Just one render....PLEEEAAAASSSEEE!

Hi all, if anyone has the time, could you explain OPENGL, why is that a good thing and exactly what is it? I'm sure I'm not the only person that doesn't know, but I have never been afraid to ask questions. This looks amazing,looking forward to the release

Attached Link: http://www.opengl.org/users/about/index.html

Open GL will make any video motion appear smooth. Its what serious 3d programs use.

very wicked to see a screenshot.

Hearing about any Lightwave influence in this program thrills me to no end. I know that it's a matter of personal preference, but I like the Lightwave interface sooooo much better than anything else that choosing a runner up is almost irrelevant, although hearing Photoshop certainly doesn't ruffle my feathers. I for one appreciate Lightwave's intelligent, clean interface that doesn't make tools some kinda easter egg hunt. You want to move the pivot point to change an object's rotational center? Click pivot, not some ridiculous looking figure skater doing a spin icon or such. There are none cleaner in my opinion. For me, the more like Lightwave it is, and the better it integrates with it, the faster I'll run to the bank. I know that the purpose of this thread is not to play tug-o-war, but I just hope so badly that this program moves in that general direction that I wouldn't have forgiven myself for not speaking up.

Rhino seems like the easiest interface to me.

I have used Rhino, Lightwave, Poser 4 and 5 and 3D Studio Max and Lightwave has the better interface. It would be nice to see an example of the interface it has now.

WOW I think I might wait before I decide to go with P5 I knew you were doing something(Heard it thru the grapevine)and I am stunned and I want to become a betatester but hey I know there are tons of better artists out there and of course you would like the best to test but hey sometimes the best is noe always the best idea to go with so hey could ya give a mediocre Artist a chance to Betatest the program....Might surprise ya with what we can come up with....Awesome interface and the opengl is paramount to the 3D graphics world and for P5 to not support opengl was a fatal mistake and for them to bum rush the product outwas also a fatal mistake.....Good luck....Pleaes me want to betatest please,please,please.....Dang it regressed back to childhood so Sorry...

OMG, it looks fantastic! And that's just the render preview? Wow... If I may, I'd like to add my vote for trueSpace .cob compatibility and I also like Ratteler's idea of having a separate Runtime folder for each character so that when you export, everything is together. (post #68) I'd also like to be able to render specific parts of an image, like just one object or just an area of the screen, instead of having to render the whole scene to see if something looks right.

wow I just had a no Brainer...In Bryce they have the SPRAY CAN and you can use it to paint portions of your scenes without having to render the whole pic...Is it feasable here?Gosh that would be awesome...

thanks for that link spectre

I just want to knowq if that is Vicky 3.0 straight out fo the box? That nose is great! (ok I have a thiung about noses!) Glad I didn't waste $$ on P5!

Well, if I can be cynical for a moment, (you can flame me later :) Daz are a content company, they make thier money selling figures, etc. All of which is threatened if P5 or CL bombs. Speaking personally, I can say that I haven't looked at poser in a month. P5 is simply too much like hard work, too unstable, and if I use P4 it just reminds me that I'm only doing so because the "new toy" isn't working. This a hobby, if it's no fun I'll stop doing it. Now I could be wrong, but I reckon that "studio" isn't going to be all things to all men. I reckon that you could make it into a world class app, but then you'd have to go up against Lightwave, etc. Which just isn't going to happen, not from a "budget" app for hobbyists. I reckon it'll be a program that allows you to setup a scene, to test render before you import your scene into a real 3D app, (like Lightwave) to do the real rendering, animation and post production. That way you could sell it to the industry too. I think the thing we should be asking is what file formats will it be supporting? Will all our poses, etc. Still work? Because last time I looked CL owned the poser file format,and DAZ isn't producing P5 content. Also, can I get support for ATI's R300 chipset? Or do I have to buy another Nvidia card? later jb

Stands and Applauds Where do I send for a beta tester application. :) Stands and Applauds

Thank you for letting us take an early look at this, it shows that you continue to value the opinions and comments of the members here. It's the talented people here who continue to push Poser to new limits even years after it's release, and I really look forward to seeing what we will be able to do with something that appears to be even more powerful. :) Oh, and please try to remember that we all don't have LW, 3DSMax, Maya, Softimage, or anything else?...some of like to start in Poser and finish in Poser. ;) I hope it will be as good a stand-alone program as a helper to the professional programs. Anyway. thanks again. SnowS

HUZZAH!!! I was perusing the DAZ site last night and saw under their program development section a grayed out menu item called DAZ Studio and I wondered if that was it. Wow! I would like to see a thumbnail preview like in Bryce so we can watch the scene develop as we work. Dan, you're our HERO!!!! And I too would love to beta test this. Is there the possibility that, when this is released, it will have an introductory discount like just about every other DAZ product? Only curious. I like the little icons along the left margin for changing the screen views. I assume that's what those are. And, yes, I can wait for the finished product. I've seen Poser, Bryce, etc. released before they were ready and it's so frustrating to get inferior products. I want it to work right from the start. Keep up the great work, Dan! Melanie

They seem to be using the Gillette business model. Make a nice affordable razor a then make your money on the blades. And the Platinum Club assures them they will sell many blades indeed. Very smart business strategy. I think DAZ will be around for a long time. I am most excited about the potential for Linux support. That would be very cool. jon

I have removed two posts that contained links to porn sites.

This is a TOS violation.

-JH.

yes look rather nice inddedy... ill give you 2 chickens , 4 goats and a camel for it.. :) btw the interface reminds me between vue4 + lightwave ... looks nice:)

foleypro, I think the beta testers should be from a wide range of skill levels, not just seasoned artists or people with a lot of computer tech experience. It should be tested by the skill levels of the consumers who will be buying it, and many are newcomers to 3D art. A few years ago, I beta tested Rhino, and I knew relatively nothing about 3D modeling at that time (and still have a long way to go yet). Testing also involves ease of use for beginners, too. Melanie

I can't say that I like the Lightwave interface. Very busy. jon

Wow! I am stunned just by the "display mode" - not even a render. Even C4D doesn't show this detail in display mode and it does support OpenGL. Someone mentioned "modularity" and I side with that person. Even if the modularity is only in the form of plugins, it would mean that you can create a stable base application with the connective interface for modules and the power of the application suite becomes nearly infinite. With that you could compete with the bigger boys while still providing an affordable base application and improve the modular capabilities without rewriting the entire program (i.e.: with patches) while still supporting existing modules. As the old cliche goes, "Never put all of your eggs in one basket.", like some other programs out there - no names. ;) By the way, I'd be honored to be a beta tester. I have two systems - MacOS 10.2 and Windows 2000 Pro - on which to perfect my maniacal form of torture (Bwahahahaha! Bwahahaha! emmm...). Keep us updated and keep up the great work!!! BeatYourSoul

Looks great!

My only request is to keep it fairly simple, and stable, and add more functionality later as plug-ins. I can tolerate limits as long as an app doesn't crash every ten minutes, and being able to buy an application in sections is easier on my wallet as well as my hard drive. (It looks like Maxxon's Cinema is going this route).

Maxon's Cinema has gone that route with the new release, R8. You get the base app and you can add various modules to it. Or you can get a "bundle" - XL or Studio - with a predetermined set of modules.

Once again lightwave isn't doing much for me as far as the screen shot. It is busy and unintuitive. And once I also want to say trackballs work. Or something similar that allows movement. Yes the numeric system can be used to tweak and refine but entering random strings of numbers trying to get the camera right is just silly and counterproductive to me.

Just wanted to put in my $.02

I have been a loyal Mac user since 1984 and I will NOT be going to OSX. period! Apple sold us out by making a 'windows wannabe' where I can't customize my system anymore. So I guess it's Poser 4 forever...

ps: don't tell me to 'try it you'll like it' been there, done that.

Here we go again.... Didn't everybody get all goofy a few months ago at early previews of P5? This thread is almost an exact clone of Kupa's "California Dreamin'". The messages that crack me up are the ones where people are ready to give their money over RIGHT NOW! "Please, take my money right away! I can't wait! Pleeeeeassse!" (Snicker) These are gonna be the first folks to start whining and complaining when they run into a bug -- or something that they THINK is a bug. "We were robbed! Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! Call the cops!" You guys never learn... Listen up: this software will arrive and it WILL have some BUGS. It will do a lot of neat things, but not EVERYTHING. It will make some of us happy but not EVERYBODY. It will be affordable but not CHEAP. It will please some of the people some of the time, but not ALL of the people ALL of the time. Heck, I'll buy it, but I'm not gonna expect it to be the answer to world peace. Jeez, people, get a grip. Oh, by the way, nice stuff, Dan. Keep it comin'. -jjsemp

You know I say the preview of Poser 5 and I did get somewhat gaga over it, but you are right: with new software there are bugs. I expected that with Poser 5, but as for thier method of testing the software did they ask real people with real computers to test it? And hoiw long was thier testing going on for? No asked us hobbist what we wanted, no I don't think so. I hope that Daz puts out a demo of it before I buy it. I would have like that before I spent my hard earned money on Poser 5.

If Daz Studio will let you turn off all the visual markers and widgets, and let you render animation from the OpenGL frame buffers, it would be VERY fast. Since animations usually aren't rendered larger and the aspect of DV footage, a high level of detail isn't needed. If you need raytraced reflections, that's probably gonna be a different story, but being able to render to file through OGL would be a HUGE time saver. Even if it's just for draft quality animation test renders.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=769814

I hope that it will be able to export animations to Cinema 4D without having to buy a completely new package? Other than that, a discount for users of rival software would be nice. The other companies do it after all. I'd be seriously tempted to chuck Poser 5 in favour of Daz Studio, but only if I can import all the goodies that I've grabbed and made for Poser. Mind you, if Curious Labs can get rid of the bugs with their next service release, then I'll be staying with Poser 5 for now. (Not unless you want to give me a free copy as a beta tester?) :)

Sorry, but I just do not see the similarity between DAZ's releasing a single screenshot and not overtly touting the features/functionality of DAZ Studio (nor making any blatant marketing drivel) and the "California Dreaming" thread started by kupa. Perhaps, on a subtle level (ie, pre-release information) they may have a base similarity, but kupa's thread was, for all intents and purposes, seemingly intended to get the community drooling over and spark interest in the subsequent pre-order frenzy. Yes, some of the Member's reactions are the same or similar, but can you really blame them? People tend to be passionate over their creativity and the tools used to express themselves. And, since DAZ Studio shows promise (albeit via a sole screenshot of features that could have been incorporated in P5 just as easily, that members have been clamoring for), why would the community not be excited about it?

What is the matter with the CL thread? What was showed was good. Sure people raved, there was a lot to rave about, but the problem was not what the thread showed or people drooled over(myself included), but the fact that all that good stuff did not work as advertised. Hopefully CL will get a functioning fix by Christmas. Yes I'm excited by DAZ Studio, and I will buy it. Hopefully the reaction to P5 was noted, and DAZ won't make the same mistakes. In fact it is a great benefit to DAZ if they can show how it should be done, and a PR flop if they don't. Thier reputation is at stake.

This is looking good...so far. I use a Mac and therefore no Poser 5. After seeing this, I guess I can wait longer. I would like to see support included for Cinema 4D....both Art and XL and Carrara. That would be just great. Have to say I'm impressed with what I have seen here so far.

Sounds like an interesting app. And a Goddard morph?!? Well, I guess I could go Dutch. Lots of windmills to fight over there.

What can I say after all this...? Great app... Ascii (

"Sorry, but I just do not see the similarity between DAZ's releasing a single screenshot and not overtly touting the features/functionality of DAZ Studio (nor making any blatant marketing drivel) and the "California Dreaming" thread started by kupa." What's similar is the over-the-top community reaction to both. And that's all that I'm talking about. "Yes, some of the Member's reactions are the same or similar, but can you really blame them?" Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. I wish as a whole this community would only get excited about new tools AFTER they're in our hands and we've had a chance to use them. All of this hysteria based on one or two screen shots and what we're HOPING something will be tends to lead to high expectations -- which might lead to deep disappointment. "What is the matter with the CL thread? What was showed was good. Sure people raved, there was a lot to rave about, but the problem was not what the thread showed or people drooled over(myself included), but the fact that all that good stuff did not work as advertised." Nothing was "wrong" with the CL thread. But what's wrong with THIS thread is that, in light of the CL thread and recent history, as a community, we're making the same mistakes all over again. You prove my point. There's no guarantee that this program will "work as advertised" either. So lets temper our enthusiasm a bit. It may seem like I'm slamming Daz but I'm not. I'd hate to see them CRUCIFIED like Curious Labs was if they happen to disappoint us (which I don't think they're going to do, but you never know). So let's not put a ton of pressure and false expectations on them and lose our perspective. --jjsemp

Some people feel more passionate about their art and creativity and anything that can/might/will help them to express themselves is going to elicit overly emotional commentary. If someone builds their own hightened expectations based off limited information, there is nothing anyone else can realistically do about it.

For the purpose of, hopefully, positive reinforcement, I will simply quote what Dan had said in his initial post:

"We want to be careful not to develop any unrealistic expectations but our goal of this application is to help grow this market in which we all live".

Mr. Farr, If possible, PLEASE make this app capable of direct translation of AutoCAD solids (.dwg format) into whatever format the app uses for figures and props.

demosthenes, keep ona dreamin' :) As AutoDesk's AutoCAD .DWG is a proprietary format owned (and licensed) by AutoDesk, I wouldn't expect to see that anytime, well, in your lifetime. Name one other application that supports import/export of AutoCAD .dwg format (let alone AC solids), without the application developer paying out the nose (and passing on to its customers). (sound of crickets) If you want Daz Studio to sell for $3000, please keep insisting... ;)

This is getting to be one mondo-big list o' plugin requests...

Perhaps some clarifications are in order:

Import is, legally and technically, easier to do than export. I suspect that common formats, like .3ds, .lwo, .obj, .pz3 (and all the other Poser format types) will likely be easy to include. As long as the format is in ASCII format (that is, you can open it with Notepad), making a plugin isn't too awful tough to do, so long as you understand what format the engine demands natively. formats that are in binary (.max, ferinstance) or encrypted (not sure of any CG examples off the top of my head) requires a license of some sort.

Export is another bucket of fish entirely. You can export to open formats without a second thought, like .3ds and .obj, no sweat. Exporting to ASCII-formatted files like .pz3 should have no real problems in the legal department, so long as you can prove in court that you didn't copy any patented algorithms or processes required to do this. (since .pz3 files are in ASCII, there are literally an infinite number of ways to use your own export process and get the same results w/o violating a patent.)

Exporting to a binary, or worse, an encrypted format will prolly require a license (encrypted exports will certainly require one, thanks to the DMCA.)

Otherwise, I should caution everyone that, and I repeat:

Do Not Build Unrealistic Expectations Yet

/P

...or better yet, don't build any unrealistic expectations at all. (dang - why do I typo at all the wrong times?)

How's about making the Renderer avaiable as a Poser 4/5 Plug-In? A good appetizer until the main course. Is the hair strand-based or trans-mapped?

Hey Pen, Here's a totally unrealistic expectation for ya- Daz Studio will support every 3d format out there (except autocad) version 1 runs perfectly out of the box and cost no more than $200 :-)

People keep acting like it's either one or the other (P5 vs. Daz Studio). My hope is that it's more like the difference between Photoshop and Painter. They have great overlap in what they do so you could work with just one of them - but - they also complement each other nicely because of their unique characteristics.

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. I wish as a whole this community would only get excited about new tools AFTER they're in our hands and we've had a chance to use them. All of this hysteria based on one or two screen shots and what we're HOPING something will be tends to lead to high expectations -- which might lead to deep disappointment. Probably correct. However, it's hard not to get excited if you've been waiting for something since 1999. Nothing was "wrong" with the CL thread. But what's wrong with THIS thread is that, in light of the CL thread and recent history, as a community, we're making the same mistakes all over again. You prove my point. There's no guarantee that this program will "work as advertised" either. So lets temper our enthusiasm a bit. IMO, people reacted to CA Dreaming the way they did because they took one thing for granted: that the old P4 problems had been worked out and that new ones, if any, wouldn't be major. After all, they'd been working on it three years. In my 10+ years experience with software and its publishers, no one has ever pulled such a boner as CL did with P5. In that light, the ppl had every right to get excited. And just as much a right to be pissed when the bomb was dropped. It may seem like I'm slamming Daz but I'm not. I'd hate to see them CRUCIFIED like Curious Labs was if they happen to disappoint us IMO, CL deserved crucifiction; they knew every step of the way what they were going to do. DAZ won't pull the same crap, no one who wanted to stay in business would. So let's not put a ton of pressure and false expectations on them and lose our perspective. I for one don't expect anything except what is promised, and I think they'll deliver (unlike a certain other company).

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