Yeah, I know the hip is the base element, but in Motion Builder, when you're defining a character, at least 1 spine bone is required. You can have up to 10, I think. Victoria4 has 2: the abdomen, and the chest. So I had to guess as to which one to make the `main' spine bone. I picked the abdomen, but now I'm wondering if I didn't choose the wrong one cuz of the whole "heirarchy" thing...

And I'm not sure what you mean about BVH not including the body element. I'm wondering how, exactly, I'm supposed to select the charcter before clicking "File", "Export", "BVH", cuz, apparently, either the way I'm doing it isn't correct, or I've somehow screwed-up the "heirarchy" I guess.

So none of you use BVH motion files...?!? (And I'm not talking about the `catered' ones from Eclipse...) I've tried (using MotionBuilder) but I have yet to get them to work properly. When I import, the motion is all messed-up, (to the point that I don't believe it's usable,) and when I export, MotionBuilder can't even open the file. I'd really like to use a more professional animating application like MotionBuilder, but, despite Poser claiming that it's compatible with BVH files, it just doesn't appear that it truly is.

*(click for larger version...)*

CobaltDream, here's a shot of Princess' body using the same skin, same lighting, (even tho the lighting was only set up for her face,) same pose, etc. Granted it's not finished, let me know if you think it looks like plastic or wax.

Matching background plates is a completely different animal, and an art unto itself. In a way, that's why I do these skin-tests. Once I get the skin nailed-down in a controlled environment, I can put it in any scene, confident that I know that it will react to light correctly for the most part. Then it's just a matter of doing the lighting and maybe some slight tweaking. That way, if it's off, I know it's the lighting, not the skin, rather than chasing my tail. You tug something here, it pulls something over there, repeat, ad nauseum...
I feel it does help to be systematic about it. But, then, I'm anal-retentive, so that part of it comes naturally to me. 8op

All of the adjustments you mentioned, (variability of SSS around the neck, variation in tanning on arms, wrinkles on the elbow...) are all very valid details, and can be addressed fairly easily by customizing your own texture, bump, diffuse, and specularity maps, especially with nodes, and especially if you know what you're looking for and want, (which it sounds like you do).

And, no, I'm not one of `those guys'. I don't keep trade-secrets. I know how frustrating that can be, and I don't understand it. "I don't want anyone to be able to make renders as pretty as me!" That's ridiculous. That's not how I operate, or how I've been taught to operate. I go to 3D meetings every month with guys from Autodesk, Rhythm&Hues, you name it, where all we do is sit-around and share how stuff is achieved; our own as well as feature-film. Sorry. Off my soap-box.
Truth-be-told, I don't have any trade-secrets! All the stuff I'm doing seriously comes from just trial-&-error. Hell, I'll point you directly to the tutorial I used as a platform for these skin-tests - it's free on-line - but I hardly think it will answer all your questions. It's far from a "Make Skin Look Real" button. It's based on an alien, and my first render after going thru this tutorial looked like @$$.
I'm currently using mental ray. I didn't intially post in this topic to illustrate what skin could be achieved in Poser, specifically. I was just responding to the OP that the texture alone doesn't necessarily matter so much as what you're doing with it. I happen to be working with Victoria and the DAZ hi-res textures at the moment, so I decided to post to illustrate that point.
But please don't let that dissuade you: all of these principles are possible in Poser and D|S as well. I wish I had time to go do it in Poser and D|S, but I don't. I'm sorry. We've all seen it, tho. They're perfectly capable.

No, the lighting is not image-based, but I'm confident that the skin might look even better if I did use IBL, and I do plan on using IBL for the most part when I do start putting her in scenes. So if that's the case, why didn't I use IBL for the skin-tests? Wouldn't that make sense? No. Cuz, again, there's not enuf control with IBL.
All of these shots use 2 lights. 1 for general lighting, 1 `blown-out' light for hot-spot and translucency checking.
Remember that the "softness" that you're talking about can be a result of several different things, including the softness of the shadows, the quality of anti-aliasing, ambient-occlusion, and depth-of-field. (I'm not using the last 2 in mine yet, tho.) All of which can be adjusted in Poser. Keep in mind that SSS softens bump-maps as well. I'm sure the fast-scatter node is capable, but if it's easier for you to use pwSurface, (where, let's face it, as you mentioned, it's not a problem,) then do that.
I've also added a bit of reflectivity to her. No map. She's just reflecting the blue background right now. It can add a nice extra element, but you gotta be careful with it.

Take a look around. Find the people who are selling the products that sport realistic, no post-work renders, and purchase their product, especially the ones that include the lights and set-ups used in their renders. Take them apart, see what they did, and incorporate it into your own stuff.

I sure hope all this helps.

*(Click for larger version...)*

It's not necessarily the texture, but how you handle it. Especially when you talk about things looking "toony/plastic". In the end, there is definitely a garbage in, garbage out' dynamic, but you really need to work the lighting, obviously, and do whatever you can to at leastfake' sub-surface scattering. A good specularity map handled properly can also go a long way. Also, the eyes are always the 1st dead give-away, so it's essential to get them right as well.

She's nowhere near complete, but this is a work-in-progress skin-test of mine using the DAZ hi-res maps. 2 lights. No post-production.

I wish I could tell you, "Oh, go here and click the Make Skin Look Real button", but, unfortunately, that's not how it works. (I wish it did!) It really is just a lot of trial, error, and repeat. Stick with it. You'll get it!

(Check my gallery to see a different angle, with different lighting, and `place-holder' hair...)

Is anyone else using V4 with Morphos in Poser 7? If so, can you please let me know how? I can't even seem to get Morphos to run in Poser 6.

Thanx

Wow... Poser...& then on a MAC. I seriously feel for you, Mako. I can't even imagine... Yeah; what Jay said. Wait for Daz Studio. I wouldn't even think about Poser5. That's just a time/nerves/money pit waiting to happen.

Aleks, (post 14,) I very-well could, couldn't I...? I mean, ...that's not illegal or anything... After-all, I'm just selling a bone-structure that I, personally, created. If people chose to use my bone-structure to animate their own millenium figures...that's up to them, isn't it?

Only thing is, I've never sold anything on here before, so I'd have to get set-up for that. I'd, of course, create it for thedefault' figure in it's default' position, but I'm excruciatingly busy w/my own stuff, (as we all are,) so I wouldn't be able to provide any sort oftech-support' for it or anything like that, I'm afraid. Also, I'd have absolutely no clue as to what to charge for something like that. Original characters for Poser seem to sell from about 20-40. I tried to search for any characters that come completely rigged for max, but came-up empty. I'm not even aware that there's a MarketPlace 3d accessories category for max. (In fact, max appears to be blatantly absent from the MarketPlace 3d accessories categories... There seems to be categories for every type of 3d app except for max. That's obnoxious...) Candidly, I'm surprised somebody else hasn't already done this with previous versions of the millenium figures/character studios... `Makes me wonder if there's not something I'm over-looking...

At any rate, as soon as I receive my character studio 4, I'm going to go ahead & rig them anyway. I'll see how it goes & what I'm able to do with it, then I will definitely consider putting it up on here for sale. Thanx for the suggestion, Aleks.

Attached Link: http://www.discreet.com/products/cs/

I totally feel for you. My character studio 4 is on it's way (finally!) & absolutely all of my rigging has been placed on hold until it arrives. I'll let you know if it will export to BioVision's bvh format when it arrives. It doesn't really matter to me either way, though, because, like you have, I'm just going to go ahead & rig Victoria3 & any others I want to use in max, & the physique-work will come out better anyway! & I'll do the morphs myself (using max5's newly-revised morphing utility) just to be rid of Poser... I checked the data-sheet & feature high-lights, but they just say it "supports" bvh. They don't specify for export, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it... http://www.discreet.com/products/cs/

Yeahyeahyeah... But does anyone have a free copy of Poser5 they can float me...?

Does anyone have a cracked version of Poser5 I can have...?