I thought I would share my impressions after using the demos of Bryce 5 and Vue 4; after all I did post asking opinions several weeks ago. I will break it up into categories. Interface Vue easy to work with, didnt really need much help Bryce needed a little help not that it was bad, just different. My big complaint is that the working window in Bryce is so small. Three things in my opinion need to be done with the Bryce interface (1) needs to be made larger! (2) need multiple views 4 pane, like a Bryce pro-pack (3) need some type of object tree like in Vue, and the layers too. I found it sometimes difficult to go back and select an object in close vicinity to another object in Bryce (there might be some way to do this, but I didnt see it). Working around Vue not bad. Liked the ability to place objects, but then again the 4 views helped. Bryce not bad either, but I had a somewhat difficult time precisely placing things (trees) mainly due to the fact of switching views to do it without the other views for reference. Which brings me to a confusing point (for me anyways) Why is there a director and camera view? Do we really need a director view? Vue doesnt have one, and I dont know why it would. What exactly is the point? Objects manipulation In general, it seems like in Bryce it might take a few more clicks to accomplish the same thing as in Vue. For example, creating a fractured piece from a (glass) sphere Boolean operation. But I really wouldnt consider this a main drawback or difference Rendering This was the funny part. I recently picked up Computer Arts Mag and it had reviews of Vue 4 (4 stars) and Bryce 5 (4 stars). It stated that the rendering in Bryce could be better. For Vue, it states good quality rendering. I think its just the opposite. I found Bryce to render, in general, superior to Vue. Sure, if I knew what I was doing I could probably super tweak the settings (of Vue) and get the quality the same, but Im talking using their default and higher quality settings. Side by side for each type, Bryce was better, IMO. As for the speed thing, when you dial up those settings in Vue to get a really good quality, it takes just about as long as Bryce. So I think the rendering time issue needs to compare apples to apples, which I dont think it did in the magazine. Dont get me wrong, I think both could use a faster rendering engine. So which one am I going t buy. I still dont know. I love the quality of the Bryce renderings, theyre awesome, and I could learn to live with some of the other things that bother me in bryce (small interface, one view at a time), but I do like the ease of use and interface of Vue, I just wish the render quality were better. And, in the end, after playing with the demos some more, I think the quality of the render will ultimately sway me one way or another. I just wish I knew of the future plans for each, which might help my decision. Thanks for listening, Chris

I've found that Vue is surprisingly similar to 3DS Max in many respects, both subtle, and other.... Vue is a much better "working" app than Bryce, if for no reason other than the fact that the interface makes sense, and is easy and quick to use. The "World Browser" seems to be based loosely on Windows Explorer, more or less. I can't help but feel that the people at Corel who designed Bryce did so to for no other reason than that their bosses told them to do so, and to get it ready for release... a few fancy add-ons, and voila! Instant upgrade! Please send money! Still, Bryce 5 is as impossible to use quickly as ever before..... As for render speed, I guess the Vue 4 demo must be slowed down. I know for a fact that the Bryce 5 demo is intentionally slowed down, in order to discourage the software crackers from wnating to do so. Nevertheless, I also have been told that Bryce 5 is about 5% slower than Bryce 4, and even Vue 3 is faster at rendering than Bryce 4. Vue 4 is considerably faster than Vue 3.... I like Bryce 4. I think Bryce 5 is severely over-rated, and not much of an improvement over Bryce 4. Vue 4, on the other hand, is far above and beyond Vue 3, for many reasons. Not flawless, to be sure, but better, nonetheless. :)

Well, about the Viewsize in Bryce... you can adjust it under the properties of the document (one of the first menue items in the file menue) The quality of the renderer... its a question of taste I guess. Personally I like the "painting look" of the vue renderer, and I love the ability to import Poser Files directly without tweaking and reloading Textures. I used both (not as a pro) but I think the way you manipulate your materials in Vue 4 is much more intuitive for me than the one in Bryce4. But if I look at pictures here, you can do great great images with both apps:) Phil

Buy both....there you go, the best answer. HE HE...Sharen

So true...Sharen :)

Some people like the "painted" look of a Vue render. Some people like the "painted" look of a Bryce render. LOL, yeah, I've heard it described that way for both of the programs. Render quality is definitely a very subjective element. So I'd say go with the one you feel most comfortable with and learn how to work with the lighting. Then maybe after a few months, you can add the other, too! :D

Attached Link: http://www.the3dscene.com

Just a quick mention about your rendering comments ;). Both are full-blooded raytracers, but have one difference. Bryce has a very sharp and clean default output which is a characteristic of raytrace engines. Vue has, on the other hand, a softer "default" output which is rare in raytracers, but highly regarded. The reason that Vue's output was probably given higher praise, is becuase with access to the Render options you can also get the clean and sharp output. Don't be put off by default outputs, as default settings in any software will almost always give less than average results. The 3DS Max or Cinema 4D renderers for example, at default settings, are less than adequate. A bit of tweaking though, will give output good enough for high definition media use. I might just add that rendering quality will always be down to personal preferance, but both Vue and Bryce have a good enough output that they are used professionally. One last thing (I promise ;D), that should also be considered is customer support...one place where I think E-on beat Coral hands down. Regards, Cheers

heyas; well, about the director/camera... depends on if you're animating, i suppose. if you animate your camera, then need to move it to see what the dip you're doing.... you just messed up your animation ;) vue has that, too, it's just called multiple camera things. you can save camera positions and revert the camera back to them, etc.

Yeah, right! if you're lucky, you can..... I think the camera-save-thingie is in cahoots with the Satanic Material Editor, in the conspiracy to mess me , and you, all up. This is not paranoia on my part. I really do think that Vue 4 is out to get me. ;)

Thank you all for your comments...they have shed some light on things. Chris

I am reviewing Bryce 5 right now and I have some comments to add...since I have compared Vue 4, World Builder 3 Pro and Bryce 5 in the last weeks: -Vue 4 renders faster than Bryce 5 in most cases, except when you crank everything up...both gets extremely slow. -Vue 4 renders are more realistic by default, I find Bryce to have a cartoonesque render, even the atmosphere presets tend to have a surreal look. Once you ge the hang of Bryce 5 both software gets close although I think Vue has an edge in realism. -Both Vue and Bryce needs some tweaking in the viewports, they lack the controls that WB or Inspire 3D offers. Overall...well, read my review this week to find out more :) Cheers! ------------------------------------------------------- Jean-Francois Lepage CG Focus Focus on Computer Graphics http://www.cgfocus.com -------------------------------------------------------

Looking forward to it, Jean-Francois...just don't forget to let us know. :) .... Oh, and what I meant above about the cameras... I still don't have it completely figured out, but, for me at least, saving a camera setting and then recalling it, is sort of hit-or-miss. Sometimes it actually "remembers", and sometimes not....

heyas; well, when you save the camera, vue doesn't automatically move you to a new camera. so you say, 'save this here camera position as 'final camera'.' and vue says okay. then it puts you in 'final camera,' and any camera moves you make are made to 'final camera.' in other words, you just changed the thing you saved, and it ain't saved any more. at least i think that's what it's doing. when i save a camera, i usually save it twice, under two names. then make sure i'm in the default camera when i go to move the thing. that way, i have at least 2 chances of finding my saved camera position again ;)

will do Mike...it should be ready tomorrow. :) IF someone can save a camera and send it to me it would be great...I need one to start shooting! ;0) Cheers!