Review: Poser 11

Steve Caplin

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The figure modeling program Poser has found new sophistication with each update, and version 11 brings a raft of new functionality that makes the results even more realistic.

Improved Skin Tones

The most impressive enhancement is the SuperFly rendering engine, which uses subsurface scattering to produce flesh tones that look more like real, translucent skin. Even without performing a lengthy render, the Preview mode displays high quality results in real time, although such elements as complex hair show only as wireframes until fully rendered.

The new Direct Manipulation tool offers clear controls for moving a body part- but unadvertently click on a nose and you’ll move that instead.

More Intuitive Tool Options

Users who have always had trouble with Poser’s four separate Twist, Translate, Translate In/Out, and Rotate tools will be pleased to see that the Direct Manipulation tool now includes bold arrows and rings that allow any selected body part to be moved or rotated in any direction, which is a far more intuitive approach. Interestingly, this tool also works on sub-elements such as chins and noses, which has the advantage of allowing faces to be remodeled on the fly. Unfortunately, this also means that the task of selecting an entire head is now that much harder, as other features keep getting in the way.

Interface Tweaks

There have been a few more interface tweaks, including a new Actor Selection History tool that lets you step back and forth between the history states of different models, and custom parameter palettes that let you specify your favorite parameter dials so they’re always handy. This is significant, as some of the figures include dozens of controls for every aspect of facial shape and expression. In addition, you can now customize hot keys to perform the tasks you choose most frequently. An optional Auto-Save allows you to set the period between saves.

The Comic Book setting allows for varying strokes, as well as definable fill colors

The Comic Book setting, much valued by comic artists, has been overhauled to produce black-and-white or color artwork with outline inks, and with the new ability to specify the weight of the ink independently for different parts of the figure. Two new male and female figures, Paul and Pauline, are also bundled with the application, although it’s not clear how these differ substantially from the several existing figures.

Rendered images can be striking, with realistic skin texture that reflects and refracts light accurately.

Materials

Materials also get a boost in this version, with volumetric materials affecting the way light passes through fog or smoke, as well as ‘caustics’ simulating light reflection and refraction. New area lights mimic a soft box, producing much softer shadows.

Multiple models and backgrounds can be combined, and it’s now easier than ever to select one and modify its pose.

Performance Improvements

The whole app now feels much snappier, with speedier manipulation when multiple figures and objects are incorporated into a single scene. This was an area where there used to be a noticeable lag, and the speed boost is a big improvement.

Installing Poser 11

Poser 11 is a vast download. Nine separate download files weigh in at over 6.5 Gb, so you’ll need a fast connection. A drawback here is that each of the download files needs to be installed independently, and each installation involves clicking four buttons and typing in your password; two further update files are required immediately after the installation.

But all that download space contains a vast amount of content. In addition to a dozen human figures, you get robots, several dinosaurs, a large number of animals and insects, plus skeletons, anatomical models, and a range of cartoon figures. These include several doe-eyed Manga-style figures beloved of Japanese comic book artists.

The Sketch styles are smoothly rendered, producing effective grayscale illustrations.

A Wide Variety of Content to Work With

There’s so much content here that sometimes it’s hard to figure out just what to use where. There’s a range of sci-fi costumes, for instance, but they only fit one of the figures; some figures have every accessory from sunglasses and watches down to socks, whereas others have only the most basic attire; and hair from one figure won’t necessarily fit another. Of course, that’s where the stores come in. They allow you to download and purchase new props and elements—and you can do so directly from within the program.

Poser also comes with a large selection of vehicles, furniture, backgrounds, locations, plants, robots, and much more. The level of detail is sometimes extraordinary: choose the Robot Shark model, for instance, and you then have the choice of two different engines, eight different weapons and seven different side panels.

Pick a Robot Shark, then choose from the range of weaponized accessories.

Room for Improvement

Although Poser has made huge leaps forward over the years, there are many perplexing behaviors that fail to be addressed with each upgrade. To take just one example: the program launches with the bizarre androgynous stickman figure named, for legacy reasons, Andy2. You can of course change him to any figure you like, but rather than taking on the new name he continues to be referred to in menus as Andy2. Adding clothing or hair is a simple enough matter of double-clicking the item in the Library, but that’s not enough as it won’t be attached to the figure: moving a body part will leave the clothing or hair behind, as each additional item has to be specifically told to Conform to Andy2. When there’s only one figure on the stage, this step seems wholly unnecessary.

Poser’s Power Comes with a Learning Curve

Poser is a huge, sprawling, complex app that’s notoriously difficult for the beginner to break into. Each new additional figure, technique and prop has been added onto the increasingly lengthy list. Before you can start posing you have to wade through a list of 19 different basic figures (not including a further 21 legacy figures), sometimes choosing from three or four variants – do you pick SimonG2, SimonG2_alternate, SimonG2_Casual or SimonG2_dev? Or do you take the plunge and opt for SimonG2_Genitals?

There’s no doubting Poser’s power, and its ability to create spectacular images in the right hands. But beginners are likely to be put off by a learning curve that’s so steep it’s almost insurmountable.