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Backward compatability, 100% agree. "Grey Blob" would not be what it is if it was not backward compatable with existing content. Users would still like to use their investments on a new figure and don't really want to start all over again. (and no, not everybody wants to waste time converting clothing) In terms of selling content, most vendors find it risky selling at a new site that has just started up. So they feel more comfortable selling at their existing stores where they know how its performance is gaged. This way they show support for Dawn in their comfort zone, which will also promote their back catalog. In time, IF hivewire expands, I am sure more and more will try selling there to see how much of the market is active at that store. Also all these recent site hacks are not really helping with customer assurance. And yes, the homesite is very bare, and the in-house team needs to produce more content for her. I know they are a small team, but if you want to make waves, you have to enter the market big with frequent releases.

In terms of backwards compatibility, I meant with the software. It's not very possible to make a new figure backwards compatible with huge amounts of content designed for other figures. That sort of thing is what the fitting room and other similar utilities is for.

A more modern figure would have more body parts than the Gen4 figures. Those parts wouldn't be backwards compatible with content without the assistance of the fitting room, WW, etc. and we've already addressed that the majority of hobbyists at least aren't so interested in spending the time it takes to modify old clothing.  

There has to be a give and take somewhere. If users want a new figure that actually does use the latest features without forcing them to change their old habbits too quickly, then they have to be willing to update their content libraries with new add-ons as well. A customer that expects all their V4 textures to work on every major new figure without any serious work on their part, is being completely unrealistic and doesn't understand those things are controlled by copyright, licensing, etc. 

Maybe the next version of Poser will have some form of built in texture conversion, but I doubt it will be a one-click solution. 

 

~Shane