are those sleeves only 1-sided? (pic #2) or is it a feature?

It looks like you have low resolution models, with no textures, and default lighting, and camera. The different settings all do different things. The diffreences are very subtle in this example, but when used for the purposes they were each intended for, you would see more dramatic results.

From what I've seen/read so far, you're going to have to invest some time in the Materials Room to get Firefly to really shine.

MomCat - The scene was rendered with Vicki, Anton's PonyTail, and all with high-res textures. I did use default lighting and camera, but that was intentional for the test.

I guess this proves one thing. Cl decided to stick with tradition. Looks like the P5 default camera and lighting stink just like the P4 defaults.

I agree with PabloS the material room is the key. for example none of those Items were originaly set up to use displacement maps, unless you went in and changed them manualy? if you loaded them stock they have to be set up to take advantage of P5's advanced materials settings.

At least two of these options won't show an effect unless you specifically set up the image to use them. Displacement maps are similiar to bump maps exect they will actually move selected areas of the figure to give a much more realistic render. Kind of a bump map on steriods. :) Raytracing is used mainly when you've included reflection or refraction shaders. You also have to check to see that the figures and props have the raytracing option set in their properties.

Thanks for the insight, Bushi! I've only had P5 installed a few days and haven't really had time to toy with it until today. Time to read the manual. ;0 } BTW - It's great to know you are still active in the Poser community.

I discovered in Bryce that turning on all the "premium options" does not necessarily a good render make. This also seems to be true of Firefly. ;)

Till my p5 will arrive ,i keep on raytracing in bryce. and the only things a raytraycer can do better than the p4 render, are reflections, refraction and so on... In your image you have none of such, so i think the firefly render give no big improvements. i really want to see a girl in wavy water( and a refleting sword and helmet) rendered with firefly :-))

"i really want to see a girl in wavy water( and a refleting sword and helmet) rendered with firefly :-))" perhaps in a temple?...sorry.

Sorry, forgot the temple:-)) No , i seriously want to see, how the ff render handles such mats

I think at the Cl website there's a mini explanation of how to set up a reflection. You have to create a new node in the material room, anyway I found it helpful. Maybe try your tests on a closeup eyeball, that should give you a good idea. I was also hoping that just pushing a slightly more expensive 'render' button would do the trick ;-).

the only things a raytraycer can do better than the p4 render, are reflections, refraction and so on... And don't forget REAL (non map-based) shadows. Very key, especially for animators, like me.

whoa! those are straight renders from P5?!? those are as good as (or better than) the best I can squeeze out of ACAD2000's renderengine. Were the objects in some way "solid" or were they the normal Poser 3D mesh skins? If skins, how on EARTH did the program know what to do with the refractory indices???

No there not ... as far as I know, Wolfie's on a Mac and does not have P5 yet. And P5 can't do real volumetric lighting, and has no omni lights, no caustics. I believe these renders are from the all powerful (and heavily Wolf-endorsed) Cinema4DXL. -Tim

awww, durnit corpus spongiosum rapidly deflating

Attached Link: Stargate SG-1

Wicked! Now just have a Poser figure come leaping through in a burst of light. Very cool stuff Wolf.