Poser4 Poser 4 User Guide
User Manual: user guide pdf -FilePursuit
Open the PDF directly: View PDF 
.
Page Count: 380
| Download | |
| Open PDF In Browser | View PDF |
User Guide for Macintosh® and Windows® Trademarks Program copyright 1991-99 Ghost Effects, Inc. All rights reserved. Interface copyright 1994-99 MetaCreations Corporation. All rights reserved. MetaCreations Poser is a trademark of MetaCreations Corporation. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. “Macintosh” is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Incorporated. “Windows” is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. “Pentium” is a registered trademark and “i486” is a trademark of Intel Corporation. ImageStream is a trademark and ImageStream Graphics Filters is a registered trademark of INSO Corporation. All other product names mentioned in the manual and other documentation are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Registered and unregistered trademarks used herein are the exclusive property of their respective owners. MetaCreations Corp. makes no claim to any such marks, nor willingly or knowingly misused or misapplied such marks. Copyright This manual, as well as the software described in it is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of such license. Program ©1999 MetaCreations Corporation, including the look and feel of the product. MetaCreations Poser User Guide ©1999 MetaCreations Corporation. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of MetaCreations Corporation. Notice Before using this software or reading this user guide, make sure you have read, understood and agreed to the license contained in the back of the Poser User Guide. Credits Poser was originally created by Larry Weinberg. MetaCreations Poser was created by Larry Weinberg, Seath Ahrens, Jianhua Shen, Sree Kotay. Original interface design by Phil Clevenger. New interface design by Kyle Maxwell. Quality Assurance testing by Dan Huver, Lorna Brown, Brian Romero, Steve Yatson, and Jim Brown. Quality Assurance Management by Michael Cinque Thanks to Technical Support lead Todd Burlingame. Product management by Steve Cooper. The User Guide was written by Carol Franger and Linda Stevens; Tutorial by Ian Grey and Erick Vera; edited by Laura Turnidge and Valarie Sanford; managed by Erick Vera; production by Landis Gwynn. Art direction by Brian Moose; cover illustration by Heather Dunnigan; manual and comic book illustrated by Nathan Harris; illustration assistance by Melinda Kniffen; layout design by Tish Loosley. Collateral materials designed by Tish Loosley and Heather Dunnigan; production management by Rich O’Rielly. Poser models by Zygote Media Group Inc. and Keith Hunter, Hunyes Publishing. Poser walk animations and gestures by Chris Derochie. Special thanks to the Poser Web Community and the Poser Forum members for their contributions and support. Contents CH0 Welcome to Poser 4 Document Display Style Controls 22 Editing Tools 23 Conforming Figures and Clothing 12 The Libraries Palette 23 Bendable Props 12 Animation Controls 24 New Lighting Features 12 The Menu Bar 24 Deformers 12 Morph Targets 12 Hierarchy Editor 12 Sketch Designer 13 Grouping Tool 13 Copying and Pasting 13 New Document Display Styles 13 When You Have Questions 13 About Your User Guide 14 Technical Support 14 Web Support What’s New in Poser 4? 12 Poser 4 Basics Setting Up Poser 25 Macintosh Setup 25 Setting Application Preferences 26 Setting Up Your Workspace 27 UI Memory Dots 28 Workspace Backgrounds 28 Setting Up the Document Window 28 14 Placing Figures and Elements in the Studio 32 Phone Support 14 Using the Libraries Palette 32 Installing Poser 15 Deleting Objects from a Scene 35 Working in the Document Window 36 Viewing Your Figure 36 Previewing Your Figure 37 Figure Properties 41 Element Properties 42 System Requirements (Macintosh) 15 System Requirements (Windows) 15 CH1 CH2 Macintosh Installation 15 Windows Installation 16 Poser 4 Overview How Poser Works 19 Using the Editing Tools 42 The Poser Workspace 20 Selecting Body Parts 43 The Document Window 20 Camera Controls 21 Pasting Figures onto the Background 43 Light Controls 22 Hiding Figures 44 CH3 Displaying Guides 44 Undoing Operations 46 Restoring Default Settings 46 Changing Defaults 46 Printing 47 Importing and Exporting 47 Saving and Closing 48 51 The Basics 52 Lesson 1: Setting Up a Default Workspace 52 Lesson 2: Working with Cameras 55 Lesson 3: Tracking Modes 60 Lesson 4: Document Display Styles 60 Working with Lights 64 Lesson 1: Using the Light Control 64 87 Lesson 2: Making the Clown Walk 91 Lesson 3: The Walk Designer 96 Lesson 4: Keyframe Editing 100 Lesson 5: Adding the Final Touch 105 Tutorial Welcome Lesson 1: Creating a Clown from Scratch CH4 Lesson 6: Setting Animated Cameras and Test Rendering 106 Lesson 7: Final Render 108 Posing How Posing Works 109 Posing and Camera Views 110 Posing and the Library 110 Translation 110 Inverse Kinematics 111 Understanding IK 111 Turning IK On or Off 112 Limiting Motion 113 Posing Body Parts 113 Selecting Parts 113 Posing a Figure 113 Using the Editing Tools 114 Rotate Tool 115 Twist Tool 118 Using Poser’s Tools 67 Lesson 1: The Parameter Dials 67 Lesson 2: The Rotate Tool 68 Lesson 3: The Twist Tool 70 Lesson 4: The Translate and Chain Break Tools 72 Posing 76 Lesson 1: Creating Poses 76 Lesson 2: Adding Poses to the Pose Library Translate/Pull Tool 119 81 Translate In/Out Tool 120 Lesson 3: Posing Faces 82 Chain Break Tool 120 Rendering 84 Using the Parameter Dials 121 Advanced Tutorials 87 Default Parameter Dial Settings 122 Character Creation and Animation Posing Parameters 122 87 Posing Parameters for the Body 123 Contents Symmetry 124 Symmetry 141 Drop to Floor 125 Scaling the Body as a Whole 142 Copying and Pasting 125 Using Parameter Dials 142 Element Properties 126 Copying and Pasting 143 Posing Hands 127 Using the Deformer Tools 143 Using the Hand Model 128 The Magnet Deformer 144 Using Preset Hands 129 The Wave Deformer 149 Posing Faces 129 Using Morph Targets 152 Using the Parameter Dials 130 Posing Eyes 131 Using Morph Targets to Add Ethnicity 153 Faces and Phonemes 132 Using the Superhero Morph Target 154 Using Preset Faces 133 Creating Custom Morph Targets 154 Posing Animals 133 Using the Grouping Tool 157 Posing Animal Heads 133 Using the Group Edit Palette 158 Pointing Body Parts 134 Locking Objects 134 Locking Figures and Body Parts 159 Auto Balance and Posing 134 Saving Poses 135 Saving Figures to the Libraries Palette 160 Saving Poses in the Libraries Palette 135 Using the Pose Memory Dots 136 Using Poses from the Libraries Palette 136 CH5 Body Shaping General Characteristics 138 Selecting Figures from the Library 138 Figure Height 139 Using the Color Tool 139 Shaping Individual Body Parts 140 Using the Shaping Tools 140 Using the Parameter Dials 141 CH6 Props How Props Work 161 Using Hair 163 Working with Clothing 164 Using Clothing without a Figure 166 Adding and Importing Props 166 Using Props from the Library 166 Importing Props 166 Deleting Props 168 Working with Props 168 Deforming Props 168 Creating Props 168 Creating New Prop Parameters 169 Poser 4 CH7 The Prop Origin 169 DollyY 185 Prop Properties 170 DollyZ 185 Setting Prop Parents 171 Camera Options 185 Replacing a Body Part with a Prop 173 Pointing Cameras 186 Adding Props to the Library Locking Camera Positions 186 Saving Camera Positions 186 175 Cameras Saving Camera Sets to the Library 186 How Cameras Work 177 The Main and Posing Cameras 179 The Auxiliary Camera 179 The Hand and Face Cameras 179 How Lights Work 189 The Dolly Camera 179 Infinite Lights 190 The Orthogonal Cameras 179 Spotlights 191 Flyaround View 180 Light Properties 191 Selecting a Camera 180 Adding Lights 193 The Camera Selection Control 180 Aiming Lights 193 Changing the Studio View 181 Using the Light Control 194 Positioning Cameras 181 Using Light Indicators 195 Using Camera Parameter Dials Aiming with Parameter Dials 197 183 Pointing a Light at an Object 199 Focal Length 183 Lighting Color 199 xOrbit 184 Setting a Light’s Color 199 yOrbit 184 Setting Light Intensity 200 zOrbit 184 Yaw 184 Setting Spotlight Characteristics 200 Pitch 184 Using Shadows 201 Roll 184 Shadow Parameter Dials 202 Scale 184 Setting a Parent 202 xScale 184 Saving Light Sets 203 yScale 185 zScale 185 DollyX 185 Contents Using the Camera Memory Dots CH8 187 Lights CH9 Animating Figures CH10 Animation Techniques How Animation Works 206 Setting Keyframes 231 Animation Tools 206 Creating Realistic Motion 232 What You Can Animate 206 Making Your Figure Walk 233 Animating Figures 206 Creating a Walk Path 233 Animating Hands 207 Designing a Walk 234 Animating Faces 207 Editing a Walk 235 Animating Props 208 Saving a Walk 235 Animating Deformers 208 Loading a Walk 236 Creating Animations 209 Applying a Walk 236 Setting Up Your Animation 210 Animating Cameras 237 Working with the Timeline 211 Recording Keyframes 212 Turning Camera Animation On or Off 239 Adding and Deleting Keyframes 213 Animating Lights 239 Editing Animations 213 Adding Sound 240 Editing Animation Setup 214 Editing Sound 240 Viewing the Elements List 215 Syncing Sound and Motion 240 Using Poser with Other Motion Graphics Programs 241 Motion Capture and Animations 241 Editing Keyframes on the Timeline 217 Retime Keyframes 223 Advanced Editing 224 Keyframe Interpolation 224 Editing Keyframe Interpolation 225 Previewing Animations 228 Setting the Play Range 229 Using the Libraries Palette for Animations 229 Adding an Animation to the Library 230 Using a Multi-Frame Animation from the Library 230 CH11 Surface Materials How Surface Materials Work 243 Applying Surface Materials 244 Applying Materials to Body Parts 245 Applying Bump Maps 247 Creating a Custom Bump Map 247 Applying Texture Maps 249 Creating a Custom Texture Map 250 Applying Transparency Maps 252 Creating a Custom Transparency Map 252 Poser 4 Applying Reflection Maps 253 Morph Target 275 Reflective Color 254 Lesson 3: Using the Target in Poser 277 Figure Joints and Blend Zones 278 Editing Joint Parameters 279 Using the Joint Parameters Palette 280 Interactively Editing Joint Parameters 280 Joint Attributes 282 Spherical Falloff Zones 287 Creating a Custom Reflection Map 254 Setting Colors 255 Object Color 255 Highlight Color 256 Ambient Color 257 CH12 Rendering How Rendering Works 259 Setting Up a Render 260 Setting Render Destination 261 Setting Image Size 261 Choosing a Rendering Background 262 Setting Surface Detail 262 Rendering an Image 263 Using the Render Command 263 Antialias Rendering 263 Rendering an Animation 264 Using the Make Movie Dialog 264 Using the Sketch Designer 265 The Sketch Designer Window 266 Rendering a Sketch 269 CH13 Advanced Body Shaping Creating Custom Morph Targets 272 Setting up Morph Targets 272 Morph Target Tutorial 273 Lesson 1: Setting Up 273 Lesson 2: Creating the Contents CH14 Hierarchies How Hierarchies Work 289 Using the Hierarchy Editor 290 Controlling what is Displayed 291 Collapsing the Hierarchy Editor 291 Selecting Objects 292 Deleting Objects 292 Renaming Objects 293 Reordering Objects 293 Displaying Object Properties 294 Changing Object Visibility 294 Establishing Hierarchical Relationships 295 Creating Multi-Figure Hierarchies 298 Applying the Standard Hierarchy 299 Applying Standard Rotation Order 299 Setting Inverse Kinematics 299 CH15 Creating Custom Figures Adding Morph Targets 314 Modifying Existing Figures 302 Naming Body Parts 314 Combining Multiple Figures 303 Tutorial: Creating a Figure in Ray Dream Studio 315 Combining Props 303 Creating Figures using other Software 304 Deciding how to Start 304 Understanding the Process 305 Using Poser with Ray Dream Studio 5 323 Determining Model Format 305 Using Poser with Painter 3D 326 Grouping Body Parts 305 Using Poser with Bryce 3D 328 Naming Groups 306 Arranging Groups on a Model 307 Using Poser on the World Wide Web 331 Internet Connection 331 CH16 Using Poser 4 with Other Applications Looking inside the Poser Hierarchy File 308 Using a Browser 331 Converting Hierarchy Files 312 Accessing the Web 332 Verifying Hierarchy Files 312 Using Poser with MetaStream 333 Adjusting Joint Parameters 312 Using Poser with Canoma Setting Limits 313 Setting Favored IK Angles 313 Memorizing Default Positions 314 Setting Surface Materials 314 333 AppA Troubleshooting AppB Glossary Poser 4 Contents Welcome to Poser 4 Poser is an easy-to-use figure design and animation tool. With Poser you’ll produce lifelike 3D illustrations and animations of human and animal figures in action—dancing, scaling a cliff, meditating, even walking. Poser is great for anyone who wants to add realistic human and animal figures to an art project. It’s a welcome companion to your favorite graphics, illustration, 3D, animation, and multimedia applications. What’s New in Poser 4? If you’re a Poser 3 user, the following information will bring you up to date with the new features in Poser 4. Conforming Figures and Clothing One of the most requested features for Poser is the ability to change clothes on the Poser figures. Poser now includes wardrobes of custom clothing in the Libraries palette. Custom clothing behaves the same as Poser figures; each article includes parameters for the corresponding body parts.You can conform clothing to a figure so that it moves as the figure moves. Refer to “Working with Clothing” on page 164 for complete information on clothing. Bendable Props When you attach a prop to a body part, you can configure it to bend as the body part bends. This feature is helpful for naturally bendable objects, such as a rollerblader’s elbow pads. For details, refer to “Setting Prop Parents” on page 171. New Lighting Features Poser’s lighting controls are completely redesigned. Now you have the choice of using traditional infinite lighting or spotlights that you can move around the studio.You can add an unlimited number of lights, as well as We l c o m e t o P o s e r 4 delete them, to fit your needs. The new light control also includes an intensity control. All the new lighting features are discussed in “Lights” on page 189. Poser now supports spherical reflection maps and transparency maps. For details, refer to “Surface Materials” on page 243. Deformers Poser now includes two deforming tools. The Magnet deformer allows you to stretch and pull body parts and props. The Wave deformer lets you add ripples to objects such as clothing, ground planes, and props. Deformers can be animated and used to create morph targets. These tools are discussed in detail in “Using the Deformer Tools” on page 143. Morph Targets You can now access a library of figures and props with built-in morph targets. Poser includes targets for single body parts as well as a full figure morph.You can also use the deformers and Parameter Dials to create your own morph targets. The possible applications for morph targets are infinite. Learn all about morph targets in “Using Morph Targets” on page 152. Hierarchy Editor With Poser’s new Hierarchy Editor, you now have complete control over the figures, props, cameras, and lights in your scene. The Hierarchy Editor provides an easy way to select, delete, and rename objects. It’s never been easier to turn visibility on or off for figures, body parts, props, or lights. With the Hierarchy Editor, you can adjust parent-child relationships and create IK chains. For the truly ambitious, the Hierarchy Editor is an exciting route to creating brand new Poser figures. Refer to “Hierarchies” on page 289 for complete information. Sketch Designer Rendering possibilities are greatly expanded with the new Sketch Designer, which lets you create and refine hand-drawn quality portraits of your scenes. Drawings are rendered with a series of brush strokes that define the background, edges, and actual elements. Many drawing options are available, so you can tailor the strokes to your liking. For details, refer to “Using the Sketch Designer” on page 265. New Document Display Styles You can choose from 12 interactive display styles in the Document Display Style palette. New styles include flat shaded with mesh, smooth shaded with mesh, and cartoon style without lines. Refer to “Previewing Your Figure” on page 37 for explanations of all 12 display styles. When You Have Questions You can find answers to most of your questions in the following sources: • Status line tips - As you move the cursor over most UI elements, descriptions appear at the top of their palette or window. • Poser 4 User Guide - Provides all the information you need to get the most out of Poser. The Poser CD includes a PDF version of the User Guide. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read the PDF file format. Adobe Acrobat Reader software is available on the Poser CD or downloadable for free from www.adobe.com. • Web links - You can launch your web browser and access MetaCreations and Poser-related web sites directly from Poser. To do this, choose Help menu> Web Links> choose a link. Grouping Tool The new grouping tool is a powerful feature for assigning materials and generating new props and objects. It also complements the deformer tools and morph targets: you can specify sections of a body part or prop for deforming and morphing. Refer to “Using the Grouping Tool” on page 157 for complete information. Copying and Pasting Cut, Copy, and Paste commands are now included in the Edit menu, so you can easily copy poses, body shaping, and animations to other figures, body parts, and props. This new functionality is explained in detail in “Copying and Pasting” on page 143. Poser 4 About Your User Guide The Poser 4 User Guide is for both Macintosh and Windows. By convention, Macintosh commands precede Windows commands in the text. For example, Command/Ctrl+I, is equivalent to the Macintosh Command-I and the Windows Ctrl+I. For simplicity, the term “folder” refers to directories as well as folders. The Poser interface for Macintosh and Windows platforms is identical, unless otherwise specified. When a modifier key differs between the Macintosh and Windows platform, the Macintosh modifier is listed first followed by a slash and the Windows modifier key. Option/ Alt means Macintosh users press the Option key and Windows users press Alt. There are several conventions used to identify paths to certain tools and controls. The convention to a menu follows the rule of the menu name> menu item. The convention to a palette follows the rule of the palette name: subpalette name. The convention to a palette menu follows the rule of palette name: palette menu> menu item. Technical Support Online technical support is free to registered users of Poser. There are two easy ways to contact technical support for questions about installation, configuration, or functionality. These options are: Web support and phone support. You’ll find the answers to most of your questions in this User Guide. If you need further assistance, you can contact MetaCreations’ Technical Support in the following ways: Web Support Many of the answers to your questions are available 24 hours a day on our Web site: http://www.metacreations.com/support In addition to frequently asked questions (FAQs), the Web site provides troubleshooting techniques, late breaking product news, and other resources to help you get the most out of Poser. Phone Support Free phone support is available for a limited duration after your first call. The length of time varies based on the product and whether it is an upgrade or a first-time purchase. MetaCreations also provides additional paid support options. Details about phone support can be found in the Technical Support insert included with your product. Phone support hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, excluding holidays. For Standard Support, call (831) 430-4000. Please have your serial number handy and be at the computer where you need assistance. For international support, please contact your local distributor. To locate the distributor nearest to you, check the Web site at: http://www.metacreations.com/support/intl We l c o m e t o P o s e r 4 Installing Poser Macintosh Installation This section provides installation instructions for both Macintosh and Windows. Follow the instructions appropriate to your system. When you install Poser on a Macintosh, create a custom extension set for the installation.You can save your current extension set, so that you can go back to it after installation. Note Poser is intended for local installation only. Do not attempt to install it onto a network server. System Requirements (Macintosh) • Power PC and compatible models • System 8.0 or higher • 32 MB application RAM (64+ MB recommended) • 240 MB available hard disk space • 16-bit color (24-bit recommended) • CD-ROM drive System Requirements (Windows) To create a custom extension set: 1 2 3 Select Apple menu> Control Panels. 4 5 Deselect everything. 6 Check the Apple CD-ROM, Quicktime, and Quicktime Powerplug extensions. 7 Restart. Double click the Extension manager. Save your current extension set by selecting duplicate set; give it a new name. After installation, you can go back to this set. Expand the Extensions folder by clicking the arrow to the left of it. To enable extensions: 1 2 3 4 5 Double-click to open the hard drive. Double-click to open the System Folder. • IBM® PC compatible • Pentium processor • Microsoft® Windows® 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT version 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later • 32 MB available system RAM (64+ MB recommended) To install Poser 4 on a Macintosh: • 240 MB available hard disk space 1 • Color display (true color recommended) • CD-ROM drive Open Control Panels. Double-click the Extension Manager. Check all to enable all extensions or choose your own custom set. Choose Apple menu> Control Panels> Extensions Manager. Poser 4 2 3 To save your current extensions setting, click Duplicate Set, and enter a name in the dialog that appears. This will be the set of extensions you use for the installation. Tip Increase the RAM available to Poser by allocating any unused RAM to it. This allows Poser to run faster and handle larger In the new set, expand the Extensions folders and deselect all extensions except those for: files and renderings. However, • CD-ROM or DVD-ROM software must dynamically • Quicktime allocate RAM to itself when • Quicktime Powerplug required. Note If you are not using standard Apple drives, your drives may require additional extensions to run properly. If so, turn be sure to leave some RAM for the system software. System Windows Installation Before you install on Windows, you must end any background tasks except for Systray and Explorer. those extensions on. To end background tasks in Windows: 4 5 6 Insert the Poser 4 CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive. The Install Poser dialog appears. 1 Type Ctrl-Alt-Delete.The Close Program dialog appears. Double-click the Poser icon. 2 Click End Task for all items except Systray and Explorer. Follow the instructions provided by the installer. This must be done one item at a time; repeat these steps to end each task that is open. The installation dialog displays an important ReadMe. 7 Click Accept after reading the complete ReadMe. To install Poser 4 on Windows: 1 Insert the Poser 4 CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive. The Install Poser dialog appears. 2 3 Double-click the Poser icon. Follow the instructions provided by the installer. The installation dialog displays an important ReadMe. We l c o m e t o P o s e r 4 4 Click Yes after reading the complete ReadMe. Poser installs into C:/Programs/ MetaCreations/Poser. If you change the drive where you want to install Poser, be sure to include a folder. For example, if you install on the D: drive, your path could be D:/Poser. Poser 4 We l c o m e t o P o s e r 4 1 Poser 4 Overview How Poser Works Poser is the easiest and most effective tool you can use to pose and animate figures. It is the perfect complement to any 3D illustration or character animation tool. With Poser you can: • Choose a figure from a large number of prebuilt models included in the Poser Libraries • Pose the figure using the posing tools • Add colors and textures to your figures to create realistic or fantastic looks • Set up poses to use as keyframes for an animation • Render figures as still images or animations The Poser Workspace The Document Window This section leads you through the Poser Workspace. Whether you are a previous Poser user or new to Poser, this section familiarizes you with the new Workspace. You’ll notice that Poser doesn’t use traditional floating palettes and toolbars. Most of Poser’s features are integrated into the Workspace, which fills your entire screen. This keeps the space uncluttered and makes tools easy to locate. The Document window is where you view and pose your figure. It acts like a photographer’s studio; you can move lights and shift between cameras to get a different perspective on your figure. The view of your figure in the Document window is taken through a camera. Since you’re in a three dimensional space, you can use this camera to view your figure from any angle, including above and below. The new Workspace is incredibly flexible. Feature controls float over the top of the Workspace.You can move controls to any location and save their positions for later use. You can also change the color of the Workspace and add stylistic elements to its background. For more information on setting up the Workspace, refer to “Setting Up Poser” on page 25. The Document window displays the current view of your figure. The Poser Workspace fills the screen and provides access to all of Poser’s controls. Poser 4 Overview You can resize the Document window to best suit your needs. In addition, several controls around the window let you change the appearance of elements within the window, such as the ground plane and the background. The Ground Plane The Ground plane represents the floor of the posing studio. This plane helps you orient the figure in 3D space. It also helps you orient your view of the figure. As you move the camera, the ground plane tilts or rotates to indicate the new orientation. Use the Camera Controls to set the view of your scene. The View controls let you move between a number of preset views. By clicking or dragging this control, you can access all the available views in Poser. Use the Ground Plane to orient your figure in 3D space. Camera Controls The Camera Controls set the view of your figure in the Document window. There are two types of Camera Controls: the View controls and the Positioning controls. The View controls let you quickly move the camera to a preset position. The Positioning controls let you move the camera interactively. There are two sets of positioning controls: the Camera Plane controls and the Rotation Trackball. The Poser 4 Camera Plane controls let you move the camera along specific planes. For example, you can move the camera in only a vertical or horizontal direction. Light Controls The Light Controls let you define preset positions for the lights in your virtual studio. With these controls you can change light color or illuminate your figure from various angles. The Camera Plane controls let you move the camera along a plane in 3D space. Tool titles indicate which two axes the camera is moving in. The Rotation Trackball control lets you tilt and spin a camera around the studio. With this control you can move the camera to almost any position while still keeping the figure in the center of your field of view. Use the Light Controls to set up the lighting for your figure. Document Display Style Controls The Document Display Style controls let you set the preview quality of the figure in the Document window. The Document Display Style controls let you set how your figure is displayed in the Document window. The Rotation Trackball lets you move a camera around the Document window. Note The Rotation trackball does not affect the orthogonal cameras. Poser 4 Overview There are several preview styles available. Different styles work best for different operations. For example, at times you may want to view the entire mesh of a figure (Wireframe), at other times you may prefer a realistic look (Smooth Shaded). Editing Tools The Editing Tools let you adjust the position of the figure’s body parts to create specific poses. Each tool moves the figure in a different way. Using a combination of controls, you can create an infinite number of poses. If all the Parameter Dials do not fit in the window, use the scroll bar to slide through the list. The Libraries Palette The Libraries palette contains all the figures and props available in Poser, as well as custom poses and light and camera settings. From this palette, you can access sub-categories and preview each figure or prop. The Editing Tools let you set the position of your figure’s body parts. The Parameter Dials The Parameter Dials let you pose figures more precisely than the Editing Tools by adjusting the values of specific parameters. The Libraries palette contains all the figures and props available in Poser. Use the Libraries palette to add or replace figures or props in the Document window. The Parameter Dials let you precisely pose your figure using numerical values. Poser 4 Animation Controls The Animation controls let you quickly set up animation keyframes.You can set up a pose as a keyframe, change to a new keyframe, change the pose, then set another keyframe. When you play the animation, the figure appears to move from one pose to the other. The Animation controls let you quickly set up keyframes for your animation. With the Animation controls, you can move quickly through keyframes, and add or delete them as needed. Animation Palette The Animation palette displays the animation timeline and lists all the keyframes that you have created for the figure. Use the palette to fine tune an animation. The Animation palette lets you refine and edit your animations. The Menu Bar Although the Poser Workspace fills the entire screen, you can still access several features through the Menu Bar.You can also switch between Poser and other applications. On the Macintosh, the Menu Bar appears when you move the cursor over the top of the Workspace. Poser 4 Overview 2 Poser 4 Basics This chapter describes how to set up Poser 4 and describes some basic techniques for posing figures. Setting Up Poser Poser is a color application. For the best preview display, set your display to the highest color depth possible. To do this, use the Macintosh Monitors control panel, the Windows Setup options, or your video adapter control panel. Macintosh Setup By default, the Macintosh version of Poser is allocated a specific amount RAM appropriate for most systems. If you have more memory available, increase Poser’s memory allocation to improve application performance. To check the application’s memory allocation, choose the Apple Menu> About this Macintosh in the Finder. To increase Poser’s memory allocation: Setting Application Preferences Poser’s preferences dialog lets you control how the application appears when it opens. 1 2 Make sure Poser is not running. To set application preferences: From the Finder, click the Poser program icon. • 3 Choose File menu> Get Info. The Poser Information dialog appears. 4 For System 8.5 or higher, choose Memory from the Show popup Choose Edit menu> General Preferences. The General Preferences dialog appears. Use the General Preferences dialog to set the interface’s appearance and the application’s launch state. Document Preference Use the Get Info dialog to allocate memory to Poser on the Macintosh 5 In the Memory Requirements section, increase the Preferred Size to a level appropriate for your system. The Document Preference controls how the document appears when you start Poser or create a new document.You can make the document appear as it did when you last closed it, or in its default state. For Poser to operate well with fully articulated Poser people figures, it must have at least 32 MB of RAM. However, do not use all the available memory on your computer; leave one megabyte or more for the system. For example, if you want to always start Poser with the Casual Woman and the ground plane on, you can load the woman, turn on the Ground Plane, and set this as the preferred state. If you don’t have enough RAM, you can turn on virtual memory, which uses some disk space with a cost of slower performance. Poser 4 Basics To set the Preferred State: 1 In the Poser workspace, move the palettes and controls to the positions you prefer. 2 Choose Edit menu> General Preferences. The General Preference dialog appears. Setting Up Your Workspace 3 Click the Set Preferred State button. Your Workspace reflects the layout of the controls and Document window.You can customize most controls within the Workspace can be customized to suit the way you work; place controls anywhere in the Workspace and store those changes for later use. To set the Factory state: 1 Enable the Launch to Factory State button. 2 Click OK Interface Preference Note As you move the cursor over the controls, text describing the Workspace elements appear The Interface Preference controls how the interface appears when you open Poser without using an existing document. To re-position an element in the Workspace: To set interface preferences: • • If you want the application to appear as it did when you closed it, enable the Use to Previous State radio button. • If you want the application to launch in its default state, enable the Use to Factory State radio button Click the element’s title and drag it to a new position. You can drag any of the controls, such as the Camera, Light, Display Style, and Parameter Dial controls. To re-position the Document window: • To close the General Preferences dialog, click OK. Click the text label above the Document window and drag it to a new location. To “window shade” a control so only its title appears: • Double-click the title bar. Poser 4 UI Memory Dots Workspace Backgrounds The nine UI dots in the bottom-right corner of the Workspace store Workspace layouts, Poses, and Camera positions. The Poser Workspace background includes several stylistic elements.You can change, move, or hide the figure, and you can change the Workspace background color. Full Memory Dot To change the Workspace background figure: Empty Memory Dot • Use the Memory dots to save Workspace layouts, Poses, and Camera positions. Note You cannot use Poser 3 UI preferences in Poser 4 To save a Workspace layout: 1 Click the arrow icon next to the memory dot element title and choose UI Dots from the menu that appears. 2 Arrange the Workspace controls to their optimal positions. 3 Click an empty UI Dot. The Workspace layout is stored in that memory dot. Option/Alt-click the background figure. Continue clicking until an image you like appears (one option is no figure). To reposition the background image: • Drag the figure to a new position. To change the Workspace background color: 1 2 Click the Color tool. Click on the background and choose a color from the Color picker. To restore the default Workspace background color: To retrieve a Workspace layout: • 1 Make sure the memory Dot element title is selected. 2 Click on a full memory dot.The interface elements are re-arranged to conform to the stored layout. Setting Up the Document Window To delete a saved Workspace layout: • Option/Alt-click a full memory dot. The layout information is deleted from the memory dot. Poser 4 Basics Option/Alt-click the background. The Document window provides a view of the studio where you pose and view your figure. There are several parameters that allow you to change the window appearance to suit the way you work. To interactively set the Document window size: Document Window Color • To improve your view of the figure, you can set the background, foreground, shadow, and ground colors of the document window. Drag the size control circle until the window is the desired size. The Color controls are located in the bottomright corner of the window. Foreground Color Background Color Shadow Color Ground Color Drag the size control to resize the Document window. To numerically set the Document window size: 1 2 3 Double-click the window dimensions at the top-right corner of the Document window, or choose Window menu> Document Window Size. The Set Window Size dialog appears. To set the Document window colors: 1 Click the appropriate color button on the bottom-right corner of the Document window. 2 Drag the dropper icon over the color picker that appears. Release the mouse button when you select the desired color. Enter Width and Height values. Click OK. To move the Document window: • Use the Color controls to set the color of Document window elements. Tip To access the standard Macintosh or Windows color picker, Command/Ctrl-click the color button. Drag the Document window’s title to a new position. Poser 4 Depth Cueing Figure Tracking Depth Cueing adds dimension to objects in the Document window. Elements that are farther away fade into the distance. Tracking is a performance enhancing feature that changes the display of an object as you reposition its parts. For example, if you use Fast Tracking, a figure’s body parts display as boxes when you’re moving them, then revert to their display style when they stop moving, An example of Depth Cueing with a figure in Wireframe display style. An example of Fast Tracking using a figure in Flat Shaded display style. To enable or disable Depth Cueing: You can use the following types of tracking in the Document window: • Click the Depth Cueing button on the bottom-left corner of the Document window. Enabled Disabled The Depth Cueing button. Poser 4 Basics • Box Tracking displays figures and objects as boxes at all times. Box Tracking is the fastest way to render objects. • Fast Tracking displays figures and objects as boxes only when they are being dragged or animating. • Full Tracking uses the display style at all times. With Full Tracking, large or complex objects render more slowly. To enable a tracking mode: To choose a paper texture: • • Click one of the tracking option buttons on the top-right corner of the Document window. Choose Display menu> Paper Texture> desired texture. To clear a paper texture: Box Tracking Fast Tracking Full Tracking The Figure Tracking option buttons. Paper Textures You can enhance the view of the Document window by changing the Paper Texture.There are several texture options available—such as Paper,Weave, and Grid—to help you precisely position your figure. • Choose Display menu> Paper Texture> None. Drop Shadows Figures in the studio cast drop shadows directly on the ground plane. Shadows can help you orient a figure in 3D space.You can turn shadows off to save on redraw time. To turn drop shadows on or off: • Click the Display Shadows button on the right side of the Document window. On Off The Display Shadows option button. Note Drop shadows are not actually shadows cast by a light; they always appear directly beneath an object on the ground floor. Shadows cast by lights appear only when a scene is rendered. Refer to “Rendering” on A figure with a grid line texture applied to the background. page 259 for details. Poser 4 Placing Figures and Elements in the Studio Subcategory popup The main working area of the Poser Workspace is the studio in the Document window. The figure that appears in the studio is determined by the model you load from the Figures category of the Libraries palette, or from a document or import. The Libraries palette is the main tool you’ll use to load figures and props. Previews Using the Libraries Palette Categories The Libraries palette provides access to all the preset figures, props, light sets, and camera sets available in Poser. The content of the libraries palette is divided into eight categories. Each category includes sub-categories. For example, the Figures category includes the subcategories People, Animals, Poser2 figures, etc. Each sub-category contains figures to choose from. Note The Libraries palette divides the available content into categories. Each category palette provides previews. Once you load a figure into your studio from the library, you can customize it and save it back to the library for future use. Some figures are more posable than others. The People subcategory of the Figures category give you more control over hands and faces. Poser 2 figures have less control. To display the Libraries palette: • Click the handle on the right side of the screen. or Choose Windows menu> Libraries. Poser 4 Basics To resize the Libraries palette: To change or add an item to the studio: • 1 Click the category of content (such as Figures or Props) you want to use. 2 Choose a sub-category from the popup. Drag the palette’s handles up or down. Release the mouse when the palette is the desired height. Loading from the Libraries Palette Loading content is a matter of selecting a category, a sub-category, and then a specific item. The Libraries palette makes these selections easy. It displays categories using descriptive button icons and provides previews of each item. If you select a figure, pose, or body part, it will replace the current figure content in the studio. If you select a prop, it will be added to the scene. 3 Click a preview in the main body of the palette. If the figure you want is not displayed, use the scroll bar to view additional previews. 4 Click the Change Figure icon at the bottom of the palette. To choose a category: 1 Click a category button. If all the icons are not visible, move your cursor over the small dots next to the category icon, or click on the current category. The Change Figure icon. The Create New Figure icon is only available in the figures category, so that you can add additional figures to the studio. To add an additional figure to the studio: Move your cursor over the small dots next to a category icon to cycle through all the available categories. 2 When the desired category icon appears, click the mouse button. To choose a sub-category: • 1 Click the content category you want to use. 2 3 Choose a sub-category from the popup. 4 Click the Create New Figure icon at the bottom of the palette. Click the preview of the figure you want to add to the studio. Click the arrow icon below the category icon and choose an item from the popup. The content within the selected category appears in the main body of the palette. The Create New Figure icon. Poser 4 Saving to the Libraries Palette 4 In the Libraries palette, you can create your own set of customized figures and poses, which you can easily retrieved and use in other illustrations.You can save custom camera and light configurations, poses, and figures to the library. For the Poses, Faces, Props, Lights, and Cameras categories, you can specify parts of the scene to include or not include. To do this, click the Select Subset button. In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, deselect any items in the scene that you don’t want to include, then click OK. When you save an item to the Libraries palette, you create a new set within the currently selected sub-category. You can either save an item to an existing subcategory, or create a new sub-category for your item. To create a new sub-category: 1 Click the category of content where you want to add a new sub-category. 2 Click the sub-category popup and choose Add category. The New Library dialog appears. 3 Enter a name for your new sub-category and click OK. Your new sub-category appears at the end of the menu. To save an item to a library: 1 Click the content category you want to save to. For example, if you want to save a pose, click the Poses category. 2 3 Choose a sub-category from the popup. Click the Add to Library (+) icon at the bottom of the palette. A dialog appears. Poser 4 Basics The Hierarchy Selection list. 5 Enter a name for your library item and click OK. 6 A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. Note This command permanently deletes items from the library; make sure you really want to delete the item before accepting the message in the warning dialog. You can save a still or the entire animation. Deleting Objects from a Scene • If you select the Single frame option, the current pose is saved, or if you have an animation set up, only the current frame is saved. At some point you may wish to delete one or more of the figures and props you have added to the studio. • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to save. To delete a figure or prop from the studio: Select either Single frame or Multi-frame animation and click OK. The item is added to the selected category. 1 Select the figure or prop you want to delete from the Current Figure or Current Element popup. 2 Press Delete. To delete an item from the library: 1 2 Select the preview of the item you want to delete. Click the Delete from Library (-) icon at the bottom of the palette. Note You cannot undo this delete command. You can also delete items using the Hierarchy Editor. For details, refer to “Deleting Objects” on page 292. Poser 4 Working in the Document Window To select a camera view: • Viewing Your Figure Drag the cursor over the Select Camera control, until the desired Camera view appears. or The camera position determines your view in the Document window.The Camera Controls let you quickly move the camera to different positions as you pose your figure. Click the Select Camera popup and choose the desired view. To switch to the face camera: • Click the Face Cam icon at the top of the Camera controls. or Click the Select Camera popup and choose Face Camera. Use the Camera Controls to change the view of your figure. You can move the camera in any direction within the studio. However, positioning it can be an involved process. This section outlines how to quickly move the camera to the most commonly used positions. For more detailed instruction on positioning the cameras, refer to “Changing the Studio View” on page 181. To switch to a hand camera: • Click either the Left or Right Hand Camera icons. or The available cameras are: Main, Auxiliary, Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Right Hand, Left Hand, Face, Posing, Dolly, and Flyaround View. Click the Select Camera popup and choose either Right Hand or Left Hand Camera. To view the entire figure: • Poser 4 Basics Click the Select Camera popup and choose Main Camera or Posing Camera. Flyaround View Previewing Your Figure In Flyaround view, Poser places the camera on a virtual track above and away from the center of the studio. Thus, the camera circles the entire studio, displaying all the objects within it from various views. This is an excellent way to see how a figure pose looks within 3D space. The Document Display Style determines how a figure is displayed in the Document window. Different display styles have different purposes. Some save on memory, while others can be used to make positioning easier. To activate flyaround view: • • Click the Flyaround View icon. To choose a display style: Click one of the style icons in the Display Style controls. Click a Display Style icon to switch to a different display style. or or Click the Select Camera popup and choose Flyaround View. Choose Display menu> Document Style> desired display style. Saving Camera Positions The following display styles are available: You can quickly move between views of the studio by saving your most commonly used views into the Camera Memory dots. This makes it easy to recall a view with a simple mouse click. Silhouette displays figures only as a cutout. To save a camera position: 1 2 Position the camera as desired. 3 Click an empty memory dot. Click the Memory dots popup and choose Camera dots. An example of Silhouette style. Poser 4 Outline displays only the outline of the figure. Hidden Line displays figures and objects as a mesh, but portions of the mesh not is the cameras field of view do not display. An example of Outline style. An example of Hidden Line style. Wireframe displays figures and objects as a mesh. Lit Wireframe displays figures and objects as a colored mesh, where the color of a section of mesh corresponds to the color of the surface material. An example of Wireframe style. An example of Lit Wireframe style. Poser 4 Basics Flat Shaded displays figures and objects with a colored surface, where the mesh facets are clearly visible. Cartoon displays figures using a hand-drawn style. An example of Cartoon style. An example of Flat Shaded style. Flat Lined displays figures and objects as a colored flat shaded surface, covered by a black mesh. Cartoon w/Line displays figures using a hand-drawn style with black outlines. An example of Cartoon w/Line style. An example of Flat Lined style. Poser 4 Smooth Shaded displays figures and objects as a smooth continuous surface. Texture Shaded displays figures and objects using texture mapping. An example of Smooth Shaded style. An example of Texture Shaded style. Smooth Lined displays figures and objects as a smooth shaded surface, covered by black mesh lines. All styles except Silhouette, Outline, Wireframe, and Hidden Line are affected by lighting changes. You can apply a Display Style to a figure, the entire document, or a specific body part. Different styles can save on redraw time and help you isolate specific body parts while you’re working. Cartoon w/Line, Flat Lined, and Smooth Lined styles are slower than their non-lined counterparts. To apply a display style to the entire document: • An example of Smooth Lined style. Click the popup next to the Display Style icons and choose Document Styles. To apply a display style to the entire figure: • Poser 4 Basics Click the popup next to the Display Style icons and choose Figure Styles. To apply a display style to an element: • Click the popup next to the Display Style icons and choose Element Styles. Figure Properties You can control several behavior options for figures in the Figure Properties dialog. To change options for a figure: The figure is shown in wireframe style, while the hand (an element) is shown in smooth shaded style. When you assign a Figure or Element style, an additional display style control, an upward arrow, appears. With this control, you can quickly reset elements with different display styles to the Figure’s display style, or figures with different styles to the Document’s display style. In the above example, to reset the hand to match the figure’s wireframe style, select the hand, then click the arrow icon. 1 Click the Figure menu under the Document window and choose the figure you want to work with. 2 To select the entire figure, choose Body from the Current Element popup. 3 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. The options in the Figure Properties dialog are: • Name: rename the figure. Giving your figures descriptive names can make it easier to locate them in the Current Figure popup, Animation palette, and Hierarchy Editor. • Visible: toggle the figure visible or invisible.Visibility is global to the file. In an animation, you cannot make a figure visible in one frame, but hidden in another. Click the arrow button to switch the element to the figure display style, or the figure to the document display style. Poser 4 Element Properties Using the Editing Tools You can control several behavior options for body parts in the Element Properties dialog. You can rename parts, make them invisible, and control whether they cast shadows or not. Poser includes several Editing tools for manipulating figures, objects, lights, and cameras. Rotate To change options for a body part: 1 2 3 4 Click the Figure menu under the Document window and choose the figure you want to work with. Choose a specific body part from the Current Element popup. Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. Set any of the following options in the Element Properties dialog: • Name: rename the part. • Visible: toggle the part visible or invisible. In an animation, you cannot make an element visible in one frame, but hidden in another. Scale Translate In/Out Chain Break Taper Group Color The Editing Tools allow you to manipulate figures, objects, lights, and cameras. To change the Editing toolbar’s orientation: • Option/Alt-click the Editing toolbar.The orientation toggles between horizontal and vertical. Editing Tools are discussed throughout this book: • Casts Shadow: toggle shadow casting for the part. • • Bend: toggle the part bendable or not. For details, refer to “About Bending” on page 127. For information on the Rotate, Twist, Translate, and Chain Break tools, refer to “Using the Editing Tools” on page 114. • Add Morph Target: add a custom morph target to the part. For details, refer to “Adding Custom Morph Targets” on page 156. For information on the Scale, and Taper tools, refer to “Using the Shaping Tools” on page 140. • For information on the Color Tool, refer to “Using the Color Tool” on page 139. • For information on the Grouping Tool, refer to “Using the Grouping Tool” on page 157. • 5 Twist Translate /Pull Click OK to close the dialog. Poser 4 Basics Selecting Body Parts Before you start posing a figure, you need to know how to select the part of the figure you want to move.You can select a body part with an Editing Tool or from the Current Element popup located beneath the Document window. Head Chest Abdomen Hip Right Eye Hand Forearm Body parts are highlighted as you move the cursor over them. To select a body part using an Editing Tool: Collar Thigh 1 2 Foot Figure’s left The Figure’s body parts are posable elements. Index 1 Index 2 Index 3 Thumb 3 Thumb 2 Click the Current Element popup located beneath the Document window and choose the desired body part from the menu. Thumb 1 Pasting Figures onto the Background Ring 3 Ring 2 Ring 1 Pinky 3 Pinky 2 Pinky 1 Click a body part on the figure. To select a body part using the menus: • Mid 3 Mid 2 Mid 1 Click one of the Editing Tools. The selected body part is highlighted in the Document window and the name appears in the Current Element popup menu. Shin Figure’s right Left Eye Posable face elements. Pose face features using Parameter Dials. Shoulder Neck Head Hand Posable hand elements. The Right and Left hand have the same elements. At any point, you can paste an image of the figure onto the studio background. When you choose this command, the current view of the figure becomes part of the background bitmap. Poser 4 At first glance, you might not notice the affects of applying this command. This is because the figure itself blocks the background-pasted image. However, any changes you make—such as moving the figure or camera—reveal the background image. To hide a figure when you have two or more figures: 1 Click the Figure popup and choose the figure you want to hide. 2 Choose Figure menu> Hide Figure. This command is only available when you have more than one figure in the studio. To paste the figure onto the studio background: 1 Choose Display menu> Paste onto Background. 2 The figure is pasted over the background image. To clear the background: • Choose Display menu> Clear Background Picture. Hiding Figures Hiding a figure makes it temporarily disappear from the Poser studio. This feature is useful when you have two figures close together, and one gets in the way when you try to select the other. To display a hidden figure: • Choose Figure menu> Show All Figures. Displaying Guides Poser provides several guides to assist you in posing figures. Guides help you achieve a particular perspective more easily. The guides Poser offers are a ground plane, horizon line, vanishing lines, the hip-shoulder relationship, and head lengths. To display a guide: • Choose Display menu> Guides and select the guide you want. To hide a figure: To hide a guide: 1 Click the Current Element popup and choose Body. • 2 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Figure Properties dialog appears. Ground Plane 3 Disable the Visible option. Poser 4 Basics Choose Display menu> Guides again and de-select the guide. The ground plane is a basic reference of the camera’s perspective on the studio. As you rotate the camera, the ground plane can help you infer the camera’s current position. The display style of the ground place can be the same as the document or figure, or it can have its own element display style. Using the Wireframe style, the ground plane is a grid. Using the Flat Shaded display style, the ground plane is a solid color. When tracking or moving, the ground plane is displayed in Wireframe. For example, if the horizon line crosses at the center of the front figure’s chest, arrange the distant figure so that the horizon crosses its chest at the same position. This arrangement contributes to the sense that all figures have their feet on the ground. The ground plane, shown in wireframe display. Head Lengths The head lengths guide references the figure’s height.You may want to use this guide when body shaping. Figures arranged in relation to the horizon line. Horizon Line The hip to shoulder relationship shows the alignment between the figure’s upper and lower body. This guide helps you see the sideto-side, bend, and twist in the hip, abdomen, and chest. To see a particular aspect, try a different camera view. The horizon line provides a reference to the studio’s horizon. When you use the x, y, and z orbit controls to move the camera, you can see how far you’ve gone by checking the horizon line. Hip-Shoulder Relationship The horizon line is especially helpful in creating perspective between two figures when one figures is in the distance. Arrange the figures in the same relationship to the horizon line. Poser 4 Vanishing Lines Vanishing lines are an artistic technique for achieving realistic perspective. In Poser, the vanishing lines guide provides a reference of the perspective.Vanishing lines are helpful when matching the view of the figure with the perspective in a background image. Restoring Default Settings You can restore the default settings for a body part, figure, lights, or camera. Restoring the lights resets their colors and positions. Restoring the current camera reset its scale, position, and focal length. Restoring All resets all figures, cameras, and lights. To restore an object to its default setting: The vanishing lines guide. Undoing Operations 1 Select the item from the document window or the Current Element popup. 2 Choose Edit menu> Restore> the item you want restored. Changing Defaults You can reverse the effects of your last action using the Undo command. Poser uses default settings to set up a new document. As you work, however, you may achieve a position that you’d prefer over the default. To undo an operation: To change Poser defaults: • • Choose Edit menu> Undo or, press Command/Ctrl+Z. Note Not all operations can be undone. Poser 4 Basics Choose Edit menu> Memorize> the element you want to memorize. The new setting applies only to the current file. Printing The Print command sends the contents of the Document window to your selected printer. When printing, Poser always prints to the full page size. Note You can import prop geometry files in DXF, BVH, 3DMF, Wavefront OBJ, 3D Studio (Windows), and Painter3D (Detailer) formats. For details on importing props, refer to “Importing Props” on page 166. Note When in Wireframe display style If you import a prop with textures, place the textures in the Poser:Runtime:Textures folder. with a black background, Poser automatically inverts the colors to prevent printing a large black If you import a Poser document that contains more than one figure or prop, Poser imports all of them. background. To import a file: Importing and Exporting Importing Content Use the Import commands to bring the contents of other files into the current document.You can import figures, props backgrounds, surface materials such as texture and bump maps, sounds, and animations. Importable file formats include PICT (Macintosh), TIF, JPEG, and BMP files for backgrounds or surface materials.You can import saved Poser documents for figures and props. And you can import QuickTime (Macintosh), MetaStream,VRML, and AVI (Windows) files for background footage in animations. 1 2 Choose File menu> Import> file type. Select the file you want to import in the resulting dialog. Exporting Files You can export the contents of the Document window to an image file at any time, from any display style.You may do this to save the wireframe image of a figure. The exported image includes the highlighted body part and any currently displayed guides. If you don’t want to export these, deselect the figure and hide the guides before exporting. Poser 4 You can export the geometry contents of a Poser file in other formats, which you can transfer to a 3D graphics program.Transferable formats are: OBJ, 3D Studio, Detailer, DXF, RIB, Wavefront, 3DMF, and VRML/H-Anim formats. Note not want to be included in the export, then click OK. For file format plugin updates, check the Poser section of the MetaCreations web site: www.metacreations.com. To export a file: 1 2 Choose File menu> Export> file type. A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. The Hierarcy Selection list. 4 You can save a still or the entire animation. • If you select the Single frame option, the current frame is exported. • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to export. Select either Single frame or Multi-frame animation and click OK. 3 In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, uncheck any items that you do Poser 4 Basics In the Export dialog that appears, specify a filename and location and click Save. Saving and Closing To save a Poser file: 1 Choose File menu> Save. The Save dialog appears. 2 Choose a name and location for your file and click Save. To save a Poser file under a different name: 1 Choose File menu> Save As. The Save As dialog appears. 2 Choose a new name and location for your file and click Save. To close the application: • Choose File menu> Quit/Exit. Poser 4 Poser 4 Basics 3 Tutorial Welcome Welcome to the Poser 4 tutorial. This tutorial is designed to introduce all the major features and functions in Poser. Its main goal is to teach you the techniques you need to know to create realistic poses and animations. This Tutorial chapter is divided into two sections: • The Basics, which contains a basic tutorial to help you get started using Poser. • Advanced Tutorials, which lead you through figure modification and animation. The Basics The following set of lessons is designed to help you learn the basic operations in Poser 4. They cover topics such as setting up your workspace and working with posing tools. Lesson 1: Setting Up a Default Workspace When you first open Poser 4, you see the palettes and toolbars in their default position.You can change these positions, hide elements, and save the new positions as a Preferred State. The new arrangement appears the next time you open the application. To delete the default figure: 1 Select either the Rotation Tool or Translate Pull Tool. The Rotation and Pull tool are the most commonly used posing tools. 2 Click any part of the figure in the Document Window. The selected part appears outlined in red. The default Poser 4 workspace. The default figure in the Document window is a Poser 3 figure.You can delete this figure and set up a new default figure as part of the Preferred State. A figure with a selected part. 3 Press the Delete key. A dialogue box appears asking you to confirm the figure deletion. 4 Click OK. You should now have a blank document. Tu t o r i a l To set up an new default figure: 1 Choose Windows menu> Libraries. The Libraries palette appears. From top to bottom the Library categories are: Figures, Poses, Faces, Hair, Hands, Props, Lights and Cameras. 3 Click the sub-category menu and choose People. 4 Drag the scroll bar on the right side of the Library palette until the Casual Woman appears. All Library Entries are listed in alphabetical order. The Casual Female in the Libraries palette. 5 Click the Casual Female, then click the Add Figure icon at the bottom of the palette. The Libraries palette. 2 Click the Figures button. The Add Figure icon. The Figure button. Poser 4 You should now see a bald woman wearing casual clothing in your document window. 3 Click the fourth dot from the top to display the Hair Library. The Hair category dot. 4 Scroll down until you see Female Hair 1. Here, as in the Figure Library, all files are listed in alphabetical order The Casual Female in the Document window. To add hair to a figure: 1 Move your cursor to the top of the Libraries palette.You’ll notice that there are several dots running down the left side of the palette. The Female Hair 1 in the Libraries palette. 5 Click on Female Hair 1, then click the Change Figure icon at the bottom of the Library palette. Your figure now has hair. The category dots at the top of the Libraries palette. 2 Move the cursor over each dot. The titles change to show you the various libraries available. The Library dots enable you to change libraries by clicking the correct dot. Clicking a large category button takes you back to the main category buttons. The Casual Female with hair. Tu t o r i a l Once the figure is loaded into Poser, you should set it as your Default Figure so that it loads every time you open Poser or create a new document.You can also save any changes you made to tools positions or the Document window. To make your new figure the default: 1 Choose Edit> General Preferences. The Preferences dialog appears. 2 perspective. Isometric cameras (such as From Top, From Left, etc.) have no perspective. When you view figures using Isometric cameras you won’t be able to rotate around the studio. Each camera has its own center; it centers on and rotates around an object. For example, the Right Hand camera rotates around the Right Hand, and the Face camera rotates around the face. Both cameras face the center directly unless you intentionally redirect them. Enable the Launch to Preferred State option in the Document Preferences section of the dialog. Refer to “Cameras” on page 177 for more on cameras. 3 Enable the Use Previous State option under the Interface Preferences section. In this lesson you’ll explore the posing studio using the various cameras. 4 Click the Set Preferred State button. This saves the current document to the Preferences. 5 Click OK. To view your figure using the Main camera: 1 Hold down the Command/Ctrl-M. The view switches to the Main Camera. Poser loads even faster if you save an empty document as the Preferred State. Lesson 2: Working with Cameras You can access the cameras in Poser in several different ways. An often overlooked method of selecting a camera is by using keyboard keys. Learning a few key commands can make viewing a figure much easier. The view from the Main camera. There are two types of cameras in Poser: Conical and Isometric. Conical cameras (such as the Main, Hand and Face cameras) act like real-world cameras in that they display Poser 4 2 Move your cursor over the Trackball in the Camera Controls palette. To link a camera to an object: 1 Make sure that the Main camera is the currently selected object. Check Current Element menus beneath the Document Window. It should list Figure 1 and Main Camera. If not, click the menu and select the Main Camera. 2 Choose Object menu> Point At. The Trackball in the Camera Controls palette. The Choose Actor dialog appears. 3 The dialog shows a visual list of all the objects in your scene. Drag from left to right over the Trackball. Then drag from right to left. Scroll down until you see the Head element. 3 Click Head in the list and click OK. The Main camera now points at the Head. Note the new Parameter dial called Point At appears at the top of the list of dials. The new view of the studio. You’ll notice that the Main camera points at the center of the studio.You can change this default behavior by linking the camera to an object in the studio. The view of the studio with the Point At behavior applied. 4 Tu t o r i a l Move your cursor over the Move X and Y tool on the Cameras palette and drag down until the camera moves behind the figure. The new view of the studio. No matter where you move the camera, the Head remains in the view. 3 Click OK. The new view from the Main camera using Body as its parent. 4 Press Command/Ctrl-T to switch to the Top camera. With the Point At behavior the camera always points at the target object, without changing its position. By changing the camera’s parent, you can automatically move the camera whenever you move the figure. To change a camera’s parent: 1 Choose Object menu> Change Parent. The Choose Parent dialog appears. 2 Choose Body from the list. The view of the studio from the Top camera. 5 6 Click the Translate tool. Select the figure ring around the Body and move it anywhere in the Document Poser 4 window. Do not click directly on the body or you will alter the pose. Main camera. The Main camera returns to the same position. To view the figure using the Face camera: 1 Press Command/Ctrl-(=) to switch to the Face Camera. The repositioned Body. 7 Press Command/Ctrl-M to switch back to the Main camera The view from the Face camera. 2 Drag left over the Trackball. Notice that Face camera always stays with the selected figure, no matter where you move the figure. The Face Camera is ideal for making animations that center on a single figure. The view of the studio from the Main camera. Notice that the view from the Main camera remains the same. That’s because the camera moved with the Body when you repositioned it. Try moving the figures body again using another camera and switch back to the Tu t o r i a l To view the figure using the Top camera: 1 2 Set the Top camera Scale Parameter Dial to 400% or more to get a wide view of the Poser 4 studio. Press Command/Ctrl-T to switch to the Top camera. The expanded view of the studio. The view of the studio from the Top Camera. The Top camera, like the Left, Right and Front cameras, is an Isometric camera, meaning that doesn’t show perspective. It is designed specifically for viewing a pose rather than rendering poses. This camera is very useful for placing figures, creating animations, and locating Figures and Spotlights you may have lost in the studio. A Note on Focal Lengths Poser’s default Cameras are set to 25mm and have all the attributes of a real-world 25mm Wide Angle Lens.You can experiment with other focal lengths such as 50mm, which resembles the human eye’s view, and 100mm, a lens favored by Portrait Photographers. Each time you set the focal length, the Scale will also reset. Scaling Down from 100% to 25% zooms in, while scaling up from 100% to 1000% zooms out. Poser 4 Lesson 3: Tracking Modes Lesson 4: Document Display Styles A tracking mode determines how the figure looks as you move it. Fast Tracking mode displays the figure as boxes during movement. Full Tracking displays a fully rendered figure during movement. Document Display Styles in Poser have special purposes for artists, animators, and hobbyists. Tracking modes help you overcome the limitations of your computer’s processing speed when posing. Faster computers can display better tracking, while slower machines benefit from less complex modes. To apply the Silhouette style: 1 2 Choose File menu> New. In this lesson you’ll learn how to choose a tracking mode. 3 Press Command/Ctrl-1 to switch to Silhouette style. 4 Press Command/Ctrl-Option/Alt-R to Anti-Alias the document. To set a tracking mode: 1 In this lesson you’ll explore different styles by applying them to your figure. Press Shift-Command/Ctrl-X to switch to Fast Tracking. Click one of the Tracking modes icons located on the upper right hand side of the Document window. The Tracking mode icons. From the top to bottom they are: Box Tracking, Fast Tracking, and Full Tracking. 2 Click each of the mode icons and adjust the figure’s pose. Observe how different modes affect response time. 3 Use the mode that doesn’t slow down your computer’s response time. Tu t o r i a l A figure using the Silhouette style. The Silhouette style is useful for creating masks of rendered figures, which can be used in programs s like Metacreations Painter. To switch to Outline style: • Wireframe Mode lets you see the movement in a figure’s mesh. Press Command/Ctrl-2 to switch to Outline style. For power users, it’s an excellent style for watching how Morph Targets and Joint Parameters interact, especially on custom figures. To switch to Hidden Line style: • Press Command/Ctrl-4 to switch to Hidden Line style. A figure using the Outline style. Outline is the fastest display style.You can pose the figure while maintaining your view of the exact position of its parts in the Document window. It is the least taxing style on hardware resources. To switch to the Wireframe style: • Press Command/Ctrl-3 to switch to Wireframe style. A figure using the Hidden Line style. Hidden Line shows only the camera side of the mesh. Use this mode to see a simplified view of mesh movement. A figure using the Wireframe style. Poser 4 To switch to Lit Wireframe style: • Flat Sided shows all facets of the mesh in a rendered style.This style is slightly faster than Smooth Shaded. Press Command/Ctrl-5 to switch to Lit Wirefame. To apply the Smooth Shaded style: • Press Command/Ctrl-8 to switch to Smooth Shaded. A figure using the Lit Wireframe style. The Lit Wireframe style colors the mesh based on the color of the surface material. To switch to Flat Shaded style: • Press Command/Ctrl-6 to switch to Flat Shaded. A figure using the Flat Shaded style. Tu t o r i a l A figure using the Smooth Shaded style. The default style in Poser lets you see the colored and smoothed mesh form. It is an efficient style for all around utility. To apply the Texture Shaded style: • These styles produce color shaded representations of a model with a mesh wireframe overlaid on the surface. Press Command/Ctrl-9 to switch to Texture Shaded. In addition to being able to see the mesh, these styles can be are useful to those adept at creating custom texture maps for their models. To apply a Cartoon style: • Choose Display menu> Document Style> Cartoon W/Line or Cartoon. A figure using the Texture Shaded style. This style lets you preview the texture mapped figure. To apply a Lined styles: • Choose Display menu> Document Style> Flat Lined or Smooth Lined. A figure using the Cartoon style. These styles are designed with the artist in mind. Also, the new Cartoon style makes it easier to create complex masks in programs like Metacreations Painter or Photoshop. A figure using the Smooth Lined style. Poser 4 Working with Lights Lights are one of the most necessary and least understood part of any 3D Program. Often they’re difficult to use. Poser’s remedy is a unique Light Controls palette that lets you intuitively manipulate lights. There are two types of lights in Poser: Infinite and Spotlights. To use them effectively, you first need to understand the differences between the two. Infinite light illuminates one side of everything in the scene in the same way sunlight does. Spotlights point in a single direction and illuminate everything that falls with in the cone of light they produce. Poser uses Infinite lights by default. Each light in the studio is represented by a circle on the Light Control. This example shows a selected light. 2 Click the Delete Light icon. Lesson 1: Using the Light Control You’ll begin this lesson by deleting two of the three default lights in the Poser scene and learning the controls. To use the Light controls: 1 On the Light Controls palette, select the circle for the light you want to delete. Tu t o r i a l The Delete Light icon. The selected light is deleted. 3 4 Select another light and repeat step 2. Select the remaining light. 5 Drag over the control from left to right. To add a spotlight: 1 Click the Create Light icon. The Create Light icon. 2 A new light appears on the Light Control. The Light Ring in the Document window. Note how the Light Indicator (representing the global light) revolves around the figure. The arrows off the indicator show the direction from which the light comes. Tip You can use the Rotate Tool to manipulate the Light Indicator directly in the Document window. The Light Intensity slider on the Light Control has a range from 0% to 100%. It acts as the brightness control, or dimmer. The midway point of the slider is 75%. The new light indicator on the Light control. 3 Drag the new light’s circle to locate it approximately front and center. This places the light in front of the figure. The Parameter Dials also let you control some of the light’s properties. Refer to “Light Properties” on page 191 for more on lights. Next you’ll add a spotlight to the studio. The position of new light on the Light Control. Poser 4 4 Set the Light Intensity slider to approximately 75%, or the middle of the slider. You now have a new spotlight, you can control how it behaves by applying the Point At function to it. To apply the Point At behavior to a light: 1 Make sure your new spotlight is the selected element. 2 Choose Object menu> Point At. The Choose Actor dialog appears. The Light Intensity slider set to 75%. 5 Click the Light Properties icon. 3 Choose Head from the Select a Scene Element list. 4 Set the yTrans Parameter dial to between 0.900 and 1.000. 5 Set the zTrans dial -1.0. The Spotlight’s Indicator moves out from behind the camera to behind the figure. Notice how it always remains pointed at the Head. The Light Properties icon. The Light Properties dialog appears. 6 Enable the Spotlight option. The Spotlight’s indicator in the Document window. 6 The Spotlight option on the Light Properties dialog. Tu t o r i a l Adjust the values of the x, y or zRotate Parameter dials. You’ll notice that the Spotlight doesn’t rotate like an Infinite light. Infinite lights rotate around the center of the studio. Spotlights rotate around the center of the light object. 2 Select the Right Shoulder in the Document window. Using Poser’s Tools The lessons in this section teach you how to work with the most commonly used Posing tools and the Parameter Dials. Lesson 1: The Parameter Dials The simplest way of posing a figure is by selecting each individual part, and using the Parameter Dials to move it into the desired position. The Right Shoulder selected on the figure. A series of parameter dials appear. 3 Click the value on the Bend dial. A much faster way of posing is to use the four main posing tools directly on the figure in the Document window. However, this method requires considerable practice. This lesson leads you through the process of posing a figure using the Parameter Dials. To pose by typing in numerical values: 1 The Bend dial. 4 Type 80 in the field that appears. Click the Translate/Pull tool. The Translate/Pull tool. The Bend dial. Poser 4 The whole right arm should now be at the figure’s side. The new position of the right arm. To pose using the dials: 1 Select the Left Shoulder The left arm should be at the figure’s side. The new position of the left arm. Notice that for the left shoulder, the downward bend value is negative, for the right shoulder, the value is positive. This is generally true when working with a figure; left is negative and right is positive. Try this with the Front-Back dial on both shoulders. Lesson 2: The Rotate Tool The Rotate tool is probably the most useful tool for directly manipulating your figures. Unlike the Translate tools, it only affects the individually selected part,. The left shoulder selected. 2 3 Select the Bend Dial Drag the dial right to left until the value shown is at or near -80. Tu t o r i a l In this lesson you’ll use the Rotate tool on the Forearms. To pose using the Rotate tool: 1 4 First, switch to the From Left camera by pressing Command/Ctrl-( ; ). This makes rotating easier. Note Place the cursor directly over the selected forearm and drag to the right until it is extended in front of the figure. Becoming used to quickly changing cameras makes posing a much simpler task You are now looking at the figure’s right side. 2 Click the Rotate Tool. Drag to the right until the arm is in the position shown. The Rotate tool. 3 In the Document Window, select the Right Forearm. 5 Press Command/Ctrl-( ’ ) to switch to the From Right Camera. You’re now looking at the left side of the figure. The selected Right Forearm. The figure shown through the From Right Camera. Poser 4 6 Select the Left Forearm with the Rotate tool. 8 Place the cursor to the left of the figure and drag up. The Forearm follows. The selected Left Forearm. Drag up until the forearm is in the position shown. 7 Now you have used two methods of working with the Rotate Tool.You can use the tool directly on the selected part, or you can drag the tool across the workspace and the part will follow. This is true of all four main Posing tools: Rotate, Twist, Translate/Pull and Translate In/Out. Place your cursor behind the figure and drag to the left. The Forearm bends up. Lesson 3: The Twist Tool The Twist Tool does exactly what its name implies, it twists body parts. This is accomplished by selecting the part and drawing the tool across the screen. It is an extremely useful tool for creating realistic poses quickly. Drag left until the forearm is in the position shown. Tu t o r i a l To use the Twist tool: 1 4 Click and hold the highlighted circle; it turns red. First, press Command/Ctrl-M to switch back to the Main Camera. A figure with the Figure ring highlighted. The figure shown through the Main Camera. 2 Select the Twist tool. 5 Move your cursor to the left side of the Document window and to the right until you see the figure at a three quarter face. Check the yRotate dial value. It should be at about 45 degrees. The Twist tool. 3 Move your cursor over the faint circle that surrounds the figure. When you’re directly over it, the circle turns white. The rotated figure. Poser 4 6 The Twist dial should be near -16 degrees. Select the Hips with the Twist tool. The Hips selected with the Twist tool. The final position of the Head. 7 Drag to the left until the figure is once again directly facing the camera. 8 Select the Neck and drag to the left. The Twist dial should be near -16 degrees. Lesson 4: The Translate and Chain Break Tools The Translate/Pull, In/Out and Chain Break tools are some of the most powerful direct posing tools available to you. Used together, they can quickly generate any pose. Once you have a pose, you can then fine-tune the pose using the Parameter Dials. In this lesson, you’ll explore posing using just these three tools. To pose using the Translate/Pull tool: 1 First, save anything you wish to keep from the last tutorial, and create a new document (File menu> New). 2 Select the Translate/Pull tool The selected Neck. 9 Select the Head and drag to the left. The Translate/Pull tool. Tu t o r i a l 3 another to determine movement. for example, when the Thigh moves, the shin follows.You can turn IK on and off depending on your needs. Refer to “Inverse Kinematics” on page 111 for a complete discussion of IK. In the Document window, select the Hips. 5 With the Hips selected, lower the figure so that its toes touch the Ground plane. The selected Hips. 4 Drag up to lift the figure. Drag down until the figure is in the position shown. 6 Select the Right Forearm. Drag up until the figure is in the position shown. Notice that the feet begin pointing down until it looks like the figure is completely in the air. This is because IK (Inverse Kinematics) is applied to the legs. Basically, IK sets up dependencies between parts of a figure to simulate more realistic movement. In this case, each part of the leg is dependent on The selected forearm. Poser 4 7 A chain break icon appears over every chain break in the figure. Pull the Forearm to the right, then up and down. Notice that this movement affects more than just the Forearm.You’re pulling the figure all the way down to the Abdomen.You’ll see what’s causing this behavior when you select the Chain Break tool. The Chain Break tool lets you assign chain breaks to your figure. Chain breaks tell the Translate tools how far to affect the position of the figure.You’ll see one chain break on the Hips, and one on the Head. Since the Hips are the figure’s root part, you cannot turn the chain break off there. However, you can turn off the head’s Chain Break. Next you’ll explore assigning chain breaks. The default chain breaks on a figure. 2 Click on each Collar to assign a chain break. To assign chain breaks: 1 Select the Chain Break Tool. The Chain Break tool. A chain break assigned to the Collar. 3 Click each Thigh to assign two more breaks. You’ll notice that you can assign chain breaks to both collars but not to the Thighs. This is because IK is turned on. Tu t o r i a l 4 Choose Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics> Left Leg then choose Right Leg. IK is turned off when there is no checkmark next to a menu item. 5 Now, try assigning chain breaks to the legs. The Right Foot and leg move away from you. Next, you’ll explore using the Translate In/Out tool. To use the Translate In/Out tool: 1 Click the Translate In/Out tool. The position of the Right Foot after the move. The Translate In/Out tool. 2 Select the Right Foot. 4 5 Select the Chest. Drag down. The figure appears to bow. The Right Foot selected. 3 Drag up. The new position of the Chest. 6 Press Command/Ctrl-Z to undo the last command. 7 Choose Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics> Left Arm then choose Right Arm to turn IK on in the arms. Poser 4 IK is enabled when a checkmark appears next to a menu item. When you enable IK, any chain breaks you assign to the arms are deleted. IK on the Arms doesn’t affect the Collar chain breaks you assigned earlier. 8 Select the Chest again and drag down. With IK turned on, the Hands resist movement when you translate a body part that affects them. It appears as if they are holding onto something. You’ll use the tools as well as the Symmetrical command to quickly set-up the pose. Keep in mind that although the human body looks symmetrical, it’s rarely positioned in a symmetrical manner. Even a very symmetrical pose like placing both hands on your hips may not look entirely natural if you just reverse the values from left and right. That’s why you’ll also use the tools to set up a more natural position for the figure’s limbs. Posing using the Posing Tools can be somewhat imprecise for the new user; you may want to use the Parameter Dials to reposition body parts. The Parameter Dial values used in the pose are listed so you can duplicate it using only the dials. Once you achieve the pose described here, use what you’ve learned to make additional adjustments so that the final pose looks right to you. To assign Chain Breaks to a figure: The position of the figure with IK turned off. 1 Open a new document. The default Casual Female appears. Posing 2 In this section you’ll learn several ways of posing that expand on what you have learned in the previous sections. 3 Press Command/Ctrl-M to select the Main Camera. Lesson 1: Creating Poses 4 Select the Chain Break tool. In this lesson, you’re going to use everything you’ve learned so far about Poser’s tools to create a simple, yet realistic pose: Hands on Hips. Tu t o r i a l Choose Figure menu> Use Limits. This command prevents movement of body parts into an unnatural position. The Chain Break tool. 5 The Right Shoulder’s Twist parameter should be set at approximately 45°. Assign a Chain Break to the Chest. The Right Shoulder should be in the position shown. The new Chain Break on the figure. 5 The Twist dial should be at 14°. To position the right arm: 1 Select the Right Forearm and drag right. Select the Twist tool. The Twist tool. 2 3 4 Select the figure’s Right Shoulder. Place the Twist tool over the background in the Document window. The Right Forearm should be in the position shown. Drag right so that the arm twists to 45°. 6 Select the Right Collar and drag right. Poser 4 The Twist dial should be at 25°. 12 Set the Side-Side dial to 5°. The Right Collar should be in the position shown. 7 8 9 Select the Rotate tool. Select the Right Hand. The new position of the Right Forearm. Move the Rotate tool to a blank area of the Document window and drag right to bend the Right Hand. 13 Using the Rotate tool, select the Right The Bend dial should read about -75°. 14 Set Bend to 26°. Shoulder. The Right Hand after positioning. 10 Select the Right Forearm. 11 Set the Bend dial to 95°. The new position of the Right Shoulder. 15 Select the Right Collar. Tu t o r i a l 16 Set Bend to 25°. To apply the right arm pose to the left arm: 1 Choose Figure menu> Symmetrical> Right Arm to Left Arm. The repositioned Right Collar. Once you’re done, your parameter dials should read as follows: Right Collar: The symmetrical pose. 2 A dialog appear asking if you want to copy the joint zone’s setup also. Click No. 3 Save the file. • Twist = 25° • Bend = 25° Right Shoulder: • Twist = 45° • Bend = 26° Right Forearm: • Twist = 14° • Side-Side= 5° • Bend = 95° Your pose is almost finished, but it still looks a little unnatural. Next you’ll shift the figure’s weight. To achieve a natural standing position: 1 2 Click the Translate/Pull tool. Select the Right Foot. Right Hand: • Bend = -75° Poser 4 3 Drag left so that the figure appears to be placing its weight on the left leg. 8 Drag left so that the Twist dial reads -10°. The repositioned Abdomen. The repositioned foot. 4 Choose Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics> Right Arm. 5 Choose Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics> Left Arm. 6 7 Click the Twist tool. 9 Select the Chest. 10 Drag left so that the Twist dial reads -10°. Select the Abdomen. The finished pose. Tu t o r i a l Lesson 2: Adding Poses to the Pose Library 3 Click the Sub-Category menu and choose Add New Category. Once you create a Pose, you can add it to the library for future use. For easy access, you’ll also create a new category for your custom poses. To add a pose to the library: 1 Press Command/Ctrl-Shift-B to open the Libraries palette. The Sub-Category menu. A Save dialog appears. 4 Enter a name for your personal library and press Enter. 5 A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. Select Single frame and click OK. A new category appear in the palette. 6 The Libraries palette. 2 Click the Poses button. Click the Add to Library (+) icon at the bottom of the palette to add a custom pose. The Add to Library icon. 7 Enter a name for the pose, such as Hands on Hips or Posed Arms 01. The Poses button. The default Action Sets library appears. Poser 4 8 Press the Enter. Lesson 3: Posing Faces Facial Expressions are created using Morph Targets. These targets alter the shape of the polygon mesh that makes up the figure. Many of the Parameter dial on the Face have morph targets associated with them.When you work with facial dials, you’re moving the figure’s geometry towards one or more morph geometries. Refer to “Using Morph Targets” on page 152 for more on morph targets. The Scale, Translation, Rotation and Taper dials for the Face are not morph targets. The pose saved into a personal category. Poser creates a library entry which you can use as the base for other poses on other figures. However, if you use a figure other than the Casual Female, you may need to make subtle adjustments to make the pose work correctly. To apply preset expressions: 1 Press Command/Ctrl-N to start a new document. 2 Press Command/Ctrl-(+) to switch to the Face camera. 3 Press Command/Ctrl-Shift-B to display the Libraries palette. 4 Click the Faces button to open the Faces library. Poses not only save joint bends and rotations, but also facial expressions and other Morph Targets. For example, if you have two women interacting, each time you apply a saved pose for the Female figure, all the scaling and morph targets are replicated from the originally saved file. If you only want to save the body part position, and not the facial or morph targets, apply your saved pose to a Stick Figure. Then delete the original library entry and save the Stick Figure pose. This way only the body part positions are saved. Tu t o r i a l 6 Apply each expression preset by doubleclicking on the library thumbnail. An expression preset applied to the figure. The Faces library. 5 Select the figure’s head in the Document window. As you apply each face, pay attention to the Head’s Parameter Dials. Notice how they change, interacting with each other to achieve a desired expression. When you examine the dials you’ll see that the mouth has more targets than any other part of the face. That’s because the mouth can be precisely posed to create subtle expressions. The selected head. Parameter dials for the mouth. Poser 4 Keep in mind that dials such as Smile affect primarily the upper lip, as opposed to the Frown dial which affects the lower lip. Slightly fewer dials apply to the brows—three for each. You’ll notice that here is no target for a Furled Brow. To accomplish this, select the Worry Left and Worry Right dials and enter Negative 0.5 in each. After exploring the facial controls, you’re ready to create your own expression. Next, you’ll create the face of an angry woman using the target dials. The completed expression. 7 To create an expression: 1 2 Select the head. Enter Open Lips= 0.431 to tighten the lips. Click the Add to Library (+) button at the bottom of the Libraries palette to save the file to the Faces library. Rendering Rendering is the process of converting your 3D figure into a 2D image or animation. There are several options you can set for a rendering session. All available options are displayed in the Rendering Options dialog. 3 4 Set Smile= -0.128. 5 Set Mouth M= 0.234 to tighten the lips laterally. To set up a rendering session: 6 Set Blink Right and Blink Left = 0.2 to narrow the eyes slightly. 1 2 Set Mouth F= 0.152. This pulls in the lower lip. Note Be sure to use the decimal point in each of these numbers. If, for instance, you enter -431 instead of -0.431 for the Open Lips, you will severely distort your figure— she’ll be very angry. Tu t o r i a l Choose File menu> Open. Locate the file Tutorial: paperairplane.pz3. In true WYSIWYG fashion, what you see in the document window is exactly what is produced. The paper-airplane file in the Document window. 3 The rendered file. Press Command/Ctrl-Y. Depending on where the main camera is positioned when you saved the document, this may serve as your final render. However let’s assume you’re not satisfied with the results. The Render Options dialog appears. 4 Make sure the Anti-Alias box is enabled. This gives you a clean render, but may bog down slower machines. 5 Disable the Cast Shadows option. This will speed things up. 6 To reposition the camera: 1 Select the Main Camera. Click Render Now. The main camera icon. 2 Choose Object menu> Point At. Poser 4 3 4 The Choose Actor dialog appears. 5 Use the Scale Parameter dial to rescale the camera so that both figures fill the screen. 7 Select the Teacher figure’s Head element from the list, then click OK. Use the Move X and Y tool to adjust the elevation of the camera. The view through the elevated camera. 8 Render the file again. Both figures in the scene. 6 Move the Camera using the X and Z tool on the Camera Controls. The camera will always point at the Teacher. The test render 9 The view through the repositioned camera. Tu t o r i a l When the test render produces good results, enable Cast Shadows in the Render Options dialog (Command/CtrlY) and render the file once more. At any time while working with these tutorial, feel free to experiment. Each section overlaps and explores different features, as well as different aspects of the same features. This allows you to develop a well rounded understanding of how to accomplish desired effects. Character Creation and Animation The final render. There is no set rule of what makes a good render. Success is subjective. Poser can produce varied results using its custom rendering engine. Try exploring other rendering options using this file and other personal files. Advanced Tutorials The following tutorials are designed to be both challenging and rewarding. Do not plan on completing these tutorials quickly; work methodically so that you become comfortable exercising Poser’s most powerful features. Lesson 1: Creating a Clown from Scratch Use of props and texture maps are essential to creating a good character. This lesson walks you through the processes of scaling body parts, applying props, and texture mapping to create a basic clown figure from scratch. You’ll also animate your clown and place him in a scene to interact with props and other figures. To select a base figure: 1 Click the Figures icon on the Libraries palette The default People sub-category appears. The scenes you create in these tutorials can be dropped into most contemporary films, or can be the centerpiece of a major production.The goal is to provide you with experience using Poser’s animation tools that will enable you to produce increasingly complex and extravagant scenes. Poser 4 2 Double-click the Business Man thumbnail to load the figure. 3 Click a body part and choose white from the palette that appears. 4 Make all the parts of the figure, including the clothing, white. Some of the smaller parts of the figure (such as Brows, Lashes, Shoes, Lips) may be difficult to color quickly. Try using the Face, or Hand cameras to get better views of these areas. The Business Man thumbnail. To set figure color: 1 Click the Smooth Shaded document style icon. The colored figure. If there are still colored areas, click and hold the tool over the colored element and choose white from the palette that appears. The Business Man displayed using the Smooth Shaded Document style. 2 Click the Color tool. To apply a texture map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials. The Surface Material dialog appears. The Color tool. Tu t o r i a l 2 Click the menu in the top-left corner of the dialog and choose Figure 1. 3 Enable the Texture Changes Apply to Entire Figure option. 4 Click the Load button in the Texture Map section of the dialog. 2 3 An Open dialog appears. 5 Locate the file Tutorial: CLOWN01, and click Open. 6 7 Click OK in the Surface Materials dialog. Select the Prop Types category. Double-click the Ball thumbnail to load the Ball object. Click the Texture Shaded icon to see the new texture. The Ball thumbnail. The Texture Shaded icon. 4 Click Color tool. The Color tool. 5 Click the ball and make it red. To position the prop: 1 Drag to the right over the Camera controls until the From Left camera icon appears. The new texture map applied to the figure. To add a prop: 1 Click the Props icon at the top of the Libraries palette. The From Left camera icon. The Prop icon on the Libraries palette. Poser 4 2 Click the Translate/Pull tool. 5 Use the Translate/Pull tool to move the ball over the clown’s nose. The Translate/Pull tool. 3 Position the ball in front of the clown’s face. Position the ball over the nose as shown. 6 Press Command/Ctrl-F to switch to the Front camera. 7 Check the lateral position of the ball on the nose. Position the ball as shown. 4 With the ball selected, set the Scale dial to 22%. The clown displayed using the Front camera. To set the prop parent: 1 The scaled ball. Tu t o r i a l Choose Object menu> Change Parent to display the Choose Parent dialog. The dialog shows a visual list of all the objects in your scene. 3 Make sure the frame counter is set to 1 of 30. 2 3 Click Head in the list and click OK. 4 Press Command/Ctrl-M to switch to the Main camera. 4 5 Review your work from several angles. Press Command/Ctrl-M to switch to the Main camera. Save the clown to the Figure library in the Libraries palette. Refer to “Lesson 2: Adding Poses to the Pose Library” on page 81 for instructions. Lesson 2: Making the Clown Walk This lesson leads you through the process of creating and editing keyframes to create a walking motion. You can use this animation later with the Walk Designer. The clown displayed using the Main camera. 5 6 Select the Right Shoulder. Set the Bend value to 78°. Setting the First Walking Frame To begin you need to set up a starting pose. To set up a starting pose: 1 Make sure your clown document is still open. 2 Double-click the handle at the bottom of the screen to open the Animation controls. The bent Right Shoulder. 7 Select the Left Shoulder. The Animation controls. Poser 4 8 Set the Bend value to -78°. 12 Click the Translate/Pull tool. The Translate/Pull tool. 13 Select the Left Foot and move it forward. The adjusted Left Shoulder. 9 Select the Abdomen and set Side-Side to 3. 10 Select the Chest and set Side-Side to 3. The re-positioned Left Foot. 14 Select the Right Foot and move it back. The adjusted Abdomen and Chest. 11 Press Command/Ctrl-(’ ) to switch to the From Right camera. The final pose. Tu t o r i a l Adding Keyframes 3 Once you have a starting point, you’ll create an action by changing the pose over time and saving the changes as keyframes. A keyframe stores a point in time where action occurs. Here you’ll store changes in foot positions as keyframes to create a walking motion. Refer to “Adding and Deleting Keyframes” on page 213 for more on setting up keyframes. Choose Figure menu> Symmetry> Swap Right and Left. The figure’s left foot moves back and the right foot moves forward. To add frames: 1 Press Command/Ctrl-M to switch to the Main camera. The left foot position sapped for the right foot position. 4 Click the Add Keyframe (+) button to keyframe the new position. The Add Keyframe button. The clown viewed from the Main camera. 2 In the Animation controls, drag the small triangle (called the Scrubber) to Frame 16. The Scrubber at Frame 16. 5 6 Move the Scrubber to Frame 15. Click the Add Keyframe (+) button to insert a keyframe. Editing Keyframes Now that you have a number of keyframes, you’ll learn how to edit them in the Animation palette to create more realistic motion. Poser 4 To edit frames: 1 Click the Edit Keyframes button. The Animation palette appears. The palette displays all the animatable attributes in the studio and all the keyframes you’ve created. Refer to “Editing Animations” on page 213 for more on this palette. Scroll bar All the Frame 15 keyframes selected. Be sure only the green keyframes of Frame 15 are selected. Be very careful not to select anything but Frame 15. 4 Drag all of selected keyframes to Frame 30. The Animation palette. 2 3 Drag the scroll bar all the way to the top. Click the green keyframes for Frame 15 and drag all the way to the bottom to select the keyframes for all the attributes. The selection is bordered with a white line. Frame 15 keyframes moved to Frame 30. Tu t o r i a l 5 Click the close box in the upper-left corner of the dialog. 3 Click the sub-category menu and choose Walk Designer. 6 In the Animation controls, move the Scrubber to Frame 30. 4 Click the Add to Library (+) icon. The Add to Library icon. The Scrubber at Frame 30. 7 Choose Figure menu> Symmetry> Swap Right and Left. 8 Click the Play button to check your work. The Add New Set dialog appears. 5 Enter a name for your animation and click OK. A Save Frames dialog appears. 6 Enable the Multi Frame option and click OK. The Play button. The figure should appear to walk in place. Saving the Walk You can save animations as poses to the Libraries palette. Next, you’ll save your completed walk to the Poses library. The Save Frames dialog. To save an animation to the library: 1 2 Open the Libraries palette. Click the Poses icon. The Poses icon in the Libraries palette. Poser 4 7 The default figure is replaced with the clown. Your animation is saved as a 30 frame preset in the Walk Designer category. The clown figure in the Document window. 4 The clown in the Libraries palette. Choose Figure menu> Create Walk Path. A new path appears in the Document window. Lesson 3: The Walk Designer The Walk Designer lets you set up various parameters to automatically create a realistic walking motion. In this lesson you’ll use the file you created in the previous lesson in conjunction with the Walk Designer to make your clown move. To set up the walk animation: 1 Choose File menu> New to start with an empty file. 2 Open the Libraries palette and click the Figures icon. 3 Double-click the clown figure you saved earlier. Tu t o r i a l A new Walk Path in the Document window. 5 Make sure the Scrubber in the Animation Controls is at Frame 1. 6 Open the Libraries palette and click the Pose icon. 7 Click the sub-category menu and choose Tutorial. 8 Double-click the Clown-Start pose to apply it to the clown. The Clown Start pose in the Library. The clown viewed from the top. 9 Display the Animation palette. 10 Move the Scrubber to Frame 30. 11 In the Libraries palette, double-click the 13 Set Scale to 400%.You should able to see the entire scene. Clown Finish pose to apply it. The Clown Finish pose in the Library. 12 Click the Current Element popup at the bottom of the Document window and choose Cameras> Top Camera. The scaled view of the clown. 14 Move the camera up or down to see the whole path. 15 Select the Walk Path using the Translate/ The Element menu. Pull tool. It looks like a slight backward “S” extending out in front of the figure. Poser 4 The path has several small white squares along the gray walk path called nodes. Make sure the red figure ring appears before you start dragging. The ring indicates that the whole figure is selected. Do not click directly inside the Figure ring or you will move the figure’s parts instead of the entire figure. Place the clown over the end of the gray path. Nodes on the Walk Path. 16 Select each of the middle two nodes and move them so that the path becomes straight. Notice how the pointer changes when you position it over the path. The repositioned clown on the path. Your path should look like the one shown. 17 Make sure the Scrubber is at Frame 30. 18 Click the Element menu at the bottom of the Document window and choose Body. 19 Drag the clown to the end of the Walk Path. Tu t o r i a l To set up a walk in the Walk Designer: 1 The Apply Walk dialog appears. Press Command/Ctrl-Shift-S to open the Walk Designer. The Apply Walk dialog. You are about to apply the walk to the figure. Once you’re done with the Walk Designer, the The Walk Designer. 2 Click the walk button to see the current walk style in action. Click the stop button to stop the action. 3 4 5 only real way to fix errors is to start from scratch (beginning from Lesson 3). 6 Make sure the following defaults are set in the dialog: Scroll the Blend Styles section of the dialog until the Clown walk is visible. • Start Frame = 1 • End Frame = 120 Set Clown to 100%. • Figure = Figure 1 Click Apply. • Walk In Place = Disabled • Cycle Repeat = Empty • Path = Path_1 • Always Complete last step = Enabled • Transition from pose at path start in 15 Frames = Enabled • Transition to pose at path start in 15 Frames = Enabled • Align head to = Disabled Poser 4 7 Once all parameters in the Walk Designer are set, click OK. Next, you’ll set up an animated expression for the clown. 8 Click Done to close the Walk Designer. To set up an animated expression: The new walk is applied to the clown. 9 Save the file with the name: CLOWN-ANI. 1 Click the Edit Keyframe button on the Animation controls. Lesson 4: Keyframe Editing So far, you’ve created a waddling clown that appears to fall over something invisible at the end of the Walk Path. There are two missing elements: the object the clown fell over, and the cause of his fall. By editing the animation and adding props, you can create the story behind the clown’s actions. The Edit Keyframes button. The Animation palette appears. 2 Click the Head label on the left side of the dialog. First. you’ll create a back up file to preserve your work so far. To create a back up file: 1 Open the file you saved at the end of Lesson 3. 2 3 Choose File menu> Save As. Rename to the file to CLOWN-ANI01. Now you have a back-up of your original animation. The Head element selected. 3 Select all the keyframes from 2 to 105. Consider using a compression utility to archive the original clown-walk.pz4 file. This will save hard drive space and future headache’s. You can continue to add completed lesson file to the archive as you work through the rest of the tutorial. Head keyframes selected. Tu t o r i a l 4 While still pressing the mouse button, drag up one line to include the Neck frames in your selection. 9 Open Libraries palette. 10 Click the Faces icon at the top of the palette. The Face icon on the Libraries palette. Both Head and Neck keyframes selected. 5 6 11 Click the sub-category menu and choose Add New Category. Press Delete. With the frames still selected, click the Linear Section button. The New Category dialog appears. 12 Enter Clown Faces and click OK. 13 Click the Add to Library button to add the clown’s face into the library. Linear Section button. This is important for any expression changes applied face during the animation. 7 Select Head keyframe 1. Your clown face in the library. 14 Move the Scrubber to Frame 105. 15 Apply the face preset you just saved to the clown. Next, you’ll add another actor to your scene. To import a Poser document: 1 Head keyframe 1 selected. 8 Close the Animation palette. Choose File menu> Import> Poser Document. An Open dialog appears. 2 Locate the file Tutorial: TRAPESE ARTIST WALK. Poser 4 A new figure appears in the document window. 5 Click the Box Tracking icon. The Box Tracking icon. 6 The imported document in the Document window. 3 Click the Element menu beneath the Document window and choose Top Camera. 4 Set Scale to 400%. Click the Play button on the Animation controls The Play button. While the animation plays, watch the relative positions of the figures as they pass each other. At the beginning, they’re walking past each other on the right. Then, the clown turns his head to face the new figure as he walks. To align the figure’s face: The figures viewed from the Top Camera. Tu t o r i a l 1 Make sure the Scrubber in the Animation controls is at Frame 1. 2 Press Command/Ctrl-T to switch to the Top camera. 4 Divide the Twist value in half and reset the Twist dial. This creates the starting pose for the clown’s head. 5 6 Select the clown figure’s Neck. Use Twist to align the Neck so that the clown’s face is looking at the Trapeze Artist figure The scene from the Top camera. 3 Use the Twist dial to align the head to face of the Trapeze Artist figure. The head and neck rotated. 7 8 9 Move the Scrubber to Frame 50. Repeat steps 2-6 for Frame 50. Move the Scrubber to Frame 55. In Frame 55, the Trapeze Artist and the Clown are in the process of passing each other.The Clown’s chin should be in-line up with his shoulder, and his silly grin should be intact. The clown’s head rotated to face the Trapeze figure. Tip If you’re having a hard time seeing the position of the 10 Repeat step 2 to 6 for Frame 55. Next, you’ll twist other body parts to keep the Clown facing the Trapeze Artist.You’ll use the same twisting method you used on the Head to re-align the Chest and Abdomen. clown’s head, try expanding the size of the Document window using the resize control in the bottom-right corner of the window. Poser 4 To align the figure’s body: 1 8 Click the Edit Keyframe button to open the Animation palette. Use the Twist dial to align the clown’s chest so that its Head faces the Trapeze Artist. The Edit Keyframe button. 2 Select keyframes 56 through 105 of both the Clown’s Abdomen and Chest. 3 4 5 6 Press Delete. Close the Animation palette. Move the Scrubber to Frame 60. Press Command/Ctrl-T to switch to the Top camera. The re-aligned chest and head. Twist should be set to approximately -46. 9 Divide the value of the Chest’s Twist dial in half and reset Twist to the resulting number. 10 Click the Element menu and choose the Abdomen. 11 Use the Twist dial to align the abdomen so that the clown faces the Trapeze Artist. The scene view through the Top camera. 7 Click the Element menu and choose the Chest. Tu t o r i a l To add a prop: 1 2 Display the Libraries palette. Click the Props category dot. The Props category dot. The re-aligned abdomen shown through the Main camera. 3 Choose the Tutorial category from the menu. 4 Click the Circus Ring. These are more refinement s you can add to this file to make the action more realistic: • Have the clown’s eyes follow the Trapeze Artist as his body finishes twisting. • Add hand gestures to both figures. Use the skills you’ve learned in the earlier parts of the tutorial to create these effects. Lesson 5: Adding the Final Touch At the end of the Clown animation, the Clown seems to trip and fall over an invisible object. To complete the scene you’ll need to add a prop. The Circus Ring prop in the scene. The prop is added to the scene. Now that you have a prop, you can adjust the character’s movements to interact with it. Poser 4 To add an animation to your scene: 1 7 Click the Clown Flop pose. Click the handle at the bottom of the screen to display the Animation controls. The center of the Animation controls, displays the current frame and the total number of frames. 2 3 Click the total number of frames field. Enter 130 to add ten frames. The total number of frames field. 4 Click the current frame display and enter 121. The Clown Flop pose in the library. This ten frame animation will be added to your the animation. Note When you’re setting up an animated pose like Clown Flop to append to a work in progress, The current frame field. be sure not to move the entire Body. Adjust the Hips instead to 5 Click the Poses category dot in the Libraries palette. get the proper motion in relation to the last pose created. Lesson 6: Setting Animated Cameras and Test Rendering The Poses category dot. 6 Click the sub-category menu and choose Tutorial. Tu t o r i a l In this lesson you’ll use the Dolly camera (the only free floating camera in Poser) to render the scene.You could use any camera to render, the Main, Auxiliary, Posing, and Head cameras are all good choices for rendering. However, the advantage of the Dolly camera is that it stays true to its own center, making it useful for animations. When you’ve completed the lesson, try experimenting with the other cameras, especially the Head and Posing cameras. To position the Dolly camera: 1 Select the Dolly Camera from the Camera Controls palette. The readjusted view. 4 Choose Animation menu> Make Movie. The Make Movie dialog appears. The Dolly camera icon. 2 3 5 Click the Resolution menu and choose Quarter. 6 Click the Quality menu and choose Current Display Settings. In the Animation controls, move the Scrubber to frame 120. Using the Move X and Y control, move the camera back until the Clown is in full view. These settings should give you a good test render. Note Reduce the resolution for the test render, as Full resolution renders are time consuming. Even at this resolution, the animation will not render quickly. 7 8 Click OK. The Save dialog appears. Choose a save location for the MPEG (MAC) or AVI (PC) file and click OK. The Video Compression dialog appears. 9 Use the default settings and click OK. Poser starts rendering. Poser 4 Lesson 7: Final Render After one or more test renders, you’re ready to start the final rendering. To render your final animation: 1 Choose Render menu> Current Render Settings. 2 Adjust the Current Render Settings as needed. Enable Shadows and Anti Aliasing to produce the best results. 3 Click Render Now. Depending on the Image Size and Computer System, the final render takes between 45 minutes to two hours. Poser’s animation tools are its single most powerful features. Creating animation is challenging, even for the most experienced user. Patience is key to using all 3D applications, and Poser is no exception. Tu t o r i a l 4 Posing How Posing Works Posing is the process of bending, twisting, and pulling a figure into new and fantastic positions. There are two aspects of a pose: how the body parts twist and bend and the position of the body in the studio.The Editing Tools let you move both body parts and entire bodies simply by clicking and dragging. Since you’re working in three-dimensional space, you can pose your figure in almost any position. The only limits are specific range of motion limits placed on individual body parts, to keep poses realistic. For example, in the human figure, you can’t twist the head 360°. Posing and Camera Views With the newer Poser figures, you can pose the hands and faces of your figures. Poser includes special cameras that automatically zoom into figure’s hands and faces. Note Posing works differently depending on the models you use. You have more control over Translation Translation moves multiple body parts, pulling them along in a chain. To visualize this, think of a person lying relaxed. If you were to take hold of the hand and pull up, you’d lift the arm off the floor. Pull higher, and you’d lift the shoulder, then the chest. This is how the Editing Tools work in Poser. Drag any part, and connected parts follow. Not only do the parts move, but they bend and twist as you would expect. the hands and face of the newer Poser People category models. Poser 2 models have fewer controls. When you’re posing, you can switch camera views to see and adjust the pose from different directions. Use the Posing Camera to view a figure close-up, while preserving the position of the Main Camera. Refer to “Cameras” on page 177 for more information. Starting here... Posing and the Library As you create poses, you can add them to the Libraries palette.You can then retrieve a pose from the library and use it as a starting point for a new pose. Refer to “Loading from the Libraries Palette” on page 33 for details. Dragging the hand up... Continuing to drag, lifting the arm, the shoulder, and eventually the body. Posing Inverse Kinematics Poser’s Inverse Kinematics (IK) features help you achieve realistic poses and natural motion in animations. The term may sound intimidating, but IK is easy to use and understand. The effects of IK are most apparent when using the Editing Tools.Translate the hip—the legs bend to accommodate the new hip position without changing the foot position. Translate a foot—the hips and other leg stay fixed in position. The behavior of the arms under IK is similar. If you place a figure’s hands against an imaginary wall, moving the hip toward the wall causes the arms to bend. The arms bend while the hands remain fixed in position. If you enable IK on a pose created with IK turned off, the rules of IK can force the pose to change. IK uses the same kind of dependency, but in reverse. The extremity moves, and IK determines how the objects joined to it (closer to the root) must respond to support the new placement. For example, if someone was to grab your hand and push, your arm would automatically bend at the elbow, while your shoulder would stay fixed in position. Poser supports IK for the legs and arms.When IK is turned on, you can translate the hands and feet and achieve appropriate arm and leg positions automatically. When IK is turned on for the arms or legs, the hands and feet have targets to indicate the end of the chain. When the hands or feet are moved, the target moves—it is reset to a new position. When you move any other body part, the targets remain fixed and the arms and legs reach for their targets. Once the target is reached, the end of the chain is fixed, and the other parts must bend to accommodate the hand or foot position. For example, a foot reaches its target and the knee bends. Understanding IK Kinematics is the study of motion, velocity, rotation, and position. In terms of jointed structures, like an arm or leg, forward kinematics can be used to calculate how actions at the root of the structure determine the position and rotation of those at the end. For example, by raising your arm, the hand at the end of it is automatically translated to a new position and rotation. If you know the angle the arm raises, you can calculate the new position of the hand. Poser4 To work effectively with IK, note the following: • IK is enabled when you use the Editing Tools. • The Rotate, Translate, and Twist tools may not behave as expected on some body parts. For example, you cannot easily rotate or translate a thigh or shin when IK is enabled—the foot’s position takes precedence. This corresponds to the natural behavior of your limbs. When you stand, your feet and legs support your body weight, so you cannot arbitrarily move or rotate them. This consideration applies to using Editing Tools and Parameter Dials. • Lift the foot and the leg bends naturally. You cannot use both the Chain Break tool and IK on the same limb. Turning IK On or Off Inverse Kinematics can be set for the legs and arms of any figure. For a new figure, IK is enabled for the legs, but not the arms. For most artists, this setting offers the most useful way to work.You can enable IK for the arms or disable it for either or both legs. To change the IK setting for the current figure: • Translate the hips down and the knees bend. Posing Choose Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics> the limb you want to change. IK is turned on when the menu item for that limb has a check beside it. Limiting Motion The Use Limits option keeps body parts within a natural range of motion. This feature does not apply to parts affected by IK. What is considered natural differs among individuals. Poser’s default limits are a rough guideline, and may not look right to you.You can customize the range of motion by setting the Use Limits maximum and minimum. In some cases, Use Limits may prevent you from posing a part where you want it. Keep this in mind when you modify Use Limits. To turn Use Limits on or off: • each is considered an object or element. This is also true for the animal models. No matter how many legs an animal has, each leg is connected by joints which bend and extend. Selecting Parts You can select a part to pose in one of the following ways: • Click on the part in the studio. • Use the Current Element pop-up beneath the Document window. • Select the part from the Hierarchy Editor. For details on, refer to “Selecting Objects” on page 292. Choose Figure menu> Use Limits. Use Limits is on when the menu item has a check beside it. To change the range of motion allowed by Use Limits: 1 Select the body part whose range you want to adjust. 2 Double-click the Parameter Dial for the motion you want to adjust. 3 In the dialog, change the Max and Min values.When you are done, click OK. Posing Body Parts Like the human body, Poser figures are made of body parts connected by joints.You manipulate the separate body parts to pose a figure. Because body parts are independent, An example of a selected body part. Posing a Figure The easiest way to pose your figure is to choose one of the Editing Tools, select a body part, and drag the mouse to move the part. How the part moves depends on which part it is, the tool you use, and the direction you drag. It also depends on whether Inverse Kinematics (IK) is enabled. IK is a special Poser4 posing feature that assists you in achieving realistic poses and natural animated actions more easily. Refer to “Inverse Kinematics” on page 111 for more information. • Only one body part can be selected at a time. The selected part is highlighted on the figure and listed at the bottom of the Document window. Always confirm which part is selected before using a tool on it. While you use a tool in the Document window, the cursor changes to a representation of the selected tool. This allows you to keep track of how you’re moving a figure (such as rotating or twisting). Select the Figure Ring surrounding your figure and drag. The ring is highlighted when selected, so you can tell you are editing the whole figure. If you are not satisfied with a change you make, choose Edit menu> Undo. You can also use the Pose Memory dots to store changes in a pose as you create it. This way you can revert to a previous position if you are not satisfied with the change. Using the Editing Tools The Editing tools let you move body parts a number of different ways. The effect of each Editing tool depends on whether IK is enabled. Each tool can be used to pose a body part or to pose the entire figure. To pose a body part: • Select the part on the figure and drag. To pose the entire figure, do one of the following: • Click and drag on the tool icon you want to use. This automatically selects the figure. Or Posing Click a body part to move it, or click the Figure Ring to move the entire figure. When using a tool, you don’t have to start dragging over a body part—you can drag from anywhere inside the document window. Rotate Tool The Rotate tool bends a body part at its joint. Click the Figure Ring to rotate the entire figure. Rotate works in three dimensions, so you can make a lot of progress with only a few moves. Rotating a Body Part The direction you drag determines how the part moves in each of the three dimensions. • After moving the arm down toward the side. • Drag parallel to the part to move it toward or away from you. Drag perpendicular to the part to move it side-to-side or up and down. Drag parallel along the arm to move the arm around to the front. Drag perpendicular to the arm to move the arm down to the side. Poser4 Rotating the Entire Figure When you drag the Rotate tool, the figure turns in three dimensions. After the arm is moved around to the front. It takes a little imagination to understand how a two-dimensional mouse rotates a figure in three dimensions. Imagine a figure enclosed in a glass trackball. Now use the mouse to drag the front of the trackball to rotate it in the direction you want to turn the figure. The location on the trackball where you begin dragging makes a big difference in the direction the figure turns. Rotating is easier when you view the bending part from the side. For example, in the discus thrower shown below, the left hand is better viewed from the side than from the front. Original position. Using different camera views helps you to pose a figure more easily. For this reason, you’ll probably switch cameras several times as you pose different parts of a figure. Refer to “Cameras” on page 177 for details on using cameras. Posing Rotation on the X Axis Rotation on the Z Axis Drag down from the center of the window to rotate the figure face down. Drag in a circle from a corner of the window to turn a figure on its side. Drag down to rotate on the x axis. Drag in an arc to rotate on the z axis. Rotation on the Y Axis Rotation on Several Axes Drag left or right from the center of the window to turn a figure side-to-side. Drag at an angle to compound rotation. Drag left or right to rotate on the y axis. Drag at an angle to rotate on several axes. Poser4 Twist Tool The axis of the head, neck, and trunk is in line with the spine. The axis of a part in an arm or leg is in line with its length. Twist rotates a body part along its own axis. You can twist the entire figure by selecting the Twist tool and dragging. The entire figure twists around its own axis. Twisting a Body Part Drag laterally when twisting a specific body part, regardless of the part’s angle. Many of the human body’s joints don't allow for much twist. The forearm can twist nearly 180°, but the hand can hardly twist at all. Keep this in mind as you pose the figure. Twist the head to turn it to the side. Twist the forearm to turn the palm up. Posing Twisting the Entire Figure Translate/Pull Tool When you drag the Twist tool, the figure rotates around its own axis. Drag laterally, regardless of which way the figure is leaning. Translate/Pull moves the selected part or figure vertically or laterally (in the x and y dimensions), depending on how you drag. Using Translate/Pull on the Entire Figure When you drag the Translate/Pull tool, the figure moves laterally or vertically (in the x and y dimensions) in relation to the camera. Drag in the direction you want to move the figure. Translating moves a figure around the studio. When a figure is standing, the Twist tool spins it around. If the figure is lying down, the Twist tool rolls it over, from its stomach to its back. If you’ve rotated a figure to the edge of the window, you may want to move it back to the center.You may also move a figure if you are working with more than one, and want to place the figures relative to each other. Poser4 Translate In/Out Tool Chain Break Tool Translate In/Out tool moves the selected part or figure in the z dimension—toward or away from the camera. A chain break placed on a body part ends the chain of parts affected by the Translate tools. Using Translate In/Out on a Body Part When you translate a body part, drag down to pull the part toward you. Drag up to push the part away. Hold down the Command/Ctrl key to toggle between the Translate/Pull and Translate In/ Out tools. Using Translate In/Out on the Entire Figure When you drag the Translate In/Out tool, the figure moves toward or away from the camera (in the z dimension). Drag down to move the figure toward you. Drag up to move it away. Moving a figure toward you makes it appear larger in the window and vice-versa. Chain Breaks are shown on a figure. Use chain breaks on different body parts to modify translation effects. For example, to prevent the chest from moving, use the chain break on it. Now, if you translate the hand, only the forearm, shoulder, and clavicle are affected. Note This feature is only available for limbs not using Inverse Kinematics. To add a chain break: Translate In/Out moves a figure toward or away from the camera. Posing • Choose the Chain Break tool and click on the part where you want the chain broken. A Chain Break icon appears on any affected parts. When you select the Figure Ring, the Parameter Dials affect the entire figure. To remove a chain break: To use the Parameter Dials: • 1 2 Choose the Chain Break tool and click on the chain break you want removed. Note Select the part you want to adjust. Select the dial for the parameter you want to adjust, and drag it to the right or left. You cannot remove the chain break at the hip. Note Using the Parameter Dials The Parameter Dials let you pose a figure using precise numerical increments. By dragging on a dial you can move a body part in small increments, allowing you to create precise poses. Every property of a body part has its own Parameter Dial. If not all Parameter Dials appear in your window, drag the handle down to expose more dials, or use the scroll bar. To set a numeric value for a Parameter Dial: • Click on the dial’s value, and enter a new value in the text field that appears. The Parameter Dial dialog lets you control a property’s numeric value, maximum and minimum limits, and name. Scrollbar Dial Current Value The Parameter Dial properties dialog. Parameter Dials. Poser4 To set a Parameter Dial’s properties: 1 Double-click a Parameter Dial. A dialog appears. 1 To change a Parameter Dial’s memorized value: 2 Set any of the following options: 2 Set the dial to the value you want to be memorized. 3 Choose Edit menu> Memorize> choose a menu item. • 3 Value: to change the property’s numeric value • Min/Max Limit: modify the property’s Use Limits. • Name: create a new name for the property. • Sensitivity: modify the sensitivity of a parameter’s dialing habits. The lower the sensitivity value, the less movement is allowed in its element. • Graph: click this button to modify the standard animation graph palette. For details on this palette, refer to “Editing Keyframe Interpolation” on page 225. Click OK to close the dialog. Default Parameter Dial Settings Each body part’s Parameter Dial has a default value that defines its original state. As you work with Parameter Dials, you may wish to go back to the default, or memorized, setting. To reset a Parameter Dial’s default values: • Option/Alt-click the dial. Posing Posing Parameters The following Parameter Dials are available for posing. Since some properties don’t apply to certain body parts, the number of dials change as you select different parts. Twist Twist rotates a body part along its own axis. For example, you can use twist on the head and neck to turn the head. When you use it on the chest and abdomen, Twist manipulates the figure’s supple spine. Twist is also useful in the shoulder and forearm, where it turns the hand palm up. Bend Bend rotates a part on its major axis. All parts—except the shoulder and hand—bend forward and back. The shoulder and hand bend up and down. Side-to-Side Side-to-Side rotates the part perpendicular to its major axis. All the parts on the spine allow some side-to-side motion. The thigh has a lot of side-to-side motion, but the knee has very little. Turn The Turn dial appears for the feet only, rotating them outward or inward. Turning both feet in makes a figure pigeon-toed. Front-to-Back Front-to-Back is used with the shoulders and collars. It rotates them forward or back, perpendicular to their major axis. Posing Parameters for the Body The following Parameter Dials are available for entire figures. If you are working with more than one figure, remember to select the one you want to move before dragging a dial. xRotate, side view. yRotate yRotate rotates a figure around the y (vertical) axis. This works like the Twist tool, except that you twist the entire figure. Drag the dial to the right to rotate a figure counterclockwise. xRotate xRotate rotates a figure around the x axis at the figure’s hip. Drag the dial to the right to rotate the figure face down. yRotate, top view. Poser4 zRotate Symmetry zRotate rotates a figure around the z axis. Drag the dial to the right to lean a figure to the right. The Symmetry command allows you to copy pose characteristics from one side of the body to the other. This is a great time saver. Pose one arm or leg, then use symmetry to immediately put the other arm or leg in a matching pose. zRotate, front view. Before and After Symmetry: Right to Left. xTran xTran moves a figure horizontally (in the x dimension). Drag the dial to the right to move a figure in that direction. Another form of symmetry swaps the pose characteristics of the right and left.You can swap the arms, legs or both. yTran yTran moves a figure vertically (in the y dimension). Drag the dial to the right to move a figure up in the window. zTran zTran moves a figure toward or away from you (in the z dimension). Drag the dial to the right to move a figure toward you. Posing Use Symmetry: Swap Right and Left to mirror the pose. You can apply symmetry to both the arm and the leg (Left to Right or Right to Left), or just the arm or just the leg.You can also use Symmetry to straighten the torso. To apply symmetry: 1 Choose Figure menu> Symmetry> select a symmetry option. 2 A dialog appear asking if you want to copy the joint zone’s setup also. Unless you are working with a custom figure, click No (the default). For complete details on using joint zones, refer to “Figure Joints and Blend Zones” on page 278. Copying and Pasting Poser’s Copy and Paste feature lets you copy a pose from one body part and paste it onto another, or from one figure to another. Drop to Floor You can place a figure in any position, such as a mid-air leap. There’s nothing wrong with having your figure in the air, but if a floating figure doesn’t match your plans for the image, you can bring a figure to the studio floor with the Drop to Floor command. In this example, the Shoulder’s pose was copied to the Abdomen. To drop a selected figure to the floor: • Choose Figure menu> Drop to Floor. This brings the lowest part of the body to contact the floor. To display the floor: • Choose Display menu> Guides> Ground Plane. Here, the man’s pose was copied to the female figure. You can even copy a pose from one type of body part to a different type of part. For example, you could copy a twisted arm and paste it onto a shin, to achieve the same Poser4 amount of twist. However, note that all parameters from the copied body part are pasted to the new body part, so the results may not be ideal. To change a body part’s properties: 1 2 To copy and paste a pose to another body part: 1 2 Pose a body part. 3 Click to select the body part you want to copy the pose to. This can be a body part on the same figure, or a body part on another figure in the studio. 4 Choose Edit menu> Paste, or Command/Ctrl-V. Double-click the part or choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. With the body part selected, choose Edit menu> Copy, or Command/Ctrl-C. The pose is copied to the new body part. The Element Properties dialog. 3 When you copy a pose from one limb to its opposite, you do not achieve the mirrored position; the translated position of the copied limb equals the translated position of the pasted limb. Element Properties Poser offers various options for manipulating and displaying body parts.You can change their name, make them invisible, and stop them from bending. 4 Select the part you want to work with. Posing Set any of the following options in the Element Properties dialog: • Name: rename the part. • Visible: toggle the part visible or invisible. In an animation, you cannot make an element visible in one frame, but hidden in another. • Casts Shadow: toggle shadow casting for the part. • Bend: toggle the part bendable or not. For details, refer to “About Bending” on page 127. • Add Morph Target: add a custom morph target to the part. For details, refer to “Adding Custom Morph Targets” on page 156. Click OK to close the dialog. About Bending All body parts are separate elements, or objects. As you change their positions, Poser tries to maintain the continuity of the body as a whole. The arm should connect to the body smoothly, and so on for every transition between parts. Poser achieves smooth transitions in any pose by bending body parts where they join. However, the bending information for the human body may not work well for a body part replaced with a prop.You can disable bending for the body part replaced by the prop. For more information on bend, refer to “Replacing a Body Part with a Prop” on page 173. The Left and Right Hand Cameras use the hand as their center of rotation, making it easier to create precise hand poses. Use the Hand Cam to easily view a figure’s hand. When rendering an image created with the Bend option disabled, parts may appear disjointed. This may be useful for special effects, such as creating a robotic form. Use the same Editing Tools to pose a hand as you use on the rest of the body. The hand’s fingers are body parts just like an arm or leg; once you select them, you can rotate, twist, or position fingers just like any other body part. Posing Hands Locking Hand Poses In the Figures palette, models in the People sub-category have fully articulated hands; when you move a finger, its knuckle joints bend naturally. After you finish posing, you can use the Lock Hand Parts option to protect the hand’s pose while you work on the rest of the figure. Hands for all other models can be posed using the preset Hand positions in the Libraries palette. To lock an articulated hand pose: 1 2 Click the hand you want to lock. Choose Figure menu> Lock Hand Parts. The hand is locked in place. No finger parts can be selected or repositioned. This command is only available with figures from the People sub-category. Poser4 Using Parameter Dials on Hands When you select the main potion of a hand— labeled Left/Right Hand in the Current Elements menu—a special set of hand Parameter Dials appear. These dials let you quickly refine hand poses. Using the Hand Model The Left and Right Hand models are designed specifically for posing hands. These models appears as disembodied hands floating in 3D space. Grasp This dial lets you control the severity of the clench of the hand. The higher the value, the more closed the hand appears. Higher values create a fist. Thumb This dial lets you control the position of the upper thumb. Higher values move the thumb in, toward the rest of the hand; lower values move it away from the hand.You can position the rest of the thumb (the tip and middle of the thumb) separately by selecting them. Spread The Spread dial controls the amount of space between the fingers. Higher values spread the hand out, while lower values push the fingers together. Posing The Hand model. Hand models are ideal for creating a library of hand poses you can reuse on other figures. When you save a posed Hand model to the library, only the hand appears in the preview. To access a Hand model: 1 Display the Libraries palette by clicking its handle on the right side of the screen. 2 3 Select the Figures category. 4 Double-click either the Left or Right Hand model. Click the pop-up and choose the Additional Figures sub-category. Using Preset Hands Posing Faces When you’re done posing a hand, you can save it as a preset hand pose in the Libraries palette. Hand poses are saved the same way a figure pose is saved. Poser’s People figures have fully articulated faces, meaning you can position facial muscles such as mouth, eyebrows, cheeks and eyes to create different facial expressions.You’ll use the Parameter Dials to pose faces. Note Preset hands include Basic Hands and Poser 2 Fig Hands. You can only apply Basic Hands to the People and Poser 3 Low Res subcategories of figures. Poser 2 Fig Hands can only be applied to Poser 2 figures. To use a hand pose: 1 2 Click a figure to select it. 3 Click the Hands category button. If the button is not visible, move the cursor over the category dots at the top of the palette until the Hands icon appears. 4 Double-click the preview of the pose you want to use. A dialog appears asking if you want to apply the hand to the left or right hand. 5 Click either Left Hand or Right Hand button, then click OK. Display the Libraries palette by clicking its handle on the right side of the screen. Note Only the People sub-category of figures have posable faces. When you select the head, a series of facespecific Parameter Dials appears; each dial controls a different aspect of the face. When using these Parameter Dials, keep in mind that you are controlling the muscles in the face. Because an expression is made up of different muscle movements, you need to adjust several parameters to create an expression. The Face Camera uses a figure’s face as its center of rotation, letting you view it from any angle. Use the Face Camera for posing a figure’s face. Poser4 Using the Parameter Dials The normal range of the facial Parameter Dials is 0 to 1. This range represents the normal range of motion of the face and produces realistic expressions.Values above 1 produce an exaggerated pose, like a wide gaping mouth.Values below 0 (that is, negative values) produce the opposite effect of the parameter. For example. a negative Frown value produces a slight smile. Mouth O When the Mouth O dial is set to 1, the lips are in position to produce the O sound. Positive values pucker the lips. Negative values stretch out the lips. Mouth Parameters These dials controls a figure’s mouth and tongue. Together the dials control most of the muscles in the lower face. OpenLips Controls the distance between lips. Positive values spread the lips. Negative values move them closer together. Smile Positive smile values raise the corners of the mouth and close the eyes slightly. Negative value produce the opposite effect. Frown Positive values drop the corners of the mouth. Negative values produce a slight smile. Posing The Mouth O dial in use. Mouth F When the Mouth F dial is set to 1, the lips are in position to produce the F sound. Using positive values, the lower lip tucks up under the upper teeth. With negative values, the lower lip juts out. Mouth M When the Mouth M dial is set to 1, the lips are in position to produce the M sound. A positive value presses the lips together. A negative value spreads out the lips. Tongue T Left/Right Brow Up When the Tongue T dial is set to 1, the tongue and mouth are in position to produce the T sound. Positive values press the teeth together and moves the lower lip down, opening the mouth. Negative values close the mouth and pull the lips together. Positive values lift the inner brow (that is, the part of the brow closest to the nose) up. Negative values lower the inner brow, producing an angry look. Worry Left/Right Positive values move the inner brow up and the outer brow down. Negative values have the opposite effect. The Tongue T dial in use. Tongue L When the Tongue L dial is set to 1, the tongue and mouth are in position to produce the L sound. Using positive values, the mouth opens and the tip of the tongue tucks in behind the front teeth. A negative value closes the lips. Eyebrow Parameters This set of Parameter Dials control the position of the eyebrows and eyelids. The Eyebrow parameters control most of the muscles in the upper half of the face. Left/Right Brow Down Positive values lower the brow down in a straight line. Negative values curves the brow up. The Worry dials in use. Blink When the Blink dial is set to 1, the eye is completely closed. At 0 the eye is completely open. Negative values produce extremely open eyes, producing a horrified look. Posing Eyes You can pose the eyes within a face just like any other body part; select them using the Editing Tools and position them using the Parameter Dials. Eyes also appear on the Current Elements pop-up menu. Poser4 Character Morphs The following morph target Parameter Dials are available with the Character models: Brow: a higher value pushes the eyebrows out. BumpNose: a higher value creates a bump on the bridge of the nose Cheeks: a higher value makes the cheekbones more pronounced. Chin: a higher value makes a more pronounced chin. EyeRoundness: a higher value makes the eyes more round. RoundNose: a higher value makes a rounder nose. SquareFace: a higher value makes a more square-shaped face. Faces and Phonemes A phoneme is a linguistic term for the position of the lips, teeth, and tongue as they make sounds. To produce certain letter sounds, the mouth and tongue must be in specific positions. For example, to produce the letter A sound, the mouth is open, and the tongue is behind the lower teeth. A series of phonemes strung together produce speech. B FlatFace: a higher value makes the face flatter. FlatNose: a higher value makes a flatter nose. HeartFace: a higher value makes a more heart-shaped face. I LashLengh: a higher value makes longer eyelashes. LipSize: a higher value increases the volume of the lips. LongFace: a higher value makes a longer face. R PointedNose: a higher value makes a more pointed nose. RoundFace: a higher value makes a rounder face. A series of examples of Phonemes. Posing In Poser, you can create the appearance of phonemes to create realistic facial animations, simulating speech. This is useful when you attach sound to figure. By setting up different animation frames with different phonemes you synchronize the face to the sound. All the same Editing Tools and Parameter Dials you use on figures also work on animal models. The Current Figure menu, at the bottom-left of the Document window, lists all the parts that make up the animal. There are several preset phonemes included in the Faces: Phonemes sub-category on the Libraries palette.You can use these presets to help you get started. Refer to “Loading from the Libraries Palette” on page 33 for more on retrieving phonemes from the Libraries palette. Using Preset Faces Like hands, you can save face poses into the Libraries palette. Once saved, you can easily apply a face to any number of figures. Refer to “Saving to the Libraries Palette” on page 34 for more information. Posing Animals You can pose animal models using the same techniques you use to pose a human figure. Animal models have their own set of IK settings, Bend zones, and Use Limits, so not all the parts act as you may expect. On the Horse model, for example, moving the hip joint toward the ground does not make the horse sit, as it does in the human figure. An example of posing a dog figure. Posing Animal Heads Several animal models have fully articulated heads. For example, the dog model has a mouth and ears that can be posed. Like human figures, use the Parameter Dials to pose the features on an animal model’s head. Posing a dog’s eyes and mouth. Poser4 When you click an animal model’s head, a set of special Parameter Dials appear that control all the posable parts of the head. Each model has different morph target parameters. To find out which parameters are posable, click on the head. Pointing Body Parts You can aim body parts directly at other figures, body part, or props using the Point At command.You may find this feature handy, for example, to illustrate a figure following her hand with her eyes. To point a body part directly at an object: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the element you want to point. 2 Choose Obejct menu> Point At. A scene selection dialog appears. 3 In the list of objects, click to select the figure, body part, or prop you want to point the element at, then click OK. The element points at the object, and a Point At Parameter Dial appears for the element.You can adjust this parameter as needed. At 1, the element is pointed completely at the object. At 0, the element is not pointed at the object. To disable the pointing of a body part: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the body part that is pointing. 2 3 Choose Obejct menu> Point At. In the dialog that appears, click None. Posing Locking Objects You can lock body parts or an entire figure, so that the editing tools and parameter dials don’t affect it. This feature is helpful when you want to protect a pose while you work on the rest of the figure To lock a figure or body part: 1 Click the Current Element pop-up and choose the figure or element you want to lock. 2 Choose Object menu> Lock Actor. The actor is locked when this menu item is checked. When a body part is locked, you can still manipulate other parts and the figure. If you lock an entire figure, you can still manipulate its parts, but the figure itself cannot be moved. Auto Balance and Posing The Auto Balance feature is a valuable tool for creating realistic poses. When Auto Balance is enabled, Poser calculates the mathematical “weight” for a figure and then maintains it. In the following example, there is more weight in the figure’s hip or center portion than in the upper torso. 3 As you pose a figure, Auto Balance adjusts body parts to maintain the original weight distribution. This results in more natural looking poses, without requiring several position adjustments. Saving Poses in the Libraries Palette When a pose is saved in the Libraries palette, all the parameters are saved. To save a pose to the Libraries palette: Posing using Auto Balance. When using Auto Balance, small subtle motions result in better poses than do large motions. Large motions may create drastic results. If this happens, use Edit menu> Restore to reset body parts’ positions. To enable the Auto Balance feature: • 1 To display the Libraries palette, click its handle on the right side of the screen. 2 Click the Poses category button. If the button is not visible, move the cursor over the category dots at the top of the palette until the Poses icon appears. 3 Click the Add to Library (+) icon. A dialog appears. 4 If you want to specify parts of the pose to include or not include, click the Select Subset button. In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, deselect any items that you don’t want to include, then click OK. 5 Enter a name for your library item and click OK. 6 A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. Choose Figure menu> Auto Balance. Saving Poses The Libraries palette lets you save poses and animations. Saved poses are readily accessible, so you can apply them to the current figure at any time. You can save poses either temporarily—just during the session—or indefinitely—to use them in other projects.You can also save a set of poses as a morph target. You can save a still or the entire animation. Poser4 • If you select the Single frame option, the current pose is saved. • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to save. Choose either Single frame or Multiframe animation from the dialog and click OK. A rendering of the pose appears in the Libraries palette. If you saved a multi-frame animation, the number of frames appears in the Library preview. Using the Pose Memory Dots Use the Pose Memory Dots to store a figure’s position during a session.You can store up to nine different poses. Memory dots are saved with the file, so your figure positions are available the next time you open the file. To save a figure position to a memory dot: 1 2 Set up a figure pose. 3 Click an empty memory dot. The figure position is stored into the dot you clicked. Click the pop-up menu above the memory dots and choose Pose Dots. To recall a stored position: • Using Poses from the Libraries Palette When you use a single frame pose from the Libraries palette, Poser applies it to the current frame. When you use an animation from the library, Poser applies it to a series of frames, beginning with the current frame, and extends the full length of the applied multi-frame pose. Make sure you have enough frames ahead to accommodate the multi-frame pose. Otherwise, Poser automatically extends the length of the animation to accommodate the poses. To load poses from the Libraries palette: 1 To display the Libraries palette, click its handle on the right side of the screen. 2 Click the Poses category button. If the button is not visible, move the cursor over the category dots at the top of the palette until the Poses icon appears. 3 Click the sub-category pop-up and choose the type of pose set you want to apply. Full Memory Dot If you want to apply an animated pose to your figure, use the Animation Sets subcategory. Empty Memory Dot Use the Pose Dots to save poses. Posing Click on a memory dot. The figure moves to the stored pose. 4 Double-click the preview of the pose you want to use. 5 Body Shaping Human bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Starting with any Poser model, you can adjust its proportions to create a body of any type, from lifelike to absurd. Poser lets you shape the body any way you like. Poser 4 includes several features for body shaping.You can select from a library of morph targets to reshape any body part.You can create your own morph targets using the deformer tools. The Grouping tool lets you target specific sections of elements and props. With the Scale tool, you can scale the body or its parts in one, two, or all three dimensions. Scaling all three dimensions maintains the body or object’s proportions. Scaling in one or two dimensions changes the actual shape. For example, increasing the height scale makes a figure taller. Increasing only the width and depth can make a figure stout—even rotund. You can create exaggerated body types. With the Taper tool, you can taper parts of the body so they make smooth transitions. You can customize figures by replacing body parts with props you’ve imported into your scene.You can also attach a prop to a figure, such as a sword or a pair of wings. As you create new bodies, you can save them to the Figures category in the Libraries palette. The library is the easiest way to store and retrieve body shapes. Body Shaping General Characteristics Selecting Figures from the Library The Figures category of the Libraries palette provides many figures to work with, including various types of males, females, children, skeletons, stick figures, and animals. Poser figures are divided into different categories of older and newer Poser models. Examples of the skeleton, stick figure and Poser 2 models. Models in the Poser 2 figure category are available in high resolution and low resolution versions. Low resolution models use less memory and display more quickly, while high resolution models offer better detail. High resolution models have the word “Hi” in their titles and low resolution models have “Lo”. Newer Poser models are more detailed and have fully articulated hands and faces. The Animals category also contains fully articulated animal models. the Figures icon appears, then click the mouse button. 3 Click the sub-category popup menu and choose the sub-category of figures you want to use. 4 Double-click the preview of the figure you want to use. Genitalia The male nude model is anatomically correct. To turn display of his genitals on or off, choose Figure menu> Genitalia. Some of the People and Animal figures. You can find the most recently Poser figures in the “People” sub-category of the Figures library. In addition to fully articulated hands and faces, they include extra morph targets, and are optimized to work with Poser’s library of clothing. The Poser People models that can change clothing begin as nudes. The People sub-category also includes Robots. You can use older and newer Poser models together to optimize your workflow. For example, while posing, you can use a lower resolution model from a Poser 2 category to maximize the response time of your computer. Then when you’re ready to render, make a movie, or export a model, switch to a high resolution model from the People subcategory. Figure Height Poser provides several figure heights as starting points.You can modify any of these toward the body shape you want. To set figure height: • Choose Figure menu> Figure Height> select a height. Using the Color Tool You can use the Color tool to change a figure or its clothing’s color. The Color tool changes the color of the entire figure; you cannot use it on individual body parts. To change the figure type: 1 2 Display the Libraries palette. The Color tool. Click the Figures category button. If the button is not available, move the cursor over the dots at the top the palette until Poser 4 To change a figure’s color: 1 Click to select the Color tool, then click the figure whose color you want to change. 2 Drag the dropper icon over the color picker that appears. Release the mouse button when you select the desired color. Using the Shaping Tools The easiest way to shape a part is to choose the Scale or Taper tool, click on the element you wish to adjust, and simply drag it. For more precise control in each dimension, use the Parameter Dials. Scale Shaping Individual Body Parts Shaping individual parts can significantly change the appearance of the body. Enlarge the abdomen to give the model a big belly. Stretch the head wider to give the model a broad face. Drag in (toward the selected element) to reduce the scale. Drag out (away from the element) to increase the scale. • You scale the three dimensions to varying degrees, depending on how you drag. Drag laterally to scale width and depth (x and z dimensions). Drag vertically to scale height (y dimension). • To scale proportionally in all three dimensions, hold down the Shift key as you drag. If the result is not what you expected, choose Edit menu> Undo. Shaping an individual body part. Shaping is easiest when a figure is in the default pose—with arms out, facing the camera. In this pose, you can clearly see the proportions of the separate elements and the effects of your changes. Body Shaping For more precise control of the scale in each dimension, use the Parameter Dials. You can animate the scaling of a body or body part. For details on animating, refer to “Creating Animations” on page 209. Taper xScale xScale adjusts the width scale (x dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. Taper adjusts the scale of one end of an element only—the other end does not change. Taper affects the end of the element that is distant from the center of the body. Drag to the right to increase the taper. Increasing the taper shrinks the end of the element farther from the center of the body. Drag to the left to decrease the taper. This “flares” the end of the element. Using the Parameter Dials When you click a body part, the Parameter Dials change to display the appropriate scaling controls. Taper Taper adjusts the scale of one end of an element only—the other end does not change. Drag to the right to increase taper. The end of the element farther from the center of the body shrinks. Drag to the left to decrease the taper. Scale Scale adjusts all three dimensions proportionally. Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale. yScale yScale adjusts the height scale (y dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. zScale zScale adjusts the depth scale (z dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. Breast Size The female model’s chest includes the BRLarge and BRSmall Parameter Dials for changing the breast size. Drag the BRLarge dial to the right to increase breast size. Drag the BRSmall dial to the right to decrease breast size. Symmetry You can save a lot of time and effort with the Symmetry command. When you shape an arm or leg, you can use Symmetry to give the other side the exact same proportions. You can apply symmetry to both an arm and leg (Left to Right or Right to Left), or just an arm or leg.You can also use Symmetry to straighten the torso. Poser 4 To apply symmetry: 1 Choose Figure menu> Symmetry> select an option. 2 A dialog appear asking if you want to copy the joint zone’s setup also. Unless you are working with a custom figure, click No (the default). For complete details on using joint zones, refer to “Figure Joints and Blend Zones” on page 278. Scaling the Body as a Whole Scaling the body simply changes its size. To scale the figure, select the Scale tool, select the Figure Ring for the appropriate figure, and drag in the Document window. Body Size and Uniform Scaling A figure’s size is significant only in relation to other figures or objects in the scene. If you are posing a single figure, uniform scaling of the body is not necessary. Instead, to make a single figure larger or smaller in the window, scale the camera. If you are working with two or more figures and you want to make a figure appear to be in the distance, use the Translate In/Out tool to move it back in the studio space. To make a figure a certain size for a final rendering, you can set the Rendering Options to render at a specific resolution. For details on rendering, refer to “Setting Up a Render” on page 260. Using Parameter Dials The Parameter Dials are particularly useful for body shaping. The values show the scale in that dimension as a percentage. The normal scale of a Poser model is 100%. Scale Scale adjusts all three dimensions proportionally. Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale. xScale Scaling the entire body using the Figure Ring. For details on the Scale tool, refer to “Scale” on page 140. Body Shaping xScale adjusts a figure’s width (x dimension). yScale yScale adjusts a figure’s height (y dimension). zScale zScale adjusts a figure’s depth (z dimension). Copying and Pasting Poser’s new Copy and Paste feature lets you copy a shaped body part and paste the shaping Parameters onto another, or from one figure to another. Using the Deformer Tools Poser’s deformer tools are used to shape body parts and figures into new and interesting forms.You can stretch a figure’s nose, make a figure’s belly bounce as it walks, add ripples to clothing, or create a splash.You can animate the deformers both in their settings and positions.You can also use the deformers to create custom morph targets. For example, you could resize a hand, and then copy the new size to the opposite hand on the figure, to another figure’s hand.You can even copy a new shape to a different type of body part, such as a foot or the head. To copy and paste a shaped body part: 1 Manipulate a body part with any of the shaping tools or parameters. 2 With the body part selected, choose Edit menu> Copy, or Command/Ctrl-C. 3 Click to select the body part you want to copy to. This can be a body part on the same figure, or a body part on another figure in the studio. 4 Choose Edit menu> Paste, or Command/Ctrl-V. The parameters are copied to the new body part. Examples of deformed objects. When working with the deformers, it’s best to use the full tracking display style so you can see the effects of the deformer as you manipulate it. To turn full tracking on: • Choose Display menu> Tracking> Full Tracking or click the Full Tracking button on the upper-right corner of the document window. Deformer tools do not appear when a scene is rendered in Poser. Poser 4 The Magnet Deformer • The Magnet deformer distorts an object by creating a virtual magnet which stretches it. The Rotate, Twist, Translate, and Scale tools can be used on the Magnet deformer, as well as several specialized Parameter Dials. The Magnet Base defines the zero point of the area to be deformed.When you move the Magnet Base, the Magnet object moves with it. • The Magnet Zone defines the area to be deformed.You can move and shape the Magnet Zone to fit your needs. Using Editing Tools with Magnets You can use the same tools you use for posing to position the magnet objects. To edit a magnet object: 1 Select the magnet object from the Current Element popup. To create a Magnet deformer: 2 Select the editing tool you want to use. 1 2 For all of these tools, when you move the Magnet Base, the Magnet object moves along with it. A sphere deformed by the Magnet. Select the object you want to deform. Choose Object menu> Create Magnet. When you create a magnet, three Magnet objects, which together create the deformer, are added to your scene. • Rotate rotates a Magnet object around its axis in three dimensions. Magnet object • Twist rotates a Magnet object along its own axis. Magnet Zone • Translate/Pull moves the Magnet object horizontally or vertically (in the x and y dimensions), depending on how you drag. Magnet Base • Translate In/Out moves the Magnet object in or out from the center of the studio. The three parts of the Magnet deformer. • The Magnet object defines the behavior of the actual magnet. Body Shaping The editing tools that can be used on Magnet object are: • Scale increases or decreases the size of the Magnet object. Using Parameter Dials with Magnets When a Magnet object is selected, you can use the Parameter Dials to precisely control a it’s position and orientation: • Scale adjusts all three dimensions proportionally. Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale. • xScale adjusts the width scale (x dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. • • yScale adjusts the height scale (y dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. • zTran moves the Magnet object in the z dimension. Magnet Properties Just like body parts, you can control the properties of the Magnet objects. To edit a Magnet object’s properties: 1 Choose the Magnet object from the Current Element popup. 2 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. The Properties dialogs differ depending on which Magnet object is selected. Magnet Object Properties zScale adjusts the depth scale (z dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. Note xScale, yScale, and zScale are not used with the Magnet Base object. • xRotate rotates the Magnet object around the x axis. • yRotate rotates the Magnet object around the y axis. Magnet object properties. • zRotate rotates the Magnet object around the z axis. The options in the Magnet Properties dialog are: • xTran moves the Magnet object in the x dimension. • • yTran moves the Magnet object in the y dimension. Name: rename the Magnet object. This option is helpful when you are working with several magnets. • Visible: toggle the Magnet visible or invisible. Poser 4 • Add Element to deform: add another element to be affected by the magnet. If you click this button, select an element in the Hierarchy list that appears, then click OK. Note Magnet Zone Properties In order for this feature to work, the added element must be in the Magnet Zone, or it won’t be deformed. You can move or scale the Magnet Zone object to bring the element into the zone. Magnet Base Properties Magnet Zone properties dialog The options in the Magnet Zone Properties dialog are: • Name: rename the Magnet Zone object. • Visible: toggle the Magnet Zone visible or invisible. • Edit Falloff Graph: edit the Magnet Zone’s falloff (the area where the deforming ends or “falls off ”). Click this button, then edit the graph that appears. • Set Parent: set a parent object for the Magnet Zone. Click this button, select an element in the Hierarchy list that appears, and click OK. • Group: deform a grouped part of the selected element. Enable the checkbox, then select one or more groups from the Magnet Base properties dialog The options in the Magnet Base Properties dialog are: • Name: rename the Magnet Base object. • Visible: toggle the Magnet Base visible or invisible. • Display Origin: display the Magnet Base’s axis. This feature is useful because the Magnet object translates on the Magnet Base’s axes, not the ground floor axes. So for example, if you use a Parameter Dial to move the Magnet along the y axis, it moves along the base’s y axis, not the studio’s y axis. Body Shaping popup. A group is selected when a check appears next to it. Tip To get an optimal 3D view of the 3 If the Display Shadows control is on, turn it off by choosing Display menu> Ground Shadows. 4 Choose Object menu> Create Magnet. The Magnet, Magnet Base, and Magnet Zone objects appear. magnet zone, change its display style to Wireframe. Select the Magnet Zone, select Element The Magnet object scales to a size bigger than the object it has been created for, so in this case it is quite large. For a smaller body part or prop, the magnet would not appear so large. Styles from the Document Display Style popup, then click the Wireframe icon. Locking Magnets 5 The Lock feature can be especially helpful for the Magnet Zone objects. Once you have a zone carefully positioned to get the effect you want, you can lock it so that it isn’t accidentally moved. For details, refer to “Locking Figures and Body Parts” on page 159. Tutorial: Using the Magnet Deformer This short tutorial demonstrates how easy it is to use the Magnet deformer. For a simple demonstration, we’ll use a magnet on an empty ground plane. Now you’ll probably want to zoom out a little. Drag the X and Z camera control up until the entire ground plane is showing in your Document window. The X and Z camera control. 6 Click the Translate/Pull tool, then click the Magnet object. To use the magnet deformer: 1 To remove any figures from the scene, select the figure in the Current Figure popup, then choose Figure menu> Delete Figure. 2 Choose Display menu> Guides> Ground Plane, then click the ground plane to select it. Poser 4 7 Drag the magnet up, down, and side-toside. The ground plane follows the magnet around. Translating the Magnet object. 8 Click the Rotate tool, and rotate the Magnet object around. The ground plane rotates around the center of the Magnet Base object. For example, translate the zone to the right to move the area being deformed. Translating the Magnet Zone object. 11 With the Magnet Zone still selected, choose Edit menu> Restore> Element.The zone returns to its original size and shape. 12 Choose Mag Base 1 from the Current Element popup. 13 Using the Editing tools or Parameter Dials, experiment with scaling, rotating, and translating the Magnet Base object. Rotating the Magnet object. 9 In the Current Element popup, choose Mag Zone 1 to select the Magnet Zone object. 10 Drag the Scale Parameter Dial for the Magnet Zone and scale the zone to about 50%. Now only the portion of the ground plane within the magnet zone is deformed. Experiment with the editing tools and Parameter Dials on the zone. Body Shaping Rotating the Magnet Base object. The Wave Deformer The Wave deformer distorts an object by creating a wave path for it. The Rotate, Twist, Translate, and Scale tools can be used on the Wave deformer, as well as several specialized Parameter Dials. • The Wave Zone defines the area to be deformed. Wave Zone Wave object The two parts of the Wave deformer. Using Editing Tools with Waves A cube distorted by the Wave deformer. To create a Wave deformer: 1 2 Select the object you want to deform. To edit a wave object: 1 Select the wave object from the Current Element popup. 2 Select the editing tool you want to use. Choose Object menu> Create Wave. When you create a Wave deformer, two wave objects, which together create the deformer, are added to your scene: • You can use the same tools you use for posing to position the wave objects. The Wave object defines the behavior of the actual wave. The editing tools that can be used on Wave objects are: • Rotate rotates a wave object around its axis in three dimensions. • Twist rotates a wave object along its own axis. Twist has no effect on the radial wave. • Translate/Pull moves a wave object horizontally or vertically (in the x and y dimensions), depending on how you drag. Poser 4 • Translate In/Out moves a wave object in or out from the center of the studio. The Parameter Dials available only for the Wave object are: • Scale increases or decreases the size of a wave object. • Using Parameter Dials with Waves Phase defines the position of the wave in the infinite time. Use this dial when you are animating waves. • Amplitude defines the wave’s height. • Wavelength defines the distance from one wave crest to another. • Stretch defines the amount of stretch for each wave. • Amp Noise defines the randomness or “noise” of the wave pattern’s amplitude. • Freq Noise defines the randomness or “noise” of the wave pattern’s frequency. • Sinusoidal defines the size of the sine wave pattern. • Square defines the shape of the wave pattern. Drag the dial to the right to create square-shaped waves. • yRotate rotates the wave object around the y axis. For this parameter to affect the Wave Zone, the zone must be disproportionately scaled (not perfectly round). Triangular defines the shape of the wave pattern. Drag the dial to the right to create triangle-shaped waves. • zRotate rotates the wave object around the z axis. For this parameter to affect the Wave Zone, the zone must be disproportionately scaled (not perfectly round). Turbulence defines the roughness of a wave pattern. Drag the dial to the right to create jagged, or turbulent waves. Drag the dial to the left to create a smooth wave patter. • Offset controls whether the wave pattern is above, below, or across the wave’s origin. Drag the dial to the right to bring the wave pattern above the origin. This control is handy, for example, when you want to keep clothing from deforming into a figure. When a wave object is selected, you can use the Parameter Dials to precisely control a wave’s position and behavior. The Parameter Dials available for both the Wave and Wave Zone objects are: • • • • Scale adjusts all three dimensions proportionally. Drag the dial to the right to increase the size of the wave object. xRotate rotates the wave object around the x axis. For this parameter to affect the Wave Zone, the zone must be disproportionately scaled (not perfectly round). • xTran moves the wave object in the x dimension. • yTran moves the wave object in the y dimension. • zTran moves the wave object in the z dimension. Body Shaping The Parameter Dials available only for the Wave Zone object are: • xScale adjusts the width scale (x dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. • yScale adjusts the height scale (y dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. • zScale adjusts the depth scale (z dimension). Drag the dial to the right to increase the scale in this dimension. Wave Properties Just like body parts, you can control the properties of the wave objects. Wave Object Properties Wave object properties dialog. The options in the Wave Properties dialog are: • Name: rename the Wave object. This option is helpful when you are working with several waves. • Visible: toggle the Wave object visible or invisible. • Add Element to deform: add another element to be affected by the wave. If you click this button, select an element in the Hierarchy list that appears, then click OK. To edit a wave object’s properties: 1 Choose the wave object from the Current Element popup. 2 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. The Properties dialogs differ depending on which wave object you select. Note In order for this feature to work, the added element must be in the Wave Zone, or it won’t be deformed. You can move or scale the Wave Zone object to bring the element into the zone. Poser 4 Wave Zone Properties Using Morph Targets A morph target is a custom Parameter that is added to a body part so you can gradually reshape it. Poser includes several built-in morph targets in its library, and you can build your own. Wave Zone properties dialog. The options in the Wave Zone Properties dialog are: • Name: rename the Wave Zone. • Visible: toggle the Wave Zone visible or invisible. • • • Edit Falloff Graph: edit the Wave Zone’s falloff (the area where the deforming ends or “falls off ”), Click this button, then edit the graph that appears. Set Parent: set a parent object for the Wave Zone. Click this button, select an element in the Hierarchy list that appears, and click OK. Group: deform a grouped part of the selected element. Enable the checkbox, then select one or more groups from the popup. A group is selected when a check appears next to it. Body Shaping Use a morph target to make transitional changes in a figure’s geometry. With morph targets, you can easily resize and reshape body parts. Just like any other motion, you can animate your morphs. For an example of how morph targets you can use, take a look at the Head parameters of a Poser People figure. All the facial parameters, such as Mouth and Tongue settings, were created using morph targets. Using Morph Targets to Add Ethnicity Poser now includes morph targets which allow you to easily add ethnic traits to your figures. Brow: a higher value pushes the eyebrows out. BumpNose: a higher value creates a bump on the bridge of the nose Cheeks: a higher value makes the cheekbones more pronounced. Chin: a higher value makes a more pronounced chin. EyeRoundness: a higher value makes the eyes more round. FlatFace: a higher value makes the face flatter. FlatNose: a higher value makes a flatter nose. Using morph targets to change a figure’s ethnicity. HeartFace: a higher value makes a more heart-shaped face. To use an ethnic morph target: 1 2 Display the Libraries palette. LashLengh: a higher value makes longer eyelashes. Click the Figures category button. If the button is not available, move the cursor over the dots at the top the palette until the Figures icon appears, then click the mouse button. LipSize: a higher value increases the volume of the lips. 3 Click the sub-category popup menu and choose the Characters sub-category. PointedNose: a higher value makes a more pointed nose. 4 Double-click the preview of the figure you want to use. The new figure contains an ethnicity morph target Parameter Dial. If you want to customize your own figure, the following morph target Parameter Dials are available with the Character models: LongFace: a higher value makes a longer face. RoundFace: a higher value makes a rounder face. RoundNose: a higher value makes a rounder nose. SquareFace: a higher value makes a more square-shaped face. Poser 4 Using the Superhero Morph Target Poser includes a full figure morph target in which the entire figure is morphed in various body parts simultaneously to form a superhero character. The full figure morph target is the Superhero Parameter Dial on the body. Drag to the right to move the figure into the morph. 2 With the body part selected in the Current Element popup, choose Object menu> Spawn Morph Target. 3 In the dialog that appears, enter a name for the morph target. The target appears in the list of Parameter Dials. Tip If you used deformers on the element and don’t plan to use them anymore, you may delete them now. Creating Custom Morph Targets You can create your own morph targets in Poser as well as other applications. In this section, you’ll learn how to create morph targets in Poser. For details on creating morph targets in other applications, refer to “Creating Custom Morph Targets” on page 272. You can use one or a combination of the deformers and morph channels (such as the Worry dials on the articulated faces) to create custom morph targets. When you create a morph target on an element, a new Parameter Dial is added. To create a morph target in Poser: 1 Shape an element using any available morph channels or deformers. When you shape multiple elements on a body part and then create a morph target, all the changes in shape are included. Body Shaping 4 Drag the dial to the right to reshape the element toward the morph. Drag the dial to the left to reshape it away from the morph. 5 A value of 0.0 for this dial is the original object, while a value of 1.0 changes the body part to the morph target. A value of 0.5 is halfway between the original object and the morph target. A negative value inverts the vertices. Note If you left the deformers and morph channels on the element, the morph target will add on top of them, so the effects will seem doubled. To restore the body part, choose Edit menu> Restore> Element. Note Only morph target channels combine into a full body morph. Deformers are not automatically turned into individual morph targets to be included in the full body morph. Likewise, scales, rotates, and translates are not included in a full body morph. To create a full figure morph target: A custom morph target. 1 Create morph targets for as many body parts as you wish. Refer to “Creating Custom Morph Targets” on page 154 for instructions. 2 Using the newly created morph target Parameter Dials, morph each body part. If you create morph targets but they are set at zero, they won’t appear in the full figure morph. 3 With the figure selected, choose Figure menu> Create Full Body Morph. 4 In the dialog that appears, enter a name for the morph target. You can use the Hierarchy Editor to delete morph targets from the list of Parameter Dials. For details, refer to “Deleting Objects” on page 292. Creating Full Figure Morph Targets You can shape multiple body parts and then save the entire pose as a full figure morph target. The new morph target encompasses all the parameters for that pose, so everything morphs at the same time. Now when the Body is selected in the Current Element popup, the morph target appears in the list of Parameter Dials. 5 Drag the dial to the right to reshape the entire body toward the morph. Drag the dial to the left to reshape it away from the morph. Poser 4 Adding Custom Morph Targets You can create morph target in other applications, such as Ray Dream Studio, and add them to your figures. For details on creating custom morph targets, refer to “Creating Custom Morph Targets” on page 272.You may also acquire custom morph target files from other sources, such as the Poser forum on the Internet. This section describes how to add custom morph targets to a figure. The Add Target dialog appears. Add Shape Interpolation Target dialog. 4 To add a custom Morph Target: Click Locate to find the geometry file you want to use as a morph target. The file must: • Be in OBJ format. 1 Select the body part to which you want to add a morph target. • Contain the same number of vertices as the original body part. 2 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. • Contain only the body part you are morphing. Do not use a file of the entire figure. Element Properties dialog. 3 Click Add Morph Target. Body Shaping 5 Enter a name. The name appears on the morph target Parameter Dial for the selected body part. 6 Click OK to return to the Element Properties dialog. Click OK again to return to the main window. A new Parameter Dial is added for the selected body part. Use this dial to morph the body part from its original shape to the morph target. A value of 0.0 for this dial is the original object. A value of 1.0 changes the body part to the morph target. Saving Morph Targets You can save a morphed figure in the Libraries palette. It retains all morph Parameter Dials, so the next time you retrieve the figure you can use any morph targets on it. To save a morphed figure: You can also create new props, deform and morph selected sections of an element, and create custom figures. For complete instructions on creating figures, refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301. To use the grouping tool: 1 Click the Grouping tool in the Editing menu. 1 Choose the Figures category in the Libraries palette. 2 3 Choose a sub-category from the popup. 4 In the dialog that appears, enter a name for your figure and click OK. 5 A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. 2 Click to select the body part you want to group. • If you select the Single frame option, the current pose is saved. 3 • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to save. Click individual polygons, or drag the cursor over a group of polygons to select them. Click the Add to Library (+) icon at the bottom of the palette. Select either Single frame or Multi-frame animation and click OK. The Grouping tool. All figures and objects in the studio become gray, and the Group Edit palette appears. Refer to “Using the Group Edit Palette” on page 158 for complete details. • To deselect individual polygons, hold down the Control key while clicking or dragging. • To select polygons that are currently out of view, either use Wireframe display style or use the camera trackball to change the view of your figure. Using the Grouping Tool The Grouping tool lets you select and group specific polygons within a body part. With this feature, you can assign surface materials to specified sections of a body part. For details on assigning materials, refer to “Applying Materials to Specific Regions” on page 246. Tip While working with the grouping tool, hold down the Option/Alt key to quickly access the camera rotation trackball. Poser 4 Using the Group Edit Palette When the Grouping tool is selected, the Group Edit palette appears. This palette provides several options for working with polygon groups. Use it to create, edit, and delete multiple groups, as well as to create and customize props. • Delete Group deletes the currently selected group. • Add All selects all the polygons in the body part. • Delete All deselects all the polygons in the body part. • Invert Group inverts the selection (select all the currently deselected polygons, and deselect any currently selected polygons). • Include Group includes another named group with your selection. • Remove Group removes another named group from your selection. • Include Material includes another material—such as a joint—from the body part. • Assign Material creates a new material class for the selected polygons. • Create New Prop makes a new prop from the selected group. Enter a name for your prop in the dialog that appears. • Spawn Props makes props for all groups that have been created. • Create Perspective UVs maps the UV texture coordinates for a group. This command can be used, for example, to map an imported background image of a face to a group made from a Poser figure face. The texture coordinates of the face would be mapped onto the image. • Reverse Group Normals reverses the normals of the selected group. This way you can turn environment type objects or other imports inside out to render them interactively as desired. • Hide Other Objects makes other elements and props in the scene invisible, The Group Edit palette. The options in the Group Edit palette are: • Prev and Next view any groups that have been created. • New Group creates a new group. Enter a name for your group in the dialog that appears. Body Shaping so you can have an unobstructed view of the element you are grouping. • • Show Multigroups Faces displays any polygons that appear in more than one group. When you group a model out for splitting apart, this is a handy way to see if any polygons have been put into more than one group. Show Non-grouped Faces displays any polygons that are not grouped.When you group a model out for splitting apart, this is a handy way to see if any ungrouped polygons have been left out. Locking Figures and Body Parts Once you’ve shaped body parts or an entire figure to your liking, you can lock them so that they cannot be moved or reshaped further. The Lock feature is especially useful with deformers. Once you have shaped a Magnet or Wave Zone object to your satisfaction, you can lock it to prevent it from being moved. To lock a figure or body part: Using Deformers on Grouped Objects Once you’ve created one or more groups, you can use the deformer tools to shape and morph them. Groups can be selected by name in the Properties dialog for the Magnet or Wave Zone objects. To deform a group of a body part: 1 2 Click to select the body part. 3 Choose the Magnet Zone or Wave Zone from the Current Element popup. 4 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Sphere Zone Properties dialog appears. 5 Enable the Group checkbox, then select one or more groups from the popup. A group is selected when a check appears next to it. 1 Click the Current Element popup and choose the figure or element you want to lock. 2 Choose Object menu> Lock Actor. The figure or body part is locked when this menu item is checked. When a body part is locked, you can still shape other parts as well as the entire figure. If you lock an entire figure, you can shape its parts, but not the figure itself. Choose Object menu> Create Magnet or Create Wave. Now when you use the deformer on a body part, only its grouped part is deformed. Poser 4 Saving Figures to the Libraries Palette After you’ve shaped a body to your liking, you can save the body to the Figures category in the Libraries palette.Your figure is easy to retrieve the next time you want to use it. If you’ve modified the figure by replacing a part with a prop or by attaching one or more props, the Figures category maintains these customized geometries. Refer to “Saving to the Libraries Palette” on page 34 for details on saving figures to the library. Body Shaping 6 Props How Props Work Poser lets you add props to your scenes. Props are three-dimensional objects that your figures can wear or interact with. Props can be accessories that give the figure more realism or character—perhaps a wig, moustache, sunglasses, cigar, or briefcase. In some cases, the pose itself depends on the prop—a figure leaning on a cane, tossing a ball, or climbing a ladder. You can manipulate props as you do other elements.You can change their color, reshape, deform, morph, and apply texture and bump maps to them (if they have UV mapping). Props even cast shadows. Poser’s replaceable geometry feature allows you to replace a body part with a prop. The prop actually becomes part of the body and takes on the posing behavior of the part it replaces. This is a great way to create customized characters. For example, you could replace the figure’s hand with a metal hook to create a pirate. Props can be attached to body parts. You can select props from the Props library or import props in several popular 3D file formats. A catalog of props is displayed in the Libraries palette.You can also create your own props in a 3D modeling program, such as Ray Dream Studio. Use props to customize a character. You can also attach a prop to a specific body part by setting a prop’s “parent.” This allows you to pose and animate the figure holding a prop, such as wielding a sword or carrying a briefcase. Props can help add meaning to some poses. Props Using Hair Hair is a special kind of prop that automatically attaches to a figure’s head.You can choose from several styles. Once assigned, the hair on a figure moves as you move the head. Poser includes some types of hair which you can morph and shape into new styles. Older Poser hair models are static, so you can’t edit them. You can edit the hair’s scale and position using the Parameter Dials. Some hair models include morph target Parameter Dials which you can use to shape and move the hair. For example, you can make a ponytail swing back and forth for a walking animation. Male and female figures with different hair styles. To add hair to a figure: 1 2 Display the Libraries palette. 3 Choose a Hair sub-category from the popup. 4 Double-click the preview of the hair you want to use. Click the Hair category icon. If the icon is not visible, move your cursor over the category dots at the top of the palette until the Hair category appears and click the mouse button. Morphable hair. The library also includes a poseable hair model. This model contains several elements for the hair piece.You can the pose the hair element using the same tools you’d use to pose a figure. Poseable hair. Poser 4 To use the poseable hair model: 1 Select the Poser female nude from the Figures:People subcategory of the Libraries Palette. 2 Select the Clothing-Female sub-category in the Figures category. 3 4 Click Long Curls. Click the Create New Figure icon at the bottom of the palette. The Create New Figure icon. 5 To conform the hair to the figure, choose Figure menu> Conform To. Working with Clothing Poser clothing. Each article of clothing behaves like a regular Poser figure—it includes all the elements and parameters for that portion of the body, and can be posed and shaped just like a figure. For example, shirts have chest, neck, abdomen, and arm elements. Poser includes a whole library of clothing you can use on the nude People figures. The Clothing sub-categories in the Figures library palette includes shirts, pants, shoes, dresses, skirts, etc. Clothing includes all the elements and parameters for that portion of the body. Props When a piece of clothing is added to a scene and defined as a conforming figure, it attaches itself to the base figure, snapping to the similarly named body parts. As the base figure moves, so does its clothing. To add clothing to a figure: 1 2 In the Figures category of the Libraries palette, select one of the People figures.If you want, you can pose it at this point, or you can wait until the clothing is added. Custom clothing is optimized to work with the nude People figures, and not the older Poser nudes. Depending on your figure’s gender, select either the Clothing-Male or ClothingFemale sub-category in the Figures category. 3 Click the preview of the clothing you want to use. 4 Click the Create New Figure icon at the bottom of the palette. Clothing is added to a scene. 5 Make sure the clothing is selected in the Current Figure popup. 6 To conform the clothing to the figure, choose Figure menu> Conform To. 7 If you’ve already posed your figure, the clothing is now posed in the same position, and will move with the figure if you continue to pose it. The Create New Figure icon. The clothing is added to the scene. The clothing is conformed to the figure. Some tight-fitting clothes may not completely cover the figure—there may be spots where the skin shows through. This is easy to fix. Poser 4 To hide skin under conformed clothing: 1 Choose the Poser figure from the Current Figure popup. 2 Choose the body part that you want to hide from the Current Element popup. 3 Choose Object menu> Properties. The Element Properties dialog appears. 4 Disable the Visible checkbox, then click OK. The body part is hidden under the clothing. You can also make body parts invisible using the Hierarchy Editor. For details, refer to “Changing Object Visibility” on page 294. Using Clothing without a Figure You may wish to use clothing by itself, not conformed to any figures. For example, you could pose articles of clothing for a catalog.To do this, don’t conform the clothing to a figure.You can still pose and shape the clothing as you would a normal figure. Adding and Importing Props You can add a prop by either selecting a prop from the Libraries palette, or importing a 3D object created in another application. Using Props from the Library The Libraries palette displays all the props available in Poser.You can choose from a number of different types of props, including: a ball, box, cane, cone, cylinder, square, stairs, or torus.You can add any number of basic props to the studio. The only limit is your system’s memory. To apply a basic prop: 1 2 Display the Libraries palette. 3 Double-click the preview of the prop you want to use. Click the Props category icon. If the icon is not visible, move your cursor over the category dots at the top of the palette until the Props category appears, then click the mouse button. Importing Props Any object saved in a 3D format supported by Poser can be imported as a prop. This means that you can use a 3D modeling application, such as Ray Dream Studio, to create an object and then import it into Poser as a prop. Poser uses a plug-in architecture for file import and export. Using plug-ins, you can extend the types of file formats Poser supports. Refer to the Read Me file and consult the MetaCreations Web site for the latest information. Poser imports model files in DXF, BVH, 3DMF, Wavefront OBJ, 3D Studio (Windows), and Painter3D (Detailer) formats. Props To import a prop: 1 2 When importing DXF format files, Poser considers one DXF unit equal to the male figure’s height—about six feet. Choose File menu> Import> select the appropriate file format. The Import dialog appears. Offset sets the prop’s exact position in the studio. Locate and open the file you want to use as a prop. The Prop Import Options dialog appears. Weld identical vertices unifies vertices that are identical on the prop. Make polygon normals consistent if the vertex normals are supplied on a prop, this option makes polygon normals consistent with vertex normals. Flip normals reverses all the prop’s normals. Flip U Texture Coordinates reverses the prop’s U texture coordinates. Flip V Texture Coordinates reverses the prop’s Vtexture coordinates 4 When you import a prop, you can set its scale and location. 3 Enable the desired options: Centered centers the prop in the middle of the studio. Place on Floor positions the prop on the ground plane. Percent of standard figure size scales the prop. Since each 3D program has its own scaling protocol, props are imported in reference to the figure’s height. If you scale a prop to 50%, it imports at half the size of the figure’s height. Of course, once you add the prop, you can resize it with the Scale tool or Parameter Dials. When you’ve set the prop import options, click OK. Poser places the prop in the studio, with the origin located as specified. However, depending on where and how the prop was created and exported, the origin may not be placed where you want it. Refer to “The Prop Origin” on page 169 for more on prop origins. If you don’t see your imported prop in the studio, the prop is probably too large and the camera you’re looking through is inside or in front of it. Use the X and Z control to zoom out your view of the studio. Poser 4 Deleting Props • Use the Parameter Dials for more control over any adjustment. For example, you can use the dials to scale the prop only in the Y dimension. • Choose Figure menu> Drop to Floor to place a prop on the floor. To delete a prop from the document window: • Select the prop from the Current Element popup, then choose Object menu> Delete Prop. Working with Props Props, including hair, function as elements in the studio, so you can control a prop just as you would any body part. Before you can edit a prop you must select it. To select a prop: • Click the prop’s center, or select it from the Current Element popup at the bottom-left of the Document window. Deforming Props Poser now includes deformer tools, which you can use to stretch, reshape, and deform props. For details, refer to “Using the Deformer Tools” on page 143. Creating Props You can use the Grouping tool to select specific polygons on a figure or prop. With this feature, you can create new props. For example, you could create a mask prop from a face. To move, rotate, or resize a prop: 1 Click to select a prop, or choose it from the Current Element popup. 2 Use any of the following tools to move or modify a prop: • • • 2. Polygons selected on a figure Use the Rotate or Twist tool to change the prop’s orientation. Rotate turns a prop on its origin point.You can change how a prop rotates by adjusting its origin. Use the Translate/Pull or Translate In/Out tool to move the prop in the studio. Use the Scale tool to resize a prop. Props 3. 1. A figure A mask prop created from the group Use the Grouping palette to create props from body parts. To create your own prop: 1 Select the body part or prop you want to create the prop from. 2 Click the Grouping tool The Grouping tool. All figures and objects in the studio become gray, and the Group Edit palette appears. 3 Click individual polygons, or drag the cursor over a group of polygons to select them. For complete details on using the Grouping tool, refer to “Using the Grouping Tool” on page 157. 4 Once you have all the polygons selected for your new prop, click the Create New Prop button on the Group Edit palette. 5 Enter a name for your prop in the dialog that appears, then click OK. The new prop is listed in the Current Element popup.You can now edit, move, and shape it just like any prop. 6 To save your prop in the Libraries Palette, refer to “Adding Props to the Library” on page 175. Creating New Prop Parameters You can use morph targets to create new parameters for your props. Refer to “Using Morph Targets” on page 152 for complete information. The Prop Origin The prop origin appears in the Document window as 3D cross-hairs. The Origin is the prop’s center of rotation and scale. When you rotate a prop, it moves around the origin point. When you scale a prop, it grows or shrinks from the origin point. The prop origin appears as an X. Y, and Z cross-hair. You can display the prop origin by choosing Object menu> Properties and enabling the Display Origin checkbox. Changing the Prop Origin When a prop is selected, three Parameter Dials for moving the origin are available—originX, Y, and Z. Poser 4 The main reason for moving the origin is so the prop rotates on a different point. When you adjust the originX, originY, or originZ dial, the origin moves with respect to its original location. The Prop Properties dialog. 3 Set any of the following options in the Prop Properties dialog: • Name: rename the prop. Giving your props descriptive names makes them easier to locate in the Current Element popup and in the Animation palette. • Visible: toggle the prop visible or invisible. In an animation, you cannot make a prop visible in one frame, but hidden in another. • Casts Shadow: toggle shadow casting for a prop. Disable this checkbox if you import a room object. Otherwise, if the object casts a shadow, you won’t get any infinite lighting on anything inside of it. • Display Origin: display the prop’s axis.This feature is useful because the prop translates on its axis, not the ground floor axes. • Set Parent: make the prop move with another element in the scene. Refer to “Setting Prop Parents” on page 171 for details. • Add Morph Target: add a custom morph target to the part. For details, refer to “Adding Custom Morph Targets” on page 156. Adjusting the prop origin. As you move the origin in the respective dimensions, you may want to switch camera views to see the relative positions of the origin cross-hairs and prop geometry. Prop Properties Poser offers several options for props.You can change the name, make it invisible, and display the origin or set the prop’s parent. To change options for a prop: 1 2 Select the prop you want to work with. Double-click the prop in the Document window or choose Object menu> Properties. Props Prop Color and Surface Material You can set surface material characteristics for your props. For example, you can apply an image of marble as the texture map on a tall cylinder to create a pillar.You may also use a bump map to roughen the surface of a wig. Setting Prop Parents You can attach props to body parts.When you pose a body, the attached prop maintains its contact and orientation with the parent element. A prop you import may already have Texture and bump maps assigned. If possible, Poser keeps these maps attached to the prop. Poser uses implicit (UV) mapping to apply texture and bump maps to the prop. This method requires the model to have UV coordinate data. Most 3D file formats carry this data. DXF, however, does not. If a prop does not have UV information, you can’t apply texture or bump maps to it. You can set the color of prop objects, apply texture and bump maps to them, and control highlights using the Surface Material dialog. The dialog is discussed in detail in “Applying Surface Materials” on page 244. As the figure moves, so does the prop. In the Surface Material dialog, you can also select the prop just like you would a body part and assign surface property parameters to it. Refer to “Surface Materials” on page 243 for more on applying surface materials. Poser 4 You can control whether attached props bend with their parent body part.You may not want to bend some props—like sunglasses, a wristwatch, or sword. Others you will want to conform to and bend with the figure—such as the elbow pads on a rollerblader. you want them, you may want to do any of the following: • Use a detailed preview style like Lit Wireframe or Flat Shaded. • Zoom in for a closer look. Zoom in with the Posing Camera to avoid changing or animating the Main Camera. • Do a test rendering to check the alignment. Making a prop bend with its parent body part. It is best to set prop parents before posing. Once you start posing the figure, it becomes much harder to get props correctly positioned and keep them where you intended them. To attach a prop to a body element: 1 Add or import the prop you want to use. Rename it if you like. 2 If necessary, use the editing tools, deformers, or Parameter Dials to shape the prop. 3 4 With the prop selected, select Object menu> Properties, then click Set Parent in the dialog that appears. 5 In the Hierarchy list that appears, click to select the element you want to attach the prop to. For example, to attach a sword to the left hand, click Left Hand. If you want to release a prop from its parent, choose None. 6 To make the prop bend like its parent body part, enable the Inherits bend of parent checkbox. 7 8 Click OK to close the Hierarchy list. Move the prop into position using the Translate tools or the Parameter Dials. To make sure the position and orientation of the prop and body part are exactly as Move the prop to the figure before setting the parent. Props Click OK to close the Prop Properties dialog. Replacing a Body Part with a Prop Poser lets you replace a body part with a prop. For example, you could import a model of a bull’s head, then replace the figure’s head with the bull head to create a Minotaur. Then you can move the Minotaur’s head as you would move any figure’s head. To replace a body part with a prop: 1 2 Add or import the prop you want to use. 3 Move the prop into position on the body using the Translate and Rotate tools, or the Parameter Dials. If necessary, use the editing tools, deformers, or Parameter Dials to shape the prop. Make sure the prop and body’s positions and orientation are exactly as you want them. In most cases, you’ll want to “overlap” the prop with the part it will replace.You also may want to try some of these tips: Replace a body part with a prop to create custom characters, such as a Minotaur. It’s best to replace a body part before you start posing the figure, since it’s harder to position a prop after you’ve moved the figure’s body parts. • To more easily position a prop, hide the part you are replacing. To do this, double-click the part, then disable the Visible checkbox in the Element Properties dialog. • Use a detailed display style like Lit Wireframe or Flat Shaded. • Zoom in for a closer look. • Do a test rendering to check the alignment. 4 5 Select the body part you’re replacing. 6 Choose the prop you are swapping in, then click OK. The prop takes the name of the part it replaces. Choose Object menu> Replace Body Part with Prop. Poser displays a dialog with a popup of all props in the scene. Poser 4 If a replaced a body part doesn’t look right when you bend it, you can turn off bending for that replaced part. Double-click the part, then disable the Bend checkbox in the Element Properties dialog. Note Bend zones on a figure are very specific and editing them is a very technical process. Once a Bend zone is altered, the model is irreversibly changed. Use Bend zones with caution. In terms of surface material, the prop remains independent of the body.You can use the Surface Material dialog to apply texture and bump maps to a prop. Refer to “Surface Materials” on page 243 for more on surface materials. Changing a Figure Type with a Prop Attached or Replaced If you try to change the model type of a figure that has an attached prop or replaced part, Poser alerts you.You can either keep the modifications on the new figure or start with a standard figure. Props If you change the type of a customized figure with props, Poser alerts you. To keep props that replace parts on the figure, enable the Keep modified geometries checkbox. To keep props “with their parents,” enable the Keep props attached to figure checkbox. To keep props with their deformers, enable the Keep deformers attached to figure checkbox. Restoring a Figure’s Geometry If you replace a body part with a prop, then later decide you want the original body part back, simply reload the figure from the Libraries palette. When you load the original model, Poser displays a dialog asking if you want to Keep modified geometries. To restore the original body part, leave the checkbox disabled and click OK. Adding Props to the Library After you’ve modified a prop, you can save it in the Libraries palette. To save a prop to the library: 1 Select the Props category in the libraries palette. 2 3 Choose a sub-category from the popup. 4 To specify parts of the scene to include or not include, click the Select Subset button. In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, deselect any items in the scene that you don’t want to include, then click OK. 5 In the dialog that appears, enter a name for your library item and click OK. 6 If the prop has a parent element—such as a hat attached to a head—a dialog appears asking if you want to make the prop a smart prop. A smart prop “remembers” its parent element, so the next time you select it from the Prop library, it is positioned with its parent element. 7 Click OK to save your new prop. Click the Add to Library (+) icon at the bottom of the palette. A dialog appears. Poser 4 Props 7 Cameras How Cameras Work The view of the Poser studio is taken through the lens of a virtual camera. 3D cameras include Main, Auxiliary, Face, Posing, Left Hand, Right Hand, and Dolly cameras. These can be repositioned anywhere in 3D space, allowing you to view the studio from almost any angle. Orthogonal cameras, which provide perspectivefree views of the studio, include Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Front and Back cameras. When you render an image or movie, it is rendered from the viewpoint of the currently selected camera. The cameras aim at the studio from different directions. By switching cameras, you can see figures and objects in the studio from entirely different viewpoints. View through the Right Hand camera. View through the Main camera. View through the Face camera. View through the Posing camera. Cameras Viewing the studio from different angles is a great help as you work. An arm that reaches straight toward you in a front view reaches horizontally in a side view. Posing this arm may be difficult in the front view, but is much easier in the side view. The Main and Posing Cameras The Main and Posing cameras rotate around the center of the studio. When the figure is in its default position, it is always in the center of the view as you rotate or re-position these cameras. The Posing camera uses the currently selected figure as its center of rotation. Wherever the figure moves, the Posing camera follows, so the figure is always in view. If you select another figure, the Posing camera moves to the selected figure. In contrast, the Main camera doesn’t use the figure as its center of rotation. When you move the figure, the Main camera doesn’t follow. The Auxiliary Camera The Auxiliary camera provides an additional camera view. Like the Main camera, it rotates around the center of the studio.You’ll find the Auxiliary camera useful when you want another view but you want to hold the Main camera’s current position, or when the Main camera is locked. The Hand and Face Cameras The two Hand cameras and the Face camera provide close-up views to help you with hand and face posing. Like the posing camera, these cameras rotate around the selected figure’s components. When you’re working with an animal figure, the Hand cameras rotate around the animal’s paws, hooves, or claws, and the Face camera rotates around the animal’s face. The Dolly Camera The Dolly camera rotates around its own center. This means it can move around and between figures and objects in the studio. If you want to emulate a motion picture camera, use the Dolly camera. The Orthogonal Cameras The Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Front, and Back cameras are orthogonal cameras—they produce orthographic projections. In an orthographic projection, all objects appear flat. These cameras are different from the perspective views provided by the other cameras. In a perspective view, the scale of objects diminishes as their distance from the camera increases. Left (orthogonal) camera view Main camera (perspective) view The orthogonal cameras display flat perspectivefree scenes; the studio cameras display scenes in 3D. Poser 4 The orthogonal cameras cannot be rotated; they are permanently aligned to their orientations in the studio.You can use these cameras for reference when you’re posing figures. Flyaround View The Flyaround view lets you see all the contents of the studio all at once. In this view the camera is placed on an imaginary track above and away from the center of the studio. When the view is active, the camera continuously moves along this track so you can get a 360° view of the figures in the studio. The Camera Selection Control The Camera Selection control lets you graphically cycle through all the available cameras.You can also use it to switch between cameras and activate the Flyaround view. Select camera popup Camera shortcut Animating On/Off Click the Flyaround ring at the top of the Camera controls. To deactivate flyaround view, click anywhere in the window. Selecting a Camera Flyaround View Select camera icon To activate flyaround view: • Camera shortcuts The Camera Selection control. The Select Camera popup lets you select a camera by name. The Select Camera icon lets you graphically select a camera. To switch between cameras: • Drag over the Select Camera icon until the icon for the desired camera appears. There are several ways to select a camera: • Use the Camera Selection control. • Select a camera from the Current Elements popup under the Document window. • Choose Display menu> Camera View> choose a camera. • Use the camera’s key shortcut. Cameras The Camera Selection icon. The camera shortcut icons let you quickly access cameras. The default shortcuts are Face camera, and Left and Right Hand cameras. You can customize the shortcuts to the cameras of your preference. To use the camera shortcuts: • Click the shortcut icon for the camera you want to use. To replace the camera shortcut icons: 1 Select the camera you want to make into a shortcut. 2 Option/Alt-click on a camera shortcut icon. The icon is replaced with the currently selected camera. The Animating On/Off icon enables or disables keyframing for a specific camera. When the control is disabled, the camera position is not included as a keyframe, which means you can’t animate the view of your figures. When the control is enabled, any movement of the camera can be recorded as a keyframe. Refer to “Animating Cameras” on page 237 for more on animating the camera. Changing the Studio View The Main, Posing, and Dolly cameras can rotate and move anywhere, even below the floor. The orthogonal views move laterally and vertically, so you can bring a figure to the center of the field of view.You cannot Rotate or Translate In/Out (move in or out) the orthogonal cameras (left, right, top, bottom, front, and back).You can scale them, however. Positioning Cameras The Camera Controls palette lets you quickly position a camera in the Poser studio. There are two sets of controls for positioning: the Camera Plane controls and the Rotation Trackball. Camera Plane Controls The Camera Plane Controls constrain the movement of the camera to specific 3D planes. This helps you move the camera more precisely. 3D space is made up of X,Y, and Z planes. Y Z X The X, Y, and Z planes that make up 3D space. The Camera Plane controls constrain the movement of the camera along one or two of these planes. Poser 4 Y and Z X and Z The X and Z control. The Y and Z control. The Y and Z control constrains the movement of the camera to the Y and Z planes. With this control selected, the camera can move backward, forward, up, or down. X and Y The X and Y control. The X and Y control constrains the movement of the camera to the X and Y planes. When you use this control, the camera only moves vertically or horizontally. The X and Z control constrains the movement of the camera to the X and Z planes. With this control the camera moves forward, backward, left, or right. Rotation Trackball The Rotation Trackball. The Rotation Trackball tilts and spins the camera around the entire studio. In the case of the Main camera, it rotates around the center of the studio. The Posing, Face, and Hand cameras rotate around the figure, head, and hands. You can roll your view around a virtual trackball by holding down Option/Alt and dragging directly in the Document window. The Rotation Trackball has no effect on the orthogonal cameras (left, right, top, bottom, front, and back). Cameras Scale Display the vanishing lines guide to see how changing the focal length changes the perspective on the studio. Roll The Scale control. The Scale control works like a zoom lens control. Drag right over the control to zoom into the center of the studio or left to zoom out. Focal Length The Roll control. The Roll control banks the camera, tilting your view of the studio. Drag right to roll the camera to the right or left to tilt the view to the left. Using Camera Parameter Dials The Focal Length control. The Focal Length control increases or decreases the selected camera’s focal length. Drag left to decrease the focal length of the camera. Decreasing the focal length increases the sense of perspective.The effect is similar to a photographer using a fish-eye lens: vanishing lines converge more sharply and elements near the camera appear to “reach” toward you. The result can be dramatic. Drag right to increase the focal length. This “flattens” the sense of perspective. The distance between objects appears to be shorter. When a camera is selected, you can use the Parameter Dials to precisely control the camera’s position and orientation. The Dolly, Posing, Face, and Hand cameras have the standard 3D Pitch,Yaw, and Roll capabilities. In contrast, the Main camera has xOrbit, yOrbit, and zOrbit parameters. Focal Length Focal Length changes the perspective of the view by adjusting the camera’s lens. Drag the dial left to decrease the focal length, or increase the sense of perspective. Drag the dial right to increase the focal length, or flatten the image. Poser 4 xOrbit Roll xOrbit tilts the camera forward or back. At a low xOrbit (-30°), the camera is near or beneath the floor, looking up at the studio center. At a high xOrbit (45°), the camera is up near the rafters, looking down at the studio center. Roll tips the Dolly camera to the left or right. If you continue to drag, the camera rolls all the way around and returns to the starting point. Yaw yOrbit yOrbit tips the camera to the left or right. If you continue to drag, the camera orbits all the way around and returns to the starting point. Pitch Roll zOrbit zOrbit orbits the camera around the studio. The camera continues to point at the center of the studio as it orbits. Yaw Yaw rotates the Dolly camera on its own y axis. The Dolly camera has 180° of yaw pointing away from the studio center. Pitch Pitch tilts the Dolly camera on its own axis. The camera stays in place, but changes the pointing angle. Cameras Yaw, Pitch, and Roll. Scale Scale adjusts the dimensions of the studio in the window. Scaling the camera is like zooming in and out with a telephoto lens. Drag the dial to the right to zoom in. Drag the dial to the left to zoom out. Changing the scale in only one dimension distorts the figure’s appearance. xScale xScale changes the camera’s horizontal scale to distort the appearance of the figure in the window. Drag the dial to the right to increase the xScale. Drag the dial to the left to decrease the xScale. yScale Camera Options yScale changes the camera’s vertical scale to distort the appearance of the figure in the window. Drag the dial to the right to increase the yScale. Drag the dial to the left to decrease the xScale. Poser offers two options for cameras.You can change a camera name and set whether it can be animated. zScale 1 Select the camera you want to change. 2 Choose Object menu> Properties. To set camera options: The Camera Properties dialog appears. zScale changes the camera’s depth scale to distort the appearance of the figure in the window. Drag the dial to the right to increase the zScale. Drag the dial to the left to decrease the zScale. DollyX DollyX moves the camera laterally. Drag the dial to the right to move the camera to the right. DollyY DollyY moves the camera vertically. Drag the dial to the left to move the camera up. DollyZ DollyZ moves the camera in and out. Drag the dial to the right to move the camera toward the studio. Drag the dial to the left to move away. Set camera options in the Camera Properties dialog. 3 4 Enter a new name for the camera. Enable the Animating checkbox to have the camera’s movements recorded as keyframes. When this option is disabled, the camera’s movements cannot be animated. Note A camera that can be animated can have different settings in several frames. If you want the camera to animate—to leave keyframes when changes are made— enable the Animating checkbox. Poser 4 Pointing Cameras You can aim cameras directly at figures, body part, or props using the Point At command. This feature makes it easy to quickly focus on an object, without having to use all the positioning controls. To point a camera directly at an object: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the camera you want to point. Locking Camera Positions Once you have positioned a camera to your liking, you can prevent it from being moved again. To lock a camera: • With the camera selected in the Current Element popup, choose Object menu> Lock Actor. 2 Choose Object menu> Point At. A scene selection dialog appears. 3 In the list of objects, click to select the figure, body part, or prop you want to point the camera at, then click OK. The camera points at the object, and a Point At Parameter Dial appears for the camera.You can adjust this parameter as needed. At 1, the camera is pointed completely at the object. At 0, the camera is not pointed at the object. To disable the pointing of a camera: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the pointing camera. 2 3 Choose Object menu> Point At. In the dialog that appears, click None. The camera is locked when the Lock Actor menu item is checked. Saving Camera Positions You can store a camera position in either the library for use in any Poser file or a memory dot for use with just that file. Saving Camera Sets to the Library The Camera category in the Libraries palette lets you save camera positions, then jump to them with just a few mouse clicks. The default Camera category provides several positions. Add your own custom positions to expand the library. Remember: camera positions are in reference to the studio, not the figure. The Camera category in the Poser library saves the settings of all of the cameras at once. You cannot save only one camera. Cameras To save a camera set to the Libraries palette: 1 2 Set up camera positions. 3 Click the Cameras category icon. If the icon is not available, move the cursor over the category dots at the top of the Libraries palette until the Cameras category appears, then click the mouse button. 4 5 To display the Libraries palette, click the handle on the far right side of the screen. Click the Add to Library (+) button at the bottom of the palette. The Set Name dialog appears. To specify parts of the scene to include or not include, click the Select Subset button. In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, deselect any items in the scene that you don’t want to include, then click OK. 6 Enter a new name for the camera setting and click OK. 7 A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. • If you select the Single frame option, the current camera position is saved. • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to save. Using the Camera Memory Dots Memory Dots are the quickest way to store the camera’s position during a session.You can save up to nine different positions. Memory dots are saved with the file, so your camera positions are available the next time you open the file. To save a camera position to a memory dot: 1 2 Set up a camera position. 3 Click an empty memory dot.The camera position is stored into the dot you clicked. Click the popup menu above the memory dots and choose Camera Dots. To recall a stored position: • Click on a memory dot. The camera moves to the stored position. Choose either Single frame or Multiframe animation and click OK. Your camera settings are saved to the Cameras category. Poser 4 Cameras 8 Lights How Lights Work Lights add color to a figure, reveal curvatures of the form, and enhance muscle contours. Lights cast shadows, adding realism to your scenes. Good lighting is essential to getting the right look when you render. Lights can illuminate your figure in renderings, in Lit Wireframe, and in Flat Shaded previews.You can use as many lights in the Poser 4 studio as you need. The only limit is your system’s memory. Lights also aid in the creation of effects. For example, when a reflection map is applied to figures, body parts, or props to cause them to direct light back at a light source, the Multiply through lights option in the Surface Materials dialog multiplies light colors in the rendering. Refer to “Applying Reflection Maps” on page 253 for details on using reflection maps. Each light has characteristics you can set, such as rotation, color, and intensity. In most cases, the direction of the light will help you decide its color.You can turn a light On or Off, adjust how brightness diminishes toward the edge of a light’s range, and decide whether or not to cast a shadow. equally on each figure. No figure can be outside of an infinite light’s range. When you use infinite lights, no figure can be lit differently from another. You can animate lighting for dramatic effect, such as a flash from a bolt of lightning or the flickering lights of a street sign.You can also link lights to specific body parts or objects, so that a light source moves as the part or object moves. Lighting effects are not visible in basic Wireframe or the low detail figure preview styles. When aiming a light, use Lit Wireframe or Flat Shaded preview styles. These styles demonstrate how the lights you use illuminate the figure. Infinite Lights The quality of infinite lights (sometimes called distant or global lights) in the studio is comparable to the sun or moon shining on the Earth. The light rays from an infinite source are parallel as they enter your Poser studio. If you have multiple figures, infinite lights shine Lights The effect of infinite lights in Flat Shaded preview. Spotlights A Spotlight casts light in a specific direction. They throw light along a cone-shaped path, creating the classic “stage spot” effect. Use a Spotlight when you want to point a light at something.You can add one or several Spotlights to create effects with directional light sources. • cause a light to cast or not cast shadows • select the light type (infinite or spotlight) • choose a lighting color • set a parent for a light To set light properties: 1 Click a circle in the Light Control to select that light. The Light Control is located by default in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Click a circle in the Light Control to select that light. You can also select a light from the Element popup at the bottom of the Document window. Using a Spotlight. Note Adding spotlights can increase the amount of time required during rendering. 2 Click the Light Properties bulb, just outside the outer ring of the Light Control in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Light Properties Light properties help you fine-tune your lighting effects.You can: • name a light for easy referencing • turn a light On or Off, or set the visual representation of the light’s source to visible or non-visible • control whether a light is animated The Light Properties bulb brings up Light Properties for a selected light. Poser 4 Once a light is selected, you can also choose Object menu> Properties to edit light properties. The light indicator does not show when rendering. Making the light indicator not visible can reduce clutter in your Poser studio.When this option is On, the light indicator is visible. The Light Properties dialog is displayed. The Light Properties dialog is where you set options to fine-tune lighting effects. Light Property options are: indicator—a representation of a light’s source is displayed. • • Name - Enter a name for the light to be used in the Current Element list.You can enter a descriptive name, such as Morning Sun or Overhead Spotlight. When Visible is set to On, the light Infinite/Spot - Determines the type of light source. • On - Toggles a light On or Off.You can also turn a light On or Off by Option/ Alt-clicking a Light Control. Infinite lights shine into the studio in the same way the sun shines onto the Earth. The light rays from an infinite light source are parallel as they enter your Poser studio. • Animating - Controls whether the light adds keyframes to the Animation palette. An animated light can have different settings in several frames. When this option is Off, the light does not create keyframes. Spotlights cast light in a specific direction. They throw light along a cone-shaped path, creating a classic “stage spot” effect. A Spotlight is like a theater Spotlight which can be moved or rotated to highlight different elements in the studio. • Casts Shadow - Toggles between casting and not casting a shadow. When this option is On, the light casts a shadow. • Visible - Makes the light indicator visible or not visible. The light indicator is a visual representation of the light’s source. Lights • Light Color - Determines the light’s color. To set the color, click in the Color box, then select a color in the color picker dialog.You can switch between various color pickers, by selecting them from the picker list at the left of the dialog. Refer to “Setting a Light’s Color” on page 199 for more about setting light color. • 2 Click the Light Trash Can, just outside the outer ring of the Light Control in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Set Parent - Lets you set an element as a light’s parent. For example, if you set a figure’s head as the parent, the light follows the movements of the head. Adding Lights You can add or delete lights in your Poser studio. By default, there are three Infinite lights available when you start a Poser project. Use the Light Control trash can to delete a light. To add a spotlight: To add an Infinite light: 1 1 Click the Add Light star, just outside the outer ring of the Light Control in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Click the Add Light star, just outside the outer ring of the Light Control in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Poser adds a spotlight to your scene. 2 Click the Light Properties bulb to open the Light Properties dialog. 3 Select Infinite, then click OK. To delete an Infinite light: The Add Light star adds a light to your scene. Poser adds a spotlight to your scene. 1 2 Select the light to be deleted. Click the Light Trash Can, just outside the outer ring of the Light Control in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. To delete a Spotlight: 1 Select the spotlight to be deleted. Aiming Lights Finish posing your figure before aiming lights. Otherwise, if you set the lights, then re-pose the figure, its appearance under the lights changes. For example, by rotating the figure Poser 4 180°, the illumination that was shining on the figure’s front now shines on the figure’s back. What had been well lit may now be shaded, and you must set the lights again to compensate for moving the figure. Traditional artists often place a bright light above the figure and to the left (from the artist’s point of view). Strong single-source lighting allows shading to develop on oblique and distant surfaces. This shading contributes significantly to the figure’s depth and curvature. Note Using the Light Control The Light Control, located by default at the top-left of the Workspace, represents the current position and color of the lights in the studio. If you create a figure to match a background image, remember to position and color the lights to match the lighting in the studio The Light Control. Drag the circles to reposition lights. background. There are several methods for aiming lights: • Aim lights in Poser by hand, using the Light Control • Move a light’s light indicator in the Document window to position it • Fine-tune light positioning with the parameter dials • Use the Figure menu> Point At command Infinite lights in Poser’s studio always shine into the studio. When you aim an infinite light, you’re actually setting the angle from which the light shines. Spotlights provide a direct lighting source. When you aim a spotlight, you’re setting not only the angle from which the light shines, but also the point from which the light originates. Lights The globe in the center of the Light Control represents your Poser figure in three dimensional space.The circles surrounding the large graphic in the center represent light sources. By dragging these light sources to different positions around the center globe, you can adjust the lighting angle on your object. The Light Control automatically updates as you drag to show a preview of the new position. The Document window also updates as you drag to show the effect of the newly positioned light. To reposition a light using the Light Control: 1 Click a circle in the Light Control to select that light. The Light Control is located by default in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Using an Infinite Light’s Light Indicator The infinite light indicator appears as a ring around the figure. To understand the infinite light indicator, visualize it as the equatorial stripe of a transparent globe. The light aims toward the center of the globe from a point on the equator, shown by the arrows. Click a circle in the Light Control to select that light. You can also select a light from the Element popup at the bottom of the Document window, or click on a Spotlight to select it. Note When you click anywhere inside the Light Control, the nearest light circle is automatically selected. 2 Drag the light circle in the direction you want the light to move. Using Light Indicators When you select a light, Poser displays a light indicator that describes the light’s position in the Document window. In some cases, it helps to view the indicator from a different perspective. Switch the camera view or zoom out to get a different view of the indicator. The light indicator describes the currently selected light. When viewed from an oblique angle, the stripe appears as an ellipse, with the near side lit and the far side darkened. This helps show whether the light is in front of the figure or behind it. The light is not actually on the edge of the indicator line. If it were, you could move the figure to one side and out of the circle of light.The indicator merely represents a larger globe that encompasses the entire studio. Poser 4 To move an infinite light with the light indicator: • Drag anywhere in the Document window and continue dragging beyond it, all the way to the edge of the screen. Using a Spotlight’s Light Indicator The Spotlight indicator appears as the outline of a Spotlight. It is depicted as a free-standing Spotlight, aimed in a specific direction inside the studio. Adjusting Light Indicators with Tools The Editing Tools can be used to adjust the position of the indicator in the Document window. Only the Rotate and Twist tools have any effect on infinite lights. These tools rotate and twist the indicator around the center of the studio. The Rotate and Twist tools can be used to adjust the position of an infinite light’s light indicator. The Rotate, Twist, Translate/Pull, and Translate In/Out tools can be used to adjust Spotlights. The Rotate, Twist, Translate/Pull, and Translate In/ Out tools can be used to adjust the position of a Spotlight’s light indicator. A Spotlight’s light indicator appears as the outline of a Spotlight. Scaling a Light Indicator To move a Spotlight with the light indicator: You can change the size of a light indicator with the Scale Parameter Dial. Scaling the light indicators does not change lighting in the scene—it only changes the size of the indicator. • Drag anywhere in the Document window. Lights Aiming with Parameter Dials xRotate 90° The Parameter Dials allow you to rotate or move a light in a specific plane or to a numerically defined position. Before using the Parameter Dials, select the light you wish to adjust.You can either click one of the Light Control, select the light from the Current Element popup, click its listing in the Animation palette, or click directly on a Spotlight’s light indicator. Rotating a Light The xRotate, yRotate, and zRotate dials orbit the light around the X,Y, and Z axes, respectively. 180° 0° -90° xRotate, side view. yRotate 90° 180° 0° The xRotate, yRotate, and zRotate Parameter Dials let you rotate lights with numeric precision. When xRotate and yRotate are set to 0°, the light aims directly at the front of the figure. zRotate is significant only when xRotate, yRotate is not 0°, 0° or 180°, 180°. -90° yRotate, top view. The following diagrams of an infinite light’s light indicator should help you visualize the effect of each dial. In each case, the figure is in the default position. Poser 4 zRotate Repositioning a Spotlight 90° 180° The xTran, yTran, and zTran dials move a Spotlight along the X,Y, and Z axes, respectively. 0° The xTran, yTran, and zTran Parameter Dials let you move Spotlights with numeric precision. -90° zRotate, front view. To move a spotlight numerically: To rotate a light numerically: 1 Click beside the numeric value on the right side of the parameter dial to select the axis upon which you want to move the Spotlight. 2 3 Enter a value between zero and ±180. 1 Click beside the numeric value on the right side of the parameter dial for the axis you want to rotate the light around. 2 3 Enter a value between zero and ±180. Click outside the entry area. You can also double-click on a parameter dial to open a dialog, where you can enter a numeric value for the dial. In addition to a numeric value, this dialog shows the dial name, as well as minimum and maximum limits for the selected dial. Lights Click outside the entry area. You can also double-click on a parameter dial to open a dialog, where you can enter a numeric value for that dial. In addition to a numeric value, this dialog shows the dial name, as well as minimum and maximum limits for the selected dial. Pointing a Light at an Object You can use the Point At feature to aim a light directly at a figure, body part, or prop. For example, you can use this feature to point a spotlight at a figure’s head or hand. To easily aim a spotlight, use the Point At feature on a prop, then make the prop invisible in the Prop Properties dialog. To point a light directly at an object: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the light you want to point. 2 Choose Object menu> Point At. A scene selection dialog appears. 3 In the list of objects, click to select the figure, body part, or prop you want to point the light at, then click OK. The light points at the object, and a Point At Parameter Dial appears for the light. You can adjust this parameter as needed. At 1, the light is pointed completely at the object. At 0, the light is not pointed at the object. Lighting Color The color of the lights contributes to the color of the figure in renderings. The colors don’t mix and add to one another, they multiply. For example, a blue figure with red lighting would not appear purple, it would be black. If you don’t want lighting to influence figure color, simply set the lights to white or gray. Because the lighting and the surface color determine the appearance of the rendered figure, you may want to set the figure’s color before working with the color of lights. For more information on setting the color of the figure, refer to “Using the Color Tool” on page 139. Setting a Light’s Color To set a light’s color: 1 2 Select a light. Click the Color dot that appears at the bottom of the Light Control and choose a color from the palette that appears. To disable the pointing of a light: 1 In the Current Element popup, select the pointing light. 2 3 Choose Object menu> Point At. Click the None button, then click OK. When a pointed light is disabled, its Point At Parameter Dial still exists.You can remove this dial in the Hierarchy Editor. For details, refer to “Deleting Objects” on page 292. Click the Color dot at the bottom of the Light Control to change the color of a selected light. Poser 4 Note Click an icon in the color picker intensity. Drag counter-clockwise to increases it. list on the left side of the color dialog to select a color picker that suits your needs. Light Color Parameters The Red, Green, and Blue Parameter Dials adjust the levels of these color components. Drag the Intensity dial to adjust the brightness. Drag the dial to the right to increase the level, or left to decrease it. Drag the Intensity dot to quickly adjust light intensity. You can also set light intensity by adjusting the Intensity Parameter Dial. Use the Intensity dial to set color brightness. Setting Light Intensity Use the light Intensity Parameter Dial to fine-tune the intensity setting. To set a light’s intensity: 1 2 Select a light circle in the Light Control. Click and drag the Intensity dot located outside the bottom left of the Light Control. Drag clockwise to reduce Setting Spotlight Characteristics Use the Angle Start/End and Distance Start/ End Parameter Dials to set Spotlight falloff characteristics. Light falloff lets you control the relationship between the intensity of a Spotlight and the distance from the light source. In the real world, the farther you are from a light source, the less influence it has on the illumination of your surroundings. In other words, the greater the distance, the weaker the light. In Poser, there are two types of falloffs you can apply to a Spotlight: Lights • Angle Falloff sets how the brightness of the light diminishes toward the edge of the light cone. For example, a falloff of 10% means that the light has full intensity from the center to 90% of the radius of the light cone, then decreases linearly to the edge of the cone.You can set a starting falloff angle and an ending falloff angle for every Spotlight. To set the distance falloff for a spotlight: 1 Set the Dist Start Parameter Dial to the distance where light starts to falloff. 2 Set the Dist End Parameter Dial to the distance past which no light extends. Using Shadows 100% Falloff 50% Falloff 0% Falloff As you increase the falloff percentage, you decrease the area that is 100% bright. • Distance Falloff determines the distance from the light itself to the point where the light has no effect.You can set the distance at which a Spotlight starts to fall off and an ending distance—after which no light extends. Poser lights cast shadows. Figures and props produce shadows on each other and on the ground plane when it is displayed. Shadows can add appeal and enhance realism. In animations, moving shadows can be highly cinematic. To change the cast of a light’s shadow, change the angle of the light.You can also control whether an individual light casts shadows in the Light’s Properties dialog (Object menu> Properties). To set the angle falloff for a spotlight: 1 Set the Angle Start Parameter Dial to the percentage of intensity present at the start of the cone of light projected by the Spotlight. 2 Set the Angle End Parameter Dial to the percentage of intensity present at the end of the cone of light projected by the Spotlight. Shadows are visible in renderings. Poser 4 Note Shadows are only visible after rendering. Spotlights always render based on the angular range of the spotlight. That means tighter Spotlights produce cleaner shadows. Infinite lights in comparison, adjust the view to fill the screen with all the objects that cast shadows. Because of this, if you render a close-up of a face in a scene which has 30 people, the resulting shadow map does not contain a lot of information. Note Advanced users can open the animation palette and select a shadow camera attached to a light to adjustment that camera so that it zooms in on a subject. Shadow Parameter Dials The light Parameter Dials provide two controls for shadows. Shadow Shadow controls the darkness of the shadow cast by this light.You can adjust between a faint shadow and a dark, 100% shadow. You can animate the shadow strength. Set keyframes of different shadow strength to fade shadow darkness in or out. Lights Map Size Map Size sets the resolution of the shadow map for a light. Shadow maps are square, and the value sets the number of pixels in a dimension. Poser uses a map image to apply shadows to objects in the scene. It develops imagery (the shadows) in these maps during rendering. Larger map size values increase the detail of shadow shapes, but that extra detail takes longer to render. Each map requires memory. For example, a 1024x1024 map needs around 4 MG, a 2048x2048 map requires 16 MG. Each map also adds to the amount of memory needed during rendering. Depth cannot be animated.The setting applies to the light throughout the file. Setting a Parent Poser lets you attach lights to body parts or props. When you pose the body, the attached light maintains its contact and orientation with the parent part. To attach a light to a body element: 1 2 Add or select a light. Choose Object menu> Set Parent and select from the list the body part to which you want the light attached. Saving Light Sets If you set the lights in a way that you want to use again, save the lighting environment as a light set to the Lights category in the Poser Library, where you can easily retrieve it. 7 Choose either Single frame or Multiframe animation and click OK. The new light set appears in the Light category. The Lights category saves the current settings for the lights, including the map size. To save a light setup: 1 2 Set up your lights. 3 Click the Lights category. If the category is not visible, move the cursor over the category dots until the Lights category appears and then click the mouse button. 4 Click the Add to Library (+) icon. The New Set Name dialog appears. 5 To specify parts of the scene to include or not include, click the Select Subset button. In the Hierarchy Selection list that appears, deselect any items in the scene that you don’t want to include, then click OK. 6 Enter a name for the new light set and click OK. Display the Libraries palette by clicking the handle at the far right side of the screen. A dialog appears asking if you want to save a Single frame or a multi-frame animation. • If you select the Single frame option, the current lighting setup is saved. • If you select the Multi-frame animation option, you can specify a range of frames to save. Poser 4 Lights 9 Animating Figures Poser 4 lets you animate your figures, adding motion to your scenes.You can use your work in multi-media projects, on Web pages, and in video projects. When you’ve developed an animation in Poser, you can save it as a movie in QuickTime, in AVI, or as sequential image files.You can open animation files in a motion-graphics application, where you can add effects and perform other post-production tasks. You can create Poser animations of any length; however, it’s easier to create relatively short animations.You can use a movie-editing program to splice animation clips together. How Animation Works Poser uses a technique called keyframe animation to simulate motion based on static figure poses. In keyframe animation, you set up poses at different points in time, called keyframes, and Poser fills in the gaps, creating an illusion of motion.This way you don’t have to keep posing your figure each time you want to create a motion. All you have to do is set up the starting position of the action and the ending position. Poser takes care of the rest. Poser fills in the gaps between keyframes using a process called interpolation. Interpolation determines how intermediate poses (that is, the poses in between the start and end poses), are created. There are four types of interpolation: • Spline, which places intermediate poses (and settings) on a curve. • Linear, which places intermediate poses at equal increments so the motion is smooth and straight. • Break Spline, which has no intermediate poses. Position changes abruptly only at the keyframes. • Constant interpolation, which maintains a keyframe position, then instantly changes to the next pose. Refer to “Keyframe Interpolation” on page 224 for more on interpolation. Animation Tools There are two animation tools in Poser: the Animation Controls and the Animation palette. The Animation Controls let you quickly set up and preview animations using a simple click and drag interface. Refer to “Creating Animations” on page 209 for more on the Animation Controls. The Animation palette lets you edit keyframe positions and create more complex animations. It also lets you animate individual body parts and edit the keyframes within your animation. Refer to “Editing Animations” on page 213 for more on the Animation palette. What You Can Animate You can make any series of changing images into an animation. The “change” can be of any description.Virtually any type of change you can make in Poser can be animated. Regardless of what you animate, you go about it in the same way—by setting keyframes at the start and end of each action (change). Animating Figures Figures can change positions and move about the studio. They walk, dance, climb, fight, tumble, fly, and fall to earth. Often, you create the illusion of movement by changing the pose of a figure. However, you can also create animation using the Scale tool. Animating Figures When animating figures, keep these points in mind: Animating Hands • You can set Inverse Kinematics (IK) for the legs and arms of any figure. IK is a global setting; there can only be one IK setting per animation.You cannot set IK on in one keyframe and off in the next. You can create animated hands just as you would animate any other body part. By creating a starting and ending position for the fingers on a hand you can create almost any type of hand motion. • Turning IK on or off can affect interpolated motion. For this reason, whenever you change the status of IK for any limb, Poser 4 creates keyframes that secure the motion approximately “as is.” • Inverse Kinematics determines the pose of some body parts based on the pose of another part. For example, the knee may be bent but the shin won’t have a keyframe. The foot or hip, one of which is keyframed, determines how and when the shin bends. For more information on IK refer to “Inverse Kinematics” on page 111. Example of animating a hand. Animating Faces Like hands, the faces on Poser’s People figures are fully articulated, meaning that you can animate facial expressions. Facial animations can be extremely powerful. With a moving face, you can simulate a wide range of emotions and even speech. The Poser libraries provide a series of phoneme presets to help you simulate speech motions.The phoneme presets do not provide all the facial positions you need to create fully realistic speech, but you can use them as a starting point. For more information on simulating speech, refer to “Faces and Phonemes” on page 132 Example of an animated figure. Example of animating a face. Poser 4 Animating Props Props can move, rotate, and change size. A ball can bounce. An axe can swing. A chair can be overturned. Use the Set Parent feature to attach props to the figure. This keeps props moving with the figure through any pose. For more information on using Magnet Deformers, refer to “The Magnet Deformer” on page 144. For more information on setting prop parents refer to “Setting Prop Parents” on page 171. Example of animating the effect of a Magnet Deformer on an object. Wave Deformers Example of animating a prop. Animating Deformers Magnet Deformers The Magnet deformer distorts an object by creating a virtual magnet which stretches it. Magnet behavior, the Magnet Base, and the Magnet Zone can all be changed.You can also rotate, twist, translate, and scale a Magnet deformer and capture the effects in an animation. Animating Figures A Wave deformer distorts an object by creating a wave path for it. Waves can rotate, move, and change size.You can switch between wave types. The Wave zone can be changed.You can change Wave amplitude, Wavelength, and Stretch settings. Noise parameters can be adjusted, Turbulence added, or an Offset can be set. Easy examples of animating a Wave Deformer are causing a flag to wave or creating the effect of moving water. For more information on creating Waves, refer to “The Wave Deformer” on page 149. Creating Animations The Animation Controls, located at the bottom of the screen, are the tools you use most to create animations. They contain controls for adding keyframes, editing keyframes, and previewing animations. Example of animating a the effects of a Wave. Morph Targets A morph target is a custom Parameter for a body part that enables you to gradually reshape it.You can create morph targets for figure elements, full body morphs, or morphs that work on grouped parts. Reshaping an object using a morph target can be animated. The main area of the Animation Controls displays the Timeline. The Timeline represents time in Poser. The Scrubber on the Timeline represents the current time. By positioning the Scrubber at different points in time you can move through time setting up keyframes. The counter in the center of the controls shows you which frame you’re currently viewing in the Document window. Preview controls Frame indicator For more information on creating Morph Targets, refer to “Creating Custom Morph Targets” on page 154. Keyframe controls Timeline Scrubber The Animation Control’s Time Display Area controls the creation and playing of animations. The controls on the left side of the Animation Controls let you preview all the frames on the Timeline.You can play all the frames or step through all the frames one at a time. The controls on the right side of the Animation Controls let you edit the keyframes on the Timeline.You can add, delete, and preview keyframes. Example of animating the effect of using a Morph Target. Poser 4 Setting Up Your Animation 2 Choose Animation menu> Animation Setup. Poser displays the Animation Setup dialog. When you begin an animation, you set the dimensions and duration of your project. To set up an animation: 1 Choose Window menu> Document Window Size. Set the dimensions of the Document window according to the aspect ratio of the frame size you want. The Animation Output Settings dialog. 3 In the Frame Size field, enter either the width or height value for the animation output you want. The aspect ratio of the Document window determines the other value. 4 Set a Frame Rate. Frame Rate determines how many frames are displayed each second. NTSC video plays at 30 frames per second (fps). Film plays at 24 fps. Many computer animations work quite well at 12 to 15 fps. Animations for display on the World Wide Web can be successful with as few as 8 frames per second. The Document window Aspect Ratio dialog. The Document window need not equal the frame size for your intended animation output, but it must be consistent with the aspect ratio. Any aspect ratio is acceptable. For an extremely wide animation, you could use an aspect ratio of 3:1 and create a window that’s 600 x 200. If you are working with an imported background—either still or moving—you can import that file now. Poser asks if you want to set the dimensions of the Document window to match the imported background. Animating Figures 5 Set either the Frame Count or the Duration. These values are interdependent. Set one, and Poser fills in the other. • Frame Count is the total number of frames in the animation. • Duration describes how long the animation lasts. The display uses the SMPTE standard—hours: minutes: seconds: frames. Working with the Animation Background By default, your animation moves over the background set for the Document window. You may want to animate over a changing background. For example, in some animations, walking characters stay in the center of the screen. The background scrolls, which gives the impression that they are actually moving. You can import a QuickTime or AVI file as the background. Each frame of the imported movie appears sequentially as the background in frames of the animation. When you make a movie, Poser composites the figures with the background imagery by default. This is an easy way to get your animated Poser figure in a moving scene. Tip You can use background footage as a guide for animating. For example, import a video clip of a gymnast and pose a figure to match the actions of the gymnast. To import background footage: 1 Prepare a QuickTime or AVI movie as the background. 2 3 Open your Poser animation file. 4 Choose File menu> Import> QuickTime Footage or AVI Footage. Background Footage to control background display. Working with the Timeline The Timeline that appears at the bottom of the screen is a graphic representation of time. The Scrubber on the Timeline represents the current time as displayed in the Document window. The Timeline. Setting the Current Time for an Animation The Scrubber is the tool you use most when creating animations. The Indicator controls when a keyframe occurs in time. When creating keyframes, you move the indicator to define when the event occurs. As you move the Indicator, the Frame number changes to show the number of the current frame. To move to a specific frame, either move the Frame Indicator or enter a number in the Frame number field. The Scrubber controls when keyframes occur in animations. Use the Display menu> Show/Hide Background Footage and Clear Poser 4 The Scrubber also controls which portion of your animation is displayed in the Document window. When the Indicator is at the beginning of the Timeline, the first frame of your animation shows. As you move the indicator, you see how your pose changes over the course of your animation. moved to a new point in time. For example, if you move an arm up and then down while the scrubber remains at the same location in the timeline, the down motion is recorded for that keyframe. To make an arm move up and then down, record the up motion in one keyframe, then move to a different keyframe to record the down motion. To move the current time manually: To record keyframes: • Drag the Scrubber along the Timeline. As you drag, note that the Time Display area shows the current frame number in your animation. 1 Release the mouse button when you reach the desired frame. If necessary, click the Animating On/Off Key icon in the Camera controls to turn the Poser animation system On for the current camera. To move the current time numerically: 1 Click the frame number in the Time Display area. A text field appears. 2 Enter the number of the frame you want to move to and press Return/Enter. The Scrubber jumps to the specified frame. Click the Animation System Key by the Camera control to toggle the system between On and Off. Camera Animating is On by default. When Off, the Animating On/Off Key is red. Recording Keyframes When camera animating is On, Poser records changes you make to your Poser figures as animation keyframes.You create keyframes by moving the scrubber to a new point on the timeline, then making a change to a Poser figure, object, prop, light, or camera. A recorded keyframe stores changes in the position of each body part in the figure. It also stores changes in scale, color, lighting, or camera position. Since you can store one set of positions and parameter settings at any given point on the timeline, Poser saves the last changes you make, until the scrubber is Animating Figures 2 3 Move the Scrubber to a position in time. 4 Move the Scrubber to a different point on the timeline and change something else. 5 Continue creating keyframes until your motion sequence is complete. Use the Editing Tools to adjust the pose of your figure or make an adjustment to a camera or light. A new keyframe is created. Adding and Deleting Keyframes In most cases, the Animation System is used to automatically record keyframes for your animation. Sometimes, you’ll want to instruct the Animation system to explicitly create a keyframe, like when Animating for the current camera is set to Off and no keyframes are being recorded. For example, you set the Scrubber to a point in the timeline, then make a number of changes—not realizing that Animating for the current camera is set to Off. Because the system is turned Off, you must manually create a keyframe to store the results of your changes. If you don’t create a keyframe, when you move the scrubber to a new point on the timeline the changes you’ve just made are discarded. You might also want to add a keyframe to fine-tune movements recorded by the Animation System. For example, at frame number 10, the figure’s left foot is flat on the ground.You move the scrubber to frame 20, then make a change to the position of the left foot. The Animation System records that change, then calculates positions for the left foot for all those "in-between" frames. To further refine the "in-between" frames, you could move the Scrubber to frame 15, reposition the left foot in an intermediate pose, then explicitly add a keyframe to store that change. The Animation Controls let you quickly add and delete keyframes. When you delete a keyframe, all the stored properties for the figures are deleted. When you add a keyframe, the figure’s current position in the Document window is saved as a keyframe. Previous Keyframe Disp ay Animation palette Next Keyframe De ete Keyframes Add Keyframes The Keyframe controls allow you to add and delete keyframes. To add a keyframe: 1 Move the Scrubber to the desired point in time. 2 Click the Add Keyframes (+) button. To delete keyframes: 1 Click either the Previous Keyframe or Next Keyframe button until the keyframe you want to delete is displayed in the Document window. 2 Click the Delete Keyframes (-) button. Editing Animations The Animation palette is where you edit the keyframes in your animation. The palette shows the layout of the keyframes and provides for setting and navigating between them. The palette also provides controls for playing animations. Poser 4 To display the Animation palette: • frames are shown in different colors to identify the interpolation type. An interpolated frame is an animation frame created by Poser to fill in the gaps between keyframes. Choose Window menu> Animation Controls. or Click the Display Animation Palette button on the right side of the Animation Controls. Setup Controls Preview Controls Keyframe Controls nterpo ation Controls Editing Animation Setup You can use the Animation palette’s Setup controls to edit your animation setup parameters. Many of the controls in this palette can also be accessed from the Animation Setup dialog (Animation menu> Animation Setup). Elements Preview Timeline Radio buttons indicate what is affected List Area Range The Animation palette allows you to edit keyframes. When you first display the palette, it shows all the keyframes you’ve previously created using the Animation Controls. The Animation palette is divided into the following sections: • The Setup controls are used to set Frame Rate, Duration, Frames, and display options for the Timeline Area. These controls also let you preview your animation and navigate through the keyframes. • The Elements List displays all the objects in the studio. Figure-type elements contain a listing for each of the parts that make up that figure. • The Timeline Area, displays all the keyframes stored for each of the body parts. Keyframes are displayed as red squares in the grid and interpolated Animating Figures The Animation Palette’s setup controls. Changing the Frame Rate Frame Rate determines how many frames are used during each second of action. Thus, frame rate is measured in Frames Per Second (fps). Higher frame rates have more frames in a second, producing smoother motion, but require more time to render. To edit the frame rate: 1 Click the FrameRate indicator at the top of the Animation palette. A text field appears. 2 Enter a frame rate. You can also click the arrow icon next to the Frame Rate indicator and pick a frame rate from the menu Moving the Current Time The Current Time display lets you keep track of the current time shown in the Timeline area, and lets you change the current time. As you edit keyframes in the Timeline Area, the display changes to show you the current time in SMPTE format (Hours: Minutes: Seconds: Frame).You can also enter a time to display a specific point in time. To change the total number of frames in your animation, click in the Total Frames field and enter a new value. When you change the total number of frames you set the maximum number of frames in your animation. If you have more frames in the animation than the Total Frames value, frames are deleted. Viewing the Elements List 1 Click one of the Current Time display fields. A text field appears. The Elements List displays all the figures, lights, cameras, and props currently in the studio. The listing for a figure can be expanded to display all the objects that make up that figure. Each object within a figure can be further expanded to display all the properties of that object. For example, you can view the Scale or Translation keyframes. 2 Enter the hour, minute, second, or frame you want to see. Using this listing, you can select an object or studio element you want to animate. To move to a specific time: Changing the Number of Frames Expanded listing Elements listing The two Frame indicators show you the number of the currently selected frame and the total number of frames in the animation. You can move to a specific frame by selecting the Frame field and entering a frame number. Collapsed listing Currently selected object or element Property listing The Frame indicators. Elements List in the Animation palette. Poser 4 Selecting Elements Collapsing the Elements List You can select an element by clicking on it in the Elements List. Selecting an object here is equivalent to clicking on it in the Document window or choosing it from the Current Element popup at the bottom of the Document window. Poser highlights the name and grid row of the selected object. Each figure has many parts, and each part has many properties. This can make for a very long Elements List.You can collapse any of the figure listings to save space, or expand them to show more detail. When you are not working with a particular figure, you can collapse its listing. This shortens the Elements List and makes other objects easier to locate. Note When you collapse a Figure in the Elements List, the keyframe line displayed controls the figure’s position in the studio. Posing changes only show when the listing is expanded. The hip is the selected element. To collapse/expand a listing: To scroll down the list of elements: • 1 Drag the vertical scroll bar. Click the triangle next to the figure name. A down-facing arrow indicates that a listing is expanded. A right-facing arrow indicates a collapsed listing. Vertical scroll bar 2 Click the triangle again to collapse the list. Scrolling through the Animation palette to display additional elements. You can collapse or expand the elements listing in the Animation palette. Animating Figures Editing Keyframes on the Timeline You can use the Timeline area to select keyframes, edit their position, or delete them from the animation.You can also add new frames for specific properties or objects. Timeline Ruler Scroll bars Current Time tab Play Selected Range bar To change the Timeline Ruler display: • Click the Options label at the top of the palette, and choose Display Frames or Display Time Code from the menu. Selecting Keyframes Poser starts with the first frame selected (frame #1).You can select any frame by clicking in, or above, its column.You can also enter a number in the Frame field at the top of the palette. Poser displays the number of the frame and highlights the column. When you select a keyframe, the item’s row and the time column is highlighted, creating an intersection. Selecting another keyframe moves the intersection to a different point. Timeline Area on the Animation palette. The Timeline area displays time as a grid. The grid displays the keyframes for each of the items in the Elements List. Time is displayed as columns. Each column can represent either a specific point in time or a frame in the animation.The Ruler at the top of the area indicates whether the columns represent points in time or frames. Each object or property in the Elements List is represented on a row in the Timeline area. Keyframes appear as red squares. Interpolated frames between frames appear in different colors depending on the type of interpolation used to create them. Green denotes Spline interpolation, and red denotes Linear interpolation. The hip is the selected object. Frame #6 is the current frame. The Frame scroll bar appears when there are more frames than the window can display. To select a keyframe: • Click one of the dark red squares on the grid. Poser 4 To scroll across frames: • Drag the horizontal scroll bar. The scroll bar only appears when the number of frames exceeds what the window can display. Adding Keyframes You can add keyframes to store a specific pose or save an interpolation frame created by Poser. Keyframes can be added for a specific object or property using the This Element option. When enabled, any keyframe you create is only applied to the selected element. You can also use the All Elements option to add frames to store all changes for all the elements in the animation at a specific point in time. This creates a kind of checkpoint. Once all element properties are saved into keyframes, you can experiment with poses in the remaining part of the animation while leaving the first half of your animation unchanged. To add a key for one element: 1 Select the frame where you want to add the new keyframe. 2 3 4 Click the This Element radio button. Select the object you want to set. Click the Add Keyframes (+) button. To add a keyframe for a selected element, click the Add Keyframes button for This Element. Animating Figures Add a keyframe for this element. To add a key for all elements: 1 Select the frame where you want to add the key. 2 3 Click the radio button for All Elements. Click the Add Keyframes (+) button. To add a keyframe for the entire figure, click the Add Keyframes button for All Elements. 3 4 Enable the This Element radio button. Click the Delete Keyframes (-) button. You can also press the Delete/Backspace key. To clear a keyframe for one element/object, click the Delete Keyframes button for This Element. Add a keyframe for all elements. Notice the color changes in keyframe #8. Clearing Keyframes At some point, you may decide to remove a keyframe. Once a keyframe is removed, the animation changes. You can clear a keyframe for a single object/ element or for all objects/figures in the scene. Clearing does not delete the frame. It removes the settings that make this frame a keyframe. The frame is still in the animation, but it does not have a key assigned to it. Once the keyframe is removed, the values at that frame are recomputed to properly blend with neighboring keyframes. After clicking Delete Keyframe, the keyframe is removed and Poser interpolates between the previous and next keyframe. To clear a keyframe for all elements at a given point in time: 1 Move the Current Time tab to the point in time where you want to delete the keyframe. 2 Enable the All Elements radio button. To clear a keyframe for one element: 1 Move the Current Time tab to the point in time where you want to clear the keyframe. 2 In the Elements List, select the figure part whose keyframe you want to clear. Poser 4 3 Click the Delete Keyframes (-) button. You can also press the Delete/Backspace key. To clear a keyframe for all elements, click the Delete Keyframes button for All Elements. Navigating the Timeline You can move to a keyframe in the Timeline using the Navigation controls at the top of the palette. The This Element and All Elements radio buttons let you move to the keyframes for a selected element or to keyframes for any element. To advance to the next keyframe for a specific element: 1 2 3 Click the row for the desired element. Enable the This Element radio button. Click the Next Keyframe button. To advance to the next keyframe for a given element, click the Next Keyframe button for This Element. The selected keyframes are cleared for all elements at this time. To clear a range of keyframes: 1 Shift-drag over the range of frames you want to clear. 2 Press the Delete key. To clear specific keyframes: 1 Press Shift and click each of the frames you want to delete. 2 Press the Delete key. Animating Figures To move back to the previous keyframe for a specific element: 1 2 3 Click the row for the desired element. Enable the This Element radio button. Click the Previous Keyframe button. To move back to the previous keyframe for a given element, click the Previous Keyframe button for This Element. To advance to the next keyframe (for any element): • Click the Next Keyframe button for All Elements. To advance to the next keyframe for any element, click the Next Keyframe button for All Elements. To move back to the previous keyframe (for any element): • Moving Keyframes As you work, you may decide you want certain keyframes to occur sooner, or later, or that you want to use the settings in one keyframe somewhere else in the animation. Poser makes this easy by allowing you to move keyframes or groups of keyframes. To move a keyframe: 1 Click the keyframe to select it. Click the Previous Keyframe button for All Elements. To move back to the previous keyframe for any element, click the Previous Keyframe button for All Elements. To go to a specific frame: 1 Click to highlight the current frame display. 2 Enter the value you want. Press Return/ Enter. The current frame display lets you jump to a specific frame. Select an element and a frame. 2 Drag the colored grid cell horizontally to the frame where you want it. When you click on the grid cell, the cursor turns into a four-way arrow. Drag the keyframe to where you want it. Poser 4 To move a block of frames: 1 Drag a marquee around all the frames you want to move, or Shift-click the desired frames. keyframes and the parameter settings they represent for those parts, then paste them to other figures. In this way you could bring a set of marching Poser figures into perfect step. Poser outlines the selected block of frames. Select a block of frames by Shift-clicking. 2 Drag the block of frames to a different position on the Timeline. By copying elements between figures, you can bring a set of marching figures into perfect step. Although you can copy and paste keyframes across elements and objects, copying data to inappropriate parameters, like scaling data into rotation parameters should be avoided. Pasting body part parameters from left to right or Drag a block of frames to a new location. Copying Keyframes You can copy keyframes, figure parts, and parameters in the Elements Listing. There are no limits to how little or much you can copy. For example, say you’ve fine-tuned movements over the course of an animation for parts in a Poser figures, like the Left Thigh, Left Shin, and Left Foot.You can copy Animating Figures right to left can also give unexpected results. Because they are on opposite axis, you must make the copied parameter negative to get a symmetrical position. 4 Choose Edit menu > Paste, or press Ctrl/Cmd+V. Poser pastes the copied information into the selected area of the palette. Retime Keyframes The Animation menu> Retime Animation command lets you take a motion or a set of keyframes and change the amount of time it takes for that motion to occur. Pasting body part parameters from left to right or right to left gives unexpected results. To copy a keyframe to a new position on the timeline: 1 2 Click the keyframe to select it. Option/Alt-drag the keyframe to the point in time where you want it to appear. When it’s positioned, release the mouse button, then release the Option/ Ctrl. The Retime Animation command doesn’t destroy any keyframes inside the source range and outside the destination range, so you can use it to repeat motions by copying them from one time to another. By selecting a motion in one area and selecting a non-overlapping destination, you remap the motion to another time without deleting the original motion. To set retime keys: 1 Choose Animation menu> Retime Animation. A dialog appears asking you to fill in your Source and Destination frames. 2 For the Source frames, enter the start and end frames for the section of animation you want to retime. 3 For the Destination frames, enter the range of frames to retime the animation to. To copy a block of frames to a new position on the timeline: 1 Drag a marquee around all the keyframes, elements, or parameters you want to copy, or Shift-click the desired elements. 2 Choose Edit menu > Copy, or press Ctrl/Cmd+C to copy. 3 Drag a marquee around the area where you want to paste the copied information. • If the destination range is longer than the source range, the animation is expanded, or slowed down. • If the destination range is shorter than the source range, the animation is compressed, or sped up. Old Poser 4 keyframes that were previously in the destination range are deleted. The keyframes that were in the source range are retimed and placed in the proper time in the destination range. 4 You can apply the following types of interpolation to your keyframes: • Click OK. Spline places intermediate poses (and settings) on a curve. The element/object accelerates and decelerates in and out of the motion. Advanced Editing The following section deals with editing an element’s animatable properties and applying different interpolation methods. Both techniques are advanced features of Poser, so become comfortable with the animation process before trying these techniques. Keyframe Interpolation An example of Spline interpolation. • Poser interpolates the intermediate figure poses and element settings between keyframes. Interpolation refers to the way Poser calculates the “in between” position of objects/ elements. Linear places intermediate poses at equal increments so the motion is smooth and straight. The speed of motion does not change in between keyframes, but can change speed suddenly at keyframes You have several options for the rules used to interpolate the poses or settings. In this way, you can make subtle changes in the animated motion. Interpolation settings apply to a range of frames. This means you can use one interpolation type prior to a keyframe and another after it. If the beginning and end of a selected range does not already have keyframes, changing interpolation type will automatically insert keyframes at the beginning and ending frames. Animating Figures An examples of Linear interpolation. • Constant has no intermediate poses; changes occur abruptly only at the keyframes. Whereas previous versions of Poser limited the use of Constant interpolation to the end of an animation, Poser 4 allows you to use it at any point where abrupt change at a keyframe is required. To choose an interpolation method: 1 Select a range of keyframes in the Timeline Area. 2 Click one of the four Interpolation Controls. Spline Linear Constant Break Spline Select one of the Interpolation Controls. An examples of Constant interpolation. • Break Spline stops the interpolation at the break point, so that another type of interpolation can begin. This type of interpolation is useful for ending a series of interpolated frames to begin a fresh series. For example, a bouncing ball has a smooth arc until it hits the floor and then starts off in another arc. With Break Spline you can create this type of abrupt change in the arc. You can use different interpolation options depending on the motion you want. Using a walk as an example, you would use Spline interpolation for the keyframes of a foot while it’s moving through the air. However, you would use Linear interpolation while it’s on the ground to make it easier to keep it planted. Editing Keyframe Interpolation The Graph palette let you perform precise edits on keyframes and adjust the interpolation methods used in the your animation. To display the Graph palette: • Click the Show Graph Display button on the Animation palette. The Show Graph Display button. You can also double-click on an element or keyframe to display the graph for that element. Interpolation types are shown in different colors on the Animation palette. Green is used for Spline, and red for Linear. A cross in the keyframe indicates that Break Spline has been applied. Keyframes that use Constant interpolation are grayed out. Poser 4 Frame Numbers Animatable Properties Interpolation Interpolation Methods Select Frames Add/Delete Frames Spline Interpolation Linear Interpolation The Graph palette lets you perform precise edits on keyframes. The palette is made up of two axes and a graph. The horizontal axis represents time in your animation, displayed as frame numbers. The values in the vertical axis change depending on the attribute you select. If you choose a position attribute (xTrans, yTrans, etc.) the values on the axis represent positions in 3D space. If you choose a figure editing property (Taper, Bend, Side-to-Side, etc.) the values on the axis indicate degrees of change. The graph itself shows the actual change in the selected element over the course of the animation. Depending on the selected attribute, the graph shows changes in position, rotation, scale, or tapering. The graph’s shape indicates the type of interpolation used to move from one keyframe to another. A smooth curve indicates that Spline interpolation is being used, a straight line means that Linear interpolation is being used. Animating Figures Break Spline Interpolation Constant Interpolation Different shapes of the Interpolation graph. The Graph palette also provides controls for synching sound to motion in your animation. Refer to “Syncing Sound and Motion” on page 240 for more information. Editing the Graph You can edit the graph to achieve varying degrees of interpolation. For example, to decrease the amount of Spline interpolation, straighten the curve. You can set the shape of the curve using the preset interpolation methods or by just dragging the curve’s points until it’s the shape you want. In addition, you can apply different interpolation methods to different parts of the graph. The graph is re-shaped using the selected method. Linear Interpolation If you have a range of frames selected in the Animation palette, changing the interpolation method can add new keyframes. 3 Use the Scrollbar to view points that fall outside of the current graph window. Spline Interpolation A graph showing different interpolation methods. Note Remember, you’re affecting how the figure moves as you change the shape of the graph, so make sure that the graph reflects the type of Editing Keyframes on the Graph The vertical lines on the graph represent keyframes.You can move these points, to change when keyframes occur, or you can add new keyframes. motion you want to create. To edit the shape of the graph: 1 Click the popup at the top of the palette and choose the attribute you want edit. 2 Drag any point on the graph in the direction you want to move the curve. 3 Keyframes on the graph. The Current Frame indicator lets you know which frame you’re currently working on. Use the Scrollbar to view points that fall outside of the current graph window. To select a keyframe: • Click the Next Keyframe or Previous Keyframe button. Drag over a portion of the graph to select it. The selected portion is highlighted. 2 Current Frame indicator Depending on the type of interpolation you’ve applied to the curve, it reshapes either smoothly or linearly. To change the type of interpolation applied to the graph: 1 Keyframe line Click one of the interpolation method buttons at the bottom of the dialog. Use the Next Keyframe or Previous Keyframe to select keyframes. You can also click on a black keyframe line on the graph, or drag the Current Poser 4 Frame indicator to the frame you want to edit. To select a range of keyframes: • Drag an area around the desired frames. A selected area is highlighted in dark grey. To reposition a keyframe: • Select a keyframe and drag it to a different position on the graph. To add a keyframe: 1 Move the Current Frame indicator to the position where you want to add a frame. 2 Click the Add Keyframes button. To duplicate a portion of the graph: 2 Click the Delete Keyframes button. Previewing Animations You can preview animations using the VCR style controls in the Animation Controls or the Animation palette. When you use the Preview controls to preview your animation, the animation plays in the Document window. The quality of the preview depends on the current display style and Tracking mode that’s currently enabled. Refer to “Previewing Your Figure” on page 37 for information about display styles and refer to “Figure Tracking” on page 30 for information about tracking modes. First Frame 1 Drag across an area of the graph to select it. 2 Choose Edit menu > Copy (or press Ctrl/Cmd+C). 3 Position the cursor where you want to insert the copy. 4 Choose Edit menu > Paste (or press Ctrl/Cmd+V). To move a keyframe: • Command/Ctrl-drag a key or range of keys to a new point in time. To delete a keyframe: 1 Move the Current Frame indicator to the position where you want to delete a frame. Animating Figures End Frame Stop Step Back Play Step Forward Use the Preview Controls to preview your animations. Play starts the animation. While the animation plays, the readouts display the current frame and time. The Play button becomes the Pause button during a preview. Stop halts play and jumps the animation to the first frame. Pause halts play at the currently displayed frame. Fast Forward advances to the last frame of the animation. Rewind returns to the first frame of the animation. Setting the Play Range Step Reverse moves back one frame. By default, you preview the entire animation when you click the Play button; however, you can choose to play only a section of your animation.You can adjust the length of the Loop Range bar in the Animation palette to set in and out points for the preview. Only frames between the in and out points play. Step Forward advances to the next frame. The Loop radio button plays the animation over and over again until you stop the playback. When disabled, the Skip Frames radio button displays all frames in the animation. When enabled, frames drop from the preview to speed up play. To change the range: 1 Drag the end of the Play Range bar to set the in or out point of the preview. To preview an animation in the Document window: 1 Click the Play button in the Preview controls. The Play button becomes the Pause button. 2 The Play Range bar sets which frames will play. In this case, Poser plays all frames of the animation. Click the Stop button to stop the preview. To view a specific keyframe: • Click either the Previous Keyframe or Next Keyframe button in the Keyframe controls. Previous Keyframe Next Keyframe The Previous and Next Keyframe controls. The Document window changes to display the poses in the selected keyframe. Drag the ends of the Play Range bar to set the range of frames. In this case, Poser plays frames 5 through 19. Using the Libraries Palette for Animations The Libraries palette lets you save single frames or multi-frame poses. A multi-frame pose is an animated figure. Poser 4 Adding an Animation to the Library When you add to the Poses category Libraries palette, Poser asks whether you want to save one or multiple frames. For a multi-frame animation, you can specify the range of frames. When you name the animation for the library, consider including the number of frames in its name. For example, name a listing Strut_48 to indicate that this animation has 48 frames. This information is helpful later when you use the animation. Using a Multi-Frame Animation from the Library When you use an animation from the library, Poser applies it to a series of frames, beginning with the current frame. The series extends the number of frames in the saved animation. However, it does not exceed the number of frames in the current document.You may have to increase the number of frames in the animation to make room for all the keyframes in the saved pose. Scale changes are not stored in pose sets. This allows you to use stored poses for reproportioned figures without modifying their scale. Animated scale changes are not stored in pose sets. Animating Figures To add a multi-frame animation from the Libraries palette: 1 If the scene has more than one figure, select the figure you want to apply the animation to. 2 Select the frame where you want the animated sequence to begin. Frame #1 of the library animation applies to the current frame. 3 Make sure you have enough frames to accommodate the multi-frame pose.You may need to add frames to the file or move a set of keyframes farther to the right. 4 In the Libraries palette, click the Poses category button. 5 Click the Poses popup and choose Animation Sets. 6 Double-click the preview of the set you want to use. 10 Animation Techniques The animation process begins with the creation of keyframes and poses, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. A simple jerky motion can become a smooth flowing one, if you just know a few techniques for using Poser’s tools to their full potential. The techniques described in this chapter will help you create more realistic motion and enhance your basic animations. Setting Keyframes How do you know how to space keyframes? You have to consider time and frame rate.You should space keyframes so that at the chosen frame rate, the animated action takes the right amount of time. • Frame Rate x Duration = Number of Frames The duration refers to how long it should take the figure to move from Point A to Point B. For an example, we’ll look at a simple animated action—getting up from a chair. In this action, the extremes are (1) sitting in the chair (2) standing in front of the chair. These are the keyframes we’ll set. Creating Realistic Motion The key to human motion is to examine the parts of the move. If you look at a baseball player’s swing, it looks like the arm is simply moving in an arcing motion. However, on closer inspection you can see that the motion is a combination of the hips, shoulder, hand, neck, head, back and arm. To create this kind of motion in Poser, you work from the large motions to the smaller ones. The first thing you do to create a motion is “rough out” the larger movements. In the case of the baseball swing, determine where the arm starts at the top of the swing and where it ends up a the end of the swing. In Poser, these two points are determined by two keyframes: one for the start, the other for the end. Two examples of keyframes. Decide on the duration of the action.You may want to time yourself getting up from a chair to get a better idea. Let’s say the action should take three-quarters of a second (0.75 sec). At a 30 frame per second rate, you can calculate the number of frames for the action: 0.75 • 30 = 22.5 Dropping the decimal, you see it should take 22 frames to complete the action. With the first keyframe (sitting in the chair) at frame #1 of the Poser animation, you should place the second keyframe (standing in front of the chair) at frame #21. Set these keyframes, then work in, adding more keyframes to improve the motion. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s A motion starts with large actions. Once the larger motions are set up, you can start adding in the smaller, more subtle, motions. Continuing the baseball swing example, start by adding in the hip swings, the shoulder tilt and so on. It is these smaller motions that make the entire action look realistic. Poser’s Animation palette is ideal for adding these little motions. In the palette, you can add keyframes in between the frames for the start and end of the swing. walking motion would normally take a great deal of precision posing. However, with the Walk Designer, it is just a matter of setting up a few parameters and letting Poser do the rest. Creating a walking figure is a two step process: first determine the walking path through the studio, then determine how the figure walks. Creating a Walk Path Before you design how the figure walks, you must determine where it walks. This is what the Walk Path is used for. The path is a line or curve you draw in the Document window to set the figure’s course as it moves about the studio. When you apply the walk, the figure starts walking a the start of the path and stops at the end of the path. The more you examine a motion, the more you see the smaller, or secondary motions, that make up the action. Working this way, you an create almost any kind of action. When you start, first examine the big movements, then fill in the smaller, or secondary motions, in between the big movements. Making Your Figure Walk One of the most complicated human motions to simulate is the simple act of walking. What appears on the surface to be a rather straightforward matter—just put one foot in front of the other—is actually an incredibly complex interaction between a variety of muscles in the legs and torso. Realistic A Walk Path in the studio. To draw a walk path: 1 Choose Figure menu> Create Walk Path. A path appears in the studio. Poser 4 2 Click one of the Editing Tools and adjust the position or shape of the path. Click on a point to reshape the path, or click on the ring that surrounds the entire path to reposition it. The designer provides a real-time preview of the walk. As you change the parameters, the walking figure in the preview also changes. Load in a prototype style that matches the figure-type you’re animating and see an even more realistic preview. Designing a Walk Walks are designed in the Walk Designer. As its name suggests, the designer lets you create realistic walking motions which you can apply any human figure. The designer has two sections: the upper set of controls let you create the larger motions of a walk, the lower set of controls let you set up the secondary motions of a walk. Tip Changes you make to the foreground, background, and shadow colors in your Poser Workspace are reflected in the real-time preview in the Walk Designer. To design a walk: 1 Choose Window menu> Walk Designer. The Walk Designer dialog appears. 2 Click Figure Type to select a preview style that matches the figure-type for which you are designing a walk. In the Poser: Runtime: Libraries: Characters: People folder, select the prototype style you want to preview. Use the Walk Designer to define the characteristics of the walk. Note Using a Figure Type is not required, but be sure to select a Figure Type if you need to collect walk data for articulated body parts present in your Poser figure, like articulated feet or hands. Poser 3 Low Res Figure Types work well for this purpose. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s 8 Set walk options and click OK. Refer to “Applying a Walk” on page 236 for more on walk options. Click Done to exit the dialog without applying the walk. Editing a Walk Using a Figure Type that matches your Poser figuretype assures collection of walk data for articulated body parts present in your Poser figure. 3 Click Walk to start the real-time preview of the walk. A Walk Path is a spline curve that always lies on the ground (the z-component is always zero).You can edit the shape of the curve by adding, deleting, and moving its control points. Note The default walk path is a spline curve with four control points. You can create a Note Using a preview Figure Type straight line by deleting the slows the real-time preview. middle two control points. 4 Drag the Blend Styles sliders to set the large motions of your walk. To add a control point: 5 Drag right to increase the intensity of an action, or left to decrease the action. • Try several settings in conjunction.You may have to combine more than one attribute to get the desired walk type. To move a control point: 6 Adjust the positions of the Tweaks sliders to set the smaller, or secondary, motions of the walk. You can click Defaults to reset the sliders to their default positions. 7 Click Apply to apply the walk to a Walk Path. The Walk Apply Dialog appears. • Click a point on the curve (not on a control point). Click a control point, then drag. To delete a control point: • Alt/Option click a control point. Saving a Walk A walk path is a special kind of prop.You can save the path in the prop library to reuse later. You can use editing tools, like scale or rotate to transform the walk path, as you would other types of props. Poser 4 To save a walk: 1 2 3 Set up your walk by adjusting the sliders. 4 Click Done to exit the dialog, or click Apply to apply the walk to a Walk Path. 2 Set your walk characteristics as described in the previous section and click Apply. The Walk Apply Dialog appears. Click Save. Choose a location and filename for your walk and click Save. Loading a Walk To load a walk: 1 2 Click Load. The Open dialog appears. Locate the walk you want to load and click OK. Applying a Walk There are several options you can set when applying the walk to a Walk Path.The WalkApplyDialog provides options for setting where the walk begins, how the walk effects the animation, and the behavior of the figure as it walks. To display the WalkApplyDialog: 1 Choose Window menu> Walk Designer. The Walk Designer dialog appears. The WalkApplyDialog. Start Frame and End Frame When you apply a walk, you can set the frame where it begins and the frame where it ends. The more frames you assign for the walk, the more natural the motion is. Figure and Path If you have more than one figure or path in the studio, you can use these popup menus to choose a specific Figure to use for the walk and a specific Path to follow. Walk In Place This option makes the figure walk in a single spot. When this option is enabled, the figure does not walk along the path. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s Cycle Repeat This field indicates how many times you want a walk to repeat along the path. Always Complete Last Step This option forces the walk animation to complete within the allotted time. If you find that the walk stops in mid-stride at the end of your animation, enable the option. This forces the walk animation to end at the same time as your animation. Transition from/to Path Start In/End In These two options can be used to create smooth motion from your pose into and out of the walk. When these options are enabled, Poser interpolates between the pose of the figure before the walk, and between the last position of the walk and the final pose creating smooth transitions. The frames fields let you determine how many frames Poser uses to accomplish the transition. For example, you can use this option to quickly set up a runner animation.You can create the crouched starting position of the runner, and a finish line pose, then enable the Transition options. When you apply the run you designed, the figure moves smoothly from the crouch, into the run, and then into the finish line pose. An example of the Transition options used to create smooth motion. Align Head The Align Head options let you control how the figure’s head acts as it moves along the Walk Path. One Step Ahead keeps the head aligned with the body. As the figure changes direction, so does the head. This options produces the most changes in head position. End of Path keeps the head aligned to the end point of the path. The head remains pointed at the end of the path regardless of the direction of the body. Next Sharp Turn aligns the head to the turns in the path. The head only changes positions when there’s a curve in the path. Animating Cameras When the camera is animated, the view of your scene changes over the course of the animation. The moving viewpoint adds interest to the animation. Watch a movie and pay attention to how much the camera moves. You may be surprised. Poser 4 The camera can be animated just like any other object in the studio, and since it is in 3D space, the camera can slowly rotate around the figures, zoom in for a close-up or sweep high for a birds-eye-view. The cameras are animated by storing their properties (such as position) as part of a keyframe.This means you can create camera keyframes exactly the same way you create posing keyframes. The camera’s motion depends on which camera you use to render your animation.The Main Camera rotates around the center of the studio. The Dolly Camera rotates on its own center as if it were on a tripod. This difference allows the Dolly Camera to move through the scene in ways that are not possible with the Main Camera. If you want to emulate a motion picture camera, use the Dolly Camera. Animating the Main Camera—it orbits the studio. The Face and Hand Cameras rotate around the face and hand of the figure, so animating these cameras gives you moving views of the figure’s body parts. You can only make a movie from one camera. You can’t switch cameras in an animation or animate between different cameras. If this is what you want, you should make separate clips, then edit them together in a movie editing application. Animating the Dolly Camera allows you to move the camera to the center of the studio. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s Turning Camera Animation On or Off By default, every camera movement can be recorded as a keyframe. But there may be times when you only want the figure to be animated, not the camera. In this case you can turn camera animation off.When the camera’s animation if disabled, you can move it freely during your animation without changing the view of the studio. Animation can be turned on or off for each individual camera.The key-shaped icon in the Camera controls indicates whether camera animation is on or off. When the icon is white, animation is on. When it is red, animation is off. Animated lighting can produce exciting effects.You can show a figure caught in the headlights of a passing car or a figure illuminated by lights in a storm. Lights are animated by storing the position and color and of the Light Controls in a keyframe. This way you can animate a light exactly as you would a camera or body part. For lights, the default animation interpolation is Spline. When animating changing light colors, use Linear or Break Spline interpolation.The Spline type of interpolation can be more difficult to control. Keep in mind interpolation applies to both light color and position, they cannot be interpolated independently. The Animation indicator. If you want to record changes in camera position while camera animation is off, you’ll have to manually add a new frame. Refer to “Adding and Deleting Keyframes” on page 213 for more on adding frames. Animating Lights Like cameras, light properties can also be recorded into a keyframe. During the course of an animation, a light can change color and position. As the lights move, the shadows they cast move with them. Animating lights. As light position change, shadows follow. Poser 4 Adding Sound Poser lets you import sound clips that can play as a soundtrack for your animation. When you import a sound, it is added to the beginning of the animation and plays every time you play the movie. You can control the sound’s start and end point in the Animation palette. To import a sound: 1 Choose File menu> Import> Sound. An Open dialog appears. 2 Locate the sound file you want to add and click Open. The sound file is attached to the animation at the first frame. The sound plays whenever the animation is played. Editing Sound When you import a sound, its duration appears in the Sound Range bar at the bottom of the Animation palette.You can clip the sound file by shortening the length of this range bar.You can use the bar to control when the sound begins. However, if the Sound Range starts at any frame other than Frame 1, the beginning of the sound is clipped. For information on accessing the Animation palette, refer to “Editing Animations” on page 213. Sound in the Animation palette. To clip a sound file: • Drag the end of the Sound Range bar to the left. Syncing Sound and Motion The Graph palette displays a graphic representation of the sound file, called a waveform. This lets you see where the changes in sound occur. Using this information you can then position keyframes to happen at the same time spikes in the sound file occur. For information on accessing the Graph palette, refer to “Editing Keyframe Interpolation” on page 225. Sound in the Graph palette. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s You can simulate speech using by matching the peaks in the sound file with the changes in mouth position. Motion Keyframes Syncing sound and motion. To display a waveform in the Graph palette: 1 2 Display the Graph palette, by click the Show Graph Display button in the Animation palette. Click the Toggle Sound Display button. The waveform appears in the palette. The Toggle Sound Display button. Using Poser with Other Motion Graphics Programs Poser does a great job of animating the human figure. However, there are animation techniques and movie-making tasks that you can accomplish in other programs. Typically, you’ll want to create relatively short animation clips in Poser.You can then open these clips in another program for postproduction work, like retouching or adding other animated foreground elements. After you’ve prepared a series of clips, you can assemble them in a movie-editing program. At this point, you can also incorporate the soundtrack. In addition, you can render your animation with an alpha channel. This lets you overlay your Poser animation in a video composition application. Refer to “Rendering an Animation” on page 264 for more on rendering. Motion Capture and Animations Poser can read stored motion capture files, known BVH files. These files let you apply stored human motion to your 3D models. BVH files enable you to create incredibly realistic motion without setting up a large number of keyframes. BVH files are created using motion-capture hardware. Reflectors are attached to a figure’s joints. As the figure moves, the position and rotation is captured in 3D space at different points in time. Each point of time is then keyframed together to create a smooth animation. Since this process creates literally thousands of keyframes, no interpolation is needed to create smooth motion. Poser 4 Importing and Exporting Motion Capture Files BVH files can be imported and exported like any other file type. Sample BVH files are stored in the Coolstuffinhere!:motion capture folder on the Poser 4 CD-ROM. Editing Keyframes The BVH keyframes are applied to the current figure when imported.You can edit BVH keyframes as you would any other animation. To import a BVH file: 1 Choose File menu> Import> BVH motion. The Import dialog appears. 2 Locate the desired file and choose Open. To export a BVH file: 1 Choose File menu> Export> BVH motion This may take several minutes, depending upon the complexity of the file. Setting the Align Axis You can set whether a figure’s arms are aligned on the X or Z axis during the import process. The align axis is determined at the time of recording. It is important to choose the right axis or your figures will look incorrect. To determine the correct axis for the BVH files on the Poser 4 CD-ROM, read the Biovision README or the House of Moves README. If you’re using other BVH files, you need to contact the developer of the motion capture data with which you are working. A n i m a t i o n Te c h n i q u e s BVH file in the Animation palette. 11 Surface Materials How Surface Materials Work A surface material defines the surface properties of an object in the studio. A material can turn a human figure into a statue or a glass sculpture. Surface materials provide fur for animal models or scales for the reptile models. Poser provides several features for customizing the surface of the figure, props, and ground plane. These features include Bump maps, Texture maps, Transparency maps, Reflection maps, and surface material color. The Bump map determines the shape of bumps or dents on the object’s surface. It can create the effect of cracks in rock or raised patterns. The Texture map determines the patterns of colors on the surface. The Transparency map determines an object’s translucence. The Reflection map lets you make a texture appear to be mirrored in an object. The surface color determines the base color of the object and the color of its highlights. Surface Material maps do not Note rendered. For details on rendering, refer to Poser also provides several map templates that let you create your own custom surface material maps. Surface maps can be used in conjunction to create a surface. For example, you can use the Texture map to create the pattern of rock veins for marble, and a Bump map to create the cracks in the rock. By combining different surface material maps you can recreate almost any type of surface. appear until a scene is “Rendering” on page 259. Applying Surface Materials Surface material maps are applied with the Surface Material dialog.You can load surface materials for any object in the studio, as well as set object, highlight, ambient and reflective colors. The Surface Material dialog. Transparency map Reflection map You can select and set surface materials for objects—figures and props—in the scene, or individual body parts on a figure. To display the Surface Material dialog: • Choose Render menu> Materials. or Texture map Bump map A Bump and Texture map combined. Surface Mater ials Click the Surface Material button in the Render Options dialog. To choose an object to edit: To apply a map: • 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose the figure or object you want to edit from the Object popup. The changes you make in surface properties are applied only to the selected figure or object. 3 Do one of the following: Choose the desired object from the Object popup. The changes you make in the surface properties are applied to the selected object. To turn off a surface material: • Choose No Bump and No Texture from the surface material Map popups. Applying Materials to Body Parts Surface material maps can affect either a whole figure or to just a part of it. Some figures, like animals and Poser’s People models, have maps for each individual figure part. Other figures, like the Poser 2 models, have one map for the entire figure. The Surface Material dialog lets you pick the exact figure and part to use for a specific map, so you can use one map for the head and a different map for the arm. 4 • To apply a map only to a selected body part, choose the part from the Material popup. • To apply the map to an entire figure, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. Select a texture, bump, transparency, or reflection map from popup. If the map you want to apply isn’t listed in the popup, click Load. Poser default maps are located in the Poser:Runtime:Textures folder. Locate the desired map and click OK. The surface material map is applied, and appears when the scene is rendered or previewed in Texture Shaded style. An object with different materials on the head and shirt. The parts listed in the Material popup depend on the currently selected figure. Poser 4 Applying Materials to Specific Regions • To deselect individual polygons, hold down the Control key while clicking or dragging. You can apply surface materials to specified regions of a body part or prop. For example, you could apply a scar to a face, or hair on a chest. • To select polygons that are currently out of view, either use Wireframe display style or use the camera trackball to change the view of your figure. 4 In the Group Edit palette, click the Assign Material button. For complete details on the Group Edit palette, refer to “Using the Group Edit Palette” on page 158. 5 In the dialog that appears, enter a name for your material group, then click OK. 6 7 Select Render menu> Materials. 8 Choose your material group from the Material popup. 9 Select a texture, bump, transparency, or reflection map from the appropriate popup. A surface material applied to a group. To do this, use the grouping tool to select the polygons of the element or prop.You can specify a created group, and that group appears in the Material popup of the Surface Material dialog. To use the grouping tool: 1 Click the Grouping tool in the Editing menu. All figures and objects in the studio become gray, and the Group Edit palette appears. 2 Click to select the body part you want to group. 3 Click individual polygons, or drag the cursor over a group of polygons to select them. Surface Mater ials In the Surface Material dialog that appears, choose the figure or object for which you set the material from the Object popup. If the map you want to apply isn’t listed in the popup, click Load. Poser default maps are located in the Poser:Runtime:Textures folder. Locate the desired map and click OK. The surface material map is applied, and appears when the scene is rendered. Applying Maps to Props Poser uses Implicit (UV) mapping to apply a map image to the 3D model. The props you import must have UV coordinate information for Poser to apply maps to them. If models don’t have UV information, mapping is not possible. DXF models and models created in certain programs do not carry UV data. Try using another format, such as Wavefront OBJ, Detailer text, or 3DMF. Bump maps appear when a scene is rendered or previewed in Texture Shaded style. To load the default Bump map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose the default map for this figure type from the Bump Map popup. For example, if you’re using the Nude Man, choose the Nude Man texture.You may need to load a map. Do do this, click Load, then select a directory and file in the dialog that appears. Poser default maps are located in the Poser:Runtime:Textures folder. 3 Adjust the position of the Bump Strength slider, to set the level of surface relief.The range is from -100% to 100%. Negative values invert the bump—what was raised becomes depressed. Applying Bump Maps A Bump map is a special image, wrapped around the object, that works with the studio lighting to give the appearance of 3D texture on an otherwise smooth object. For example, you can import a crackly surface to give the figure the look of a cracked statue. Or, by importing different Bump maps onto different figure parts, you can create effects like a rough shirt on smooth skin. To clear the Bump map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose No Bump from the Bump Map popup. Not all figures and props have Bump maps, but you can create them for any figure or prop. A figure with different Bump maps applied to the hand and shirt. Bump maps can also enhance the appearance of props. For example, making smooth bars into stone columns or a torus into a tire tube. Creating a Custom Bump Map A Bump map is a grayscale image that Poser uses to determine which areas of a surface are indents and which are bumps.You can create a Bump map from any grayscale image. Poser 4 Using a grayscale image, you can create a surface “terrain.” The darker you paint, the more depression you create on the surface of the object. Use 50% gray for medium depressions and solid black for deep indentations. Save your bump map document as a PICT (Macintosh), TIF, or BMP (Windows) file. Poser automatically converts the image into a Bump map, where you can save it under a new name. object. Hard edges create blocky forms on a rendered object. To load a custom Bump map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Click the Load button in the Bump Map section. An Open dialog appears. By customizing the Bump map, you can add wrinkles, buckles, or blemishes.You can use any type of image. For example, you could create a Bump map with scales to mutate a figure into a reptile. When creating a custom Bump map, consider these suggestions: • • • • Use an 8-bit, gray scale image. The brightness of a map’s pixels is the only factor used, and an 8-bit image requires less memory. Bump maps do not require a 1:1 ratio to the final resolution. Increasing the dimensions does not necessarily improve definition in the final rendering. It does, however, require more memory to load, making Bump maps difficult to load on some systems. If you do increase the image dimensions, be sure to maintain the proportions. Keeping this aspect ratio is crucial for Poser to wrap the image onto an object. As you paint a Bump map, use an airbrush tool or another brush that creates smooth edges. The smoother the transitions in a custom map, the smoother the appearance of your rendered figure or Surface Mater ials Loading a custom Bump map. Note If you select an image file, Poser asks if you want to convert it to a Bump map. Conversion takes a little while; the status bar on the Document window displays the progress. 3 Select a Bump map (.bum) or image file. Using Templates If you did a complete install, templates are provided in Poser:Runtime:Textures. If you didn’t, look for the templates on the Poser 4 Application CD-ROM in the Textures folder. By editing the maps in this template you can edit the different parts of the figure. For example, you can use an image-editing application like Painter to paint a grayscale pattern of the map of the face. When you apply the template, the edited template produces bumps on the face. Sweater Front/ Back Face Front/ Back Lips and Teeth Pants Front/ Back Feet Choose the figure or object you want to edit from the Object popup. 3 Do one of the following: Left /Right Hands Belt and Buckle Shoes 2 Arms Eyes and Eyebrows A sample Texture template. • To apply a map to a specific part, choose a part from the Material popup. • To apply the map to the entire figure or object, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. 4 Click the Load button in the Bump Map section. An Open File dialog appears. 5 Locate the edited template file and click Open. The bump map is applied to the figure, object or part you selected, and will appear when the scene is rendered. Applying Texture Maps Texture mapping is a 3D technique that wraps an image around an object to paint its surface. A real-world parallel to using a Texture map would be to rip a picture out of a magazine and physically wrap it around an object, like a baseball or drinking glass. The Bump map template applied to a figure. Poser’s default Texture maps provide shading to enhance the appearance of the figures.You can create a custom Texture map to change the fabric of the clothes or to color any other feature on your figure. To apply an edited Bump map template: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. Poser 4 Like Bump maps, different Texture maps can be applied to different body parts. Using this technique, you can have a unique pattern on the shirt of a figure and a different texture for the skin tones. To create a custom Texture map, you need to create an image file. When you design your custom Texture map, you are “painting” the surface of your Poser figure. Make a texture or pattern, or paint a skintight super-suit for a comic book hero. When creating Texture maps, keep the following tips in mind: The Texture map image for the Poser 2 male casual figure. • Usually, 8-bit color is all you need for a Texture map. Images with a color depth of 16 or 24 bits require more memory, which can make them difficult to load on some systems. • You probably don’t need to increase the dimensions of the template image. The template size is good for most uses. If you do increase the dimensions, be sure to maintain the proportions. Keeping this aspect ratio helps Poser wrap the image onto the figure. To load the default Texture map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose a Texture map for this figure type from the Texture Map popup. To clear the Texture map: To load a custom Texture map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 In the Texture Map section, click the Load button. An Open dialog appears. 2 Choose No Texture from the Texture Map popup. 3 Select your custom Texture map and click Open. Creating a Custom Texture Map 4 Use the Strength slider in the Texture map section to adjust the intensity of the Texture map.You can lighten the Texture map by setting the slider lower. You have a few options for creating custom Texture maps.You can use an image or you can paint your own. 5 Use the Apply Texture to Highlight checkbox to control whether highlights are pure (disabled) or combined with the texture (enabled).When disabled, you can Surface Mater ials get shiny spots on a black area of the texture. To load an edited Texture map template: Using Templates 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. If you did a complete install, templates are provided in Poser:Runtime:Textures. If you didn’t, the templates can be found on the Poser 4 Application CD-ROM. 2 Choose the figure you want to edit from the Object popup. 3 Do one of the following: Bump, Texture, Reflection, and Transparency maps are found in the Textures folder. The templates let you precisely align the image you paint with the figure. The template provides Texture maps for every available part of a figure. They contain maps for everything from teeth to the shoe laces. By painting on the template, you can edit the color or pattern of a body part. The Texture map template applied to a figure. • To apply a map to a specific part, choose a part from the Material popup. • To apply the map to the entire figure, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. 4 Click the Load button in the Texture Map section. An Open dialog appears. 5 Locate the edited template file and click Open. The texture is applied to the figure. 6 If you edited other body parts, choose the body part you want to change from the Materials popup. 7 Click the Texture Map Load button again and load the edited template file. 8 Continue selecting body parts and loading the template file, until all the body parts on your figure have the desired Texture map. The textures will appear when you render the scene. When you have modified the Texture map, save it as a PICT (Macintosh), TIF (Windows) or BMP (Windows) file. Put it in the Poser Textures folder for easy loading. Poser 4 Applying Transparency Maps Transparency allows light pass through a figure or object, so you can see through it. The higher a transparency value, the more of the surrounding environment is visible through the object’s surface. If no light is reflected on an object, a 100% Transparency Min and Max makes it invisible. Use transparency maps for interesting effects in your creations. For example, you can create ghost-like characters in a scene, with transparent bodies mapped with patterns or textures. When a transparency map is applied to an object, its texture interferes with the transparency of the object. For example, a checkerboard map results in an object that is alternately transparent and solid.You can thus use textures as transparency maps. 2 To clear the Transparency map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose No Transparency from the Transparency Map popup. Creating a Custom Transparency Map You have a few options for creating custom Transparency maps.You can use an image or you can paint your own. When creating Transparency maps, use an 8-bit, gray scale image; do not use color. The brightness of a map’s pixels is the only factor that matters, and an 8-bit image requires less memory. To load a custom Transparency map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose the figure you want to edit from the Object popup. 3 Do one of the following: The Transparency map applied to a sphere. To load a Transparency map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. Surface Mater ials Choose a Transparency map for this figure type from the Transparency Map popup. • To apply a map to a specific part, choose a part from the Material popup. • To apply the map to the entire figure, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. 4 In the Transparency Map section, click the Load button. An Open dialog appears. 5 Select your custom Transparency map and click Open. Using the Transparency Sliders The Transparency Min, Transparency Max, and Transparency Falloff sliders work together to determine how an object’s transparency behaves. Transparency Min refers to the edges of the object facing away from the eye. A high Transparency Min value makes the object very transparent on its edges. where transparency of the glass “falls off ”. In Poser, you can vary this falloff behavior. A smaller value renders a smaller falloff band, while a larger value renders a wider band Three different falloff rates. If the Transparency Min and Max values are the same, there is no falloff in the rendering. Applying Reflection Maps Transparency Min at a lower value Transparency Min at a higher value Lower and higher Transparency Min values. Transparency Max refers to the part of the object which points at the eye. A high Transparency Max value makes the object very transparent in the center facing the eye. For most renderings, you’ll want to use a Transparency Max value that is higher than the Transparency Min value. Reflection makes a figure or object direct light back at its source, giving it a mirrorlike appearance. A Reflection map is a 2D texture applied to a virtual sphere that surrounds your studio. The texture is then reflected from the studio and onto your object. Reflection maps can be applied to different objects and body parts. For example, you could create a space alien and apply a mirrorlike reflection map to the head, or the entire body. Transparency Falloff determines the rate at which the transparency becomes opaque on the edges of an object. For a real world example, look at a transparent object such as a drinking glass. The edges of the glass are less transparent than the rest of the surface. This is A Reflection map applied to a figure. Poser 4 7 To load a Reflection map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose the figure you want to edit from the Object popup. 3 Do one of the following: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. Choose No Reflection from the Reflection Map popup. To apply a map to a specific part, choose a part from the Material popup. 2 • To apply the map to the entire figure, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. Reflective Color Click the Reflection Map popup to choose a Reflection map. 5 Use the Strength slider in the Reflection map section to adjust the intensity of the map. The higher the value, the more reflective the surface. At 50%, half the light that hits the object is reflected. At 100%, all light is reflected. To clear the Reflection map: • 4 6 To add a Reflective Color, click its button. Choose a color from the color picker dialog, then click OK. The reflective color appears when you render the scene. Control the intensity of the reflection with these checkboxes: • The Multiply through lights checkbox reduces the reflection’s intensity based on how the figure is lit by the lights.This is an easy way to add subtlety to the lighting. • The Multiply through Object Color checkbox reduces the reflection’s intensity by multiplying its result through the object’s color. So, for example, a red object would get a reddish reflection instead of the raw color from the reflections map. Surface Mater ials Reflective Color is a tint that is added only when a reflection map is applied. Use the Reflective Color control to create dramatic effects in your renderings. To make a highly reflective object appear more vivid, use a variation of the object’s color. If the object’s color is particularly bright, you may want to use a darker tint of the same color. For an unusual tint, use a color that is distinctly different from the object’s color. Creating a Custom Reflection Map You have a few options for creating custom Reflection maps.You can use an image or you can paint your own. When creating Reflection maps, keep these points in mind: • The image in a reflection map is applied to a virtual sphere and reversed when it is reflected on your object. • For color reflection maps, the hue affects the tint of the reflection and the brightness determines the amount of reflection. Darker colors result in less reflection; brighter colors result in more reflection. • To apply the map to the entire figure, enable the Texture Changes apply to entire figure checkbox. 4 In the Reflection Map section, click the Load button. An Open dialog appears. 5 Select your custom Reflection map and click Open. Setting Colors The color of a figure’s “skin” in a rendering is determined by the lighting environment and these surface material factors: • Object color • Highlight color • Ambient color • Reflective color • The surface material map These features apply to both figures and props. Object Color A custom Reflection map applied to a prop. To load a custom Reflection map: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Choose the figure you want to edit from the Object popup. 3 Do one of the following: • To apply a map to a specific part, choose a part from the Material popup. The object color is the surface color of the current figure or prop. If there is no Texture map, the object color is the only color of the figure—not considering the effect of colored lights. In a high quality rendering, when a Texture map is loaded, the object color influences the appearance of the Texture map by coloring it. If you don’t want the Texture map affected by the object color, set the object color to white (the default color is tan). Poser 4 To set the object color: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Click the Object Color button.The color picker appears. 3 Choose a surface color for the object and click OK. You can also set the object color using the Color tool. Refer to “Using the Color Tool” on page 139 for more information on the Color tool. Texture Maps vs. Object Color When a Texture map is loaded, the object color is used as a multiplier on the Texture map. What does this mean? The complete answer is rather technical. The result, however, is quite simple.The object color influences the Texture map in a rendering as though some of its pigment was washed over the Texture map image. How much of the pigment depends on the brightness of the object color—the lighter the object color, the less pigment is used. Therefore, when the object color is white, it has no effect on the Texture map whatsoever. When the object color is near black, it obliterates the Texture map; this effect is only apparent in renderings. Highlight Color Highlights are bright areas appearing where the light is reflected directly toward the eye— or camera. As Poser renders the figure, it determines where highlights should occur and adds the highlight color to the base color at these points. In daylight and under most room lights, highlights are white. To complement the lighting environment you’ve set, select a color similar to your main light. To select the highlight color: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Click the Highlight Color button. The color picker appears. 3 4 When you’ve chosen a color, click OK. To control the size of the highlights, move the Highlight Size slider. The default value is 70%. Higher settings increase the size of the highlight, creating a dull effect. At 100%, the highlights overwhelm the figure. At 20%, the highlights are small, creating a shiny effect. At zero, with the highlight color set to black, no highlights appear Setting highlight size. Surface Mater ials Ambient Color In Poser, you can set the Ambient color for each figure or object individually. An object’s Ambient color is the color it emits equally in all directions. It simulates an ambient (overall room) lighting contribution. Unlike the other color properties, it acts without taking into account any light positions or colors. The Ambient color mixes with the other lighting properties. Too much ambience flattens the detail of an object, since it looks the same no matter how the surface faces lights. If you want to turn ambient light down or off, set the Ambient color to gray or black. If you want more intense ambient light, set the Ambient color to white or a bright color. To select the ambient color: 1 Choose Render menu> Materials.The Surface Materials dialog appears. 2 Click the Ambient Color button. The color picker dialog appears. 3 When you’ve chosen a color, click OK. Poser 4 Surface Mater ials 12 Rendering How Rendering Works Rendering is the process of converting the 3D view of your figure into a 2D image. Once you render an image, you can use it in other imageediting applications. During the course of a Poser project, you’ll want to render a number of times to check the progress of your pose, body shape, camera, surface material, or lighting changes. Finally, when you’ve made all the changes you want, you’ll generate a high-quality rendering that you will save—either by exporting the Document window as an image file or by rendering to a new window. Rendering an animation takes longer, depending on the number of frames it has. Rendering an animation is similar to rendering an image; however, instead of creating one image, you create several—a separate image for each frame. Render an animation with Animation menu> Make Movie. This procedure is covered in “Rendering an Animation” on page 264. A rendering in progress. Renderings show more detail, so you see things in a rendering that aren’t otherwise apparent. Based on these results, you’ll go back to posing, body shaping, etc., to adjust anything that needs improvement.You’ll probably go back and forth—making changes, then rendering to check your changes— several times. A render mode called Antialias Preview Render lets you quickly generate an antialiased image that you can use to check lighting or surface materials. Refer to “Antialias Rendering” on page 263 for more on generating previews. These “check” renderings are typically displayed in the Document window.You probably won’t save them. They’re just a byproduct of the work process. Rendering Renderings do not include guides, with the exception of the Ground Plane. If you don’t want to show the Ground Plane, hide it before rendering. Setting Up a Render The Render Options dialog lets you control the size and attributes of the final output rendering. Render Options include rendered image size, background color, antialiasing, shadows, and whether to apply surface materials, if any have been loaded. To display the Render Options dialog: • Choose Render menu> Render Options. The Render Options dialog appears. replaces the image in the Document window. Setting Image Size When you render to a new window, you can set the window to any size. If you’ve imported a background image, Poser automatically sets the new window to the dimensions of the background. This is handy when you’re planning to composite the figure with the background. The Render Options dialog. To render at a particular size: Setting Render Destination By default, renderings appear in the Document window. Poser clears the image from the window as soon as you make an adjustment. This saves on memory and keeps your Desktop from getting cluttered with windows. If you want renderings to go to a separate window, enable the New Window option. Future renderings of your scene appear in separate windows. To set the render destination: 1 2 Choose Render menu> Render Options. The Render Options dialog appears. 1 Choose Render menu> Render Options. The Render Options dialog appears. 2 Enable the New Window radio button and enter the size you want. You can specify the render size in either pixels or in inches. Use the popup to select the units you want. 3 Enter either the height or the width for the rendering; Poser automatically adjusts the other value to maintain the aspect ratio of the window. Note Renderings always use the aspect ratio of the Document window. If you want a different aspect ratio, resize the Document window. Enable the New Window radio button if you want to open a new window for a rendering. Otherwise, enable the Main Window button and the rendering Poser 4 Choosing a Rendering Background the Background” on page 43 or “Importing and Exporting” on page 47. By default, Poser renders to the Document window over the background color or imported background picture. When you render to a new window, you can specify which background is rendered with the window. To choose a rendering background: 1 2 Choose Render menu> Render Options. The Render Options dialog appears. In the Render Over section, enable one of the three radio buttons. The available options are: Background color: The figure is rendered over the current background color.You can change the background using the color icons on the right side of the Document window or using the Color tool. Setting Surface Detail The Surface detail section of the Render Options dialog provides options for rendering features. Disabling these features allows the rendering engine to work more quickly. In the final rendering, however, you’ll want all these features turned on. Black: The pixels on the edge of the figure are antialiased darker with a black background. This is the best option when you are planning to composite the figure with an image in another application. To set surface detail: 1 Choose Render menu> Render Options. The Render Options dialog appears. Background Picture: Poser composites the rendering of the scene with the imported background image. This option is available only when you’ve imported a background image. 2 In the Surface detail section, click one or more of the options provided.The available options are: For more information on background pictures, refer to “Pasting Figures onto You can render over a background image to add interest. Rendering Antialias blends the pixels along the edge of one area with the pixels along the edge of the adjacent area. This creates a softer, smoother edge. Using the Render Command The Render command uses all the current settings in the Render Options and Surface Material dialogs. Aliased Antialiased Choose Antialiased to create a smooth, high quality rendering. Use Bump Maps and Use Texture Maps control whether these surface material features—if currently loaded— are used in the rendering. Transparency and Reflection maps are considered texture maps. Cast Shadows controls whether Poser renders the light shadows. Shadows increase render time, so you may want to render without them if you’re in a hurry. Rendering an Image You can render an image using either the Render command or one of the preset rendering options. The Render command uses the options you set in the Render Options dialog to render your image, and should be used to render a final image. The preset rendering options temporarily override the Render Options parameters. They produce lower quality renders you can use to periodically check your work. To render a scene: • Choose Render menu> Render. A status dialog appears letting you know the status of your render. When completed, a new rendered image appears in either the Document window or a separate window. Antialias Rendering The Antialias Document Render command temporarily overrides the features set in the Render Options and Surface Materials dialogs, and creates an antialiased image from the Document window. The image is created using the current display style and lighting. When you click the Document window, the antialiased image is replaced by the current display style. To make an antialiased rendering: • Choose Render Menu> Antialias Document. Poser 4 Rendering an Animation You can make a movie by rendering a Poser animation as a QuickTime or AVI movie file. Poser renders each frame of the animation to a frame in the output movie. Set movie options in the Make Movie dialog. Typically, you’ll make a movie several times to check its smoothness and continuity. Each time, you can go back to your animation file and improve the keyframe settings.You can trash your test movies after viewing them. Finally, when you’re satisfied with the entire animation, you’ll make the movie at its full resolution and render settings. This is the final product that you’ll save and open in a postproduction program. 3 If you are saving to numbered files, Poser automatically appends 4-digit numbering to the file name. 4 The figures in the final movie are masked in each frame. This makes it easy to composite the movie with other images. Using the Make Movie Dialog 5 The Make Movie dialog contains all the controls you’ll need to set and render an animation.To make a movie: 1 Make sure the current camera is the one for which the animation was created. 2 Choose Animation menu> Make Movie. The Make Movie dialog appears. Enter a name in the Movie field. Choose a format for the output movie from the Sequence Type popup. • For viewing, use QuickTime or AVI. These formats are also suitable for saving a movie for other applications. • For exporting to a motion graphics program, you may want to use numbered PICT (Macintosh), BMP or TIF files (Windows). This type of output allows you to save animations without any loss of data. Choose Full, Half, or Quarter from the Resolution popup. The smaller the resolution, the faster the rendering, so you may want to use smaller resolutions for test movies. Set the dimensions of the full sized frame in the Animation Setup dialog. 6 Choose the current display or render settings from the Quality popup. If you choose Current Render Settings, verify that they are set as you want them before making the movie. Some options, like antialiasing, increase the rendering time. Rendering 7 To turn antialiasing on, enable the Antialias checkbox 8 In the Frame Rate section, select one of the following options: • • To use the frame rate set in the Animation Setup dialog, enable Use Movie’s frame rate. To use a new frame rate, enable Use this frame rate, then enter a number. You can use a lower frame rate, which renders faster, for test movies. Frame Rate does not apply to numbered files. 9 In the Time Span section, enter the Start and End time of your rendered animation. This sets the range of frames that are rendered as the final movie. Poser calculates and displays the number of frames and duration of your selection. Compression options dialog. Choose compression options and click OK. This may take a little while. Poser renders a frame and displays it in the QuickTime dialog so you can visually check compression quality. For more information about QuickTime and AVI movie compression options, consult your operating system’s User Guide. Using the Sketch Designer Poser’s Sketch Designer renders scenes in a sketch style drawing. A scene is rendered using a series of black and white or colored brush strokes.You can tailor the strokes to your liking. Usually, you’ll use the entire set of frames. However, you can select a subset of frames to check a particular motion. The Time Span display uses the standard SMTPE time code format (Hours: Minutes: Seconds: Frames). 10 Click OK to start the rendering. A Save dialog appears. 11 Choose a save location. If you’re saving to numbered files, you may want to create a special folder for them. The Sketch Designer. 12 Click Save to proceed. If you are saving to numbered files, the rendering begins. If QuickTime or AVI is the selected sequence type, Poser displays the QuickTime Compression or MS Video Poser 4 Renderings in the Sketch Designer can be saved and reloaded later.You can also export a sketch as a Painter script to create rendered images using the Painter brush libraries. Finally, you can create amazing animations which emulate traditional sketching techniques. You can animate sketching techniques with the Sketch Designer. You’ll get the best results from the Sketch Designer when you render a scene with considerable detail (such as hair on a figure) and dramatic lighting. The Sketch Designer Window To use the Sketch Designer: • Choose Window menu> Sketch Designer. The Sketch Designer window appears. The Sketch Designer window While a sketch is drawing in the window, you can click anywhere on the screen to stop the rendering. You can customize the controls of the Sketch Designer window to create your own sketch styles, or you can choose from several styles in the Preset Styles popup. The following sections describe the options that are available for creating a unique Sketch Designer. Rendering Parts of the Scene You can control the sketch style behavior of three parts of the scene: • Click Stroke to edit the sketch style of any figures and objects in the scene. • Click Background to edit the sketch style of the background. • Click Edge to edit the sketch style of any figures and objects’ edges. Sliders You can customize your sketch with the slider controls. The sliders determine many characteristics of stroke lines. As you adjust each slider the sketch is redrawn, so you can see your results in real time. Density controls the density of lines in the sketch. Hi Brightness determines the band of tone. A lower setting means lines are drawn only in the darkest parts of the scene. If the Over Black option is enabled, this control should be at 1, for best results. Stroke Head determines the amount each stroke tapers at its head. Stroke Tail determines the amount each stroke tapers at its tail. Line Random a higher value randomizes the shape of the lines Color Random a higher value randomizes the color of the lines Opacity determines the clarity of lines. Lower values create more transparent strokes. Cross Hatch controls the frequency of cross hatching in the strokes. Min Width defines the width of the edge of each stroke. This control affects the brightness of the original image. Total Angle determines the amount of angle change that the whole stroke can go around before it stops drawing the stroke. A higher value makes an image darker. When you set Density at a small value, set Total Angle at a smaller value. Max Width defines the width of the center of each stroke. This control affects the brightness of the original image. Color Cutoff determines the threshold of color change allowed for a stroke. Use this slider in conjunction with Total Angle. Lo Brightness determines the band of tone. A lower setting means lines are drawn only in the darkest parts of the scene. If the Over Black option is disabled, set this control to zero for the best results. Light 1, 2, 3 determine how much each of the first three studio lights contributes to the direction of the strokes. A high value results in strokes going in the direction of the light. Line Length defines the length of strokes. BG Direction defines the direction of the background strokes. Poser 4 Auto Spacing If Auto Density is enabled, this slider controls the amount of space between strokes Working with Completed Sketches Color Blend controls the amount of color in the document window to be blended into the sketch. Once you create a sketch, you can save it to and delete it from the Preset Styles popup. In addition, you can export your sketches to Painter scripts. Textured Brushes You can choose between several texture brushes in the Sketch Designer window. The choices are Sharp, Bristles,Very Soft, Soft, Less Soft, and Slanted.You’ll find the effects of these brushes is most visible when you set the Min Width and Max Width sliders to higher values. To save a sketch: 1 Choose Create Preset from the Preset Styles popup. 2 Enter a name for your sketch. Poser automatically attaches a .pzs suffix to the filename. To delete a sketch: Sketch Designer Options The checkbox options available in the Sketch Designer window are: Over Black When enabled, the background is black and strokes are white. When disabled, the background is white, and strokes are black or colored. Auto Density When enabled, the render reaches an automatic density based on the original image, and the Density slider setting is ignored. When this is disabled, use the Density slider. Colored Strokes When enabled, figures and objects are rendered in color. When disabled, no colors appear. Rendering • Choose Delete Preset from the Preset Styles popup. To export a sketch to a Painter script: 1 In the Sketch Designer, render the scene to your liking. 2 Choose File menu> Export> Painter Script. 3 Choose a save location and name the file. Rendering a Sketch After setting up a sketch, you can render it so that the sketch appears in your document window.You’ll find this feature useful if you want to export a movie in sketch style. To render a sketch in the Document window: • Choose Render menu> Sketch Style Render. Poser 4 Rendering 13 Advanced Body Shaping Besides the basic shaping tools discussed in Chapter 5 , “Body Shaping,” you can also customize the shape of figures using custom morph targets and the Joint Parameters palettes. Creating Custom Morph Targets As discussed in “Using Morph Targets” on page 152, morph targets are transitional changes in the geometry of a figure that can be animated over time. Poser now includes a library of morph targets, and you can build your own morph targets in Poser as well. In this section, you’ll learn how to build custom morph targets in other 3D modeling applications. A morph target is a custom Parameter that is added to a body part so you can gradually reshape it. A figure’s geometry can move from the original shape of the model to the geometry of the morph target. During the course of an animation, the model begins to change shape until it reaches the morph target geometry. To add a morph target, you create a morph target geometry that represents the end-point of the morphing. The morph target geometry must contain the same number of vertices as the original body part, so it’s best to use the original body part as a starting point. A Morph Target geometry can be created in any 3D modeling application that saves files in Wavefront (OBJ) format. The tutorial later in this chapter uses Ray Dream Studio 5 to create a Morph Target geometry. However, you don’t have to use Ray Dream Studio; any application where you can edit geometries and save files in OBJ format will work To add a custom Morph Target: 1 Select the body part to which you want to add a morph target. Choose Object menu> Properties. The Properties dialog appears. A Morph Target used to alter figure geometry. Setting up Morph Targets Morph targets are assigned to individual body parts. When you set up a Morph Target, a new Parameters Dial is added to the body part.The Parameter Dial lets you control the amount of morphing applied to the body part. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g Element Properties dialog. 2 Click Add Morph Target. The Add Target dialog appears. Morph Target Tutorial This tutorial uses Ray Dream Studio 5 to create a Morph Target for the head of a figure. You’ll make the nose grow like Pinocchio’s. Note Important: For this tutorial to work correctly, you must have installed the new OBJ import/ export plug-in and mesh form Add Shape Interpolation Target dialog. 3 Click Locate to find the geometry file you want to use as a morph target. The file must meet all the following requirements: modeler for Ray Dream Studio 5.0.2, which is included with Poser 4. • File must be in OBJ format. Lesson 1: Setting Up • File must contain the same number of vertices as the original body part. To load a figure geometry into Ray Dream Studio 5: • File must contain only the body part you are morphing. Do not use a file of the entire figure. The filename appears in the Geometry field. 4 Enter a name. The name appears on the morph target Parameter Dial for the selected body part. 5 Click OK to return to the Element Properties dialog. Click OK again to return to the main window. A new Parameter Dial is added for the selected body part. Use this dial to morph the body part from its original shape to the morph target. A value of 0.0 for this dial is the original object. A value of 1.0 changes the body part to the morph target. 1 2 3 Launch Ray Dream Studio 5. 4 Select the folder Poser 4: Runtime: Geometries: newMaleCasHi. 5 Select the file newMaleCasHi.obj and click Open. 6 Use the default settings for the OBJ import dialog and click OK. Choose File menu> Open. In the Open dialog that appears, click the Format popup and choose Wavefront. Poser 4 The figure loads into the perspective view and into the timeline with the name lFoot. 3 Click the Selection tool. 4 Click away from the object to make sure there are no vertices selected. 5 Double-click in the figure’s head. The entire head is selected. This may take a while. The newMaleCasHi geometry, as shown in the Perspective window. To edit the figure’s geometry: 1 Select the figure newMaleCasHi in the Timeline. 2 Click to select the figure in the perspective window, then choose Edit menu> Jump In. The newMaleCasHi figure with head selected. 6 The newMaleCasHi geometry, shown in the mesh form modeler. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g With the head selected, choose Selection menu> Invert to select everything but the head. 7 Press the delete key. 10 To switch to the left view, choose View menu> Preset Position> Left. This makes the model easier to deform. The body is deleted. 8 9 Click the Zoom tool. Drag a marquee around the head. Left view of head. Lesson 2: Creating the Morph Target To deform the geometry: 1 Click the Sphere of Attraction tool. The default size, 4 inches, is too large for Poser figures. Compared to standard Ray Dream Studio units, Poser figures are very small. However, do not change the geometry size other than in the manner you want to morph it. Enlarged view of the head. If, for example, you increase the size of the entire head, the size increase is included in the morph target. This is also true of the position relative to the center. In some cases, that may be the effect you Poser 4 are seeking. In this case, however, you just want to increase the size of the nose. 2 5 If the Properties palette is not already open, choose Windows menu> Properties. Click on the tip of the nose and drag to the right.You have now created a morph target. The deformed newMaleCasHi head. 6 The Properties palette. 3 4 Change Radius of Sphere unit setting from inches to millimeters. Change the Radius of Sphere value to 1 millimeter. Click the Done button in the lower-left corner of the window. To save the new morph target file: 1 Choose File menu> Save As. The Save As dialog appears. 2 3 In the Format popup, choose Wavefront. 4 Click OK. Change the name to nosemorph.obj and save the file in the same folder as the original, newMaleCasHi. A dialog appears warning you that saving out of Ray Dream Studio format may result in loss of information. 5 6 A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g Click OK to continue. Choose File menu> Close to exit Ray Dream Studio. Lesson 3: Using the Target in Poser To add a morph target in Poser: 1 2 Launch Poser. From the Figures category of the Libraries palette, choose the People subcategory, if it’s not already selected. The Casual Man in the Document window. 4 Click the Face Camera icon in the Camera Controls. The People sub-category. 3 Double-click the Casual Man preview. The Face Camera icon. The figure appears in the Document window. 5 Select the Head, and choose Object menu> Load Morph Target. 6 In the Add Target dialog that appears, locate and open the file Poser: Runtime: Geometries: newMaleCasHi: nosemorph.obj. 7 Enter “Nose” in the label field. This assigns the name “Nose” to the new Parameter Dial. 8 Click OK. Poser 4 9 Use the rotation trackball to rotate the view slightly to the left or right. Figure Joints and Blend Zones The joints on a figure control how parts bend, blend, twist, and bulge. Realistic movement in a figure is controlled by joint settings. For example, a human knee joint can’t bend forward. A rotated view of the figure. 10 Click to select the Head. 11 Drag the Nose Parameter Dial to the right toward 1.0. An example of figure joints. A figure’s bending and twisting motion is created using transformers. Transformers stretch, skew, or scale polygons in the transformation zones to produce desired joint motion. The transformation zone is defined by the inclusion and exclusion angles assigned to each transformation. Polygons in the exclusion angle are not affected by a transformation, while polygons in the The morphed Nose. Your morph target is complete. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g inclusion angle are affected. In the area between the angles, or blend zone, polygons are adjusted to create a smooth transition between the surrounding polygons. • Fine tune the bending of existing figures to suit your needs • Create new types of effects, such as imitating ‘Mr. Fantastic’ from the Fantastic Four comics • Customize joints and transformers for creating your own new figures Refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301 for more information on creating Poser figures. Each joint on a figure has a set of attributes, like Bend, Twist, or Side-to-side. The attributes available for editing depend upon which joint is selected. Editable attributes are displayed in the popup at the top of the palette. An example of blend zones. Joints are controlled using the Joint Parameters palette. Blend zones are edited each time you adjust the transformation inclusion and exclusion angles. Blend zones can be further refined using Spherical Falloff zones. Editing Joint Parameters To edit a joint’s parameters, you first select a joint attribute and then set each of its parameters. Each attribute has a specific set of parameters that control how the attribute affects the joint. For example, the parameters for the Center attribute let you control the exact position of the center point. Note Before making any changes to a Joint Parameter, turn all IK Chains off. It is also easier to see some attributes, such as the center, if you view them in outline or wireframe display mode. If your computer is fast enough, use Full Tracking to The Joint Parameters palette lets you control both joints and blend zones.You can directly manipulate joints and blend transformers to set how a joint works.These advanced settings can be used to: see the results of your changes in real-time. Poser 4 To display the Joint Parameters palette: • Choose Window menu> Joint Editor. The controls available on the Joint Parameters palette depend on the currently selected body part or prop. Using the Joint Parameters Palette The Joint Parameters palette contains several controls to set attributes for a joint. Although the controls change for different body parts, the controls common to all body parts are: Attribute popup Display Deformer: Toggles the graphical display of the joint on a figure. Zero Figure: Resets to 0 the rotation (Bend, Twist, Side-Side, Front-Back) for all body parts. Use Spherical Falloff Zones: Toggles on or off the Spherical Falloff Zones on a figure. Refer to “Spherical Falloff Zones” on page 287 for more on falloff zones. The Use Spherical Falloff Zones control appears on all attributes except the Center attribute. The Joint Parameters palette. To edit a joint parameter: 1 2 3 Select a body part. 4 Set the attribute’s parameters. Display the Joint Parameters palette. Select an attribute from the popup at the top of the palette. Interactively Editing Joint Parameters When you select a joint attribute from the popup in the Joint Parameters palette, a graphical representation of the parameter appears on a figure. For example, when you select the Twist attribute for the leg, a red and green line appears on the leg. Center A body part’s center becomes the outline of the selected target when you can edit it. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g Twist When you select the Twist attribute, a line with two handles appears on the figure. The red handle represents the starting point of the twist transformation area, and the green handle represents the end. Dragging these handles increases or decreases the Twist area. To edit inclusion and exclusion angles: 1 Move the cursor to an end point of the exclusion or inclusion angles until the cursor changes to a target symbol. 2 Drag the angle. If you’re using full tracking, the effects of your change are shown as you drag. Inclusion and exclusion angles exist in three dimensions, so you can rotate a figure to see all the areas affected by the transformation. You can also edit angles in all three dimensions. To make sure you’re moving an angle in only one dimension, use the orthogonal cameras. For example, using the From Front camera, moving left and right moves in x. Moving up and down moves in y. With the From Left view, left and right move in z, and up and down move in y. A Twist attribute displayed graphically on the figure. Editing Inclusion and Exclusion Angles When using Bend or Side-Side/Front-Back, the red lines represent the exclusion angle, while the green lines represent the inclusion angle. Polygons in the exclusion angle are not affected by a transformation. Polygons in the inclusion angle are affected by the transformation. The area between the inclusion and exclusion angles is the Blend zone. Bend To adjust the Bend transformation area, drag the end-points of the red or green angle. To change the center of the body part, drag the center point target. Side-Side/Front-Back Like the Bend attribute, both the Side-Side and Front-Back attributes are edited by dragging the inclusion and exclusion angle lines. Poser 4 Joint Attributes Twist Each joint on a body part has a number of parameters that together control how the joint moves. The Twist attribute alters the location of the twist transformer for each body part. The intensity of the transformation is controlled using the Twist Parameter Dial or Twist tool. Center The Center Attribute sets the center of rotation for a selected body part.This attribute is available for all body parts and props. The Twist Attribute. The Center attribute. The parameters of the Center attribute are: Center Point: Sets the XYZ position of the center of the body part. 0,0,0 is located in the center of the body on the floor. Orientation: Sets the XYZ rotation of the axis. Click and drag a dial to rotate the axis. Option/Alt-click a dial to reset it to 0. Align: Aligns the axis to the rotation of the body part. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g There is not a Twist attribute for the hip, since it is the parent of the entire figure. Twisting the parent is the same as rotating the entire figure. When IK is enabled, twisting the hip transforms body parts included in the IK chains. By default, the Twist axis runs lengthwise down the center of each body part. For example, for arms, the twist axis is the x-axis, while for legs the twist axis is the y-axis. Moving and rotating the center of a body part can alter the position of this axis. Bend The parameters for the Bend attribute alter the angles of the bend transformers and define how bulges are created. The Twist axes on the body. The parameters of the Twist attribute are: Twist Start, Twist End: Sets the start and end of a twist area on a body part. Only the body parts in the twist area are affected by the twist transformation. Twist areas can be made larger than the body part to make a twisting motion appear more natural. In most cases, you want to include the body part’s parent. The Bend attribute. The parameters of the Bend attribute are: Center Point: Sets the XYZ position of the center of the body part. Bending occurs at the center point. Changing that point changes the center of the body part. Joint Angles: Set inclusion and exclusion angles for the Bending transformation. The values in Static A and D together set the exclusion angle. Polygons in the exclusion Poser 4 angle are not affected by the bending. The values in Dynamic B and C together set the area of inclusion. Polygons in the inclusion angle are affected by the bending. Differences in bulges and wrinkles when the body part center is changed. Side-Side/Front-Back The angles of inclusion and exclusion on a body part. Apply Bulges: When enabled, these parameters control how polygons in the bend zone are stretched or pinched to create bulges or wrinkles. Right and Left dials refer to the sides of the figure. Neg and Pos dials refer to negative or positive values for the rotation of the attribute (for example, a positive value for the Bend attribute creates bulges as set by the Right and Left positive bulge dials). Option/ Alt-click these dials to reset them to 0. The parameters for the Side-Side/Front-Back attributes control angles of the Side-Side/ Front-Back transformers and define how bulges are created. The Side-Side attribute. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g For example, the Right Collar of the Business Man has scaling controls for the chest (the parent body part) along the y-axis, and scaling controls for the Right Shoulder (the child body part) along the x-axis. The Front-Back attribute. The Side-Side/Front-Back attributes have the following parameters: Center Point: Sets the XYZ position of the center of the body part. Side-Side transformations occurs at the center point. The Scaling attribute. Joint Angles: Set inclusion and exclusion angles for the Side-Side transformation. High End/Start, Low Start/End: The High and Low parameters define a blending area. For example, when scaling the head you may also want the top of the neck to scale. Apply Bulge: When enabled, these parameters control how polygons in the SideSide transformation zone are stretched or pinched to create bulges or wrinkles. When setting this parameter, only one pair of settings—the high or the low setting—is relevant. The unused parameter pair is automatically set to an out-of-limit number Scaling Each body part has parameters that let you scale the parent and child body parts. The settings are similar to the Twist parameters, and follow the Twist axis of the child or parent body part. Poser 4 (such as 100.000 or 99.000). This indicates that the pair is not relevant to the area you have selected for blending. The out-of-limit settings should not be edited. Copying Joint Parameters You can copy joint parameters from one half of a figure to the other using the Symmetry command. To copy joint parameters: 1 Choose Figure menu> Symmetry> choose an option. A dialog appears asking if you want to copy the joint zone’s setup also. 2 Click Yes to include joint parameters. Saving Joint Parameters Changes to joint parameters affect only the current scene.To save joint parameter changes, you must either save your scene, or save the figure in the Libraries palette. Refer to “Saving to the Libraries Palette” on page 34 for details on saving figures to the Libraries palette. The effects of High/Low scaling. The end of each blending zone is represented in red, while the start is represented in green. The effects can be uniform, or can be controlled by spherical falloff zones. Refer to “Spherical Falloff Zones” on page 287 for more information. A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g Spherical Falloff Zones Spherical Falloff Zones are an advanced method for controlling blending between body parts. Two spheres, a green “inner” sphere and a red “outer” sphere represent the falloff zones. Displaying Spherical Falloff Zones Spherical Falloff Zones can be selected and displayed using any display mode. To change the display mode for a sphere, select Element Styles from the Display menu, then select a mode. The default display mode for these spheres is outline. Wireframe mode lets you view the spheres in 3D and still see the body parts they surround. Spherical Falloff Zones. The green sphere defines the area that is 100% affected by the transformation. The red sphere represents the boundary of the transformer’s effect. The area between the inner and outer sphere is the “blending” zone. The effects of the transformation gradually decrease from 100% at the boundary of the inner sphere to 0% at the boundary of the outer sphere. When adding Spherical Falloff Zones, the default position of the sphere is 0,0,0. A Spherical Falloff Zone viewed in Wireframe mode. Editing Spherical Falloff Zones Spherical Falloff zones can be edited using any of the Edit tools.You can reposition, scale, rotate, or twist Spherical Falloff zones. Poser 4 A dva n c e d B o dy S h a p i n g 14 Hierarchies How Hierarchies Work In order to display a figure in the Workspace, Poser must interpret information about the figure’s geometry and body part parameters. This information allows Poser to create bendable joints between parent and child objects. A scene’s hierarchy describes the parent-child relationships of all objects in the scene. Body parts or props that are physically located at a seam are generally contained either in a parent object or a child object. Data like rotation order and IK relationships are also defined in the scene’s hierarchy. A Poser document hierarchy contains: • A list of everything in the scene’s universe, including figures, body parts, props, lights, and cameras • Hierarchical connections (parent-child relationships) for scene objects • Parameters, including rotation, translation, Morph Targets, and Point At parameters. • Any Inverse Kinematics (IK) chains of a figure In Poser 4, you can work directly with a scene’s Hierarchy. The Hierarchy Editor displays everything in your Poser scene—all the figures, lights, cameras, and props currently in the studio. With the Hierarchy Editor, you can: • Select elements in your scene. When you select an item in the Hierarchy Editor, it is selected in the Document Window, Objects List, and Graph Palette. • Double-click on an object to bring up its Object Properties. • Set element visibility. Quickly hide body parts, props, or deformers. • Rename or delete elements and parameters such as morph targets or Point At parameters. • Set up or change parent-child relationships for props. • Set up Inverse Kinematics (IK) chains. • Change rotation order for props or body parts. • Create new figures. Refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301 for more information. Hierarchies Using the Hierarchy Editor The Hierarchy Editor displays a hierarchical listing of everything in your Poser document’s universe.You can contract this list to show only the parent elements in your scene, expanded elements to show their children, and expand objects to display their parameters. Depending upon what you want to select or modify, you can display it in the Hierarchy Editor. To display the Hierarchy Editor: • Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor. The Hierarchy Editor appears. Using the Hierarchy Editor, you can easily expand/ collapse scene elements. Controlling what is Displayed You can control what displays in the Hierarchy Editor by selecting display options at the top of the Editor. Options indicate what type of scene objects are in the hierarchy view.When the Hierarchy Editor first opens, a default set of options are checked. To set the Hierarchy Editor display: 1 2 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. Click a display option to display or not display certain scene elements. An X appears in the box beside a selected display option. Display options are: • Show Lights: show all lights in the scene Use the display options at the top of the Hierarchy Editor to control what is displayed. Collapsing the Hierarchy Editor Scenes contain scene elements, including body parts, props, deformers, cameras, and lights. This can make for a very long Hierarchy Editor listing.You can collapse elements in the list to save space or expand them to show more detail.When not working with a particular figure, you can collapse its listing. This shortens the Hierarchy Editor list and makes other objects easier to locate. • Show Figures: display all figures in the document • Show Cameras: display all cameras To collapse/expand a listing: • Show Parameters: display object parameters 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. • Show All Parameters: display all parameters, as well as a few special scene level elements, like inner and outer scene boundaries 2 Click the minus icon next to an object to collapse it. The icon changes to a plus when the element is collapsed. • Show Props: display all props in the scene, including the ground plane 3 • Show Deformers: display Magnets, waves, and Morph Targets Click the plus icon next to an object to expand it. The icon changes to a minus when the element is expanded. Poser 4 Selecting Objects Deleting Objects You can select an object in the Hierarchy Editor. Selecting an object here is equivalent to selecting it in the Document Window, choosing it in the Current Element pop-up at the bottom of the Document window, or selecting it in the Graph or Animation palette. You can delete figures, props, and lights in the Hierarchy Editor.You cannot delete Poser figure body parts, cameras, or the ground. To select an object in the Hierarchy Editor: 1 2 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. Click the object you wish to select. As you select an object, notice that it is now also selected in the Document Window. You can delete Morph Targets and Point At parameters in the Hierarchy Editor.You cannot delete other object parameters. To delete objects in the Hierarchy Editor: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select the object you want to delete. Note You cannot delete just a body part. If you select and delete a body part, it deletes the entire figure, just as it would in the Document Window. 3 Press the Delete/del key to delete that object. To delete a group of objects in the Hierarchy Editor: Click on an object to select it. Hierarchies 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select the objects you want to delete. Renaming Objects You can rename objects, making it easier to identify specific body parts and props. To rename an object: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Double-click on the name of the object that you want to rename. 3 Type in a new name for the object. Props, Deformers, Lights, and Cameras You can move Deformers and Morph Targets in the Hierarchy Editor. You can reorder prop rotation parameters. Rotation order affects how a prop twists or bends.You can also do translations for props. Because the order in which rotation parameters are interpreted is important, be careful should you decide to reorder them. Reordering Objects Figures You can reorder props and Deformers in the Hierarchy Editor. Reordering Deformers can be useful, especially when they appear at the bottom of the Hierarchy listing.You cannot establish new parent-child relationships for Poser figure body parts. You can reorder morph targets and rotation parameters (yrotate, zrotate, xrotate) for figure body parts. Rotation order affects how a body part twists or bends. By default, Twist is the top rotate parameter. Note Rotation parameter order affects how figure body parts twist and bend. You can reorder prop, light, or camera Point At parameters.These parameters also appear at the bottom of the Hierarchy Editor list. Be extra careful should you decide to change rotation order, because you can get unexpected results. Poser 4 Displaying Object Properties Changing Object Visibility You bring up the properties dialog for an object right from the Hierarchy Editor. Accessing object properties from the Hierarchy Editor can be a real time saver. You can change object visibility in the Hierarchy Editor. When you change object visibility in the Hierarchy Editor, it’s the same as changing it in the Object Properties dialog for that object. To bring up the properties dialog from the Hierarchy Editor: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Double-click an object in the Hierarchy Editor listing to display its Object Properties. Changing object visibility right in the Hierarchy Editor can also be a great time saver. It’s a great way to hide Magnet Deformers from view while you inspect the results of the Deformer. Changing object visibility is also a fast way to hide body parts. For example, when you load Poser 4 clothing into a scene, it may be necessary to hide some body parts so that they don’t show through the clothing.This is especially true for tight-fitting clothing. With the Hierarchy Editor, you can quickly make body parts invisible. To change object visibility: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Click the Eye icon next to the object to toggle visibility on and off.When the Eye is grey, the object is invisible. To change visibility for a group of objects: Double-click on an object to display Object Properties for that object. Hierarchies 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Press Opt/Alt while you click the Visibility Eye for an object. This turns visibility on/off for that item and all its children objects. Poser mirrors real body movement by adding joint parameters to each body part.This allows you to manipulate the figure based on those parameters.You can then create realistic motion, using Parameters Dials or the Walk Designer. Note You see changes in child/parent relationships when IK is On verses when IK is Off. You can change parent-child relationships between the figures you’ve created and set up parent-child relationships for props.You cannot, however, reorder or change parentchild relationships for Poser figures. Refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301 for more about creating new figures. Refer to “Establishing Hierarchical Relationships” on page 295 for more about setting up parentchild relationships. Opt/Alt click the Visibility Eye for an object to reset visibility for that object and all objects indented under it in the Hierarchy Editor list. Establishing Hierarchical Relationships A figure in Poser 4 is essentially a 3D model that has separate parts for each moving body part. What makes a Poser model unique is how it interacts with the controls in Poser. A 3D model in Poser has joints that move realistically, as in a real person. When you bring a geometry into Poser, the Hierarchy Editor displays a Universe, followed by a list of props. Scene hierarchy relates what should move with what, i.e., children move when their parent moves. When you create a figure from the geometry, Poser uses hierarchy information, to create joints necessary for figure posing. Unless the figure was created using standard body group names, you’ll have to manually establish parent-child relationships and establish a hierarchy order. Refer to “Applying the Standard Hierarchy” on page 299 for more about applying the Standard Hierarchy to figures created with standard group names. Poser 4 To create a parent-child relationship: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Drag the intended child prop onto the root object, that is, the intended parent. 3 Release the child object when the box highlights the intended parent object. A white box highlight surrounds a valid parent object when the child object is correctly positioned on top of it. In addition, the mouse cursor indicates when it is OK to drop an object. The Hierarchy Editor after dropping the child object onto the intended parent object. To reorder objects at the same hierarchical level: A box highlight surrounds the intended parent object when the child object is correctly positioned. Hierarchies 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select the prop object you want to reorder. 3 Drag the object to the desired level. A line is displays immediately before/after the target object, indicating where the object will be inserted. After moving an object to the same hierarchical level as the target object. A line is displayed immediately before/after the target object, indicating where the object will be inserted when dropped. 4 Release the object to insert it in its new position. Poser 4 Creating Multi-Figure Hierarchies When posing more than one figure, you may want to tie the movement of one figure to another figure.You accomplish this by setting up a parent-child relationship. For example, if you pose a female figure on a horse, you can make the female figure a child of the horse. This way, when the horse (the parent) moves, so does the female figure (the child). Once a parent-child relationship is set up, any rotation, translation, or twisting performed on the parent figure also applies to the child figure or prop. To set up a multi-figure relationship in the Hierarchy Editor 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select the figure you want to use as the child. 3 Drag the body of the child figure onto the intended parent. A box highlight indicates a valid drop location. To set up a multi-figure relationship outside the Hierarchy Editor: Set up a parent-child relationship so figures can be posed together. You can attach the child to the entire parent figure or to just a portion of it. Continuing with the example, you can make the female figure a child of the whole horse or just the horse’s abdomen. Hierarchies 1 Click the Current Figure pop-up beneath the Document window and choose the figure you want to use as the child. 2 Click the Current Element pop-up and choose Body to select the entire figure. 3 Choose Figure menu> Set Figure Parent. The Set Parent dialog appears. 4 Select the body part from the hierarchy selection in the Set Figure Parent dialog. 5 Click OK to close the dialog. Applying the Standard Hierarchy 3 Click the Apply Standard Hierarchy button. It doesn’t matter how you create the geometry for a new figure.You can create it in Poser by grouping and saving groups as new Poser props.You can create individual figure parts in another software application and join them together in the Hierarchy Editor. Using the Apply Standard Hierarchy button in the Hierarchy Editor automatically maps the parentchild relationships for your figure. Regardless of how the geometry was created, when you introduce it into Poser, the Hierarchy Editor displays a Universe, followed by a list of props or a single prop with groups. Applying Standard Rotation Order If, however, you created your figure geometry using standard body group names for human/ bi-ped figures, you can use the Hierarchy Editor to automatically apply the Poser Standard Hierarchy to your figure. Applying the Standard Hierarchy establishes parentchild hierarchy in one pass. Poser can apply the Standard Hierarchy to full or partial figures. Refer to “Naming Groups” on page 306 for more about creating figures with standard body group names. To apply the Poser Standard Hierarchy to a figure: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select the Universe. Note The Apply Standard Hierarchy button is not available unless the universe is selected. If the props for human/bi-ped figures use standard body part names, Poser can automatically apply the standard rotation settings for each prop. To apply standard rotation to a figure: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 3 Select Universe. Click the Apply Standard Rotation Order button to apply the standard Poser rotation settings to body parts. Setting Inverse Kinematics Kinematics is the study of motion, velocity, rotation, and position. In terms of jointed structures, like an arm or leg, forward kinematics calculates how actions at the root of the structure affect the position and Poser 4 rotation of those at the end. For example, when you raise your arm, your hand automatically moves to a new position and rotation. Inverse Kinematics (IK) uses the same kind of dependency, but in reverse. The extremity moves, and IK determines how the objects joined to it (closer to the root) responds to support the new placement. For example, if someone was to grab your hand and push, your arm would automatically bend at the elbow, while your shoulder would stay fixed in position. Poser supports IK for any limb. When IK is on, you can translate the hands and feet and achieve appropriate arm and leg positions automatically. In Poser 4, you can create and delete new IK chains, using the Hierarchy Editor. Note It might be helpful to turn Inverse Kinematics Off for all existing chains before setting up IK chains in the Hierarchy Editor. To turn IK off for a chain: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Uncheck the IK On/Off checkbox to turn IK off for that chain. You can also turn IK Off with the Figure menu> Use Inverse Kinematics command. Hierarchies To create an IK chain: 1 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 2 Select IK chains, to enable the Create New IK Chain button. 3 4 Click the Create New IK Chain button. Enter a name for the new IK Chain. A blank IK chain is added to the figure’s IK chains. 5 Drag individual body parts from the figure you’re creating onto the new blank IK chain. 6 Add nodes to the IK chain in the order of root to goal, the goal being the terminating node. For example, in the arm IK chain, the hand is the chain’s goal. 15 Creating Custom Figures Almost any geometry made up of polygons can be used as a figure in Poser. When you create a figure, its appearance has no effect on how it functions in Poser. It doesn’t even have to look human. You can create your own Poser figures, using a variety of techniques.You can: • Modify existing figures, then save them to the Figure Library • Combine multiple existing figures into a new one. • Combine props created with the Grouping tool that you’ve stored in the Props Library • Create figure geometry in a 3D software application, like MetaCreations Ray Dream Studio, then use the Hierarchy Editor to set up figure Hierarchy information. • Create figure geometry in a 3D software application, like MetaCreations Ray Dream Studio, then manually create a Hierarchy file. Modifying Existing Figures You can also attach a prop to a figure, such as a sword or a pair of wings. • Modify figure height. • Change a figure or clothing color. • Use Poser’s deformer tools to shape body parts and figures into new and interesting forms. Stretch a figure’s nose. Make a figure’s belly bounce as it walks. Add ripples to clothing. Starting with an existing Poser figure, you can make changes to it, then save it to the Library. Refer to “Body Shaping” on page 137 for more about modifying figures. You can: • Adjust proportions to create any type of body, from lifelike to the absurd. • Shape individual parts to significantly change body appearance. Give the model a big belly. Give the model a broad face. Makes a figure taller. Make a figure stout—even rotund. You can create exaggerated body types. • You can create exaggerated body types. • Customize figures by replacing body parts with props you import into your scene. Creating Custom Figures Use morph targets to add ethnic traits to your figures. (Poser even includes a full figure morph target for morphing figures into superhero form.) Once you modify an existing Poser figure, you can create a customized figure in the Library palette. Because body parts and their relationships are cloned from standard Poser figures, Poser automatically creates the joints necessary for the new figure to operate correctly in the Poser workspace. Refer to “Saving Poses” on page 135 for how to save to and use figures from the Library palette. Combining Multiple Figures Starting with an existing Poser figure, you can make changes, then save parts of that modified figure in the Library. For example, you can save several types of heads, arms, legs, and torsos, just for use in creating future figures. Refer to “Saving Poses” on page 135 for more about using the Select Subset option when you’re saving figures. To combine multiple figures into a new figure: 1 Load the figures you wish to combine into your Poser document. 2 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 3 Set up parent-child relationships to establish the new figure’s Hierarchy. Refer to “Using the Hierarchy Editor” on page 290 for more about using the Hierarchy Editor to create figure hierarchies. 4 Click the Create Figure button on the Hierarchy Editor. If the figures you’ve combined use standard Poser body parts, Poser follows the Hierarchy you’ve established to automatically create the joints necessary for the new figure to operate correctly in the Poser workspace. Combining Props You can use the Grouping tool to select specific polygons on a figure or prop. With this feature, you can create new props. For example, you could start with the ball or cube props, modify them, then save a series of props that, when combined, create a robot body. Refer to “Using the Grouping Tool” on page 157 and “Adding Props to the Library” on page 175 for more details. Using the expanding/contracting Hierarchy Editor, you can create new figures. Poser 4 Poser follows the Hierarchy you’ve established to create a new figure. Once created, you can use the Hierarchy Editor to fine-tune rotation order, so that body parts twist and bend as desired. Tip In addition to parent-child relationships, the Figure menu> Point At command can be useful for controlling the movement of individual body parts in a robot figure. Use the Grouping palette to create your own props. To combine props into a new figure: 1 Load the props you wish to combine into your Poser document. 2 Position the props to form the new figure. 3 Choose Window menu> Hierarchy Editor to display the Hierarchy Editor. 4 5 Set up parent-child relationships to establish the new figure’s Hierarchy. Refer to “Using the Hierarchy Editor” on page 290 for more about using the Hierarchy Editor. You can create your own Poser figure, using another 3D software program, like MetaCreations Ray Dream Studio. When you create figures outside of Poser, creation is a multi-step process. Deciding how to Start Before you begin to create articulated, bending figures in Poser, you need to make the following decision. You can: • Follow specific naming rules for body groups, then use the Hierarchy Editor in Poser to automatically apply standard Hierarchy and rotation order to your figure. • Use non-standard (or a combination of standard and non-standard) naming for body groups and use the Poser Hierarchy Click the Create Figure button on the Hierarchy Editor. The Hierarchy Editor Create Figure button. Creating Figures using other Software Creating Custom Figures • Editor to manually establish a figure Hierarchy • Add any desired morph targets for adjusting the size and shape of body parts. Use non-standard (or a combination of standard and non-standard) naming for body groups, then create a figure Hierarchy as a text file and convert it for use as a Poser figure Hierarchy • Save the new figure to the Libraries palette. Determining Model Format Regardless of what you decide, the figure you create must be set up properly and stored in the correct format. That done, you can move or pose the model, just as you would any of the models included with Poser. With the right setup, you can make anything from an accordion to a zebra into a poseable figure. In order to use figure geometry in Poser, you must store it in a Wavefront (OBJ) compatible format. With Poser 4, you can import model files in DXF, BVH, 3DMF, Wavefront OBJ, 3D Studio (Windows), and Painter3D (Detailer text) formats. Understanding the Process When creating your model, use only polygons. Nurbs or spline surfaces will not translate correctly. To create a poseable figure, follow these steps. Grouping Body Parts • Create a 3D model of the new figure. • Use the Poser File menu> Import commands to bring the contents of your 3D figure file into the current document. • Use the Hierarchy Editor to create a Hierarchy file for the figure (or create a Hierarchy file as a text file and convert it to a Poser Hierarchy file). • Adjust any joint parameters of body parts that twist or bend incorrectly. • Set any necessary body part limits. • Use the Hierarchy Editor to set up Inverse Kinematics (IK) chains. • Set surface materials for the figure. Poser uses group names to identify body parts. Some Poser features, like the Walk Designer, require specifically named body parts. The group name is also the default name for working with this body part (you can change that at a later time). It is important to denote the individual moving sections.You can store body parts as individual OBJ files or save the entire figure as a single file. With either method, plan carefully how you separate polygons into individual moving parts. Poser 4 You don’t need to move these parts to the origin individually.You should leave them where they naturally relate to one another. Set up local origins later, inside Poser. Note • rShin • lShin • rFoot • lFoot When you store each body in a • rShldr separate file, specify only one • lShldr group in each file. That group • rForeArm • lForeArm contains all the polygons in that file. When you store the entire body in one file, you must use “groups” to separate different parts of the body that represent the moving Hierarchy. Saving the entire body in one file is usually the preferred method. It is very important not to overlap groups. Wavefront grouping allows polygons to be in more than one group. If this happens, the overlapping polygons are duplicated when you bring the file into Poser and each group is turned into a separate Poser body part. For example, if you build a human-like object, you need to separate model polygons into the following groups: • rHand • lHand • head • neck • lCollar • rCollar • chest • abdomen • hip • rThigh • lThigh Creating Custom Figures In order to use a figure in the Walk Designer, or have Poser 4 automatically apply Standard Figure Hierarchy and Rotation Orders, you must use the above groups in the figure. Note If you plan to create a figure Hierarchy file outside of the Poser 4 Hierarchy Editor, import your figure file as a prop first, to check that the geometry imports correctly. Naming Groups In a Poser figure file, each body part actually has two names: and internal name and a user name. It is important that certain body parts use standard internal names in order to be available for specific Poser features.You can set the user name (specified by the “name” line of actors) as you wish. Use the following body part names/Wavefront group names when available: • rHand for the body part that represents the base palm of the right hand • lHand for the body part that represents the base palm of the left hand. In order for the hand library features to work completely, the fingers of the hand should be broken up using the following names (working from root to tip): • rHand, rPalm, rKnuckles • rThumb1, rThumb2, rThumb3 • rIndex1, rIndex2, rIndex3 • rMid1, rMid2, rMid3 • rRing1, rRing2, rRing3 • rPinky1, rPinky2, rPinky3 • lHand, lPalm, lKnuckles • lThumb1, lThumb2, lThumb3 • lIndex1, lIndex2, lIndex3 • lMid1, lMid2, lMid3 • lRing1, lRing2, lRing3 • lPinky1, lPinky2, lPinky3 Index 1 Index 2 Index 3 Joints only bend polygons of the objects that are contained in the parent or child body part at any given joint. So, all polygons that are physically located at a seam must be contained in either the parent object group or the child object group. In other words, you cannot have three groups joining at the same place. A good rule of thumb to use when creating groups is: if two objects don’t have a parentchild relationship, they shouldn’t be touching each other. It’s important to keep this in mind when you set up groups, otherwise gaps appear when you start bending the model in Poser. Thumb 2 Thumb 1 Ring 3 Ring 2 Ring 1 Pinky 3 Pinky 2 Pinky 1 When Poser processes a new model’s geometry and generates a Poser Figure Library entry, it automatically adds bending joints between parent and child objects as specified in the Hierarchy file. Thumb 3 Mid 3 Mid 2 Mid 1 Arranging Groups on a Model The following example shows the connection of the abdomen, hip, and upper leg of a horse. Since the abdomen is a child of the hip and the upper leg is also a child of the hip, there is Hand The Hierarchy of the hand. Poser 4 no parental attachment between the abdomen and the upper leg. Therefore there can be no physical attachment between the abdomen and the upper leg. The correct way to place groups on the horse. Looking inside the Poser Hierarchy File The wrong way to connect groups on the horse. You generally create scene hierarchies in the Poser 4 Hierarchy Editor, but you can create them outside of Poser in any text editor that can save documents in a text-only format. The Hierarchy file describes how the groups in a figure are arranged. It outlines the parentchild relationships between groups. Once created it can be imported into Poser where it is converted to create a new figure file in the New Figures library. The Hierarchy file specifies: Another example of the wrong way to place groups. Creating Custom Figures • the geometry (OBJ) file to use • the hierarchical connections (parent-child relationships) of the body parts • the desired rotation order of each body part • each Inverse Kinematics (IK) chain to be included in the figure Following is an example Hierarchy file; it represents the full Hierarchy for a horse, including curve channels for the tails. objFile:Runtime:Geometries:horseHi: horseHiP3.obj 1 hip zxy 2 abdomen zyx 3 chest zyx 4 lShldr yzx 5 lUpArm yzx 6 lForeArm yzx 7 lWrist yzx 8 lHand yxz 4 rShldr yzx 5 rUpArm yzx 6 rForeArm yzx 7 rWrist yzx 8 rHand yxz 4 lowNeck zyx 5 upNeck zyx 6 head yzx 2 lThigh yzx 3 lLeg yzx 4 lShin yzx 5 lAnkle yzx 6 lFoot yxz 2 rThigh yzx 3 rLeg yzx 4 rShin yzx 5 rAnkle yzx 6 rFoot yxz 2 tail1 zyx curve 3 tail2 zyx curve 4 tail3 zyx curve 5 tail4 zyx curve ikChain LeftLeg lThigh lLeg lShin lAnkle ikChain RightHand rShldr rUpArm rForeArm rWrist rHand The File Header The first line of the Hierarchy file contains the “OBJ File” command which specifies the location of the OBJ file associated with the new figure. objFile: Runtime:Geometries:horseHi:horseTex.obj The file location should be defined using a Macintosh format file specification (that is, using colons). The file location is specified relative to the Poser application folder. When the Hierarchy file is converted, the text of the OBJ file is read into Poser where a geometry resource is created and linked to the OBJ file. This process results in a new figure file. From then on, when Poser uses this figure file, the geometry resource is used to define the figure Hierarchy relationships rather than the text stored in the OBJ file. Reading from the geometry resource is dramatically faster. ikChain RightLeg rThigh rLeg rShin rAnkle ikChain LeftHand lShldr lUpArm lForeArm lWrist lHand (continued) Poser 4 The File Body The bulk of the Hierarchy file contains lines similar to the one shown below: The second part of the line specifies the name of the body part. In the example the part is called abdomen. This name must match the group name in the OBJ file. 2 abdomen zyx 2 abdomen zyx Rotation Order Body Part Name Hierarchy Level A typical Hierarchy file line. The first part of the line indicates Hierarchy level—or the parent-child relationship—of the body part. In this case, the abdomen body part is a child of the body part of the part on the next level up. Hierarchy levels are numbered in descending order, so the next level up from this part is 1. In the following example, the lShin object is located on the 3rd level of the Hierarchy. The closest level 2 line above would be the lThigh, so the lShin is a child of the lThigh. 2 lThigh yzx 3 lShin yzx Body Part Name The body part name in a Hierarchy file line. The 3-character string at the end of the line represents the rotation (or gimbal) order of the body part. A rotation order defined as “zxy” means that a Z axis rotation occurs first, followed by the X, then Y axis rotations. 2 abdomen zyx Rotation Order The rotation order in a Hierarchy file line. Poser uses the following X,Y, and Z axis orientations: Y Parent Object Child Object 4 lAnkle yzx Z X Parent-Child relationships indicated in the Hierarchy file. The indenting of the lines is not processed but is helpful visually to denote the Hierarchy levels. Creating Custom Figures The X, Y, and Z planes that make up 3D space. Assigning a rotation order is a three-step process: • Always place the “twist” axis first. This axis should be placed lengthwise through the object. If the object, like a leg, is built down the Y-axis, specify the Y first, since that is the axis along which the leg twists. • Of the two remaining rotations, place the one most likely to become 90 degrees last. This helps reduce rotation lock problems that occur when the middle rotation approaches 90 degrees. • Place the remaining rotation channel second. Some objects do not align to the major axes. In this case, you can align the coordinate system of the body part later, while adjusting the joint parameters. For the Hierarchy file, pick the closest rotation order. When you align the part later, the twist axis you choose becomes aligned down the length of the body part. When Body Parts are Stored in Separate Files If each body part were stored in a separate file, rather than all body parts being groups in a single file, you would specify the full path name for the file at the end of each line. This path is relative to the Poser 4 folder. Here is an example of three links using this method: 1 link1 yzx :Runtime:Geometries:examples:l1.obj 2 link2 yzx :Runtime:Geometries:examples:l2.obj 3 link3 yzx :Runtime:Geometries:examples:l3.obj Using Curved Transformations The Curved flag tells Poser that this link should use curve transformations. This is a method of bending designed for the tails of the animal figures in Poser. Here is an example used in the Horse figure: 2 tail1 zyx curve 3 tail2 zyx curve 4 tail3 zyx curve 5 tail4 zyx curve Inverse Kinematic Chains The last commands in the Hierarchy file specify the links that compose the individual IK chains. IK can also be defined by using the Poser 4 Hierarchy Editor. Here’s how chains look after they’ve been defined. If you’re creating a Hierarchy file manually, be sure to store IK information in the following format: ikChain chainName firstLink nextLink nextLink... endGoal In the example above, the ikChain is defined as follows: ikChain LeftLeg lThigh lShin lAnkle lFoot Chain Name An ikChain line in a Hierarchy file. The name of an ikChain cannot contain spaces. Poser 4 Converting Hierarchy Files When you create a Hierarchy file manually, you’ll need to convert it to an actual Poser Hierarchy file. Once the Hierarchy file is completed in the text editor, you can import it into Poser by converting it into a geometry resource (called a CR2 file). This geometry resource is then used in conjunction with OBJ 3D data to create a new figure file with rotation order and IK relationships as defined by the Hierarchy text file. On Windows, the resource is a separate file with the suffix RSR. On a Macintosh, the resource is stored with the OBJ file. If you need to edit the resource on a Mac, use a resource editor to remove the text from the OBJ file, or create a new text file by copying and pasting from the old one. If you make changes to the Hierarchy file and then convert it again, the conversion won’t recreate the geometry resource if it already exists in the OBJ file. So if you are trying to make geometry changes, you must either delete the resource, or start with a new blank text file that contains only the text portion of the OBJ file. To convert a Hierarchy file: 1 Choose File menu> Convert Hier File. The Open dialog appears. 2 Locate the Hierarchy file you created in the text editor and click Open. Creating Custom Figures If there are no errors, a Poser Body Library file is created. The Hierarchy conversion may take several minutes if there is a large geometry file. The figure file references the geometry file. If the location is of the geometry file changes, you must edit the figure file to designate the new location (specified relative to the Poser application in Mac format). Verifying Hierarchy Files Once you begin adjusting the joints, you are not able to regenerate the figure file a second time and have all your joint changes in place. Make sure that all parent-child relationships are correct before editing Joint Parameters. You can make geometry corrections later, but you cannot change the Hierarchy without creating different joints from scratch again. Adjusting Joint Parameters When the Hierarchy file was converted into a new figure file, Poser automatically added joints between all the parent and child objects in the figure. These joints may not work as you expect them to because they use the default joint settings. Before you can pose your figure, you must adjust each body part’s joint parameters. The Joint Parameters palette lets you select each joint, twist, smooth scale, and center parameter and adjust them for optimal bending. Refer to “Adjusting Joint Parameters” on page 312 for details. It’s highly recommended that you work from the outside of the figure in, making a first pass through to make sure all origins are located as desired. If you move the origin point (center of rotations) of a body part later, it carries along the other joint changes so the bending characteristics change.You’ll save yourself from doing extra work if you specify the origins (centers) first. Limits are set using the Parameter Dial dialog. Refer to “Using the Parameter Dials” on page 121 for how to access the Parameter Dial dialog. Enter the minimum value of the parameter in the Min. Limit field and click OK. Note Remember to save your figure as a new figure in the Figures library periodically as you Note It’s a good idea to periodically save your figure to a new work, so you can back up if you make mistakes. Figure preset as you work so you can back up if you make mistakes. Keep the IK chains turned off until all adjustments are completed.You can use the Zero Figure button to quickly set all rotations to zero while working. Setting Limits Limits establish a range of rotation, position, and scale for a given body part. Limits can be set for each body part on the figure. However the most commonly used and logical limits are Bend, Twist, Side-Side, and Front-Back. For these parameters, limits are expressed as the maximum and minimum degrees of rotation. Setting Favored IK Angles The IK in Poser works from the current rotations of a body part, so proper IK angles must be preset in the figure for it to work predictably. Therefore, the original rotation values loaded on the joint are important to help the IK system know which way to bend some joints. Favored IK positions. Before you memorize the default position of all the body parts, you should bend the ones that are used in IK chains so that they favor their natural bending directions. For example, a human thigh is bends slightly forward and out. The shin is bends slightly back and in. Poser 4 Do this while keeping all the IK chains turned off. Only turn them on after you have set the favored angles. The following is a sample of the surface material section of the CR2 file: material shirt Memorizing Default Positions Memorizing the settings on a figure sets the default values and positions for all the figure’s joints and body parts. The next time you use this figure, the memorized setting are used. To memorize the figure’s settings: • Choose Edit menu> Memorize> Figure. Setting Surface Materials In order to set the preset material for your figure, you must edit its CR2 file that you created when you converted the Hierarchy file. The preset material cannot be set from the Poser interface.You’ll need to edit the final Figure library file with a text editor that is capable of opening any kind of file. At the end of the figure file is a block of text that specifies the preset material colors and texture map. If you’ve edited the regular material to be what you’d like, you can copy the information to the preset material. Creating Custom Figures KdColor 0.972549 0.988205 0.972549 1 KaColor 0 0 0 1 KsColor 0.00784314 0.00784314 0.00784314 1 TextureColor 1 1 1 1 NsExponent 30 bumpStrength 0 ksIgnoreTexture 0 textureMap "Biz Man Texture.pict” 00 Adding Morph Targets If you have created Wavefront format OBJ files that have the identical vertex ordering as any individual body part, you can load them as morph targets. Refer to “Setting up Morph Targets” on page 272 for more information. Naming Body Parts The names of the groups you set up in the OBJ file and Hierarchy file may not be the most descriptive names you can use. Once the main parameters are set for the figure, you can change the name of each body part. To change the name of a body part: 1 Double-click a body part. The Element Properties dialog appears. 2 Enter a new name in the Name field. Tutorial: Creating a Figure in Ray Dream Studio In this tutorial, a Ray Dream Studio object is converted into a Poser figure. A pre-made mesh object included on your Ray Dream Studio 5 CD is used, but the concepts can be applied to any of your own models. Lesson 1: Creating the Initial Figure To create the initial figure: 1 2 3 Place your Ray Dream Studio 5 CD in the drive and Launch Ray Dream Studio 5. mesh modeler, but retain individual body parts. Use the OBJ exporter to accomplish this. Choose File menu> Save As. 8 In the dialog that appears, set the file format to Wavefront OBJ and click Options. 9 Enable the Export Full Path for Grouping checkbox and click OK. 10 Select a folder, then click Save. 11 Close the Ray Dream Studio version of the scene. Lesson 2: Naming Body Parts To name the upper body parts: Create a new, empty scene. 1 Choose Windows menu> Browser to open the Browser, then select the Objects tab. Reopen the OBJ file, using the default settings for Import options. 2 Double-click the object to jump into the mesh form modeler. 4 Choose File menu> Add Folder/ Directory. 5 On your CD-ROM drive, select the Dream Models: Mesh Models folder. 3 Choose View menu> Preset Position> Front. The folder is added at the end on the right, so you may need to scroll the window using the scroll bars at the bottom of the window. 4 5 Choose View menu> Preview (Fast). 6 Drag and drop the Woman2 object into the Time Line Hierarchy. The Woman2 object is located towards the bottom of the list. 7 The Woman2 object is a group of objects. You must move all the groups into the If the set name dialog appears, leave the default name and click OK. Using the Zoom tool, zoom in on the figure to about a 4:1 magnification. All the individual objects from the original Ray Dream Studio groups are now separate polymeshes inside the mesh modeler. 6 Double-click on the chest with the selection tool. Poser 4 7 With the chest selected, choose Polymesh menu> Name Polymesh. 8 Change the name to “chest”, then click OK. 9 4 The eyes and mouth are currently a single object. Use the marquee tool to select the figure’s left eye. 5 Choose Selection menu> Detach Polygons to make the eye a separate polymesh. 6 Choose Selection menu> Weld to link the eye to the eyelashes. 7 Choose Name Polymesh to name the object “lEye.” 8 Make the figure’s right eye a separate polymesh, link the eye to the eyelashes, and name it “rEye.” Repeat the above for the neck portion of the figure, naming it “neck.” 10 Call the left and right shoulder “lShldr” and “rShldr.” To match Poser conventions, left and right should be from the reference of the figure, opposite to your own left and right. Also, make sure the selection tool has selected the entire polymesh before trying to use name polymesh. If doubleclicking doesn’t select the entire polymesh, double-click in an deselected area of the object. If the name polymesh feature is grayed out, then the entire polymesh is not selected. 11 Using the same procedure, name: • the left and right upper arms: “lUpperarm” and “rUpperarm” • the left and right forearm: “lForearm” and “rForearm” • the left and right hand “lHand” and “rHand” To name parts of the head: 9 Double-click on the mouth. 10 Use Name Polymesh to name the object mouth. To name the midsection body parts: 1 Zoom out, and then zoom in around the midsection of the figure. 2 Double-click just above the belt and name this section “abdomen.” 3 4 Choose View menu> Hide Selection. 5 Hold down the shift key and double-click with the selection tool on a deselected area of the hip. 6 Choose Selection menu> Weld to create a single hip object. Use the marquee selection tool to drag a selection around the belt and into the hip. 1 Double-click the forehead of the figure to select the head. 2 Use Name polymesh to name the object “head.” 3 Select View menu> Hide Selection. 7 You may need to zoom in to see the eyes and mouth now left behind. Make sure you have a polymesh selected, and then name it “hip.” 8 Zoom out, then zoom back in on the legs. Creating Custom Figures 9 Double-click on a vertex in the shorts below the hip. To name body parts from the thighs downward: You can see that both the left and right side of the shorts are a single object. 1 Zoom out, and then zoom in from the thighs down. 2 Select the left and right thigh and name them “lThigh” and “rThigh” respectively. 3 Select the left and right calf and name them “lCalf ” and “rCalf ” respectively. 4 The feet are actually broken up into areas of “foot” and areas of “sandal.” For this tutorial, combine the areas into a single left and right foot. Double-click the figure’s right ankle. 5 Use the marquee tool with the Shift key to select the rest of the right foot. 6 Choose Selection menu> Detach Polygons. 7 8 9 Choose Selection menu> Weld. 10 Use the marquee selection tool while holding down the Alt-Option/Alt key to deselect the figure’s left side of the shorts. You’ll probably want to start from the outside and slowly deselect inwards until you reach the space between the two legs. 11 Choose Selection menu> Detach Polygons. 12 The bottom hem of the shorts is also a separate object. Select the hem, then deselect the figure’s left side with the Ctrl/Alt-marquee selection. 13 Choose Selection Menu> Detach Polygons. 14 Select just the figure’s right hem. 15 Choose View menu> Hide Selection. 16 Select the polygons that are behind the hem, which connect the shorts to the right thigh. 17 Choose View menu> Reveal Hidden Vertices. 1 Zoom out, and then zoom back in around the right shoulder. 2 3 Select the right shoulder. 4 5 Choose Selection menu> Weld. 19 Choose Selection menu> Weld. 20 Repeat the previous two steps for the left pant objects. 21 Name each side “lPant” and “rPant” respectively. Repeat for the left foot, naming the resulting object “lFoot.” To name parts in the shoulder area: 18 Use the selection tool with the shift key to also select the right hem and right leg of the shorts. Name the object “rFoot.” Hold down the Shift key and doubleclick on the very edge of the hem of the shirt with the selection tool. This selects the polygons moving inward towards the upper arm. Rename the resulting object rShldr. Poser 4 6 7 8 9 Repeat for the left shoulder. 7 Select View menu> Reveal hidden vertices if any are still hidden. Select File menu> Import: Wavefront OBJ. 8 Open the woman.obj file. Use the default import options. 9 Use the Translate tool to drag the figure up. Click Done. Save a copy in Ray Dream Studio format. Lesson 3: Checking Geometry Imports There are still a couple of steps to complete the object in Ray Dream Studio. Importing this object as a prop into Poser allows you to check the import of the geometry for errors. This part of the tutorial illustrates potential problems you may have in your models, and how you might fix them. To check for geometry errors in Poser: 1 Select Save As and set the file type to Wavefront. 2 Locate your Poser folder on your hard drive, then open the Runtime: Geometries folder. Lesson 4: Fixing Surface Normals You may notice that some areas seem to have holes or appear inverted. This is because the surface normals are flipped.You should see holes in the eyes, neck, abdomen, thighs, and calves.You can fix this in Ray Dream Studio. To fix the surface normals: 1 Close Poser, then restart Ray Dream Studio (if necessary). 2 3 Reopen the woman.obj file. 4 Double-click the object to enter the modeler. 3 4 Make a new folder called rdswoman. Use the selection tool with the Shift key to select the eyes, neck, abdomen, thighs, and calves. Open the rdswoman folder and save the file as woman.obj. You’ll probably need to select and hide the head to get to the eyes. 5 Open Poser. 5 You may need to close Ray Dream Studio first in order to have enough memory. Choose Polymesh menu> Reverse Polymesh Normals. 6 Choose View menu> Reveal Hidden Vertices. 7 8 9 Click Done. 6 Click and drag on the Translate In/Out tool to move the figure away from the camera. Creating Custom Figures Select File menu> Save As. Set the file type to Wavefront. 4 lShldr xzy 5 lUpperarm xyz 6 lForearm xyz 7 lHand xyz 4 rShldr xzy 5 rUpperarm xyz 6 rForearm xyz 7 rHand xyz 2 lPant yxz 3 lThigh yxz 4 lCalf yxz 5 lFoot zxy 2 rPant yxz 3 rThigh yxz 4 rCalf yxz 5 rFoot yzx 10 Click Options. 11 Turn on the Export Texture Maps option. Although there are no maps assigned in Ray Dream Studio, the Export Texture Maps option allows you to set a material color for each body part in Poser. With this option turned off, the entire figure is considered one surface. 12 Save the file as womanfinal.obj into the rdswoman folder. 13 Close Ray Dream Studio.You do not need it for the remainder of this tutorial. Lesson 5: Creating the Hierarchy File Manually In Poser 4, you can create parent-child relationships in the Hierarchy Editor. If you’d rather create them manually, here’s how to do that. Refer to “Using the Hierarchy Editor” on page 290 for how to use the new Hierarchy Editor. To create the Hierarchy file manually: 1 ikChain lArm lShldr lUpperarm lForearm lHand ikChain rArm rShldr rUpperarm rForearm rHand ikChain lLeg lPant lThigh lCalf lFoot ikChain rLeg rPant rThigh rCalf rFoot 2 Using a text editor, create your Hierarchy file to appear as follows: objFile:Runtime:Geometries:RDSWoman:w omanfinal.obj 1 hip zxy 2 abdomen yxz 3 chest zyx 4 neck yxz 5 head yxz 6 lEye yxz 6 rEye yxz 6 mouth yxz Save the Hierarchy file into the rdswoman folder and name it womanfinal.phi. To scale the new figure: 1 2 Open Poser Select File menu> Convert Hierarchy File. A new figure is created in a group called New Figures. 3 Open the library window and click on the figure tab. 4 Select the New Figures category. Poser 4 5 Double-click the new figure (with the shrugging Poser figure icon). 6 The figure is initially very large. Select “body” from the Current Elements popup menu. 7 Double-click the scale parameter dial and change the value to 4.2%. Lesson 6: Setting Joint Parameters If you use the Poser 4 Hierarchy Editor, you can have Poser set joint parameters based on the Hierarchy you define. Even so, you will may want to make adjustments to joint parameters. To adjust body part color: 1 2 Choose Figure menu> Drop to Floor. Each body part is a different color. Use the color tool on the body parts to better organize the figure. Note Before adjusting joint parameters, always check that IK Chains for the figure are turned off. 3 Use a similar color for the chest, abdomen, left shoulder and right shoulder to form the shirt. Your first task is to set the center of rotation for all body parts. If you change this later, it affects all other bending parameters for parent and child body parts. 4 Use a similar color for the hip, left pant, and right pant to form the shorts. To set the hip center of rotation: 5 6 7 Use a similar color for each foot. 8 Select Edit menu> Memorize: Figure. 9 Add the figure to the library, naming it Womanfinal. Color the mouth red and each eye white. Use a skin tone for the remaining body parts. Creating Custom Figures 1 2 3 4 5 Switch to outline display mode. 6 7 Set the y value to 0.9. Open the Joint Parameters window. Click on Zero Figure. Start by selecting the hip. Change the Center point x and z values to 0.0. Set the End Point y value to 0.8. The x and z value should be 0.0. To set the centers of rotation for pant body parts: To set the center of rotation for the head: 1 Select the right pant body part.Look at the center of rotation. 1 2 2 3 Select the right thigh body part. 4 Drag the center of rotation up towards the edge between the right pant and the hip. This gives the effect of the thigh and the pant leg moving together. Repeat this for the left thigh. 1 In the Joint Parameters Window, switch from center to yrot. 2 Swap the twist start and twist end positions.You can test your settings by adjusting the yrot Parameter Dial in the Parameter Dial Window. The twist end (in green) should be above the chin. The twist start (in red) should be below the chin and into the neck. This blends the rotation of the head into the neck. 3 Switch to the camera from the right, and zoom in on the head and neck. 4 Switch from yrot to xrot in the Joint Parameters Window. 5 Drag the static handle on the left (in red) down below the chin. 6 Drag the dynamic handle on the right (in green) counter-clockwise till it is also below the chin, but still higher than the static handle you dragged in the previous step. Select the abdomen. Drag the center of rotation down, slightly into the hip. To set the center of rotation for the chest: 1 2 Select the chest. Drag the center of rotation up slightly, within the bottom of the chest. To set the center of rotation for the arms: 1 2 Select the right upper arm. 3 Repeat this for the left upper arm. Switch to the face camera. To set rotation values: To set the center of rotation for the abdomen: 1 2 Select the head. Notice that as the dynamic handle hits the static handle, the static handle is also moved. Move the center of rotation towards the joint of the shoulder. 7 Drag the static handle counter-clockwise until it is at the top of the back of the neck. 8 Test your settings by adjusting the xrot parameter dial. Poser 4 To adjust scale values: 1 Switch from xrot to neck_scaleY. This controls the blending zone for the y-axis scaling of the neck when scaling the head. 2 Set Low start to 5.97 and Low end to 6.14. This sets the blending to within the neck, below the chin. 3 4 5 6 7 8 Select the mouth_scaleY. Set Low start to 6.4 and Low end to 6.27. Select lEye_scaleY. Drag the High end up towards 9. Repeat this for the right eye. You can now scale the head to see the effects. You can now set limits for each body part. To set remaining limits. 1 Repeat the above procedures for the remaining body parts, so that your figure moves and bends realistically. 2 Set the default IK angles. Memorize the default position. 3 Save the figure to the library. Creating Custom Figures 16 Using Poser 4 with Other Applications Using Poser with Ray Dream Studio 5 Poser adds features to Ray Dream Studio’s Mesh Form Modeler. The Mesh Form Modeler lets you edit an object’s surface directly, by editing the points that define its surface. For a full description of the Mesh Form Modeler, refer to the Mesh Form Modeling chapter in your Ray Dream Studio manual. The following Mesh Form Modeling features have been added to the Selection and Polymesh menus. Selection Menu Polymesh Menu The Selection menu. The Selection menu. Name Polygons Name Edges Name Vertices: Apply group names to selected polygons or edges. Poser uses these group names to name body parts when importing Hierarchy files to create new figures. Refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301 for more information. Detach Polygons: Separate the current selection into a new polymesh. The edges and vertices in common with the original and the new polymesh are duplicated, so that no polygons are lost. This is useful for breaking up a solid object into individual sections for use as body parts in Poser. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications Name Polymesh: Similar to name polygons, this option works on an entire Polymesh. It creates a group name for the polymesh; Poser uses this name when importing Hierarchy files to name body parts. Refer to “Creating Custom Figures” on page 301 for more information. Reverse/Standard Polymesh Normals: When you export geometry in an OBJ file, Ray Dream assigns each polygon a direction, called a surface normal. For some objects, Ray Dream Studio may assign normals in the wrong direction. In this case, it appears that you are seeing the interior of the object from the front instead of the front faces. Select these parts of the model in the Mesh Modeler, and then select Polymesh menu> Reverse Polymesh Normals. The OBJ exporter flips the normals when exporting. Importing and Exporting OBJ Files The OBJ file format can be used between Ray Dream Studio and Poser to: • Create new figures from scratch using Hierarchy files • Edit Poser geometry to create new morph targets • Create objects in Ray Dream Studio to use as props in Poser Importing OBJ Files you did not use Make Only One Group from Group Information. If One for Each Group is selected, an individual object is created for each group. Transpose Coordinates: Compensate for the difference in world coordinates between other programs and Ray Dream Studio. Ray Dream Studio has the y and z coordinate axes transposed from other programs, including Poser. Note Use the default settings when importing Poser figures. To import an OBJ file: When importing OBJ files, the available options are: Group Information: Although Wavefront objects can have a First or Last name associated with each group, Ray Dream Studio requires a single name per group. The Group Information option lets you choose the name to use within Ray Dream Studio. To import an object as a single polymesh, you must select the Make Only One Group radio button. Scaling Factor: Define the unit conversion between Ray Dream Studio units and OBJ units. If you are importing Poser geometry to create morph targets, always use the default of 4.00 inches. Create Meshform Objects: If None is selected, the object imports as an external object, with the minimum modeler as its default modeler. If One is selected, the object imports as one meshform object.The object is still broken up by its group names as individual polymeshes within the modeler if 1 Select File menu> Import or File menu> Open to open an OBJ file. 2 3 Set the file type to Wavefront (*.obj). Select the OBJ file and click Open. Exporting OBJ Files When exporting OBJ files, you are presented with the following options. Export Normals: Toggles exporting of surface normals on and off.You almost always want this setting turned on. Export UV values:Toggles exporting of UV texture data on and off. Turn this on to enable texturing in Poser. Poser only supports UV mapping of figures and props. Export Full Path For Grouping: If you are saving a number of Ray Dream Studio objects that have been grouped, the groups are saved as Wavefront groups. Poser 4 Export Texture Maps: Creates a Wavefront Material file to be used with the OBJ geometry file. This file describes how objects are textured. It creates one material for each group. Transpose Coordinates: Compensates for the difference in world coordinates between other programs and Ray Dream Studio. Ray Dream Studio has the y and z coordinate axes transposed from other programs, including Poser. Using Poser with Painter 3D You can export a figure as an OBJ file from Poser and then paint on it as you would any other model. To use a Poser model in Painter 3D: 1 Create and pose a figure in Poser. Degree of Tessellation: Controls the smoothness of the exported object. Textures Format: If the Export Texture Maps option is turned on and the objects have attributes which must be converted to texture maps, this controls the format of the texture files and their resolution. To export an OBJ file: 1 Select File menu> Export or File menu> Save As. 2 3 Set the file type to Wavefront (*.obj). Poser figure. Click on the Options button to alter the export options. 2 Choose File menu> Export> Wavefront OBJ. 3 In the dialog that appears, select the Single frame option. Select Single Frame. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications 4 In the Hierarchy Options dialog that appears, click OK to use the default settings. 5 6 Launch Painter 3D. Choose File menu> Acquire > wavefront obj. The figure appears in the model window. Painter 3D hair texture map. 8 Save the texture maps as pict files for use with your Poser model in other applications. Poser figure in the Painter 3D model window. 7 Create a texture map for the body and hair. Painter 3D texture map applied to figure. Painter 3D texture map. Poser 4 Using Poser with Bryce 3D 4 In the Hierarchy Options dialog that appears, click OK to use the default settings. You can import Poser Figures as OBJ into any Bryce scene. 5 6 Launch Bryce. To use a Poser model in Bryce: 1 Open or create a scene where the Poser figure is to be placed. Create and pose a figure in Poser. The unrendered scene. Poser figure. 2 Choose File menu> Export> Wavefront OBJ. 3 Select the Single frame option. The rendered scene. 7 Select Single Frame. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications Choose File menu> Import Object to add the figure to the scene. 8 Scale and position the figure appropriately. • Select the body to map it first. To apply a texture map to the figure: 1 Click to select the figure. • Click the Edit Materials icon in the Edit Palette. The Materials Lab appears. Scale and position the figure. The figure is placed in the scene with a default gray texture attached. The Materials Lab. 2 Click column A for Diffuse and Ambient channels. The default gray texture. 9 If the figure has hair, the hair and body import into Bryce as a group. To map each part: • Ungroup the hair and body by clicking the ungroup button, which appears beside the object when selected. Select Diffuse and Ambient channels. Poser 4 3 Click the Image Texture button in material A. 5 Click Load (above the first large pict box). 6 Apply texture map(s) with one of the following methods. • Select and open the pict file texture you created in Painter 3D. Refer to “Using Poser with Painter 3D” on page 326 for details on creating a Painter 3D texture file for a Poser model. • To use the default texture from Poser, open Poser:Runtime:Textures and select the appropriate texture. Poser renders as a multiplication of the texture and body part color. • Open the Poser pict file in an image editing application (such as Painter or Photoshop), edit the colors, add patterns, then save the file as a new pict file for use with your figure. • Use Bryce’s textures to create surreal figures (such as rock or glass). The Image Texture button. 4 Set the mapping mode to parametric and click the Texture Source Editor button in material A. The Texture Source Editor button. The Texture Source Editor appears. The Texture Source Editor. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications Open the Painter 3D texture file. Click on the black dot above the second large pict box to delete the mask. Using Poser on the World Wide Web 8 Click on the check mark to accept the deletion. 9 Adjust other material channels appropriately. If your computer is connected to the Internet, you can access the World Wide Web directly from Poser.You can exchange information with other Poser users, visit the MetaCreations site, or view the latest technical support information. 7 For this scene, the specularity and reflection were increased to make the swimmer look wet. 10 Click on the check mark to accept material. Internet Connection You must have an Internet connection and a browser package to use the Web-based features of Poser. If you have an account with an ISP (Internet service provider), such as EarthLink, AOL, or other provider, you are ready to go. Otherwise, acquire an Internet account and install a modem on your computer. Once you have a connection, you can start using Poser’s Internet-based features. If you have an e-mail only account with a provider such as Juno, you will not be able to use all of the Web-based features of Poser. Using a Browser The final result. 11 With the hair selected, repeat these steps to apply the hair texture. The two most common browsers are Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.Use version 4.0 or greater of either browser to take advantage of interactive HTML features. Poser 4 Windows Users If your computer is running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0 or greater, you should already have Internet Explorer installed. If not, you’ll need to install it. Once you have an account with an ISP, you can start using the Web-based features of Poser. 2 Poser launches your browser and opens the desired link. Modifying Poser Web Links You can create, delete, or edit Poser Web Link files. Each link is a simple ASCII file that contains a line with the link’s URL. Macintosh Users To add, delete, or edit Web links: Once you have an account with an Internet provider and a browser software package installed, you can start using the Internetbased features of Poser. 1 From your desktop, open: Poser:Runtime:Weblinks: MetaCreations/Other Web Links. Link files appear in these folders. 2 Do any of the following: Accessing the Web Poser now has a “Links” menu that will launch your default browser and take you to the one of the Poser-related Web links in your links list.You can update this links list to add your own links and delete any default links you do not use. In addition, you can also export both still files to the Web using the Export Image or Render to Disk options on the File menu.You can export animations through the Render Animation feature. To select a Web link: 1 Choose Help menu> MetaCreations Web Links> choose a link for links to MetaCreations Web pages or Help menu> Other Web Links> choose a link for links to Poser Web sites. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications 3 • To change the name of a link, highlight the filename and enter a new name. • To delete a link, drag its file to the Trash/Recycle Bin. • To create a new link, open a text editor such as Note Pad or SimpleText. Enter the URL on the first line of the file, and save the file in the Poser:Runtime:Weblinks: MetaCreations/Other Web Links directory. • To change a link, open the link file in your text editor, enter the new URL, then save and close the file. Restart Poser. Your menu reflects the new links. Using Poser with MetaStream Textures generated by Poser are already lit (by real light) and do not need additionally shading by synthetic lights, so set texture shading to off. You can export Poser scenes to MetaStream format files for use on web sites. To export a Poser scene to MetaStream format: Note If Infini-D is installed on your computer, MTS files appear with an Infini-D icon. Double-clicking this icon launches Infini-D. If an 1 Create and pose figures and objects in Poser. error message appears, make 2 Choose File menu> Export> MetaStream. in the HTML file is correct and Two file formats are generated: available. • • HTML: embeds MetaStream output generated by Poser using the EMBED tag. MTS: contains compressed geometry and textures. Double-click the HTML file to open the output. Use MetaStream objects as embedded objects in an HTML page. This gives the page author full control over a wide range of rendering and interaction options described at the MetaStream Web site: sure the Infini-D path information that all required libraries are Using Poser with Canoma Canoma models can be exported in the OBJ format for import into Poser. Exports to Poser Prop command within Canoma exports a .pp2 file and several .bmp (Win)/.pict (Mac) textures. To use a Canoma model in Poser: 1 Manually copy or move the .pp2 file to any immediate subfolder of Runtime: Libraries:Props. 2 Move or copy all the .bmp or .pict files to: http://www.metastream.com If you open a raw MTS file, the plug-in runs with all attributes set to default values. PoserAppDirectory:Runtime:Textures Poser 4 The Canoma-generated object or scene appears in the list of props (without a special icon) and with the name you give the prop. You can place and work with the prop like any other. Tip Keep shortcuts and aliases for the Poser texture and prop type folders handy to where you generate the prop file, then drag the files onto the shortcuts. This is faster than hunting down the directory. A word of caution: do not give two Poser generated props the same name or you will overwrite part of one prop’s textures. Using Poser 4 with Other Applications A Troubleshooting Installing Poser If you have trouble with your installation, be sure to read “Installing Poser” on page 15. Poser (Windows) locks up the first time you launch it Many video cards cannot use hardware acceleration at the high setting in any screen depth other than High Color or 16-bit. There are two ways to correct this problem: To set your display to High Color or 16-bit: 1 2 3 Right-click on your desktop. Select Properties. Choose the Settings tab. 4 Change the color palette to High Color (16-bit.). To lower the graphics hardware acceleration setting in Windows: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Select the Window Start button. 8 Test your system using this method until you find the level of hardware acceleration compatible with Poser. Choose Settings. Open the Control Panel. Select the Performance tab. Click Graphics. Adjust the Hardware Acceleration slider to a lower position. This problem may be related to your video drivers.You can set your display to VGA (256 color). Or on NT, reboot and choose NT VGA mode. To allow for CD-ROM support and 16-color video: Poser (Macintosh) does not accept your serial number Create a custom extension set according to the instructions in “Macintosh Installation” on page 15. Double-click the System Icon. Poser (Windows) does not accept your serial number 1 2 3 4 If this procedure does not work, enter the serial number in all fields (name, serial number, etc.). Right-click on your desktop. Select Properties. Choose the Settings tab. Change the color palette to VGA (256 color). Tr o u b l e s h o o t i n g Macintosh Extension conflicts Create a custom extension set as described in “Macintosh Installation” on page 15, add extensions, and test Poser to see if the conflict is resolved. Some culprits of extension conflicts are scheduling applications, task bars, and RAM doubling type applications. Interface corruptions are caused by bad fonts (such as system 8-8.1’s charcoal). Update older versions of Adobe Type Manager (ATM), as they can have conflicts. B Glossary Aliasing A visual artifact caused by lowresolution sampling that can cause hard edges or areas of high frequency in an image to look jagged. Refer also to Anti-aliasing. Angle Falloff The amount of diminution in the brightness of a spotlight toward the edge of a light cone. Animation Controls A control panel located at the bottom of the Poser Workspace that lets you quickly set up and preview animations using a simple click and drag interface. Animation Duration The amount of time that an animation lasts. Animation Elements List A list that displays all figures, lights, cameras, and props currently in the studio. The Animation Elements List is accessed on the Animation palette and is used during the editing of animation keyframes. Animation Frame Count Refer to Frame Count. Animation Frame Rate Refer to Frame Rate. Animation Frame Size Refer to Frame Size. Animation Graph Palette Refer to Graph Palette. Animation Palette A comprehensive dialog which lets you edit keyframe positions, create complex animations, animate individual body parts, and edit keyframes within an animation. Refer also to Animation Elements List. Anti-aliasing The process of eliminating aliasing by higher resolution sampling, so that hard but jagged edges appear smooth and clean. Auxiliary Camera An additional camera view. Like the Main camera, the auxiliary camera rotates around the center of the studio. AVI A PC file type used for saving movies. Axis A hypothetical linear path. The X,Y, and Z axes (width, height, and depth, respectively) define the directions of the 3D universe. The axis along which an object is rotated is the axis of rotation. An object’s axes are parallel to its bounding box. Box Tracking A tracking style that displays figures and objects as boxes at all times. Refer also to Figure Tracking, Fast Tracking, and Full Tracking. BMP A Windows file format for bitmapped or pixel-based images. Glossary Break Spline Interpolation A type of animation interpolation which has no intermediate poses. Position changes abruptly only at the keyframes. Refer also to Constant Interpolation, Linear Interpolation, and Spline Interpolation. Bump Map A type of surface material that determines the shape of bumps or dents on an object’s surface. Camera Plane The plane that a camera moves along. Child An object that is linked to another object (its parent) in a hierarchy. When the parent is moved, the child moves with it. Refer also to Parent. Chain Break A tool that breaks the chain of parts affected in a translation. Constant Interpolation A type of animation interpolation that maintains a keyframe position, then instantly changes to the next pose. Refer also to Break Spline Interpolation, Spline Interpolation, and Linear Interpolation. Deformers Properties that can be applied to an object (or group of objects) to deform its geometry. In Poser, deformers include magnets and waves. Depth Cueing An effect which creates the appearance that elements far away are dimmer than elements closer to the camera. Display Style A style that determines how figures, elements, or the document are displayed in the Document window. Distance Falloff The distance from a spotlight itself to the point where the light has no effect. Distant Light Refer to Infinite Light. Focal Length A camera control that changes the camera perspective in the studio. Decreasing the Focal Length increases the sense of perspective. Increasing the Focal Length “flattens” the sense of perspective. Document Display Style Refer to Display Style. Frame Count The total number of frames in an animation. Dolly A camera view where the camera moves around in 3D space as if gliding on the surface of a sphere surrounding the Poser studio. Frame Rate The number of frames used during one second of animation. DXF Originally developed for use with AutoCad, this is the most common 3D file exchange format. Fast Tracking A tracking style that displays figures and objects as boxes only when they are moving. Refer also to Box Tracking, Full Tracking, and Figure Tracking. Figure Ring The ring that surrounds a figure and allows you to select the entire figure (as opposed to its elements). Figure Tracking A feature used during the posing and shaping phases that changes the display of an object as you reposition its parts. Refer also to Box Tracking, Fast Tracking, and Full Tracking. Flyaround View A camera view that lets you see all the contents of the studio at once. In this view the camera moves around an imaginary track above and away from the center of the studio. Frame Size A width or height value for the animation output set during Animation Setup. The aspect ratio of the Document window determines the other value. Full Tracking A tracking style that uses a display style at all times, resulting in a slower motion as you manipulate poses and shapes. Refer also to Box Tracking, Fast Tracking and Figure Tracking. Graph Palette A palette that lets you perform precise edits on keyframes and adjust the interpolation methods used in an animation. The palette is made up of two axes and a graph.The horizontal axis displays frame numbers which represent time in your animation. Grouping Tool An editing tool that allows you to select specific polygons on an object and group them. Group Edit Palette A dialog that accompanies the Grouping tool. The Group Edit palette includes various options for grouping and creating props. Hierarchy A tree structure that lists the objects in the scene and shows their logical relationships to other objects. Poser 4 Horizon Line A reference line in a studio that shows perspective. Implicit (UV) Mapping Refer to UV Mapping. Infinite Lighting A lighting control that shines light into the studio the same way the sun or moon shines on the Earth. The light rays from a distant source are parallel as they enter the Poser studio. Interpolation An animation process by which Poser fills in the gaps between keyframes to create the illusion of motion. Refer also to Break Spline Interpolation, Spline Interpolation, Linear Interpolation, and Constant Interpolation. Inverse Kinematics (IK) A feature which determines the dependency of jointed structures in movement. When an extremity on a figure moves, IK determines how objects joined to it respond. Keyframe A representation of one point in time in an animation. Keyframes store changes in position for each body part in the figure, as well as changes in scale, color, lighting, or camera position. Keyframe Animation The process of assigning different poses to different keyframes during an animation. Keyframe Interpolation The method Poser uses to calculate the “in between” position of objects or elements. Refer to Spline Interpolation, Linear Interpolation, Break Spline Interpolation, and Constant Interpolation. Glossary Libraries Palette A Poser library dialog by which figures, poses, props, lights, cameras, and animations are saved and retrieved. Light Control A control used to create and position lights in the Poser Workspace. The Light control is located by default in the top left corner of the Poser Workspace. Light Indicator A visible representation of a light source. The infinite light indicator appears as a ring around the figure. The Spotlight indicator appears as the outline of a Spotlight. Linear Interpolation A type of animation interpolation that places intermediate poses at equal increments so the motion is smooth and straight. Refer also to Break Spline Interpolation, Spline Interpolation, and Constant Interpolation. Magnet A deformer that distorts an object as if it were being affected by a magnet. Memorize A feature that sets a default value for a Parameter Dial. Memory Dots A graphical control that allows you to save multiple poses, cameras, and UI configurations within a file. Morph A change made to the form or character of an object. Morph Targets A parameter added to an object that allows you to gradually reshape it. Natural Light Refer to Infinite light OBJ A file format used in many 3D graphics programs. Orthogonal A camera projection of a scene which has no perspective distortion. PICT A standard Macintosh file format for pixel-based images. Object Any 3D volume or other item that appears in the universe, including cameras and lights. When objects are grouped, their group is also described as an object. Pitch The aspect of an object’s attitude that describes its angular deviation along its vertical (top-to-bottom) axis. Orbit Refer to X,Y, Z Orbit. Orientation The direction an object faces as defined by the compound effect of the object’s pitch, yaw, and roll. Usually, the most important aspect of an object’s orientation is its relation to other objects. An object’s relation to the viewpoint can be changed by moving the current camera. Origin Refer to Prop Origin. Parameter Dimensions or encompassing characteristics applied to a figure or object to define its relationship to itself or other objects. Parameter Dial Movement controls that allow figure posing using precise numerical increments. By dragging a dial you can move a body part in small increments, allowing for precise poses. Parent An object that is linked to another object (its child) in a hierarchy. When the parent is moved, the child moves with it. Refer also to Child. Phoneme A linguistic term for the position of the lips, teeth, and tongue as they make sounds that produce specific letter sounds. In Poser, you can create the appearance of phonemes to create realistic facial animations, simulating speech. Point of View (also viewpoint) The position and angle from which a scene is viewed. The point of view (POV) is always through a camera.You may add several cameras, positioned and angled differently, and switch the Universe window POV between them. When you render an image, you choose the POV from which the image should be taken. Properties A collection of characteristics applied to (or available for) an object. Properties for an object appear in its Properties dialog. Prop Origin 3D cross-hairs that represent a prop’s center of rotation and scale. When you rotate a prop, it moves around the origin point. QuickTime A standard Apple file format for movies. Reflection Map A type of surface material that determines what is reflected on an object’s surface. Render The process of building a 2dimensional bitmapped image from the information contained in a 3-dimensional scene. Roll A camera command that tips the Dolly camera to the left or right. Poser 4 Scale A value that describes the space an object occupies; synonymous with Size, though Size implies an absolute space. Scrubber A control which represents the current period of time on the Animation Timeline. By positioning the Scrubber at different points in time, you can move through time to set up keyframes. Smart Prop A prop setting that describes a specific location for a prop in relation to another object. The location is found when a smart prop is retrieved from the library. Spline Interpolation A type of animation interpolation which places intermediate poses (and settings) on a curve. The element or object accelerates and decelerates in and out of the motion. Refer also to Break Spline Interpolation, Constant Interpolation, and Linear Interpolation. Spotlight A light that is cast in a specific direction along a cone-shaped path, creating a “stage spot” effect. Spread The amount of space between the fingers, controlled by the Spread Parameter Dial. Higher values spread the fingers out, while lower values push the fingers together. SMPTE ISO standard acronym to describe time by hours:minutes:seconds:frames. Surface Materials Rendering controls that let you apply texture characteristics to an object. Symmetry A menu control that allows pose characteristics to be copied from one side of the body to another. Glossary Taper Adjusts the scale of one end of an element only—the other end does not change. Texture Map A type of surface material that determines the texture of an object’s surface. TIFF A graphics file format used for stillimage bitmaps. Timeline A graphical representation of time located in the Animation Controls. Tracking Refer to Figure Tracking. Translate In/Out Tool An editing tool that moves a selected part or figure in the z dimension. Translate/Pull Tool An editing tool that moves a selected part or figure vertically or laterally (in the x and y dimensions). Translation A manipulation of the position or attitude of an object. Also, an extrusion in which the cross section remains at one angle, regardless of the curvature of the sweep path. Transparency Map A type of surface material that determines what is reflected in a transparent object’s surface. Turbulence A Parameter Dial that defines the roughness of a wave pattern. Go from a smooth pattern, to a jagged, turbulent one. UI The User Interface (UI) is what appears when you launch Poser. The screen is the interface between the user and all of the features of the application. It contains buttons, pull-down menus, and paths to the features themselves. URL Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the string of locations in a Web address. The URL for MetaCreations, for example, is: VRML Virtual Reality Modeling Language —a file format that can be imported and exported in Poser. http://www.metacreations.com Walk Designer A dialog that allows you to experiment and control motion creating a realistic walking gait. The designer also provides a real-time preview of the walk. Use Limits A feature that keeps body parts within a natural range of motion. Use Limits does not apply to parts involved in IK (Inverse Kinematics). UV Mapping A 3D coordinate mapping system. UV coordinates are used in parametric mapping to align points on the shader with points on the object. Vanishing Lines A guide used to achieve a realistic perspective when matching the view of a figure with the perspective in a background image. Vector A line of movement defined by its end points or by the current position and one other point. Vertex A control point on a path. Paths begin, change angles, and end at vertices. Viewpoint Refer to Point of View Wave A deformer that distorts an object as if it were being affected by a wave. Waveform The graphic representation of a sound file. Wavefront A file format designating Wavefront OBJ. xOrbit A camera control that tilts the camera forward or backward. Yaw The area the Dolly camera points at as it rotates 180 degrees on its y-axis. yOrbit A camera control that tilts the camera to the left or right. zOrbit A camera control that orbits the camera around the studio. The camera continues to point at the center of the studio as it orbits. Poser 4 Glossary Index Numerics 2D rendering 259 3D programs props and 167 3D Studio file format exporting 48 importing 47, 166 3DMF file format exporting 48 importing 47, 166 A Accessing the web 332 Add Element to deform button magnet object properties 146 wave object properties 151 Add Keyframes button 213, 218 Add Morph Target body parts 42, 126 Prop properties 170 Adding animations to library 230 chain breaks 120 figures to studio 33 hair 163 infinite lights 193 keyframes 213, 218, 228 lights 193 poses to the library 135 props 166 spotlights 193 Adjusting light indicators 196 Advancing keyframes 220, 221 Aiming infinite lights 194 lights 193, 197 spotlights 194 Alias defined 337 rendering 262 Align head 237 joint parameters 282 All Elements option 218 Deleting keyframes 219 Next Keyframe 221 Previous Keyframe 221 Allocating memory 25 Always Complete Last Step 237 Ambient color 257 Amp Noise dial, waves 150 Amplitude dial, waves 150 Angle Falloff defined 337 spotlights 201 Animals heads and 133 posing 133 Animating checkbox Light properties 192 Animating On/Off icon 181 Animation adding keyframes 213, 218 adjusting current time 212 adjusting scrubber 212 align head 237 All Elements button 219 Always Complete Last Step 237 background and 211 break spline interpolation 206, 225 BVH files 242 cameras 181, 237, 239 changing Timeline Ruler 217 clearing keyframes 219 clip sound file 240 constant interpolation 206, 224 controls 206 copying keyframes 222, 223 creating 209 Current Frame Indicator 227 cycle repeat 237 deformers and 208 deleting keyframes 213, 219, 220 designing walks 234 Dolly camera 238 duration 210, 337 editing 206, 213 editing graph 227 editing interpolation 225 editing keyframes 217 editing sound files 240 editing walks 235 Elements list 215, 216, 337 Face camera 238 faces 207 figures and 205, 206 frame count 215, 339 frame rate 214 frame size 210 go to keyframe 221 green keyframes 225 Hand cameras 238 hands 207 how it works 206 indicator 239 interpolation 206, 224 interpolation graph 226 Inverse Kinematics and 207 key-shaped indicator 239 lights 239 linear interpolation 206, 224 loading walks 236 magnet deformers and 208 Main camera 238 morph targets and 209 motion 232 moving keyframes 221, 222 navigation controls 220 Next Keyframe button 220, 221 palette 206, 213 previewing 206 Previous Keyframe 220, 221 props and 208 red keyframes 225 rendering 264 saving walks 236 selecting elements 216 selecting keyframe range 228 selecting keyframes 217, 227 setting dimensions 210 setting duration 210 setting up 210, 214 simulating speech 207 Sound Display 241 sound files 240 sound range 240 spacing keyframes 231 spline interpolation 206, 224 syncing sound 240 techniques 231 This Element button 218, 219, 220 timeline 211, 217 timing keyframes 223 Transition options 237 Index turn camera off 239 walk in place 236 walk paths 233 walking 233 wave deformers and 208 waveforms 241 window size ratio 210 Animation Controls 209 command 214 defined 337 scrubber 211 understanding 24 Animation Palette 24 Animation palette 213 add keyframes 218 adding keyframes 218 clearing keyframes 219 current time and 215 defined 338 delete keyframes 219 Elements List 215 frame numbers 215 show graph display button 225 This Element button 219 Timeline 217 Animation Setup command 210, 214 Animations adding to library 230 advanced features 224 cameras and and 187 creating 205, 209 current time 215 current time and 211 lights and 203 looping 229 multi-frame 230 playing 228 poses and 35, 48, 135, 157 previewing 228, 229 saving 265 speed 210 stopping 228 techniques 231 Answering questions 13 Anti-alias defined 338 Document render 263 rendering 262 Apply Bulges parameter 284 Apply Bulges parameters 285 Apply standard rotation order 299 Applying preview modes 40 standard hierarchy 299 symmetry 125, 142 walks 236 Arms, selecting 43 Articulated Hand model 128 Aspect ratio, rendering 261 Auto Balance, posing with 134 Auxiliary Camera 179, 338 AVI background 211 defined 338 Footage command 211 importing 47, 211 rendering and 264 Axis, defined 338 B Background animation 211 image 211 movie 211 Background color Rendering and 262 setting 29 Background Picture 262 Backgrounds clearing 44 color 194, 262 pasting figures onto 44 rendering and 262 Workspace 28 Bend dial 122 Bend option, Element Properties 42, 126 Bending body parts 122 figures 127 joint parameters 281, 283 props 12 Black, rendering and 262 Blend zones 278 Blink, posing for 131 Blocks, selecting keyframes 222 BMP file format 251 defined 338 importing and 47 rendering and 264 Bodies scaling 142 sizing 142 Body parts attaching to prop 172 bending 42, 122, 126 casting shadows 42, 126 front-to-back movement 123 grouping 305 hiding 42, 126 locking 134 morph targets and 42, 126 naming 42, 126 options 126 Parameter Dials and 141 pointing 134 properties 42 replacing with props 173 scaling 140, 141 selecting 43, 114 side-to-side movement 122 surface materials and 245 tapering 141 turning 123 twisting 118, 122 Body shaping 138 Box Tracking 30, 338 Break Spline interpolation 206, 225, 338 Breasts, changing size 141 BRLarge 141 Brow parameter 132, 153 Browser 331 BRSmall 141 Bryce 3D, using with Poser 328 Bump maps converting PICT 248 custom 247 defined 338 loading custom 248 painting 248 props and 171 rendering with 263 Strength slider 247 templates 248 BumpNose parameter 132, 153 BVH file format 47 Importing BVH files 242 C Camera Controls understanding 21 using 181 viewing figures and 36 Camera parameters Focal Length 183 Pitch 184 Roll 184 Scale 184 xOrbit 184 Yaw 184 yOrbit 184 zOrbit 184 Camera Plane controls 181 defined 338 Camera Selection control 180 Cameras animating 181, 237 animation indicator 239 auxiliary 179 category 32 controls 21 Dolly 179 face 179 flyaround view 180 focal length and 183 hand 179 Hand Cameras 127 how they work 177 locking 186 main 179 memory dots 37, 187 options 185 Orthogonal 179 parameters 183 pointing 186 Posing 179 posing and 110 properties 185 roll 183 rotation trackball 182 saving positions 37, 186 saving to library 186 scaling 183 See also Libraries selecting 36, 180 shortcut icons 180 switching 180 turning animation on/off 239 Canoma, using with Poser 333 Cartoon style 39 Cartoon w/Line style 39 Casting shadows 201 Poser 4 Casts Shadow button, properties 42, 126, 170 Center Point joint parameters 282, 283, 285 Center, joint parameters 280, 282 Chain break adding 120 posing and 120 removing 121 tool 120, 338 Changing defaults 46 play range 229 prop origin 169 Timeline Ruler 217 views 180 Characters, figures 153 Cheeks parameter 132, 153 Child defined 338 parent and 296 See also Parent, Hierarchy Chin parameter 132, 153 Clear Background Picture 44, 211 Clearing background 44 keyframes 219 Clipping sound files 240 Clothing conforming to figure 12, 165 figures and 164 hiding skin under 166 without a figure 166 Collapsing elements list 216 Hierarchy Editor 291 Color controls Document window and 29 Index Color dot 199 Color tool 28, 139 Colors adding 139 ambient 257 backgrounds 194 Document window 29 figures and 139, 199 highlight 256 Light properties 192 lighting and 199 object 255 props 171 reflective 254 setting 255 Combining props 304 Conforming clothing to figures 165 figures and clothing 12 hair to figures 164 Constant interpolation 206, 224, 338 Contacting Technical support 14 Controls for animation 206 Copying 13 blocks of keyframes 223 joint parameters 286 keyframes 222, 228 poses 125 Copying and Pasting 143 Count, changing 215 Create Meshform Objects 325 Create Walk Path command 233 Creating animations 209 figures 301 figures from props 304 library sub-categories 34 motion 232 prop parameters 169 props 168 walk paths 233 Current Element menu props and 168 selecting and 113 Current Figure menu animals and 133 Current Frame Indicator 227 Current time adjusting 212 for animations 211 moving 215 scrubber 211 Custom figures 301 Custom morph targets 154 Customer service 14 Customizing bump maps 247 reflection maps 254 texture maps 250 transparency maps 252 Cycle repeat 237 D Darkness of shadows 202 Defaults changing 46 restoring 46 Deformer Tools 143 Deformers 12 animating 208 defined 338 grouped objects, using with 159 magnets 144 wavess 149 Deforming props 168 Degree of Tessellation 326 Delete Keyframes button 213, 219 Delete Prop command 168 Deleting infinite lights 193 keyframes 213, 219, 228 libraries 35 props 168 range of keyframes 220 spotlights 193 Workspace layouts 28 Deleting object groups 292 Deleting objects 292 Depth Cueing 30 defined 338 Designing walk paths 234 Destination, rendering and 261 Detach Polygons Poser modeler 324 Detail, surface 262 Detailer text file format exporting 48 Dimensions of animation 210 Display Deformer joint parameters 280 Display Origin magnet base 146 props 170 Display Styles 22, 37 about 13 applying 40 cartoon 39 cartoon w/line 39 defined 338 elements and 41 flat lined 39 flat shaded 39 hidden line 38 lit wireframe 38 outline 38 resetting 41 silhouette 37 smooth lined 40 smooth shaded 40 texture shaded 40 wireframe 38 Displaying guides 44 Hierarchy Editor 290 Libraries palette 32 object properties 294 Distance Falloff defined 339 spotlights 201 Document Display Style 37 understanding controls 22 Document Preference 26 Document Style command 37 Document window color 29 moving 29 repositioning 27 resizing 29 setting up 28 texture 31 understanding 20 Document Window Size command 29, 210 Dolly Camera 179 animating 238 defined 339 DollyX dial, cameras and 185 DollyY dial, cameras and 185 DollyZ dial, cameras and 185 Dots color 199 Drop to Floor command 125, 168 Duplicating keyframes 228 Duration of animation 210 DXF file format defined 339 exporting 48 importing 47, 166 E Edit Falloff Graph magnet zone properties 146, 152 Editing animation 206, 213 animation setup 214 frame rates 214 interpolation graph 226 keyframes on graph 227 libraries 35 sound files 240 walks 235 Editing tools 42 selecting parts with 43 understanding 23 using 114 Element pop-up selecting body parts and 43 Elements animating 216 display style 41 properties 42 restoring 46 scrolling 216 Elements List 215, 216 collapsing 216 Establishing hierarchical relationships 295 Ethnicity 153 Exit command 49 Expanding Elements List 216 Hierarchy Editor 291 Export Full Path For Grouping 325 Export Normals 325 Poser 4 Export Texture Maps 326 Export UV values 325 Exporting 3D Studio file format 48 3DMF file format 48 BVH files 242 DXF file format 48 files 47 including/excluding items 48 OBJ file format 48 OBJ files 325 props 48, 166 Wavefront file format 48 Eyebrow parameters 131 Blink 131 Left/Right Brow Down 131 Left/Right Brow Up 131 Left/Right Worry 131 EyeRoundness parameter 132, 153 Eyes, posing 131 F Face Camera 179 animating 238 Faces animating 207 Blink 131 category 32 eyebrow parameters 131 Frown 130 Left/Right Brow Down 131 Left/Right Brow Up 131 mouth parameters 130 MouthF 130 MouthM 130 MouthO 130 OpenLips 130 Index parameter dials 130 phonemes and 132 posing 129 posing eyes 131 See also Libraries Smile 130 TongueL 131 TongueT 131 using 133 Worry Left/Right 131 zooming into 36 Facial positions 207 Factory state 26, 27 Falloff graph magnet zone 146, 152 Falloff zones spherical 287 Fast forward button 228 Fast Tracking 30 defined 339 Feet, selecting 43 Figure Height command 139 Figure joints 278 Figure Ring defined 339 posing and 114 scaling and 142 Figure tracking 30, 339 Figures adding clothing 164 adding to studio 33 animating 205, 206 applying surface materials 245 bending 127 category 32 changing types 138 color 199 combined props 304 combining to create new 303 conforming 12 conforming clothes to 165 conforming hair to 164 creating 301 creating outside Poser 304 deforming 143 genitals 139 heads 45 height 139 hiding 44 hiding/showing 44 locking 134 modifying to create new 302 moving 124 options 126 pasting onto background 44 perspective of multiple figures 45 placing in studio 32 posing 113, 114 previewing 37 properties 41 props, and 161 range of motion 113 renaming 41 restoring 174 rotating 115, 123, 124 saving 160 scaling 138, 142 See also Libraries, Body parts, Bodies selecting parts 43 shaping 138, 140 showing all 44 sizing 142 translating 118, 119 twisting 118 viewing 36 visibility, changing 41 width 140 Figures category 138, 160 Files exporting 47 importing 47, 167 printing 47 saving 48 Files, large 16 Flat Lined style 39 Flat Shaded style 39 FlatFace parameter 132, 153 FlatNose parameter 132, 153 Floor. See Ground plane Flyaround View 37 defined 339 Flyaround view 180 Focal Length cameras and 183 defined 339 dial 183 Foreground color 29 FPS 210, 214 Frame Count 210, 339 Frame number 211 Frame Rate 210, 214 animation and 265 defined 339 editing 214 Frame Size 210, 339 Frames count, changing 215 moving 228 navigating 220 number of 210 rate 210 selecting 217 sizing 210 spacing 231 Frames per second 210, 214 Frames per second (fps) 232 Freq Noise dial waves 150 Fresco license 363 Front-Back joint parameters 281 Front-Back joint parameters 281 Front-to-Back dial 123 Frown, posing for 130 Full Tracking 30, 143 defined 339 G General Preferences 26 Genitalia command 139 Genitals 139 Geometry, importing 304 Go to, specific keyframe 221 Graph palette 226 defined 339 interpolation and 226 sound 240 sound and 241 waveforms 241 Graph Parameter Dials 122 Grasp dial, hands 128 Green keyframes 225 Ground color 29 plane 44 plane,understanding 21 Group checkbox magnet zone properties 146 wave zone properties 152 Group Edit palette 339 Group Information, OBJ files 325 Grouped objects, deformers and 159 Grouping body parts 305 surface materials and 246 Grouping tool 13 creating props with 303 defined 339 using 157 Groups arranging on model 307 hierarchy file and 306 Guides command 44, 125 displaying 44 ground plane 44 head lengths 45 hiding 44 hip-shoulder relationship 45 horizon line 45 understanding 44 vanishing lines 183 H Hair adding 163 category 32 conforming to figure 164 posable 163 poseable 164 See also Libraries Hand Cameras 179 animating 238 posing 127 Hands 128 animating 207 category 32 Grasping 128 locking 128 Parameter Dials and 128 posing 127 presets 129 See also Libraries selecting 43 Thumb dial 128 zooming into 36 H-Anim file format 48 Head animals 133 selecting 43 Poser 4 Head lengths 45 HeartFace parameter 132, 153 Height, figures 139 Hidden Line style 38 Hide Figure command 44 Hiding body parts 42, 126 figures 41, 44 guides 44 prop origin 169 props 170 skin under clothing 166 Hierarchical Relationships 295 Hierarchies, multi-figure 298 Hierarchy defined 339 how it works 289 See also Parent, Child Hierarchy Editor 12, 289, 299 apply standard hierarchy 299 apply standard rotation order 299 changing object visibility 294 collapsing 291 controling display 291 creating relationships 295 deleting object groups 292 deleting objects 292 displaying 290 displaying object properties 294 expanding 291 Inverse Kinematics 299 parent-child relationships 296 renaming objects 293 reordering objects 293 selecting objects 292 using 290 Hierarchy File Body 310 Index converting 312 Header 309 verifying 312 Hierarchy file curved transformations 311 Inverse Kinematic Chains 311 Hierarchy File, inside 308 Hierarchy Selection list 34, 48, 135 High End/Start joint parameters 285 Highlight Color 256 Highlight Size slider 256 Highlights 171 Hip-shoulder relationship 45 Horizon Line 45, 340 I IK. See Inverse Kinematics Image size, rendering and 261 Images, rendering 263 Implicit (UV) mapping 171, 247, 340 Import command 47, 240 Importing 3D Studio file format 47 3DMF file format 47 AVI files 211 background footage 211 BVH file format 47 DXF file format 47 files 47 OBJ file format 47 OBJ files 325 Painter 3D file format 47 props 166, 167 QuickTime files 211 sound 240 Wavefront file format 47 Importing geometries 304 Importing motion capture 242 Inclusion and Exclusion Angles, editing 281 Infinite light indicator 195 moving 196 Infinite Lighting defined 340 Infinite lights 190 adding 193 aiming 194 deleting 193 Infinite/Spot radio buttons Light properties 192 Inherits bend of parent props 172 Inside the Hierarchy File 308 Installation 14 Macintosh 15 tips 16 Windows 16 Installing Poser 15 Intensity, lighting 12, 200 Interface Preference 27 Internet connection 331 Internet Explorer 331 Internet, Poser and 331 Interpolation 224 break spline type 206 choosing 225 constant type 206 defined 340 editing 225 graphs and 226 linear type 206 spline 206 Interpolation graph editing 226 Interpolation types 206 Inverse Kinematics 299 animation 207 chain break tool and 120 defined 340 setting 112 turning on/off 112 understanding 110 J Joint Angles joint parameters 283, 285 Joint parameters 278 copying 286 editing 279, 280 saving 286 Joints attributes 282 setting attributes 280 JPEG file format importing and 47 K Keyframe advance to next 220 animation 206, 340 controls 214 count 215 counter 209 defined 340 interpolation 224, 340 Keyframes adding 213, 218, 228 advancing 221 clearing 219 copying 222, 228 copying blocks of 223 deleting 213, 228 editing 227 go to 221 green 225 interpolation and 225 moving 221, 228 moving multiple 222 preferences 224 previous 221 red 225 repositioning 228 rewinding 221 selecting 217, 227 selecting a range 228 selecting multiple 222 spacing 231 timing 223, 241 viewing 229 walking and 236 Key-shaped indicator 239 L LashLengh parameter 132, 153 Launching Poser 25 Layouts, saving 28 Left/Right Brow Down dial 131 Left/Right Brow Up dial 131 Legs, selecting 43 Length, heads 45 Libraries Cameras category 186 command 32 deleting 35 editing 35 Face category 133 Figures category 138, 160 Hands category 129 Lights category 203 Poses category 135 posing and 110 Props category 166 saving items to 34, 175 Libraries palette 23 adding poses 135 animations and 35, 48, 135, 157, 187, 203 defined 340 displaying 32 faces 133 hands 129 loading from 33 resizing 33 saving 34 sub-categories 33 using 136 using figures from 32 using poses for animating 229 License agreement 363 Light Controls 191, 194 animaing 239 defined 340 understanding 22 Light indicator 192, 195 defined 340 infinite 195 scaling 196 spotlight 196 Lighting adding 193 adding infinite lights 193 adding spotlights 193 adjusting indicators 196 aiming 193 ambient 257 animating 239 animating option 192 color 192, 199 color parameters 200 controls 191, 194 deleting infinite lights 193 deleting spotlights 193 features 12 how it works 189 indicators 195 infinite lights 190 multiple figures 190 naming lights 192 pointing 199 Poser 4 properties 191 rendering and 189 rotating 196 sets, saving 203 setting color 199 setting intensity 200 setting options 191 setting parent 193 setting parents 202 shadows 192 shadows and 201 spotlights 191 turning on or off 192 twisting 196 type of 192 visible or not visible 192 visual indicators of 192 Lights adding 193 adding infinite 193 adding spotlight 193 adjusting indicators 196 aiming 193 animating 192 casting shadows 201 category 32, 203 deleting infinite light 193 deleting spotlight 193 determining type 192 intensity 12 making indicator visible 192 moving 197 naming 192 pointing 199 rotating 197 saving sets of 203 See also Libraries selecting color 192 setting color 199 setting intensity 200 setting parent 193, 202 turning on or off 192 turning on shadows 192 using Point At 199 Limits Index Parameter Dials and 113 using 113 Linear interpolation 206, 224, 340 Links menu 332 LipSize parameter 132, 153 Lit Wireframe style 38 Loading Figures from a Libraries palette 33 walks 236 Lock Hand Parts command 127 Locking body parts 134 figures 134 hand parts 128 magnets 147 Locking, cameras 186 LongFace parameter 132, 153 Loop button 229 Low Start/End joint parameters 285 M Macintosh custom extensions 15 extension conflicts 336 installation 15 memory usage 16 Poser and 336 setup 25 system requirements 15 Magnet defined 340 Magnet base 144 properties 146 Magnet deformer 12 animating 208 Magnet object 144 properties 145 Magnet tool 144 Magnet zone 144 properties 146 Magnets locking 147 moving 145 parameter dials 145 properties 145 repositioning 144 rotating 144 scaling 145 twisting 144 Main Camera 179 animating 238 Make Movie command 260, 264 Map Size dial 202 Mapping, UV 171 Materials command 245 Max Limit 122 Memorize command 46, 340 Memorizing Parameter Dials 122 Memory dots cameras 37, 187 defined 340 pose 136 posing 114 UI 28 Memory, allocating 25 MetaCreations license agreement 363 MetaStream file format importing 47, 166 Min Limit 122 Model Format 305 Morph 340 Morph targets 12 adding 156 adding to body parts 42, 126 animating 209 custom, creating 154 defined 340 ethnic 153 props and 170 superhero 154 Motion creating 232 syncing with sound 240 Motion Capture Files 242 Motion graphics programs 241 Mouth parameters 130 Frown 130 MouthF 130 MouthM 130 MouthO 130 OpenLips 130 Smile 130 TongueL 131 TongueT 131 MouthF, posing for 130 MouthM, posing for 130 MouthO, posing for 130 Moving current time 215 Document window 27, 29 figures 124 keyframes 221, 228 magnets 145 multiple keyframes 222 props 168 tools 27 waves 150 workspace background 28 Moving infinite light 196 Moving lights 197 Moving spotlight 196 Multi-Figure Hierarchies 298 Multi-frame animation saving 35, 48, 135, 157, 187, 203 Multi-frame animations 230 Multiple figures in perspective 45 lighting 190 relative sizes 142 Multiple keyframes moving 222 selecting 222 N Name Edges 324 Light properties 192 Polygons 324 Polymesh 324 Vertices 324 Name field figure properties 41 magnet base properties 146 magnet object properties 145 magnet zone properties 146 wave object properties 151 wave zone properties 152 Naming body parts 42, 126 props 170 Natural Light. See Infinite Light Navigating frames 220 Netscape Navigator 331 Next Keyframe button 213, 220, 221, 227 O OBJ file format defined 340 exporting 48 importing 47, 166 See also Wavefront file format OBJ files Create Meshform Objects 325 Degree of Tessellation 326 Export Full Path For Grouping 325 Export Normals 325 Export Texture Maps 326 Export UV values 325 exporting 325 format 325 Group Information 325 importing 325 Scaling Factor 325 Textures Format 326 Transpose Coordinates 325, 326 Object color, setting 255 Object properties 169, 170, 174, 294 Object visibility, changing 294 Object, defined 341 Objects renaming 293 reordering 293 Offset dial, waves 150 On checkbox Light properties 192 OpenLips, posing for 130 Options cameras 185 rendering 260 Orbit, defined 341 Orientation defined 341 joint parameters 282 Origin changing 169 for props 169 Poser 4 Origin. See Prop Origin Orthogonal Cameras 179 defined 341 using 179 Outline style 38 P Painter 3D file format importing 47, 166 Palettes Animation palette 213 Graph palette 225 Libraries palette 32 Paper texture 31 Paper Texture command 31 Parameter Dials body shaping and 141 cameras 183 defined 341 hands and 128 magnets 145 naming 122 numeric values, setting 121 posing and 121 properties dialog 122 range of motion and 113 Scaling and 142 shadows and 202 understanding 23 waves 150 Parameters aiming lights 197 defined 341 for scaling the body 142 light color 200 light intensity 200 shadow 202 shadows 202 Parent childr and 296 Index defined 341 prop 171 See also Child, Hierarchy setting for light 202 Parent-child relationships 296 Parts posing 113 rotating 115 selecting 113 Paste onto Background command 44 Pasting 13 poses 125 Pause button 228 Perspective focal length and 183 multiple figures and 45 vanishing lines, and 46 Phase dial, waves 150 Phonemes defined 341 posing for 132 presets 207 PICT file format 251 defined 341 importing and 47 rendering and 264 Pitch defined 341 dial 184 Planes ground 44 Play button 228 Play range, setting 229 Playing animations 228 Plug-in architecture 166 Point At aiming lights 199 body parts 134 cameras 186 Point of View, defined 341 PointedNose parameter 132, 153 Pointing body parts 134 lights 199 Pose memory dots 136 Poseable hair 164 Poser, installing 15 Poses adding to Libraries palette 135 applying 136 category 32 Libraries palette 229 saving 135 See also Libraries Posing animals 133 Auto Balance and 134 cameras and 110 copying and pasting 125 eyes 131 faces 129 figures 113 hands 127 libraries and 110 memory dots 114 Parameter Dials and 121 parts 113 phonemes and 132 symmetry 124 undoing 114 Posing camera 179 Positioning magnets 144 spotlight 198 waves 149 Positions, saving camera 186 Preferences 26 keyframes 224 rendering 260 Preferred state 26 Preview Controls 228 Preview modes applying 40 figures and 40 Previewing animations 206, 228, 229 figures 37 Previous keyframe 221 Previous Keyframe button 213, 220, 227 Previous State 27 Printing files 47 Prop origin defined 341 hiding 169 Prop parent 171 Properties Bend 42, 126 body parts 42 Camera mode 185 defined 341 figures 41 lighting 191 props 170 props and 174 shadows 201 Properties command 41, 42, 126, 169, 170, 185 lighting and 192 shadows and 201 Props 171 3D programs and 167 adding 166 animating 208 applying surface materials 247 attaching to figures 172 bending 12, 172 category 32 color 171 creating 168 creating parameters 169 defined 161 deforming 168 deleting 168 exporting 48, 166, 167 hiding 170 how they work 161 importing 166, 167 morph targets and 170 moving 168 naming 170 origin 169, 170 parents 171 parents and 175 properties 170 replacing body parts 173 resizing 168 rotating 168 saving 175 See also Libraries setting parent 171 setting parents 170 smart props 175 surface material 171 Props category 166 Q Quality, animation and 264 Questions 13 QuickTime background 211 QuickTime file format defined 341 importing 47, 211 rendering and 264 QuickTime Footage command 211 Quit command 49 R RAM usage 16 Range of keyframes, deleting 220 Range of motion 113 Rates, frames 210 Ray Dream Studio 323 Red keyframes 225 Reflection map clearing 254 color 254 custom 254 defined 341 loading 254 Reflective color 254 Relative size 142 Removing chain breaks 121 keyframes 219 Renaming objects 293 Render commands 263 Render Options command 142, 261 Render over 262 Render to image size 261 New Window 261 Rendering 259 animation 264 anti-alias 263 aspect ratio and 261 defined 341 how it works 259 images 263 lights and 189 options 260 saving animations 265 setting up 260 shadows 263 surface material 262 Reordering objects 293 Replace Body Part with Prop command 173 Repositioning Document window 27 keyframes 228 tools 27 workspace background 28 Resizing breasts 141 Poser 4 Document window 29 Libraries palette 33 props 168 See also Scaling Resolution of shadows 202 Resolution, animation and 264 Restore command 135 Restoring defaults 46 elements 46 figures 174 Retime Animation command 223 Retiming keyframes 223 Reverse Polymesh Normals 324 Rewind button 229 Rewinding keyframes 221, 229 Roll cameras and 183 defined 341 dial 184 Rotate tool lights and 196, 197 magnets 144 posing and 115 waves 149 Rotating lights 197 magnets 144 on several axis 117 on X axis 117 on Y axis 117 on Z axis 117 posing and 115 props 168 waves 149 Rotation Trackball 22 cameras and 182 understanding 21 RoundFace parameter 132, 153 RoundNose parameter 132, 153 Index S Save As command 49 Save command 48 Saving camera positions 37, 186 figures 160 files 48 items to library 34 joint parameters 286 Libraries palette 34 multi-frame animations 35, 48, 135, 157, 187, 203 Parameter Dial settings 122 parts of a scene 34 poses 135 props 175 rendered animations 265 walks 236 Saving positions of cameras 186 Scale Dial light indicator and 196 Scale dial 184 Body mode 142 magnets 145 Pose mode 141 waves 150 Scale tool Body mode 142 magnets 145 Pose mode 140 waves 150 Scaling bodies 138 body parts 140, 141 breasts 141 cameras 183 defined 342 figures 142 joint parameters 285 light indicator 196 magnets 145 parameters 142 Pose mode 140 proportionally 140 waves 150 Scaling Factor, OBJ files 325 Scene hierarchy 289 Scrolling elements list 216 Scrubber 209, 212, 342 Select Camera pop-up 180 Selecting body parts 43, 114 cameras 180 elements 216 frames 220 keyframes 217, 227 multiple keyframes 222 objects 292 parts 113 parts of a scene 34 range of keyframes 228 Sensitivity Parameter Dials 122 Sequence Type 264 Set parent lights 193 magnet zone 146 props 170 wave zone 152 Sets, lights and 203 Setting keyframes 212 light color 199 Setting up Document window 28 Macintosh computers 25 Poser Workspace 27 surface materials 171 textures 171 walk paths 234 Setup Controls 214 editing 214 Shadows 31 adjusting darkness 202 casting 42, 126, 170 creating 201 Light properties 192 parameter dial 202 parameters 202 rendering with 263 resolution 202 tools 29 Shaping bodies 138 body parts 140 copying 143 deformer tools 143 figures 140 magnet tool and 144 tapering 141 wave tool and 149 Show All Figures command 44 Show Graph Display button 225 Show/Hide Background Picture 211 Showing figures 44 Side-Side joint parameters 281 Side-to-Side dial 122 Silhouette style 37 Simulating speech 207 Sinusoidal dial, waves 150 Sizing bodies 142 Document window 210 frames 210 See also Scaling Sketch designer 13 Skip Frames button 229 Smart props 175, 342 Smile, posing for 130 Smooth Lined style 40 Smooth Shaded style 40 SMPTE 342 Software license 363 Sound display 241 Sound files clipping 240 editing 240 importing 240 syncing with motion 240 Sound Range bar 240 Sound syncing 240 Spacing keyframes 231 Speech phonemes and 132 simulating 207 Speed of animation 210 Spherical falloff zones 287 Spline interpolation 206, 224, 342 Spotlight positioning 198 Spotlights 12, 191 adding 193 aiming 194 angle falloff 201 defined 342 deleting 193 distance falloff 201 indicator 196 moving 196 Spread defined 342 dial 128 Spread dial 128 Square dial, waves 150 SquareFace parameter 132, 153 Standard hierarchy 299 Standard Polymesh Normals 324 Standard rotation order 299 Step Forward button 229 Step Reverse button 229 Stop button 228 Strength slider Texture maps 254 texture maps 250 Stretch dial, waves 150 Sub-categories creating new 34 Libraries palette and 33 Support 14 Support URL 14 Surface materials applying 245 defined 342 dialog 171, 244 grouping and 246 props and 171, 247 reflective color 254 rendering 262 setting 171 texture maps 249 transparency maps 252 transparency sliders 253 turning off 245 Symmetry applying 125, 142 body shape 141 command 125, 141, 142 defined 342 pose 124 Syncing sound 240 System requirements Macintosh 15 Windows 15 T Taper defined 342 dial 141 tool 141 Tapering body parts 141 Technical support 14 Phone support hours 14 Telephone support 14 Templates Poser 4 for bump maps 248 for texture maps 251 Texture maps applying 249 custom 250 defined 342 loading 250 props and 171 rendering with 263 templates 251 Texture Shaded style 40 Textures Format 326 Textures, paper 31 This Element button adding keyframes 218 deleting keyframes 219 next keyframe 220 This Element option next keyframe 220 Thumb dial 128 TIF file format 251 importing and 47 rendering and 264 TIFF file format defined 342 Time Span, animation and 265 Timeline 209, 217 area 214 defined 342 ruler display 217 working with 211 Timing keyframes 223, 241 Toggle Sound Display button 241 TongueL, posing for 131 TongueT, posing for 131 Tools editing 114 repositioning 27 Tracking Index defined 342 figure 30 Transferring. See Importing, Exporting Transition options 237 Translate In/Out tool body shaping and 142 defined 342 magnets 144 posing and 120 waves 150 Translate tools props and 172 Translate/Pull tool defined 342 magnets 144 posing and 119 waves 149 Translation chain break tool and 120 defined 342 Inverse Kinematics and 110 poses and 118 Transparency Falloff 253 Transparency map applying 252 clearing 252 custom 252 defined 342 loading 252 Transparency Max 253 Transparency Min 253 Transparency sliders 253 Transpose Coordinates 325, 326 Triangular dial, waves 150 Troubleshooting 14 Turbulence defined 342 waves and 150 Turn dial 123 Turning body parts 123 Twist End parameters 283 Twist joint parameters 281, 282 Twist Start parameters 283 Twist tool lights and 196 magnets 144 posing and 118 waves 149 Twisting body parts 118 magnets 144 using parameter dial 122 waves 149 U UI Memory Dots 28 UI, defined 342 Undo command 46, 114 URL 14, 343 Use Inverse Kinematics command 112 Use Limits command 113 defined 343 Parameter Dials 122 Use Spherical Falloff Zones control 280 User Guide conventions 14 Using Hierarchy Editor 290 images from Libraries palette 33 other software 304 Workspace layouts 28 UV mapping 171, 247, 343 V Value, Parameter Dials 122 Vanishing lines cameras and 183 defined 343 understanding 46 Vector, defined 343 Vertex, defined 343 View controls 21 Viewing face 36 figures 36 hands 36 keyframes 229 Viewpoint. See Point of View Views changing 180 flyaround 180 switching 180 Visibility of objects, changing 294 Visible button, properties 126, 170 Visible checkbox element properties 42 figure properties 41 Light properties 192 magnet base properties 146 magnet object properties 145 wave object properties 151 wave zone properties 152 Visiblecheckbox magnet base properties 146 VRML file format importing 47 VRML file format defined 343 exporting 48 importing 166 W Walk align head 237 Always Complete Last Step 237 cycle repeat 237 paths, creating 233 transition options 237 Walk Apply Dialog 235, 236 Walk Designer command 234, 236 defined 343 Walk in place 236 Walking 233 Walks applying 236 designing 234 editing 235 loading 236 saving 236 Wave deformer about 12 animating 208 Wave object 149 properties 151 Wave tool 149 Wave zone 149 properties 152 Wave, defined 343 Waveforms 241, 343 Wavefront file format defined 343 exporting 48 importing 47, 166 See also OBJ file format Wavelength dial, waves 150 Waves moving 150 parameter dials 150 properties 151 repositioning 149 rotating 149 scaling 150 twisting 149 Web Links 332 Web support 14, 332 What’s new 12 Width, figures and 140 Window size 210 Windows installation 16 Poser and 335 system requirements 15 Wireframe style 38 Workspace backgrounds 28 color, changing 28 figure, changing 28 saving layouts 28 setting up 27 understanding 20 World Wide Web, Poser and 331 Worry dials, posing with 131 X X and Y camera controls 182 X and Z camera controls 182 X axis, rotating on 117 xOrbit defined 343 dial 184 xRotate waves 150 Poser 4 xRotate dial figures and 123 lights and 197 magnets and 145 posing and 123 xScale dial cameras and 184 figures and 141, 142 magnets 145 waves 151 xTran dial magnets and 145 posing and 124 waves and 150 Y Y and Z camera controls 182 Y axis, rotating on 117 Yaw defined 343 dial 184 yOrbit Index defined 343 dial 184 yRotate dial lights and 197 magnets 145 posing and 123 waves 150 yScale dial Body mode 143 Camera mode 185 magnets 145 Pose mode 141 waves 151 yTran dial magnets 145 posing and 124 waves 150 Z Z axis, rotating on 117 Zero Figure joint parameters 280 Zooming face 36 hands 36 zOrbit defined 343 dial 184 zRotate dial figures and 124 lights and 198 magnets and 145 posing and 150 zScale dial Body mode 143 Camera mode 185 magnets 145 Pose mode 141 waves 151 zTran dial magnets and 145 waves and 150 MetaCreations Limited Use License Agreement By using this software you are agreeing and indicating your acceptance of these terms and conditions. If you do not agree with them you should return the software to the dealer from whom you purchased the product and your money will be refunded. If the dealer from whom you purchased this package fails to refund your money, contact MetaCreations Corp. immediately at the address below. MetaCreations Corp. (hereinafter referred to as Company), a Delaware-based Corporation, provides the computer software (hereinafter referred to as Program) contained on the medium in this package and licenses its use.You assume full responsibility for the selection of the Program to achieve your intended results and for the installation, use and results obtained from the Program. License A. In consideration of the payment of a license fee, you are granted a personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive license to use the Program under the terms stated in this Agreement.You own the diskette or other physical media on which the Program is provided under the terms of this Agreement, but all title and ownership of the Program and enclosed related documentation (hereinafter referred to as Documentation), and all other rights not expressly granted to you under this Agreement, remain with the Company. B. The Program may be used by you only on a single computer. Therefore, you must treat this software just like a book. With the exception of Item D below, "just like a book" means that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while the same copy is at the same time being used at another location. Just as the same copy of a book cannot be read by two different people in two different places at the same time, neither can the same copy of software be used by two different people in two different places at the same time. Site licenses for multiple single users are available. Contact MetaCreations Corp. for details. C.You and your employees and agents are required to protect the confidentiality of the Program.You may not distribute or otherwise make the Program or Documentation available to any third party. D.You may not copy or reproduce the Program or Documentation for any purpose except to make one (1) archival copy of the Program, in machine readable or printed form, for backup purposes only in support of your use of the Program on a single computer.You must reproduce and include the Company copyright notice on the backup copy of the Program. E. Any portion of the Program merged into or used in conjunction with another program will continue to be the property of the Company and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.You must reproduce and include Company's copyright notice on any portion merged in or used in conjunction with another program. F.You may not sublease, assign or otherwise transfer the Program or this license to any other person without the prior written consent of Company. G.You acknowledge that you are receiving a LIMITED LICENSE TO USE the Program and Documentation and that the Company retains title to the Program and Documentation.You acknowledge that Company has a valuable proprietary interest in the Program and Documentation.You may not use, copy, modify or transfer the Program or Documentation or any copy, modification or merged portion in whole or in part except as expressly provided for in this Agreement. If you transfer possession of any copy, modification or merged portion of the Program or Documentation to another party, your license is automatically terminated. H. If you have purchased a NETWORK version of the software, this License Agreement applies to the installation of the software onto a single file server. It may not be copied onto multiple systems. Each node connected to the file server must also have its own node copy of the software that becomes a license for that specific user. Term This license granted to you is effective until terminated.You may terminate it at any time by returning the Program and Documentation to Company together with all copies, modifications and merged portions in any form. The license will also terminate upon conditions set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, or if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement.You agree upon such termination to return the Program and Documentation to Company together with all copies, modifications and merged portion in any form. Upon termination, Company can also enforce any rights provided by law. The provision of this Agreement which protects the proprietary rights of Company will continue in force after termination. Termination of this license, either voluntary or involuntary, does not entitle you to a refund of your purchase cost except as provided elsewhere in this License Agreement. Limited Warranty Company warrants, as the sole warranty, that the medium on which the Program is furnished will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and conditions for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of delivery to you as evidenced by a copy of your receipt. No distributor, dealer or any other entity or person is authorized to expand or alter either this warranty or this Agreement. Any such representations will not bind the Company. Company does not warrant that the functions contained in the Program will meet your requirements or that the operation of the Program will be uninterrupted or error-free. Except as stated above in this section, the Program and Documentation are provided as-is without warranty of any kind either expressed or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular Poser 4 purpose.You assume entire risk as it applies to the quality and performance of the Program and Documentation. Should the Program prove defective you (and not Company, authorized Company Distributor or dealer) assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing repair or correction. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. Some states do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you. Limitation of Remedies General This Agreement is governed by the laws of the state of California (except federal law governs copyrights and register trademark(s)). If any provision of this Agreement is deemed invalid by any court having jurisdiction, that particular provision will be deemed deleted and will not affect the validity of any other provision of this Agreement. Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, you may contact MetaCreations Corp. at this address: MetaCreations Corp. Company's entire liability and remedy will be: A. The replacement of any medium not meeting Company's 'Limited Warranty' explained above and which is returned to Company or an authorized Company distributor or dealer with a copy of your receipt; or B. If Company is unable to deliver a replacement medium which conforms to the warranty provided under this Agreement, you may terminate this Agreement by returning the Program and Documentation to Company, authorized Company Distributor, or dealer from whom you obtained the Program and your license fee will be refunded. Product Returns If you must ship the Program and Documentation to an authorized Company Distributor, dealer or to Company, you must prepay shipping and either insure the Program and Documentation or assume all risk of loss or damage in transit. To replace a defective medium during the ninety (90) day warranty period, if you are returning the medium to Company, please send us your name and address, the defective medium and a copy of your receipt at the address provided below. In no event will Company be liable to you for any damages, direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, including damages for any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use such Program and Documentation, even if Company has been advised of the possibility of such damages or for any claim by any other party. Some states do not allow the limitation or exclusion of liability for incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. In no event will Company liability for damages to you or any other person ever exceed the amount of the license fee paid by you to use the Program regardless of the form of the claim. US Government Restricted Rights The Program and Documentation are provided with restricted rights. Use, duplication or disclosure by the US Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software Clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraph (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19, as applicable. Contractor/Manufacturer is MetaCreations Corp. License 6303 Carpinteria Avenue Carpinteria, CA 93013 (805) 566-6200 phone (805) 566-6385 fax ©1999 MetaCreations Corp. All rights reserved. The MetaCreations logo is a trademark of MetaCreations Corporation. MetaCreations and Poser are registered trademarks of MetaCreations Corporation. All other product names mentioned in the Program, manual or other documentation are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Registered and unregistered trademarks used herein are the exclusive property of their respective owners.
Source Exif Data:
File Type : PDF File Type Extension : pdf MIME Type : application/pdf PDF Version : 1.7 Linearized : Yes Author : Erick Create Date : 1999:06:03 16:31:44Z Modify Date : 2015:10:13 02:36:33+03:00 XMP Toolkit : Adobe XMP Core 5.6-c015 81.157285, 2014/12/12-00:43:15 Format : application/pdf Creator : Erick Title : Poser4.book Creator Tool : FrameMaker 5.5 Metadata Date : 2015:10:13 02:36:33+03:00 Producer : Acrobat Distiller 3.01 for Windows Document ID : uuid:eac780db-17a0-475e-9d5d-1b8ca83da2d3 Instance ID : uuid:4ab625cb-a681-42ed-a773-b1c4ba070acf Page Mode : UseOutlines Page Count : 380EXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools