Dear Friend: How can I create an infinite terrain in Vue 6 Esprit using the proper functions and/or the fastest way? I would also appreciate if some-one could please tell me what makes a successful image? All comments are welcomed. I appreciate your help. I am sort of an amature. Sincerely, Fidelity2.

Hi!

To create an infinite ground (which is what I supose you are asking) you can use the top button on the toolbar on the left. Right click there, choose ground and then left click it to create it. But this is not exactly a "terrain", this is just the ground. A "terrain" can not be infinite. Terrains can be created on the 4th button from the top in the same toolbar. After created, you can resize it to a very big dimension but it is not infinite. But I strongly recommend that you read the manual...

Regarding your 2nd question, everyone would like to have that answer! Tell me if you find it... LOL
I know for myself that sometimes I make something I find stupid and other people like it and other times I really try to make something good and people don't like it. So, who knows?!...
Just follow your instinct and start creating. You will learn as you go.

Regards,
Artur

To create procedural terrains with infinite detail, you need to dwelve into the function editor.
First thing is to load a procedural terrain in the viewport. Double click it, and in the terrain editor, right click the function preview, and choose edit function. You land in the function editor. And the fun begins. You'll see that a fractal node is connected to the altitude output, this node computes the altitudes of the terrain, so the altitude is the result, called output. And the position of the terrain is the input, which means it's the primary data needed to compute the altitude. So the altitude is the result of the fractal node, based on the position of the terrain in the 3D space.
This fractal node can be changed for other types of noises ( see the drop down list), by default it's a Perlin noise/value. 
It takes quite some time to understand the function editor and how procedural terrains work, I suggest you buy the "procedural terrains A-Z" from cornucopia3d.com, you'll learn alot about proc terrains, the function editor, and fractals in general.
And check out JC's tutorials about the function editor at this address:
http://art-head-start.com/free-stuff.html

'Infinate'  terrains are not possible in Vue.  The closest thing is a procedural terrain.  After you have created it and made it's texture;  select the terrain, switch the top view and zoom out until you can see the circle, expand the terrain to the size of the circle.  The circle is the 'horizon'.  

A procedural terrain, or anything this big may slow your computer down.  I wouln't even try to do an ecosystem on it.  You will probably find that this size terrain is useful for high altitude scenes.   I have never used one...yet.

Be sure to take a look at the above mentioned tutorial on the function editor. 

What makes a successful image?
That's like asking "How do i succeed in life" or "How should i make money"? 
A topic worth several books.

The simple answer is that an image is successful if it involves viewers deeply on all their levels; intellect, emotion, spirit and physical perceptions.

No one has every agreed, and probably no one ever will agree on "What is art?", which is the question your question begs. Too much depends on what the viewer brings to the viewing experience for there to be any standard answer that works for everyone every time. Happily, we are all unique.

What makes a successful image maker is another good question. I'd say that is someone who successfully taps into their unique individual nature to relate their inner things to the outer world and expresses that in strong and original images. Such work can turn a few million colored dots into something with a bit of a soul.  Something that can be successfully transmitted to others visually.

There is a forum here at Renderosity on art and creativity and such.

There are a lot of "rules of thumb" and lots of principles and methods in image making (see my book) and visual communication, but all rules are regurally broken successfully by artists - so they are really only guidlines.

Learning to see keenly and be an excellent observer helps a lot - and i recommend digital photography (with instant feedback to what you got Vs your intention) as a good method of learning to see.

Infinite terrains are made by selecting the world mapping mode in the terrain editor. This is not to be confused with the mapping mode that is used for the material. Make a procedural terrain, zero the edges, select world mapping mode and hit okay. Then go into the viewport and stretch the terrain on the X or Y direction as much as you want.

Disagree, CobraEye, if you use "world standard" for the function, and resize tor move he terrain, you're gonna get the jaggies everywhere! Stick to "object parametric" if you want your terrain to keep it's original form if you stretch it, shink it, rotate it or move it.

Bruno I have done renders that prove otherwise.  In fact the manual even says to try this as a technique for procedural terrains.

It will only look like jaggies in the terrain editor view, but in the render view it will look awesome.

This technique has been discussed often.  The only thing different now is that there are 2 mapping modes (it makes more sense) one for the material and one for the procedural terrain function output.

If you want you can have world mapping for both and have the same function drive the material and the terrain.  Of course the function would have to be copied over to the other control.

Will give it a try CobraEye. Thanks.