The Anchorage, Part 3

[Mythocentric]

Actually Satira, the problem was moving her into position as the simulation ran. The dynamic dresses I tried were all long ones, and with her being in the corner in the angle between two walls tended to collide in strange ways, cut through or in one instance end up partly buried in the wall behind her. I also tried posing her using just the bare walls then loading the full room after but Poser doesn't seem to like that given that loading a pre-run simulation into a scene tends to delete the simulation (Oh Joy!) Add to that, the laptop I'm currently working on is very basic (due to my supposedly all-singing, all-dancing workstation committing suicide shortly after the warranty ran out) and tends to hang fire (i.e. I get frequently get program not responding messages) until it remembers it's switched on. In the end, I went with what I'd got. Even so it took about four hours to render and I still lost most of the sky (an acid yellow colour to reflects her dress). I'm currently post working that to bring it back to what I wanted after which I'll post it in 'Mytho's View' and pretend it never happened!

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Clothing can do weird things during a simulation, especially if the figure is rotating or moving more than a few "inches." I've watched it swing wildly in the opposite direction of what I expected it to move before swinging wildly back in the direction I expected it to.

That's not surprising you lose the simulation by loading it into a different file. The Poser scene is part of the simulation filename.

So sorry about your workstation died Of course it would do so shortly after the warranty ran out!

 

[Mythocentric]

I think a lot of that comes down to pot luck Satira. I've had some simulations load ok (i.e. Luthien Tinuvial) and others simply fail. I just put it down to whatever kind of mood Posers in at the time and try to avoid it!

Replacing the workstation is next on the list. It didn't help much that it crashed out in the midst of me setting up a small recording studio for me and our Sara and friends so it'll have to wait until I've built up funds again. Neither am I impressed about the fact that both the suppliers and manufacturers appear to have more lawyers than other employees and are still busy squabbling some twelve months on about who is responsible for its replacement despite three independant affidavits about some of the sub-standard components they used. One thing's for sure. The watchword for the next one is to buy British!

 

[Terre]

In your case buying British certainly sounds like the best option. Many times buying "local" works out best.

 

[Hornet3d]

I had a system built by Scan in the UK, a base model with a few changes from the default. I did have a minor problem with the promised delivery time thanks for stock shortages but when it arrived it was well packed and beautifully built. The results of the soak test and performance tests were left on the system as well. I would have no problem recommending them to anyone looking for a new computer.

 

[Mythocentric]

In your case buying British certainly sounds like the best option. Many times buying "local" works out best.

I've just realised just what buying local means Terre! In my case, it means that here in Morecambe we have what is basically a one-man op who doesn't build systems to spec. In Lancaster we have a 'reputable national outlet' and the last time I went in there the assistant tried to push me into buying a gaming machine when I told them I was looking for a computer capable of handling 3D modelling and graphics programs. It didn't help that said gaming machine came in purple metallic and resembled a cross between the bridge of the starship Enterprise and Dalek poo! Nor was I impressed when after trying to explain what I wanted for half-an-hour he enquired why I was wasting his time and walked away. So much for their much-vaunted on-site training! So what I have left is an approximately one hundred mile round trip to Manchester which is where most of our specialists are located. One thing's for sure, I ain't buying 'blind' via the net again after last time!

 

[DanaTA]

It's always better to get a custom build, that's for sure. I've had the same box for over a decade, just done upgrades as I go. New motherboard after the last one quit. More RAM, better video card, SSD. Still, it's way behind the cutting edge. I can't afford that anymore. I tend to go for years with the same thing. My current box has a Core2Duo, two cores running at 3.0GHz each, and lots of hard drive (2 1TB drives, on 500GB drive, old 120GB SSD - used to be C: drive, and new C: drive, 500GB SSD, two DVD writers, one with LightScribe capability, nVidia GeForce 9500 GT (found out it has only 8 cores) with only 1GB of VRAM. Recently added a WD My Cloud Home to my network. Pretty cool. I have a Samsung T220 22" Touch of Color monitor (not exactly sure what that Touch of Color means). Very nice. It has to do for now. Wanted upgrades are out of reach.

Dana

 

[Hornet3d]

I've just realised just what buying local means Terre! In my case, it means that here in Morecambe we have what is basically a one-man op who doesn't build systems to spec. In Lancaster we have a 'reputable national outlet' and the last time I went in there the assistant tried to push me into buying a gaming machine when I told them I was looking for a computer capable of handling 3D modelling and graphics programs. It didn't help that said gaming machine came in purple metallic and resembled a cross between the bridge of the starship Enterprise and Dalek poo! Nor was I impressed when after trying to explain what I wanted for half-an-hour he enquired why I was wasting his time and walked away. So much for their much-vaunted on-site training! So what I have left is an approximately one hundred mile round trip to Manchester which is where most of our specialists are located. One thing's for sure, I ain't buying 'blind' via the net again after last time!

When I worked in a local PC shop we did do custom builds but there were two problems, firstly it was hard to compete with the online builders as regards price and secondly, most of the time the customer just took the spec we had agreed with them and had the same spec computer built on line. I know about the second point because on a couple of occasions the same customers were back within the year with systems that were not working. I hated that as we were then struggling to fix a computer that was a mess and nothing like the tidy unit we would have built.

The end result is we now only have two private computer shops, one is run by a crook and and the other is a cowboy, I know because I worked briefly for the first and seen the work of the second on more than one occasion. That is the reason I went to Scan for my unit, I have seen a number of examples of their work and I was able to pick a basic graphics machine and then customise that to meet my particular needs. The 3XS section allows you to pick the
basic spec for a gaming, audio, graphics or other type machine and customise from there. The unit they built for me has the wiring runs clean and tidy and they include a day one restore USB stick which is held on the bottom of the unit by a velcro pad or something similar. The main unit is not only well packaged but the inside had non static bubble wrap to stop and cards moving (there are also signs everywhere stating you need to remove the bubble wrap before you start the machine). The other factor I like was that all the component boxes are included including all the manuals, unused cables and any free software.

Their machines often get reviewed in the 3D art press and all I have seen so far have been favourable. Having said all that I was spending a great deal of money at the time and I know how nerve racking that is when buying over the internet but I am happy to say I am well pleased with the system I have now and would certainly go back to Scan for any replacement. The only thing I would do differently is to check the stock of the components I have picked so I could better understand the actual delivery date rather than the advertised one or pick alternatives.

 

[Terre]

I've just realised just what buying local means Terre! In my case, it means that here in Morecambe we have what is basically a one-man op who doesn't build systems to spec. In Lancaster we have a 'reputable national outlet' and the last time I went in there the assistant tried to push me into buying a gaming machine when I told them I was looking for a computer capable of handling 3D modelling and graphics programs. It didn't help that said gaming machine came in purple metallic and resembled a cross between the bridge of the starship Enterprise and Dalek poo! Nor was I impressed when after trying to explain what I wanted for half-an-hour he enquired why I was wasting his time and walked away. So much for their much-vaunted on-site training! So what I have left is an approximately one hundred mile round trip to Manchester which is where most of our specialists are located. One thing's for sure, I ain't buying 'blind' via the net again after last time!

Buying blind isn't good, no. The trip to Manchester really looks like the best bet and as a Yank Westerner that sounds local to me. LOL Wellll ...... very close by anyway.

 

[Terre]

The computer I'm on is a custom build XP that got upgraded to top end for it's generation a few years ago. My husband is on a custom Win 7 built by the same one man shop. He'shaving to get a full time job with the local school system and run his shop out of his home on the side now as so many people just go over to Wall Mart to get whatever is cheap and the business couldn't support him by itself anymore. Sad in more than one way. The shop was across the street from my work place so it was very convenient.

 

[Hornet3d]

Not the best image but it does give some idea of the build, here is a photo of the system that Scan added to the tracking page just before it was shipped.

 

[Hornet3d]

The computer I'm on is a custom build XP that got upgraded to top end for it's generation a few years ago. My husband is on a custom Win 7 built by the same one man shop. He'shaving to get a full time job with the local school system and run his shop out of his home on the side now as so many people just go over to Wall Mart to get whatever is cheap and the business couldn't support him by itself anymore. Sad in more than one way. The shop was across the street from my work place so it was very convenient.

The guy I worked for, and owned the shop, has had to do the same thing. He now has a full time job but still provides computer repair and support for a few select ex customers. Sadly I think he was just too honest and had too many morals to stay in business and make a living.

 

[DanaTA]

I used to have my best friend do my hardware. Sadly, he passed away in 2012...unexpectedly and much too young! He was just shy of his 41st birthday by a month. I still miss him. I now bring my computer to the shop he started using. I've very happy with their service and quality of workmanship. And they seem to be very busy all the time. CTS Computers in Raynham, MA. I recently asked the owner to spec out a new computer for me. Sadly, it's way out of my range right now, as I expected.

Dana

 

[Terre]

Good afternoon.

 

[DanaTA]

Well, it wasn't a terrible afternoon, but it went by fast. Good evening.

Dana

 

[Terre]

Windy evening here.

 

[Mythocentric]

Mornings all!

Spent most of today recovering from one of those winter nasties so when I did crawl out of bed I discovered:

1 Yes! It rained! (Surprise!)
2 North-easterly wind all day! (B****y cold!)
3 Lucy had her mates 'round this afternoon and I slept right through it (Oh Heaven!)
4 Emma (Lucy's mom) 'borrowed' £50 to go shopping after she took the girls home (Not so Heavenly!)
5 The little horrors have eaten my secret stash of Bramley Apple Pies! (Engage Luigi Death Stare!!!!!!!)

THINKS: **************************************************************** END OF THINKS!

 

[Miss B]

Well, after several says of subfreezing weather, the temps are going to be in the 40s through the weekend to the start of next week, and possibly even hit 50º. That will definitely be a welcome change.

 

[DanaTA]

Well, after several says of subfreezing weather, the temps are going to be in the 40s through the weekend to the start of next week, and possibly even hit 50º. That will definitely be a welcome change.

That sounds very much like where I am. Storm Saturday night/Sunday morning? It will start as snow and end with rain...again. Hoping this time the rain will wipe out the snow. Then it turns 50 on Monday! Where are you? I'm in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Dana

 

[DanaTA]

Here in the states, we lose an hour of play this weekend! Boo! They should lock it in there and never change again. There's really no need for it anymore, if there ever really was. And research shows that it actually hurts most of society more than helps. More accidents and heart attacks during the following two weeks than normal for the rest of the year.

Dana