Attached Link: tiled & procedural materials - comparsion of previews

> Quote - does it make everything look nice in PREVIEW?

I have a different preview wish:  I would like to see materials tiled in preview, so that I can see the effects of changes in Uscale/Vscale in real time.  If not in Poser 8, then perhaps for Poser 9.
     I believe this is an OpenGL issue. (?)

      My 32bit Poser 7 machines with hot-rod gamer video cards preview a tiled material as if one single copy of the image were spread over the entire surface, but Galadriel (64bit, Vista, Poser Pro) has an nVidia Quadro video card, and she previews tiling correctly, plus she previews procedural textures so that I can see the scale of the turbulence pattern. 
(see linked side-by-side screenshot composite)

Attached Link: Poser 7 UI with expanded library - 2560x1600 monitor

> Quote - 1) If you only care to see 5 to 7 items at a time (as was shown in somebody's screen shot of previous Poser) then by all means shrink the library down vertically so it only shows 5 at a time and stack it vertically with the parameters. Now you have MORE space than ever before, while being able to see the same amount of content. > > 2) It is 2009, almost 2010. I respect that some people cannot upgrade their hardware due to financial concerns. But 1024x768 is not the norm anymore. I think it's nice that the UI takes advantage of the screens I actually use. Your mileage may vary. > > 3) The layout is static only if you run it that way. That's your mistake if you do that. Learn to use the UI layout dots.

Good advice! - I like to have a big library open when I'm using it, then I collapse it to make way for other panels.

      I'll do set up using one UI dot which gives me a 1280x800 preview window and generous room for panels.  If rendering an animation, I'll stay in this UI dot mode.
      If making a wallpaper, I'll set up using this same UI dot, then switch to another UI dot which has a 2560x1600 pixel preview window for rendering.  The pair of UI dots are consistent in  preview window aspect ratio so that camera views will be consistent.
     I have similar setup/render pairs of UI dots for NTSC aspect ratio and for square aspect ratio (for making avatars and library thumbnails).
In any case, I love a big monitor with lots of room to work.

I'm still using A3 as my primary doll even though I have V4/A4, because I have so far had greater success in animating A3.  I don't know just what it is about the V4/A4 rig that is harder for me to move smoothly and naturally.

You will probably hit  the limit of your computer's resources (RAM, mostly) before a specific limit by Poser.  I often find that I have to resort to a 64-bit system to render a 2560x1600 wallpaper (the 32-bit systems just can't bring enough RAM to bear).

Scene complexity, high quality render settings, and large pixel dimensions will all increase the burden on your system.

       I have been looking for video usable for motion capture, i.e., to help develop Poser animated poses using the video as a guide.  The ideal would be a pair of videos shot simultaneously from a front camera and a side camera, set against either a plain or a grid background, covering at least one full motion cycle (e.g., left step, right step, and on to the next left step).

     3d.sk offers motion videos;  some are useful for motion capture, some are not.
     The 3d.sk animal videos are generally not orthogonal, but are shot at a random perspective angle.  They are of moderate usefulness.
     The 3d.sk human videos vary in value.  They do have a plain backdrop and are shot orthogonally.  Most of the female motions are unrealistically executed, however.  A woman slowly moves a sword around in one video.  To be of value for motion capture, she must truly swing the sword like she means to do damage, so that the timing and body balance are realistic.  Likewise, the video of a woman "running" shows a woman jogging in place on the studio backdrop.  But the leg motion and torso lean would be very different if she were truly running.
The videos of men fighting with axe, shield, sword are of more value because they are actually swinging the weapons and absorbing blows;  the timing and motion are realistic.

    I bought two picture books -with accompanying CDs- of the old Muybridge motion capture work, one for animals and one for humans.  All the image series were shot orthogonally against a grid backdrop.  For cyclical motions (walk cycle, run cycle, wing flap cycle), one full motion cycle is usually provided, although occasionally only a half cycle is shown;  you will need to mirror-image the poses to get the other half of the cycle.
     In the Muybridge work, a running subject really is running, so the timing and limb position are realistic.  The CD contains  a "filmstrip" JPG, a ShockWave Flash animation, and a series of separate JPG frames for each motion sequence.
     The CD will try to auto-play and prompt you to install a player for the flash animations.  Feel free to kill this, then select the CD drive, right-click, and choose "explore";  in WinXP this will show the folders on the disc.  Just copy the image folder to your computer to use it for motion capture work.  To play a flash, you can select the flash, right-click, highlight "open with..." and choose FireFox or other web browser.
     To do the motion capture in Poser, I suggest compiling the separate JPGs into an AVI in a video editor and then apply the AVI on a billboard in Poser.  If you have two AVIs shot from front and from the side, use two walls/billboards in Poser. Phil Cook offers a Rotoscoper Python script to help with this.

Links:

3d.sk

http://www.amazon.com/Muybridges-Animals-Motion-CD-ROM-Electronic/dp/0486997677/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

http://www.amazon.com/Muybridges-Figure-Motion-CD-ROM-Electronic/dp/0486997715/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

http://istore.mikrotec.com/philc/index1.html?page=catalog&category=a&vid=2080245373&pid=924839477&oldvid=2143420604

Attached Link: pixie riding unicorn

I found two sources for motion capture materials, one being a set of books with accompanying CDs of the Muybridge work.  I've ordered them, and once they arrive, I'll post source links and reviews.

The link demos my new pair of motion sequences for Aiko and the Mil Horse.  :D

Good idea, thank you.  I'll start nosing about.

Attached Link: Poser 7 render of Merlin's Celtic Crosses and Merlin's Medieval Swords (claymore)

Thank you, Kristi!

I went off duty this morning and have the day off, so I can play on the computer. :D
Poser 7 test render of one of the Celtic crosses and the claymore (from Merlin's Medieval Swords set) attached.

Kristi;

     It is done;  thank you.  By the time I had taken care of things at the fire station and got a chance to get on the computer, Merlin had already adapted the geometries to suit Poser and he had sent me the new files. :D

John (aka Merlin);

          Wow, you responded quickly!  The new .3ds files imported successfully into Poser 7.  Thank you for taking the time to accomodate us Poser folk;  I realize that if you use 3ds Max, it would be hard to check for every possible incompatibility in Poser.

     I'm glad to get the full set of the Merlin's Celtic Crosses;  your models are the most detailed and authentic looking I have seen.  I love the mesh modeled knotwork.  The optional ivy is a nice touch, and I noticed that the leaves are mesh, rather than transmapped squares.

     I also got the Merlin's Medieval Swords set, and I especially admire the claymore.  Your model is the most accurately proportioned claymore I have seen.

     Thank you for your quick and generous response.

Bruce ("seachnasaigh")

seachnasaigh trots happily off to go play with new toys

I understand -and agree with- the security policy; I just didn't know that I needed to do that (a newbie error). Thanks for the prompt reply. (The download tutorial was helpful also) By "security number", I'll assume the CVV2 three or four digit number.

I placed an order on the 15th, started to download the first item, but then item list window popped back up saying "download pending" for each item, no download command is selectable, and four days later it's still like that. What am I supposed to do? (I'm a newbie)