Someone may have always done this so sorry for any repeat. The attached pic is a demonstration of using Bryce 4's panarama render mapped onto the inside of a sphere to create a crowded scene. The left side shows the final render while the right show the scene in line render mode to show how few props were used to make the scene. This was rendered in poser. The process is very simple though you do need to create a higher poly sphere than what Poser gives you and you need to map the sphere with spherical coords. Also the render should be fairly high res. The map for this was 2000x1500. I'm setting up a city now and want to see how that will render. If that looks good then making a crowded city scene would be very simple.

Fantastic idea Mason! I can think of many uses for that! Thanks :) Styxx

Wow, that's impressive, i'm looking for a cityscape for a penthouse apt. prop. can't wait to see it

Looks great. I can imagine also putting spheres within spheres, with some of the spheres having transparency maps to provide depth (which is a trick used by model railroaders.)

Azl. Yes that would work too and also give a 3d type effect with shifting layers. I'm also working on some billboard tree and bush props that are just rectangelse with trees and bushes on them with transparency. That way you could litter the back field of the scene with these for very few polygons. I'll try the sphere withing a sphere idea too. Rendering just a ring of trees and bushes then making an alpha map for those you could run a few layers deep and turn them so they don't line up to get a thick forest.

Thats why I love this forum, you guys keep comming up with better ways to do things. Can't wait to get home and try this out! Thanks