Quote - > Quote - I have a question a bit more on topic here. I just downloaded the RDNA Antonia Weight Mapped version.

Looks noce in their renders but I am still confused what this Weight mapping really is.

I know you need Poser 9 and up to use it but if someone couldplease explain to this 3rd grade level gray matterd person in simple language I would appreciate it.

I'll try.

Previous rigging (setting up how a joint works) in Poser used either Sphere Zones or Capsule Zones. I won't go into Capsules, nearly no figure used that. Now there are Weight Maps.

Sphere Zones work like this: There's an axis point for each joint. That controls the center point of rotation. Then there is an Inner Sphere and an Outer Sphere.
The creator must place the spheres to control what parts of the figure's geometry will be affected by that joint rotation. Whatever's inside the Inner Sphere will be completely rotated, whereas what's inside the Outer Sphere will be smoothly less affected depending how far from the Inner Sphere that part is. Whatever is outside both spheres won't be affected at all,meaning they'll either stay put if before the axis (like, say, chest part if you're dealing with the shoulder joint) or rotate completely without any smoothing (as if you were rotating a pencil along an axis, it won't bend at all, just rotate entirely).
Sure enough, you have separate spheres for the X, Y and Z rotations, giving you more control of what the rotation to each size will affect, but... you're still stuck with spheres, even though you can control their X, Y and Z scales (so not necessarily perfect spheres, "squashed" spheres are ok). It's a limitation that requires joint-controlled morphs to make more realistic bends, like the point of a bent elbow.

With Weight-Mapped Rigging, you still have an axis center. However, the way you control what is and isn't affected is a point-by-point method. You literally paint over your mesh what you want to be affected by the joint in a range of red to yellow to green that control how much that point is affected. This means you have a much more detailed control of how things bend, and there's also a Bulge feature that makes a joint cause points to go up or down in its mesh as the joint rotates. This in most cases eliminates the need for Joint Controlled Morphs, as you can simulate most things like muscle and bone shapes upon bending a body part.

 

Oh..OK!

But will the export modules for Poser stuff into say CARRARA OR BRYCE UDERSTAND THESE NEW methods! (darn cap lock!)

If everyone prefers maybe we can take this off line or as a PM topic so as not to bother others on this thread. I just find it fascinating. But don't want to remain OT here....I hate Thread Grinches and I am beginning to feel like one so please don't wet noodle me!  ;)