[Figure 5-9] Figure elements can be set to point at a prop

Pointing an Element at a Prop
Another way to link a prop to an element is with the Object, Point At menu command. This creates a link between the two objects that only affects the object’s orientation. In some situations, this is very helpful. For example, you could use this command to have a figure’s eyes follow an object around the room or you could cause a figure’s head to rotate back and forth as if watching a tennis game. Figure 5-9 shows a figure’s neck set to follow a ball about the scene, so the ball can be used to rock the figure’s head back and forth.

The Point At command can be used between any two types of objects, so you could have figure elements follow a prop or you could have a prop rotate to follow a figure element. Props and figure elements can also be set to follow lights or camera objects. Once you have identified the Point At object, a new parameter dial, called Point At, appears in the Parameters palette. Using this dial, you can set the amount of exaggeration the object experiences in following the object.

Deleting a Point At Link
If you ever need to remove a Point At link between two objects, select the object that moves and choose the Object, Point At menu command again. In the Object Parent dialog box, choose the None button and the link is removed.

[Figure 5-10] Attached rolling pin

Attach a Prop to a Figure Element
1.         Open Poser with the default figure visible.

2.         Select File, Import, Wavefront OBJ and import the Rolling pin.obj file into the current scene.

3.         With the rolling pin item selected, click the Scale tool in the Editing Tools control. Hold down the Shift key and drag within the prop circle to uniformly reduce the size of the rolling pin prop.

4.         Select the Rotate tool from the Editing Tools and rotate the rolling pin prop until it is parallel to the figure’s right hand. Select the Translate/Pull tool to move the rolling pin prop close to the right hand.

5.         Select the right hand element and drag the Grasp and Thumb Grasp dials in the Parameters palette to close the hand’s fingers.

6.         Position and orient the rolling pin prop within the right hand. Select the right hand camera from the Camera Controls to see it up close.

7.         Select the rolling pin prop and select Object, Change Parent.

8.         Select the Right Hand element in the Change Parent dialog box that appears and click OK.

The prop will now move with the attached element, as shown in Figure 5-10.

9.         Select File, Save As and save the file as Attached rolling pin.pz3.

Make a Figure Element Point at a Prop
1.         Open Poser with the default figure visible.

2.         Select File, Import, Wavefront OBJ and import the Striped ball.obj file into the current scene.

3.         With the ball item selected, open the Parameters palette and change the Scale value to 12 to reduce the size of the ball. Then drag the xTran, yTran, and zTran dials until the ball object is in front and to the right about eye level of the figure.

4.         Select the left eyeball element and choose the Object, Point At menu command.