OK, well thank you for answering. I will do a forum search and see what turns up.

 Hi, markschum:  These look like very good tips. I didn't know this about the translate dials at all. Thank you.

 I've just tried it. I used both together for one character, and just the IK for the other character. Worked like a charm. I guess I was trying to move the character too quickly and too radically, which hborre cautions against above. Also, sometimes I tried to pull the limb I put the IK on. I guess I should move any part BUT the limb the IK is on, huh?

Well, thank you all very much for your help. I'm getting new enjoyment out of Poser.

 Ah, these both sound like good tips. Thank you. I imagine the "point at" with the primitive is in addition to using IK. Is that right? I'm going to try it.

 I can try the IK route again. But, sometimes I've had trouble in that the figure gets distorted. Or, sometimes just the limb. I.E., if I turn on IK for the leg and then start moving the hip or abdomen, the leg may get all twisted up. 

Any tips on how to avoid that problem. 

 Thank you very much for your answer, bagginsbill. Good luck with the work you are doing. I'm sure we will all be happy with the results.

quote]Just to amuse myself, not that you'd really want to do this, but guess how many lights were used in this scene?

Ready?

ZERO.

There are no lights. Just the environment sphere.

It would look better if the image I used was HDR, but for the type of scene I wanted there weren't any.
  QUESTIONS FOR bagginsbil: ON the use of your environment sphere with LDR versus HDR images.  Here's a thread at DAZ that discusses the use of your sphere: http://forum.daz3d.com/viewtopic.php?p=1955121#1955121
It points out that I, for example, could make my own HDR image using your Gen IBL-IBL Generator. In Poser PRO, this could be saved as an HDR but, in Poser 7, this would produce an LDR IBL, not an HDR IBL, image. QUESTION 1: What about in Poser 8: could I save in HDR IBL  format? Now, I also notice that your environment sphere can use those equirectangular or "panoramic" images. I believe those are in LDR format. So, QUESTION 2: Would I need to use the Gen IBL-IBL Generator workaround to get the benefits of HDR if I used your environment sphere?
What about in Poser 8: could I save in HDR IBL format?

What about in Poser 8: could I save in HDR IBL format?

Question for bagginsbill:

This is the gray-skinned Apollo. His color is from the environment.

Quote - I've just found a surprising "feature", conforming Ryan's Genitals gives him an instant erection. hehehehe :D

So, it's like a fast-working Levitra or  Viagra? If he keeps the erection for more than 4 hours, remember to call a doctor.

 Render time for bagginsbill's Environmental Sphere with one infinite light and with indirect diffuse lighting turned on -- is much faster if you use Semidieu's Advanced Render Settings Python Scripts. It took hours without the script and only a few minutes using the script. I believe Semidieu's script will check for the number of processors your computer has and use them. (I have an Intel Core Duo Extreme in an iMac). It may also make better use of your ram, but I'm not the one who can really tell a thing like that. Anyway, this definitely speeds up the rendering.

 Any chance someone is working on an item like this for Poser 8: http://www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/new-releases/3d-web-exporter?item=9495&cat=421&_m=d
It looks really neat. I'd love to be able to export an image like this that people could rotate and view from any angle.

 Thanks for the tip. There's a Mac fix also: http://my.smithmicro.com/mac/poser/updates.html

 Thanks for answering, Bagginsbill. And is the BETA the latest version? Do you have a full pay professional version, or something like that?

I wanted to  ask about bagginsbill's VSS. I have a Beta version of this. Will it work in Poser 8? Or, is bagginsbill going to do a new version of VSS for Poser 8? I think this was mentioned some pages back in this thread, but now I can't find it. Sorry. 

OOps! I goofed. Wanted to make this correction:  I must have messed up copying some of the python files over from the Poser 7 folder to the Poser 8 one. I went back to my original bought zips. So far, I've installed Semidieu's Advanced Render Settings and RDNA Render Studio for Poser that he and Colm did. Both are working. I'm going to try more later. 

 No, actually I did apply the fix. I think Poser 8 has a different version of Python. Anyway, I'm glad it works for you. I wrote Semidieu about it, but haven't heard from him.