I mostly hear ( Read about ) rendering, materials but about the very needed parts almost no one is talking about, nor asking for them. The assets them selves. all seems to be stuck a decade ago. sure there might be enough old figures around as long V4 is supported. But what will Poser be with just a render engine loads of texture settings and no new 3D models. Well sure you might start to make texture settings on primitives. I personally think that the main fun part on Poser is the Posing of 3D models and not spending days on figuring out texturing and running hours of renderings just to get a right texture setting. Well the name already tells it ( Poser = Posing assets ) 

You can run P4 and get stunning render results but well you need a stunning 3D model or are we arrived on a point where majority of users only Want render cycles. For these a better hobby would be to take a camera and go out to make some realistic Pictures, there a 3D model is not needed and the pictures would look most realistic.

I might be wrong and there are just almost no 3D model creators left for poser that could talk about this matter, so what remains is only to talk about texturing the remains.

EClark1894 posted at 12:24 PM Thu, 2 March 2023 - #4457404

It been awhile I believe but I seem to recall SM giving money to Blender for it's development. If that's not something Bondware is continuing, then perhaps they should. Then Poser and Blender could work a little more hand in hand on development.

Might be a little problem, Poser is a brand ( Pay for Program ) Blender open source, the more poser adds from open source the less it will be a brand. Already now as most of addons are provided from private's ( Free assets ) so in this case Bondware is not the intellectual owner of this huge part. Smaple: Wardrobe Wizard, The intellectual owner decided to remove it and so it will be, not that it was not supported due the Python change as it has already been removed on PP11. Same thing could happen with all the free assets. Were Blender a part of the poser application then sure would be allot more complex as it might be considered as partnership, but how can you manage this with open source. Solution might be if a Private Blender expert would provide a Plugin for blender, but again if he tries to sell it depending if he is using the Poser format Bondware could be asking for a participation.

Joe@HFG posted at 9:00 AM Thu, 2 March 2023 - #4457383

I would love to know more about FBX export.

When I tried it, I couldn't edit the model that ended up in Blender.

FBX is not the solution at all to interact with other 3D programs like blender having the figures articulated in a correct way. Best solution is having direct support of the poser formats in blender it self and having a blender file support in Poser. For this case it would be a format support in Blender , so it is not up to the Poser tech providing such. The scene I made as a sampler with the plugin I use takes approx. 2 minutes to generate the whole scene for Blender. It creates new directory's with the textures generating a cycle of saves and conversions to end up more or less correctly into Blender. A little comparable like the DAZ To blender plugin just that it also supports complex Environments. Actually it is not a app in it self but rather a Patch convert . 3D apps do not really support triax articulations, so through the Patch the models need to be converted into Simple skin articulations in order to work. The Patch needs to consist of at least 2-3 processes in different formats to end up as supported final for Blender and such. Once the files are generated they end up in there own compatible package for Blender in this particular case.

Allot of artist think that FBX might be a solution but it is not and probably never will be, a CR2 or Pz3 support through a plugin might also be an issue due the Triax ( Poser traditional ) to simple skin conversion.

I Believe that you are looking for something like this? it is just a quick mirroring , but actually would not be anything really new having a bridge between poser and Blender. I usually use it in the opposite way Exporting to Blender actually also preserves all the articulation if there are any that allows you posing your Environment in Blender.

I did not convert the trans when I mirrored the scene so it is kept as a simple sample of what can already be done no matter how big your scene is.

 

You can also make more comments about your self and what you use Poser for, sometimes we realize just after a while what is really happening and " Ohh I forgot to mention " or you realize that you actually wanted to give a little more of your self, telling others what and why you really use poser for  without the fear that anyone will question your doing, just listen to you no matter what you use it for and witch version you are using.

Off Topic:

I can understand that such a topic might derive a little. Still it makes me happy to see that quiet a few are participating. I think it is important as this way each Individual is heard without questioning. For me it is personally important to find out in what directions poser is leading, not in the tech, but on where the individual interests really are without masses of arguments that might lead to bad blood. Not just for me but also might be very important for other 3D modelers and creators. I have not made any new models since almost 3 month due some larger projects. So this little statistic might give me a little idea on how to proceed in the near future and might also help others in some way .

It is not meant to request any better software or ask for changes it is meant to see the present and see a little on how and why the individual artists use Poser. It is not just for me but also for other Artists, to listen to others, Take notes, and to think a moment. Just for once, really listen what artists have to say and get to know what they really do with Poser.

Thank you again for taking your time to participate :)

I Mainly use Poser 11 Pro , it is essential for my work as for figure creation it is offering it's best so that these can be used without issues in prior and future versions. I am not a Texturing specialist, each artist has he's strength's so I specialized my self making standalone rigged models. Poser 11 comes with loads of python addons that are essential for creators especially when it comes on building fully articulated models from scratch.

Were I a texturing Spezialist then I guess I would have to make an upgrade and stay on the newest version to be able to offer the adequate product as mainly the upgrades on newer versions are basically concentrating on materials and rendering, not on the creation of the base models it self.

In some occasions I use Poser 2014 as for new created Master and Easy Pose dials are compatible with DS, PP11 is causing an issue so that these newly created Morphs an do not work properly when Importing a cr2 in DS.

I have Poser 12 but just using it to check once in a while if the model is loading in a correct way. I guess I will not be able to upgrade the next level since all the necessary pythons do not work and never will be upgraded it will not be of any use for me. 

I already only make " Unimesh " single skinning models since 2016 for Poser so the announced upgrade to Unimesh will not really be a change for my creations as it is already a Part of Poser. If one Day Poser would come out with an upgrade that is really worth to Improve Articulated Poser models then I sure will have to upgrade to be able to offer the newest standards.     

Creators always used the Traditional Poser rigging methods even that it was planed long ago to start off using simple sinning methods ( witch actually the better choice ) so it is quiet difficult making one understand what the differences really are as creators seem to be stuck in that Triax rigging methods. No wonder as it is the Standard of Poser and as well of DS. So on how I understand that Bondware is planning the first release of a simple skinned figure release it is going to be quiet a big change for most creators. Witch actually already should of happen almost a decade ago. Sure can understand that SM stopped the development as creators never started using that feature in Poser and were fixed on extensions for the Millennium models.  

primorge posted at 9:52 AM Mon, 27 February 2023 - #4457085

" ( Hint: some might remember the feature .... Computing magnets in world space ) how many of you do understand this feature and why it is a part of Poser ?"

Which feature? Compute magnets in world space? I've seen it. Properties tab, Body actor, below the conforming options. I'm woefully under informed about magnets, in actual practice, at this point in Poser tech I've never had the need to use them other than by force using legacy figures equipped with such Deformers. I vaguely remember using magnets for morphs in Poser 6 or 7 I guess. What's your point? The Daz figures being rendered inoperable in Poser?

Apparently some problems with V4 regarding back in the day...

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/24018/poser-pro-2014-carrara-8-and-victoria-4-2

Yes the new tech cased issues with magnets as they no longer had the same compatibility as before on figures so the new poser that came out basically with extended " Unimesh support " was breaking models that use magnets. Later on a backward compatible feature got launched where you could turn off the "magnets in world space" as it is  the Standard for the new poser GameDEV ( Unimesh ) releases for future model creations that actually were planed.

When GameDEV got promoted there were quiet some discussions at RDNA ( Now called Unimesh ) same happens again. I started to study this feature and got into it in 2016 and yes it is fully working just not under the name Unimesh. Now it is a Déjà-vu, big discussions and promoting just like at RDNA for a all new Unimesh GameDEV ( Hint: some might remember the feature .... Computing magnets in world space ) how many of you do understand this feature and why it is a part of Poser ? Was it a Conflict caused due the now so called unimesh support that was breaking older Poser models articulations ? 

Nevertrumper posted at 5:05 AM Mon, 27 February 2023 - #4457060

AmbientShade posted at 3:53 AM Mon, 27 February 2023 - #4457054

"With Poser 13, you can now set up your own start-up scene, complete with your favorite figures, props, and settings."

Can someone explain why this is listed as a new feature? We've had this ability for years. What's different about it?

This part puzzled me as well. Does Bondware really know Poser?

:))  It seems to be simple " Chinese marketing strategy " they also make loads of products that actually are the same, even upgrades the only thing they change is the Package and slightly change the naming of the product but the inner does not change, then they say it is all new. Sure it is as the packing has upgraded. Customers buy the same thing over and over again thinking they got something all new :) 

More has been removed in Poser then it has upgraded since Poser 11.1 with the excuse that it is not needed. So yes set up your own start-up scene is a part of Poser ever since , Unimesh is a Part of Poser ever since, just the names will change, some numbers will change and the Package will change.

I remember at RDNA in there forums when they proposed Unimesh simple skinning to be working in future Poser versions, so SM did add this feature in 2014  on a upgrade and expanded it in Poser 11 Pro  or lets say actually it was called GameDEV support at the time meaning that it is a simplified support importing and exporting rigged models from Poser via versa. The Word unimesh is just a change of meaning that actually was used for Figures that had Multiple gender features. But sure you can take ( Words and change the meaning  ) to your own preferences and sell it as NEW FEATURE. 

The only advantage of this strategy might be that end users realize that it exists due the Promoting and start using the already existent features. Disadvantage is they Pay for the renaming's. 

Just Imagine, the moment DS or Poser adds full support of Unimesh simple skinning with big promotions, these applications will offer full support for any rigged model on the market and also floods of free models. For DAZ probably a disaster as you can get them very cheap and also find floods of free models that are superior to the ones offered in the Poser DS stores. Customers would realize that fact quiet fast. So For DS sure a no go , For Poser I have no Idea might be a possibility attracting more Vendors to Renderosity that support poser and sell there Products here. But sure a risk then they might as well start selling otherwise due a easy compatibility.

randym77 posted at 12:39 PM Sun, 26 February 2023 - #4457000

vopehov506 posted at 2:48 PM Sat, 25 February 2023 - #4456927

Further to know is if you use a unimesh based on single skin rigging any edge needs to be merged cut edges cause breaks on bending, the figure will bend very smooth, using for example a scale armor for your figure also based on single skin but the scale armor is not unimesh but cut, it will allow a realistic bending without distorting and bending the scales when conformed to your unimesh single skin model.

All this naturally will take you further away from DS as DS does absolutely not support single skin and probably will not allow this support in the near future ( Locked feature ) so with unimesh single skin, compatibility to DS will totally be dropped.

That's interesting, and sounds like something end users would like, even if they don't make any content themselves. Something worth paying for.

Curious that DS doesn't support it. It's a locked feature? Does that mean they could do it, but don't allow it?

My guess is that it is locked because Daz does not want simplified Import of rigged models, It would mean to be a game changer for DS and  creators would not be depending on the genesis bases for standalone models anymore. Meaning that DS Models would be less unique and allot of independent stores could pop up all over the internet that sell DS supported standalones ( Non Genesiss Based ) this might cut there revenue big time. DS does have the support but it is locked on Import, export works as you also get all kinds of exporters for Unreal Maya Blender etc so that the genesiss can be exported and unique offered by Daz. Actually a understandable business method.

I am realizing that until creators will really be capable using unimesh single skin WM it will pass years until getting understanding for it , did not happen until now even that it is since almost a decade possible and probably will not really happen in the next years to come. Until then 3D will evolve even more ending up with a knowledge that is 2 decades behind the actual tech. I have a learning path of over 5 years with simple skinning and still I am learning, sure it is not easy to make this change as it is totally different then the methodes used in DS and Poser traditional, as long as you stick on these triax method you will not find the correct way using single skinning, that for sure. Gues it is the main reason why it has been dropped for the first launch of Poser 13 :) 

 For Nobs: you will realize the cut if you import V4 into Blender for instance. After Import simply tick on remove doubles and you will notice how many edges are double. or just by selecting the linked faces after selecting just one, it will just select one bodypart that you can pull away. Would it be a unimesh it would select the whole figure after hitting linked faces.