Wow! Great extended metaphor! Blindfold, flashlights, all that! Tempest - welcome! This is absolutely the place for help and support. I've just moved into RDS 5.5 myself, and even though many of the people in this forum are in Carrara, now, most of the techniques still apply. I guess the basic code in both programs is the same. Best advice from me is to do the tutorial in the manual; it's a great way to get a feel for all the tools. Then, try something on your own. (You might want to avoid trying to move models back and forth between Bryce and RDS, for a while, though, just to get the hang of RDS on its own.) Post it here, ask questions, be open to critique and suggestions, rework it, repost it, lather, rinse, repeat! I've learned so much here, it's amazing. Look forward to seeing your work and getting your input, too!