Quote - I know that non-enthusiasts of the mat room will buy this. They will want presets. How far do I go? I have 14 metal colors

I have 5 finishes (actually infinite number as it is a numeric parameter, but I could argue the need for 5 is all - mirror, polished, brushed, dull, matte)

I have 3 surfaces - smooth, hammered, distressed (again, really an infinite number, but let's say 3)

So that is 14 * 5 * 3 = 210 different materials.

Should I include 210 materials in the pack? Or 14 colors only and let users figure out how to do finish and surface? Or some selection of 20 or 30 that I think are most useful like brushed aluminum and steel, matte brass, hammered polished copper, distressed dull silver, etc?

What, no fantasy metals?  Like "mythril" from the lotr movies?

 

As for structure, you can either do by metal, maybe lumping the ones you have more than one of together, or by finish (mirrored, hammered).  If it were me I'd go by metal. 

 

About the merchant resource, you might make a "crippled" version for a MR.  Fewer metal options and I know you like to add extra controls... you can get rid of those.  you can also maybe simplify the nodes for something that is close to the BB metals for sale, but slightly less real.  But it kind of sounds like you don't want to go the last route.  And you are right to be worried about the color, IOR, and whatever other measurements you have being stolen. 

Hmm.  Maybe not doing an MR for it until you know what you'd be dealing with before then would be the best idea.  People can always say this is the item with BB's shaders (sold seperately).  If others like it so much, they can go and buy it for themselves.

Finally, have you considered a scientific paper on the numbers?  If they are going to be stolen anyways, at the least you'd get some recognition for your efforts.

 

WARK!

Thus Spoketh Winterclaw: a blog about a Winterclaw who speaks from time to time.

 

(using Poser Pro 2014 SR3, on 64 bit Win 7, poser units are inches.)