Any new timeline update for Poser 13 release for macOS ?

No updates yet. I am really looking forward to having it on my Mac.

I'm not going say a day. We've had to do a major architecture update to Mac to add Metal support for rendering. There was way more plumbing than anticipated to amek that work. Right now the Mac release in a top priority for us.

I wasn't going to nag.

But I *do* win my bet (in another thread on another site): I knew it had to be Metal. After all, it was brutal for the Blender team.  So it would have to be an order of magnitude more brutal for the Poser team (older code base and a fraction of the devs).

I have 18 Xeon cores, 128GB RAM, with a Radeon Vega Pro 64 16GB waiting to take Poser 13 out for a serious drive.  As it is, Blender is so fast I find a finished render on my computer before I even touch the keyboard to start making the scene.  Makes it easy: I just make the scene look like what it should to generate the render I already have.  Laws of physics, be damned!

I could help test (I've tested Poser way back in the Cooper Age).  I have heaps of time.  I code.  Intel Macs (MBP, iMac Pro)

Still nothing?

Dawn 2 just sort of disappeared into silence.

Poser 13 for Mac just sort of disappeared into silence.

Meanwhile… the MacOS community members sit, taping their fingers on their desktops, just waiting patiently (as they are prone to often do)… As a non-programmer/developer, I can only imagine what hurdles the development team may be facing … but keeping the MacOS  based artistic community up-to-date on progress or timeline projections would be nice.. if at all possible… 🙂👍  Cheers.. 

There is a new development from Apple and I hope this will help the Poser development team and bring Poser 13 to the MacOS community.

https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2023/10123/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ

emjay247 posted at 1:28 PM Wed, 14 June 2023 - #4467912

There is a new development from Apple and I hope this will help the Poser development team and bring Poser 13 to the MacOS community.

Poser, Blender, and Cycles don't use HLSL shaders. HLSL shaders are DirectX shaders, and not all games use those shaders. Poser is not a game engine either.

Apple supports Metal and is adding support for Microsoft library conversions, but we are probably not going to get GLSL, OSL, or SPIR-V support from Apple....

When Apple decides to enforces ARM native code only, the converted game wont run anymore because it still relies on an emulator based on CrossOver......

What Apple did, is make a tool to help show where the core of a game will need rebuilt, to run in an emulator on a Mac.

The core, is the majority of the programming in a game.... Content creators do the rest of it.

It is just a tool to show what a good programmer that makes programs for both platforms, already knew.

shvrdavid posted at 5:42 PM Wed, 14 June 2023 - #4467927

emjay247 posted at 1:28 PM Wed, 14 June 2023 - #4467912

There is a new development from Apple and I hope this will help the Poser development team and bring Poser 13 to the MacOS community.

Poser, Blender, and Cycles don't use HLSL shaders. HLSL shaders are DirectX shaders, and not all games use those shaders. Poser is not a game engine either.

Apple supports Metal and is adding support for Microsoft library conversions, but we are probably not going to get GLSL, OSL, or SPIR-V support from Apple....

When Apple decides to enforces ARM native code only, the converted game wont run anymore because it still relies on an emulator based on CrossOver......

What Apple did, is make a tool to help show where the core of a game will need rebuilt, to run in an emulator on a Mac.

The core, is the majority of the programming in a game.... Content creators do the rest of it.

It is just a tool to show what a good programmer that makes programs for both platforms, already knew.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I was hoping this tool would help make Poser development for Mac and PC more congruent.

shvrdavid posted at 5:42 PM Wed, 14 June 2023 - #4467927

emjay247 posted at 1:28 PM Wed, 14 June 2023 - #4467912

There is a new development from Apple and I hope this will help the Poser development team and bring Poser 13 to the MacOS community.

Poser, Blender, and Cycles don't use HLSL shaders. HLSL shaders are DirectX shaders, and not all games use those shaders. Poser is not a game engine either.

Apple supports Metal and is adding support for Microsoft library conversions, but we are probably not going to get GLSL, OSL, or SPIR-V support from Apple....

When Apple decides to enforces ARM native code only, the converted game wont run anymore because it still relies on an emulator based on CrossOver......

What Apple did, is make a tool to help show where the core of a game will need rebuilt, to run in an emulator on a Mac.

The core, is the majority of the programming in a game.... Content creators do the rest of it.

It is just a tool to show what a good programmer that makes programs for both platforms, already knew.

While I certainly lack any SW program development skills, I completely understand the complexity of the work those with those skills must provide... And not just related to Apple embracing Metal...  I am anticipating  many possible issues MacOS HW systems will cause SW developers as Apple has begun deployment of ARM based Apple Silicon CPUs... SO now the MAC community will be in a transition period where their Operating Systems will have to support both legacy Intel driven and NEW ARM Apple Silicon Chipsets:  At least for some period of time... But IT Could be a rocky road for a while... Hopefully the Poser 13 deployment for MacOS systems will be available sometime soon... and all us "Apple Heads" will be able to take it for a spin.... ;) Cheers All

Which is why I finally dumped Apple after 20+ years.

I have been through this before, and I have no interest in doing it again.

Good luck.

Planned timeframe for release of Poser 13.1 is last week of July.  Barring any unexpected hurdles, it will include both Win & Mac versions.  It will be free update for current 13.0 customers.  More details in upcoming blog/newsletter.

tim posted at 10:31 AM Thu, 22 June 2023 - #4468421

Planned timeframe for release of Poser 13.1 is last week of July.  Barring any unexpected hurdles, it will include both Win & Mac versions.  It will be free update for current 13.0 customers.  More details in upcoming blog/newsletter.

Cool. Thank you, Tim

tim posted at 10:31 AM Thu, 22 June 2023 - #4468421

Planned timeframe for release of Poser 13.1 is last week of July.  Barring any unexpected hurdles, it will include both Win & Mac versions.  It will be free update for current 13.0 customers.  More details in upcoming blog/newsletter.

Great news!, 

tim posted at 10:31 AM Thu, 22 June 2023 - #4468421

Planned timeframe for release of Poser 13.1 is last week of July.  Barring any unexpected hurdles, it will include both Win & Mac versions.  It will be free update for current 13.0 customers.  More details in upcoming blog/newsletter.

<Snickers>

I just noticed, July ends on a Sunday.  The last (partial) week of July is also the last day :D

Pretty sure the developers noticed that too :p

Nice one, guys ^.^

As they're working on the Mac version, did someone think to put a "swear jar" out?  Each time someone curses Apple (and/or macos, etc.) they have to put a dollar in the jar.  By this time, one would think the entire dev team would get to take a 2 week in Hawaii, all expenses paid.  And fly first class, roundtrip.

Actually, July ends on a Monday. There are 31 days this month.

Right.  That.  So the last (partial) week of July has *two* days.  Twice as many "ship day" options!

Well, hmm.

The news letter let us know that it would be later. You can also read about it here:

https://www.renderosity.com/forums/threads/2981381/some-bad-news-some-good-news

Ah, thanks.  So Mac people are shorted due to problems supporting an upcoming figure.  But Windows users weren't.  I see how it is.  Sigh...

Is there a LF 2 thread?  I was really looking forward to Dawn 2 but that's ground to all but total silence after 4 years.

No, Windows users also don't get the upcoming figure yet. No one gets the upcoming figure until later, and the upcoming release for Windows will NOT contain the new figure either. Not sure how you read it or what I am missing from what you said.

The Mac version wasn't delayed because of the new figure. I believe it was delayed due to wanting to have compatibility with Metal GPU support and m1/m2 processor support.

The figure was delayed because of the delay in the latest update. The only ones that have LF2 are the creators and testers. You can see more about it here, https://www.renderosity.com/article/27135/feel-posers-pulse-getting-stronger

I don't understand.  Apple is well known for their world class support of graphics companies, both software and hardware. o.O

Actually I was pretty sure it was Metal ;P  It was brutal for Blender and I'm pretty sure they have a bigger dev team than Poser.  

And I'm glad they're cleaning up some of the bugs that crop up when developing content.  Poser needs to support content devs BIGLY!

Nothing improves the tools better that the tool company using their own tools.  This is actually why I'm happy rendo bought Poser.  It aligns interest of content developer, platform developer, and product developers.  Which all benefits consumers.  Yay!

After all, a figure without *content* is like.... Uhm... almost every figure other than V4. 

Wish I could help test either.

thoennes posted at 11:54 PM Wed, 2 August 2023 - #4471750

I don't understand.  Apple is well known for their world class support of graphics companies, both software and hardware. o.O

Actually I was pretty sure it was Metal ;P  It was brutal for Blender and I'm pretty sure they have a bigger dev team than Poser.  

And I'm glad they're cleaning up some of the bugs that crop up when developing content.  Poser needs to support content devs BIGLY!

Nothing improves the tools better that the tool company using their own tools.  This is actually why I'm happy rendo bought Poser.  It aligns interest of content developer, platform developer, and product developers.  Which all benefits consumers.  Yay!

After all, a figure without *content* is like.... Uhm... almost every figure other than V4. 

Wish I could help test either.

I found too many problems with La Femme so La Femme 2 will be in all probability relegated to the scrap heap for me within an hour of installing especially as she will have limited content. Didn't take me long to delete La femme to free up space. I would welcome having Poser 13 without La Femme 2 to begin with. Then those that want her can download her when she is fixed or whatever the issue is.

thoennes posted at 11:54 PM Wed, 2 August 2023 - #4471750

I don't understand.  Apple is well known for their world class support of graphics companies, both software and hardware. o.O

Actually I was pretty sure it was Metal ;P  It was brutal for Blender and I'm pretty sure they have a bigger dev team than Poser.  

And I'm glad they're cleaning up some of the bugs that crop up when developing content.  Poser needs to support content devs BIGLY!

Nothing improves the tools better that the tool company using their own tools.  This is actually why I'm happy rendo bought Poser.  It aligns interest of content developer, platform developer, and product developers.  Which all benefits consumers.  Yay!

After all, a figure without *content* is like.... Uhm... almost every figure other than V4. 

Wish I could help test either.

I don't know if they need more testers at the moment but I believe ShaniaB is the one to talk to if you're interested in being a tester. I might be wrong but she could probably point you to the right person if I am.

RedPhantom posted at 7:29 AM Thu, 3 August 2023 - #4471768

thoennes posted at 11:54 PM Wed, 2 August 2023 - #4471750

I don't understand.  Apple is well known for their world class support of graphics companies, both software and hardware. o.O

Actually I was pretty sure it was Metal ;P  It was brutal for Blender and I'm pretty sure they have a bigger dev team than Poser.  

And I'm glad they're cleaning up some of the bugs that crop up when developing content.  Poser needs to support content devs BIGLY!

Nothing improves the tools better that the tool company using their own tools.  This is actually why I'm happy rendo bought Poser.  It aligns interest of content developer, platform developer, and product developers.  Which all benefits consumers.  Yay!

After all, a figure without *content* is like.... Uhm... almost every figure other than V4. 

Wish I could help test either.

I don't know if they need more testers at the moment but I believe ShaniaB is the one to talk to if you're interested in being a tester. I might be wrong but she could probably point you to the right person if I am.

Cool, thanks.   Dropped a note.

I would really love to incorporate the logic from my little Blender add-on "Poser Unimesh" directly into Poser.  In Blender it allows me to take a poser exported morphed mesh and reconstitute it into a morphed version of the original mesh.  If the original mesh was unimesh, then you have a poser morphed unimesh you can sculpt in blender and import as a morph back in poser.  Or, you can export a welded pre-split original mesh, sculpt *that* in Blender, then create a morphed version in the original pre-split vert order. Again, suitable for morphs for that mesh.  In Blender, the process takes under a second.

Can easily put this code in Poser so it could export morphed original vert order mesh directly.  That would cover *my* unimesh use cases.  I need a unimesh I can morph in Blender and poser and use as a morph target in blender.  You can use it as a shape key in Blender.  Probably able to use it in DS as well.

Been a while since I had time to play with Poser properly, so am a little out of the loop. Looks like there is still a little bit of a wait until I can use 13 on my Mac anyway.
In the meantime, there was quite a change between 11 and 12, a lot of broken scripts needing to be updated, and materials looked very different in each version.

For anyone using Poser 13 already, was it a smooth crossover this time from 12 to 13, or are there some things to be aware of this time around too?

Transition is smoother.  However, there is no backward compatibility where scripts are concerned due to the updating of the Python Script version, those that worked in P12 will continue to work in P13.  Major updates to the Superfly render engine, cleaner and faster.  Post-Fx is amazingly better, with more controls and options.  There are some changes in the Material Room and additional features with some nodes.

Thanks hborre, that's got me looking forward to trying out P13. (With P11 to P12 being a nightmare, I wasn't sure if I'd keep updating after that, but this sounds great)

There was a Poser newsletter today with this info among other things:

"The Poser team is pleased to announce that Poser 13.1 for Windows and Mac release is planned for Thursday, August 17th.  Beta testing has gone well and is now in the final stages.  Watch next week's newsletter for full release notes."

Afrodite-Ohki posted at 4:45 PM Fri, 11 August 2023 - #4472374

There was a Poser newsletter today with this info among other things:

"The Poser team is pleased to announce that Poser 13.1 for Windows and Mac release is planned for Thursday, August 17th.  Beta testing has gone well and is now in the final stages.  Watch next week's newsletter for full release notes."

Coooooool!, Thanks Ohki ^.^

(I smiled at a Thursday release.  That's the day of the week that comes from experience - most days to prep YET everyone is at work the day after, just in case something goes horribly wrong :)

PS: Now I realise why I've been missing the newsletters.  They come into a different email than my main one.  Duh.  I'll have to set those to forward over since there's useful stuff in those :D

PPS: And a good thing I read the latest since it answered the next (dumb) question I was going to ask.  LF2 release date.

Thanks for the updates on Mac development. I was pretty sure the new architecture was going to be a challenge even with Apple's emulator. Apple is probably enforcing the move to Metal which I gather is a real performance win but another speed bump for developers. I'm a slow adopter, so I'll probably download the first Mac version and barely use for the first month or two. Meanwhile, stay sane there guys and keep us posted.