VSS for Real Dummies
Bagginsbill's Versatile Shader System (VSS) is an innovative way to save a lot of time getting your figures shaded in Poser. What follows is a dumbed-down account of a rookie (both to VSS and relatively, to Poser itself), so that those without much knowledge can at least get up and running. Actually tweaking the settings knowledgeably goes beyond the scope of this page. But by working through this, hopefully you'll get going.
Please note, however, that I can offer no support, and that I am using Poser Pro, so things may or may not be as smooth for you if you're running an older version.
For support from experienced users, please be sure to visit this thread at Renderosity. A great deal of information can be found in the thread, but it's a lot of reading....
Download and Unzip
Download both the Free Preview Release 1 and the PR2 Control Prop from the VSS home page. And of course, it's a good idea to download the supporting documents available on that page, as well.
The VSS PR1 is directory-ready; just go to your Poser folder and unzip into the runtime.
Open the PR2 and copy and paste the files into Runtime > Libraries > Props > VSSFigureProps. (Despite the instructions on the VSS home page, the PR2 doesn't simply unzip on top of the PR1 file, as it is not presently [Nov 16/08] directory-ready.)
Set It Up
Note: the following is a simplification (and in some cases, a correction) of the ReadMe, which assumes some Poser knowledge that I didn't have when I started, and I'm sure a lot of other users will be in the same boat. Thus, you will find a blend of my own text and ReadMe text here.
- Create a new Poser file, go to Props from your categories menu, and find the VSSFigureProps.
- Load the PR2Test Prop. (Note: the current ReadMe (as of Nov 16/08) says "Load the VSSGeneric prop. (Picture is two guys fighting.) This is your control prop. It has all the generic figure shader rules in it." This information is outdated, unless you want to use PR1, which has been improved upon.)
- Run the Python script from File > Run Python Script, and browse to the file in Runtime > Python > vss > vssMainButtons.py. This will load your Python Script Buttons window with VSS. I suggest you put the vss button script in your mainButtons or some other place so you don't have to locate the script over and over.
- Load at least one character - you can load multiple if you like.
- Make sure your figure has color maps loaded. Some figures come in without their skins.
- Go to Window > Python Scripts > and click Synchronize.
- Render
When to Synchronize: Unnecessary when changing lights. But you will need to synchronize when you change textures/maps.
What You Aren't Told
The above is simply instructions for VSS itself - which, as the developer insists, is not itself a shader. It is basically a shader distribution system, meaning it could be used with any Poser shader setup.
BUT BagginsBill includes shaders in the setup, and also continues to make more available. As I write, the latest is "PR3 VSS Template Skin," a .mtl file you should download and place in your Runtime in your materials library (e.g. I have it in Runtime/libraries/materials/VSS).
Case Study
Here's an account of my initial VSS adventure. What follows below are real blow-by-blow renders of my first use of VSS - in other words, the sort of thing that any user can accomplish. The character is a blend of two characters by Syltermermaid (morph from Kim; texture from Coco), with a dash of my own morphs thrown in. The first two pictures employ the unchanged lights that come up in Poser Pro when creating a new file. No other settings were altered except Render Settings (which are at a high level, using a custom preset). (Note: there is no postwork other than resizing. Images were exported as PNG files from Poser Pro and imported into Fireworks for resizing. From there, they were exported as JPEG images at 80% quality.)
The first image is the "Before" pic. You will notice that the texture is very high quality, but there are some minor problems with the render: skin is a bit too reddish, and there are unnatural glows, not least coming from the nostrils, as well as next to the left eye.
The second, "After," pic corrects these problems... although the default lights are a bit extreme, as evidenced by the exaggerated shadows below her left cheek.
Left, I've now abandoned the default Poser lights and am using the Indoor01 set from Bagginsbill. Although this set is also quite simple, the image has already improved - and I haven't so much as opened the Material room.
Right, I now add Bagginsbill's "experimental" PR3 Template Skin to the mix. This is done by going to the Material room, selecting the VSS prop, then going over to the Categories palette and double-clicking the VSS_Template_Skin from the materials submenu.
Technically, Bagginsbill's light sets are considered too bright for the later work he did on the shaders, but here I haven't toned the light set down at all. Nothing is "blown out," although one could argue it's a bit too bright for an ostensibly indoor set. I'm just doing things one step at a time and seeing what I get.
But it is at this point that, despite reading repeated reminders to use the VSS_2 prop, I realize I have been using VSS_1 - which, I guess, is why nothing looks blown out with BB's too-bright lights. But that's okay, we're still working through things. :)
Thanks again to Bagginsbill for this incredibly useful - and free! - toolset. Here's hoping that his Pro version will be released soon!