What phase is really is distortion controlled via the slider applied to the underlying noise. It is great for adding natural undulations for tree bark and water waves, for example. Eric Wenger designed Bryce with a musical background in mind and the DTE is analogous to a big music synthesizer - you have a noise (like rnd continuous) which you distort via phase (say 2d sine noise) and apply an envelope (filter - like smooth clip ax+b) and save as patch (texture). Also the blend modes are just like the patch cords used to blend two patches on an old synthesizer. That's also why in the noise dialogs he has octaves - again octaves come from music. In music each octave is the same note a full step above on the scale. In reality each octave doubles the complexity of the previous octave. Octaves are great for adding detail to a noise but they cost you in render time. Thus endeth the quickie DTE history lesson - hehe : ) Scott