Hello!

 I'm pretty new to Poser but I have an animation I purchased that I want to make a video out of. It's just one character, and I'm doing it on a single color background. I'll be adding more in After Effects.

 Anyway I was looking for lighting tutorials and came across VSS and I was amazed by the results and tried it out. It was pretty easy for me to follow the instructions and I have it working for the V4 figure.

 However when I added a hair item it has some weird results. I'm not even sure if the VSS is working on it? Here's from the script after I click Synchronize:

"The next time you run synchronize, if the message is the same
as this one, I won't bother printing it.
Synchronizing Hr-045 from VSS_Skin_Shader_PR3_1
Synchronizing nodes from Template Cornea to 7_EyeSurface
Synchronizing nodes from Template Skin to Preview
No rule matches zone Hr_045 - skipping.
No rule matches zone Hr_045Band - skipping."

Hr_045 is the hair figure.  Here is the render result at "Great" settings. 

She looks bald in that one spot and the one side shadow looks sharp and odd. Is this VSS causing that or just the hair product?

 I looked through the VSS tutorial but I just don't understand the adding rules and such information. There's no step by step instruction. :( Which I need not knowing the material room at all.

If anyone could help I'd really really appreciate it!

VSS is not the cause of your problem, it is the hair product which needs adjustment.  The reason VSS leaves the hair alone is there are no provisions for it under Rules.

Thank you for your reply.

I think I've figured it out after some experimentation. I plugged a Hr rule node into the Lash template thinking that might be better than skin. Didn't work, lol. Then tried the Skin Template for the hell of it and it looked like she had a gallon of hair gel in her hair, heh.

 I guess there is no template for hair? I should just not use VSS for hair in my renders?

 I also have a few more questions.. if anyone could answer them I'd be very happy. I can't bring myself to look through the 70+ page VSS discussion thread. Too bad there's no FAQ!

Anyway my questions:

1. Does VSS work for Poser 8? I'm considering purchasing it (I have Poser Pro currently) but after seeing the VSS results I gotta use it!

2. Does using VSS have a dramatic change on render time? I plan on making an animation.

3. I read somewhere about VSS giving a gamma correction effect. Does this mean I change the "Gamma Correction" under render settings from 2.2 to 0?

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Thank you very much!

Answer 1:  VSS does work with P8.  Bagginsbill has made some modification to some node settings to accommendate the use of Tone Mapping in the render settings.  P8 does not address Gamma Correction directly, but Tone Mapping is the next best thing.  There has been a previous thread outlining the node modifications. 

Answer 2:  I haven't noticed any significant changes to render time.  You are safe there.

Answer 3:  Gamma Correction in VSS is primarily a feature of great benefit in Poser 7.  I am not going to get into the specifics, you can search the forum for more details.  However, PoserPro includes Gc in its render settings, eliminating the need to use it directly in VSS.  The appropriate setting for the Gc node is 1, not 0.  That setting negates the Gc effect,

I use VSS routinely and haven't had any issues at all.  If you are interested in including hair as part of VSS, you must create a new Material Zone Template and populate it with the necessary nodes.  Many of us familiar with the set up woulc not have any problems creating new zones.  Given your experience, you should do some reading and ask some questions for us to help you along.  Welcome to the club.

Thanks very much again for the replies hborre.

 Is there a tutorial or thread you can point me to with instructions to create a template for hair?  Or does anyone have a template they can send to me?

Ty!

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but VSS is not for hair. Plus, AO on hair would take forever to render, and it would be hell in an animation.

-Sarah

Intentionally, VSS is suppose to be an easier way to apply texturing to any object that contain material zones with identical or similar settings.  It is a one-time application that changes all zones at once.  BB's initial release contains template zones specific for texturing human (or non-human) figures.  But it can easily be adapted for other use.  Creating a template for hair is easy, however you need to settle on a grouping of shader nodes which will optimize hair appearance.  Olivier at RDNA posted some time ago an arrangement of shader nodes to enhance hair realism in Apollo Maximus.  That is easily adaptable to VSS except you may need to create an additional displacement map to accomplish the full effect.  Keep in mind, depending on which hair style you use from any particular vendor, you may need to modify the Rules zone to comply with material naming convention.

Under P8, there would be no need to include AO in the hair material, it's lighting system has been greatly improved since P7.  IDL would take care of the fine detail.  Increased render time will most likely appear with the presence of displacement mapping and transmapping, which would not be practical for animation.  I could post Olivier's shader arrangement, if you are still interested.

I think I'll avoid hair and altering or making any shaders until I feel a bit more comfortable, thanks though!

Bookmarking this for future reference.

Here is an example of how the shaders worked in a test render I performed using P8.  The shadowing is a little harsh, I did not use IDL or IBL, but it does show the effects nicely.  When you feel comfortable handling the Material Room, let me know.  I'll help you whip something up.

@hborre first off I'd like to say thanks for explaining the rules and other parts in a recent thread. I read the read me, pdf, and other sources about how to do those things, but could never get it to work. You explanation just clicked for some reason (did you use a jack hammer?)

I'd like to know about these hair shaders, and for some reason I can't make the make template work correctly, the values are there but the original maps don't connect. Could you explain that part .

Thank you, General.  I'm glad it made sense.  Frankly, I think we need a revision of the old VSS manual BB has posted to include the new changes and better thorough workflow instructions for accomplishing a satisfying end result. 

You have gotten as far as creating a new template within VSS but are unable to get it to work properly.  Unfortunately, I am currently not at my own computer for reference, so I will "talk" this through with you.  When creating a node network within a new template, the texture nodes which will be replaced by those within your model, need to be renamed to reflect their mapping association.  For example, image_texture plugged into Diffuse_color on the Poser Surface, Specular map plugged into Specular_Color, etc.  Referring to the Python Script Panel for VSS under Designer, you will find a button at the top labeled Auto Rename.  By pressing this button, you will effectively rename all the mapping nodes in the current Template to the nomenclature convention necessary for VSS to work.  Again, by example, Image_map plugged into Specular_Color will be renamed to Specular_Map.  Keep in mind, there will be no actual images linked to these nodes; they are place holders for the model nodes which will replace them.  Also, these nodes should have the Background Color plugin changed to black.  This tells VSS not to consider this node if it doesn't exist in the original model and will, subsequently, be deleted upon synchronization. 

It has occurred to me, and by experience, that creating all the nodes and attachments, then apply Auto Rename may not change anything.  I still need to verify this unless BB chimes in.  My recommendation, attach all the necessay image nodes to their appropriate plugs, Auto Rename and aftewards create your network.

Next, navigate to Add Rules and create a new Copy to node.  This node should be renamed exactly as your new template and is easily selected from the pull down menu in the dialog panel.  You will also need to create Rule nodes which will reflect how your model material zone is named.  By adding * to the beginning and end of each keyword, you can affect several zones without creating individually name specific node.  For example, Rule node hair will synchronize to every instance of hair in the model's material zone regardless how it is named (i.e., hair_1, hairback, hairfront, etc).  Connect the new rule to the new Template. 

If everything is assembled correctly, synchronize, watch the script for any errors, then open the material room for your model.  You should see your new VSS template applied to each material zone.  If you require an illustrated view, let me know.  I will be more than happy to upload images once I am at my own computer.

Thank You, worked like a charm. Now I can use vss for more than skin ( which mind you was incredible enough).

Keep in mind, currently VSS will only work on cr2 format characters.  Untill BB develops a full-blown version, we will be limited.

VSS works on hair and props, not just cr2 characters. There is a bug, though. It won't act on hair if the hair is a prop parented to a figure. When I have some time I'll fix that. Meanwhile, you can work on the hair shader as long as the hair is free, not parented. I suggest that it is better to test a hair shader on just hair anyway, without wasting time rendering the figure. Once you have the hair materials set up, save the hair prop or its material collection for use later, without VSS.

Last night I once again tried to do a hair shader. (See attached render) I used VSS here. My problem with a hair shader is that the anisotropic node blows up in certain angles. This is what I've always run into, and why I didn't publish a hair shader yet.

BB, I did try synchronizing a hair prop last night, unparented and alone, and got no results  It did work beautifully with Olivier's shader on a character hair piece.  Is there anything I should do differently  to make it work for both?

I don't know what you did, so cannot say what should be done differently. ;-)

In my render, I was working with a hair prop called "Actual Hair". So I put a rule in "Apply Rules" for actual*.

This hair had materials on it called Top, Top2, Middle, Bottom, and Cap. In Shader Rules, I added Rule Top*, Rule Middle, Rule Bottom, etc. Each was linked to Copy Template Hair. And, of course, I created a material on the control prop called Template Hair.

Followed the same course with Peppermint Hair.  I will try creating a rule in "Apply Rules"  which is what I didn't initially do.  Otherwise, the same thinking was applied.  Thanks.