Mark, I don't know why you need the terrain, but somehow it seems to make all the difference. As for your second question, I think you can get the same effect with a procedural lightgel as with one created from a bitmap. I believe that it is the colors which are important for creating effects with the gel. For my last example I had used the same bitmap that Michael used in his picture (the one on the Vue cd). That bitmap uses black and white. The black blocks all light and creates the shadows in the volumetric light, the white lets through all light. By using black and white you get a white color for your lightbeams. If for example you use shades of red for your lightgel you will get a red color for your beams. It is ofcourse so that for example a dark red color doesn't block as much light as black does. I hope this is a bit clear. My English is not always that good. I will try to make some sort of tutorial about this that has some example pictures in it. Maybe that explains it better. Rynn.