Hello Everyone,

I would appreciate it if someone could point me towards one or more tutorials that will instruct me, start to finish, on how to make redistributable props using Poser Pro 2012. In other words, I am looking for step-by-step information on how to make props that I can send to others so that they might use them (i,e, not those props that will work only on my computer or software installation).

To actually find this sort of information through Google seems to be much harder than one might expect. Is it some trade secret people hesitate to share?

 Whatever the case, I am looking for said tutorial or tutorials, whether they are free or for purchase, and would be grateful to anyone that could help.

Thank you all,

Monica

for a prop this should work.

1. model prop

2. model morphs if any

3. import model

4. load morphs

5. set materials

5a. set other material sets and save as a material collection or material.

1. save to prop library

obj files should be in runtime/geometries

texture image files should be in runtime/textures

materials are in runtime/libraries/materials

prop saved to runtime/libraries/props/vendor/item.pp2 where item is your prop name and vendor is your user name or vendor name.

check the pp2 file with a text editor to see what geometry file it is using and edit as required to keep the runtime libraries. You can have an obj file in the props library with the pp2 but its not standard.

if you create a runtime folder under the root of a drive C:/runtime you can create a zip file using pathnames that will extract to any runtime folder. Just duplicate the folder structure in your base runtime.

For a simple prop you can often just distribute the pp2 file and png thumbnail since Poser tends to embed the geometry. Use only node based materials and those are the only two files you need.

Geep has some tutorials you might read.  http://www.drgeep.com/

When you say you want to make redistributable props using Poser Pro, are you saying you want to use Poser Pro to create the props, or do want the props to be usable in Poser?

For creating props you're generally going to want some sort of 3D modelling program, like Blender or Hexagon (I mention them since both are free) or 3D Studio Max (professional software, also very expensive).

Once you make the prop, go thru the steps of UVMapping it, making textures and/or materials for it, etc.  Then you can import to Poser and set it up there with morphs (if any), texture and material presets, a pp2 file (or cr2, etc.) with external geometry.

If you want the prop to be also set up for ready use in other software, like Daz Studio, that requires its own set up process.

Then you can zip it up for use on PCs, and probably a .sit file for Macs.

If you are going from the start the Digital Talior Series on sale here at Rendo would be worth look as would anything else by Fugazi1968.

The tutorials use Silo as the modelling program but it should be easy to follow using any of the programs already mentioned.  I am sure there are other tutorials but these are the only ones I have used and thus can recommend.  I purchased so many that it made sense for me to give up on Hexagon and move to Silo, a purchase I have never regretted.

I tried reading any number of books on modelling but never got very far.  With video tutorials, such as these, you can have the video in one window and your own work in another making the step by step process easy to follow.  If you do go wrong you notice quite quickly that props don't match and can step back bit by bit on both screens.

If you are not too sure and have Prime membership there are a few Digital Tailor tutorials there that you can try.

I hope you have fun with whatever you decide to use.

Like Tarkhis said...you cannot make props using Poser.  At least, not any you could give to someone else.  You need a modeling program.  There are dozens, from free to "get a second mortgage on your house."  It may take awhile to find one that suits you. 

If you are new to Poser, it might be easier to learn to use Poser before thinking about making props for it. 

Quote - how to make redistributable props using Poser Pro 2012

As others have said, you can't actually create geometry in Poser, and I think the Poser primitives will be under copyright, so you probably are not allowed to distribute anything made using them.

So, you need to construct your geometry in a modelling application, and export it as an OBJ file.

Once you have made the geometry, you can import the obj into Poser (File > Import > Wavefront OBJ).

Once the obj has been imported into Poser, it will have been automatically converted into pp2 (prop) format, and you could at this stage save it to a Props library palette. However there are some things that you might like to do to it first:

You can set the location of its 'origin'. The 'origin' (aka "Center Point") is the point around which the prop will pivot when rotated. To set position of the origin, open the Joint Editor, the position of the origin will be displayed as a green cross-hair. You can either drag the cross-hair with the mouse (usually best to be viewing through an orthogonal camera when you do that), or you can enter the coordinates (in Poser Native Units) into the numeric fields. Once you have the origin where you want it, do Memorize Element (Alt+Ctrl+E).

Another thing you may want to do before saving the prop to the Props palette, is to set up the materials for the prop. You do that in the Material Room, you can do set things like the Defuse and Specular Color (colour), and apply images as maps, eg texture maps or transparency maps.

Once you have done those things, you can save the prop to the palette, and you are then ready to package it for distribution. But that is another story, and I will let someone else tell it.

Quote - > Quote -

Once you have made the geometry, you can import the obj into Poser (File > Import > Wavefront OBJ).

Once the obj has been imported into Poser, it will have been automatically converted into pp2 (prop) format, and you could at this stage save it to a Props library palette. However there are some things that you might like to do to it first:

Quick question Les...

Did you mean that the action of importing a geometry into Poser automatically makes it a pp2 formatted prop, or does the act of saving it to the Poser library do that instead?

It's the act of saving the prop back into the library after importing.

Quote - Quick question Les...

Did you mean that the action of importing a geometry into Poser automatically makes it a pp2 formatted prop, or does the act of saving it to the Poser library do that instead?

When you import the obj into Poser, Poser adds all the extra stuff that geometry needs to turn it into a poser pp2, like channels, origin, endPoint, orientation, displayMode, various Poser switches, and simple material settings. This is why I said it is in "pp2 (prop) format", perhaps "format" was the wrong choice of words, I meant it has all the attributes of a pp2. At this stage the prop only exists in the current poser document. The prop is a potential pp2 file, and functions exactly the same as if it had been loaded as a pp2, but you need to save it to a Props library palette to turn it into an actual pp2 file that you can load from the library. The act of importing the obj gives it the pp2 format, it does not make it a pp2 file.

Quote - It's the act of saving the prop back into the library after importing.

Kind of what I thought, which is why I was asking for clarification. Thanks.

First, I'd like to thank you all for your contributions. I really appreciate the time you all took to answer my question.

Just to clarify, I am a Prime Member here at RR, and have been using Poser for some time now, being really very familiar with it (currently using Poser Pro 2012). I know that, to make props, I must use a 3D modelling program of some sort (UV Mapper, 3D Max, or something), though I am still choosing one to learn how to use properly.

I already know how to import the OBJ file and incorporate it in my props. What I don't know is how to make said incorporated props useable by third parties. This is where a step-by-step tutorial would really be great.

Thank you all once again,

Monica 

Now for a different opinion. 8-)

you can make props in Poser by grouping primitives together and using the magnets, deformers and the morph brush tool. You can save and distribute the pp2 file as long as it points to the primitives you used to make it. It is fairly limited though , but columns, doorways , walls and such can be made.

Its much easier to use a modelling program.

Maybe this?

http://www.renderosity.com/creating-poser-based-product-files-zip-tutorial-cms-13145

It's meant for merchants, but people generally expect the same thing of freebies.

Quote -

I already know how to import the OBJ file and incorporate it in my props. What I don't know is how to make said incorporated props useable by third parties. This is where a step-by-step tutorial would really be great.

Thank you all once again,

Monica 

If you want it to be usable by anyone using Poser, its not that hard.

Assuming you've made a prop and saved it in OBJ format, you then import it into an empty scene.

If its a simple prop (i.e. a chair) you can save it to your Props library.  Now comes the fun bit, you'll need to edit the PP2 file in your library.  PhilC made a utility to help with this.

You can get it here:  http://www.sharecg.com/v/51452/view/10/Software-and-Tools/PZ3editor-Lite

I found this tutorial pretty helpful...

http://www.winterbrose.com/products/tutorials/User_Guides/UG-0003/Create_PP2_with_Template.zip

Once you have that done, you're prop is ready for use in Poser.  Then to distribute it, you need to zip up your Runtime/Geometries/folders including the obj file.  Your Library/Props/folders and of course your Textures/folders where you stored any textures.   Write up a ReadMe.txt file to include an there you go.  For Mac users you probably need to pack the same files in a .sit file.

Oh, and why make the geometry external to distribute the prop?  Two reasons, it seems to load faster when you do, and also if you plan to sell it here on Renderosity they require the geometry to be external.

So far as 3D modelling software, I went with Blender partly because it was one of the first free programs I found and it seems to have a lot of video tutorials for it.  Such as these

http://cgcookie.com/blender/get-started-with-blender/

http://cgcookie.com/blender/category/tutorials/

And these...

http://www.blendtuts.com/

Which have helped me out a lot.  I'm sure there are video tutorials for other programs, I'll leave it to those who know of them and use the software to share that.

Thank you very much! I will try it! Well, between one RL text and another, I will learn it! :-)