Vue has SSS and it can perfectly well be used for skin shading :) I've seen some excellent character images made with Vue, but most users do not do that, so they are few. SkinVue is OK, but outdated and relies on faking SSS. The last few good character renders I've seen don't rely on Skinvue anymore.

As for Xstream not being usable with high end software, I don't know about that, I don't own or use Xstream, so I can pass judgement on it and neither can you. You only have second hand information. Xstream's core is integration and seeing how many studios, people and even well know studios use it, I'm sure it must be working somehow. You haven't used Vue, so don't make any claims about it :) It's the same with Poser..... it's unbelievably buggy, it crashes all the time and you can't do serious work with it..... at least that's what a number of people try to make us believe on this forum, yet we all know that's not true ;)

Well, yes octance is faster then poser (but what isn't?) if you have an insane graphics card at hand. When I made my choice I took all of that into consideration.... buying a decent graphics card and a license for Octane isn't exactly cheap, the octane part already is €429.00 and the I still need to get a new graphics card to get most out of it. So, forgive me if my choice fell on Vue, I not only get a top notch render engine, I get a whole software package with it that can produce amazing stuff and it works great with Poser without having to figure out tons of settings. After all, that's what interest me and that is what this thread is about..... render engines that work well with Poser.

Artwork and 3DToons items, create the perfect place for you toon and other figures!

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/index.php?vendor=23722

Due to the childish TOS changes, I'm not allowed to link to my other products outside of Rendo anymore :(

Food for thought.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYZw0dfLmLk