I have a goose I'm building. I created all its parts from splines with smooth points and put the goose together, then exported out as .dxf...then on import, all parts are now welded. Polygon count is too high! 86,495 polygons, red when selected in modeler, like a christmas tree! The vertice count is 48,166. Ugh! I can't even desimate it, my computer can't handle it. What are some suggestions in the modeling stage that would help me to lower the polygon count on my models? I included a render of the goose. r.

Oh no, a response to my own question! Anyway, I'll get over it. I noticed that models from Daz, Poser models, are made from rectangle, four sided polygons. And the ones I make in Carrara are triangles... Does it make a difference? R.

Like the old song about lobsters and crabs, carrara makes triangles and poser likes rectangles and never the two should they mate. ... but I think you might look at external programs to convert triangles to rectangles. Finding a program that could convert to rects MIGHT be the answer. Doesn't Maz(objaction) have something like this? Very nice model by the way.

I think the triangle/rectangle thing does not matter much. (actually, one side more, should that increase the polygon count? ;-) When you model in the Vertex Modeller (which I am learning) you can make a start with much less polygons. Recently I exported an .obj from a Vertex Modelled pillow (for UVMapper) with the slider set to 200. I almost blew up my double processor Mac trying to convert the resulting pdf to a .psd. Setting the slider to 0 still gets me a pillow (it is a subdivision smoothed thing), and the poly count almost looks professional. So maybe the export options are something to consider.

Thanks for both repiles. I am looking at doing it all over, and whatching how many smooth points I use. The smooth points seemed to increase the polygon cound from the spline modeler. The Vertex Model system doesn't create as many polygons as does the Spline...and I haven't been able to control the polygon count from the spline modeler. I tried exporting the model, and on import, lowering the poly-count... but as low as I could get it was around 57,000 polygons. Still too high. Daz 3D has a bat model that they rendered in wire frame, beautiful! I don't care much if it's rectangles or triangles, but when I see a model like the bat, wow! I'm inspired. R.

Poser can handle triangles or rectangles, it doesn't matter, but rectangles will tend to give you a lower poly count - it takes two triangles to make a rectangle (ok, it doesn't quite work like that but you get the idea). What Poser definitely doesn't like is polys with more than four sides. There's a program called DePent which will get rid of any of these 5+ sided polys. It's by A Appleyard and I think should be available in his free stuff here at Renderosity. If you're serious about making models for Poser then a really good book is 'Secrets of Figure Creation with Poser 5' by B L Render ('bloodsong' here at Renderosity). It doesn't teach you modeling but deals with all the problems of actually getting your model into Poser. HTH Mark

The spline modeler definatly creates a VERY high poly count when converted. I would sugest following Hoofdcommissaris advise and re-create in the vertex modeler. I don't think it would be that tough, and you would have the added advantage of being able to do your UV mapping with the new UV editor in the vertex room! Maybe convert your model to vertex, (do a save as,) recreate a lower poly-count model right besides it, (saving as frequently!) and then exporting the final object as an OBJ file instead of a DXF file. DXF is a notoriously BAD file to transfer between programs... even though that IS WHAT IT WAS MADE FOR! (The software gods were LOL-ing THAT day!) Good luck!

Great suggestions. Poser is not my final destination. I would rather work in Carrera! I'm just interested in modeling excellent fish, birds, and animals... I'm off to work in the vertex modeler. Thanks.

NOTE: I was looking in to trying to import AI into the spline modeler a couple of weeks ago, move that into the vertex modeler, flatten it, remove excess vertex lines and try organic extrusion with it, but I think after playing with that, I think it's easier to just create a polyline and extrude that.