So, is the GC in your shaders automatic? Does it turn itself on and off depending on if it's in Poser 7 and under or 8 up? I'm still figuring stuff out and don't know too much yet. I'm thinking this would be the next step in my 3D evolution, learning the material room and building my own shaders, understanding what does what. I guess I need to hit the tutorials once again. Oh joy!

And BB, I for one will definitely be buying that book, when it comes out :o)

Whew, that's a relief. It actually loads and renders for ya :o)

Looks funny in the preview window don't it lol

But it looks like it renders just fine.

On a side-note, I think I'm going to make a baseballcard smart prop for the rear spokes and reflectors before I go to bed tonight. They'd be a fun little addition to such an iconic piece of our history. I mean c'mon, I'm only 33 and I even remember seeing bikes just like this as a child, and doing the card in spokes too. These bikes lived to be well past their prime. Hell, didn't the Bozo Show give one of these away when a kid won the Grand Prize game? Actually now that I look at it (I went looking to see if I was actually right lol) It looks like the 10 speed version of this bike. I do know, however, they always gave away Schwinn's tho.

I got to thinking just now, this model is pushing 59k in poly count(half of which is in the chain). After my 1st test renders I saw some faceting that I couldn't live with. But that's for pretty, close-ups. Should I include a lower poly version for when it's just in the BG?

Hmm, yes, I think a lower poly version wouldn't hurt.

Just for myself, I made new gears, chainguard and chain, and I brought it down to 37k polys overall.

(I re-added a few polys to the saddle for the chrome stripes)

Here are some pics:

yeah for distance shots, a chain like yours is plenty sufficient. Want me to throw together a low-po chain, and the rest, unsmoothed parts to the bike, and send it over for rigging? :o) lol

I kinda forgot in asking about including it also involves you lol

Whatcha think?

Nah, it's your model. No need to ask anything. :-)

As for the rigging, there's no need to re-rig it.

Just make sure the groups (bodyparts) stay named indentical, i.e the "new" frame with the lo-res chain is also called "Frame" just like the original.

Then you can just edit the references in the orginal cr2 to point to the modified object.

Or load the new object file into Poser, enter the SetUp room and click on the original cr2.

Then safe the new figure to the library.

Either way, as long as you just change the polycount and not the dimensions, you can simply re-use the rigging I made.

I had some time to work on it and will be posting little tips for all to see.

First I want to say, BR - congrats on becoming so expert at 3D so fast. The model is beautiful, and you did a great job with the initial materials. 

I will be talking about a number of different things as I have time, but for the moment, I just want to show you what I've done. Note that I'm only addressing the "new" version at the moment.

On the right is the model as BR sent it to me. On the left I have modified the materials. I'm not done yet.

This is rendered in Poser Pro 2010 with render GC and IDL, surrounded by my EnvSphere.

I actually saw those lind when looking for reference pics, thinking to myself, "Man, I really don't want my 1st bike model to have a chain like that and all those gears," so I modeled the version without a shifter. Now in hind-sight, it really wouldn't have been too much more work to make, and I still may, since I'd just have to modify the chain, add a few gears and shifter, and the hand brakes. We'll see lol

I notice the big difference on the seat and tires for sure.

Quote - First I want to say, BR - congrats on becoming so expert at 3D so fast. The model is beautiful, and you did a great job with the initial materials.

Thanks BB, modeling is definitely the easy part on this project, and the shaders, well you know where I got 'em, all I did was figure out what to change to add or remove rust, and change the color. Expert? You flatter me sir :o)

I do appreciate your help on this more than you know. In the [almost] year that I've been doing this stuff, you're one of the most mentioned names. So after all this time and seeing your work and what it can do, well, you kinda became my "Digital Hero" lol

And in lookin at more bikes of this style, I'll be making a few different seat styles and colors, like a white leather, a flowered texture for the pink and red bikes, etc. Also, the Decals are not final, I'll be making the ones on the chaingaurd and top bar bigger, these were just my 1st, "Test" masks to see size and placement of decal. I like how the front, round one came out, so that will prolly stay as-is tho.

Ok, I'm sitting here looking at your render, thinking to myself, "Damn I need to get a new Poser!" It just looks so much better than P7. Hopefully if I make enough from my models, and PP 2010 goes on sale again, then maybe I can pick it up. Oh my wishful thinking sometimes lol

Let me tell you, it does look beautiful in PP2010.

Attached Link: Full Size Image

That is an awesome color.  I almost forgot about the metal flake style.  That would be an added bonus.

Attached Link: Full Size Image 2000 x 1600

Attached Link: Full Size Image 2000 x 1600

Attached Link: Larger Image

Ladies and gents, I spent all day, and I mean all friggin day today, making all the MAT's.

15 colors

X        New, Old, Really Old, and Metal Flake versions of each

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Total = 60 MATs.

Tell me I didn't wanna pull out a chunk of hair or 2... hehehe

And, as an added bonus, there's a Python script going in the package to change the color easily. It brings up a color selector window, you pick a color, hit OK, and it changes all the nodes in all 4 material zones(5 for the Metal Flake MATs) to that color.

All that's about left is making the ReadMe.txt and some instructions.

I hope there's some people just half as excited as I am about this getting released :o)

I truly believe this is my best model yet, and it's just a friggin' bike, what the hell!!! lol

And at this point, is there any way to possibly sweet talk some of my "beta testers" to make me some nice promo pics? I know it's a lot to ask, but I've been actually working my booty off on this, what started out to be small, project. I still don't know what possessed me to do the rusted MATs, but I'm kinda glad I did, but kicking myself at the same time for adding just that much more to my workload.

I also only have Poser 7, and a few made in PP2010 would be awfully nice...hehehe

Thanks again for all the support  in this. I love the community here :o)

It looks fantastic BR!

plus I added a bump to it to give it some character :o)

I made more MATs for the package.

30 additional MATs derived from 19 custom seats. So that's 90 MATs in all!

Here's an image of the styles and a sneak peak at a few of the custom colors.

If you guys are tired of me posting updates just say so and i'll shut up about it...  lol

Quote - Ok, I couldn't leave well enough alone, so...

I made more MATs for the package.

30 additional MATs derived from 19 custom seats. So that's 90 MATs in all!

Here's an image of the styles and a sneak peak at a few of the custom colors.

If you guys are tired of me posting updates just say so and i'll shut up about it...  lol

Keep us posted whenver there is something new, Thanks.

Attached Link: Bicycle Grand Release!

Promos aren't final, I have people way more talented at renders than I contributing some promo images to me, and I deeply appreciate it!

Unfortunately it will probably be over a week before it makes it into the MP here, but at least you guys have a chance at getting t sooner than later. Especially since my slow ass took so damn long lol

Attached Link: 1960's Bicycle