LordWexford, Hey, thanks for the web address. "Vue 5 has some very powerful lighting models, which the current version of Bryce doesn't (I believe)." Yes, I must say I'm not impressed with the lighting in Bryce. "However,/// the full-blown TGD version of Terragen is likely to provide some stiff competition for those primarily interested in landscapes." Yes, I do like the free version of Terragen, not sure if the upgrade is worth the price just for bigger terrains though. Thanks for the help. Fran

agiel, I'll have a look in the backroom, thanks. Fran

DVcreator, "try Vue4, the download is about $70; L40..." Er... maybe when I've got the money. I'd rather try a trial version first though. Thanks for the info. Fran

Actually, I found that decreasing the numbers in that materials editor made the material go denser, but enlarging the numbers worked better, I used this on some other materials in other images too - great stuff! I'm trying all sorts of "lowering" in various places. Helped with a sci-fi scene too! Thanks all. FranOnTheEdge

Jed Swindell's ships are .obp - so, B5. Zhann - ask him? Never thought of that. Couldn't hurt. CrazyDawg - the shells had a .mat file that arrived in the zip with the shells - they (the shells) imported into B4 okay but not the .mat file. I've just got Wings 3D, Blender, and Anim8or to play with - actually I had Wings and Anim8or already, I just hadn't got around to playing with them - Wings seems fairly easy to grasp (not so sure about the others) so I'm having fun playing with it - made a spaceship already! Lol So I might have a go making some shells myself... after I get tired with my spaceship, that is - could take a while, I'm having fun with it. FranOnTheEdge

lordstormdragon, "I have plenty of really cool fogs and cloud materials, if you want any to play with, let me know and I'll email them to you. If you're not certain what the hell I'm talking about, I'll email your a quick sample project file to mess with!" Is there any chance I could also have a go with that? I could do with learning more about fog and clouds. FranOnTheEdge

Zhann, Basic noise, right. Lower terrain, okay (In mat lab wasn't it? As Incarnadine's screen grab shows me?) Tweaking, yes. I'll keep tweaking alright! FranOnTheEdge

pakled, Thanks for that, but I found Tony Lynch in the freebie stuff, and I'm afraid his stuff is all Bryce5. I can't use it... most unfortunately. FranOnTheEdge

lordstormdragon, Oh yes, I definitely like the spray. (Like the beach too and the terraced levels in that terrain!) I'll have to have a go at something like that, actually I'm already doing something along the same lines, in as much as I'm trying to get a gently sloping beach terrain, to build my paved terrace onto... I WAS intending to have a beach babe resting her upper body on the stone steps while the rest of her lounges in the water - unfortunately I can't even get a bikini onto a poser figure without the figure disappearing, leaving the costume hanging in mid-air! By all means, please do send the spray material. And thanks very much. FranOnTheEdge

Thanks Incarnadine, I'll try that in the Mat Lab. FranOnTheEdge

Unfortunately, from what you all say, my answer seems to be "forget it". In other words the ones I'm having problems with are probably B5 files.

None of the skies I've downloaded are useable, despite people saying they should be.

I could cry, all those lovely ships by Jed Swindells!!! (sp?)
All out of reach.

I will however try finding ANY .mtl file for those shells, as you suggest - those MIGHT be salvageable.

The .jpg had ALL the shell images on one file, not one shell image per file, so that doesn't help. And the "Shells.mat" file, wasn't useable. Probably B5 again.

Thanks,

FranOnTheEdge

pakled,
Hey thanks for those tips,
"Oh, and if you need Wood Materials, go to Tony Lynch's site; he has at least 70-80 of them."
I have some woods but hey, it wouldn't hurt to grab a few more, wood it? Do you know this Tony Lynch's website address?

I could really do with some nice stone just at present. Does he do that too?

"Use the control+mouse click to pull up a list of objects, and find the outer eyeball. Select that, and texture it with the most transparent glass you can find"

Oh I can do that - did it with some fish one day - not the glass, clicking the item in a list. Thanks for that tip.

Oh and I know Wolfie's Den, found that a few months ago, saved & the website address. Thanks.

FranOnTheEdge

Incarnadine, Thanks Richard, I'll have a look at that kozaburo's site. FranOnTheEdge

Zhann,

Invocation answers

<<-reduce the size of the sea texture, so that it is much smaller, do this in the Materials lab>>

Er... how?
I went into the Materials lab but couldnt find anywhere to change sizes are you sure you dont mean click E and reduce the size of the terrain? Of course this sea is now a group (water + foam) so Id have to ungroup first wouldnt I?
Er... do I do this to all the sea terrains? I have about 3 or 4, some tilted some not. Help?

<<-the terrains you are using for foam, looks like you forgot a step in the tutorial for adding 'noise' in the terrain editor, that will bring it to a more realistic foam.>>

No, I didnt forget it exactly, but I wasnt sure if you meant basic noise, height noise or slope noise. I tried a little bit of basic, didnt see much difference, then tried a lot of basic and it looked way awful, like millions of tiny peaks, not like foam at all.

<< Also, elimiate the terrain edges using the clipping bracket in the terrain editor, this will help with the illusion of the seafoam....>>

I did. I do that with almost all my terrains nowadays, when you have clear water it does away with the squared-off block look terrains would otherwise have.

<<-reduce the size of the material for the rocks, try using 'Jungle Canopy' and in the DTE, change the color green to more brownish, I can't do a mat for you cause I'm using B5, however there are lots of materials in the Bryce freestuff for terrains.>>

The size of the material??? Or the size of the terrain? Im a bit confused here.
I tried 'Jungle Canopy' didnt like it , look too green like slimy mossy rock if someone had really tried standing on it, theyd have sliped into the sea pronto! I want it to look more bleak, a stark rock sort of feel. I think the most recent one Ive tried is Forested Granite but Bryce4 never tells you what youve chosen as a material, you have to run through everything trying them all out again. Takes ages.

<<-Do everything you need to do to your Poser figure before you export for Bryce>>

I will but the things Id already done to this figure in Poser fell off when I imported him to Bryce his hair, his skin colour, his eyes, etc Is this always going to happen? If it is then whats the point of doing things to him in Poser?

Anyway, at this point, I just used the figure to test where he was going to stand and the check the proportions of the scene, the cameras position the layout etc. I THINK its okay.

<< You have a good start, and we can help you refine your workflow and images, I'm very proud of what you have after reading the tutorial. It's more an intermediate level tut....>>

Yeah, well, I usually prefer doing the more complex tutorials they have the things I actually WANT to do in them, often simple ones only show you how to do things youll never want to use, and cant see the point of. Im glad you think Im doing okay, thanks.

Hey, today I made a low stone tower with steps going down to the sea I did boolean! Wayhay! Um, different picture that one. I wonder... what does a poser figure look like half in and half out of the water?

Im still looking for a wooden ship for this Invocation though, a couple of days ago I found a site where people were actually asking what people WANTED created, I asked for a wizards staff, but now Ive thought of asking them about the ship I cant remember where the heck I was! Duh!

FranOnTheEdge