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Poser Basics - OBJ Files

OBJ Files (CR2) are Mesh Objects

The Geometries folder contains several dozen subfolders with names corresponding to Poser figures. Each of these subfolders contains OBJ files, each of which is a mesh object, e.g. a set of polygons arranged so as to form the desired shape. These polygons are placed into different groups that define important subdivisions within the mesh (such as body parts, also known as actors). In order to work with Poser, these groups must have specific names, such as hip, abdomen, etc. Poser groups do not require such specific naming conventions; figures created using the Setup room could have groups named, for example, Bone_1.

The OBJ file itself does not contain enough information to allow Poser to produce all of the mesh object's properties, hence the presence of CR2 and other files that provide supplemental information. Poser files can contain embedded information that would normally reside within the OBJ file. This is why many prop downloads do not include an OBJ file.

Some native Poser files normally refer to an underlying OBJ geometry file, which is also in text format. Native Poser files describe parameters controllable within Poser, such as size, position, textures, etc. One OBJ file can have more than one Poser file pointing to it. This happens, for example, if a modified prop, character, etc. is saved to the Library under a different name and/or location.

Character Files (CR2) Govern Figures

Character (CR2) files contain Poser-specific details such as size, position, pose, textures, proportions, etc. and also control the dials that change the figure. Normally, one CR2 file governs a single figure. By combining the OBJ mesh information with the CR2 details, Poser can create customized poseable figures.

Some Poser files (pose, face, hands, etc.) work by modifying the CR2 itself. Poses, faces, and hands are already described within the CR2, however applying the data contained in one of these files changes the corresponding values within the CR2 file itself. These applied CR2 changes are then saved to the Poser scene (PZ3) file. If the user saves the modified character in the Library, the modified information gets written to a new CR2 file.

PZ3 files are similar enough to CR2 files to allow changing a PZ3 extension for a given scene file to CR2, thereby creating a new character complete with its associated props, hair, etc.

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