Vue does the nicest looking isands I've ever seen.. good enough and used for the Pirates of the Carribean movies as well.

if you are looking to buy one, go for vue 6 infinite, not 5.. if has the cool eco and plants painting, which is MUCH easier to make things look exactly how YOU want, not how the software wants.

Also, rather then making one BIG complete island, why not break it up into "sets"? That will be much easier on your system resources, and it's exactly what TV shows do as well.

Way too many people take way too many things way too seriously.