Ok guys, basically I need a couple testers for my upcoming character that I'm trying to release, I went through the Marketplace review and testing and everything is fixed, except now, my partner and my tester suddenly can't see the tan lines (node through Poser material room, surface setting in DS).  They can see it in Daz Studio still, but not Poser.  They both saw them on my first zip files uploaded before correcting them, but now on my final update, they "suddenly can't see them". 

They say they can't see it in both default and SSS version... suddenly, but the thing is, I can still see them, even after I zipped and deleted all my runtime mats & textures, downloaded the latest updates & installed, I can still see them, both default skin and SSS.  Here's the really, rather funny thing, I've never changed anything on the SSS version though out the tests, the file date is still September 2014, yet they suddenly can't see the SSS tan lines either.

I have Poser 9, I don't know what version Poser my partner has, but my tester has Poser 10 & 2010.

Sooooo. I need a tester that has Poser 10 or 2010 or above, and a tester that has Poser 9 to see if you can render the tan lines, go through all the render settings (mainly in Poser 10 or 2010 and above) and see if any settings disable you from rendering the tan lines.  So that being said, what I really need is someone with lots of experience with Poser.

I'm gonna upload a version of Tina Perez that only contains the required texture/mats to test the skin (no eyes/morphs, or the other textures).  If you can show me a few images using various lights & settings, I'll give her to you (morphs, DS version, and all textures).  I'm really hoping someone can come up with the answer as to why my tester and partner can't see these lines suddenly, this is a desperate, last final thing I can come up with so I can finally release her, after two weeks of testing and a year of creating.

Please site mail me if you have Poser 10, 2010 or above, and/or Poser 9.

Well, this is funny, folks.  My tester just found the problem, she had gamma correction checked.  The thing is, I never use gamma correction, I simply load the lights the way I want and how bright I want them, not really sure what gamma correct is anyways (not even sure if it's in Poser9 lol)

Soooooo, this was a new thing I just learned and want to tell you guys, if you the Color Math node in Alternative Diffuse, gamma correct will not show it.  I'm not sure about other nodes but if I have gamma correct, then I'll play around and test it.

...wolfie

I was going to guess that.

When gamma correction is enabled, you switch to a different system of color interpretation - a linear one. Now is not the time to learn this as you're about to release, but don't worry - people who use GC and linear workflow will not use your shaders anyway. They'll just run EZSkin.

Now - there's a problem because the tan lines are not expected by EZSkin and it won't process that part of the texture set for you.

I see that you're using the tan maps to selectively subtract some of the color from the skin map. I'm sure you don't want to hear this now, but that wasn't a good strategy.

Instead, the tan map should be designed to indicate the luminance of the skin and use that as input to an HSV node that modifies the "Value" of the skin texture map. If you did it that way, it would do the right thing with or without gamma.

I see other places in your shader that will be changed by gamma. Basically you should NEVER use a color chip to multiply anything because the color chips are modified by gamma. Use only white chips or black chips. Do all multiplying with numbers, not colors. The only colors that don't change when you vary the gamma are those where all three components are 0 or 255.

Note: however, that since I know how to manipulate any kind of map to do anything I want, I can probably come up with a shader that uses exactly the maps you have, but works with or without gamma on to produce the same effect. Let me know how your sales go - maybe I'll do something about that.

Gamma Correction is on by default in Poser 10/PP2014, as it should be.  It is not in Poser 9.  What SR is your Counterpart's PP2014?  SR 5 and up, IIRC, automagically correct the Gamma  of trans maps, whilst earlier versions needed it corrected manually, or using the changeGamma script included in Poser Pro (I'm not sure it's in Poser 10) or Snarly Gribbly's Scene Fixer

Check your PM.. :)

EDIT:X-post with BB

Hey BB and WandW, thanks a lot.  I know you think now's not a good time for you to explain that now that the character's released, but now I'm learning something.

BB, would you be willing to send me a sample mat file using Tina's textures and tans (keeping the other shader nodes the same)?  I'd be willing to update all the Poser files, especially if there are any complaints.

I just updated the readme and the tan line promo to warn about using gamma correction.

...wolfie

Sure - might not be till tomorrow though.

BTW, Poser 10 is on sale for $49.99 through Monday, here and at SM...... :)

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/poser-10/102001/

 PP2016 overdue AFAIK, but at least they're remaindering old version.  usually it's 18 mo., not 2 yr.

oops, bushnell may have TM on PP2016.  no, wait, they trademarked "batterybar".