I just recently ordered Poser4 (should be comming any day now) but I hesitated on ordering a suppliment program because I was unsure of what was a good choice. Do you recomend Bryce or some other program? 3d Studio Max seems spendy. I can get Bryce for $88 and 3d Studio Max for $800.

Attached Link: http://www.creationengine.com/html/action.lasso?-database=products.fm&-layout=w&-response=prcat_f3d

I got the prices wrong. At CreationEngine.com I can get the following programs at the following prices: Bryce5 $86 3ds max 4 & Character Studio $849 Lightwave is a whopping $1995

It all depends on what you want to do. If you are going to concentrate on producing textured scenes then I would suggest Bryce. If in addition you want to create 3D models then you will need Max or an equivalent modeling program.

What I basically want to do is to make flash movies using Poser characters. In addition to these movies I want to have things like desktop images featuring these characters. However, this is the "hobby" stuff I want to do. Professionally I wanted to make web graphics, box art, book covers, etc. I am a web/graphic designer.

Don't forget Vue 4. It's a great program and it renders faster than Bryce.

Attached Link: http://www.sams3d.com/Freebies1.htm

you also might want to check out Vue d'Esprit, excellent program for landscaping and abstract as well, you can download there demo and try it too. Sharen PS: go get some freebies from our site, some are poseable, try them out with your new poser, any questions just ask. Sharen

I really like Vue d'Esprit going from the promotional thing on its page. It's got all the features that I want and I don't need a student discount in order to afford it. It seems that that Vue d'Esprit will satisfy my needs until I want to start doing interiors and fashioning my own objects, correct? Heh heh... right now it looks like my movies will have to be set outdoors. XD One more quick question: do I need to upgrade my computer? Here are its relevent specs: Pentium III 450Mhz 8 gig hard drive (about 2/3 full) 523 RAM (I think... my computer at least claims that in system information) And thanks for the support on my impending flood of Poser questions. I can't wait until I get it but I already realize that I should have gotten the Pro Pack. Oh well. I can order that with Vue d'Esprit I suppose. :p

Oh yeah another good thing about Vue is that it will import Poser Pz3 files... a whole scene from Poser... textures and all. Vue can do interiors just as well as out door scenes. Its just that it does landscapes so well its hard not to focus on that. I'd get a bigger hard drive... especially after you get Vue and Poser. If you are like me you'll wind up with loads of props and scenes and wips. Maybe a Recordable cdrom... its a cheap form of storage.

Attached Link: http://www.sams3d.com/Tutorial.htm

You are going to love Vue, really love it and poser works so good with it. Pro Pack is not really that different than Poser 4, I have both and still mostly use Poser 4. If you are going to articulate newly created models in comes in handy with the bone structure, but really if you know what you are doing you will do fine with Poser 4. You should download my tutorial, it is free, and it will help you understand poser better and how to make objects poseable. Have a good one.....Sharen

oh yes, cybermonk is right,you might want to save your money for a cd burner to save all those great things you will create, maybe hold off on Pro Pack, I hear a new one might be just around the corner too...Sharen But definately walk, no run to get VUE

I have Bryce 5 and Vue 4 and between the two I think I like Vue best. You will also want to pick up the Pro Pack. I have Lightwave 6.5b but I'm spending a lot of time learning Cinema 4D....you might want to think about those instead of 3D Studio Max. The main thing is to do lots of research. Make a list of what you expect a program to do and go from there. Marque

Attached Link: http://ivalice.org

Oh wow you guys are great. I am so glad I found this place. Otherwise I'd be clueless. I do have plans on getting a CDRW... but I can get by abusing the network I have and using other's computers with CDRW's to do my dirty work. As for the bigger hard drive, I kinda expected to have to upgrade. It barely is enough to hold all my web projects. I think I am going to get Vue 4 after I manage to scrape up enough cash to get that new hard drive. I just bought Adobe Web Collection (my damn computer spazzed and I had to format the entire thing- only to find out my Adobe Photoshop Disk was cracked o.o;;;) so I am kinda short on cash. But *yay* to me realizing I can get a student discount. Instead of paying $999 I only paid $299. All they needed was my schedual from my university. Thanks again guys. If you want something web page related done for you, just ask. It's the only way I can help you guys out.

Glad to have you aboard....this place has wonderful people you will feel like this is your own special family. I love it here. Sharen

Okay, on the subject of Vue...you guys have got me curious. As a Bryce user, will I understand Vue fairly quickly or is the learning curve harder than Bryce. What do I do with all of the bryce files I have saved (scenes)...will vue import the entire scene or do I need to always have bryce on hand for those? (limited HD space here too!) Thanks!

Bia: The VUE interface (I think) is more intuitive than Bryce and most ex-Brycers seem to have adapted to it fairly easily . . .Vue can import Poser Files (among others) but cannot import Bryce files . . . so keep Bryce around for old files. . .

thanks for that. maybe they will have a bryce file import feature in the future. I will check it out and see if they have a demo to try. I get frustrated with Bryce sometimes because colors and textures don't always import properly for me. I have been rendering things in Poser lately, but that is also kind of limiting, and frustrating at certain time... lights/shadows, etc... But I think I like rendering in Poser many things more than I do Bryce right now... Thanks so much. :)

Bia, you will love it, while you wait for your copy, download the demo and try it out...it is different then Bryce and will take a little time to get use to...I have Bryce too, I like Bryce, but Vue....yahoo...it is nice. But it took me some time to get use to the different interface. Sharen

Bia the material editor is way cool in Vue. It is so much easier to use for me than Bryce. I mean even I have been able to make decent procedual textures in Vue. I started out with Bryce but am now after only a short time a confirmed Vue addict. I don't think you'll have any problem transitioning from Bryce.

Mac or Windows? It makes a difference, you know.

Welcome. Actually, what to get depends on your long term plans on what you are going to do with the new program. I have bryce, and like it alot. Of course, an older version of Bryce was my first "3d" program. The price you are quoting for 3dsMas is freaking fantastic....I have Max...With all the plugins out there for it, well, it can do just about anything!!! Sadly, the learning curve is steep. Why don't you check out the Max gallery, here...and the Vue, and Bryce galleries, as well, and then, make up your mind. Good luck, and, happy choosing. Poppi

Get 3D Explorer - it's cheap and a good all around format converter for 3d objects. Also, get UV Mapper - it's free and a really handy tool for mapping objects for textures. The two work well together ... one to reformat some odd types of files, and the other to texture them.

Thanks guys... as for 3d explorer. I have always heard great things about it. I just haven't gotten it yet. Money, money, money... still, it probably doesn't convert Br4 files...but I am thinking about a second hard drive and once I do that, I can have Bryce and Vue and not worry so much. Now, it's time to put some things on CD's. geeze, I thought I would never fill 10gig HD...but now I need 40gig I think! LOL...