Glad to see you're on the OSX :)

Put the External Runtime ("Gorilla Runtime") anywhere you like, with respect to the abovementioned overwrite exception. It can be ANYWHERE. But for clarity's sake, don't put it INSIDE another Runtime, that could just get confusing. You can have your external Runtimes on CDs, networked Volumes, external HDs, DVDs, flash drives, etc. Just reference said volume when loading (+) a new Runtime. It DOES NOT have to be inside or anywhere near the Poser program.

I have an entire 80GB external FireWire drive devoted to P5, P6, and external Runtimes. I keep P5 and P6 side by side, in their own respective folders, as installed by default. In addition, I have a folder containing a series of external Runtimes (called "Poser Runtimes"). I name them thusly*, "Michael2 Runtime", "Michael3 Runtime", "Creatures Runtime", "Animals Runtime", "Objects Runtime", etc. Within these folders is the actual Runtime (i.e., the nested Library folders, Geoms, Texs) for whichever theme/genre/character. I even have seperate Runtimes for the character specific poses. When one Runtime becomes oversized and unwieldy, make an addendum.

I load the Ext. Runtimes as necessary. No need to have a V3 Runtime loaded if i'm not intending to use her.

*"Runtime" does NOT have to be part of the enclosing folder, but I use it to distinguish the significance of the folders and to maintain the internal path integrity.

One important note: INJ/REM poses need to stay within the MAIN Runtime. BUT, aliases seem to work fine in that regard. If you have an external V3 Runtime, you can load the INJ/REM poses into it, and make aliases of them to be placed in the appropriate spot in the MAIN Runtime.

In any case, if Poser has trouble loading the file, it will almost always ask you for directions.

Message edited on: 05/24/2005 04:54

Hey, imagine how much that elephant could make if it painted with its own feces???

One ironic thing about "yesterday's cute little troll" is this tidbit from his profile at DeviantArt:

Personal Quote: Don't judge what you don't understand.

I just HAD TO share it.

SOON (s?n) adv., sooner, soonest. In the near future; shortly. Without hesitation; promptly. Before the usual or appointed time; early. I think Curious Frontier Labs needs a new dictionary. ;) But seriously, i'd rather they do it right, than do it soon.

Addendum: Were you to create a Gorilla Runtime (for example) for an item set that includes a Character file, a Prop file, and a Pose file (plus Geoms and Texs), and load it as an "External Runtime", Poser will assume by default that it must "fill in the blanks" and create the missing file folders for Light, Hair, Hands, etc. even if these folders are unnecessary. So don't be surprised if you see these extra file folders. Makes for some extranous folders, but thats just the way it is.

You can have a seperate Runtime folder for each and every Poser prop, figure, hair, light, etc. Or you can maintain Runtimes that are TYPE specific (i.e., ALL Michael-related (or whichever figure) items, ALL animal-related items, ALL vehicles, ALL SciFi items, ALL set & scene-related items, ALL items by a specific creator, ad absurdum, ad infinitum).

Of course, you're may want to pull your hair out trying to find what you want IF you categorize them too variedly (trust me on that). But by and large you can make as many Runtimes as you have capacity to store them.

Gorilla Runtimes and Helicopter Runtimes notwithstanding :)

Message edited on: 05/21/2005 06:03

I suggest that those that want actual critique of their images (even on an amateur level) present their images to those above who feel as Bobbie25 does (it would be far nicer to have a separate gallery for it, but thats never going to happen). This enables "artists" to hone their skills BEFORE posting images to the gallery, and avoid the non-constructive gratuitous comments like "Wow!", "Neato!", and "I love it!". BUT if thats the case, what then is the point of posting to the gallery at all? When you "share" the image in the gallery, you have to accept the voice of the masses, which as often as not is nothing more than "Wicked kewl!". In the same vein is the Rating System. I never use the rating system, because its a joke. I've seen people given realistic ratings (along with a critical explanation of why) only to be negated by a subsequent person who UPGRADES their rating to overcompensate because they didn't like the realistic rating. Its a travesty of a joke..

If you're unfamiliar with the Group tool, I suggest practicing with a low poly model to get the hang of it. A standard six poly cube would be too simple, but perhaps you could construct one with more polys per side. You'd be able to toy with it without having too many polys and vectors to deal with. Using the appropriate document display is also crucial. For example, the wireframe will allow you to select polys through the mesh, whereas the flat shade only allows direct selection of the poly you're clicking on. As Little Dragon pointed out, you could select the entire surface of the cone, barring the extreme ends, select "Create Prop" from the Group tool options, and then delete the original cone, leaving you with a truncated cone (like a megaphone). Select the surface of this new cone and "Assign Material" to give it a material zone. By selecting various areas, you can create various material zones. If you want to keep this new cone/lampshade prop for later use, don't forget to save it to the library.

McGregor's comment about his acting disappointment was in regard to working with greenscreens (he denies having denegrated SW:RotS). Understandable, given that actors tend to need interaction so as to evoke emotional responses/reactions. Nonetheless, acting in its truest form IS imagining. It just so happens to be easier with actual props and humans with which to interact.

After having viewed the samples, it looks,....er, sounds fantastic. But I have to wonder...will there be a Mac version?

Another option, capable within Poser, is a pesky one...

Using the Grouping tool, find the offending flipped polys, highlight them (and only them) and flip the normals using the Grouping tool panel. Its time consuming, but if you have none of the abovementioned modeling programs for aligning polys....

Message edited on: 05/14/2005 08:29

"by the looks of your extensive experience, judging by your gallery, it looks like you opinion carries a lot of weight" Please, let's not continue the insipid nonsense of using one's gallery postings (or lack thereof) as a measure of experience or opinion value. Some people just don't want to post images. It isn't a significant means of determining one's ability to critique. To my knowledge, Roger Ebert hasn't made a single movie in his lifetime. And were we to mandate the old axiom "If you can't say something nice,...", things would get pretty stale around here. Trolls troll and flamers flame. Nonetheless, i'm looking forward to Maximus, Anton. I realize it may be a bit soon to ask, but will there be a female version of Maximus? A Suprema? Exquisitina, Tremendra, Titania? Maximadamoiselle?

Although using online tutorials does require access to the internet, printing them and reading them offline does not. Admittedly, saving .html pages and the associated image files is a PITA. However, many tuts have the [printer friendly] option. I usually save the printer friendly versions with the Mac "Save as PDF" feature, leaving me with a single self-contained doc of indefinite length. I don't know if thats a PC feature. The Dr Geep tutorials are quite explicit, and can also easily be saved for offline viewing. They are solely images, so there're no text formatting issues.

I've always considered the toilet seat issue to be an equal opportunity situation. Both the seat AND the lid should be down. Men, being generally stronger, get to lift both seat and lid. Women get to lift just the lid. That way everyone is lifting something :)

Send this same message to Angelmoon. What better way to get the answer?

The mad modellers model their own creations? Thats nothing! Everytime I want to make an image I start from the very very beginning. First, I solder together some homemade computer parts with my own homemade tools, and then I code my very own original proprietary 3D modelling program. This can be difficult, as I have to invent a new code every time, using symbols of my own devising. I intentionally make this program difficult to use, so that it by no means gives me an edge. At this point I can begin modelling. But i'm no slacker.....I refuse to model anything that is derivative. I allow myself no influences whatsoever. Only then have I created my art. So, call me a stickler. But seriously, some Poser turd who throws together some canned models, canned poses, canned textures, etc. without a hint of care or understanding regarding color, composition, lighting, etc. isn't likely to produce anything of note, any more than some Lightwaver or Mayan who ham-handedly cobbles together some polygons into the shape of yet another ubiquitous spaceship will be recognized for AliasNewtek's Modeller of the Year. You can have some wonderful commercial components of a Poser scene that, when used without artfulness, will look like unmitigated crap. The same goes for "Mad/Silly" modellers who have no sense of form or style. But sometimes people get lucky. I would think a Lightwaver who buys a bunch of models from Turbosquid, and composes and renders them in Lightwave Layout is subject to the same criticism as the equally-skilled Poser user. And yet Poser users continue to get the bad rap. I like, NO,... I love Lightwave. I enjoy making my own models. But that doesn't and could never negate my respect for people who can use Poser adroitly, revealing aspects my provincial brain might never have conceived. In other words: Those Japanese Zen gardens are beautifully landscaped. Do you think the Japanese make all the sand and rock by hand?