What I have in my gallery doesn't really represent most of what I do with Poser.   Also what I have in my gallery doesn't change the fact that Miki 3.0 has almost all of the same bending problems Miki 1 and 2 had.  It's a slight improvement, but a slight improvement isn't worth buying and it is inferior in how it bends to V4.

I predict that in six months you won't be seeing many new products for Miki 3.0, if any at all.  Same story you've seen with Miki 1 and 2 given that the figure isn't a significant improvement and doesn't really address what I think were Miki 1+2's biggest flaws.

For Bigger images (800 by 800) at Content Paradise, just click on the Image on the Product Page and it should open up bigger in a separate Window.

When a product has multiple images (smaller thumbs to the right of the main promo image) just click on each of those to change the Main Image to that image and click again to change that in the Preview Window.

Quote - I really dont understand what is the excitement about miki3.

It is like a new arrival... everyone oo's and ah's, even if some say it looks like Winston Churchill.

Quote - What I have in my gallery doesn't really represent most of what I do with Poser.   Also what I have in my gallery doesn't change the fact that Miki 3.0 has almost all of the same bending problems Miki 1 and 2 had.  It's a slight improvement, but a slight improvement isn't worth buying and it is inferior in how it bends to V4.

 

I predict that in six months you won't be seeing many new products for Miki 3.0, if any at all.  Same story you've seen with Miki 1 and 2 given that the figure isn't a significant improvement and doesn't really address what I think were Miki 1+2's biggest flaws.

Can you send me an image that you've created that would help put her to the test? I'm sincere in wanting to take that challenge on. And not to make you wrong, just to see for myself.

I've been away from Poser for a long time, and got back into 3D renderings through a convoluted path. I tried using the Daz figures and couldn't get them to work right. I always seemed to be missing some important add-on pack, or got the install wrong, or only had the low-end textures. Honestly, it was confusing.

But it was a lot easier ramping up using the Miki figure. Everything I wanted was there. I wanted to figure it out quickly and was able to. Plus I really like that she didn't have the signature "victoria look"

Viva la difference.

We may not agree on which figure does what thing right - but I really do have a hunch that with the right mix of full body morphs and good posing that I could get that Miki 3 rig to do what you need it to or most of it. :)

Anyhoo, here's what I mustered as a first render with Miki 3.

it's only $14.95, but the knees are a bit bulbous IMVHO.  maybe somebody can adjust the capsule zones until they release the next version and P9.

I don't really keep up with the technical side of Poser, but am very glad to know of PhilC's insights on Miki3's joints. 

Quote - I really like Miki2 and expected it to be difficult for SM to top her, not technically, but in the fun factor dept.  

And that, I think, is why we like Miki so much. She's just so much fun to use.

A little play majes me think that Miki 3 is also fun, although much of my playing this morning has been focussing on differences with Miki2, and on exploring the bulbous joints. I'll post more on these later.

I'd add that P8 Alyson and Ryan are perhaps even more fun than Miki 2. Nice to see some of the new expressions (absolutely the most fun feature of the P8 figures IMO) have equivalents with Miki 3.

Nope, nope, nope - I also had Miki1 & 2 - was so very disappointed. All and any of Poser 6, 7 & 8 figures are only good for head and shoulder poses.

From what I can see of Miki 3.0 - same-o-same-o. Ankles, feet, knees still bend with that strange rounded protrudence that is not natural looking. The shoulder creasing - and all - NOPE - all the hype in the world is not worth taking up my precious runtime space with her and all her crap.

These characters never have added up and competed with Daz3d's Mil-Family gen 3 - let alone 4! With the versatility of V4 - it begs to ask, why even bother? What sense does it make spending money on something so inferior? I don't get it? There are many Asians, and SP4 for V4.

Oh well - I've learned the hard way, I won't be spending my money on her to sit her with the first two versions and all the crap that came with them - now buying any extra's with her.

Have fun all - I'll keep my money for the quality stuff that I can use the entire body of, and not just the head and shoulders.

"I'd add that P8 Alyson and Ryan are perhaps even more fun than Miki 2. Nice to see some of the new expressions (absolutely the most fun feature of the P8 figures IMO) have equivalents with Miki 3."

Ok, I just got PP2010 recently and have not had the chance to work with Alyson and Ryan. Guess I will have to give them some time if I can get the Vicki's to stop running amuck on my system! :p

This is just my personal opinion and it is devasting so please be warned .For a Miki 2 fan ,Miki 3 is my biggest disapointment of the year. Miki 2 had a good realistic default bodyshape,that was a good base for creating custom bodymorphs, Miki 3 is a freak. Look at her short tiny hips, her short skinny legs and her torso  looks like a sausage. None of the pregiven morphs can make her a beauty .I don't like the face morphs either.The open mouth morph gives her a big freaky Frankenstein chin. I cannot see any improvements with P8 rigging,which might be a Poser issue.She has lots of JCM that fixes joint issues,but I am afraid that those fixes won't work anymore,when you create new bodyshapes.Well at least she is not that messed up like P8 Allyson so there might be some hope.One good thing: Look at her base mesh ,it is proper modeled , reasonable dense mesh .

One good thing: Look at her base mesh ,it is proper modeled , reasonable dense mesh .

Exactly. All new meshes are a blank canvas. So long as the topo is good, just about anything is possible within the confines of the software... The zero morph collection has controls that V4 needs badly. Lots of innovation.. Lots of resolution! I like that*.. 3x4000 maps tall.

Quote -  All new meshes are a blank canvas. So long as the topo is good, just about anything is possible within the confines of the software... The zero morph collection has controls that V4 needs badly. Lots of innovation.. Lots of resolution! I like that*.. 3x*4000 maps tall.

   I agree.  I did not have alot of time to explore the morphs last night, but I am pretty excited about the possibilities. And the "whole body section" (or whatever its called) that moves a group of body parts with one dial was very interesting. ^ ^

We've got an honest to goodness pose-off challenge going on in RDNA (the thread linked to earlier in this thread). Miki 3 versus V4. I'm not going to ruin it for anyone interested, but it should be fun. Words are nice, but we're artists that make images, let's really "see" how they pose side by side. :-)

Quote - Thanks for the feedback - I miss art school for the portfolio reviews. They were brutal sometimes, but useful.

Oh... geez. I'm sorry. This is why I don't leave critiques when I look at people's albums. I was figuring those images were by SM's staff. It's always hard, when looking at Poser images, whether a problem is with a model or the artist posing the model. The hard lesson I learned when I started seriously using Poser is that the figures aren't perfect. The jutting joints aren't your fault.

My main gripe with the figure is that Miki 3's face lacks the distinctive oriental look that the earlier figures had.

Again, it doesn't really matter that Miki 3 bends better at the waist.  If you're doing any kind of render where your figure is wearing clothes, that has minimal effect on what you're doing.

Elbows and knees however have a huge effect because they're uncovered far more often.  In all of the renders on the other forum, V4's elbows and knees look 1000 times better than Miki 3.0.  Miki 3.0 gets some pretty bad distortion at even relatively light elbow and knee bends on both the inside and outside of the joints.  V4 doesn't and therefore pretty much makes Miki 3.0 not worth buying.

This is a quick render i knocked up in a few mins using default stuffs with a small bit of tweaking & using GI lighting.

Quote - Again, it doesn't really matter that Miki 3 bends better at the waist.  If you're doing any kind of render where your figure is wearing clothes, that has minimal effect on what you're doing.

 

Elbows and knees however have a huge effect because they're uncovered far more often.  In all of the renders on the other forum, V4's elbows and knees look 1000 times better than Miki 3.0.  Miki 3.0 gets some pretty bad distortion at even relatively light elbow and knee bends on both the inside and outside of the joints.  V4 doesn't and therefore pretty much makes Miki 3.0 not worth buying.

I really think you should jump into the challenge and show me. I saw a few odd elbow artifacts in those V4 renders. some creasing inside polygons, and an odd bottom of the bicep tuck for example. V4 does have a nice point to the elbow. When I render counter poses of Miki 3, I'll have to try and see how that elbow compares, because honestly - I don't know V4.

But a 1000 times is better? Could that be just the teeniest little bit of an exaggeration? Words are so easily twisted. As are Poser figures. It won't take long for you to make your case with an actual image.  :-) 

PS:

Sorry if I sound like I'm goading you a little - it's just that brash words are very sticky in a forum, and have always rubbed me the wrong way.

One of the really smart content developers at RDNA (esha maybe) pointed out that it's different strokes for different folks. I think she's right. I truly dig the stuff you're creating with V4 and the other Daz figures. I've got a different figure that I'm really digging, and getting some really nice images out of her. And I just started playing around. Looks like some other folks are digging her too. Do we have lower standards? Are we just plain blind or wrong? Or is there maybe just a little bit of middle ground in this Poserverse where there could co-exist a few other decent figures?

sigh...I hit the wrong button and deleted my message. I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words on the topology. While I think I could probably do better now, I did work really hard on her mesh. I haven't seen the final build of her yet, so I don't know what morphs made it in and what changes were made to her rig but I like alot of the images I've seen posted. So, thanks everyone for checking her out and giving your opinions, they are most valuable!

I'd like to see some good joint performance images of Miki 3.  And can anyone open her up in the Joint Editor, and see how they've made use of the new P8+ joint capabilities?  There hasn't been a figure which makes great use of these yet, unless this is it.  Is she just using capsule falloff zones, instead of spheres, like a couple of the figures included with P8?  Or does the figure use multiple zones?

The really tricky joint handling on most figures seems to be where the legs meet the hip.  How well does Miki 3 handle with deep leg bends?

I can't afford a copy just yet, or I'd check into all of this myself. 

Cage I think the hip to leg bend could be better, but I haven't had a lot of time to play, and that's a place I'm affriad could get you in trouble posting renders (maybe not but I just don't risk it, the forums are to valuable a sourse of info for me). I think the inside elbow bends better than V4, but there is a bit of bulging on the joints. She comes with alot of morphs and magnet thingys, so it maybe just a case of not knowing how to use her correctly yet.

I could open up the joint editor but wouldn't understand what I see anyway. I have rigged with Carrara and weight maps, poser is too hard for me to figure out.

First the "why isn't Miki 3.0 out yet" crowd.  Now the "Miki 3.0 is terrible" crowd.  Maybe the same crowd.

Give it time and someone will fix her highly placed armpit creasing.  I'm curious if the reviews would be the same if Miki 3.0 was sold at her regular price?

Quote - ... I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words on the topology. While I think I could probably do better now, I did work really hard on her mesh.

So I have YOU to thank for my favorite Poser models?  Or is Miki 3 the first you created?

Yes!  I love the mesh.   I love the face.  Could go easily into any human variation; this is much more like a good base for all kinds of morphs.  The different hip shape is also really nice. 

I don't care about Poser's bending/rig issues.  I just love the model.  Thank you for making it!

I was going to buy it when the SM newsletter emailed to me said it was compatible with Poser 6.  But on the "buy now" SM page, it clearly states at the bottom that all Poser versions older than version 8 will not work with Miki 3.0 because it uses different/newer rigging.

Quote - > Quote - ... I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words on the topology. While I think I could probably do better now, I did work really hard on her mesh.

So I have YOU to thank for my favorite Poser models?  Or is Miki 3 the first you created?

Yes!  I love the mesh.   I love the face.  Could go easily into any human variation; this is much more like a good base for all kinds of morphs.  The different hip shape is also really nice. 

I don't care about Poser's bending/rig issues.  I just love the model.  Thank you for making it!

Miki is the... hang on... James Johnson, The Orc King (more of a troll really), the Poser 8 Mannequins, the P8 Dog and the P8 Horse (which I want to do over). So, I'd say Miki is #7 for me, not counting my SandRunner and Master Ki figures I had sold on my own before I was hired for tech support by e frontier. So glad to be working in content now, I only wish I could make models more often. The rigs for all of the models I've made so far has been done by someone else but I am learning to rig on my own, so maybe the next figure. I'm really happy you like the mesh, seriously, I don't often get to hear how my meshes look, just how well they bend, which isn't my department yet.

Her stock loadup does not flatter her. I bought Syyd's new skin for her and this is the 1st render.

I allmost feel sorry ,that I don't like her (yet?) , but I will give her a chance by creating morphs and we will see .

Quote -  I think she'll keep many men awake late

AwwwwRiiiight!

Richardson...  wow.

I'm not gonna say it, I'm not gonna say it.... giggity....rats I said it.

>>out at 7, hung by 11<<

**...scratches head...??
**

Torso bend and side to side dials are awesome. Zero poses too.

IK on/off...way cool (finally)

IDL settings need attention...

Looking forward to seeing any additional posing morphs or improvements to the deformer rig that get spun out on Miki 3 - that would be pretty amazing. Seems like it would be decent product; at least I'd buy one. :-)

the kness sure bulge, even the first image from richardson where she is standing.i like her and i don't. right now I'm broke, so it makes the decision much easier.

The bar was raised over @ RDNA with a couple of V4 masters showing some great examples of how she poses. But it looks like the advantage may come from some add-on hip morphs. I was impressed. And further inspired to polish up this pose below.

I reposed, added in a little bit of Miki 3's voluptuous and body builder morphs and then cheated some. I used a few minutes of Poser's morph brush to soften the hip crease and came up with this one.

Learning from other artists' work is a great way to grow. I am pleased to have seen some strong talent @ RDNA and happy to have thrown an image or two into the mix. Miki 3 might not be for everyone, but I'm really pleased with how she looks.

right now I'm broke, so it makes the decision much easier.

Hang loose,, I think she's on sale for quite a while. Maybe some new stuff might be underway by the time you choose..* *

*So I cheated on this one. *

I'll be cheatin' soon, too...;))) There is not a mesh out there that does it all. *

That's it. I'm done. Dinner time.

anybody yet tried PML on her? would love to know if it works on her new joints

HI!

Me again! (who?)

Okay, so I have Miki 3. Been working on her since Beta version(nice work Teyon).

I just want to say that I ONLY HAVE POSER 6! God-willing, I'll win one of CP's contest so I can support the new versions.

Anyway, I'm only doing textures and dynamic clothes and strand-based hair for Miki 3(MK3).  This will be Kenya Japan II, hopefully released next month.

I'd like to add that Miki's material zones are driving me nuts. The zones REALLY need to be numbered to keep them organized and usable. For example, there are separate left and right eye zones not to mention separate top and bottom eye lash zones. Mapping this chick is a real hassle made even worse because the zones aren't organized into a simple numerical system such as exists in V4 wherein the head consists of 1_Face, 1_Nostril, 1_Lip, 1_EyeSocket. Instead, on MK3, I've got to deal with(hang on while I count)...2(maybe three) zones for the Head. Wait...that's fine, actually. But the eyes!! OMG, Becky!! NINE MATERIAL ZONES?! Seriously?! And that doesn't even include the lashes that were mentioned earlier!

Why?! Why the horror, Teyon? Who did this to us?! Did they want to punish us? Did we do something wrong?! Ow, the suffering! So many zones! The Body-to-Thigh zones...zig zags?! Oh, the humanity!

Also, the head...how come someone couldn't stitch those UV seams on the head together? Gag me with a spoon, that's hard to paint over in Photoshop.

On the plus side, though, whoever set up the UVs did so with Poser's sphere-like shader system in mind. Kudos on that! Because the shaders link at MK3's seams like a charm. And the UVs for the eyes(regardless of the nine zones) are set perfectly - they rest just inside the circumfrence of that sphereical shader. Lovely!

WTF is the purpose of the .xmp files? Any explanation for this?

Quote - WTF is the purpose of the .xmp files? Any explanation for this?

Some info was posted back in July...

http://blog.smithmicro.com/2010/07/12/poser-3d/metadata-makes-life-in-poser-easier/

There must be a thread about this somewhere around here as well...

Martin

> Quote - WTF is the purpose of the .xmp files? Any explanation for this?

In the Poser library's extended details panel is where you see all the metadata in that XMP file. The folks at Smith have a python script and a tool built by netherworks that will automatically create that file - just plug in the info. I got to play around with it - really simple to use. I think they were going to give away, but not sure.

Hi synthymonkey.

Do you have any pics of the mesh? I would really like to see it. I love teyons mesh work. :)  I dont have Miki 3 yet, no money, but am getting it next week. Meanwhile, I would love to see the mesh.

Quote - Hi synthymonkey.

Do you have any pics of the mesh? I would really like to see it. I love teyons mesh work. :)  I dont have Miki 3 yet, no money, but am getting it next week. Meanwhile, I would love to see the mesh.

I need to work some up. Smith asked me as well just today - they must've read your post :-) It's a new mesh so seeing it would be good. I'm rendering this weekend but should be able to fit in some time for anti-aliased screen caps.

typical  smith micro   bad joints at elbow and knee  you'd  figure since they  keep making bad joints at  inside of elbow and knee at  least the front side of said parts wouldn't continue to  look  big and knobby when they  bend.

Not interested.

why  do  figure makers only sell figures based on  the face?

"because it sells"  someone will no  doubt  say -

well  they'd  sell more with a killer body  and a killer face.

Quote - A 20 minute cheat in Zbrush. Morph brush should be able to do the same.

That's nice work.  Her knees look pretty natural here.

I wonder if someone could make some joint controlled morphs, like shown  in that  picture you made, to fix the bending problems?

Based on these pictures and the ones I saw at CP , I think that Miki 3 looks pretty cute and that's a good enough for me.

Besides, even Vicky 4 and Apollo have some bending problems.

Quote - A 20 minute cheat in Zbrush. Morph brush should be able to do the same.

Ah delicious.   So very beautiful Richardson.

Here you go, shame her feet are still revolting btw.

Looks like a nice mesh. Does she not have any JCM's in her legs? The mesh looks good, and should bend well with a JCM or two. Looks like maybe 70-74 K?

I made a free original head morph for Miki 3.

Please visit my page and download it: http://arrow3d.com/

Enjoy Miki 3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!