I just need to use Bryce to create an establishing shot for a short cartoon I'm working on. The interiors have all been animated in Poser. I just need to swoop down through the clouds and then fly in on a castle. So, as you can tell, I'm a total novice with this app. I want to know if there is ANY WAY to get the interface to fill up the whole screen? My monitor is set to 1024 x 768, and Bryce is 800 x 600 (I believe), centered in a big black frame. I sure could use that extra space, instead of having to squint at everything I'm doing.

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Easiest way - go file, document setup, click max recommended button. This file will stay that way.

Document - setup. Thanks, that is EXACTLY what I needed. I know this sounds nasty coming from a newbie... but I really, honestly, totally believe that the designers of this program should be duct taped to a frame of 2x4s on a stage and users should be allowed to walk by, single file, and be allowed to BITCH SLAP them for their sins in this UI. It is WRONG when the desire to be uber cool overpowers common sense and simple usability. ------------- Doubtless many of you will think I'm the one who should be bound and bitch slapped, but so be it. I use Poser on a regular basis, and it's not nearly as bad as this mess ya'll call Bryce.

I respectfully must differ. I have used both programs extensively through several versions and although both can have their quirks, Bryce has never: 1. had objects suddenly disappear without a trace. 2. Had objects that were grouped with other objects suddenly come unstuck when one object was moved. 3. Crashed when trying to add an object to the scene. These are only 3 problems of many I have had with Poser (repeatedly), sometimes I have had to give up and start over, with perfect results even though I did everything EXACTLY the same way in the first place. In each case, I can never trace the failure to anything I've done wrong (at least, according to the manual). In the case of Bryce problems, I have been able to discover my own errors behind almost all of the problems. You are, IMHO, experiencing what I like to think of as the steep learning curve that comes with learning to use Bryce. Stick with it, and you will likely begin to appreciate the huge amount of versatility that Bryce offers as a creative tool. Surf at random through the Bryce galleries here and check out the wide range of visuals that users have crafted. I believe that with both Bryce and Poser (and PhotoShop Elements) there is nothing that cannot be realized. The only limit is your own imagination. Keep trying, and RTM (read the manual). :^)

...just to the UI. I have mostly worked with Poser 4 (only dabbled with 3) and find it to be mostly stable. The behaviors you described are completely unacceptable for a professional product/tool. They happen, but they are unacceptable. Software should work when you use it. Nope, I'm upset with a UI that disregards the standard interface conceits inherent to a UI. The file menu, for example, is hidden unless you mouse over it? WHY? There is no good reason in this instance -- it's not even saving me screen real estate. I also have SERIOUS qualms with Lightwave's insistence for sticking with a bunch of outdated AMIGA standards. On the Windows platform, UNDO = Ctrl+Z. REDO = Ctrl+Y. WHY the hell should I be forced to do u and U for functions that are standard to the OS? One of the best things about Macintosh was that it FORCED developers to adhere to the Mac OS standards before they would certify software for their OS. This made it possible to learn ALL applications faster (some reports comparing OS 7 to Win95/98 reported that Mac was up to 35% faster to learn because of its forced adherence to standards -- reported by Ziff-Davis). Now, I don't deny Bryce is a good program capable of outputting quality results (especially once I've taken the time to learn it). But that does NOT influence me to change my initial reaction: the hubris of creating a "cool interface" that negatively impacts usability should result in a strong bitch slapping of all involved. PS: Thanks for listening to my rant. My weekend has been a bit frustrating, and I don't mean to piss anyone off or start a flame war over this. I'm just TIRED of the application being a hindrance when it doesn't have to be.

If you set your screen to maximum in Bryce, the file menu is NOT hidden, but appears plainly. I have always used Bryce this way and have had no difficulties. I have found, by accident, that hitting Ctrl-Tab will toggle back & forth between the maximum & other display settings. Check the 3-fold reference card that came with Bryce, it has the keyboard shortcuts for dozens of features, including display settings.