As you already own Vue, I think it is not useful to get Carrara for importing Poser content, I find that Vue handle them better, and render them at least as good as Carrara. One of the disadvantage of Carrara could be that it doesn't import dynamic hair and clothes, and you need a plugin to import Poser content (except in "Pro" version). The advantage are the modeling function that aren't in Vue, but if you want to get a modeler, for the same price you can get Softimage, and it is a quite good software;) (euphemism)

I can't remember how many friend of mine came back from the united states with a lot of new stuff. Why? Because approximately all is cheaper in the US, and what I remember date from long time when 1$ = 1.5 (in fact 1$ was equal to 10francs) and even at this time things were cheaper (with or without VAT). A levis trousers for half the price than in France, idem for Quicksilver tshirt, the same for a camera, and I have a lot of other examples (even for software;-))... I don't wonder if e-on are fair or not (and you aren't that fair with them). I will continue buying their products because I think the price is not that expensive for the product you get. I will continue to buy Photoshop even if it is 169$ - 249 for upgrading... It is an habit here in France to pay everything more than in the US, so I wonder why you complain, or maybe your fulltime job is to complain! I read another forum here at renderosity, and I don't remember people crying this way for pricing policy of the other company, not because those company are doing better price but just because this people are not cryer, or maybe not jealous. If you stop buying things that cost more in your country rather than in others, I can imagine your insipid life!

Oh yes I agree, it is a really odd behavior! It seems they have do something to correct that in 5 but it is not as it must be, you have a button to close the dialog... It saves changes, and don't launch the render, but it is a little bit hidden (2 per 2 pixel button in the top right of the dialog). Since Vue 4 Pro there is the camera manager too, it is another way to do that without rendering;) But you never think to that and while moving your cursor to the ok buton, you know you are doing something wrong, and then...you click! "Oh f... this stupid button again (growl)" :) Like when you want to test the thickness of ice on a lake with your foot, knowing pertinentely that it is not more than some millimeters...

The site tells you can control ecosystem with python, so if we had an ockham for vue, it would certainly be possible to get a particel system in Vue!!!!

Silverblade I think you won't be disappointed by Vue, it is a really good software, I'm always pleased to use it! I was fan of Bryce, but like you I was desesperated that it wasn't updated. I switch to Vue before the announce of the 5.5, and I'm quite happy because I won't have buy 5.5... I think Cinema and Vue (or even Bryce) are not really comparable, they don't deserve the same purpose (except art:)). One complete the other! They are both two good software!

The reflection looks nice indeed, but are blurred reflection really a pro feature? It is something you can find in several old "non pro" soft, don't it?

It is printed in Vue 4 Professional book, but not in the Mover 5 documentation. Mover 5 as been released long time after Vue 4 Pro. If it isn't in the documentation, it has a lot of chance not to work... I think it is something like prototyping. You see the prototype of something in a show, and it has some functions that won't be when it release. It is normal, nothing really shoking...

As Impish said they will have to release the Pro version very soon after the d'Esprit because Professional line will lack some Esprit feature. But I think their goal is to release Esprit after Professional, this is more logical. But if this time they had released Professional before Esprit, Esprit user would have been really desesperate to wait again for a new version, since Pro had only wait a year...

Great news!!! I'm wondering what they have put in it... At the end they spoke about Vue Product line, so IMO there will be a Pro version number 5... And I think there will be a downgrade to Esprit 5 (from Pro 4), but I think I 'll stay with Pro, it is so much better than Esprit;)

You're right Orio, it seems that if you do a boolean difference with an imported object there are some artefact. If you bake to polygons your boolean it correct the problem... Generally it is better to modify the object in a modeler directly, but it depends what you want to do. Hope it helps. Anty

I had a look at the demo of Carrara3 some time ago, and I was a little bit disappointed. There is lot of features, but "medium level". But the interface didn't helped me to fall in love with it too! (it is like Bryce you love or you hate;) ) But as you said symbios of both could be terrible! (for interface reason I will prefer the Vue +tons of c3 features:) ) For sl91911, maybe Esprit could be enough, Pro is more oriented for animation in fact. You can begin with Esprit, and if you feel Pro would be better, sidegrade, it cost appx the same price (Pro+Esprit = Pro alone);) But if you want the beautiful springtime birch, you have to have Pro:)

It looks interesting! I agree with rodluc it needs some more details (buildings, terrains, trees, textures...) With work it will be good, like abbymorgan said it is already better than others I've seen! I think you have made animations and now you are adding details to environment? Maybe the water needs to be more wavy.

have you try the 2.5 blur?

You are welcome:)