Getting sets for Poser is like reading real estate ads: sounds great and the photo looks good, but you need really walk around in them to find out what they’re like. They’re never as good as they sound. Mind you, there’s theoretically nothing wrong with a set made to be used at a distance. However, I like to work into the nooks and crannies of a set. Who the heck spends their time standing out in an empty space surrounded by grand structures? Not me and not my figments, that’s for sure. I also do not do cartoon images. I like my renders realistic.
And why the heck won’t they tell us when a set is not made for closeups? Are closeups only made for interiors? GRRR.
With those requirements in mind, I have a huge beef here: a lot of interesting sets available for Poser and Studio (and even Carrara) are actually NOT made to be used up close or even in the mid distance. What makes this the case?
- low resolution textures for the surface covered: nastily blurry and artifact-y when rendered at medium distance (within about 12 Poser feet)
- edges that are too sharp and too clean on old or worn buildings
- textures that are too regular or have moire patterns
- lack of mesh detail and general boxiness
These lists will be updated periodically. I’m not finished by a long shot with this!
The Roll Call of Crummy Sets
I’m not going to bag on the freebies—you get what you pay for.
| Set Name | Creator | Marketplace | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Village | Faveral | DAZ3d | |
| Temple of the Shadows | vbarreto | Renderosity | |
| Anything from Meshbox | chikako | Renderosity, Meshbox.com | terrible textures for closeups; some people retexture with procedurals; reports of bad meshes, too. Consensus is: Avoid. |
| Anything from Cornucopia @ DAZ3d, but specifically “Riad and Old Street” | Cornucopia | DAZ3d.com | Simplistic models, too many random polys for a fixup, overly simplified textures. Consensus is: Avoid. |
Roll Call of Good Sets
None of them are perfect, but these are pretty darned good.
| Set Name | Creator | Marketplace | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jungle Ruins | Stonemason | DAZ3d | |
| Urban Sprawl | Stonemason | DAZ3d | |
| Urban Sprawl 2 | Stonemason | DAZ3d | Cars not meant for closeups, per the artist. |
| Tin Pan Alley | Stonemason | DAZ3d | Corners of some brick buildings too sharp. |
| Streets of NYC: Townhouse Row | Stonemason | DAZ3d | Don’t get up close to the stairs or concrete bannisters, they’re sharp. |
| A Quiet Street | Stonemason | DAZ3d | Looking good so far; excellent textures |
| Never Was, Never More, Never Clear. | The AntFarm | DAZ3d | My bad, AF’s stuff should not have been on the crummy list. He listened and has been good with making mods. |
| Kelly Lodge, Medieval Tavern | Faveral | DAZ3d | These sets are specifically made for close-ups and include many great props, including some of the best Poser food you’ll see. |
| Anything by Jack Tomalin, such as A Curious Retreat or Discordia | DAZ/ Jack Tomalin | DAZ3d | Excellent textures for close-ups; altogether well-crafted |
| Anything by coflek-gnorg, such as his Razor Rider series | coflek-gnorg | Renderosity | Excellent textures for close-ups; altogether well-crafted; great dystopian/sci fi sets |
August 30th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Hi, just wanted to say thanks for making the list. This issue has been bugging me too for a long time, prolly ever since I got into this 3D hobby really.
One can only hope this scene keeps growing so we get more talent making good stuff for us to play with.
Oh, stumbled over from the DAZ forums in case you were wondering
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Yes! I know you from DAZ Commons! Howdy!
If you have additions to the list, let me know. Some vendors, like TheAntFarm, pay attention to us when we comment. Always good to encourage them!