<code>

import poser
import string
import os
import sys
#import aasubrs
import math

def spar(ac,pn,v): # set parameter; 999 = leave unchanged
    p=ac.ParameterByCode(pn)
    if (p!=None) and (v!=999):
        p.SetValue(v)

scn = poser.Scene()
act = scn.CurrentActor()
fig = act.ItsFigure()
if fig==None: print "working on ",act.Name();
else: print "working on ",fig.Name(),"'s ",act.Name();
xyz="xyz"
#(x,y,z) = act.AlignmentRotationXYZ()
((i,j,k),(px,py,pz)) = act.Gimbal()
x=px.Value(); y=py.Value(); z=pz.Value();
print "angle rotation order is ",xyz[i],xyz[j],xyz[k]
print "old angles: ",x,y,z," degrees";

x1=x; y1=y; z1=z;

while (x<=-180): x+=360; # normalize angles to between +-180deg
while (y<=-180): y+=360;
while (z<=-180): z+=360;
while (x>180): x-=360;
while (y>180): y-=360;
while (z>180): z-=360;

if(x!=x1) or (y!=y1) or (z!=z1): print "I have normalized the angles to:",x,y,z," degrees";

if j==0: x=-x; # the middle angle in rotation order
elif j==1: y=-y;
elif j==2: z=-z;
x2=x+180;
y2=y+180;
z2=z+180;
 
x3=x2; y3=y2; z3=z2;

while (x3<=-180): x3+=360; # normalize angles to between +-180deg
while (y3<=-180): y3+=360;
while (z3<=-180): z3+=360;
while (x3>180): x3-=360;
while (y3>180): y3-=360;
while (z3>180): z3-=360;

spar(act,1,x3);
spar(act,2,y3);
spar(act,3,z3);

# print x,y,z;
# print x2,y2,z2;
print "new angles:",x3,y3,z3," degrees";
oldssq=x*x+y*y+z*z;
newssq=x3*x3+y3*y3+z3*z3;
if newssq<oldssq: print "the new angles are better for the joint blending."
else: print "the old angles were better for the joint blending."
print "~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~";
poser.ProcessCommand(1559)
scn.DrawAll();

</code>

Note that in this render, the breathing tube is an IK-chain, and all its parts have the Curve property.

primorge posted at 3:16 PM Sat, 4 December 2021 - #4431258

> Have you tried adding edge loops?

To JoePublic :: There are no cap facets on the ends of the jointed segments of the breathing tube.

Poser seems to render each jointed segment of the breathing tube as if that segment was unwelded ftom the segments that it is jointed to.

primorge posted at 3:16 PM Sat, 4 December 2021 - #4431258

> Have you tried adding edge loops?

To JoePublic :: There are no cap facets on the ends of the jointed segments of the breathing tube.

Correction to the message above:-

In his aqualung's breathing tubes, there are 8 equal corrugations in each Poser jointed part, and all joints between polygons are welded. Each breathing tube is an IK-chain set to ON, and has the curve property. As easily seen, the corrugation valleys which are at the boundaries between jointed parts, render wrongly. This fault has plagued my scuba diving rendering from Poser 3 times all the way up to my current Poser 11. The same fault happens with displaying. I suspect that this fault happens by Poser unwelding the polygon faces at all joints between Poser jointed parts, and then working out how to smooth the polygon faces for rendering, and then rewelding the polygon faces at the joints (even where they were not welded before). Has this fault been cured in Poser 12? If not, will it be cured in Poser 13? Other users have complained about Poser rendering faults at the lines where two jointed parts meet..

Same image but showing polygon boundaries.

Sometimes Poser's internal calculations on a joint's xrotate yrotate zrotate angles (e.g. in switching between IK-in and IK-off) need Poser to call inverse trig functions (arcsin etc). Inverse trig functions have multiple answers, and sometimes Poser chooses a wrong answer, and this is shown by distorted joint blending in the affected joint.  I wrote a Python script that is called on a prop or a character part, and it does this:-

(1) Add 180 deg to all the angles

(2) Change the sign of the middle angle in rotation order, as found by     ((i,j,k),(px,py,pz)) = act.Gimbal()

(3) Normalize all angles to between -180 deg and +180 deg

That has often cured distorted joint blending in my Poser posing work.

That .pz3 file do not have a 360deg dome environment, But I have called it again just now and the "magnification on clicking on the environment" did not happen. But I have noticed that from time to time a program can get into a state when it thinks that a key is down when that key is actually up.

The Ultramorph Man and Universal Nude, and other models, are still available for download at http://www.confusius.net/

If the site says "not available", keep on clicking or a while, the site may merely be slow.

I still have the Ultramorph Man (a Dork derivative) and Universal Nude (a Posette derivative) that Confusius made. Their heads each has around 100 morphs.

Their geometries are
:Runtime:Geometries:newMaleNudeHi:maleNudeWithEyes.obj
:Runtime:Geometries:newFemaleNudeHi:femaleNudeHiP3.obj

I found it quite easy to make a replacement Dork head with the geometry the same and the texture-mapping much bigger and easier to use, and the head skin in a new material named 'Face'. I started in Poser in Poser 3 times. I seem to remember that in Poser 2 times there were no materials as we know them, and all of a model had to have one texture-map.

I have tried hiding the figure's head and replacing it with a flat square texture-mapped with the replacement face, and the area outside the face is textured to transparent. That works, if I am careful, if the head is aimed straight at the camera, if the photograph was taken straight-on. That way I could make an image of Cousteau in a Sea Patrol uniform (Not the Australian TV series!)

That detail of muscle is irrelevant if it is inside a wetsuit or a uniform, except to use up memory and time handling it.

Anthony Appleyard posted at 5:57AM Sat, 21 August 2021 - #4425741

Someone uploaded a super-Dork with many extra head morphs.

The model was called Ultramorph and it was made by someone called Confusius (note spelling).

Me in the Sea Patrol.

Someone uploaded a super-Dork with many extra head morphs.