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The model used in this tutorial has just been made available at the DAZ3D Store

This image was created by Cris Palomino using the 'Stephanie' mesh as a starting point.

You can see more at Poser Arcana

PREVENTING POSER-LONG NECK SYNDROME
HOW TO MAKE MORPH TARGETS WITHOUT GETTING LONG-NECK
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BEFORE YOU START

To complete this tutorial you will need the following:

1. Any DAZ person. For this tutorial I used 'Stephanie'
2. The FULL version of ZBrush 1.23B (available at DAZ3D store)

If you do not own the full ZBrush 1.23B, I recommend downloading their DEMO available
from Pixologic here. For this tutorial you MUST have the full version to be able to use the import/polymesh function

It is assumed that you will have a basic working knowledge of Poser and ZBrush and that you are familiar with the general interface in both applications. This is a PC tutorial and has not been tested on a Mac.

WHY DO THIS TUTORIAL

Figure 1.

'Poser long neck' is a very serious complaint and scientists don't fully understand it (well, I don't). The general thought is that it is caused when a ZBrush user exports a head from Poser and uses it in ZBrush to create a morph target. The 'thought' being that ZBrush has caused it!

Alas, as with so much in todays society, this is an urban legend and I can quantify that with the following explanation.

It is possible to get the 'Poser long neck' problem without ever going into ZBrush. It can occur by simply exporting a head from Poser then without editing it (the OBJ file) in any way, reuse the file as a morph target and hey presto...long neck!

NOTE: If you have no idea what I am talking about then you have been doing it right from the beginning and don't really need to go any further. Just thank your lucky stars that you don't suffer from Zbrushicus Stretchhedicus

Figure 2. The spikes were done on the head in ZBrush

IT'S IN THE SETTINGS

The effect (we think) is caused when the OBJ head is exported from Poser. An OBJ is simple a text file with a whole load of references to points in a virtual space.

The fact that the head is doing the morph (Figure 2) but also 'moving' would suggest that the model is trying to put the head wherever the OBJ file is telling it to.

Get the export right at the start, and the problem is solved.

THE EXPORT SETTINGS

1. Go into Poser and load the figure you wish to create a Morph target for.

2. Use FILE>EXPORT>WAVEFRONT OBJ

3. You should get the dialog asking is you want single or multiple frame.

Click Single frame

Figure 3.

4. The next dialog box should be the :
HIERARCHY SELECTION BOX

(See Figure 4 and 5)

This is where we select what parts of the body we will be using to create the OBJ file that we will take into ZBrush.

5. Uncheck FIGURE 1 in the Hierarchy box (it has the tiny leonardo figure next to it). This switches off the whole figure.

6. Make sure the GROUND is switched off.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

7. Now, look down the list of parts and locate HEAD.

Switch this back on.

NOTE: Do not make an exported OBJ file with anything else switched on if you wish to reuse the file as a morph target. It would be fine if you wanted to use it in ZBrush for an image but it would not work as a morph target.

Figure 5. shows how the dialog box should look at this stage. The only two boxes that are checked are universe and head. The OBJ file that is created now uses the universe as a reference point to put the morph back in the right place and prevents it from long-necking.

8. At the next dialog tick

weld body part seams

and

as morph target.

If you don't use WELD you can get funny results at the neck line.

9.Save the export as HEAD.OBJ

Figure 6.

You can test this now by using the unchanged HEAD.OBJ file as a morph target or continue on to create a morph in ZBrush. These points are covered in my earlier tutorials available here

To use the morph target:

-click onto the models head.

-at the prompt use ADD MORPH TARGET.

-Select your HEAD.OBJ or the name of the morphed version from ZBrush

-Change the Morph name to ZBrush Morph (or similar)

-The morph dial will appear with the name you chose.

-Scroll the dial to your own preference to get the Morph to work.

I did a quick one below to prove that I have found the cure for long-neck and I await the letter from the NOBEL foundation :)

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