Hi all ---

I'm just wondering, from a developer's stand point of view since I am wanting to get into developing, is it necessary to own every version of Poser? 

I see that the newest version is coming out now, for 2014, just a bit early, isn't it?

I'm not sure what to do in this case.  Should I stick with Poser Pro 2012?  Do they all have backwards compatibillity? 

Sure there are reasons why I love some of the the features for 2014 that just make it worth upgrading like the fitting room, but not sure what to do here. 

Well, have a good one everybody ---

All Poser versions are backwards compatible.
And they are pretty good "On time", on target with the timing.

Most are backwards compatible.

For a developercontent maker it's normally a few versions back to check with.

Get's ready for loads of other people disagreeing.....

Normally now I don't go back further than Poser 8. I have older versions, but I now work back to these. I can't test full in Poser 9 as I don't have it as I have always gone fro Pro versions.

Others may go back further, but that's up to them.

Remember that new options cannot be used on older versions, so weightmapping cannot be used on anything below Poser 9.

All the best.

GReat Uncle LROG

Quote - Hi all ---

I'm just wondering, from a developer's stand point of view since I am wanting to get into developing, is it necessary to own every version of Poser? 

I see that the newest version is coming out now, for 2014, just a bit early, isn't it?

I'm not sure what to do in this case.  Should I stick with Poser Pro 2012?  Do they all have backwards compatibillity? 

Sure there are reasons why I love some of the the features for 2014 that just make it worth upgrading like the fitting room, but not sure what to do here. 

Well, have a good one everybody ---

no it is not necessary to get every version of poser.
If you want the latest tools, the improvements and growing your skill base by learning the new tools, then you upgrade.

Its very clear this new version is well worth the money.

2014 material compound nodes will probably need you to update from 2012 to use them.

i have poser 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, pp12.  i uninstalled 8. 

only Poser 7 and pp12 are still installed. 

i can't let go of the P7 library, it's so clean looking.  and it can extract thumbnails from rsr files.  and it's nice to be able to test something in P7 when PP12 is going crazy. Like posing James 6 in PP12.  his eyes don't quite follow his head.  unless they fixed it in the service packs?

Quote - and it can extract thumbnails from rsr files.

I've been using this to convert rsr to png files.  It works very fast even on large libraries.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/freestuff/details.php?item_id=57197

Quote - 2014 material compound nodes will probably need you to update from 2012 to use them.

It seems like compound nodes are just for convenience.  I wonder if they'll update 2012 with a service pack to undo compound nodes.  I'm getting 2014 anyway but it seems like something that could be done.  Somebody could probably write a python script to remove compound nodes during export from 2014 so people could sell the content too for 2012 I guess.

@MLPrincess

James head - eye problem was solved a long time ago.
I do not even remember if it was in an SR or figures update.
But is was a long time ago.

Thank you all for your input.  If I ever need the fitting room (which is the huge plus in my book) I'll switch over to it.  Until then, focusing on my Cavalier Customizing and then if I need it will upgrade. 

Appreciate all the feedback.

I thought this was one of the reasons that beta testers were used - so that a developer can test a product without worrying about having every conceivable variation of software or hardware.

In all honesty..... I would first develop something before worrying about these things. If it works in Poser Pro 2012, it will work in Poser 10 / Pro 2014.

I work in Pro 2012, but I have 6 and 2010 installed for testing purposes..... but since I switched to Win7, these are giving me problems at times, but they still work well for testing. It's for to make sure that every looks and works as it is supposed to do.

Of course it's not. It's not necessary to own ANY new version of any software if it's not what you want.

Sort of a silly question ;).

The only reason I can think of maybe wanting the lastest greatest Poser is if you're a content maker. But not for the user.

Laurie

Well there's probably a load of content creators that rarely step foot in Poser other than to prepare/package up their models to sell I imagine, and then it's off to do the same in Daz studio. Usually the materials consist of an image map plugged into the diffuse and specular and a bump or displacement? I imagine these creators are too busy using C4D or Max to worry about being a Poser-head as it were, Poser's simply a medium to sell the wares. If it works at the core level and is a nicely made model there's probably not much concern with the latest bells and whistles of Poser as these things are generally par for the course with "high end" apps... these things are in the realm of the Poser-centric I imagine. Am I wrong?

Laurie, I'm just a user, and you wouldn't believe how much I want my hands on the fitting room.  If for no other reason, being able to dress my dollies in the clothing I want them in will be worth it.

 I'm most interested in the updates to the preview renderer and the morphing tool... The fitting room sounds pretty nice, too. I was just complaining about the grouping tool, looks like it's getting an overhaul also.

The preview renderer, looks like something from Vue's preview window, or the active preview window I have setup with Luxrender in Blender.  Actually, Modo has one as well. They are handy to have, but they never negate or limit the use of test renders. The one in Vue, I almost ignore, and in Blender my use of Luxrender is limited as I'm mostly doing animations.

Quote - Laurie, I'm just a user, and you wouldn't believe how much I want my hands on the fitting room.  If for no other reason, being able to dress my dollies in the clothing I want them in will be worth it.

You and me both...lolol. It's worth the upgrade for that all by itself ;).

Laurie

Quote - The preview renderer, looks like something from Vue's preview window, or the active preview window I have setup with Luxrender in Blender.  Actually, Modo has one as well. They are handy to have, but they never negate or limit the use of test renders. The one in Vue, I almost ignore, and in Blender my use of Luxrender is limited as I'm mostly doing animations.

Shame they couldn't make the material room look more like vue's as well. :P Hehehe

Laurie

"The preview renderer, looks like something from Vue's preview window, or the active preview window I have setup with Luxrender in Blender.  Actually, Modo has one as well. They are handy to have, but they never negate or limit the use of test renders."

You're right but I was thinking of the possibilities of the preview render itself and in particular with post-work, things like the ability to have multiple display types (or more nicely depicted display types) in an image without alot of fussing, toon effects, those types of effects not necessarily concerned with photo accuracy or realism. Test renders only really matter if you're doing a Firefly render, no? In any case it's nice that they are expanding that feature as I've always liked playing around with preview renders in photoshop. For me, a huge reason to purchase Poser 10.

Quote - The preview renderer, looks like something from Vue's preview window, or the active preview window I have setup with Luxrender in Blender.  Actually, Modo has one as well. They are handy to have, but they never negate or limit the use of test renders.

... I would have thought the whole point of a good preview renderer is to limit the need for test renders. In Modo there's really not much point in doing test renders until you are 95% done with tweaking, the preview renderer shows you exactly what the render will look like, almost in real time. It can be zoomed to study a particular area as big as you want, and if you move your mouse over a certain spot (like a face or a tricky patch of hair) it'll render that bit first to give you immediate feedback (so you can basically 'paint' the areas that you are interested in). It's more than just 'handy to have', I'd say it cut my use of test renders down from ten or twenty to one. It tells me in 5 seconds whether I've solved a noise problem in a reflection, rather than waiting 30 minutes for a full test render.

RagTopJonny :

What I've learned after being a Artist for 1/2 a centery.
Do what ever you want ,how ever you want.

There's no way to make 10 people happy so there's no way your ever going to make a million people happy.

The only one you half to worry about is your self .just make your self happy.

Does RagTopJonny want the new Poser ?

Any content creator does not NEED all Poser versions.
But they have to be aware of the possibilities and limitatiaons of all versions.

Example.
If you W-Map a figure, you have to KNOW that it will only be compatible with Poser 9 upwards. You do not have to own all versions to KNOW that.

Same for the new Poser version that is fully backwards compatible. All old stuff will work in the new version.

But when you create new content in the new version using new features, they might not work in older Poser versions. This is the same for each and every piece of software.

You do not absolutely NEED the own all versions, but you have to know what works in what and what does not.

The table on SM's page shows what each Poser version can handle.

And the read me info for all content should mention :
"This product was made in versionXXXX and tested in versions XXXX- YYYYYY-ZZZZZ"

The introductory offer of 20% off an upgrade is up until 30.06.2013 so most of us who are having an adrenoline rush right now pending it's release will more than likely be playing with it within the first week (if not on the 21st) and probably be posting stuff on the forums, so if you aint sure then wait a couple of weeks to see what everyone is doing and what their reviews of it is. 

I would say that if you are thinking of venturing down the vending route then you may be at a slight disadvantage if you don't as all the other vendors will have the most up to date software and at the end of the day you are sort of in competition with them for sales, you want to give yourself the best possible chance of making those sales.

"I would say that if you are thinking of venturing down the vending route then you may be at a slight disadvantage if you don't as all the other vendors will have the most up to date software and at the end of the day you are sort of in competition with them for sales, you want to give yourself the best possible chance of making those sales."

If so, this is a consumer attitude I'm not understanding, I don't think I've ever made a purchase on the merits of what version the content creator used. I'm more likely to purchase something that I've wanted for a while that could have been made exactly the same in Poser 5. In terms of testing I would think there are plenty of users in the community willing to test, if the creator didn't have access to the latest. Then again, aside from making various this or that or DL'ing a freebie now and then I'm at the point where I don't have much use for various purchased Bric-a-Brac. Certainly there are those that use Poser solely as a picture making tool, would be loathe to model something they needed even if the task itself would take 15 minutes, and spend tremendous amounts on purchased content (must be nice)...

Other than the ability to say on the product page tested in such, what need is there to test a static prop or conventionally rigged figure (with a basic mat-room set up and textures) in the latest version. Realistically. Maybe this is just me... someone who daily is perplexed by bizarre logic that so many accept by rote. :)

heck I just deleted my post by mistake, shorter version

Just my point of view but an example could be a character pack, if I were to look through the marketplace wanting to buy a skin, I'd go for a SSS skin nowadays rather than one without, I know I can add this myself with EZskin but to be honest if I had an amount of money to spend I'd rather have the vendor do that job than me.

Lights is another thing, not sure if they had all of what's in pp12/p9 in p8 as I skipped that one, but I would want the best in alight pack, no point in getting a pack and paying for it if the lighting doesn't include present poser technology, same as materials packs.

Case in point to my comments above about bizarre logic, perhaps OT but really not...

A while back I was discussing making some INJ files in a post, just some random thoughts. Anyway, everything was done in the process for making the INJ's except for the mundane task of text editing and referencing and such required for read-script. I happened to mention that I was using Poser 8 which in terms of the task at hand was a moot point, well 2 individuals here on the forum (one of which was a content creator and vendor) were like "well you really need Poser 2012, the character creation tools have been greatly improved", as in "well you are written off."

Other than the ability to say "he-he! I got it, you don't" indirectly the comment had nothing to do with opening a text editor or even the process of the character creation itself (no WM, no use of GoZ, SSS, whatever), needless to say those individuals lost a great deal of esteem in my opinion.

I guess my point is, If you're a content creator and you are making standard operating Poser files and you've done your research on what the latest changes may have been in that regard there's really no realistic reason to have the latest other than to fulfill a submission requirement or the moronic satisfaction of "he-he! I got it, you don't"

didn't read all above, however we hope users purchase each new release, as it finances further work on poser.  also, less expensive per annum than cloud app AFAIK.

Don't get me wrong by my sour-pus commentary BTW, REALLY want Poser 10... But that's an inevitability. Was not such much a must have about 9 and 2012, but 10 looks very attractive.

I do own them all

and I go back to Poser 6 to test some if I want a product to go back that far and work, i really do not open anything other tham poser pro,

sometime i make my poses in poser 6 if it is for gen 4 and down, in p6 it does not add all that garbage I have to edit out of anything I make in P7 and up.

I suggest ultra edit, tho there are many programs

but really with the advent of the new poser 2014/10 there will be a market for the new figures and that will mostly all be in PP2014, except that v4 will be around for quite awile longer after the v5 failure.

so unless you want your product to work in lower range of poser dont worry about it

most people can get P7 and up really cheep now and almost anything made in pp2012 will work except weightmapped items. that is the future weightmapped....

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm making an observation as a user and not a content producer, but even as a user I find myself editing pose and mat files directly, ever since Poser 4. As a content producer, the ability to read, understand and edit those files would seam as important as owning every Poser.

It's not until you start reading and understanding those files (which is pretty easy in itself), do you realise just how many errors can be written into them, that would have had you hitting your head up against a brick wall if you had not opened them up in a text editor.

Quote - ....I'd go for a SSS skin nowadays rather than one without, I know I can add this myself with EZskin but to be honest if I had an amount of money to spend I'd rather have the vendor do that job than me....

That use to be my view, but generally I've been a bit unhappy with the quality of store purchased SSS Skin textures (not just here, but everywhere).I'm not saying anything is wrong with them, just that they haven't been to my taste.

I wager most SSS mats have been been set up with EZSkin anyway, by the vendors. I will still buy SSS skin textures, but only if there is the option of non-SSS version with it. I will then use EZSkin2  to make my own SSS textures, which I've been happier with.

If you can do that then you should have no problems, the edits as you stated are easy. I just find it less time consuming to edit a P6 file than I do a P7 and up,

i hope that they have made this easier with this new version but untill i ope that file I wont know. but we edit mainly for 2 reasons

to make out package smaller and to change it to work in lower versions. yes there are more edits but these are the main 2 that I do, there are several venders that speak that language and they have such a great advantage, to visualize and agust with numbers...... and a few words.... ;)

V4 was not made for High End app's.

DAZ Studio ,V5 was made for High End apps.

Poser 14 sounds like it will work a lot like D/S.

Maybe V5 will work in P14 a lot better.

The idea of hoarding old useless things that you no longer use or need is mentioned here.

I do have all Poser version going back to 4. I don't know why I keep them.

Seinfeld - but they're my books!!!!

I have Poser 5 to Poser 8 and then slipped sideways to Poser 2010 and then Poser 2014.  I am not as excited by 2014 as I was with Poser 2012 but then I had seen what people were doing with weight maps and SSS.  With 2012 I was there in the first hours of it going on sale, with 2014 I might even wait until day 2.

Quote - 2014 material compound nodes will probably need you to update from 2012 to use them.

Currently, whatever is in a compound node gets vaporized when you try and open them in Poser Pro 2012.

I took the ball primitive in Poser Pro 2014, created a compound node from a shader, saved it and then opened the ball in Poser Pro 2012 - came in untextured.

Now that may be a serious problem