Are there any advantages to using photoshop layers in poser as opposed to a flattened jpg. Im assuming you cant adjust layers inside poser...

Pretty much a waste of resources (layers can really bloat your files!), since Poser can't take advantage of them. I use PSD files when making a texture, just for convenience, but when finished I always convert to JPG. Regards- Lemurtek

If you're making or modifying textures, keeping a master version with layers can be very helpful. Instead of starting from scratch everytime, you can add, subtract, recolor, etc., to come up with a new texture. I don't think Poser can read the layers in textures, so a flattened JPG seems to be the best bet for rendering. If you're talking about post-render work on your images, the layers can be indispensible!

When I'm setting up a production run for a model I use layers in pshop to organize my work. This way I can isolate elements, create fast transmaps, and use photoshop 6's amazing layer effects. I save out as TIF's for Poser/Bryce use, and JPG's for freestuff packages

k thats what I figured. it just seems odd that you could use layers as materials...wonder why curious labs did that.

huh? I think we're speaking two different languages here. Poser (currently) takes only TIFs and BMPs, unless you have propak, which allows it to take JPGs and PNGs (I think). At no point has it ever been able to take a photoshop style layer enabled PSD and use it.

Ummm, well, actually, it depends on (I think) if you have Quicktime installed, I can load .PSD, PNG, .pict and several others into Poser. However, your Photoshop image is flattened before loading into Poser, so you don't get any layer benefits. Regards- Lemurtek

wait - is this a Mac/PC thing? Lemur - are you using a Mac?

Nope, Win2k. Can't remember if I could load PSD files in Win98, but I think so. Regards- Lemurtek

I bought a skin texture 'system' here that used layers. Select the eyes, bikini line, etc, mix and match, then save as .jpg. Layers can be good if you don't know which shade you like and want to have both available for use later.

Lyrra, I'm using Win98 First Edition, and can load layered PSD files as textures, bumps, transmaps, reflection maps, and background images. They load into Poser flattened, as Lemurtek says. I have the PC versions of Pro Pack and QuickTime installed.

My file-type drop-down list includes:

SGI
8BP
BMP
DIB
FPX
GIF
JPG
MAC
PCT
PIC
PNG
PNT
PSD
TGA
TIF
TPI

I hope that Curious Labs adds fully animated materials to Poser 5. It would be wonderful to apply an AVI as a texture. So much potential.

I load .psd's as textures all the time -- always have -- in the texture creation process and Poser reads them just fine. The advantages are that tweaks can be made in Photoshop, the psd saved and then when rendered in Poser the updates are rendered as well. Makes it faster to adjust and tweak. The downside is that they are generally huge and so a resource hog. When the texturing process is complete, I save out as tif or jpg. I use Poser 4 and have been through Win 95, 98, NT, 2K, and now XP with no difference in the ability to load psd's