a couple of comments...

face_off, while popular, was probably not as popular as PhilC.  you might talk to him instead.

and, actually, you have the most active followers.  people who like to learn, and to teach others.  that is to say, the standard way for business to be run on the Web is set up a community site.   and unlike most, you have a built in base of followers who are almost definitely going to make tutorials and answer questions if they have a place to do it.

RobynsVeil already has a community site going, so you could probably work something out with her.

i wouldn't be that surprised at the high number of users, because i'm sure some get it for school and what not.  but those probably wouldn't translate into VSS sales.

imho, i think you're kind of right.  this last release of Poser 8 has taught me how the active online Poser 8 community can be way over the top in terms of expectations and just plain old rudeness.  i want VSS badly, even without presets, and i really want the presets.  but i honestly don't know if we that really want it could make it worth it for you.

that said, i think it might be much better to view it in stages.  sort of like Wardrobe Wizard, if i understand correctly.  maybe start off selling directly to customers, but you're talking about a very basic extension of Poser itself and how to apply materials.  and a huge set of materials that everyone using Poser would need.  if Smith Micro isn't willing to pay you to do it now, i bet they would be once they saw what it could do.  i know it would immensely save time when generating real scenes instead of the standing there surrounded by nothing pin-ups that predominate the galleries.

that would mean it would be  easier to make the kind of works they seem to want their users to make.  at the very least, i'd think the next (not the upcoming) version of Poser Pro would need something like that.  i mean, being able to say they had physically realistic material presets, and a way to control materials in a scene rather than needing to adjust them one by one, would make it much more appealing for serious work.  right now, dealing with something like a Stonemason set and trying to work with your own materials is kind of a bear.

to be honest, i can't really see Poser 9 without VSS or something like it.  and since you've already started solving the problem, why not pay you?  i'd hate to wait for Poser 9, but i'd rather wait for that than say never.  and i certainly can't see it being integrated before then.