Test renders with Poser Scatter Tool. Having SO much fun!

[Ken1171]

So, from the Python Scripts panel -> Prop Samples -> Buckey Ball. Would that be a more usable item? No external programs needed if so.

Yes, those will work as well. You may want to subdivide the Buckey Ball, export to OBJ, and then import it back into Poser for a higher-res version. I am making my GeoSphere available to everybody above, so that might be a better pick, and you can do the same subdivision process with it when needed.

I tried Blender's icosphere and it was a no-go, at least with my attempts. Maybe you'll have better luck...if you do, I will be interested in your method!

I wonder why it didn't work. Poser tends to be very picky about geometry, so we have to be sure the model is clean and properly exported. I have tried exporting an IcoSphere from 3DSMAX to Poser, and it has works all the same. Maybe it's something about the exporting parameters you have used? I am guessing here.

OK, that was easy, but I noted too things. First leaving the origin as is, it loads in Poser half way through the ground, so I reset the origin to the bottom vertex, and then when it's imported into Poser it's sitting right on the ground.

You can load Dawn's OBJ to use as size reference in your 3D application scene. This way you know what size it will be in Poser. It's a good idea to move props above the ground in the modeling application, and then bake the transforms to make it permanent. In 3DSMAX, I move the origin (pivot) to (0,0,0) and bake it before exporting. When loaded into Poser, it will reset the pivot back to the center, but the prop will remain above the ground.

 

[Miss B]

Ohhhhh, I hadn't thought about baking it. I'll have to make a note of that for the future.

As far as using Dawn for sizing, I long ago imported Dawn and made her all one piece, instead of the 68 or more pieces she automatically imports from poser. I'll try that and see how it goes.

 

[Ken1171]

As far as using Dawn for sizing, I long ago imported Dawn and made her all one piece, instead of the 68 or more pieces she automatically imports from poser. I'll try that and see how it goes.

That happens in 3DSMAX as well, but we have an option to "load as a single mesh". That will destroy the vertex order, but we only want to use Dawn as a size reference, so that doesn't really matter. All we need is to see Dawn and use her to size the prop accordingly.

 

[Miss B]

Hmmm, I wonder if Blender has such an option. I created that so long ago, it might not have, but they're always adding goodies all the time, so it's possible I can do that with Blender too.

 

[Ken1171]

Oh, it's Blender! It supports unimesh, so the figure will not be split like it happens with all Autodesk programs, unless you want it to. Blender and Modo are some of the very few programs that actually support unimesh geometry, so you shouldn't have any troubles there.

 

[Miss B]

Well then, that's newer versions of Blender then. I started with it a loooong time ago, and back then unimesh probably wasn't supported by anyone, especially not Poser.

 

[Ken1171]

I have hopes Poser will support it one day, to make it easier on content creators...

 

[parkdalegardener]

Nerd has posted a work around to create unimesh inside Poser irregardless of the grouping. Works for figure grouping modifications or creation of new figures. It's a sticky on Rendo.

 

[Miss B]

AHA! I just found it in the Poser 11/Poser Pro 11 OFFICIAL Technical Forum. Thanks for the heads-up PDG.

 

[Ken1171]

I couldn't find it. Under what title is it?

 

[Miss B]

It's a Sticky right under the first two "announcements". It's titled "Making a Welded OBJ with Just Poser."

 

[Ken1171]

Thank you, I saw it now. I have the impression that method will invalidate all morphs you may have already created for the outfit, since the vertex winding order will be altered. This doesn't matter when projecting morphs into the outfit, but it does matter if you want to preserve morphs it already had before starting this process. I hope I am wrong on this, but that's what it looks like.

 

[Miss B]

I haven't thoroughly read the whole post, so that might be an issue. I'm not sure, though, so we shall see.

 

[Ken1171]

In my humble opinion, a much better option is to group your outfit in the program it was created, and when using the Fitting Room, don't let it regroup your model, and above all, don't use whatever geometry comes out of Poser. Simply delete the new OBJ and replace it with the original one that was grouped elsewhere.

The only caveat to this process is that I model in 3DSMAX, but cannot group anything there because, just like Poser, it doesn't support unimesh. I instead group everything in Modo, but I am trying to transition to Blender.

 

[Miss B]

I haven't upgraded to the new Blender 2.8x yet, because my old laptop couldn't handle it, and I just haven't gotten around to trying out the new version on this new-ish laptop yet. I happen to like my 2.79, so I'm not sure I'll "switch" to 2.8x, but I do want to try out the newer EEVEE render engine. That said, folks who've never used Blender before because they found it too hard to learn, are liking the new 2.8x UI, so you may find it the transition not too difficult.

 

[Ken1171]

you may find it the transition not too difficult.

Oh I have already installed 2.8 and have been occasionally playing with it for a while. I then get frustrated with the inefficient workflow, and run back to 3DSMAX to have the job done in minutes, using half the required mouse clicks from Blender. Maybe it's a difficult process because I am so proficient with MAX, so I easily loose patience. It's a matter of getting used to it, like it was for me to learn DS. The new interface is miles better for new users like me, but it's the workflow that keeps pushing me away.

 

[Miss B]

Well, I'm not familiar with your workflow, but I can see how that would be frustrating. I've been using Blender off and on since version 2.45, so I've been through a lot of UI changes, though the only big change was from 2.49 to 2.5x. All the 2.5, 2.6, and 2.7 versions had a lot of goodies added in, but the general look and navigation of the UI stayed the same. It's the big changes, like 2.8x, that usually annoy me. The one from 2.49 to 2.5x was a much needed change. This time it's not so needed for me. It's what you get used to.

I do know of a teaching site that has a great Blender class I happen to be taking for 3 years now (lifetime access), and they're in the middle of updating the projects to 2.8, and they have sales on the cost of the classes several times a year, so if you ever want to look into it, let me know.

 

[Ken1171]

I bought a few Blender courses and I feel silly for not having gone through them after this long. There is a new Blender Artist version with a simplified interface that doesn't scare/overwhelm newbies. They are doing some effort to get over the interface, but again, what bothers me is the cumbersome workflow, because it feels like a lot of work to get things done comparing to MAX. I am not referring to personal preferences, but instead about how much effort does it take to get things done. In my experience, Blender requires a lot more mouse clicking, and that bothers me. Nonetheless, I still want to learn it.

 

[Miss B]

I'm curious, where did you get the Blender courses?

 

[Ken1171]

Udemi and Zenva. There are plenty out there.