Here is the response I got from DAZ for anyone else who might have the same problem: "Try going to your Bryce folder, and deleting the Bryce 5.DTA file. Unfortunately, recent security updates on Windows XP, or some other facet of XP, have started to corrupt the file where Bryce stores its Serial Number information. This tends to be sporadic, and computer-specific, and we have not been able to duplicate the problem. Deleting the Bryce.dta file in your Bryce folder will allow you to enter the Serial Number and open the program. The .DTA file is hidden, so you will have to have hidden files enabled in your Folder Options. Please note that unfortunately, we do not have a fix for this issue, so you may have to continue to delete the .DTA file, and re-enter your Serial Number each time this happens" I did as instructed and it worked. I haven't tried to launch Bryce 5 yet today, but at least we know what to do. Maybe they'll make a patch for it. I'm still having the problem of the materials looking washed out. I found a workaround though. I open a Bryce scene that was saved before the problems began, and import my figure into that scene, apply the materials, and save the scene with a different name.