The Apollo Maximus 3D human figure represents a significant and free resource within the digital art community, specifically for users of Poser and Daz Studio software. This complete 3D character solution is offered at no cost, providing artists with a polymesh model designed for high-quality rendering and efficient resource management. The figure includes a diverse set of tools for character creation, such as body and face morphs, scaling dials, and expression controls, allowing for the generation of hundreds of unique human and non-human characters of various shapes, weights, ethnicities, genders, and ages. Unlike many other 3D freebies, Apollo Maximus is positioned as a complete package, featuring detailed modeling, texturing, and bending capabilities that are optimized for use with Poser 4, 5, 6, 7, Figure Artist, and Daz Studio.
The core offering of Apollo Maximus is its extensive library of morphing and shaping tools. All morph targets are fully reversible, enabling artists to experiment with positive and negative values to create realistic and functional shape variations. This flexibility supports the creation of a wide range of character types without the need for additional purchases. The package is noted for being resource-friendly, offering efficient memory, storage, and system performance compared to other human figures available for the same software platforms. This makes it particularly valuable for artists working on systems with varying hardware capabilities.
In addition to the base figure, Apollo Maximus is supported by a substantial collection of free add-ons and community-created content. These freebies expand the figure's utility through additional morphs, poses, textures, and accessories. For example, the download page includes free Python scripts that enhance functionality within Poser and Daz Studio. One such script, MultiplyMorphPose.py, allows users to adjust the strength of figure morph poses by a desired percentage, creating new pose files with the modified strength. Another script, SetMorphDialTrackingScale.py, is also available for use with the figure's content files.
The community-driven ecosystem around Apollo Maximus has generated a wide array of supplementary freebies. These include character packs such as "100 Free Characters for Apollo Maximus" and "100 Free Characters for Cole for Apollo Maximus," which require Poser 4.0 or higher, Daz Studio, and the Apollo Maximus figure. Additional free resources available from various sources comprise: * Face and Expression Morphs: Packs like "Apollo Expressions & Faces" and "Apollo Faces 1" and "2," which provide further options for character customization. * Poses: Numerous pose sets, such as "Carodan ADS Poses," "Carodan AM06 ADS Poses 02," "Carodan AM07 ADS Poses 01," "02," and "03," and "Carodan Apollo Misc Morphs." * Clothing and Accessories: Items like "HorseFeather's (April's) Fabu 'Grubby Boots' Freebie" for the Boots02 conforming clothing figure, which is part of the free Epic Clothing Library Volume 03 download and includes a Daz Studio version for the default texture. * Thematic and Style Add-ons: Content such as "MoonToons for Apollo Maximus/Cole" and "Physiognomy for ApolloMaximus," which offer stylistic variations for the base figure. * Specialized Morphs: Options like "Female Body Morph for Apollo Maximus" and "Free Jack Morphs for Apollo Maximus 2007" to further diversify character creation.
It is important for users to note the terms associated with redistributing modified content. For instance, when weight mapping or modifying the Apollo Maximus figure, the resulting .cr2 file is permitted to be redistributed only as part of an Apollo Maximus clothing product, freebie, or .cr2 Character product. This ensures that the core figure's integrity is maintained while allowing for creative expansion within the community.
The figure is designed with practical considerations for digital artists. It includes a "Genitals off" option within the Utility Pose section, providing flexibility for different artistic needs and content ratings. Furthermore, user discussions indicate that for optimal performance with newer software versions like Poser Pro 2012, it may be advisable to use updated lighting and skin shaders, as the figure's original shaders might not be fully compatible with the latest renderer updates.
Accessing Apollo Maximus and its associated freebies typically involves visiting the creator's official download page or community hubs like Renderosity, ShareCG, and archived blog posts. Many of the linked resources, such as those on ShareCG, may be noted as dead links, indicating that the availability of specific add-ons can change over time. Artists are encouraged to verify the current status of these links and explore the Renderosity forums for the most up-to-date community discussions and content sharing.
In summary, Apollo Maximus serves as a foundational, high-quality, and free 3D human figure for the Poser and Daz Studio ecosystems. Its comprehensive set of morphing tools, efficient design, and extensive library of community-created freebies make it a valuable asset for digital artists seeking to create diverse characters without financial investment. The ongoing community support and content generation continue to expand its utility, reinforcing its position as a key free resource in the 3D art world.