Curious Labs Model Compatibility

Hey I've seen a lot of really awesome models on this website! I'm fairly new to 3D stuff (started about a week ago) I would like to download some models to play around with, but I'm not sure what's compatible.

I use Poser Artist and Shade 7 from Curious Labs e frontier. Under the thumbnails of the models, I see a 3D thing and it's followed by like LW and some numbers, or tS, or Max... Is any of this compatible with Poser or Shade? Or are any of these compatible with free software I could download from somewhere?

I was recommended to this site by a guy who works mainly in Poser. I found his site and e-mailed him asking about his starships and the interior scenes. He wrote me back saying he got pretty much all that material from this site. I would really appreciate it if someone could give me the 101 on what works with what I've got. I would just download everything and try it out, but I've got a slower dial-up connection: 28k, the Stone Age. Well, thanks! The work I've seen on here has all been above and beyond what I had expected, judging from previous sites I've stumbled across!

[Darrell Lawrence]

The models for Poser are marked as such. (P4, etc)

There are conversion tools available on the web for making other formats into the compatable format.

Poser best uses OBJ format.

Thanks, Warrior! I've found a fair amount of stuff marked P4, but the button to click to download is semi-transparent and I can't click it. I right-click and there's no "save target as" there's only a "save picture as" - does this happen every now and then? I signed out and signed back in, and it's still the same. I click "ACCEPT" and not "DENY" on the terms of download.

Anyway, does anyone know of some websites where I could download some interiors of starships? Or does anyone have some that they haven't uploaded here and wouldn't mind letting me play around with them? Thanks.

Takes 5 posts before being able to download at 3D Gladiators

There is a Trek site that has downloadable meshes here: http://www.trekmeshes.ch/ including starship interiors and other props.

A Google search should turn up many other such sites--it's actually pretty hard to come across a 3d site that doesn't have some downloadable trek meshes on it. Poser can import older Lightwave (.lwo) files, and 3D Studio (.3ds) files. It can not import 3DS Max files (.MAX), so avoid those. Wavefront Object (.OBJ) files can be imported pretty easily, as Warrior mentioned.

Thanks for the link, RJ! Thanks for the import tips! I don't know if Poser Artist can import .lwo files, though. I don't have an option for that...unless it's hiding somewhere! The 3DS files work for importing, but applying the textures won't work right for me. Actually, applying textures on ANY format doens't work for me. I go to Render > Materials... and I select the object and then I check the little boxes and load a texture map and a bump map. I click APPLY and then nothing happens. Nothing at all. Everything stays the same. Am I missing a step?

Thanks for the link, RJ! Thanks for the import tips! I don't know if Poser Artist can import .lwo files, though. I don't have an option for that...unless it's hiding somewhere! The 3DS files work for importing, but applying the textures won't work right for me. Actually, applying textures on ANY format doens't work for me. I go to Render > Materials... and I select the object and then I check the little boxes and load a texture map and a bump map. I click APPLY and then nothing happens. Nothing at all. Everything stays the same. Am I missing a step?

Poser Artist is the more basic version of the Poser series of programs, and checking Curious Labs website, it does not appear to be able to import .LWO files. It can handle .3DS, .OBJ, and .DXF files.

Sorry about that, I'm running Poser 6 myself, which is able to import Lightwave 5.6 files (older format .LWO)--that will teach me for not properly reading the post.

As far as textures not displaying...there are enough differences between the Poser Artist and Poser6 interface that I'm not sure how much help I can give you. I know that texture changes show up on the model in the display window only when the "Texture Shaded" Display style is chosen, or when the model is actually rendered. Simple, I know, but troubleshooting has to start somewhere.

Other than that, I'd suggest checking your manual.

[Kai]

ok here's the rundown

Poser Artist (Poser 4 Basic) - OBJ import, 3DS import.
Poser 4 / Pro Pack - Limited LWO / Max imports (things have moved on since this was published)
Poser 5 - as Poser 4 / PP
Poser 6 - as Poser 5.

Posers PP, P5 and P6 can all accept Poser 4 content. Posers 5/6 may need work in the texture room due to the change in render engine / shader system from poser 4 / PP

[arrannen]

Renderosity is an excellent place to start looking for basic poser models, as well as DAZ3D, RuntimeDNA.....Renderosity also breaks things down into searchable by Program (poser, lightwave) and further by clothing, character, morph, etc

[McAfee2000]

Poser 4 - not sure but P5 will allow you to import 3ds, and lwo files. Studiomax files are not accessible. Those dfx files are a pain, and take alot of cmputer power and time to open and convert. As for sites to find stuff to play with, DAZ is the place to start. You can get Michael 3, Victoria 3, and Aiko 3 all for FREE. You dont however get the head and body morphs which are required to customize the character, but still its a nice start. And if you can get you hands on 3D Word issue 69 at a Barnes & Noble, you can get Aiko, Aiko head and body morphs, and a lot of other cool stuff for free. It's on the free cd with the magazine. Aiko is used mostly for Anime. Other places are 3D Commune, AniMotions, Poser Club, Poser Corner, Poser Pros, Poser Universe, Renderosity - Free Stuff, Vashing Point (great scifi section), and RDNA. PoserWorld is great and has a lot of stuff for free, but requires a membership for $35 dollars for the years which is pretty good while it lasts. That should get you on your way to download heaven.