If the character driven animation tools for the next version of Poser doesn't work controlling on MIDI keyboard, then perhaps someone could write a Python script that allows controlling any aspect of a character via MIDI. There has been talk it before, but to best of my knowledge, it doesn't ever lead anywhere. It would be great if Curious Labs could confirm what their plans are for this issue (Kupa once hinted that: "the animation improvements for the next version should 'behave' in a very 'non-linear' way", but nothing else). I think this is the area where Poser lacks behind mostly. While the multi-channel mixer, controlling camera and character movements, has allready been introduced with other programs (Cinema 4D plug-in for example), it should be in Poser, because Poser (Pro Pack) is now most peoples defacto animation tool.

You should be able such a Python script for Poser Pro Pack, no need for Poser 5.

So has somebody up to challenge? This is a major thing in the front of the animation. Any talented Python coders out there?

Python can certainly do that kind of thing in PPP as it now stands. The problem is really in the phrase "any aspect of a character". There are an infinite number of conceivable connections between pitch, volume, rhythm and attack on the Midi side, versus the thousands of joint+rotation combinations in a Poser character. A script with enough flexibility, controls, and switches, to handle all those possibilities would have to end up being a free-standing program as large and expensive as Poser itself. If you know which (few) connections you really want, you should be able to write a Python script fairly easily to make those actions happen. For instance, the right arm goes down to hit a tabletop each time the Midi file indicates a bang on the bass drum. Then if you want something different, you can modify one or two variables and re-apply the script.

I thought MIDI concerning character animation was something different than MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)? Isn't animation MIDI some kind of slider controls? ScottA

Attached Link: http://poserutils.tripod.com/index.html

Maybe something like that but not that high scale. Maybe someone could do similar work but much simpler way. If the allmost ancest old multimedia program 3D Choreographer can do programmable character movements, why can't Poser. Poser's only weakness is that the characters aren't troughly programmable like real digital puppets should be. Maybe the 3D Coreographers approach to the matter is what we need here. It's characters can be programmed for different behaviors and these behaviors can be combined to produce many different actions at the same time. This produces very lifelike animation. Would this approach be any easier to Python coding? Midi controller would be perfect for this kind of issue, where you can pull the strings... so to speak. Other similar device would be a joy stick, which you can control the movements of the characters in real time.

Mimic by lipsinc can do this. Just assign different body morphs to the different lip movements. Or just read the cr2 file a figure out what yo need to do. It's pretty cool. I animated a coke can using the Nike bball commercial music. It worked great.