Hi Folks, I have "Poser 4.0.3" (Curious Labs) and "3DS Max 5" and I am looking for any sites, books or information that can help me utilise the two applications together ... I have searched Google but it only returns what seems to be out of date information ... All I want to do at the moment is create a walking character in Poser (using the walk designer) and, eventually, get it in to a DirectX .X file for loading in to my game engine. I am thinking that I have to import the animated character from Poser in to MAX. I then want to save the character from MAX in to a complete X file (i have the PAnda Exporter utility) so .... how do I get it in to MAX as an animated character or is there an easier way to make an X file directly fom Poser? Thanks R

Don''t know the answer to this, but try posting it @ http://www.cgtalk.com.

Great link .. thanks

R

I''m not familiar with max or the x file format, but I do use Poser quite a bit, so maybe this will be some help.

Poser can export animation files as bvh motion files. It''s a standard mocap format. Perhaps max can import bvh? Then import the model and motion separately?

But you''ve still got problems. The standard poser figures that come with poser4 (posette & the dork) have a lot of polys. Too many for practical realtime use.

In the past, the postition of Curious Labs and Daz3d has been that the models were not to be distributed in any way from which the original 3d geometry could be recreated. Which means it''s fine to derive 2d images and use the models in other programs to create 2d images, but you couldn''t use their 3d models as 3d models in a game you were making. Nor any models directly derived from their 3d models (like a reduced poly version). They''ll sick the lawyers on you for copyright violation.

I assume they haven''t changed their position. It may be that you can pay an additional licensing fee, but that would have to be negotiated with Curious Labs. From the little contact I have had with them, they seem mostly reasonable folks. See if there''s a FAQ on their web site.

JSwing

Eew... Poser...

Poser is a fine tool for folks who don't have the time, talent, or staff artist to make figures. The trick is to make the figures as different from the stock characters as you can. Pure Poser:




Back to the main topic, there are some decent free to use medium-high poly figures out there. Here's a link to some. You'd have to do the animation and texturing on your own, but it's some good material to start with.

HTH,
Jswing

[edited by - JSwing on February 12, 2003 11:16:56 AM]

Thanks for the info guys. I have been reading lots of postings on cgtalk.com too. I couldn''t help but pick up on the general concensus that Poser "sucks"

Links were excellent - I now have some models which i''m animating using the bones and character rigging tutorial in 3DS Max Help. Have also ordered Paul Steeds book ...