Hi ! I am a software engineer, and now in love very much with poser! I am so happy with it, that I am planning to write some kind of new software. The idea is to make some kind of tool like the "walk designer" inside poser, to help and assist during the animation process. For example, it will display only the bone structure, and let you choose between several "templates" of animation. You will have something like "sitting, walking, sleeping, looking left,... and so on". Each animation will have a number of "sliders" to control the parameters. The aim is to make something like a "script language" from the user to the character, to tell it: "walk for the steps, then look back, wait 3 seconds, breathe, look down, cry,...". I am starting to design the flow chart of the program. But, of course, I would like very much to know your opinons, as Poser experted users. Try to reply with all your "requests" for a software of such kind. If there is someone very interested like me in this software, we will make a team togheter. I wait for your answers! bye. (excuse me for my english: I am italian!)

Oh, my! If you need a beta tester for this when you get it together, let me know! I am extremely frustrated with the animation process taking so long which is why I prefer stills at this time. This type of thing would be marvelous. Especially if it could be customized for other animations that aren't included. :)

That sounds nothing short of fabulous! Please please include the ability to create backward walks, if you can. You know, like women do when dancing ballroom or other partner dances. You got my blessings I'll tell you!

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/softgood.ez?ViewSoftgood=6659

Ciao sono anch'io italiano, non preoccuparti il tuo inglese va bene ... meglio del mio sicuramente. Un tool come quello che descrivi sarebbe fantastico! Non ho sperimentato molto gli strumenti danimazione attuali di Poser (il mio vero lavoro non mi lascia tanto tempo libero...), ma mi piacerebbe farlo. Se riesci a realizzare un software del genere e farlo funzionare anche con i personaggi DAZ o con quelli che probabilmente saranno presenti in Poser 5 lo comprerei molto volentieri. Se non necessario avere Poser Pro Pack non mi dispiacerebbe testarlo. Quanto ai suggerimenti... sarebbe possibile controllare singole parti del corpo come con questi set di pose? http://www.renderosity.com/softgood.ez?ViewSoftgood=6659 In questo modo si potrebbero creare nuove animazioni combinando quelle in archivio. Magari ogni personaggio potrebbe avere una sua timeline con pilivelli (compattabili all'occorrenza per non creare confusione) in cui controllare diverse sezioni del corpo indipendentemente come testa/espressioni, braccia, gambe, bacino/addome ecc. Eh, eh! Mi sa che chiedo troppo... buona fortuna! Stefano Hi, Im Italian too, dont worry for your English it is fine better than mine this is for sure. A tool like the one you describe would be fantastic! I didnt experiment a lot with Poser animation tools (my real job doesnt leave a lot of free time), but I would like to do more. If you could realize such a software and make it compatible with DAZ characters and the new people that will probably be in Poser 5 I would buy it. If it will not require Poser Pro Pack I would be willing to test it. As for suggestions would it be possible to control only one part of the boby like in this set of poses? http://www.renderosity.com/softgood.ez?ViewSoftgood=6659 This way we could create new animations matching those in the archive. Every character could have his own timeline with multiple layers (that you could compact to avoid confusion) where you could control different sections of the body one independently such as head/expressions, arms, legs, hip/abdomen etc. Eh, eh! I think I ask too much good luck! Stefano

Will it just be about walks or could it go further and include that sit down sway dancing I do while worKing on the computer as well? I would love to be able to do animation all together by telling the computer things like sway sholders 15 degrees right then left. loop while head bounces forward 7 degrees and back in 4/4 time. Too much? I hope you make a mac version. I'll be a beta tester.:)

sounds very intersting :) should work without poser pro pack ...

A walk-and-chew-gum designer?
Kewl, now that would be good :)

Im am a poser animator and any program that assists in animating poser characters is of interest to me. Many of the features you describe already exist in a powerful program called "lifeforms" from credo interactive Such as opening any poser figures bone structure and animate it with being hampered by the geometry you should also include the ability to preview BVH files BEFORE opening them as you can in Lifeforms. the walk desiger in poser now is basically obsolete for the newer characters so a designer that uses the bone structure is best. you should incude the ability to smoothly blend animation from different sources with blend Zones as you can in lifeforms. and you should include the abilty to create walk paths that change altitude so the characters can easily walk up stairs or down hill as you can in Lifeforms and the ability to reverse a characters foot steps making him walk backwards as done in lifeforms would be nice also. thea ability to recall animation data from an existing library of motions( like head turning and other gestures)already exists in the propack but not all users care to own the propack so you can tap in to the market.

Keep us posted on your progress

Sounds lot like an old 3D Choreographer -program, which also have this kind of tool. It works very well for that program and produces extremely good behavioral character animation. You could set the percent values for any bodypart and movements, only the models of the program were very limited by nature and only usefull for multimedia work. Maybe you should look advice for that department also. www.3dchor.com

Sounds great. One request: a Mac version. Wolf359: where can I get Lifeforms?

Attached Link: http://www.charactermotion.com/

right here they have a free Demo CD you can order Also