I make versatile, multi-purpose shaders with parameters so they can easily be controlled without having to see the implementation nodes, which are on the right. For example, the nodes used to make a metal vs. rubber vs. leather vs. paint are exactly the same and there are just six, connected exactly the same way. (Not counting the bump map) To achieve each material is quite a few value and color changes and few people besides myself know those. I reduce those differences to a few parameters: color, shine, and blur. The other nodes take care of capturing the knowledge that I have on how to adjust the shader to all those variations. When I make shaders that are versatile, then they have a lot of nodes. When I make shaders that can only do one thing, then I have six nodes. If somebody asks me to help them make one material, I show them six nodes with all the values filled in. But I don't charge for shaders like that, I give them away in tutorials. I charge for the versatile, multi-purpose shaders you can't get from anybody else. 

I, for one, do not understand all of those parameters and what they would need to be for make this material or that material. So I really appreciate your shaders BB! And frankly I am always astonished at how much work you do and then give away for free. You are truly a gold mine to the Poser community!! :D

Basically all the reasons that have already been mentioned:

1. Possibly with the exception of Genesis3, it does not appear to me that any of the new figures are particularly any better. That even goes for Weight Mapped V4 that doesn't seem any better to me than just normal V4.

2. Price, time, and effort to adapt to a new figure. Unless they are going to offer me something really exciting, then why should I spend all that money and time to adapt my current content to the new figure?

If you want me to adopt your new figure, then you have to show me something it does that V4 can't do. And that something needs to be something that makes me stop and go, "Wow! I need that in my runtime right now!!" Nobody has done that, except for Genesis3. Although even Genesis3 hasn't made me stop and go, "Wow!" It just seems obvious to me that Daz is constantly making improvements to Genesis and that has me considering the move to Daz4.

I have workflow that does what I need with a figure that I understand and does what I need with tools that I mostly understand and that do what I need. You better blow me out of the water with what you have to offer if you want me to change all that. And one of the most critical areas for that is screw ups. I basically have the tools, and sort of understand them, to fix anything that goes wrong with V4. If a pose, morph, or clothing goes totally sideways, then I can probably fix it with V4. I cannot say that about other figures.

But I will be 100% honest here too - I have not tried any of the other figures, including Rex or Roxie (though I keep meaning to).

Well I agree with everyone else here that "photo-realism" (whatever that is) is a personal choice. It is also something that I am currently working towards. That choice for me is about learning how materials and Poser work better. I am trying to see just how real I can make a render appear without using iRay or LuxRender. Again, that's just a learning adventure for me. That's the path I'm walking to discover my style.

You should choose your own path/style as well, and I (for one) will respect whatever path you choose. :)

Here, Boni

GENESIS 3 Technology Advantages

Odd though that there are almost no demonstrations. They are not proving the benefits, IMO - just claiming benefits.

For example - for all the supposed facial expressions possible, I'd like to see some. They show one.

Users are posting more of the same vacant stare I know how to make with V3.

http://www.daz3d.com/gallery/#images/74652

I still find it amusing that when Genesis first came out, DAZ touted the fact that it was one base mesh that could become either male or female. That claim all but disappeared with Genesis 2. Now they're back to claiming that they have separate male and female shapes. Don't get me wrong. I think Genesis is awesome, but marketing tactics just slay me sometimes.

Actually I think that occurred because the user base pretty much went up in arms that they didn't have separate figures for male and female. So they changed it because of the feedback. 

I'm using Poser Pro 2014 Game Dev, and I occasionally have a similar issue. I will start Poser, click on the File menu, try to load a scene I have saved, and Poser will crash. It doesn't happen very often, just every once in a while. Mostly, for me, it happens when I try to load a scene too quickly after starting Poser. I have a fairly large library of content at this time, so it is usually better to give Poser a few minutes to finish starting up and loading its libraries before I try to open a saved scene.

This is mostly a hard drive issue. My libraries are stored on a single drive that isn't particularly fast. It just takes longer to finish loading them. So if I'm patient, then it's not an issue.

You might be experiencing something similar. 

I took it as an endorsement. It's just, like I said. I'm just starting out. It can be a little intimidating that someone is making recommendations already.

Good work is good work, no matter your experience. :)

Here's the direct link to the YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=QgIIAQ%253D%253D&q=VirtualWorldDynamics

Thank you! I still could not find this for some reason!! 

What a lovely render! :)

Sounds like it's time for a new Hard Drive.

Sorry to hear you are having so many problems recently Eclark! Hope you get them all sorted out. :)

Thanks BB! :D

There is some nice stuff on that site, and I was unaware of its existence. Excellent!

I'm really curious to know which sword models BB used in his various test renders?

I am pretty sure I didn't understand any of that BB. :P

That is ok though. That is why I come back to your threads and re-read them so often. As I go along and learn more and more, your threads make more and more sense to me. :)

A prime example of that is the instructions for your EnvSphere on your web page. I know I read those a long time ago when I originally downloaded that prop, but 75% of it might as well have been Greek. I didn't really understand it... until this week. Rereading those instructions this week made me really understand what you were saying. Even the instructions on using the "effects" material. :)

Thank you everyone for all of your help in getting this lighting setup correct!

Very cool thread! I'm a bit concerned though at all the issues BB keeps finding with how IDL was implemented.

Huh... well what do you know. I have no idea why or how that works, but turning up the "Value" of HSV does seem to cast more light. Mostly I'm not sure how there is light in the scene with no Ambient being used?

Let's try adding our infinite light back in to get our shadows back. I played with the settings on this one to get the look I wanted. I turned the HSV down to 1.5 and the infinite light is at 90%:

Material room: