon,  I would be greatly appreciative! :-D

I'm home now.  will unpack and then do a quick render.

So yeah, the normal mapping rocks. :)

Teyon,
These are fantastic.
Real works of art.
cheerio
lululee

Thanks!

Cool, well it looks like it works.
Thanks, Teyon. :-)

You're welcome. Those were both made in ZBrush by the way. The next version of ZBrush is supposed to support 16bit poly painting, so I'm pretty excited, as that would mean textures from it should look far better and require less cleanup. Less cleanup=better looking textures where I'm concerned.

Anyway, happy to help. Hope to see more content devs using the feature soon.

-T.

Quote - Here's a simple OBJ file loaded into P8 with a before and after also. This one may be a little more impressive and can help you to see the potential in normal maps.

Did you use smoothing on that one?  The edges of the "after" appear less angular, particularly around the shoulders.

I think I had smooth turned on in Firefly from a earlier render so yeah.

probably a very DUMP question on my part but:
I Know the difference between a Bump map and a Displacement map.
But;
What is the difference between a Displacement map and a Normal map?

Quote - What is the difference between a Displacement map and a Normal map?

Normal mapping manipulates the surface normals of a model, creating the illusion of a higher-resolution, more detailed mesh through shading effects.  It does not actually increase the mesh resolution or displace the geometry, however, and this is usually obvious by looking at the model's silhouette.  The edges remain unchanged.

Poser's displacement mapping actually displaces the geometry, creating real indentations or raised surfaces, with micropolygon subdivision at render-time to permit such higher detail.

Normal mapping is less computationally-intensive than displacement mapping, which is why it is more commonly used in real-time applications like games.

That's right. If that's a bit too much to grasp, think of Normal Maps as Bump Maps on steroids and Displacement Maps on valium.  Additionally, bump maps and displacement maps are usually greyscale images, where as normal maps are not.

There are also two types of normal maps that are commonly used. Tangent Space, which is good for any object that requires movement in your animation/scene and Object Space (aka World Space), which is good for static objects that do not move over time. For really trippy effects assign a Object Space map to a moving object.

Edit: There's also nothing wrong with mixing the various maps if you need. For example, I could have used a normal map for the character's major detail changes and a bump map for very fine detail like pores or something.  Or a displacement map for the major changes and a normal map for fine detail and a bump map for even finer detail. So yeah, they can work together if need be.

Edit Again: We should probably get things back on topic before Cooper sends me off to Antartica to do product demos or something, lol. :)  So, hope everyone's experience with the hotfix has been a good one!

Thanks for the clarification.

Bump map does NOT change geometry, and does NOT create shadows.

Displacement map DOES change geometry and DOES create shadows.

Nomal mapping creates shadows without changing geometry.

I think I am getting close ;-)

Yup :)

Hi Teyon,
Can you tell me where to plug in the normal map?
cheerio
lululee

Hi Teyon,
thank you so much.
cheerio
lululee

Excellent explaination and demonstration Teyon.
Hopefully this puts to rest the thinking that normal maps are not productive inside of Poser.
 
Bookmarked!

Quote - with an Auto Levels pass in Photoshop...

So yeah, the normal mapping rocks. :)

Great figure love to have this in runtime , and thanks for the info,, on the dif, between, Bum, Displace ,Normal, i allways wounder what normal map did.

:) Well, I'm trying to convince my bosses that monsters are in right now, so maybe I'll get to do a few creatures for Poser in the future. Who knows? :)  Thanks and while we don't get to say this to every user as often as we'd like - thanks for using Poser!

I can see why a normal map uses the Gradient Bump input—if I read the manual right it's only used by the P4 render engine for .bum bumpmaps—but there's always been stuff out there which misuses it. I would have been tempted to change the label.

But I've never been that clear on bumpmaps. How can that single value, of the greyscale at a point in UV space, define a change in the apparent angle of a surface?

Let me know if the Poser manual ever gets past being an aide memoire for highly-trained CGI professionals.

Quote - Here's the same OBJ with translucency, a color map and using an IBL.

try some more complicated shaders and you will see it doesnt work.
it doesnt work with reflections and it doesnt work with alternative diffuse and specular.

Uhm.. so how do you MAKE a normal map? 

Take a look at www.CrazyBump.com.

normal maps are the best when created from zbrush  or mudbox imo

No doubt, but you can play around with CrazyBump, which has a free version.

Whichway

http://www.xnormal.net

Both Crazy Bump and X-Normal are used in the game industry for normal map generation. While ZBrush and Mudbox make things easy (staying in one app is always easier), both Crazy Bump and X-Normal provide alternatives to using those.   X-Normal is Free and quite powerful.