Im new at this.. whats the difference between them?? on the surface both are envoirnment programs it seems..

Both handle enviroment generation very well. There are pros and cons to each. Most 3D software has similar User Interface controls, yet the there are different levels of controlability(is that a word?). I guess it's all a matter of what you like. I know what I like and don't like in each of them. You can try out both, each has it's trial version, you may also want to explore the results of each in the galleries. Overall do all the tire kicking you can, I bought both and I use Bryce 99% of the time. Good luck

Bryce is more than just an environment program. There are limits but not very many. I haven't used Vue.

lets just say i wasnt overly upset when my trial version of Vue ended but its always nice to fool around with other programs, Im a Brycer Thats what im comfortable with choose which one makes you comfortable roch222

Hard core brycer here. Vue had some easy ways of interacting with Poser, but if you're willing to work a bit with the import, Bryce has a lot to offer. I'm with Roch, wasn't all that concerned when vue trial expired.

Me neither. 90% Bryce here (the rest is Photoshop ;-))

closet terragenner here actually ;) vue compared to bryce is a bit more eye-candy, but that's about it. bryce all the way. and err.. if you want a REAL native landscaping program... TRY TERRAGEN! IT'S FREE! runs away

Vue has some nice tools for landscapes and atmosphere, but Bryce is much better for all-round work. I do a lot of interiors, and I wouldn't want to use Vue for that.

I am a Brycer. I have not used Vue at all, But one thing that bugs me about bryce is the render times and the HARD SHADOWS IT CREATES... other then that its a dam good program. I just wish they could make the lighting effects much more realistic. It took me 6 days to make soft shadows useing radil lights on a complex sence. Maybe they can add it to the Effect Antialiasing options. Radiosity and Causics are a problem too... its too much work to simulate it...

WORLD BUILDER IS MORE REALISTIC THAN VUE AND BRYCE COMEBINED!!!!!! SO IS MAYA!!!!!! too bad they cost $400 and $1000

They are also a lot more difficult to work with!

The Bryce shadows aren't nearly so hard if you just adjust the shadow intensity in the skylab. It doesn't just set sun-shadow intensity, but even controls the shadows from radial lights, if you have the sun shut off and are doing an interior scene it will allow you to adjust all your lights. The default which is 90 on the shadows IS way too hard, I always cut it down to the 20-30 range to get far more realistic shadows, without having to jump through all the soft-lighting hoops most of the time.

And there's the simulated radiosity and faked soft shadows bit, which can be done without overly upping the render time.

As has been stated, both Bryce and Vue have benifits and drawbacks. This is a list of my opinions based upon my very limited experience with both;

Vue Pros:
More varied vegitation (small in absolute number, but you get flowers, ferns, shrubs, trees...all randomly generated to be different from others of the same type)
Standard user interface for 3D aps
Faster render time
Three user defined cloud planes available within the sky dialog and user defined altitudes for each
Simple Poser file import (including animations with Mover addon)
Planets and moons available for placement in sky settings
Inherent lens flare (if you desire that sort of thing)
$199 base price

Vue Cons:
Stardard res renders are grainy
Though varied, indivdual plants are not easily manipulated
Has a history of being "buggy"

Bryce 5 Pros:
Deep texture editor (though difficult to master, the results are worth the effort)
Treelab allows for virtually unlimited creation of trees
Metaballs
Terrain editor is far superior to Vue
Image quality is superior at lower settings then Vue (you get what you wait for)

Bryce Cons:
Non-standard interface (easy to use after working with it for a while but daunting for nubees)
Poser imports require a good deal of manipulation
Slow render (again; you get what you wait for)
Two random cloud plains available in sky lab and both are at the same altitude
Sun and moon cannot appear in the same scene
Tree lab can ONLY make trees. ALL other vegitation must be imported
~$150 more base price then VUE

I am currently using both programs. I like Bryce for interior and other shots that require little vegitation. I like Vue for the scenes with lots of vegitation. That is the deciding factor for me at this point. Hopefully Corel will expand the "Treelab" into a "Plantlab".

The Mover addon for Vue would be a major factor for anyone wanting to animate Poser files. Adding Mover to the package brings the price to just above that of Bryce, but the results are amazing.

All other differences between the programs really can be worked around.

World Builder ROCKS!!!! It the best for making scenes!!!!

Precise placement of objects in Bryce is easier. You can rotate things in half degree intervals to get a 90 degree turn exactly very easily. With Vue you would have to type in 90 degrees to do this.