Lets see, where to start?

1. If they dont download completely, hit refresh.
2. The explosion is actually an "after effects" special effect that underlays the text.  It looks wayyyyy cool in full animation.  It could be rendered using the image and an alpha on a square if ya really wanted to do it in Bryce.
3. The cracked mud is a fractal terrain in bryce.  Just select that type (mud cracks) from the drop down next to "fractal" in the terrain editor and keep clicking the fractal button until you get one that suits you.  It will start large and reduce in size.  Shrink the terrain's height until the look is what you are after.  These are really kewl if you put a little water in there, but for the purpose of the intro of the dvd I wanted a total desert.  :)

Some of this is multi-render stuff.  Like displacement maps and masks and then full renders all composited together to make a sand layer in adobe after effects appear to blow over the ground and around the rocks and such.  The sand blowing is way cooler than the fire...especially the part where the logo uncovers.  Im having a little difficulty getting the effect I want from bryce for the "presents" that should follow "Brycetech" tho.  Id like the letters to protrude from a cliff after the wind blows away the surrounding sand.  Im not satisfied with the look from bryce from what I've come up with there yet tho.

:)
BT