Planet Map makes textures that don't pinch at poles !!

online (fun, limited size, few tools)    http://topps.diku.dk/torbenm/maps.msp
exe (has command line, many tools) http://hjemmesider.diku.dk/~torbenm/Planet/

if you generate map as 'square projection' with width twice height, the equirectangular map will nicely wrap a sphere without pinching at the poles...

Couple of gotchas:

fun on-line version limited to 1000x1000, so eg 800x400

You must 'save-as' its image, which only exports as BMP. So, you may have to open that in editor of your choice, re-save as much more compact JPG.

I've not tried the command-line {Shudder !!} version, but one option seems to be 'save as height map'.

As Poser could *perhaps* use such as Bump / Displacement map to enhance render of twinned texture map, I'll investigate when my hay-fever eases...,

That's an interesting find.

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I've found that to do well with any figure you really need to have a passion for that figure,

...and I hope you develop that passion for yours.

Looks like fun. Thanks

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I had a quick look. The online version seems quite fun, but the standalone is command line only. For use you should create some script templates to fill in the various parameters. That would be a way to work with it, but no fun for me, I admit.

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