it sounds to me like you would do better using a different program. when poser 5 came out, so many people were having problems with it that i didn't get it. i saved up for a few more months and purchased lightwave. and, i certainly am glad, glad, glad, that i did. i can make my own skies, clouds, models, textures...all of it...uniquely mine. lw animates, too. you might want to invest in bryce. that will do all the basic terrains, clouds, backgrounds, etc. that you sound like you need. i was really frustrated with poser, myself. and, i was rendering everything in bryce, anyway. poser is very, very time consuming....i can build a whole model in less time than i can put together a poser render i like well enough to upload to the gallery.