I know Poser is big in Japan, as SM happened to buy the VS part of e-Frontier only while leaving the Japan half as it was, and as Poser has a Japanese version, and a lot of content definitely is Japan-oriented.

I know Poser is serious in France and Germany, as it has such versions as well.

From the shipload of galleries and artists I happen to be aware of, hardly any of the Japanese / French / German areas are into photorealism or anything alike, and a serious part of the remaining community is into Comics etc too.

When I open the Rendo gallery, showing 30 images on page 1, only one of them can be put in a Poser/Photorealism kind of category. When I filter to Poser-gallery, only 10 out of 30 fit in such a category.

So what's the basis for the assumption that a serious portion of the Poser user base does require improved realism? And what's the basis for the idea that SM doesn't know themselves so people in this forum keep on telling them? I'm just wondering, you kow.

From this forum, and others, I do have the impression that a lot of people have issues utilizing the vast amount of features to their desire. Which suggests that we could do with a set of wizzards guiding us through. Software ones that is, instead of the ones in this forum and around. And perhaps more (accessible) tutorials and manuals. So that's a big YES to Vilters #1 recommendation.

In the meantime, loads of functionality and content and anything else is developed not by SM but by other people. That's bought, incorporated, or available via separate routes. So I would suggest: when you want things to change, feel free to start up something yourself, get it sold around, offer it to SM and you'll get where you want. Like I'm using PhilC's wardrobe wizard, and D3D render scripts, and Paolo's Reality as well as Face-Off's Poserphysics and his Octane plugin as well. And as I did dive into Cloth and Hair Room for three month and published all my findings for free. And as I'm about to finish my first three months investigation on Material Room, and will publish all tuts on that as well pretty soon.

So that's my opinion on the other issues. Let's stop mourning, let's just kickass ourselves and get something done. Poser is worth it.

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Usually I'm wrong. But to be effective and efficient, I don't need to be correct or accurate.

visit www.aRtBeeWeb.nl (works) or Missing Manuals (tutorials & reviews) - both need an update though