Hi gang,  How does Carrara 5 pro compare to Vue 5 Esprit (Circa 2004) as far as landscape, water, sky, trees, plants etc.

I have Vue 5 Esprit--had it for about two years and still haven't learned everything in there.  Every time I learn something new, two more things come up that I need to figure out.

--- and how does C5P compare with Studio 2 as far as vertex modeling is comcerned (studio 2 is 2002 vintage Carrara) eg easier to see and grab the polys you want to deform?  Jan

A couple of plugins help.

http://www.tutengraphics.com/tblib.php?lib=Computer%20Artwork/Carrara%205%20Pro%20Images

Patrick, thanks for the info.  The plants appear to be somewhat better than VUE5 (apparently can develop some yourself-when mine finally arrives, I'll find out how much I can do myself).

Hmm a lot of people are using geocontrol--I assume a plugin??  Need to check that out.  Probably Carrara's manual (I think I get one since its a boxed version) will state what plugins will work or perhaps there are some on the disc/s.   I'm too darn old to be bouncing between a darn .pdf and the work area-need a manual to look at-my RAM is better than the computer's-book marks work.  Jan

No manual in the boxed version, but I found a place for .04 a page and simply had the manuals printed and bound in a nice wide spiral binding.  Actually in 3 since its nearly 700 pages.  I just got the VTC carrara tutorial haven't gotten through alot of it yet but I really like it so far.

Thanks Xerxes.  Well, the only portion I have problems with is vectoring, been doing splines since 1997 when it was Raydream, got the manual for that.  I'll found that everything else is more or less the same (Poser, Vue 5).  If you are able to do something in there, it probably can be done in Carrara.  I'll just print out the vertex modeling portion.  geesh--Jan 

Here is the source for most of the plugins I use. Terrain Tools can be used for the water's edge foam. Shader Ops for Fake Fresnel, lots of control there.[

http://digitalcarversguild.com/](http://digitalcarversguild.com/)

GeoControl is a standalone terrain generator, used by Vue & TerraGen artists also.

http://www.cajomi.de/GeoControl/geocontrol.htm

Here's a tutorial for creating custom plants in Carrara.

http://forums.polyloop.net/carrara-tutorials/5835-custom-leaf-photo-uv-map-tutorial.html

For Carrara Pro 5, I'd recommend GeoControl.

Patrick and Shonner, guys thanks for that info.  While I'm waiting for me snail mail to arrive, I'll take a very good look at the stuff.  Jan

Patrick, I examined your tutorial @ polyloop.net.  ---is extremely easy to follow and the results look great.  You "dun" a great job with that tut!!---Jan

Now the wait for "me" manual less copy--still wonder why they would place just a tiny disc inside a big empty box (maybe the the box tain't that big).  Jan