Ok, I'm lying.  At least I got your attention.

Here's the deal...

I'm now the coord for the Critique Forum and at the moment there's more life in a tramp's vest (hobo's undershirt, for you American folks) so I want to get things going again in there.

Seriously, we could do with more participation and, since this site is as much about learning as anything else, your input would be greatly appreciated.  You won't get money, drinks or prizes but you will get my gratitude. 

 Whether you're a beginner looking for general advice or an advanced Poser user wanting to brush up on composition and so forth, the Critique forum is for you.  There's a wealth of technical knowledge right here in this forum, thanks to folks like geep and BB, so why not put all this good stuff to use and show us what you can do?

It's a constant in this forum that people are always asking how they can improve their work, so, how about putting some of those improvements up for scrutiny?  Or are you all a bunch of scaredy cats?

meow?

Well, one thing I've learned at this site: Hang on to your testicles whenever you confess to being a romantic!
dph

well, I am ugly and my momma does dress me funny...;)

I truly need to learn how to use these point lights.......?  Sharen

PS: I want just a point light in a light....not possible?

So, Paul, how do you want it to work, then? Post a render, explain lights and props and shaders in use, and as for ideas and suggestions? Perhaps we could develop a form, so that we could just fill in the blanks: key factors that we want to look at.
Really, a critique forum could be splintered in any number of directions, with lights or shaders or poses or settings or whatever as a focus.
Consider this image:

... there are a number of things that could be rated: the water effect, the inverse-squared gas-light, period dress, shadows, skin shader, GCed clothing shader, the lack of wall displacement, etc.
What do you think? Do we start our threads with a title like:
Light: Inverse-squared gaslight... suggestions?
Bagginsbill's real water effect
Skydome vs Terradome... share your experiences

Opening a can of worms, as I do...

Good points there but I want to keep the forum away from being Poser specific, since not everyone uses and/or renders in it.  Heck, some of us even use real paints and stuff.

What I suggest for now is to post images with a general "how do I improve this?" question.  In keeping with ensuring the forum is open to all types of images, I would, by and large, keep away from the technical specifics.  Naturally there will be some questions which can only be answered by a technical explanation but that's generally the remit of the application specific forums. 

Sounds good, Paul.

That sounds good.  Keeping it simple and to the point should work for everyone.  I think for technical aspects, individuals with questions should be referred to their proper forum.

Quote - I truly need to learn how to use these point lights.......?  Sharen

PS: I want just a point light in a light....not possible?

I'm not sure I understand your question, Sharen. If I told you in the image above, I used one point light (where the gaslight is) and an IBL set on very low, would that kind-of answer your question?

@Sharon,

It's possible to incorporate a point light and a prop into a single Prop file, so that whenever you load the light prop (bulb, candle, lamp etc.) it has a parented point light loaded with it automatically, in the right place.

If that's what you're after then I can describe how to do it. PM me seperately, because this forum's brief doesn't cover that kind of thing and it's best to start off on the right footing :-)

@ Snarly - you can certaily post that info here in this forum, if you like.  Any info regarding Poser tricks, tips and so forth are very welcome here. 

Thank you, and I understand what you are looking for.  Sharen

I useta post in criticism forum, but after one of my posts (OT) disappeared without warning, I quit. 
it was as dead as vaudeville anyway.  what they want is the approval and acknowledgement
of their peers.  the easiest way to get that is in gallery, which makes it more competitive, in
keeping with the fact that we're operating in a competitive society.  posting in gallery means the
ones who get noticed are the ones who can use a social network to the best advantage, the same
way it works for artists trying to get their paintings and sculptures shown in real art galleries.  it's
not who's better or worse artist, it's the one who gets the exposure that wins.

the bad part for me was that some of them may have been posting items in criticism forum
that later appeared in marketplace.  I felt that was unethical - trying to use the forum to
promote their items.

Miss Nancy - the Critique forum is on topic only.

I'll strongly discourage happy clappy "ooh, isn't it lovely" posts in there; I want to get something worthwhile happening.  I understand there's always a trend for certain people to rack up their views in the galleries and I know we'll probably be battling against a certain amount of intertia.  I want to look into ways of encouraging active participation.

As far as posting Marketplace items for critique, I'll get clarification on that matter from Admin.

Quote - Good points there but I want to keep the forum away from being Poser specific, since not everyone uses and/or renders in it.

...then...

Quote - @ Snarly - you can certaily post that info here in this forum, if you like.  Any info regarding Poser tricks, tips and so forth are very welcome here.

Ummmmmm... I'm confused.

I want to keep the Critique forum no specific; tech advice is ok to post here in the Poser forum. 

just to agree - I would also delete any OT posts if I were mod, but in some forums, that causes alotta griping, hence they allow 'em here, in order to make users feel more welcome.  the critique forum was largely used for poser technique tips, which was wrong IMVHO.  it should be restricted to the basic principles of art criticism, not how to be a poser technician.  that's why nobody used the forum - they know how to use poser, but most haven't had any experience in art criticism.

Quote - just to agree - I would also delete any OT posts if I were mod, but in some forums, that causes alotta griping, hence they allow 'em here, in order to make users feel more welcome.  the critique forum was largely used for poser technique tips, which was wrong IMVHO.  it should be restricted to the basic principles of art criticism, not how to be a poser technician.  that's why nobody used the forum - they know how to use poser, but most haven't had any experience in art criticism.

Oh, now I get it. Makes sense... art critique, not technical critique. Gotcha. Thanks, Miss Nancy.

Quote - the bad part for me was that some of them may have been posting items in criticism forum
that later appeared in marketplace.  I felt that was unethical - trying to use the forum to
promote their items.

I did this, but the intent was actually to gather feedback - I've gained a lot more confidence in my own direction since then and I don't worry so much about getting feedback from people.  The intent was never to advertise.