"St." <dot### [at] dotcom> wrote:
> "clipka" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
> news:web.4969ef3c50d34e493dcb84c80@news.povray.org...
>
>  > There's a lot of models you can get for just $1.99 apiece
>
>     Sorry, but I'll never get the 'buy the model' thing that's been
> happening for the last 8 or so years. Have you seen some of the prices?
> Damn, my comp. must be worth a fortune...

Ever thought about how much work modeling actually is? Guess why sites like
ShareCG have mostly texture work for existing models, but rarely new ones.

People doing 3D just as a hobby beside a daytime job can afford to invest some
time into it without getting paid. But people who basically spend their whole
day doing nothing but modeling - well, they need to eat, don't they? So they
make a deal with people who can't model the thing themselves, or cannot (or do
not want to) invest the time it would take them, and know the value of saving
time.

For people doing 3D as a hobby, and working on a daytime job with an
N-hours-a-week contract, the "x" in the equation "time*x==money" probably not a
constant they are too familiar with. But when you make a living with 3D work
(wheter it is modelling or just using models), it might get a lot more into
focus.

Even if you are "only" a 3D hobbyist, but have a freelancing job that gives you
a lot of freedom how many hours a week you work, it will probably make you go:
"Hm, if I buy this model for $1.99, it will save me something like 4 hours of
tedious work now (with a much uglier result, and not to speak of time saved on
projects to come), so I can instead spend the time on my job to make another
(say) $199 (e.g. to buy another 100(!) models) - or invest this time*x==money
into improving other aspects of the scene."

Or, "hell, I have invested a whole week into modeling this thing, just for that
single scene. In that time I could have earned $1990.--; maybe someone might
have some use for it in a scene of theirs, and be willing to share this
investment with me."


Some people think that sharing on a free-for-free basis is the ideal thing (like
the concept on which ShareCG seems to be founded... officially); however, you
can't eat 3D models, however free they may be, can you?

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"Jim Charter" <jrc### [at] msncom> schreef in bericht 
news:496aac12$1@news.povray.org...
> St. wrote:
>> "clipka" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message 
>> news:web.4969ef3c50d34e493dcb84c80@news.povray.org...
>>
>>  > There's a lot of models you can get for just $1.99 apiece
>>
>>     Sorry, but I'll never get the 'buy the model' thing that's been 
>> happening for the last 8 or so years.
>
>
> Me neither, but for you and me making the model is the fun part. Someone 
> else is all about the lighting or the narrative, or framing the scene,... 
> more like a director.  They don't care much about making the model but 
> it's cool that they recognize that the art should be paid for. I think 
> it's all good.

Hmm... yes and no I guess. I am not entirely convinced about the artistic 
part. I have a hunch that making bucks is the main drive behind it (and 
probably rightly so if viewed from the entrepreneur's point of view)... My 
doubts about the artistry derives mainly from the fact that the quality of 
the proposed models is rather average.

Thomas

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Overall, I agree with what you are saying here. However, I think that with a 
couple of well-built models with all the morph properties well in place, you 
can get rid of all those other - average - models that are for sale. 
Granted, there are not many of those universal models. Apollo Maximus 
approches that standard, and it is also free (!) but I have serious 
misgivings about the hundreds of average or low-quality products that swamp 
the market, imo, mostly to generate money. I am willing to spend some money 
if I really need something, but I expect first and all that the modeller has 
taken his work seriously, and hence has taken his potential customer 
seriously. That is not always the case, even with the builders of Poser and 
its standard figures.

Thomas

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"Thomas de Groot" <tDOTdegroot@interDOTnlANOTHERDOTnet> wrote:
> Overall, I agree with what you are saying here. However, I think that with a
> couple of well-built models with all the morph properties well in place, you
> can get rid of all those other - average - models that are for sale.

Depends, of course, what you want to do with them - especially how much
flexibility you have with your scene.

Of course, the 1001st face morph or sexy poses set for V4 is probably not what
this world really needs.


> Granted, there are not many of those universal models. Apollo Maximus
> approches that standard, and it is also free (!)

From what I have seen, Apollo Maximus has been discontinued...?!


> but I have serious
> misgivings about the hundreds of average or low-quality products that swamp
> the market, imo, mostly to generate money. I am willing to spend some money
> if I really need something, but I expect first and all that the modeller has
> taken his work seriously, and hence has taken his potential customer
> seriously. That is not always the case, even with the builders of Poser and
> its standard figures.

Sure, there are different levels of quality. But even the trashy ones are
sometimes better than what some people can do themselves, so even that may be
ok. Although I personally don't go for trash either, and rather pay a few bucks
more for something good (or model it myself and have fun doing it - provided
it's nothing organic, 'cause I'm usually not good at such stuff, and therefore
mostly experience a distinctive lack on the fun side trying ;))

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"clipka" <nomail@nomail> schreef in bericht 
news:web.496b1a4c50d34e492c9ab000@news.povray.org...
> Depends, of course, what you want to do with them - especially how much
> flexibility you have with your scene.
>
> Of course, the 1001st face morph or sexy poses set for V4 is probably not 
> what
> this world really needs.

All true indeed.

>
> From what I have seen, Apollo Maximus has been discontinued...?!

No, not as far as I am aware of. A bit unclear what is going on. What I 
understand is that Anton Kisiel is/was working on version 2008 (should be 
2009 by now...) but he is not reporting anymore directly to the Content 
Paradise forum. Especially now that CP has profoundly changed the forum's 
sites which makes looking for specific figures much more difficult. Rather 
stupid move if you ask me.
On the other hand, Anton's site has not been updated either, so I really 
don't know. Latest I heard was that he was refering to another site. I don't 
remember what that one was.

>
> Sure, there are different levels of quality. But even the trashy ones are
> sometimes better than what some people can do themselves, so even that may 
> be
> ok. Although I personally don't go for trash either, and rather pay a few 
> bucks
> more for something good (or model it myself and have fun doing it - 
> provided
> it's nothing organic, 'cause I'm usually not good at such stuff, and 
> therefore
> mostly experience a distinctive lack on the fun side trying ;))

Correct.

Thomas

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